* * *
"On the day of the school festival, why didn't she realize that 'Kyousou' wasn't Ichikawa-san's song?"
That voice echoed strangely in the sparsely populated train, and Takuto, who was sitting next to her, looked like he'd been struck by lightning.
"You're right... Does that mean we were overestimating Ariga-san?"
"Maybe, or maybe it's the opposite."
"The opposite...?"
Takuto's eyes widened.
"I see, could it be...!"
His focus was now fixed on something that wasn't here.
Watching that expression, I let out a soft sigh.
That face. That's the one.
The one where he won't hear a single word I say anymore.
It's what Yuzu calls the 'Zone', and what Yurisuke calls an 'Awakening chapter'.
Takuto and Yurisuke always praise that girl as a genius when she's in her focused state, but from my perspective, Takuto is much more insane when he enters this state.
And Takuto's face right now is unbearably cool.
I guess I have no choice.
I pluck the smartphone from Takuto's hand, which had begun to tremble with excitement.
"Takuto, I'm borrowing your phone."
As expected, there was no answer.
The reason I took the phone was to forward the shopping memo I received from Yuzu earlier to myself.
Since this guy will surely forget about the shopping Yuzu asked for and run straight home, I have to be the one to buy it. I have no choice.
When I swipe the screen to open it, the message 'Please enter passcode' appears.
Protecting his privacy, despite being Takuto. It's probably because Yuzu has been peeking into his phone a lot lately.
"Hey Takuto, what's your password?"
I call out to him just in case, but since I didn't expect an answer, I don't get one.
"I'm opening it on my own, then."
First, I try entering Takuto's birthday.
'Passcode is incorrect.'
Then, what could it be...
Next, though I didn't expect it to work, I entered my own birthday.
'Passcode is incorrect.'
Of course it wouldn't open. What a crappy phone.
Haa.
I don't really want to enter it, but I have no choice...
Since no one was watching, I made a sour face.
My thumb reluctantly moves.
'1 2 2 5'
With those four digits, the phone slides open smoothly. ...Seriously, what a crappy phone.
"Haa... Takuto, I'm looking at your LINE, okay? Only Yuzu's."
I say it just for form's sake, open LINE, and forward the image Yuzu sent earlier to myself.
"In other words...!?"
I'm startled by a sudden voice from my left. He seems to be having a conversation with something inside his own head. Creepy. Cool, but creepy.
Still holding Takuto's phone, I rested my cheek on top of the bass case I was holding and gazed at his crazed profile.
I desperately hold back the corners of my mouth from turning up. I'd look like an idiot if I were grinning on the train.
『We will soon arrive at Ichinatsu Town Station.』
The in-train announcement signals the end. Ahh. We're already here?
I murmured, "I'm putting it back here," and returned the phone to Takuto's bag.
Since we were about to arrive at Ichinatsu Town Station,
"Takuto, it's Ichinatsu Town," I said, lightly shaking his shoulder.
Then, he came back to his senses just a little and stared back into my eyes.
"Sako, sorry. I'm going to rush home."
I guess it can't be helped. I'll forgive him since he didn't forget I was sitting next to him. I'll let him be free.
"Do whatever you want."
The moment the doors opened, Takuto said "Sorry" once more in an unusually cool voice and then started running at full speed, even though he's slow.
I sent a message to Yuzu saying, 'I'll do the shopping, so you can just ignore Takuto,' and headed toward the supermarket while looking at the shopping memo.
I actually wanted to shop with Takuto, but this feels a bit like being childhood friends, so I guess it's fine.
Still, what exactly did Takuto realize?
...I wonder if I can figure it out too.
I put on my headphones and listen to the recording of Ichikawa-san from earlier.
* * *
If yesterday didn't exist and today was the first day
Would I have chosen the same tomorrow?
Maybe, like the Earth doing a somersault
The scenery might have shifted by just a few millimeters, fatally
The answer sheet that should have been a perfect score
Before I knew it, a blank space had appeared on the back
For the first time, I don't know the words that should fill it
I won't say "tell me," though
Lalala...
* * *
As expected, the lyrics of the songs that girl writes herself are easy to hear when she's singing while playing an instrument.
On the other hand, it feels like it's lacking effort. It lacks desperation.
She could produce a louder voice.
She could produce a better voice.
The moment I thought that.
"Ah...!"
With a blink, I felt like a lightbulb went off above my head.
I accidentally spoke out loud at the entrance of the supermarket.
I see, I get it.
A song written alone is composed in a key that isn't strained for the creator, so the vocal range is low.
That's why, even if it sounds perfect when singing while playing, the vocals get buried under the sound of the drums and bass when performed as a band.
And as a result, Ichikawa-san's strength—her lyrics—become difficult to hear, and the original quality of the song isn't being pulled out to its maximum.
When making a recording, you can freely raise the vocal volume or make it stand out during the mix to some extent, but you can't do that during a live performance.
In that case, it's no wonder people say it sounds better as a solo performance, and that the band is just providing accompaniment that gets in the way of the song.
But "Kyousou" is different.
The songs Takuto writes—especially "Kyousou," which was written specifically for Ichikawa-san to sing—are crafted so that Ichikawa-san's voice resonates in its best vocal range.
Why can he do that? The answer is obvious.
Because Takuto listens to 'amane's' songs like a fool, and the vocal range where Ichikawa-san's voice shines is ingrained in his ears and his body.
And more than anything else.
It's because Takuto, without realizing it himself, is an excellent composer who can properly embody that.
The same can probably be said for Yurisuke.
When hitting high notes, when hitting low notes, using a chest voice, or using a falsetto.
He perfectly understands which scale and which characters are easy to sing and easy to reach the listener.
And there, he can load not just the phonetics, but the best scenery and the strongest meaning.
In other words.
Those two can create songs better suited for Amane to sing than Amane can herself.
No, surely only the combination of those two can create that.
What the heck.
So that was it after all.
That's why I've said it so many times.
Takuto isn't some inferior version of Ichikawa-san.
Yurisuke isn't some degraded version of Ichikawa-san.
They have the power to firmly lead the band 'amane', and they have talent dwelling within their bodies.
I'm happy. I'm proud.
And... I'm jealous.
I'm jealous, but that's fine now.
Because I, who realized this, am no longer a degraded version of Takuto or an inferior version of Yurisuke.
And I am absolutely not someone who should be jealous of Ichikawa-san.
"Takuto, you know, I really have nothing. I can't play the bass as well as Yurisuke, I'm not cute inside or out like Erina, and I can't write lyrics or music like Ichikawa-san that you'd listen to hundreds of times."
I won't say those whiny, excuse-like things anymore.
Even if I can't write songs, even if I can't write lyrics, even if I truly, truly have nothing.
Even so.
The bassist of 'amane' is Sako Hasu.
I won't give that up, no matter what.
If Takuto and Yurisuke have understood their own value, then I have to stand up too.
I can't stay trapped in jealousy forever.
I'm not the "fourth person" anymore.
I'm not a bystander anymore.
Because this is a battle over who can make 'amane' the strongest band.
I gulp down my saliva.
I won't lose.
I've finally stood on the same stage. I've finally lined up at the same starting line.
Finally.
The competition between the four of us begins.
* * *