If in a story, there were lines like “It’s pathetic, but this was the only way” or “It’s uncool, but I had no choice,” what kind of actions would you imagine?
I’m sure it would be followed by something that’s actually cool in a roundabout way, like “I could only choose a method that sacrificed myself” or “I saved the company from crisis by prostrating myself.”
So, when I say, “It’s truly pathetic, but I had no choice but to say this,” people might expect something that isn’t actually pathetic.
But the action I took after saying, “Please give me two minutes,” was truly, deeply pathetic.
That is to say,
“Kanno-san! I’m in a pinch!”
I ended up crying to my drum teacher standing at the front desk.
“Huh? What’s wrong?”
“Well, the thing is...”
I explained the problem that had just come to light in the recording booth.
“Ah—I forgot to teach you something important.”
Having heard the explanation, Kanno-san said it nonchalantly.
“Ugh...!?”
Since I’m being taught for free, I can’t be ungrateful enough to retort with something like, “Seriously? Give me a break.” But knowing that it was indeed something I should have been taught beforehand, I quietly grit my teeth.
It seemed my expression leaked my feelings of resentment.
“Whoa, whoa, don’t make a face like that. My bad, okay?”
Kanno-san looked away awkwardly.
And then,
“But you know,”
Returning to her usual confident expression, she faced me again.
“The current Takuto should be able to do it.”
“Really...?”
“Yeah.”
Returning to a serious expression, Kanno-san pointed to the ceiling with her index finger.
“Takuto, you’ve been practicing hitting accurately to a metronome this whole time, right? Practicing to hit perfectly in sync with the sound the machine makes.”
“Eh? Yes, well...”
It wasn’t just that I was doing it; those were my instructions.
No matter what combination of hands and feet I used to strike what rhythm, I had to be accurate, without wavering, hitting even the rests according to the tempo.
I recognized that as the goal of the practice I learned from Kanno-san.
“And you’ve become quite able to do that, haven’t you?”
“Thanks to you...?”
It might not be a level to be satisfied with yet, but I think it’s a world of difference compared to a few weeks ago.
“Then, when you become able to do that perfectly...”
Having said that much, her mouth announced something that would flip everything on its head.
“How are the drums you play any different from the programmed drums a machine plays?”
“Pardon...?”
<Author's Comment>
I'm very grateful that things have been busy lately, so I expect to continue with shorter updates for a while!