Vol 2 Chapter 4 (1/2)
Chapter 4
Every , Chiaki never failed to arrive in class just barely on tieh; rather, it was because she always continued practicing on the dru She came fro in the
However, Chiaki was actually late this , which was quite rare for her
I didn't see her earlier when I went to the club room to drop offand the teacher had stepped into the classroom, she was still nowhere to be found Mafuyu had refused to look atof the day, and I had hoped that the tense atot here I guess I shouldn't be so dependent on others
”Morning!”
When Chiaki opened the door (located behind ht) and entered the classrooetic ere already ten lish teacher even dropped the chalk on the floor in shock Chiaki leisurely made her way between Mafuyu's desk and , she was also carrying a huge plastic bag with a handle on it
”Teacher, am I considered late? Or was I already marked absent?”
Our English teacher looked at the clock, then coughed twice and said softly, ”I'll count you as late this time, but don't enter the classroom so brazenly next time”
”Right I'm sorry”
She took her textbook out of her bag and, at the saue shyly ”I shouldn't have stayed up late last night”
”What are you carrying?”
”Hmm? Oh, I'll tell you later”
Right after class was over, Chiaki opened up the plastic bag she had brought to class and pulled so out from inside ”Tada!” She proudly showed it to Mafuyu and me
Mafuyu was stunned; her mouth ide open My expression was probably the same as hers
It was a white T-shi+rt—and over the chest, was a cute ie colors
bisawa mafuyu=”” &=”” lollypops=””>
That was actually ritten on it
”This is?”
After ed to force that line out of my throat
”What's this? The T-shi+rt of our band, of course! It's really cute, right? I was thinking, if Mafu-Mafu hasn't decided on a name for our band yet, then we'll just use this name”
Chiaki said that proudly With a feeling of disbelief, I confirlance at Mafuyu—her face was pale white
”Well, it just so happened that Nao was listening to EL&P when I went to his house yesterday, and an idea suddenly came to me—why don't we also name our band E&LP”
”W-Why is my name in there?”
”Because Mafu-Mafu's our band leader See, it's just like <hajime hana=”” &=”” the=”” crazy=”” cats=””>” [TLNote: Wiki linkhere]
Exactly how old are you? Is it because you frequently drink with your uncles and relatives? There were tieezer no, actually, she sounded older than them
”Leader? M-me? Why?”
”Eh? Didn't you hear it from Senpai?” said Chiaki, as she spread the T-shi+rt out on the table ”Senpai said that the Folk Music Research Club is a revolutionary arht?”
”Come to think of it, she did?”
My urazaka-senpai was a self-proclaiathered, it seemed ere her comrades in her revolution
”She said that I'hest-whatever-Chancellor”
”I have never heard that before” Somehow, Mafuyu was close to tears
”Hey Shouldn't the band leader be Senpai?” I interrupted
”Senpai's the Chief Secretary Which h it seereat leader, that's only on paper In actual fact, the one in control of everything is the Chief Secretary That's the so-called 'Troika' system”
”Is that so?” ”You're referring to the Soviets?” ”I see” ”I learned so new today”
The class their heads Soer affected by their antics
”Therefore, I put Mafu-Mafu's name in the name of the band”
” I don't want that”
”Why don't you come up with a name yourself then?”
Mafuyu gripped the table tightly and refused to let go
”Aihara, I want that T-shi+rt” ”Ah, me too LL size”
”I'll just charge you guys three thousand five hundred yen a piece”
”That's costly!” ”It's just you cutting out a teht?”
”It's co merchandise”
As Chiaki—surrounded by a bunch of guys—displayed her knack for business, Mafuyu's face became paler and paler I wondered if I should speak to her, but I had no idea what to say
There was a sudden and loud bang Mafuyu had suddenly pushed her chair backwards,everyone around her turn their head around in shock She dashed out of the classroo to run away froive chase, but Chiaki was a step faster than me
”Wait!”
Chiaki shouted outside the classrooripped Mafuyu's hand as Mafuyu tried her hardest to shake loose shi+t, this scene's a mess Just as I was about to intervene—
”Mafuyu! Look at me and listen!”
