“Well then, see you for practice the day after tomorrow!”
With a smile, Ichikawa-san said her goodbyes in front of the studio. Sako and I were now swaying in the train heading toward our nearest station.
Even so...
What was the reason for that feeling of discomfort, that sense of lack I felt during practice earlier?
Ichikawa-san's vocals, Sako's bass, and my drums—at the moment, it felt like everything was arranged as correctly as possible.
If that's the case, are we missing a part? Would it change if we added another guitar or a keyboard?
“Hey,”
Or maybe, should we add harmonies to the vocals? Sako has been able to sing accurately since a long time ago.
“Takuto.”
Could it be that the lyrics are one step short? Should I ask Azuma-san to rewrite them? Even then, if I ask her without knowing the cause myself, Azuma-san won't understand what I mean...
“I said, hey!”
In any case, with this music—
“It won't reach amane at all...”
At that moment, *Smack!!*
Along with the sound, a sharp pain shot through my thigh.
“Ow!”
Looking to the side, Sako’s pout was massive.
It wasn't just a few millimeters.
Anyone could see that Sako was furious.
“What’s wrong...?” I asked timidly.
“‘What’s wrong?’ my foot!”
“...?”
“Takuto, you’ve been spaced out ever since we left the studio.”
“Really?”
I was certainly thinking about the band, but it wasn't like Sako was talking much either.
“No matter how many times I called you, you didn't answer.”
Wait, she called me?
“And when you finally open your mouth, it’s another girl’s name—and her first name, no less.”
“Huh?”
Another girl's name?
When I tilted my head, wondering what she was talking about, Sako glared at me and spat out, “...I don’t care anymore.”
For a while, a heavy silence flowed.
Umm... anyway, I could tell I’d made her really angry.
But isn't she overreacting? First Ichikawa-san, then Azuma-san, now Sako... I’ve been getting scolded by girls a lot lately. Oh, Erina-san too...
Presumably, she didn't like my poor reaction.
Hmm, but I was worrying about the band.
Maybe I should ask Sako what I was troubled about. It might be better to share it.
“Um, Sako, what did you think of the recording from the studio earlier?”
“............”
...I was ignored!
I see, so this is retaliation.
Sako turned away with a face that said, *'I can't hear you~'*.
Right, I should apologize first.
“I'm sorry, I didn't notice. I was just thinking about something.”
“............”
Ignored again. She's determined to stay silent.
In times like this...
I mobilized all my childhood friend skills to find the words Sako would react to.
“...It’s something related to Sako, too.”
“...Something related to me?”
She bit!
“Yeah, about Sako, and me, and—”
“About Takuto and me?”
She cut in eagerly! There was even a rare question mark at the end of her sentence; this could work!
“Yeah, about the band with Sako, me, and Ichikawa-san.”
“............”
Silence.
Wait!? That didn't work!?
In the end, Sako, who had completely lost her mood, remained silent all the way to our home station. After exiting the ticket gate, she didn't even say “See ya” before walking quickly toward her house.
Aah, and we just made up, too...
The next day.
I thought about it all night, but I couldn't find an answer to what our band was missing. I headed to school dragging my sleepiness.
I entered the classroom just as the morning bell rang, feeling half-asleep. Homeroom began immediately.
While sitting in my seat, my eyes happened to meet Ichikawa-san's by the window, and I gave a light nod.
Then, Ichikawa-san started doing something strange.
She pointed under both of her eyes, then curved her fingers on both hands and held them forward. She was mouthing something like “Gaoo.”
“...?”
What was that...?
When I tilted my head, Ichikawa-san repeated the same movement.
Pointing under her eyes, then "gaoo." Pointing under her eyes, then "gaoo."
While she was doing that—
“Ichikawa-san, is something the matter?”
“Ah, sorry!”
Chastised by the teacher, she straightened her back.
The whole class giggled.
“Amane, what are you doing~?”
“Ehehe...”
It was a peaceful atmosphere, but what on earth was Ichikawa-san trying to do...?
Morning homeroom ended.
First period today was in a different classroom. I stood up and left the room.
As I walked down the hallway, Ichikawa-san came trotting up beside me.
“Hey, I got scolded because Konuma-kun didn't understand me!”
“Eh, ah, no, wait, what?”
Ichikawa-san was saying things like “Geez~” next to me.
No, *I'm* the one who should be saying “geez.”
“So, what were you trying to do, Ichikawa-san?”
Since I didn't think I could figure it out, I just asked.
“I wanted to say that the dark circles under your eyes are intense!”
“Huh...? Oh, so that’s what it was...”
Pointing under the eyes, and then “gaoo.” The “gaoo” was for a bear (*kuma*). I see... (Note: *Kuma* means both bear and dark circles under eyes).
Wait, what was that? Isn't that too cute?
“What a weak reaction. Didn't you sleep?”
“Well, yeah...”
No, inside I'm actually writhing.
As I desperately suppressed my yawns and grins, Ichikawa-san lowered her voice and whispered.
“Konuma-kun, the promise we couldn't keep yesterday.”
“Hmm?”
In a voice that felt ticklish.
“Let’s go home together today, okay?”