When I stepped into the soundproof room and closed the door, I could see almost nothing.
“Um, Kanno-san, the light... oh, right.”
『On weeknight late nights, most of the rooms are rarely occupied. So, if we don't turn on the lights, we don't use electricity, and even if I’m practicing drums, it doesn't cost the shop a cent. The staff who finish their late-night shifts don't have trains anyway, so we’re allowed to practice while killing time until then.』
Now that I thought about it, she had told me the lights couldn't be turned on.
The only light coming in was through the small window on the door, so faint that it barely revealed the existence of the mirrors lining the wall.
I’m not as much of a coward as Azuma, but I still feel something spiritual about mirrors...
“It’s quite scary when it’s pitch black...”
“Well, at first. It’s okay, you’ll get used to it soon. At my level, I can move to the front of the drum throne even with my eyes closed. Want me to show you?”
“For what purpose?”
“Alright, watch this.”
Ignoring my obvious question, Kanno-san, who was next to me, began to walk slowly.
I couldn't tell if she had her eyes closed or if she was even getting closer to the drums because it was too dark.
I mean, what’s with 'Want me to show you?' anyway...
While I was finding my senior's mysterious behavior somewhat amusing, a voice came from a short distance away.
“See! I’m here!”
“I guess so.”
Well, I couldn't tell if she was actually at the drums.
Just as I thought that, *do-do-pang*, the sound of drums rang out. It seemed she wanted to prove that she was indeed sitting at the drums.
“Whoa...!”
“Amazing, right?”
“...Yes.”
...Really, no matter how many times I hear it, her drumming always has a fresh sense of wonder. Why do such short phrases have such a lively resonance?
“Well, Takuto, you’ll be able to do it soon too.”
“Will I really...?”
Kanno-san probably meant being able to reach the drums with my eyes closed, but I still found myself admiring her drumming. ...I wonder if this is the first time I’ve felt 'admiration' for anyone other than her.
“Alright, come over here.”
“Okay.”
Since my eyes had adjusted, I walked slowly to the drum throne, and Kanno-san gave up her seat.
After getting permission from Kanno-san, I adjusted the position and angle of each drum to suit myself.
“Even if I can't see, I can tell where everything is once I sit in front of the drums.”
“That’s right. Well, when you’re playing drums, it’s not like you’re watching them while you hit them anyway.”
“That’s true.”
It’s similar to touch-typing on a computer.
“In the movie 'Drumline,' they also said not to look at the drums. 'Do you look at your partner while you're having sex? No, right? Then don't look at the drums either.' Haha.”
“Ah, haha...”
With my hearing sharpened in the darkness, having those words spoken so innocently close to my ear left me taken aback, or rather, awkward... Knowing she didn't mean anything by it made me feel awkward just for thinking it was awkward...
“But wait, do people not look at their partners during sex?”
“I-I wouldn't know! P-Please, j-just teach me the practice already!”
“'Alweady.' Ahaha.”
No, in any other situation, this would definitely be sexual harassment, seriously...
“Alright then, take your stance.”
“...Yes.”
As I held the sticks and took a drumming posture,
“Sorry, I’m going to touch you a bit.”
With that warning, I felt a sensation crawling along my arm.
“Your posture is bad.”
It seemed Kanno-san was checking my posture with her hands. And then, I received micro-adjustments, one by one. The sensation that had finished running along my arm then moved to my back, and then...
“K-Kanno-san...”
“Shut it.”
Kanno-san, who seemed to have crouched down, grabbed my thighs and adjusted the position of my knees. I’ll shut up since I was told to, but this is...
“...Alright.”
Once the general adjustments were finished, she placed her hands on my shoulders.
“This is the posture. Remember it. This is the posture where you can play properly without putting strength into your shoulders.”
“Okay...”
“In ten seconds, I’m going to mess you up.”
“...Excuse me?”
Since I couldn't move my body, I couldn't give a violent reaction. However, while I was bewildered by those dangerous and unnecessarily lewd words,
“10, 9, 8...”
The countdown began.
“Wait, hey...”
“Concentrate. Remember the posture.”
“O-Okay...”
“3, 2, 1... Alright.”
In that instant,
“Take this!”
Countless, piercingly ticklish sensations hit my sides.
“Wait!?”
Apparently, she was rapid-firing her fingertips against my sides. Naturally, because it was ticklish and everything else, my posture collapsed.
“Hahaha, are you a kid? Alright, now return to that posture from before.”
“...Yes.”
I see, so she wants me to be able to recreate that posture myself. I try to reproduce it as best as I can. Relax the shoulders, and then...
In the end. After repeating that process and practicing nothing but forming the posture, two hours had passed.
“Haah, haah... Kanno-san...”
“Your breathing is heavy. It's gross.”
“I’m sorry about that, but...”
“What is it?”
“...I want to hit them soon...!”
Ah, I want to feel refreshed. I want to make a loud sound from this collection of big drums in front of me...!
“I see, I see. Then, I’ll let you hit them.”
“Yes...!”
After Kanno-san showed a hint of a gentle smile,
“...But only the rim of the snare drum.”