“Takuto, what should I do with this bassline?”
At the usual rental studio in Kichijoji.
After Sako’s shocking coming out and our subsequent reconciliation following the Ball Games Tournament, we were spending our days practicing ‘Heijitsu’ in preparation for Rock On.
“Hm? Is there some kind of problem?”
“I’m just not really satisfied with it.”
Hmm...
“But our studio time is about to end...”
Ichikawa spoke up, her voice sounding disappointed.
Looking at the clock, there were only ten minutes left before our session ended. If we factored in five minutes for packing up, we were pretty much out of time.
“True... Sako, what exactly are you not satisfied with?”
“I don’t know.”
“Even if you tell me you don’t know...”
Then I don’t know what to do either, Sako-san...
“Maybe I just don’t have many ideas for this kind of J-POP style bassline in my repertoire.”
“I see...”
Due to her parents' influence, Sako almost exclusively listens to Western music.
I only started listening to things like J-POP after I heard amane, and since Sako had mentioned she didn't particularly like amane's music, I hadn't lent her any J-POP CDs since then.
“Hey, Takuto, so...”
“Yeah?”
“Let’s go to Disk Union.”
“That’s it!”
And so, we arrived in front of Disk Union!
“Wow, it’s my second time at Disk Union!”
Ichikawa looked delighted, clapping her hands lightly in front of her chest.
“Why did Ichikawa-san come too?”
“Why did you think I wouldn’t come?”
“You usually go home saying you have to help with dinner or something.”
“It’s not that time yet today~”
My band members are sparking at each other for some reason. Please get along...
Watching the two of them interact like this right after a major fight and reconciliation makes me nervous just looking at them...
Ichikawa is surprisingly assertive toward Sako, too...
“So, what are we doing now that we’re at Disk Union?”
“We’re digging for J-POP, obviously.”
Please get along!!
“Digging...?”
Ichikawa tilted her head with a question mark practically floating over her.
“It means looking for music. It has a nuance of excavating. To encounter good music.”
I interjected from the side.
“Ohh, I see. So ‘dig’ as in ‘to dig a hole’.”
As expected of someone with good grades, she catches on quickly, which helps.
“Today, we’re here to look for J-POP that might serve as a reference for Sako’s basslines.”
“I see~”
Ichikawa nodded like a small animal.
“Takuto, Ichikawa-san, let’s go up.”
“Right.”
Sako and I made eye contact and nodded to each other.
“”Climbing the Stairway to Heaven.””
“Ugh, it’s kind of creepy when you guys harmonize like that...”
Ichikawa looked put off by our high spirits.
We reached the top of the stairs.
“Later.”
“Yeah.”
With those words, Sako gave Ichikawa a glance and walked quickly into the store.
“Wait, Sako-san isn’t going around with us?”
“Well, back in middle school, when I went to Disk Union with Sako, we’d browse separately and then show each other what we bought at the end before leaving the store. It’s a habit from those days.”
How nostalgic. Back when Sako still had black hair, she used to say excitedly, ‘There hasn’t been a single CD I borrowed from Takuto that I didn't like’...
“Right, so that’s it...”
Ichikawa nodded, appearing strangely convinced.
“Hm?”
“No, I just thought she had a real smug look on her face when she said ‘later’ just now.”
“Did she...?”
Is Ichikawa better at reading Sako’s expressions than I am...!?
“‘I’m the one who understands Takuto.’”
Ichikawa spoke in a somewhat flat voice.
“Ha? What was that?”
“My Sako-san impression.”
So Ichikawa-san does that kind of thing now too, huh. My heart skipped a beat when she suddenly used my given name.
“Hey, Konuma-kun.”
“Yeah?”
“I want to try listening to the Western music Sako-san likes.”
“Oh ho...”
Ichikawa is really trying to bridge the gap with Sako.
“Sako-san mentioned the name of a band she liked the other day. What was it... a band that sounds like Ilohas...”
“Ilohas...? Like the water...?”
“Yes, exactly, a watery feeling... Oh, and she said they already disbanded.”
Hint 1: Sounds like Ilohas.
Hint 2: A watery feeling.
Hint 3: Disbanded.
Could it be...
“...Oasis?”
“That’s it!”
Gah...!
“...Ichikawa. Fans can be scary. Try not to make mistakes like that too casually in places like this.”
“Ah, yes...”
Good, she’s being honest.
So, Ichikawa and I went to the Oasis shelf in the Western Rock section.
“I have no idea which album to choose...”
“Why don’t you try listening to the CD in that listening station?”
It seemed they were having an Oasis feature. Maybe a member was visiting Japan or something.
As I watched Ichikawa put on headphones and listen to an Oasis album, I heard a loud “For real!?” from somewhere far off in the store.
What was that about...?
Ichikawa finished her preview and said,
“Ehehe, I’ll try buying this one~”
She took the CD to the register and finished her purchase.
“Ah, hey, Konuma-kun.”
Ichikawa looked at me somewhat bashfully.
“Is it okay if I check the J-POP section...?”
She asked while looking up at me.
“Sure,” I nodded. She’s probably curious about ‘that’.
When we reached the J-POP section, Ichikawa pointed at the shelf and stood there dazed for a moment.
“Konuma-kun, look...”
Ichikawa pointed to the ‘A-row’ space in the J-POP section.
“It must have sold.”
The amane CD that had been there during our last visit was gone.
“Even though a single costs twenty thousand yen, someone actually bought it...”
“Yeah...”
Ichikawa seemed to be savoring the joy.
I felt a deep sense of emotion as well.
Just then, Sako, having finished her shopping, came over to us.
“I’m done, let’s go. Are you and Ichikawa-san not buying anything, Takuto?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“I bought something!”
Ichikawa lightly held up her shopping bag.
As we descended the store’s stairs, Ichikawa spoke to Sako.
“Sako-san, I bought Oasis~”
“...I see.”
Sako gave a blunt reply, but the corners of her mouth rose by about 0.01 millimeters.
“What did you buy, Sako-san?”
“Not telling.”
“Ehh~ Tell me~”
“I wouldn’t tell you even if I died.”
“Is it that bad!?”
We parted ways with Ichikawa at the bottom of the stairs (as expected, she said, “I have to help with dinner, so I’m going home now”), and Sako and I headed toward the station.
“So, Sako, what did you end up buying?”
“...I told you, I’m not telling.”
That’s unusual, she normally tells me.
“It’s J-POP, right?”
“...Yeah.”
“An artist you’re hearing for the first time?”
“...No, a song I only had as digital data.”
“...How much was the CD?”
“...Twenty thousand yen.”
Hint 1: J-POP (Sako usually only listens to Western music).
Hint 2: She already has the data (either borrowed and ripped the CD or bought a download).
Hint 3: The used CD was twenty thousand yen.
Which means...
“Hey, is that CD ‘Watashi no...’”
Just as I was about to say the title of the CD,
“Shut up, die.”
Sako said clearly, her cheeks turning bright red.
“That’s too harsh...”
She glared at my wounded self and, as if to finish me off, said,
“Don’t smirk, stupid Takuto.”
She spat those words out and walked ahead quickly to hide her expression.
Watching her from behind, I felt as if the core of my chest was being wrapped in something warm.
‘There hasn’t been a single CD I borrowed from Takuto that I didn't like.’