“Let’s call it a day,” I said.
Serika nodded in agreement.
It’d be pointless to continue with the mood like this.
“Natsuki, can we talk for a bit?” Mei called out to me after practice.
“Sure.” I was just thinking that I needed to hear what’s going on on his end too.
Yamano and Serika left first, and the two of us headed to the vending machines by the clubroom building. There was a small rest area in front of the machines.
“So, what’d you want to talk about?” I asked as I pressed the button for coffee.
“Yamano-san has been acting a little strange recently.” Mei bought an energy drink. He pulled the tab open and grumbled, “She wasn’t like that in the beginning. She was candid, yes, but she didn’t choose words that would hurt others. But she clearly looks down on us as of late.”
Yeah, I knew we’d end up talking about this.
“She and Hondo-san have both been in a band before, and I agree that compared to them, the two of us are lacking in technique. She can treat me how she likes, but I won’t tolerate her speaking to you that way.”
Knew it. Mei is angry for me. “I appreciate that, but she was right. My head wasn’t in it today.”
“Yes, but there’s a right way to word things.”
“Well...true.” Who should I side with?
I cradled my coffee while Mei downed his energy drink in one gulp.
“Natsuki, you went to the same middle school as her, so you’ll back her up, but to me she’s just another underclassman. With how Yamano-san has been acting lately, I can’t view her as a fellow bandmate.”
Mei’s fiercer than I expected. It goes to show just how angry he is. My decision brought about our band’s current situation. If we had continued to take it easy, then none of this would’ve happened.
“Regardless, I’ll put up with it until the fest. I can’t back out now anyway.” Mei threw out his empty can. It landed in the bin with a clang.
I clutched my unopened can of coffee as he walked past me and made for the school entrance. “If Iwano-senpai were here...” I faintly heard him murmur as he left.
✦ ✦ ✦
I kept turning the conversation I’d had with Mei over in my mind on the way home. When I got off the train at the unmanned station nearest to my house, it was already late at night, without a soul in sight. However, upon closer inspection, a lone girl was loitering around in the darkness.
“Yamano. It’s dangerous hanging around here alone,” I called out to her.
She immediately came over to me. I could tell her eyes were slightly swollen even under the dim streetlamps.
“Senpai, I was waiting for you,” she said.
I paused. “All right. I’ll walk you home.” It would’ve been shameful to let my underclassman who was fresh out of middle school go home alone at this hour.
Yamano and I began to walk side by side. I only have a vague idea where she lives, but I don’t think it’s that far from my house. We normally walk together for a short while from the station and split at the intersection up ahead.
“Senpai... I’m sorry,” she said.
She’s dejected. Man, she’d be cute if she were always like this. “What’re you apologizing for?”
“For ruining the vibes.”
“If you didn’t say anything wrong, then there’s nothing to apologize for.”
“But...” Yamano shook her head back and forth. “What did Shinohara-senpai say?”
I was hesitant to disclose our conversation, but lying wouldn’t help her. “He said that there’s a right way to word things.”
“Yeah, he’s right... I know I crossed the line.” She hung her head, crushed. “We didn’t sound the way I wanted, and I lost control of my temper.”
“It’s because Mei and I aren’t good enough, right?”
Yamano clammed up, struggling to come up with a reply, but her silence was an answer in itself. “If you’re serious about aiming for the top, then no, you’re not good enough,” she eventually said.
“In that case, our first step is to improve much, much more.” The harsher Yamano becomes, the more it shows how much we’re letting down her expectations. She never speaks like that to Serika, after all.
“No, it’s not like I’m as good as Serika-senpai either, so why am I acting like I’m all that and nitpicking on you guys? In the first place, Serika-senpai’s our leader, so there should be no reason for me to talk to you two like that when I’m the youngest one in the band... I’ll try not to say anything unnecessary starting tomorrow,” Yamano told me. She sounded like she’d reflected deeply and was down in the dumps.
