After finishing the courage test safely (?), I headed to the bath just like yesterday.
Perhaps the girls were being more careful today, as I couldn't hear any voices coming from their side. (I-It's not like I was straining my ears to listen or anything!)
As I let out a relaxed sigh in the open-air bath, Otomo-kun, looking completely different from yesterday with a sour expression, sat down next to me.
“The person who has it and the person who wants it aren't always the same, I guess...”
He called out to me, almost as if saying 'urameshiya.' Also, he seems to like that phrase, but it's not the kind of thing that’s going to catch on even if he uses it a lot...
“Uh, what are you talking about...?”
“You already know...”
No, don't use lines like a heroine. What if my heart skips a beat?
I felt bad about ending up paired with Azuma...
Indeed, Otomo-kun had taken over the leader role to help Azuma out, only for it to backfire. I had plenty of room for sympathy.
“Well, you know, it was just luck of the draw. I guess I was just lucky today, haha...”
When I glanced at Otomo-kun, he continued to stare at me with a cold, fixated gaze.
“I didn't even get to draw a lot.”
“Ahaha, right...”
Ugh, Takt doesn't know what to say at a time like this...
“Last year, the goddess of fate was on my side and I was paired with Yuri-chan, damn it...”
Hey, your frustration is a bit too blatant... 'Goddess of fate,' really?
Wait, they were a pair last year?
“Um, so, was Azuma like that last year too?”
“Like what?”
Otomo-kun glared at me. Seriously, he's scary.
“Like, her h-hand, that...”
I felt hesitant to say anything more and ended up mumbling.
“Her hand...? Ah, are you talking about how her hands were shaking?”
“Hmm...?”
“Even so, Yuri-chan was her usual self, wasn't she? Even in a courage test she hates so much, she behaved bravely. Yuri-chan is truly cool through and through.”
“Hoh...”
Oh, is that so...?
“...I believe that was a question from you?”
“Ah, no, sorry...”
I got distracted by something else and my reply became half-hearted.
Tonight, Azuma had told me she was scared and wanted to hold hands, but apparently, she had acted bravely when she was paired with Otomo-kun last year.
That means... uh, what does that mean...?
“Just kidding, I'm just taking it out on you. If I'm going to resent anyone, it should be the goddess of fate, or myself for volunteering to take over for Yuri-chan without thinking that far ahead.”
“I guess so...”
Still unable to understand Azuma's deep psychology, I was inwardly tilting my head.
...Wait, I just gave a pretty bad response, didn't I? Because when I looked to the side, Otomo-kun's face was turning red with a 'Muuuuu...!!' expression. I'm telling you, you're like a heroine.
“Sigh... well, anyway, I have to do my best for tomorrow morning's performance.”
Otomo-kun smiled pathetically and said,
“Music is all I have.”
With that, he stood up from the bathtub.
“See ya.”
“...Yeah.”
Otomo-kun left the tub and headed toward the dressing room.
But you know, Otomo-kun.
There are people suffering because they can't do that music, can't create it, and can't write it.
‘The person who has it and the person who wants it aren't always the same.’
Otomo-kun's maxim-like words that would never become popular somehow resonated with me.
Anyway, I returned to my room a little later, took my toothbrush out of my bag, and headed out to the shared washroom with high spirits.
Why was I so excited? Who knows! I don't know either! Oh, this is completely unrelated, but do girls wear the same pajamas two days in a row? It's completely unrelated, though!
Humming to myself, I arrived at the washroom with heavy breathing, and there...
“Ah, Konuma-senpai.”
“Taira-chan, huh...”
A small animal with a toothbrush in its mouth was standing there.
“...Don't you think you just let out a sigh in a very rude way?”
“No, not really...”
Taira-chan was wearing a baggy, grey, non-opening hoodie that covered her down to her thighs like a 'boyfriend shirt.' It wasn't not-cute. It wasn't that it didn't suit her. It wasn't that it wasn't my preference.
Yeah. Well, frankly, she was cute and it suited her, but I am not the kind of person who gets flustered by a junior looking like a child!
“By the way, I feel an indecent gaze around my thighs...”
“Th-th-th-that's not true!?”
Whoops, that was close. I got flustered. Looking closely, I even misspelled 'flustered' in my head three lines ago.
“Just kidding, just kidding! It's conceited of me to think the Konuma-senpai I respect would look at a kid like me that way! My apologies!”
With a bright smile, Taira-chan gave me a mysterious salute. Stop it, your shining eyes are painful...
And next to Taira-chan...
“Ta-ta-ta-ra-ta-ra-cha-ra-ta...”
Muttering to herself, Stella-san was intently tapping the sink.
“Ahaha... Stella-chan is fired up so she won't hold everyone back in tomorrow's showcase. She's busy doing image training even during times when she can't touch an instrument.”
Taira-chan, following my gaze, explained with a wry but proud smile.
In other words, Stella-san wasn't tapping the sink for no reason; she was playing an air-piano that I couldn't see.
“Incredible...”
“Yes, she's amazing! Apparently, she was like this during the courage test too. The senior she was paired with said that Stella-chan was scarier than any ghost.”
“Well, I bet...”
Her long black hair is already a bit mysterious and scary as it is...
“Hey, Stella-chan, it's Konuma-senpai.”
With that, Taira-chan lightly tapped Stella-san's shoulder.
“Ah, h-hello, good work...”
“Yeah, good work.”
I quietly wet my toothbrush beside her and started brushing my teeth.
“...By the way, Taira-chan, didn't you say Stella-san wouldn't stop playing unless you hugged her from behind?”
“A-ahaha... that was an abuse of authority, or something... actually, she recognizes it normally if I just touch her...!”
“Is that so...?”
She probably doesn't even have the 'authority' to hug her... well, it doesn't matter, but Taira-chan somehow reminds me of Azuma when she talks to amane-sama...
“Pl-please don't look at me with those eyes... Uh, excuse us! Stella-chan, let's go!”
“Ah, yes, g-good, night...”
“Sure, good night.”
I watched the two juniors scurrying away.
It wasn't that I was waiting for or expecting anything, but for about ten minutes after that, I brushed my teeth alone in the washroom.
...I-I'm not waiting for anything, okay!