A well-cooled living room.
From outside the window, I could hear the laughter of elementary schoolers carrying pool bags, the bells of bicycles, and the buzzing of cicadas.
On the sofa, my sister Yuzu was spacing out while watching TV and eating ice cream.
On the screen, a news caster was reading off numbers about the maximum temperature in Kumagaya or something like that.
It was a typical summer vacation scene.
Since that Rock On festival took place on the day of the first trimester's closing ceremony, it was only natural, but summer vacation had officially begun.
"Takkun, don't you have anything to do even though it's summer vacation?"
"Well..."
I was supposed to have graduated from being a loner, but I realized that once school ended, I surprisingly had nothing to do. I had simply changed my title to 'Summer Vacation Loner.'
"Hey, you're at home too, aren't you?"
"It's fine, Yuzu is going out with Hinata-senpai after this~"
"Mizusawa, huh..."
Hinata Mizusawa was a classmate of mine and Sako's back at Ichika-cho Junior High. Yuzu, who is three years younger, seems to be close with her because they were in the sports festival's cheering squad together in elementary school or something like that. Well, it doesn't really matter to me.
Just then.
My smartphone, which was sitting on the living room table, vibrated rhythmically.
"Takkun, a phone call~"
"I know without you telling me."
I replied to my sister, who was stating the obvious.
Wait, I feel like I've seen this scene in an anime or something. ...This is the first time for this summer vacation, right? We're not doing that 'Endless' something-or-other, are we?
I looked at my phone, praying I wouldn't hear something like 'Kyon, you're free anyway, aren't you?' while also secretly hoping for it.
My heart throbbed as I saw the two characters displayed on the screen, and I gently pressed the call button.
Since Yuzu would probably mess with me, I quietly left my seat and returned to my own room. As soon as I left the living room, I was enveloped by the muggy air, and sweat began to pour out.
『Ah, Konuma-kun, l-long time no see!』
A voice that was cute yet transparent, carrying well even over the phone, echoed in my ear.
"...Sup."
Somehow, talking to her after a while (even though it's only been about a week) was embarrassing, and my response ended up being awkward. Well, it's not like my responses have ever been smooth.
The person on the other end of the line was Ichikawa Amane.
She is the 'former' genius beautiful singer-songwriter amane, the guitarist and vocalist of my band, and my classmate from Class 2-6.
『Uhm, what are you doing right now?』
"Talking on the phone..."
She's asking the obvious. ...No, it's not like I'm blushing or anything!
『I know that! Uhm, h-how are you?』
"Yeah, well, I'm fine..."
I answered while glancing at my closed laptop.
『I see, that's good. Ehehe...』
"Yeah... uhm, what about you, Ichikawa?"
『Eh, me? Yeah, I-I'm fine too.』
"Oh, I see. That's good."
Silence. A void.
I felt like I could hear the sound of a city bus starting up in the distance.
...Is Ichikawa-san nervous?
"Uhm, what is this about...?"
『Ah, right, Konuma-kun, I was wondering what you're doing about Otoga.』
"What's Otoga...?"
Forget what I'm doing, I have no idea what she's even talking about.
『Eh? It's the Music Club Joint Training Camp, you know?』
"...Music Club Joint Training Camp?"
『Yes, the Music Club Joint Training Camp!』
............
Once again, a moment of silence passed. This one probably had a different meaning than the silence from before.
"...What's that?"
『...Huh?』
Perhaps sensing that I didn't understand, Ichikawa started saying things like 'Hmm?' or 'Ah!' or 'Oh dear...' on the other end of the line.
It's nice that I can imagine her expression and it's cute, but...
"Can I tell you my guess?"
『Yes...』
"Most likely, our music clubs are having a joint training camp this summer vacation. And that was probably announced on the Rock Club LINE group or something that I don't know about, and right now, Ichikawa, you realized that I'm not in it."
『Excellent deduction...』
Whew...
"It's not 'Excellent deduction'!"
『My apo-logy-deduction!』
"That wasn't even clever!"
That's a rare mistake for the perfect Ichikawa.
A training camp, huh? Does that mean there will be an onsen episode, a beach episode, or a pool episode like in anime?
"By the way, what about Sako?"
I wonder if she knows about this.
『Sako-san is planning to come! She said so on LINE too.』
"Eh, really?"
Why didn't they add me to the LINE group when they added Sako...?
In the end, I'm not even in the Class 6 LINE group, so my number of LINE friends remains completely stagnant.
