“Huh? Was that weird?” Yamano asked.
“Okay, Yamano,” I began, “why don’t you think about how Matsui-san felt at the moment?” I feel like I’m teaching a class on morals.
“How she felt? Uhhh...”
“If you can’t picture it, then imagine yourself in her position.”
“So I should pretend like I was Matsui-san? Ummm...” Yamano continued to hum and agonize, a frown on her face. Then, she suddenly gasped when realization hit her. “My apology was thrown on at the end, so did she feel a little upset?”
“Yeah, that’s right.” Whew. I don’t know what we would’ve done if she didn’t get that much!
“I see... Why didn’t I realize that?” Yamano went pale as she registered what she’d done.
Why didn’t you realize? I know why: Because you’re the same as me. But rather than me telling you, I want you to figure it out yourself.
“Don’t tell me, Saya. Are you...” Serika murmured as a light bulb went off in her head.
Uh-oh, she might blurt out what I was purposefully keeping quiet about. I didn’t stop her in time, and Serika finished her thought.
“Are you even more insensitive than me?”
Well... That might be true too. That’s not what I thought she’d say, but oh well. To begin with, Serika isn’t even as inconsiderate as she says she is. As the king of the Country of Inconsideration, I guarantee it.
“Huh?! That’s not true!” Yamano cried out in surprise.
The hell do you mean that’s not true?!
“The fact that you’re trying to deny it shows just how insensitive you are,” Mei pointed out in exasperation.
Yamano froze, absolutely floored.
I’m trying to do something here, not whatever this clown fiesta is! “Anyway, Mei, Yamano, since we have time, why don’t you two get to know each other?” These two could barely be called bandmates, so I want them to get closer.
They sat across the table from each other, eyes locked in silence.
This is super awkward.
“Um, the way you two are staring at us is anxiety inducing,” Mei grumbled at me and Serika, who were rubbernecking from the side.
“Now, now, don’t mind us,” I replied and popped a french fry in my mouth.
Mei reluctantly turned back to face Yamano again. Unable to bear the silence any longer, he asked, “Um, what is your hobby?”
“Huh? Is this a marriage interview?” Serika quipped in an amused tone.
“Hey, Serika! No unnecessary comments from the peanut gallery,” I said and covered her mouth. Anyway, Yamano is being awfully quiet. Then again, Mei quit the band because of the things she said, so maybe she’s choosing her words carefully.
“Playing the drums is my hobby. I guess that much is obvious, though,” Yamano answered.
“Oh, uh... Then what kind of music do you like?” Mei asked.
“I’ve been listening to Silent Siren and Blue Encount a lot lately.”
“Ohhh, I see.” Mei was wearing a face that said, “I know they’re both really good bands, but I honestly don’t know much else about them...”
Yeah, it’s hard to find something to say in times like these.
“What about you, Shinohara-senpai?”
“I like Oasis. I mainly listen to western music.”
“Ohhh, I see.” Now Yamano’s face said, “Western music, huh? I don’t really listen to it much...” She shot me a troubled look, and I pointed at Mei, trying to encourage her to get to know him. She got my message and pushed on. “Can you give me a few Oasis songs that you like? I’d like to listen to their stuff.”
“Oh, really?! Man, all their famous stuff rocks, so I don’t know what to recommend first. For newcomers, I think you have to start with Stop the Clocks. It’s a greatest hits compilation album that was released in 2006, and you can see how they evolved after their debut song, ‘Supersonic,’ and...”
Yep, Mei’s a plain old music otaku. Get him into his comfort zone, and he’ll turn into a chatterbox.
Yamano looked shocked to see Mei act like this, but then an entertained smile spread across her face. “Ha ha ha! Gotcha! Then I’ll listen to their best album!”
“Shall I lend it to you in that case? I have two copies at home, one for safekeeping and one to use.”
“Wait, you sure? Please and thank you, then!”
“In exchange, tell me about the bands you like, Yamano-san.”
“Oh, then I’ll also lend you an album I recommend, so let me know what you think...”
Eating fries, I watched Yamano and Mei launch into a lively conversation. Suddenly, my eyes met Serika’s. She was drinking cola through a straw, swaying from left to right. Looks like she’s having fun. Serika picked up her phone and typed something. My phone vibrated. She had sent me a private message via RINE.
“I’m glad they’re hitting off,” it said.
They both like music, so they were bound to get along, provided they had the opportunity to talk. If anything, it’s strange that they didn’t become friends earlier. I’m sure Yamano cares about Mei now. She probably thinks he’s more interesting than she expected. Trying to get to know someone will draw out parts of them you didn’t anticipate before. And sometimes learning more about someone will be the spark you need to care about them. It’s even more important to put in the work when dealing with people like Mei, who won’t open up about himself unprompted.
I wanted Yamano to learn this on her own. That’s why I asked Mei to help her fix her wording problem.
After all, making an effort to get to know others is important; it’s how you learn to be considerate of their feelings.