...
Inside a classroom that was still mostly empty, I sat at the very back row, staring blankly at the space in front of me where there was absolutely no one.
I thought to myself.
Yeah… looks like I arrived too early again, as usual.
"Huh… well, it's not like I mind."
I muttered quietly.
This Monday marks one week since school started.
I attend Shuka High School. There wasn't any particular reason why I chose this place.
The only reason was that this school allows activities related to music.
Even though there aren't that many people here who actually play music, it's still more than enough as a starting point.
Or rather… all I really wanted was the freedom regarding music that this school offered.
I don't care about anything else.
That said, it doesn't mean I'm planning to join a club or a small band at this school.
After all, I'm trying to become a solo musician.
Of course, I do want to have a band.
But there are things in life that I know I'll never obtain.
So it's better not to expect too much.
Well… after everything I experienced in my previous life, it would be strange if I hadn't learned at least that much.
–
Time passed quickly as usual.
Even though all I did was rest my head on the desk and close my eyes.
And when I opened them again, the classroom had already become lively or rather, noisy, at least from my perspective.
Huh…
It really is better when this classroom is quiet.
After that, the only thing I did was observe the other students and their meaningless conversations about youth.
Even though it was hard to hear some of it clearly, I could more or less guess what they were talking about.
Still, I didn't focus on just one group.
I shifted my attention from group to group.
And in the end, they were all basically the same.
Nothing was truly different.
"Well… what did I expect from high school kids like them?"
I murmured.
Then my eyes landed on a girl sitting alone not too far away from me.
The reason I noticed her was simple.
She was carrying a guitar.
Just like me.
And somewhat surprisingly… she was alone as well.
Being different from others isn't exactly easy, but I hope she gets used to it soon.
You might wonder why I didn't try to talk to a lonely-looking girl like that.
Well… that's impossible for me.
I'm not used to talking to the opposite sex.
Maybe that's why a lot of people call me cold.
It's not that I mind being called that.
It's just that it sounds too… edgy to me.
And I don't really like things that feel "edgy" like that.
If there's a label that fits me better, I'd rather be called indifferent.
Or perhaps… apathetic.
But in the end, those are just labels other people give me.
Although, to be fair—
I also tend to label other people myself.
...
Time continued to move forward, and eventually school was over.
As usual, after leaving the school grounds, I headed toward the nearby playground.
I just need somewhere quiet.
Usually there are only one or two people there.
It's never crowded.
While walking there, I always try to slow my pace, hoping that time won't pass too quickly.
But that's always pointless.
Time always moves forward, especially for someone like me.
Sometimes it feels frustrating.
But that's just how it always is.
-
Before long, I arrived.
When I got there, two people were already present.
One was an adult man.
And the other…
"Hm… that's a little surprising. Seeing her here… is that a coincidence?"
Well, who knows.
The other person was the pink-haired girl from my class earlier.
Looking at her from here made me think something.
She's probably a true loner.
Not long after that, two more people—who seemed to be the man's wife and child—appeared, and the three of them left together.
And just like that, she was the only one left.
Honestly… I felt a little sorry for her.
But what could I even do?
Just as I was considering skipping the park today—
for some reason, my "good nature" suddenly decided to act up.
Honestly, I hate that feeling.
Without thinking too much about it, acting purely on impulse, I approached the girl sitting on the swing.
But before I could even say anything—
"GUITAR!"
A strange blonde girl suddenly shouted while pointing at her.
"Huh?"
I stared at the strange girl in confusion.
Without even noticing my presence, she immediately started talking.
"That's a guitar, right? Can you play it?"
But the pink-haired girl didn't answer.
She just sat there silently.
"Ah! Sorry if I startled you. I'm a second-year at Shimokitazawa High School. Nijika Ijichi."
"Ah… I'm Hitori Gotou."
Honestly, it was surprising.
The fact that I managed to learn two people's names in a single day without doing anything at all.
They started talking about various things.
Apparently, the strange girl was a drummer in a small band.
Then suddenly, she said something unexpected.
"Please! Could you become our guitarist just for today?"
"I-I…"
The pink-haired girl looked hesitant.
Then something I didn't expect happened.
"Thanks! Let's hurry to the live house!"
Honestly, that looked more like forcing someone than asking.
But what's really strange is that neither of them seemed to notice me standing only a few meters away.
If this continues, wouldn't the initiative I tried to take earlier become meaningless?
So I stepped closer.
"Hey… would you mind if I came along?"
I've always wanted to visit a live house.
But my inability to go somewhere I've never been before always stopped me.
When they heard my voice, they turned and looked at me.
"Sorry, but… who are you?" the strange girl asked.
"Akikawa Hiromu. Nice to meet you."
"Eh?"
She clearly didn't expect me to introduce myself.
"Well, that's your fault for not noticing someone standing this close to you. Besides, your conversation caught my interest."
"I-I see…"
"More importantly, I just want to see the live house. I've always been curious about what it's like inside. So… can I come along?"
"Y-yeah, sure."
I know.
It must be difficult talking to someone awkward like me, especially with the way I speak.
And just like that, the three of us began walking toward the live house.
...