After Azuma recorded the second session on her smartphone, she said,
"I'll make this a family heirloom!"
She left the room, hugging her phone as if it were precious.
Since she had work, it seemed she was heading back to the FamilyMart near the school.
I wondered if it wasn't a hassle for her to come all the way to Kichijoji for a bit.
"I wonder why Azuma is working a part-time job?"
"I heard she borrowed money from her parents to buy an expensive bass. Apparently, she's paying them back," Sako answered, though I hadn't directed the question to anyone in particular.
"Heh..."
In a way, despite just looking like a simple amane fanatic, Azuma is quite admirable.
After that, we practiced the song all the way through several times. Two hours passed, and it was time to leave the studio.
As I stepped out of the room with Ichikawa and Sako,
"It's Konuma!"
I was called out to.
Eh, me?
Looking over, I saw Ando, Kenji-kun, two other boys, and for some reason, Erina-san sitting in the lobby.
"Ha! Sako-sama and the Archangel too...!? I see, so you three were band members... Is your band looking for a guitarist? I can play guitar!"
"Hey, Natsu. Are you going to betray us?"
Ando suddenly proposed joining the band, and Kenji-kun restrained him, looking displeased.
Ando can play guitar. That's unexpected.
"It's a joke, Hazama~! I'm strictly a guitarist for the Cherry Boys~!"
Heh, so Kenji-kun's surname is Hazama. Hazama Kenji... Were his parents Beatles fans or something?
And their band is called 'Cherry Boys'. Could they be the ones who played 'Cherry' at the first-year school festival?
"Are the Cherry Boys practicing today?" Ichikawa asked Ando.
Actually, hearing Ichikawa say 'Cherry Boys' makes me feel a bit ticklish in a weird way...
"That's right! We're swapping into the studio that Amanel, Sako-sama, and Konuma were just using!"
Ando radiated the aura of a minor character or a lackey. Why is he using polite speech?
Also, 'Amanel' sounds like a very normal nickname when 'Archangel' isn't attached to it.
"I see! Sorry for staying until the very last second!"
Ichikawa apologized with her hands pressed together.
I suppose this kind of thing is why she's popular with both guys and girls.
The members of the Cherry Boys stood up to enter the studio.
"Erina, why are you here?" Sako asked (probably).
"Erina was just a liiitle bit free, so I just let myself hang out with everyone until their practice started~"
"I see."
No, no, Sako-hasu. If you're that curt, Big Sister Azuma is going to get mad at you and say, 'If you're not interested, don't ask, okay?'
Then,
"By the way, Hasu, are you performing at the Rock On in July?" Hazama asked Sako while chewing gum.
"Yeah, well, I guess so."
"I see. In that case, you'll watch our performance this time, right?"
Kenji said it as if he were glaring. I couldn't tell if he wanted her to come or not.
"Well, if our turns are close."
Sako could just be honest and say she'll watch...
"We can just adjust the turns. We can do it if we ask the President. Right, New President?"
"Yeah, the order can be anything~" Ichikawa replied with a smile.
...President!?
Eh, Ichikawa is the President!? This is the first I've heard of it!
"Got it. Then put Hasu's band after ours. That way, you'll have to see us no matter what."
"Okay!"
Ichikawa agreed without a second thought.
Eh, don't we need everyone's consent or something? I don't really understand the inner workings of the Rock Club at all...
"Well then, that's that."
Hazama went in without carrying an instrument. Heh, so he's the vocalist.
"I'll give it my all, so I want you to watch."
The words he muttered as he entered the room were so full of emotion that they were almost like a confession.
"Mmm..."
I watched from the side as Sako nodded awkwardly.
"Hazama-kun really wants Sako-san to come watch! You guys are good friends!"
The natural angel of our band said that while heading to the register with a basket containing the microphones.
Sako followed her.
Left behind, I let out a sigh.
It was tough trying to keep up with all the retorts in my head.
But did you notice?
I haven't uttered a single word since leaving the room.
Then Erina-san, who was left behind by the Cherry Boys (what a combination of words), trotted over to me.
"Hey, Konuma-kun, do you have time after this?"
"M-me?"
"That's right, who else is there?"
No, when you say 'who else is there,' I'm not actually 'Konuma-kun'.
"If you have time, let's go to Mac."
"W-well, I don't mind, but..."
As I was flustered,
"Konuma-kun, time to pay!"
Ichikawa called out to me.
I hurriedly went to the register, paid the bill, and the four of us, including Erina-san, went outside.
As soon as we got off the elevator,
"Amane-chan, Sakosh. I'm borrowing Konuma-kun for a bit~"
Erina-san said that as she grabbed my arm and pulled.
"Wait, Erina, there you go again..."
Sako called out from behind, but Erina-san ignored her and marched forward.
Well, I could tell she probably wanted to talk about something, so I decided to follow along obediently.