What kind of situation is this?
Mei and Funayama-san sat across from me. On top of everything, Funayama-san was desperately trying to pacify a dissatisfied Mei.
“Shizuki, you met up with Natsuki alone...” he griped.
“A-And that’s why I’ve been apologizing!” she replied.
“And you’re dressed in casual clothes that I’ve never even seen before...”
“N-No girl would ever want to dress like this in front of her boyfriend!”
Uh, I also thought you were dressed way too sloppily, though. What I do glean from watching them interact is that Mei’s jealousy runs deep. “Like we already told you, we were talking about you.”
“I understand the reason, but still...” No matter how many times we explained, Mei remained openly sulky. “Natsuki is handsome, so I was worried you’d get taken away from me, Shizuki.”
Funayama-san and I peered out the window without making eye contact.
“I don’t have any confidence in myself,” Mei muttered.
Funayama-san placed her hand on top of his. “Don’t worry, Mei-kun. I’m in love with you.”
“Shizuki... You mean it? You like me more than Natsuki?”
“Yes. I mean every word.”
The two of them gazed into each other’s eyes. In front of me. What the heck are they forcing me to witness?
“It may be true that Haibara-kun is better at studying, more athletic, more handsome, taller, has better social skills, is kind, and also a great singer, but regardless of all that I—”
Uh, don’t you think you’re praising me too much? I think you’re overestimating me a lot too.
“I knew it! I’m not better than Natsuki at a single thing!” Mei broke out into a bawl.
“Ack! No! I’m trying to say that even though all that is true, I still love you more!” Funayama-san exclaimed, frantically trying to cheer him up.
This is too chaotic. Then again, I’m at fault here. “Hmm, this guy’s such a pain!”
“Huh?! Natsuki, you just called me a pain, didn’t you?! I knew it! I knew you thought of me that way! You think the band doesn’t need me!”
Crap, I accidentally said my thoughts out loud!
Mei whimpered like a dog while Funayama-san patted his head.
Actually, seeing how my friends act as a couple is kinda graphic. I don’t think I like this. I sighed and said, “Mei, of course I don’t think we don’t need you.”
“But you were mad at me!”
“I’ll get mad at you if there’s a reason to be.”
Funayama-san, still petting a disgruntled Mei, asked me, “What happened? Please tell me.”
“Mei, can I tell her?”
He looked a little distressed, but nodded his head in resignation. I gave her the same rundown I’d given Tatsuya and the boys when I’d asked them for advice. Funayama-san listened quietly, her expression solemn.
Once I’d finished, she closed her eyes in silence. She opened them shortly after and quietly said, “Based on what you’ve told me, it’s true that Yamano-san’s phrasing is an issue.”
“Yeah. She’s currently working on fixing her language,” I said.
Mei, who hadn’t said a word during my explanation, grumbled, “Can she really fix that? I think it’s in her nature.”
He knows he has nowhere to run now that Funayama-san’s here. It’d be lame as hell if he dashed off without saying a word, and he’s gotta protect his pride as a man... I’ll set aside the fact that he already looks hecka lame having his head patted by his girlfriend.
“Put yourself in my shoes for a moment; I was barraged by her harsh remarks for weeks. Come on, Natsuki, she berated you quite a lot too. Doesn’t it piss you off? Aren’t we her upperclassmen?” Mei took a swig of his cola as if he were drunk.
“I knew this already,” I commented, “but you’re the type to bottle up your emotions, huh.” He detests Yamano a lot more than I thought. “Do you hate Yamano?”
“Well, I certainly don’t like her,” Mei said, sulkily turning away. “As long as Yamano-san’s in the band, I won’t return.”
“But she speaks harshly when she gets heated because she’s giving you her honest thoughts, right?” Funayama-san said. Surprisingly, she was trying to reason with him. “In that case, shouldn’t you listen to what she has to say?”
And here I thought she was only going to pamper him because of all that head patting!
“If you’re going to do something seriously,” she continued, “then it’s par for the course to receive blunt feedback. When I was in the volleyball club in middle school, my coach often yelled at us. But I know that was to spur us into improvement. That’s why I don’t resent my coach,” Funayama-san said matter-of-factly. She was practically expressionless as she spoke. It was a little scary.
“Sh-Shizuki, you’re siding with them too?!” Mei exclaimed.
“Mei-kun, it’s my duty as your partner to guide you in the right direction if you’re wrong,” Funayama-san replied firmly.
