In the end, after-school arrived without me finding an answer.
For now, only the four members of amane were in the Rock Club studio.
I was setting up the speakers so that we could play the audio smoothly when Tsubame-chan arrived, but I could feel a strange atmosphere behind my back.
Everyone must have been thinking about how to take this morning’s conversation, and likely, no one really knew what to make of it.
“Hey, um...”
Amidst that atmosphere, Ichikawa broke the ice.
“What should we do about what Airi-san said this morning...?”
“I wonder...”
Whether she thought it couldn't be hidden anymore, felt impatient, or simply because of her honest nature—
Whatever the reason, her single comment finally forced us to face the issue as a whole band.
“Being famous would surely work in our favor during the Seishun Rebellion screening.”
After letting out a small sigh, Yuri-neesan began to organize the situation.
“Why is that?”
“In Ao-Ribe, once you send in your audio and pass the first screening by the secretariat, the second screening is a general vote... In other words, the audio is uploaded to the site for a ‘popularity poll.’”
“I think I remember seeing that...”
Come to think of it, I felt like something like that was written on the Seishun Rebellion poster.
“Actually, the first screening isn't that big of a deal. As long as the audio maintains a minimum level of quality, it seems you generally pass. It's basically just a preliminary cut. So, the real first screening is that general vote.”
“I see... and IRIA would get a lot of votes there.”
“Exactly. And well, if people find out there’s a band with half the same members, it’ll make them think, ‘Let’s give them a listen,’ more than if there was nothing, right?”
“That might be true...”
I wasn't sure how much having the same drum and bass would actually matter, but it was certainly better than nothing.
In our case, even though we had Amane Ichikawa...
“We don’t play singer-songwriter amane’s songs, and besides, the current recognition of ‘amane’ is almost non-existent.”
Ichikawa herself voiced the slightly difficult truth that had crossed my mind.
Even after Lock-on and the recent live performance, almost no one had approached us in that sense, so our recognition wasn't that high.
It probably wouldn't have a big impact on a general vote.
“Well, that’s why I think accepting it is a good idea. There are parts of us that can’t afford to be picky. So, the rest is...”
Yuri spoke with a bit of a bitter smile.
“Just a matter of how we feel, I guess.”
“True...”
“Hmm...” As the four of us looked up at the ceiling, right at that moment—
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I’m late!”
Tsubame-chan burst into the studio, panting and covered in sweat.
“And also, I’m incredibly sorry! Airi-san came along too!”
“‘Came along’ is quite the greeting...”
The blonde first-year who followed her into the studio muttered in her usual, oddly formal way of speaking.
“You really came...”
“I told you I would.”
“I guess so...”
And so, in the Rock Club studio, ‘amane feat. Tsubame Taira & AIRI’ was formed. It’s starting to sound like a rapper group. No, we haven't actually formed anything.
“What did she come here for? Does she like Takuto that much?”
“No, it’s about Sako too...”
“So you’re not denying that she likes you?”
Ichikawa puffed out her cheeks and poked me in the side. No, that's not what I meant, it was just a figure of speech, or rather, I just thought it was so obvious it didn't need a denial, but anyway, I'm sorry.
“I came to ask you properly... once more.”
Gauging Sako’s expression, Hirosue spoke in her complicated polite speech.
“After all, if we have to record from now on, there isn't much time.”
“Ah, wait a second.”
Yuri cut in while holding her head with one hand.
“I understand you want to scout our Konuma and Sakohasu. But we want to think that over properly among ourselves first, so can we move on to today’s main topic? Today, and probably yesterday too, you’ve been throwing off our pace and we haven't been able to get through the important stuff.”
“...You’re right, I’m sorry.”
Surprisingly, Hirosue apologized honestly.
“Of course, I don’t mind. You’re going to listen to the mixing Tsubame did, right? I came to hear that too.”
“Wait, why...?”
Yuri looked over at me.
“No, don't ask me...”
It’s not my department...
“Then, I’ll play it now...!”
Tsubame-chan must have gone through a lot of back-and-forth before getting here. Ignoring the pros and cons of Hirosue being there, she opened her laptop and connected it to the speakers I had set up.
“Here goes...!”
Her small finger pressed the button, and the music began.