Once I started playing the drums, I began dropping by Nagoshi’s garage every few days. I’d work on the assignments Misuzu gave me, improving my skills one by one.
I’d practice until my muscles ached, then go home to complete my schoolwork and other tasks until my muscles felt better. Once they’d recovered, I’d go back to the garage and practice some more.
As I repeated this process, my playing started to come together. My basic rhythms had become steadier, and my arms didn’t get tangled up anymore.
“Wow, you’re making great progress. I can tell you’re practicing hard.” Once a week, Misuzu would come to watch me play, and she’d always compliment me. “By now, you should be able to handle easy songs.”
Thanks to her encouragement, I began to gain confidence.
At first, Nagoshi would check on me briefly once a day, but then she started staying, listening to me practice while she lay on the sofa in the corner. She told me to take the headphones off, so she could listen to the sound through the speakers.
“Use your wrists more. You’re trying to use your arms too much. That creates tension and makes your transitions awkward.”
If I struggled with complex movements, she would get up off the sofa and come over to offer me guidance.
“You don’t need to grip the sticks so tightly. Imagine you’re supporting them with just your fingertips and wrists. Let your wrists move as you swing your arms. Yes, just like that. If you snap them, your sounds will be clearer.”
I was surprised at how relaxed I felt and how clear my playing sounded when I followed her advice.
“Do you know how to play the drums too, Nagoshi?” I asked.
She laughed awkwardly. “Well, better than you.”
For some reason, she looked younger than usual. It mystified me.
Normally, when we talked, she seemed somehow distant. But when we lost ourselves in music together, it felt like she was right there beside me.
I got the feeling we’d gotten closer and tried to bring up topics like her playing bass or Sousuke, but she’d always deflect them. It was clear she really didn’t want to talk about the past.
I knew I shouldn’t push her, so I let it go every time. But I did learn one thing: she truly loved music.
When I felt like I was playing particularly well, her leg would always move to the beat as she lay on the sofa. And when I stopped, she’d say, “That was pretty good.”
Her expression made her look disinterested, but she was clearly listening to me.
I couldn’t understand why, despite all that, she was so adamant about not playing the bass anymore.
I felt like we’d grown closer, but in some ways, she remained just as distant as before.
As I continued practicing at her house, time flew by.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Thanks for agreeing to help!” said Ai.
It was the end of the first week of August. The temperature had risen considerably, and just walking around outside was enough to make me sweat. Carrying something so heavy was only making it worse, of course.
“I said I could handle it on my own, but it’s surprisingly heavy, huh?” Ai said from behind me.
Between us was a hefty keyboard.
With summer vacation almost at an end, our band had finally decided on a song to play. Sousuke chose a “classic” that wasn’t too difficult, which was lucky for me, since I’d only just learned how to read sheet music. I was beginning to think I might pull this off, after all.
Now that we’d picked a song, the other members could practice on their own.
Sousuke already had a guitar, Kaoru didn’t need an instrument, and I could go to Nagoshi’s house. The three of us were all set.
But Ai didn’t have a keyboard at home, so Sousuke asked Misuzu about it, and she allowed us to borrow one from her music club.
At the moment, we were taking it back to Ai’s house. She’d claimed she could carry it on her own, but I’d been doubtful and wound up coming with her. And sure enough, the keyboard was much bigger and heavier than either of us had anticipated.
“I thought it would be smaller,” she said.
And now, the two of us were hauling around the heavy keyboard, drenched in sweat.
When we got to the fork in the road where we usually split up, Ai said she could manage on her own, but I knew she still had a long way to go.
“It’s fine,” I said. “I’ll help you the rest of the way.”
She looked at me apologetically. “Thanks. I’d appreciate that.”
As we turned down the path to Ai’s house, I realized something important. I’d never been to her place before.
She’d come over to my house several times, but I’d never been to hers.
My determination to help her carry the heavy keyboard had completely overshadowed the fact that I was about to go to her house for the first time.
I suddenly felt nervous.
We went up a gentle slope, then back down, then up again. Finally, we arrived at her house.
“Here we are,” she said, and I had to bite my lip to stop myself from crying out in shock.
We were standing in front of a ramshackle, run-down apartment complex.
Because of her innocent demeanor and neat appearance, I’d always assumed her family was pretty well off. Now, I realized I’d been prejudiced and made a mental note to watch out for that in the future.
The metal stairs creaked under our every step.
When we reached the second floor, Ai called out, “Keep going straight!” At the end of the corridor, she said, “Hang on a sec,” and let go of the keyboard. I held it steady, so it didn’t fall. Then, she unlocked the door to one of the apartments and pushed it open wide. “Thanks. I’ll take this side.”
“Okay.”
She took one end of the keyboard and angled it through the door. After slipping off her shoes in the entryway, she carried it further into the hall and set it gingerly on the floor.
“Phew, that was heavy! Thanks!” She said with a bright smile. “Feel free to come in, by the way!”
“Thanks,” I replied softly, then closed the door behind me and took off my shoes.
I helped her lift the keyboard again, and we carried it into the living room.
I couldn’t help glancing around her apartment.
It was a studio with a kitchen. The latter was probably about seven square meters, with about ten square meters of living space. At the far end was a single bed and a desk. Another set of bedding was folded up near the window.
“Sorry it’s so cramped,” Ai said. She wasn’t shy about it, but she seemed a little embarrassed. “I live with my dad. He only comes home two or three times a week, though, so I basically live alone.”
“Oh… I see.” I tried to keep my tone casual, but I wasn’t confident I’d managed.
I realized that I didn’t know a thing about her family structure. I never would’ve guessed she lived alone with her father.
“Well, now I can practice anytime! I’ll use headphones, so I don’t disturb anyone,” she said as she set up the keyboard next to her desk.
She seemed like her usual energetic self, so I decided not to ask her anything else. She’d talk about her family when she was ready. There was no need for me to pry.
“Hang on, I’ll pour us some drinks! All I have is barley tea, though.”
“Oh, don’t worry about it!”
“I don’t have any extra chairs, so just sit on the bed,” she said as she hurried toward the kitchen.
I hesitantly did as she said and watched as she poured the barley tea.
“Here you go!” She brought over two cups and handed one to me, then placed the other one on the desk. “I’ll get the table out. Just a sec!” She opened a nearby storage closet and pulled out a small low table.
I helped her unfold its legs and set it on the tatami flooring.
“Phew! I haven’t used this in a while,” she said brightly.
Did that mean she ate her meals and did everything else at her desk? Since her father wasn’t home very often, I wondered if she typically ate all alone like that. It seemed a little sad.
“How’s drum practice going?” she asked as she sat down on the floor.
“Pretty good. Misuzu is a great teacher, and Nagoshi lets me use her drums whenever I want… So I think it’s going well.”
“That’s good.” She nodded, then she looked at me and stared. After a few moments, she puffed out her cheeks sulkily. “There sure are a lot of girls around you lately.”
“Huh?” Her comment caught me off-guard.
Come to think of it, aside from Sousuke, most of my recent interactions had been with girls. But I never expected Ai to comment on it.
“Well yeah…,” I said. “But it’s not like anything’s going on with them.”
That’s right. Nothing was going on. I couldn’t be sure, but Nagoshi didn’t seem too interested in boys, and Sousuke told me that Misuzu already had a boyfriend.
The two of them were just helping me with my drum practice.
“I know, but…” Ai fiddled with her fingers and pouted. “Can I sit next to you?”
We’d been sitting across the table from each other.
“Here?”
“Yeah. I’m coming over there.”