“Kanno-san...!? Why are you at our high school...!?”
As we were starting to worry about how to make the December Lock-on at an outside live house a reality, a senpai with sharp eyes and bright brown hair tied in a ponytail was suddenly standing next to us with her arms crossed.
“I mean, I’m a student at this school. In fact, I’ve been here a year longer than you guys.”
“Well, that’s true...”
That was too true. I was completely refuted.
But then again, I’ve only ever seen her at Octa Studio, except for the after-party festival...
“Well, I won’t be coming to school much longer, though. Once the second semester ends, third-years are basically off for exam preparation.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. In the third semester, we only have three or four attendance days and then the graduation ceremony.”
It wasn't so much that I didn't know as it was that I hadn't really thought about it. Even if the graduation ceremony is in March, the actual period of high school life for third-years might be much shorter. Beside me, Yuri Azuma, the Seishun Manager, was nodding vigorously.
“By the way, why are you here?”
“I had business in the faculty room regarding my study abroad. So? You’re doing a live show outside, right? Want me to put in a word for you?”
“Are you serious...!”
I widened my eyes at the reassuring proposal.
“Well, all I can do is introduce you. You’ll have to handle the operations yourselves, okay?”
“Yes, of course!”
Amane nodded with a smile.
Even if we have to handle the operations ourselves, having a senpai nearby who we can ask when we don’t understand something is a huge help.
It’s not like she was ever an enemy, but when a powerful rival becomes an ally, it feels like our combat power has increased by several orders of magnitude...
As I was thinking about things like a shonen manga,
“Anyway, more importantly,”
Kanno-san narrowed her eyes.
“What are you guys doing about the recording? You have to submit your tracks to Seishun Rebellion, right?”
“Yes, that’s right. But since the recording is only one day, we still have a little less than a month, and I thought we could just practice until then...”
“Ugh, you’re taking recording too lightly! Is that really okay? You guys are going to be the ‘strongest band,’ right?”
There was no hint of teasing in Kanno-san’s expression. I could tell she was taking what we said at the previous live show seriously.
“Yes...!”
Our backs straightened as we answered.
“Maika-bucho, are we... taking recording too lightly?”
Azuma must have become anxious. When she timidly raised her hand and asked, Kanno-san nodded and held up her index finger.
“Try doing a pre-pro.”
““Pre-pro?””
“Short for Pre-production. Well, it’s basically a ‘test recording.’ You finalize the arrangements and everything while recording.”
“Is that different from normal ensemble practice?”
Sako tilted her head.
“You’ll understand if you do it.”
Kanno-san gave a fearless smile and then turned back to me.
“Takuto, you have home recording software, right? What do you use?”
“Logic.”
“Heh, a Mac user. How stylish. What about the audio interface? How many channels?”
“It’s a 16-channel simultaneous recording one.”
“Oh, that’s pretty good. Wait, aren’t you a loner bedroom musician? Why do you have one with so many channels?”
“Konuma-senpai even brought it to the training camp! I didn't understand it then, but Konuma-senpai must have splurged out of joy at being able to form a band!”
“Stop it, Taira-chan, it’s embarrassing...”
Beside me and Taira-chan, who were talking about equipment as fellow home recordists,
“Wait, what are they talking about...?”
“Probably about recording...”
“Konuma-kun’s eyes sparkle the most when he talks about these things... It’s cute, isn’t it...”
“I mean, I didn’t realize Maika-bucho was on that side too...”
The three girls were chatting away. ...Amane, seriously, that’s really embarrassing.
“Anyway, Octa also rents out microphone sets for self-recording, so try recording yourselves once. Then you’ll understand what I’m talking about.”
Strike while the iron is hot. So, the very next day, Saturday, amane feat. Tsubame Taira gathered at Octa Studio.
“So, what should we start with?”
“Uhh...”
Taira-chan and I gave instructions respectively, setting up mics and connecting each instrument.
Since I would be performing, we needed someone to operate the computer. I had summoned my kouhai, Taira-chan, who is also a home recordist and likely understands the operation. She had also been listening to the conversation yesterday.
At first, I tried to ask Azuma, who wasn’t performing, but she immediately relied on her disciple, saying, “I can’t take that kind of responsibility...!” Well, in reality, with this kind of software, if you make a small mistake in operation, you might accidentally delete a take you just recorded.
Once the mics were set up, it was time to adjust the volume to an appropriate level to avoid clipping. This was where Taira-chan’s computer operation began.
Taira-chan, sitting with her knees drawn up on a round stool with the computer placed on a folding desk rented from the studio, exuded quite a lot of presence. She had the aura of a genius hacker. She looked like she should be licking a Chupa Chups.
“Now then, Konuma-senpai, please step on the bass drum.”
“Got it.”
Thump, thump, thump, thump. I produced the sound at a steady rhythm.
“Tsubame, you can do things like this...! I have no idea what’s going on.”
“No, no...”
Taira-chan, with headphones around her neck, replied in a low voice.
“Tsubame...?”
“Yes, what is it?”
“Ah, yeah, sorry, it’s nothing...”
“Understood.”
Taira-chan was so focused she was letting her master’s voice go in one ear and out the other!
“She’s kind of like Amane when she’s studying...”
The master, who was treated somewhat dismissively for the first time, pouted. Hang in there.
However, seeing Taira-chan occasionally put the headphones to her ears and click away at the adjustments, she looked quite professional and cool.
With everyone’s preparations complete, it was finally time for recording.
Amane and Sako looked toward me.
I returned a nod and a smile, and quietly raised my sticks.
Once I tap out the four-count, new music will start playing again.
Kanno-san said those things, but I’m sure we can handle this without any trouble.
...There was a time when I thought like that, too.