* * *
“Wha— what is this?”
Around the time the after-school chime rings, I receive two LINE messages from Yurisuke.
The first one is a normal message.
Yuri: 『Everyone gather at Kichijoji Octa now!』
And the other one is...
“Damn-suke...”
It was a photo of Takuto, completely exhausted, leaning against a wall and sleeping. Hey, a sleeping face, Takuto’s sleeping face. Takuto, a sleeping face! Hey, stupid-suke, crappy-idiot-suke.
Yuri: 『Also, Sakohasu. ...Sorry for stealing your prize!』
“...Ah.”
I remember what Yurisuke said right before she left, and I let out a sound.
Oh, so that’s what she meant.
If I’d known, I wouldn’t have let her go... Maybe I should go tell the homeroom teacher she’s skipping right now...
As I close my eyes in self-reproach, regret, envy, and jealousy, my phone vibrates again.
This time it’s from Takuto.
There’s a URL and a message.
Takuto Konuma: 『It’s just a demo, after all.』
“A demo...”
A demo...!?
I hurriedly pull out my earphones and put them in my ears.
With a trembling finger, I press the play button.
『1, 2, 3, 4, 1』
“No way...”
Starting with a Japanese 4-count, it was a recording of a single instrument and voice.
The one singing is my childhood friend.
I close my eyes, taking it into my body through my ears as if confirming every single word, as if savoring them.
By the time the playback finished, tears like beads overflowed from both of my gently opened eyes.
This is, painfully so, our song.
It’s not being modest, and it hasn’t given up.
Hearing that song, I realize how much I’ve been trapped by trivial things.
What was I thinking?
Whether I measure up or not, such a thing didn't have a single bit of relevance to whether I'm here or not.
Just as I thought I wanted to read the lyrics as text too, Yurisuke posted the lyrics in the LINE Note.
The moment I read the first line.
“...Yurisuke, are you serious?”
It was strangely funny how my voice cracked.
* * *
* * *
『Last!』
The character for ‘Correct’ (Tally marks)
It was like grasping at the sky
I wrote it without knowing why
That symbol is just like a plain ‘Five’
When I press it
That fire the lighter lit
I tried to thaw it out
Only to learn I didn’t even have the right
No matter how much I apologized
The future was pure white
I won’t listen to the demo anymore
I won’t listen unless it’s the band
Because I read the ‘Charm’
I’ve gained such a strong feeling
I’ve been dreaming all this time
I never woke up until today
I wonder if we can make sound together someday
That is exactly why
Last!
Because I’ve already decided
Let’s go meet the ‘us’ that lies ahead
Even if that path is deathly painful
It’s not like there’s any other meaning to life anyway
Last!
Surely, even further than tomorrow
Let’s rewrite ‘Me and You’ at the end of that
Even if... that denies the present
If the voice you gave me doesn’t come out, there’s no meaning to it
The dream we saw together, even if not a single part comes true
Let’s dream the next dream
It’s nothing special
Because that first sound we made
Continues to remain inside these ears
The ‘Truth’ is hard to see
The ‘Truth’ is always painful
It doesn’t have to be kind
So let’s let go of everything
Every last one, everything
Last!
Because I’ve already decided
Let’s go meet the ‘us’ that lies ahead
Even if that path is deathly painful
It’s not like there’s any other meaning to life anyway
Last!
Surely, even further than tomorrow
Let’s rewrite ‘Me and You’ at the end of that
Even if... that denies the present
If the voice you gave me doesn’t come out, there’s no meaning to it
Hey, can you hear it? The final words
Never look back
Don’t hesitate anymore about whether it’s okay to go
See, with this, the future has become a blank space
That gaping hole
Fill it with that voice
Separated, lacking, yet heading toward the dream
Let’s tie the story together properly now, for once
It’s the usual cliché for that purpose
Ready, set—
『The End!』
* * *
* * *
“Yuri is amazing...”
To write my feelings so accurately and let me sing them.
“Konuma-kun is amazing...”
And his singing voice pierced my heart and gouged it out.
There’s no need for IRIA-san to stand there; Konuma-kun is fine as the guitar-vocalist. No, that’s better.
Of course it is.
He was originally the strongest one-man band who could play all the instruments by himself.
“Hey, let’s go.”
Tapped on the shoulder from behind, I almost stumble forward.
“Yeah, Sako-san.”
When I look back, it seemed like Sako-san’s red eyes were slightly rounded.
“Ichikawa-san, why do you look so happy?”
“Eh, do I?”
I was smiling. As I thought that and looked at the hallway window glass, the person reflected there certainly looked like she had light in her eyes.
I feel like I haven’t seen those eyes in a long time.
“Somehow... I just thought, ‘I’m not going to lose.’”
“You know, Ichikawa-san,”
Sako-san smiles, lifting the corners of her mouth as if exasperated.
“What?”
“...You’re part of a warrior race, aren’t you?”
“What is that supposed to mean!?”
And then the two of us laugh together for the first time in a while, just like always.
* * *
“Man, how should I put it...”
Before putting in the guide vocals.
I scratched my cheek after reading the lyrics that arrived from Azuma.
“What? You got a problem?”
“I don’t have a problem, but... I thought it was more resigned than I expected, or rather, it pushes her back quite decisively.”
“The current Amane wouldn’t sing it otherwise, right? She’d say stuff like, ‘This isn’t what I’m thinking.’”
“...Well, that’s true.”
Actually, Azuma’s imitation of her is mocking Ichikawa quite a bit, isn't it?
“It’s okay, Konuma. Being resigned is only for the A-side.”
“Eh, A-side? Is there a coupling track or something?”
“...I’m going to flip it all over.”
Azuma interrupts me while I’m frowning, then gives a serious look followed by a grin.
“After all, I’m the lyricist for amane.”