Well now, is that really a partner’s duty? Isn’t it more of a parent’s or teacher’s role?
“Mei-kun. You told me to root for you because you were going to take the band seriously moving forward, right?”
“Urgh.” Mei nodded, flustered. “Yes. I did say that.”
“I was looking forward to it. I fell for you because I saw you playing bass at last year’s school festival. I wanted to see you, not just at the music festival last week, but also how you would grow in the future. Are you already going to quit despite all that?”
Mei whimpered weakly.
Funayama-san is hecka scary when she’s laying on the logic! Mei’s shriveled up so much that he’s beyond recognition.
“Mei-kun, you said you’d be serious, but you’re currently all talk. Haibara-kun said so too.”
“I didn’t say that!” Don’t just put words in my mouth! Okay, sure, I thought something similar!
However, neither seemed to have heard me. Mei and Funayama-san were stuck in their own world.
“Mei-kun, I know you have a weak mentality. And I know you feel hurt when someone speaks harshly to you. But it’s not good to run away. Please do your best to face your problems and learn how to fix the things that people point out. That’s what it means to be serious about something.” Funayama-san spoke slowly and clearly as she tried to reason with him.
I think she could be a teacher when she grows up. Her words hold a lot of sway.
“Yes... I’m sorry.” Mei nodded, tears trickling down his face.
“You meant it when you said you wanted to be serious, right?” she asked.
“Yes... I want to put on the best performance ever with everyone.”
Hearing Mei’s honest desire put me at ease. It’ll all be fine if he says that. We can do this together.
“In that case, please confront your issues head-on. If you’re scared, I’ll be there for you.”
“Ungh... Okay. Please do.”
This is totally a conversation between a parent and their child.
Funayama-san, having convinced Mei, turned towards me and bowed her head. “I’m sorry about my child.”
“Your child? Did you just call Mei your child?” I quipped.
She ignored my retort with a soft smile. “It seems like he has the motivation for the band, so please let him rejoin.”
I can’t tell if that was a joke or not! This isn’t what I intended to happen, but it looks like things worked out. I guess what he needs is a dependable girlfriend. “I’d like to hear that from the man himself.”
At my urging, Mei rubbed the corners of his eyes with his sleeve. Then he fixed those swollen, red eyes directly on me. “I’m sorry, Natsuki. I don’t want to quit the band after all. I want to play music with you guys.”
“Will you be okay playing with Yamano again?” I asked.
“I know that Yamano-san has been pursuing music far more earnestly than me.” Mei squeezed his eyes shut and then reopened them. This time, he had a powerful glint in his eyes, having made up his mind. “That’s why I’ll face her harsh feedback head-on as well. All this time, I’ve been making excuses and running away. But I’ve realized that I can’t make the music I want that way.”
“Then...this time, let’s truly take the band seriously.”
I offered him my hand, and he slowly extended his own. Funayama-san clapped warmly as she watched us shake hands. Our boss, who was still behind the counter, looked like he wanted to say “Good grief” and shrugged his shoulders.
This is kinda embarrassing. And we made the manager worried during our shift today... Oh, you know what, I just thought of an idea. “However, there’s a condition you have to follow to rejoin.”
Mei blinked at me. “A condition?”
“You have to help us rectify Yamano’s language,” I said, suggesting the plan I’d just come up with.
“Huh?!”
“Isn’t that what bothers you the most about the band?”
“Yeah, but wasn’t this whole conversation about accepting that kind of harsh criticism and working hard? What’s the point of going through this if Yamano-san fixes her language?”
“There’s a difference between criticism and just being mean.”
“To be honest, I’m a little scared. But it’s more like I’m really uncomfortable around her.”
“And that’s exactly why we need to fix her language if we’re going to play together for a long time.”
Mei looked a little hesitant, but Funayama-san gently placed her hand on his back. He nodded. “All right. If you say so, Natsuki.”
They have a nice relationship. A pair of lovebirds who support each other. I hope Hikari and I can be like them.
“Thank you so much, Shizuki. And I’m sorry for worrying you,” Mei said.
“It’s fine. However, as punishment, I’m instating a ban on dates for a while,” she replied.
“Wh-What?! I can’t live without you, though!”
She paused. “Well, if you’re going to insist that much, then I’ll allow a few dates.”
I changed my mind... Maybe I don’t want us to be a pair of stupid lovebirds like them. Left out of the conversation, I decided that I would never gush over my girlfriend in front of my friends.