After school.
Today, I didn't have any plans at all, but as I was casually activating my skill 《Stealth》, a powerhouse appeared who immediately broke right through it.
“Takuto-kun! Are you free today?”
Needless to say, it was Erina-san.
Calling her a powerhouse might be an exaggeration; she just called out to me normally.
“Eh, no, well, I-I am free, but...”
Look at how flustered Takuto-kun is in response. Well, you can't just deactivate 《Stealth》 in an instant.
“Yay! In that case, let's go home together!”
However.
“Eh, no, Erina-san, don't you have club activities...?”
“That's why I meant after club!”
“After club? I'm in the go-home club, though...”
“Ehh—?”
Erina-san let out a dissatisfied sigh. She made a face like 'Erina is troubled,' but I'm the one who would be troubled being made to wait when I have nothing to do.
“Erina-chan, sorry. Konuma-kun has band activities, so he's not free today.”
A voice that sounded unusually displeased came from the side. When I turned toward it, the owner of the voice was Ichikawa.
She had a slight frown on her brow and her hands on her hips.
“Eh? But Takuto-kun said he was free?”
Erina-san tilted her head. It might seem like the behavior of a calculating character, but since Takuto-kun really did say he was free, it was a genuine question. Erina-san wasn't wrong.
After all, I hadn't heard a single word about practice today either. Sako should be at her club today too.
“Maybe he was distracted by something and forgot. Right, Konuma-kun?”
I could see an irritation mark on Ichikawa's head even as she smiled... The sarcasm of someone with such expressive power is truly scary.
“Yes... we have activities...”
I don't remember them, though...
“Hmm...? I see. Well, tomorrow is fine then. Takuto-kun, it's a promise!”
With that, Erina-san pitter-pattered out of the classroom.
Only Ichikawa and I remained in the room.
“You've gotten quite close with Erina-chan, haven't you?” Ichikawa said with a sigh.
“I wouldn't say close, exactly...”
“You mean she's just pestering you?” She looked at me with cold eyes. Her gaze seemed to say, 'Are you trying to tell me you're that popular?' (It's complicated).
“No, I wasn't planning on saying that...”
“You're being very vague.” She let out a long sigh, then said, “Hey, Konuma-kun.”
As she spoke, she leaned her face in close.
“If you stay dense and oblivious, you're going to end up hurting people, you know?”
“...Excuse me?”
“Geez, that right there is the problem.”
I really had no idea what she was talking about.
“Well, whatever. I'll stay out of that part...” Muttering that, she slung an acoustic guitar case over her shoulder—one she must have brought in at some point.
“Well then, shall we go to practice?”
“Huh?”
“You're free, aren't you? Takuto... kun?”
Ta-Takuto-kun...!?
“We can't lie to Erina-chan, so we really have to do it. Right?”
And so, led by Ichikawa, I came to a studio inside the school. It was my first time in the Rock Club's studio.
“I reserved it for today! Everyone else is busy with their clubs, so it was empty.”
“I see.”
The Rock Club's studio is located very close to the staff room. Above the studio door, it says 'Broadcasting Room.'
Apparently, they are using a room originally built as a broadcasting room—which has some soundproofing—as their studio. Musashino International High School has neither a broadcasting club nor a broadcasting committee. Since teachers can make school-wide announcements from the staff room, they probably didn't need a broadcasting room from the start.
When I opened the door, there was a small space of about three tatami mats where people's instruments and bags were tossed around. Beyond that was a solid soundproof door, and inside were drums, guitar amps, bass amps, keyboards, speakers—typical music studio equipment.
“Is this free...?”
“Of course it is. It's school, after all.”
“With all this, I could make as many songs as I want...”
Honestly, I was impressed. Given the skill level of the Rock Club members and the fact that most are in multiple clubs, I didn't think they put much effort into their studio.
“Alright, let's do this.”
Entering the studio area, Ichikawa spoke and took her guitar out of its case. I took out my drumsticks and sat in front of the drum kit.
“Let's try matching up, just the two of us.”
With that, Ichikawa began strumming the acoustic guitar. No matter how many times I see it, it's a strangely moving sight. As I listened...
“Hmm?” The sound escaped my lips.
The way the lyrics and melody synchronized was slightly different from the last time we practiced. Noticing I had spoken, Ichikawa stopped playing.
“Konuma-kun, what's wrong?”
“No, did you change the melody there?”
“Eh, was it different?”
“It felt a bit different. If you're doing it on purpose, that's fine, but...” As a preface, I continued. “Before, it was like this: 'Chased by the alarm clock, I left the house / Leather shoes still just hanging on my feet.'”
I sang the beginning a little.
“Can you tell the difference?”
With my singing ability, I doubted I could express the nuance properly. While thinking that, I looked at Ichikawa, who was staring blankly at me.
“...? Hey, are you listening?”
“Mm, eh?”
“What is it, Ichikawa...? Should I sing it one more time?”
“Ah, yeah, please. Sing it one more time.”
“? Sure...” I cleared my throat and sang it again.
“Got it? 'Chased by the alarm clock, I left the house / Leather shoes still just hanging on my feet.'”
“Keep going.”
“...?”
“Continue?”
Since Ichikawa was prompting me with an incredibly serious gaze, I sang all the way through the first chorus. Then, Ichikawa said with a serious face.
“Konuma-kun, your singing is really good.”
“Huh?”
“Konuma-kun! Your singing is really great!”
Her excitement gradually rose, and the sparkle in her eyes increased.
“You think so?”
“Yes! If you're that good, why have you been keeping quiet until now! Even in the demo, the vocal melody was just programmed as a piano!”
“O-Oh.” More than being embarrassed, I was surprised to be told something I had never even considered.
“What a waste!”
And, as per usual, Ichikawa's face was extremely close to mine.
“It's not that big of a deal. Once I recorded myself singing and listened to it, it felt so gross that I haven't been able to record it since.”
“Everyone feels that way about their own voice at first!”
While Ichikawa seemed happy, she also had a slightly lonely expression.
“I see, so that's how it is. If you can sing like that, Konuma-kun... then I...” She whispered that softly, then added, “I'm so jealous.”
Ichikawa said it with a smile, yet she looked like she was in a bit of pain.