“Well, maybe it’s better if you just focus on the drums,” I replied. It’s a tricky predicament, but our band will implode if she doesn’t cool it, so this is for the best. But I know this’ll only sweep my lack of skills under the rug. I need to get way better.
“Yeah...” Yamano gazed up at the night sky and drew a deep breath.
✦ ✦ ✦
Two days until the music fest.
Our band assembled in the second music room again today. Right at the onset, the atmosphere was stifling because of the previous day’s argument. We set up in complete silence.
Serika was shooting me imploring stares all the while. Wh-Why are you looking at me? I can’t come up with anything witty to say!
Yamano stayed wholly focused on her drums. It seemed she planned to abide by what she’d promised me yesterday. She examined her drums like a master craftsman, without a single superfluous word.
On the other hand, Mei kept glancing at this new Yamano. It must bother him since they fought only yesterday. Hmm... This is an unpleasant situation. I cleared my throat loudly to get everyone’s attention.
“We have two days left until the big day. Let’s get pumped and do this!” I said with a smile, trying to dispel the gloomy mood.
“Yeah,” Serika said.
“Yes!” Mei exclaimed.
“Roger that!” Yamano chirped.
On the surface, their replies were cheerful.
I don’t know how they actually feel on the inside, but a cheery atmosphere is better for practice. The fest is almost here. Everyone knows we don’t have time to be fighting. We need to polish our songs to perfection first. We can deal with everything else afterwards.
“Ack...”
However, Mei continued to slip up. Even worse, it was during the parts that Yamano had cautioned him on in the past. Perhaps he was making more mistakes than usual because he was still hung up on yesterday’s events.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
Yamano, for her part, didn’t say a word. She merely kept her eyes glued on her drums and focused. Not gonna lie, it gives off a bad impression, but I guess it’s better than her complaining like usual.
“Hey, Shinohara-kun.” Unlike the usual, Serika pointed out Mei’s mistakes. “You’re reentering too slow after the break. You need to match Saya’s timing.”
“Yes. I’m sorry,” he said.
“Well, everybody makes mistakes.” This time, Yamano was the one to stick up for him. “No way around it but to practice again,” she said with a merry smile.
She seemed like a different person from the girl who had been coldly criticizing him yesterday.
“Huh? What happened to you all of a sudden?” Mei asked, bewildered.
“My wording has been a little too harsh lately. I’ve reflected,” she replied.
At those words, a relieved smile spread across his face.
Well look at that! She can do it if she tries.
Yamano’s small change in attitude was all it took to rapidly lift the mood. After that, we practiced harmoniously, a complete about-face from yesterday. It was a fun session, as though we’d returned to how we used to be.
✦ ✦ ✦
The evening spring breeze felt pleasant on the way home.
“Senpai! It’s all thanks to your advice!” Full of glee, Yamano repeatedly bumped me with her shoulder.
That hurts! “I didn’t say much, but yeah, today’s mood was good.”
“I know, right! Why did I spend all that time worrying when all I had to do was keep my mouth shut?” she said in a self-deprecating tone and chuckled. “Whatever! With how today went, we should be golden!”
“Yeah. I wasn’t sure how things would turn out, but...” At any rate, the band’s atmosphere is back to normal. “I think we can put on a pretty good show as things stand.” It looks like we’ll be able to appear at the concert with good vibes. What a relief!
We were steps away from the intersection where Yamano and I usually parted when she asked quietly, “Hey, senpai. This is good, right?” Her expression was solemn, but it looked like she was trying to hide her anxiety.
“Yeah, of course. I mean, we had fun at practice today, right?” I smiled to sweep away her unease. This is fine. After all, Yamano and Mei were able to reconcile.
Hearing my reassurance put a smile on her face. “Yeah, you’re right! See ya tomorrow, then!” she exclaimed, and then waved goodbye energetically as she disappeared into the darkness.