Chapter 4 (1/2)
Chapter 4
That was the fifth time I had seen that car
After walking past the turn, I was standing in a position where I could see the garage ofon—because that was the fifth ti, as the days were shorter in the winter The black hood of the foreign car shi+hts; and fro sounds of an orchestra
There was no point in running away (since it was hed and opened the porch door
”That's why I'! Since you're planning to play this piece faithfully, you should be faithful in areas like this as well, shouldn't you?”
”Don't be silly! The replacement melody ritten precisely because the soloist could not hit the high notes in the very first performance!”
”But it's printed on the published scores too! Come on, try it! You never know, it may just fit!”
”Do you wantme to find a second baritone just for this part? What rubbish!+”
”How about you sing it?”
”Enough of your jokes!”
Tetsurou and Ebisawa Chisato, separated by a table with a few pieces of paper on it, were engaged in a heated argu room Theover the speakers, but the two guys were arguing with voices comparable to the volume of the orchestra On one side of the table, was a fa a crisp suit; and on the other, the industry's ruffian—though his sloppy sportswearat each other's noses and arguing at the top of their lungs, I doubt anyone would question the fact that they used to be classmates
I had originally planned to sneak past the kitchen unnoticed, but I was called out by them
”So you're back, Nao Listen to me, Ebi+chiri's just atrocious!”
”Oh right, helpup with all these crazy suggestions for the arrangement”
Wait, why are you guys throwing your problems onto me? I'm physically and mentally drained already Senpai had come up with that sudden decision to participate in the live perfor audition, our practice was really solid
But perfor at the event means I won't be able to invite Mafuyu out on Christmas Eve
While I was engrossed in rabbedbefore me, was the conductor score for <symphony no=”” 9=””>
”Ur on here?”
”Ebi+chiri intends to faithfully reproduce Beethoven's original orchestration during his performance of Beethoven's Ninth at the end of the year And as a result, he's ignoring the revisions by Wagner and Weingartner!”
”Oh” Just let him be
”This is just unbelievable! He even intends to reproduce the trunaay by wor with anticipation I'll definitely coreat article to blast his performance”
There were various probleinal handwritten scores, so pastin all sorts of arrangements That is to say, the Beethoven's Ninth that we're used to (regardless of
whether it is good or bad), is different froinally envisioned for the piece So Ebi+chiri wants to return it to what it once was?
”The baritone's recitativo is actually supposed to be two e it to a duet as it was originally supposed to be in the scores But Ebi+chiri rejected my proposition”
”But of course It is not supposed to be a duet”
”Who cares, just try it! Listen to this, Nao Ebi+chiri, you sing the second part”
Tetsurou stopped the CD and played a tape instead, and what ca the orchestra his instructions The tape had probably been recorded during a practice Shortly after, the final an The dissonance between the strings and the rest of the orchestra clashed, then reached a clian singing ”O Freunde!”— to their duet What the hell are they doing? Look at their ages
”This will definitely become a joke”
Ebi+chiri snapped He stopped singing and turned the tape recorder off
”Why? Our voices were really consistent, no? Oh I know, I'll go on stage as the second baritone I'll give you a discount on the performance fee—I mean, I did used to be in the choir What do you think about , Nao?”
”I want to go home”
I was at my limit I didn't come into this world to perfored men!
”Which ho to Misako's house?”
”It's quite proble me that question seriously” Anywhere but here, daht as well escape to Misako's house
”But Misako is in Hong Kong until the end of the month, so she's not at home Her company has plans to expand into China”
”How do you know that?”
Tetsurou said Misako criticized him really harshly every time they met up after the divorce, and there were even times when she refused to speak to him
”Ahaha, that's because she's actually still in love withlike, 'I'll be busy from this date to that date because of these activities, so you're prohibited fro me!' Her words may be harsh, but she always keeps me informed about her schedule What a dishonest woman she is! Isn't that really cute?”
”Then don't get divorced in the first place! It's about time you two face reality!”
”I wouldn't have enrolled in the College of Music if I could do what you said”
”Do not lue with the ai a professional musician”
”Drop that cool act of yours, Ebi+chiri You're divorced as well, so we should be fellow co songs filled with happiness and joy together!”
Tetsurou started going crazy and began singing <ode to=”” joy=””>, so I tossed a cushi+on at him to shut him up I picked uproom
”Ah, ahem”
Ebi+chiri cleared his throat behindabout this
”Actually, I ca to ask you”
I placed my hand on the doorknob and tried nation that was spreading throughout uessed as much It always turns out like this
I placed ain
”U-Urm What do you want to know?”
I kneould be so related to Mafuyu even before he answered Ebi+chiri crossed his fingers and rested his chin on his hands He hesitated a ,
”My Beethoven's Ninth concert will only go up until the 23rd I will be taking a break after that”
”Ok”
”And so, well” Surprisingly, Ebi+chiri shi+fted his gaze away There was a long pause before he continued, ”I do wish to celebrate Christmas with my family once in a while”
I kneeating behind ood idea why Ebi+chiri showed up ataway
”Little did I expect that she would reject me after I told her that yesterday It seems Mafuyu will be busy on the 24th”
Stop looking at , you know?
”And then , but she refused to give me an answer”
”I know the answer Isn't there a love hotel located behind the shopping mall in front of the bus station? That ht thousand yen a night”
”Just shut up, Tetsurou”
I had no strength left in me to come up with a retort ”Did you just say a love hotel!?” Ebi+chiri sprung up in anger, but I was too drained of th to calm him down
That eight thousand yen is useless anyway
I recalled what had happened during the lunch break that day Kagurazaka-senpai had barged into the room suddenly when Mafuyu and I were the only ones inside; then, she announced the date of the live performance
The first person to snap back to reality was Mafuyu
” An audition?”
”Yeah This is an actual coed to squeeze us in at the very last moment, and have sent in the tapes already Our audition will be held early next month A live performance”
Senpai was pacing around the room in circles; Chiaki, as behind Senpai, had crossed her ar against the sound systeainst the amplifiers to steady myself It wasn't the first time I had been shocked by one of Senpai's announce really swiftly this time She should've heard about Snow Crash from Tomo around the same time I did, which was only last Saturday
”I've already confirmed that my fellow comrades will be free on Christside with me this time as well, yes?”
Senpai scanned our faces once ht smile on her face