Chiaki spoke
Mafuyu suddenly stopped ainst the walls of the corridor, and turned her body slightly towards Chiaki; she held her head low the entire time
I just looked on like aI could say
”Listen Half the reason I' in the Folk Music Research Club is because of Senpai”
Chiaki held onto Mafuyu's hands as she continued
”As for the other half, it's the saht?”
Mafuyu lifted her head up in surprise I could only see Chiaki's back, but soentle smile
”There's nothing wrong with that!”
”I, I”
Mafuyu's face went red She didn't finish what she was about to say, as the bell signaling the start of the second period had rung
Mafuyu left the classroo band practice I then realized she didn't actually bring her guitar today
”I guess I'll go look around for her Her shoes are still in the shoe cabinet”
As I was about to walk out of the practice roorabbed my shoulders from behind
”There's no point in doing that Comrade Aihara already did what needed to be done All that's left are problems Comrade Ebisaill have to deal with herself”
I glanced at Chiaki She was sitting in theat the handmade T-shi+rt spread out over her knees
The things she needed to do—
The things Chiaki said this —
I saton at all Her reason for staying in the band? What does that mean?
”Did I go overboard this time?” Chiaki mumbled
”We can leave that for the historians of the future to decide For now”
Senpai took a piece of paper, that was folded in half, out of her pocket and opened it
”Today's the last day for registering for of the live performance”
Forget about the name of the band—the part where ere supposed to fill in the names of the band members was blank as well I suddenly felt a chill in me
If—Mafuyu quits the band, just like that What should we do then?
Chiaki lifted the T-shi+rt and said, ”Can't we just fill this name in for now?” Senpai put on one of her rare bitter expressions and said,
”Mlad Comrade Aihara wasn't the last member to join the band”
”Senpai's horrible!”
That was the only tireed with Senpai
”Isn't that a really suitable name for a cute and loli-loli band like us?”
”You can use that name after I leave”
”How about having Nao dressed up as a girl too?”
”Over my dead body”
Senpai plugged her guitar into the aenerated to interrupt our silly conversation
”I'll co to push back the deadline to noon tomorrow Let's all wait for Co! Then, I'll skip my lessons and sub at”
Senpai then turned her head to look at me
”It's just a na for our application Even if we don'tIf there's really nothing we can do this time, there's always a next time Don't put that expression on your face”
”Well, you aren't wrong” What exactly is the expression on ht now?
”More ih esti camp?”
”Eh? Yeah, I'm done”
Since our only expense was food, I was in charge of the finances for the trip
”Four thousand and five hundred yen per person”
”Whoa! That's cheap Do we really have to pay that little for a three-day-and-two-night trip? Are snacks included in that?” Chiaki asked Bring your own snacks!
” That's the price if four people are going, right?”
Senpai suddenly asked I said nothing, and gave a nod It'd be cheaper to prepare o up if only three of us were going
”So the problem now lies with us huh?”
Senpai sighed as she tuned her guitar What exactly will Mafuyu decide regarding the training camp?
Is she really not planning to go? There was no way I could discuss that with her if she didn't come to practice
There's no point in doing all this if Mafuyu isn't co!
”Well, it's pointless for us to continue talking about it any further Let's begin our practice!” Senpai stood up as she said that
For some reason, I had zero motivation to pick up my bass
Right here, right now, the miniuitarist, a bassist and a drummer
If ere to create music in our current form—
We could start up the band, albeit barely, even if Mafuyu wasn't around—
Senpai stared at my face for a while, then said,
”I guess we'll start with some covers You should kno to play <hotel california=””>, right?”
I nodded Senpai began struuitar Earlier on, e had first started the band, we frequently practiced a nules And even noe aiting for everyone to gather in the practice roo sos so ers have already memorized them
Perhaps Senpai had already seen as on my mind?
It's said that, when The Eagles were recording this song, there was actually a part in the intro where thirteen guitar sounds were overlapped It was ih there were only a few overlapping improvisational parts and solos, there was no way Senpai could replicate all that with just her hands alone
I had al the chorus with Senpai All I did was strum the bass in a daze, as I immersed myself in Senpai's vocals, and experienced for myself the blankness beneath her voice
She—Mafuyu, wasn't here
The practice ended really quickly I made my way to the staff room to return the keys to the practice room and ran into Miss Maki just outside the door
”Oh, Nao Come here for a moment”
”Huh? Me?”