『I'll make sure to contact you properly from now on, so please forgive me~...』
"No, I mean, wouldn't it be better if you just added me?"
『Mmm—, well, I guess so...』
For some reason, Ichikawa was reluctant to add me to the LINE group.
While wondering what that was about, I asked the obvious question I had to ask.
"So, when is it?"
『The day after tomorrow...』
"The day after tomorrow!?"
『Konuma-kun, I want you to come, but is it impossible...?』
No, if you want me to come, please tell me sooner...
"...Well, I can go."
『Really!?』
Even through the phone, I could tell her expression had brightened up instantly.
"It's not like I have any plans..."
『That's a relief... I almost missed out on making important memories because of a momentary emotion...』
"Momentary emotion? Important memories?"
What is she talking about? She sounds just like Sako.
『Ahaha— sorry, just talking to myself!』
"Is that so..."
『Well then, I'll LINE you the meeting place and stuff!』
"No, like I said, wouldn't it be better if you added me to the Rock Club LINE?"
『Ahaha, see ya!』
With that, Ichikawa turned off the call.
The phone made a beep-beep sound.
In my room were my closed laptop, a guitar with strings that had turned black with rust, and an electronic drum set covered in dust.
"Even so, what should I do..."
I muttered to myself as I recalled the day of Rock On.
* * *
Rock On took place on the last day of the first trimester.
Two silhouettes in the classroom of Class 2-6 as the setting sun shone in.
『Konuma-kun, you are... my idol.』
The line the beautiful girl in front of me had just said echoed in my head.
"Uhm...?"
By idol... in what sense do you mean...? Also, didn't the classroom suddenly get really hot? Why? Is it because summer vacation starts tomorrow? Yeah! That must be it!
As I was getting incredibly flustered internally,
"Uhm... this is an imitation of you, Konuma-kun?"
Ichikawa said while looking up at me bashfully.
"An i-imitation of me?"
"That's right. Honestly, you were way worse. Suddenly calling me by my first name..."
"Ah, you mean that...!"
That was the first time I had talked to Ichikawa properly, when I promised to give her my song on the condition that she would sing an amane song again someday.
『amane is... my idol.』
I had said that and immediately turned red-faced.
"If you're going to make that face, you shouldn't have said something like that, Konuma-kun,"
Ichikawa said with a mischievous smile.
"No, that 'amane' wasn't your first name, it was your artist name..."
"T-That's right... ahaha—"
Ichikawa was scratching her cheek.
"Well, I'm sorry for causing a misunderstanding..."
I scratched my head too.
What is this?
"Then, well... what about earlier?"
Ichikawa asked again, fidgeting and looking up at me.
"Earlier?"
"Yeah... during the live, uhm, when I started singing 'Watashi no Uta,' didn't you... also... say 'Amane!!'?"
Huh...? Eh...? ...!! ...!?
Oh no! I feel like I said it! Eh, eh!? I did say it! I definitely said it! I said it! And that time, it wasn't amane... Oh man, this is too embarrassing!
"A-Ah? Did I say that? Wasn't it like 'Aware!' or something?"
I instantly activated my loner skill 《Feigning Ignorance》!
"What do you mean 'Aware'!?"
"W-Well, doesn't that mean 'How pitiful'?"
"You said that while watching me unable to sing!? That's the worst!?"
Ichikawa's eyes widened as if she couldn't believe it.
"No, that's not it. Because I'm not the worst. Then, maybe 'Asage!'"
"You mean breakfast!?"
"'Arare!' maybe..."
"Do you eat that for breakfast...?"
"'Akane!' or..."
"Who is that...?"
Ranma's fiancée, maybe...?
"...I was actually happy, though."
Ichikawa muttered to no one in particular. Well, there's no one here but me.
"...Sorry."
I bowed my head, feeling like I was apologizing for everything, though I wasn't sure what I was specifically apologizing for.
"...I'll forgive you if you call me that one more time."
Ichikawa said softly while looking out the window.
"Eh...?"
I couldn't tell if it was the color of the sunset, but Ichikawa, whose cheeks had turned red, looked at me and prompted,
"Mm."
Is Ichikawa-san getting a bit carried away...? Was she the kind of girl who would say things like that...?
"I'm saying it? Here? Now?"
While I was flustering about, not knowing what to do, my phone in my pocket and Ichikawa's phone on the desk vibrated at the same time.
Yuri: 『Amane, Konuma, you're late!』
Sako Hasu: 『You're not doing anything weird, are you?』
LINE messages had arrived. After making eye contact, we both quickly looked away.
