After school, I went over to Mei’s desk while he was packing up.
“Mei, can we talk?” I asked.
However, he didn’t seem to have any intention of fielding a discussion. “I’ve already conveyed my intentions in the group chat. The three of you are taking this seriously, and it’s a fact that I’m holding you all back.” His gaze never met mine, and he walked past me as though he were fleeing. “Shizuki, let’s go home.”
“O-Okay.” There was a hint of dismay in Funayama-san’s voice, but she bowed to me and chased after Mei.
“What now?” I murmured. We don’t have practice today. Or rather, we haven’t scheduled anything ever since Mei said he’d quit the band. I don’t have work, so I’d like to discuss our future direction with Serika and Yamano.
I sent, “Can you guys meet up today?” to the band group chat. Serika’s reply came instantly.
Serika: Does the roof work?
Natsuki: Okay
Sidenote, Mei already left the group chat...but it looks like Yamano still hasn’t seen my message. Maybe she hasn’t noticed? I guess I’ll swing by the first-year classrooms before I go up to the roof.
I went down a flight, to the classrooms that had been ours until a month ago. The hallway in front of those familiar rooms was full of students walking around in their brand-new uniforms.
“What class is Yamano in again?” I wondered aloud. I’ll have to ask someone. I was about to resign myself to grabbing a random first-year, but as it turned out, I didn’t need to search for her. Coincidentally, a group of six girls—including Yamano—were gathered in the hallway.
“Listen, Saya. That’s not how you talk to someone.”
“What? Did I say something wrong?”
Wait, are they fighting? The mood’s tense, and some other first-years are observing them too.
“If you think I’m wrong, then explain why,” Yamano said matter-of-factly, her eyes frosty.
Upon closer inspection, it looked like Yamano was against five other people, rather than a friendly group of six. The other five girls were glaring at her.
Realizing that there were a lot of eyes on them, a girl with black hair who seemed like the leader of the five clicked her tongue and said, “You think you can say whatever just because you’re right? You’re so obnoxious,” as a final remark before she returned to her classroom. The other four girls followed after her.
Yamano was left behind in the hallway. She stood silently there with her head down.
“What happened?” I asked.
She looked up in surprise. “Senpai... Why are you in the first-year hall?”
“I wanted to discuss the band, so I came to look for you.”
“You could’ve just messaged me on RINE...” Yamano pulled her phone out of her pocket and then said in an understanding tone, “Oh, you already did. I’m sorry.”
She didn’t notice my message because she was in the middle of something, huh? “So, why were you arguing with them?”
“Who knows? I don’t have a clue either. Maybe I rubbed them the wrong way?”
I wanted to ask for something more concrete, but Yamano continued as if she were trying to stop me.
“Senpai, you stand out in the first-year hall.”
“Do I? Well, that’s out of my control.”
“It looks like you’re hitting on an underclassman when you’ve already got a girlfriend, you know?”
Urgh... I know this looks bad, but we’ve got a situation at hand.
“It’s such a bad look. Please go up to the roof first,” Yamano said impassively, and then returned to her classroom to get her bag.
At any rate, it looks like Yamano’s high school life is far from smooth sailing.