Perhaps it was because the impact of the previous two lives had been so overwhelming, Ave Mujica's third tour performance had already fermented enough attention to reach a certain limit. Countless eyes from the outside world were now fixed on their next stage, and the preparations for it needed to be even more thorough.
Because of this, even without Haru, their manager, needing to personally supervise, the girls of the band had been extending their practice hours on their own initiative, perfecting their coordination to the highest level. That required several days of uninterrupted training.
Today was no exception.
"Good work, everyone. Let's take a short break."
"Uika, this bottle is for you."
Haru handed bottles of water to the sweat-drenched girls. For the vocalist in particular, Misumi Uika, training required her to constantly sustain high notes. The burden on her throat was probably heavier than most imagined.
Precisely because of that, Haru had prepared something extra for her, a carefully stewed pear drink with rock sugar. If he hadn't, with this level of intensive training, her throat might have been damaged before the performance day even arrived.
"Th-thank you."
Uika's eyes shone with shy light as she happily accepted the bottle from Haru.
She knew it was only a small gesture of "special treatment" for the vocalist, but compared to the others, the fact that she alone received different attention still filled her with joy. Her mood lifted, her heart beating more brightly.
"Um, may I sit next to you?"
Clutching the drink with both hands, she drew close to Haru. Her dazzling golden hair, like woven satin, shimmered as she moved. On stage she always bore the role of the beautiful idol, but in private she was just a girl in love.
"Of course. Do you really need to ask me that?"
Haru found her formality a little amusing. When they were alone she was never like this. Maybe she was acting more reserved because the others, including Sakiko, were all watching.
"That makes me so happy."
Uika's face bloomed with a radiant smile as she sat right at his side. Half her body leaned against his shoulder, rubbing her cheek like a spoiled kitten.
Meanwhile, the other three stood not far away.
"…Sakiko, are you jealous?"
Wakaba Mutsumi's expressionless eyes turned to the blue-haired twin-tail beside her. From the start, she had noticed that Sakiko kept stealing glances in their direction, her face sometimes showing hesitation tinged with envy, though she never acted on it.
"Just a little, but it's fine!"
"Is it? Haru's right side is still free. From the way you're fidgeting, I'd say you want to take that spot yourself, don't you?"
Yahata Umiri lifted her deep green eyes toward the empty place at Haru's side. The teasing in her words made Togawa Sakiko tremble, her dainty shoes even carrying her half a step forward before she quickly pulled back.
"I-I told you, I'm fine!"
"Compared to Uika, I've already gotten so much. But she's only kissed him until now, hasn't she? As his girlfriend she should be ahead of me in every way, but maybe because of me, she's been holding herself back…"
Sakiko's face flushed as she whispered, her hands clasped behind her back, fingers curled into little fists. Her eyes rested on the golden-haired girl who was smiling so brightly, and despite herself, she smiled too.
But her smile froze almost at once.
On either side of her, Mutsumi the expressionless fiancée, and Umiri the invincible mercenary bassist, both looked at her with meaningful gazes. For a shy and modest young lady like Sakiko, the shame was overwhelming.
"What are you two staring at me for?!"
"And what about you? You came over here to tease me, but aren't you also just standing here watching? Haru still has one seat open. Don't you want to claim it yourselves?"
Her flustered words made the two girls blink, then glance at each other blankly. A silence settled over them for two seconds.
The next instant, Sakiko froze in place. Covering her cheeks with her hands, she muttered with embarrassment, "I almost forgot… you two already live with him. You must be used to this kind of closeness."
Wasn't she just humiliating herself?
Thinking about it, her "other half" Mutsumi was one of Haru's earliest girlfriends, already cohabiting with him. She was surely long accustomed to falling asleep in his arms. That thought filled Sakiko with envy.
"Sakiko, why don't you move in too?"
Mutsumi's soft voice drifted to her ear, and Umiri raised a brow in agreement. Her cool, handsome face lit with sudden realization.
"She's right. You're his fiancée in name, aren't you?"
"There are plenty of empty rooms in the house. Move in soon, and you can even choose one close to his."
The cohabitation duo pressed her from both sides, leaving Sakiko blushing furiously. She rubbed the engagement ring on her finger, closed her eyes, and finally declared with full seriousness,
"Of course I want to!"