It seemed Ichikawa had also snapped back to her senses. That was a relief. A relief... right?
"We're keeping them waiting, so shall we go...?"
I swallowed hard and nodded at Ichikawa's bashful smile.
We quickly prepared and headed toward the entrance.
"You two are so late!"
For some reason, Erina-san was standing there with her arms akimbo.
"Yo, Amane, Konuma, good work today."
Hazama called out to us casually.
Amane? You... I just struggled so much to call her that just now...!
The members of the Cherry Boys were also waiting behind him.
"Oh—, Archangel Amanel, today was seriously insane! I mean, isn't this situation crazy? All of the 2nd Year Four Heavenly Kings are gathered here! Whose popularity is this? Mine?"
Ando Natsu, the guitarist for the Cherry Boys who sits behind me and is in charge of all things mob-related, said that.
"Four Heavenly Kings?"
What's that?
"Konuma, you don't even know that? It's Archangel Amanel, Princess Erina, Lady Yuri, and Sako-sama—those four are the Four Heavenly Kings, right!?"
Ando was speaking passionately. I see, so these four are the Four Heavenly Kings. Of what, exactly?
"Natsutatsu is the only one saying that," Hazama interjected.
"But Hazama-cchi, you said you understood too!"
"Shut up."
While the Cherry Boys were bickering, I—who am not a Cherry Boy (but am still a virgin)—was thinking.
Isn't it a bit pitiful that Sako is the only one just called '-sama'?
"What are you looking at..."
As I looked at Sako with eyes of pity, she gave me a suspicious look.
"Well then—, let's all go to Yo-Chika!" Erina-san declared.
"Yo-chika...?"
As I tilted my head,
"It's the food court in the basement of the Yokado in front of Musashisakai Station. You might have never been there, Konuma."
Azuma-nee-san, the former loner, chimed in from the side. She's kind.
"Ah, I see..."
"It's like a hangout for Musashino International students. You can stay there forever with just one order of fries, so people are there quite often."
"Heh..."
I learned something new again.
I guess there are still many things I don't know...
And so, we arrived at this 'Yo-Chika' place.
"Good work on the first trimester, everyone, and good work on Rock On!"
For some reason, Erina-san took the lead in making a toast, and everyone raised their cups.
Inside was just water (free) taken from the self-service water dispenser. High schoolers can drink water using 'free' as a side dish. It seems that sense is the same for both normies and former loners.
"Still, that band... was it amane? That was amazing. It really felt like the work of the new President. Insane."
"Exactly!"
Hazama and Ando were praising the band "amane."
"Was the second song an original too? It was a really good song. I didn't know you could make something like that, Amane."
"Thanks..."
"Well, I couldn't hear the lyrics because Konuma's drumming was too loud, though."
"Sorry..."
Well, there were circumstances, or rather, it was an impulse...
As we were chatting idly like that, a small girl with chestnut hair and a girl with long, permed black hair passed by our seats.
"Hawah! Isn't that Amane-pres!"
The chestnut-haired girl was startled.
"Ah, Tsubame-chan, good work~"
The chestnut-haired girl seems to be named Tsubame-chan. She's the kind of girl who triggers a protective instinct...
"Amane-pres's band was so, so, so good! The encore was truly the best!"
"...The encore was very good..."
The mysterious black-haired girl added bashfully.
"Thank you! I'm happy to hear that."
I watched Ichikawa, who was sitting across from me and responding like that, blankly as if it were someone else's business.
After a while, the party was in full swing.
Thinking I'd carry everyone's cups, I pointed to the tray near Ichikawa and said,
"Ichikawa, can you pass me that tray?"
Then,
"Yes, here you go, I'm Ichikawa—" she replied while handing over the tray.
...? As I placed the cups on the tray, I asked,
"Ichikawa, is something wrong?"
"Yes, I'm Ichikawa, nothing's wrong at all."
"Are you angry about something?"
"Yes, I'm Ichikawa, I'm not angry~"
A mysterious Ichikawa-push.
"What, did you start liking the name Ichikawa...?"
"...If anything, it's the opposite."
I don't understand at all.
"I was actually happy, though—"
* * *
In the end, I wonder what that was all about.
Shaking my head after being in a daze, I began to prepare busily.
What should I bring, and what should I wear?
I don't really understand the reason for Ichikawa's mistake, but in any case, I'm glad it's the day after tomorrow.
Any longer than that, and I might not have been able to wait.