Three days after receiving the phone call from Ichikawa about what she called the joint music club training camp.
Dragging a heavy backpack and a small suitcase, I arrived in front of the high school main gate at 7:30 AM.
I woke up at 5:00 AM. This might be the earliest I've woken up since the Brass Band Club camp back in middle school.
"Whoa..."
A large number of students had already gathered there.
"It's Konuma! Good morning!"
I was slapped hard on the shoulder.
I could tell who it was just by the strength of that slap. Actually, it was a bit too strong. It hurt.
"Oh, Azuma, morning."
When I turned around and greeted her, Yuri-nee-san nodded with satisfaction. Her natural smile was somewhat dazzling.
"Konuma, are you participating with the Rock Club?"
"Yeah, that's the plan... but man, there are a lot of people."
I spoke up, feeling a bit intimidated.
"A lot...? Hmm, well, I guess so. Since it's better than doing it with another high school's music club, the two major music clubs of Musashino International are holding it together so we can rent out a training camp facility capable of handling music. There are about 40 of us from the Instrumental Music Club and about 30 from the Rock Club."
"That's amazing..."
As I was expressing my admiration, the new Rock Club President, Ichikawa, approached us.
"Ah, Konuma-kun, you actually came! Yuri, morning!"
"Morning." "Morning!"
Wait, did she think I wouldn't show up?
"Actually, now that I think about it, I went to the camp with Yuri last year too."
"That's right! I was watching amane-sama properly the whole time... even in the bath, and in your pajamas before bed... right?"
No, Yuri-nee-san is scary. Don't say 'right?' like that. Azuma always gets scary when it comes to amane. She's lost it. ...Wait, pajamas?
"Ahaha... somehow, your eyes look scary, don't they?"
See, even amane-sama is backed into a corner. ...Pajamas, she said?
While I was trying to suppress my own eyes which were starting to gleam suspiciously like Azuma's, Sako, Hazama, and Erina-san also arrived.
"Yurisuke, Takuto, Ichikawa-san, morning."
Sako was blonde as usual, carrying her bass and loudly chewing gum. You should stop that, people will think you're a delinquent.
"Konuma, Amane, Yuri, 'morn."
Hazama was wearing his flat baseball cap as usual, with a strange gold sticker on the brim. What are you, a boy from the dance club? (Wait, he actually is).
"Takuto-kun, Amane-chan, Yuri, morning!"
Erina-san had her usual fluffy twin-tails, but perhaps because she was excited, she had sunglasses perched stylishly on her forehead. Are you at a resort? Put them on properly.
In any case, everyone was here now. The whole gang!
...Wait, no, no!
"Why is Erina-san here!?"
I accidentally shouted.
Then, Erina-san gave a strange "mu-fu-fu" laugh and said,
"Actually! Erina has joined the Rock Club!"
She winked as if accompanied by a fanfare sound effect.
"Wait, when?"
Stunned by this unexpected fact, I asked a dazed question.
"Um, let's see, I think I received her club application on the day of the Ball Games Tournament?"
President Ichikawa answered casually from the side.
Wait, does that mean...
"So, she became a Rock Club member earlier than you, Konuma-kun."
I thought so!
Ichikawa laughed, "Ahaha."
"Takuto-kun, Erina is your senior, you know? Are you going to use polite speech?"
Erina-san said mockingly with a grin.
"Are you serious... No, I'm not going to use polite speech..."
"No, Konuma, you're totally using polite speech right now."
Ah. I realized it after Azuma pointed it out.
"By the way, Erina, what instrument are you playing?"
Sako asked the question I was curious about (probably).
"Erina is... the manager for the Cherry Boys!"
Erina-san said, puffing out her chest. I instinctively looked away.
"I see..."
When Sako and I looked at President Ichikawa to see if that was allowed, she gave a cute, troubled smile.
"Well, I didn't really have a reason to stop her."
Well, sports clubs have managers too, I guess. I nodded, trying to convince myself. I don't really know what a manager for a high school band does, though.
Beyond that, the structure of a girl managing the 'Cherry Boys'—doesn't that sound like some kind of slang? Can we do something about that?
As I was shaking my head to stop myself from thinking weird things, Erina-san suddenly brought her lips close to my ear.
"I decided to 'fall in love' for real, so I absolutely wanted to come to this camp," she said.
"So, Takuto-kun, will you help me?"
When I looked at Erina-san after she pulled away, she was laughing fearlessly like a little devil.
What, I have to help again? Didn't our alliance end?
...Please don't trick me again, okay?
While I was thinking about the alliance between me and Erina-san that had been revived without me knowing (though the goal shifted from 'Love' to 'Romance'),
"...Takuto, that's a gross smirk."
"...Konuma-kun, you seem to have a very fulfilling life despite us not seeing each other for a short while, don't you?"
My band members were throwing sarcastic remarks at me one after another. I-I wasn't smirking! (Not that it sounded cute coming from me).
As I was squirming uncomfortably under their cold stares, a boy with glasses approached from the other side.
"Yuri-chan, everyone's gathered, so give us instructions."
He spoke to Azuma.
"Ah, Yutaka. Okay, I'll be right there."
Yutaka...?
Oh, this is the drummer from the Instrumental Music Club! The person who came out when I was waiting in front of their club room to go home with Azuma. I think his name was Otomo-kun.
Otomo-kun gave me a meaningful, refreshing smile, and then walked toward the Instrumental Music Club group with Azuma.
"Alright, let's get started here too! Rock Club, assemble!"
"Okay." "Right."
With President Ichikawa's shout, we began the task of loading the equipment.