But Sousuke was right. Despite her usually indifferent attitude, whenever we had individual singing tests in music class, Kaoru always took it more seriously than the other students. I distinctly remembered the teacher praising her vocalization and vibrato. I’d always figured she had a fondness for singing.
“That’s completely different, though…,” she trailed off, blushing slightly.
But Sousuke wasn’t going to let her off the hook so easily. “Aw, c’mon. Just do it! We’ll have plenty of time to practice during summer vacation!” he insisted.
Kaoru’s gaze wandered hesitantly, then she glanced over at me. What? I wondered.
“If Yuzu’s doing it…then, I guess I will, too,” she said.
“Huh?!” I looked at Kaoru and saw her purse her lips and look away.
Ugh, now there’s even more pressure on me…
Sousuke clapped his hands together and said, “It’s decided, then!”
I still haven’t said yes! I wanted to protest, but at this point I’d completely lost my chance. And besides, I was starting to get swept up in the excitement.
“All right, so we just need someone playing drums and someone on bass. Drums are probably the best choice for a beginner. We just have to pick a song with an easy drum part.”
“I really don’t think it’s that simple!” I protested.
“Don’t worry,” said Sousuke. “A month is more than enough time to practice.”
There was no getting through to him.
I tried to imagine myself playing the drums, but I had a hard time believing I’d be any good. In the first place, I didn’t know what kind of sounds any of the drums made. The big drums and the small drums… Was that even what you called them? I had no idea.
There’s no way I can do this, I thought. But I couldn’t bring myself to say anything and started panicking.
My eyes darted around until I made eye contact with Ai, who was leaning against the window frame. The corners of her mouth perked up into an adorable smile.
“The drums are perfect for Yuzuru! I wonder what he’ll sound like?”
“Um, actually…”
In the face of her beautiful smile, the words died in my throat. Once I realized she was looking forward to hearing me, I was shocked by how quickly I began to reconsider. Hmm, maybe I should try it after all…
Putting my own thoughts aside, I saw Ai’s gaze shift toward Sousuke.
“We just need a bass player now, right? Do you know anyone who can do it?”
Up until now, Sousuke had been in high spirits. But for some reason, his face began to tense up, and he looked nervous. After a second, however, he brightened up again and continued cheerfully.
“Yeah, I have someone in mind! I’m not sure if they’ll agree, but I’ll ask!”
“…Really?” Ai asked. “Well, okay. We’ll let you take care of it, then.”
“Yeah! Leave it to me!”
It seemed Ai had also noticed the change in Sousuke’s demeanor. But after watching him act cheerful for a few seconds, she chose not to mention it and simply nodded.
“It’s a plan, then!” He clapped again and then whacked me on the shoulder. “All right, Yuzuru—I know someone who’s amazing at the drums, so I’ll talk to them and ask if they can teach you!”
“Uh, okay,” I said weakly. “But…do you really think I’ll be able to do it?” At this rate, I couldn’t refuse, and I knew saying something like this would make no difference, but I couldn’t help being hesitant.
Sousuke flashed me a bright smile and nodded. “You can do anything if you put your mind to it!” He was just repeating an old cliché, but he sounded oddly confident. Now that’s a gutsy reply, I thought. I could only offer a wry chuckle in return.
“All right!” Sousuke said cheerfully. “Once we have all our members together, we’ll decide on a song.” He then headed off toward his desk with a skip in his step.
I stared absently at his back. To be honest, I thought he was being rather pushy, but I had to admire him for putting everything together in just a few minutes. I wasn’t that upset about it—it was just a result of his straightforward personality.
A band, huh?
I’d never really been that into music, so I never dreamed I would suddenly join a band in high school. But the idea of practicing together over summer break sounded pretty cool when I thought about it. I realized it was probably a naive impression, but I couldn’t help thinking it was exactly the kind of thing you were supposed to do in high school. Still, it felt strange to be joining a band when I’d only ever been interested in reading.
Just then, I felt someone poke my shoulder. It was Ai. She stared at me for a moment, then her face brightened into a smile like a flower blooming.
“I’m so excited!” she said. “Let’s do our best and practice a lot!”
“Y-yeah. I’ll have to work hard, so I don’t hold everyone else back…”
She giggled, her shoulders shaking. “Aw, don’t be so nervous. Just relax and have fun.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the bell rang. Exams were finished, but we still had homeroom.
Ai gasped and looked up at the wall clock, then she moved away from the window. “I gotta go! See ya later!”
She waved at Kaoru and me and then trotted off down the hallway. She’d told me several times that teachers had yelled at her about running in the hall, but apparently she had no intention of stopping.
I watched her until she disappeared from view, then felt another poke on my back. This one felt a bit more subdued than usual.
“Hm?” I turned around and saw Kaoru staring at me, looking gloomy.
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “…Now I feel like I dragged you into this.” She hunched over guiltily.
If you feel so bad about it, why didn’t you just say no? But I had a feeling I knew how she felt. Deep down, she’d probably wanted to give it a try just like I had. In the end, I wasn’t all that opposed, and I bet she felt the same. That said, it would be a little embarrassing to shout “I’ll do it!” and openly volunteer… But if you dragged along a friend, it felt somehow easier.
There was no reason for Kaoru to feel guilty.
“It’s fine,” I said. “Sousuke wouldn’t have let me say no anyway.”
She made a face and muttered, “Yeah… I guess you’re right.”
If I kept dragging out this subject it would only make Kaoru feel guiltier, so I decided to move on.
“Can you imagine me on drums, though? I wonder if I’ll be any good.”
I thought if I could convince her that I’d already made up my mind, she’d feel better about it.
She looked a little relieved. “Hmmm. I dunno…” She thought about it for a while, then smiled. “I’m kinda curious to see it, though,” she said and turned away shyly.
That gave me a funny feeling inside.
“…I’m kinda looking forward to hearing you sing, too,” I said, trying to hide my embarrassment.
Her eyes went wide as she looked at me.
“I’ve only ever heard you sing in music class, after all,” I said teasingly.
I watched as she gradually turned pink and then whacked me on the shoulder.
“Shut up!”
Next, she kicked my chair. She must have been really embarrassed.
Ever since Kaoru confessed her feelings to me at the beach, I couldn’t help getting embarrassed around her, even when our interactions were exactly the same as before.
I was pretty sure I still had feelings for Ai. But every time I saw Kaoru blush during a casual conversation, it was as if I was catching a glimpse of her real feelings, and a funny sensation rose up in my gut.
Romantic or not, I loved this adorable side to Kaoru’s personality.
And now, we’re gonna be in a band together.
Talking with Kaoru made the whole thing feel real.
I was going to be in a band with the girl I’d always loved, a fellow club member I cared deeply about, and a new friend. I didn’t know who would play bass, but I had a feeling I’d get along with them, too. I was growing more and more optimistic about it as time passed.
✦ ✦ ✦
So despite my initial reluctance…I was pretty happy about the idea of starting a band.