"But wouldn't it be too forward to ask for it myself? I've been waiting for Haru to invite me. That way it would be natural. Why are you two looking at me like that?"
Annoyed and flustered, she glared at them as they turned their gazes away. She just knew they were thinking something rude, but she had no proof.
"What are you three doing over there?"
Haru looked helplessly at the girls whispering in the corner. When had they developed a habit of leaving him out of their secrets? And what kind of voice hadn't he already heard from them?
"It's just, we finished practice, and if you smelled sweat on us it'd be unpleasant."
Umiri casually cracked open a canned coffee. But her offhand remark immediately made the others stiffen. The expressionless "wooden doll" Mutsumi stepped back two paces, while Sakiko nervously sniffed herself.
If she hadn't said it, nothing would have happened. But as soon as she did, Uika, who sat closest to Haru, nearly jumped up in panic.
"This was only the first stage of practice. You don't smell at all."
Seeing Uika's teary, flustered face, Haru pressed his hand to his forehead and soothed her. She placed a hand over her chest and took small breaths, looking all the more adorable to him.
"By the way, I'll need to step out for a while."
"Sakiko, I'll leave training here to you. I'll be back soon."
Uika blinked in surprise. "Are you going to bring lunch to Nyamu-san again? I only know she hasn't been eating properly lately, it's really worrying…"
"She's not here today either?"
Umiri glanced toward the drum set. As bassist, the one who paired with the drummer most during performances, she knew Yuutenji Nyamu's dedication well.
Haru had already explained the situation to them these past few days...
He had suggested bringing Nyamu back into the band's activities, and none of them opposed it. Even Sakiko, their leader, had agreed without hesitation.
On stage, Nyamu's impulsive behavior had indeed been a serious mistake. Though it hadn't harmed Ave Mujica in the end, mistakes still required consequences. Still, no one bore her real malice.
"I might have been too harsh on her. Maybe I should apologize…"
Sakiko's voice grew subdued, and just as Haru was about to comfort this foolish young lady, the practice room door opened.
A tall beauty with purple hair and pink eyes stepped inside. Her lips pressed tight, her pale eyes dimmed by her frowning brows, and her right hand gripped her left arm uneasily. But soon, she steadied herself.
"The one who should apologize to everyone is me."
"This… I won't make any excuses. It was my impatience, my selfishness. What I did hurt Umiri and Mutsumi too. No matter what, I have to apologize."
No one expected Nyamu to come suddenly, let alone to apologize. Sakiko stood at a loss, while Umiri was the first to respond.
"Mutsumi and I don't mind. But if it helps, we accept your apology."
If they didn't accept it, surely Nyamu would never be able to let go.
"Thank you."
Nyamu's brows eased slightly. When she saw Mutsumi nodding at her, she finally breathed. But even then she could not fully relax. Her gaze steadied instead on Togawa Sakiko.
The next moment.
She bowed.
"Sakiko, you were right."
"I am childish, selfish, and only ever thought of myself. These past days I've reflected over and over. You truly consider the future of Ave Mujica, but I only chased the present, pretending I was thinking of the band."
"And now, here I am, stumbling in to apologize so late. I am… deeply sorry."
This was not empty bravado. It was a decision made for the sake of the future.
If not for a certain someone who kept bothering her again and again, refusing to leave her alone, perhaps she would not have regained her spirit at all. She might never have held her drumsticks again.
"I know that even with an apology I might not earn your forgiveness. I said so many hurtful things before. But I have to say it, because..."
"I still want… I still want to play the drums."
She still refused to give up, still unwilling to accept defeat.
Just like her name, Nyamu, even if knocked down she would climb back up again and again. Though her diamond-like pink eyes were clouded with tears, she kept her gaze fixed firmly forward, gritting her teeth.
She no longer wanted to run away. Her future could not stop here.
She didn't want Haru to look down on her, nor did she want to betray his kindness by choosing an extreme way out. Whether or not she remained Ave Mujica's drummer was for her to decide, and she had already chosen: she would keep playing.
"…"
Perhaps it was because the Nyamu standing here now was so different from the impression she had left before, Sakiko found herself frozen, not knowing how to respond. Only when she caught sight of Haru in the distance did she snap back to her senses.
