“Well then, for now, let’s practice the song Ichikawa made. Even if it’s just with ‘la-la-las’ for the vocals,” we said, as everyone started preparing their instruments.
“Excuse me... President Amane, are you here...?”
A small, animal-like, and cute voice could be heard.
Looking at the entrance, Taira-chan, the junior I had talked to this morning, was standing there.
“Ah, Tsubame-chan. What’s up?”
“Ah, President Amane is here! Well, I went to visit a friend’s studio in the Instrumental Music Club, but it seems like even if they connect the metronome, no sound comes out of the speakers...”
“Um, visiting is fine, but make sure not to get in the way of the Instrumental Music Club, okay...?”
The President was scolding a club member like a proper president. It felt fresh.
“Ah, you’re right, I’m sorry...!”
While saying that, Taira-chan walked briskly into the room.
“Wait, hawawa! What is this, what is this room!! It’s magnificent! This room is the best!”
She suddenly got hyped up and started talking. I’ve never seen a human being actually say ‘hawawa’ in real life before.
“Are all these equipment yours, President amane!?”
“No, this is Konuma-kun’s...”
Ichikawa said with a somewhat awkward look on her face. Also, Ichikawa-san, I’m pretty sure she just called you ‘amane’ just now.
“It belongs to Konuma-senpai!?”
Taira-san’s sparkling gaze pierced through me. Ugh.
“Senpai, you really do bedroom recording, don’t you!? I respect you so much!”
Well, this is the first time in high school I’ve had contact with a creature called a ‘junior,’ but are all juniors like this? They’re just so cute.
“Ah, no, well, I do it, but also don’t do it, or rather, Nasa-kun...”
“Takuto is just a recording otaku.”
As I was stammering, Sako threw me a somewhat sharp lifeline from the side. Right, that was the plan. Thank you, Sako-chan.
“Is that so! To think you have such equipment! Ah, this audio interface has 16 channels! Certainly, if you were a bedroom musician loner, you wouldn’t need 16 channels!”
A bright smile bloomed on her face.
...By the way, there’s no problem at all if you don’t understand this part.
An audio interface (the box-like thing for connecting a computer and a microphone) having 16 channels basically means you can record from 16 microphones simultaneously. In other words, since a person can usually only play one instrument at a time, one microphone is enough. So, there’s no need for a 16-channel audio interface that can record 16 channels simultaneously, right? That’s what Taira-san is saying. This was Takuto Konuma’s bedroom recording commentary corner. Please rest assured that even if you can’t understand this, it won’t affect the story in the slightest.
“I’m a bedroom musician loner, so I only have a 2-channel one. Senpai, you’re amazing!”
Taira-san, who smiled brightly again, was truly like a small animal.
Wait, please don’t just make up and use the term ‘bedroom musician loner,’ okay? I haven’t even said it once yet. That’s the first time I’ve heard that phrase.
“Um, what software do you use?”
Taira-san asked, peering into the computer with great interest. Just like other girls, she was close... What, do all girls have this sense of distance?
Then, I heard a throat-clearing sound from the side.
“Um, Tsubame-chan? Didn’t you say sound wasn’t coming out of the speakers?”
I looked and saw President Amane standing there with a smile, yet in a dominant pose.
“Hah, that’s right! It might just be a connection mistake...”
Taira-chan fidgeted.
“Yeah, yeah, I see. Then, shall we go?”
As Ichikawa raised her fist as if saying ‘Oh!’,
“Ah, it’ll be fine if Konuma-senpai comes!”
Taira-chan stopped her with a smile. Eh, me?
“Hmm...? Am I no good...?”
“No, no, there’s no way President Amane is no good! Rather, it would be a waste of your effort! I feel like Konuma-senpai could fix it easily!”
What was that? Are you saying it’s not a waste if it’s me?
“I-Is that so...?”
When Ichikawa tilted her head, seemingly not quite convinced,
“Takuto can fix it.”
Sako cut in from the side.
“Wait, Sako-san, if you jump in now, things will get complicated... ...Um, yeah, I get it, so stop with that smug face, okay?”
Ichikawa was troubled.
It was decided that I could probably fix it in the time they were having this futile argument, so in the end, I was the only one who went with her.
When I peeked into the studio for the Instrumental Music Club led by Taira-chan, there was one girl playing an upright piano.
“Konuma-senpai, please be prepared.”
Huh? Just as I tilted my head, the moment Taira-chan opened the soundproof door—
“...!”
I gasped.
“Are you serious...?”
From the moment that sound vibrated my eardrums, the scenery and colors of the studio changed completely. The sound that girl played was vivid, bright, and seductive.
Ah, this is music—it was the kind of resonance that made me feel like I had strangely reached the truth in an instant. That kind of music was playing there.
“...Stella-chan is amazing.”
“Stella-chan...?”
“That’s her name. Hoshikage Stella. It’s a beautiful name, right? It sounds like a stage name, but it’s her real name.”
Hmm, barely a Touch homage...?
“Is Stella-san... mixed?”
“No, she was born and raised in Japan, and apparently both of her parents are Japanese. Her father is a jazz pianist, so she probably comes from an artistic family.”
“I see...”
“Um, senpai, are you interested...?”
“Ah, my bad.”
Yuri-neesan is going to get mad at me again. As I frowned at my own bad habit,
“Watch this.”
Saying that, Taira-san suddenly started clapping her hands loudly.
*Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!*
Eh, what are you doing?
As I tilted my head at the sudden handclaps,
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”
Taira-san started shouting at the top of her lungs.
“Wait, what’s wrong!?”
I couldn’t help but frown at her bizarre behavior.
Hoshikage-san continued playing the piano, completely ignoring Taira-chan’s actions.
...The first-years are all weirdos!
“...Like this, no matter how loud anyone is, Stella-chan can’t hear them.”
Taira-chan said with a serious face.
“I see...”
“I guess this is what you call a genius.”
Taira-san smiled a bit sadly.
“By the way, Konuma-senpai, are you close friends with the President of the Instrumental Music Club?”
Suddenly, Taira-chan asked me a question in a bright voice.
“Are you talking about Azuma?”
I didn’t even know Yuri was the President of the Instrumental Music Club until just a moment ago...
“Yes!”
“Hmm...”
I really didn’t know if I could call myself a close friend when I didn’t even know she was the President, and normally I would just say ‘No, not really.’
However, when it comes to Yuri, I have reasons—or rather, a debt of gratitude—that make me unable to do that.
“I guess we’re close.”
“Is that so?”
“...At least enough that I can tell her my secrets.”
Those were a mimicry of Yuri’s words from before.
“I see.”
Taira-chan whispered in an unexpectedly cold tone and turned back to me.
“Then, Konuma-senpai, I have a serious favor to ask.”
“Hmm?”
What? ‘Serious favor’ sounds scary.
As I thought that, Taira-chan said something impossible.
“Please make President Azuma stop the bullying she’s doing to Stella-chan.”
“...Huh?”