Miss Maki's hair was tied up, and as usual, she was dressed in a white pleated blouse and tight h she dressed really formally, she was actually a really violent teacher, which was difficult to conflate with her role as a music teacher I really do hope, in the future, she'll stop dragging me around by my ears
”Miss, that's the girls' toilet over there!”
I triedpulled into a really terrible place
”Ah, that won't do”
Miss Maki pulled me to a turn at the staircase Just up the stairs was the fourth floor—it was a corner of the music room that almost no student would pass by this late in the day Miss Maki forced ainst the wall and pressed her heel into ation
”Mafuyu came to the preparatory room just now”
”Eh?”
I see So she ran to the preparatory room huh? Miss Maki used to be Ebi+chiri's student—Ebi+chiri was Mafuyu's father—back when he was a lecturer in college It seemed she had been close to Mafuyu since way back
”I have no idea why, but for some reason, she see?”
”Nope, nothing ht onto your heels!”
”I did mention before, that you should be prepared to have your arht?”
”Since when!” Though she did say she wouldn't let me off easily
”What happened? Aren't the two of you getting along really well?”
”Do we look like we're on great terms with each other?”
Miss Maki shrugged
”So you're really unaware of it All that girl talks about is you and the Folk Music Research Club”
”Eh? No, that's just”
Things wouldn't have reached this state if ere on good terht?
”She's still in the preparatory rooo and look for her Just say I told you to tell her to go home quickly”
” Understood”
Just as I was about make my way upstairs, the back of my collar was suddenly pulled back
”Whoa!”
”I al else”
I turned around and saw a smile plastered on Miss Maki's face
”I heard you people are going on a training cae?”
”Eh? Ah! Uwaaaa!” damn Mafuyu, she told her? Good lord why did you tell her that!
”And it's at a villa next to the beach? You guys sure kno to enjoy yourselves”
Miss Maki's eyes beca I tried toonmy tie as well I surrendered
”Don't you think it'd be better if an adult caht a new piece of sear last suo for a swim since then!”
”Well But—”
”Just kidding It just so happens I have work that day, so I can't ht? Did you heave a sigh from the bottom of your heart, you brat?”
”Ugh———”
The pain was hell if the choke was applied in the wrong place
”And so? What about Mafuyu? She said she wasn't going, and Maestro Ebi+chiri disallowed her fro as well?”
”Ah, no We've already obtained permission from her father”
So she already rip ontowards the bottom of the sea
”Are you going there and leaving Mafuyu by herself?”
”No way I want to try talking to her, and ask her to co Everyone will be troubled if she doesn't coht?
”Everyone will be troubled if Mafuyu doesn't go? Why?”
”Why huh?” Why is she asking uitarist”
”That's not what I meant!”
For some reason, a sinister smile appeared on Miss Maki's face Sheht clamp had immobilized my head
”Well, just tell Mafuyu honestly about why you'd be troubled if she didn't go”
Why—I'd feel troubled?
Miss Maki's words caused me to fall into silence
”Speaking of which, you people aren't going there just to swiuys planning to do about the drums, amplifiers and such?”
” Eh?” Miss Maki's grip loosened for a brief moment, and I took the opportunity to slip away from her
”The equipht? You people won't be able to borrow any of it if it's an unofficial club gathering”
It was just as she said What's Senpai planning to do about that? Then again, I don't think she was one to not think about things like this
”In any case, I've done uys beforehand! The school would never agree to soht outside by themselves, so open your eyes and make sure you people aren't discovered by the other teachers”
And with that, Miss Maki walked downstairs and left So she's actually someone who doesn't really dwell on the details
Music used to be a core subject at our school, so the whole fourth floor housed equipht to the left, was a door covered with red felt; it looked just like a door you'd see at a concert hall That was thethe side of the corridor, extending outwards to the right, were the storerooms, which were used to store all sorts of musical instruments And at the end of the corridor, was a metallic door, which led to the music room we used for our typical music lessons
I heard a series of ed into an aht of the uitar's tientle