In just a second, she adjusted her posture. The dignity and grace etched into her bones returned. Folding her hands neatly before her, she bowed with a serious gaze to Nyamu.
"On this point, I also need to apologize."
"Until now I only cared about Ave Mujica itself, never considering what the members might feel. I never saw the effort you put in privately. I arrogantly took it all for granted."
"In the beginning, it was with those words that I persuaded you to join. Yet in the end, I never fulfilled that promise."
Nyamu blinked, stunned, clearly not expecting this.
But Sakiko only pressed her left hand over her chest, and her lips curved into a gentle, elegant smile.
Once, she had been just as selfish as Nyamu, ignoring everyone else's feelings. She had gone to others' shows uninvited, lashed out when her pride was hurt, and let her own insecurities turn into coldness toward others.
But now, she was no longer the same.
"We both made mistakes. Doesn't that make us even?"
Sakiko offered the purple-haired girl a faint smile. Taking a slow breath, she steadied her heart. With utmost seriousness, she reached out her right hand.
"Yuutenji-san, come back and play the drums."
"…"
Nyamu's reddened eyes trembled. She bit her lip, opened her mouth as if to speak, but lowered her gaze instead. Just then, someone gave her a light push. Something was pressed into her empty hands.
"Those sticks of yours are worn out. I got you a new pair."
The voice she claimed to dislike, yet secretly longed to hear, came from behind her. Haru shot her a half-smile, then cleared his throat.
"Break's about over. Next is phase two of practice."
"There isn't much time before the next tour. You'll need to polish your coordination until there's almost no room for mistakes. And let me be clear...this time I'm not going on stage! Every time I read those lines, my shame-o-meter nearly explode."
His grumble made Sakiko blush scarlet. Clenching her small fists, she shot back, "That's the style of a puppet stage play. It's Ave Mujica's worldview!"
Haru's mouth twitched.
When you can get through a performance without demanding kisses and hugs, then we'll talk about worldviews.
Seeing Nyamu still staring dazedly at the sticks, Haru rolled his eyes and leaned in. "Don't tell me it's been so long you forgot how to use them?"
"Haruko, you really think I'm that stupid, meow?"
Nyamu furrowed her brows, quickly wiping the tears at her eyes. No longer caring how smudged her makeup was, like a messy little kitten, she stuck out her tongue at him on purpose.
Then she turned.
Without looking back, she strode straight toward the drum set.
…
The entryway light flicked on. Haru, wearing a trench coat, carried a plastic bag, his handsome face faintly twitching. He set the heavy bag of groceries on a shoe cabinet crammed full of expensive women's shoes, closed his eyes, and sighed wearily.
"Why exactly did I have to come back with you?"
"Didn't you say you'd help me shoot the video? You're not thinking of backing out now, are you?"
Nyamu seemed to have reverted to her cocky self, one hand on her hip, lips curved in a playful smirk. The once-messy entryway was now spotless, all thanks to Haru's repeated visits these past days.
"I never agreed to cooking duty."
"I already covered the cost of today's ingredients, and the past ones too. You're the one who said, 'As long as you pay for it.' Besides, this is part of the video. I'm crafting the image of a drummer who can cook, a contrast moe persona!"
That's some contrast. I've even seen a drummer who could make chocolate snails.
Ignoring Haru's exasperated eye-roll, Nyamu hummed with good spirits. She set the new drumsticks beside her set, then pulled out a video camera she hadn't used in ages and started fiddling with it.
Starting today, Nyamu was back.
And it was all thanks to Haru. In her eyes, he was clearly trying to flirt with her. Just the thought brought a flush to her cheeks. Strangely, her heart wasn't rejecting it. Instead, she wanted to test him, to see if he really meant it.
No way. Could Nyamu actually be falling for him?
Him, a guy like this?!
The thought made her head heat up, her awareness of him growing sharper.
"Haruko-chan, hand me the camera."
This couldn't go on.
If that was the case, then she'd just have to try it out…
With that thought, Nyamu's resolve hardened. The moment Haru walked to the bed with the camera in his hands, she moved.
In a sudden rush, she pounced, tackling him onto her bed.