A Very Popular Idol Classmate Has Taken a Liking to Me, A Person Who Doesn't Want to Work for My Whole Life
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.Daininki Idol na Classmate ni Natsukareta, Isshou Hatarakitakunai Ore
Src: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2496gr/86/
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Act 3 - The School Festival
22-1 The Band
"...Heave-phew..." (Rintaro)
I put the bass I had been playing until last night into its case and sling it over my back.
Today is a day off, and it is the day of the first rehearsal for the band I formed with Kakihara and Doumoto.
As I step outside the apartment building, I notice that the temperature has dropped somewhat.
"...It's almost autumn, huh." (Rintaro)
Muttering softly, I can't help but feel a sense of melancholy. I'm grateful for this weather.
To be honest, the bass is one of the heaviest instruments to carry among portable ones.
When considering the instrument alone without peripherals, the bass is slightly heavier than the guitar.
After receiving it, I had been careful not to strain myself while handling it.
Now, as I carry it on my back, I genuinely think it's a good thing that I had engaged in some physical activity to prevent my body from becoming sluggish.
"Hey! Rintaro! Over here!" (Ryuuji)
"Okay......" (Rintaro)
When I arrived at the station, Kakihara and Doumoto, who had come earlier, waved to me.
Kakihara, like me, has a guitar strapped to his back, while Doumoto is pulling some kind of carry-on bag.
"Now that we got ourselves meet up ahead of the appointed time. There's still some time before our studio reservation, so let's take it easy." (Ryuuji)
"Yeah, got it. ...By the way, what's in that bag of yours, Ryuuji-kun?" (Rintaro)
"Huh? This? I'll show you when we get to the studio." (Ryuuji)
Saying so proudly, Doumoto leads the way.
Following him, I get to one of the slightly dimly lit buildings near the station.
The darkness is partly because many of the buildings here are six stories or taller, but also because there are many so-called "nighttime establishments" nearby.
Now is still just past noon, so these places aren't open yet.
I feel somewhat uneasy, but I obediently follow them, and we enter a flashy-looking door.
"Yo, Manager." (Ryuuji)
"Oh, you're here, you little rascals."
"I'm not a rascal anymore. Anyway, is the setup done?" (Ryuuji)
"It's the usual, isn't it? You're the only one who'd treat me like this, even though I'm the manager."
Doumoto and a flamboyant man sitting at the counter beyond the door exchange friendly banter.
It seems like they have a close relationship.
"Are you guys his band members?" (Manager)
"Ah...... yes." (Yuusuke)
In response to the manager's question, Kakihara replies hesitantly.
His attitude makes me wonder.
It seems like he's even less energetic than usual, or rather, his expression lacks its usual brightness.
It makes me uneasy just watching him.
"Use Studio 5. Do you know how to set up the amps?" (Manager)
"I'll teach them that." (Ryuuji)
"Oh, I see. Then take your time." (Manager)
With a wave of his hand, the manager bid us farewell. Then, we walk through toward the door marked "Studio 5."
Seeing the thick door, I'm reminded of the time Rei had led me around the office.
Inside, there are large amplifiers to enhance the sound of guitars and basses, a microphone for vocals, and a neatly arranged drum set.
"The manager is my uncle. He's the reason I started playing drums. I used to play drums with him sometimes when there were few reservations." (Ryuuji)
"Heeh...... He seems like a nice person." (Rintaro)
"He's not a bad person. Well, he lacks a bit of considerateness, though." (Ryuuji)
As we approach the drum set, Doumoto shares some stories about the manager.
It seems like he has admired him since childhood, and his face lights up with joy as he speaks.
"All right, guys, let's start with how to use the amps. Yuusuke, this is probably your first time using a big one, right? It might seem a bit complicated at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's easy." (Ryuuji)
And so, Doumoto begins his tutorial on how to use the amps.
I have been concerned that I may not be able to use them properly because they look so rugged, but when I listen to his detailed instructions, it doesn't seem that difficult.
Things like making sure the volume is set to zero before turning on the power, and connecting the cord to the instrument first and then to the amp.
As long as I pay attention to these finer details, it seems unlikely that I will break anything.
"And then... the contents of my bag that Rintaro was curious about, it's this." (Ryuuji)
Saying that, Doumoto unzips his bag.
"This is my own snare drum. It's not a problem to use the one they have here, but having your own snare with a custom tuning just gives it a different vibe, you know?" (Ryuuji)
"Oh... That sounds kinda professional, doesn't it?" (Rintaro)
"Haha, I'm not trying to show off or anything, though." (Ryuuji)
Doumoto cradles the snare drum carefully, then takes a seat on the chair in front of the bass drum.
From his attitude, it's clear that he truly loves playing the drums.
When it comes to instruments like guitars and basses, even the basic ones will cost at least tens of thousands if you want something you can use for a while.
I assume snare drums won't be cheap either.
Some people say that love isn't about the price, but for me, the price is often a quick indicator of how much love someone has for something.
Time, energy, and any finite things expended for the sake of something demonstrate love. It's something I can't help but envy at times.
"Well then, once we finish tuning, let's give it a shot." (Ryuuji)
With excitement in his eyes, Doumoto hits his own snare drum once.
I can feel my body tingling with anticipation too.
The results of all the solo practice I have done are finally coming together as we play as a trio.
There's no way I can't be excited about this.
I adjust the tuning of my bass using the pegs on the head and correct any notes that have gone out of tune with the tuner.
Kakihara, who handles both guitar and vocals, has to adjust the microphone in addition to tuning the instrument.
Once that's done, we look at each other.
"All right... Shall we start from the count?" (Ryuuji)
Doumoto poises himself with his drumsticks, tapping them to set the tempo.
Following his count, we begin the rehearsal.
The drums maintain the tempo, the bass provides the foundation, and the guitar and vocals boldly carry the melody.
――――That's the ideal scenario, but I still don't have the skills to support them properly yet.
Doumoto, who loves playing the drums and practices regularly, is another story. Kakihara, although not as experienced as Doumoto, is still pretty good, especially considering he's playing the guitar and singing simultaneously.
(...I shouldn't be thinking about unnecessary things right now.)
I couldn't afford to be impressed.
With my limited skills, my primary focus should be on keeping the tempo.
I can ignore minor mistakes, and in the more complex parts where the music feels overwhelming, I can simplify them as long as it doesn't significantly impact the performance.
Desperately, I move my fingers.
Somewhere along the way, I feel that Doumoto is syncing up with my tempo.
He must have noticed that I was struggling with this first rehearsal.
When the drum's rhythm slightly slows down, Kakihara's rhythm naturally becomes more relaxed.
While the tempo is undoubtedly slower than the original song, I'm surprised that we managed to avoid turning the performance into a chaotic mess among the three of us.
(How wonderful... to be so engrossed in something.)
With a bit of breathing room, I turn my gaze to Doumoto.
He meets my eyes and smiles with genuine joy.
I wonder what it feels like to have a hobby at which you can excel to such an extent.
From the depths of my heart, I envy Doumoto.
――――But what about Kakihara?
Come to think of it, just as I have drawn a line with them, I realize that I don't really know much about them either.
Is Kakihara enjoying the performance right now?
This guy is singing with his back turned to us...... So, I can't see his expression.
~"(This is a Translation Content of pemudatunawisata[dot]my[dot]id. so, read only on there, kay~)"~
[End of Chapter]
Cya~!
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