Chapter 4: Dividing Tasks

“By the way, what does a band usually do?”

Ishikawa Hayato asked curiously.

At this moment, the three of them were walking on the way to the used bookstore, Yamada Ryo on the left, Ijichi Nijika in the middle, and Ishikawa Hayato on the right.

Even in Shimokitazawa, such a group of handsome men and beautiful women were rare, successfully attracting many gazes.

“Hmm… making music, doing live shows, and having practice sessions together?”

Ijichi Nijika tentatively offered a few answers, then, as if embarrassed by her amateurishness, she scratched the back of her head and chuckled.

“Sorry, this is my first time in a band too, so I don’t really know much about it. But Ryo has been in a band before, you know.”

She slowed her pace, allowing Ishikawa Hayato to directly see Yamada Ryo.

And Yamada Ryo’s answer was incredibly concise.

“There’s only one goal: to play.”

Ijichi Nijika hadn’t expected Yamada Ryo to answer like that and was momentarily stunned.

“Answer me seriously!”

Her loud shout drew everyone’s attention.

“That is a serious answer.”

Yamada Ryo’s tone was calm, as if she truly was answering seriously, and she explained,

“Music is born from playing. Music made for work has no soul at all.”

“Don’t completely negate music producers!”

Ijichi Nijika was forced to play the straight man, endlessly retorting. She finally sighed and said to Ishikawa Hayato,

“Ryo is someone who can lie without batting an eye, so don’t trust her too much.”

“Hmm, but I feel like Yamada… can I call her by her first name directly?”

Ishikawa Hayato asked Nijika, looking worriedly at Yamada Ryo beside her.

“It’s fine.” Yamada Ryo responded directly, not caring at all.

“Hmm, I feel like Ryo is right. Music is inherently born from entertainment. To make music without the soul of playing music, that’s the wrong path to take!”

“Well said.”

As Yamada Ryo spoke, she gave him full affirmation with her eyes, a proud and smug expression on her face.

The two of them, singing and harmonizing, instantly formed a united front, leaving the dumbfounded Nijika in the middle.

“Eh… eh… eh~~”

Nijika dazedly looked left and right, turning her head to watch the two of them, feeling for a moment that she had become the odd one out.

...

After getting Nijika’s consent, Ishikawa Hayato also started calling Nijika by her first name directly.

Or rather, he ended up being the one asked instead.

“Oh, you’re so mean, even though I’m already calling Hayato-kun.” So she said.

At this moment, the two of them were helping Ishikawa Hayato search for textbooks among the messy piles of books in a used bookstore in Shimokitazawa.

It was then that Ishikawa Hayato had a chance to pay a little attention to the two of them.

The girl crouching, shifting the spines of the books in the box and checking the titles, was Ijichi Nijika.

Her long golden hair was tied to one side, with light, airy bangs in front, and she had gentle, lively red eyes.

Around 1.5 meters tall, she appeared extremely petite when crouching, with a perpetually confident and gentle smile, making her seem small yet giving a reassuring sense of reliability.

She looked like a very lovely and gentle beautiful girl, and Ishikawa Hayato’s actual interactions with her confirmed this feeling.

Beside her, casually pulling out books and shoving them back in, was Yamada Ryo, a cool, detached girl with deep blue hair, her bangs half-covering one eye, exuding an air of indifferent disdain for everything.

She was slightly taller than Nijika, and this small height difference combined with their contrasting temperaments created an impression that the two's personaities are polar opposites to each other.

Even wearing the same school uniform, Yamada Ryo's white shirt and black pleated skirt seemed weighed down by her rationality and silence.

This was an androgynous beauty with a firm self-perception of things, very much marching to the beat of her own drum.

“Guitar… bass… electronic keyboard… electric piano… they’re all mixed together.”

Nijika said with a slight complaint.

“Found it.”

Yamada Ryo’s calm tone carried a hint of joy.

The other two quickly gathered around.

“That’s great…”

Nijika’s happy voice got stuck halfway, and she stared at Yamada Ryo with dead-fish eyes.

Yamada Ryo was holding a magazine and happily said,

“An interview with the Shitan Band after their debut, someone has been perserving it…”

A moment later, Ishikawa Hayato looked at Yamada Ryo, who had a small bump on her head and was calmly continuing to search for books.

Was this the vibe between a drummer and a bassist?

He inexplicably wanted to wish them a lifetime of happiness.

Ishikawa Hayato felt uncomfortabe in the silence, but his hands didn’t stop as his gaze linger through the row of books.

Yet he spoke up.

“By the way, Nijika and Ryo are both very friendly people. Even though it’s our first meeting and I haven’t officially joined the band yet, you’ve already helped me so much.”

“Because Hayato-kun doesn’t seem like he’s just playing around. You’re serious about learning, right?”

Nijika’s gaze shifted from the book spines, and she smiled brightly as she spoke.

Pervert outburst value 20%.

Ishikawa Hayato silently nodded.

“The band.” From behind Nijika, Yamada Ryo’s unperturbed voice sounded.

Nijika looked back, then tilted her head slightly in thought. When something occurred to her, she instantly showed a dazed expression.

“Did I not say that Hayato-kun could join the band?!”

“Not at all.”

A little further away, Yamada Ryo’s voice chimed in.

“Oh, I really am something, ahahaha…”

Watching Nijika laugh awkwardly and foolishly, Ishikawa Hayato mentally added a trait to her: Clumsy.

But just as he thought this, Nijika’s gaze sharpened, scrutinizing Ishikawa Hayato, but didn’t react futher.

“Then Hayato-kun, welcome to the band.”

She smiled and extended her hand.

Ishikawa Hayato smiled and clasped her slightly rough small hand.

“It’s an honor.”

Just as the atmosphere was excellent, a calm voice suddenly shattered it all.

“Found it.”

Yamada Ryo stretched out her hand, distantly handing over a book… He had become a member of the Kessoku Band!

Ishikawa Hayato wanted to play some background music to enhance the atmosphere.

La, la la la, la la la la~

Something like that, but then he thought it might be better to be a bit more normal at the moment.

The three of them then headed to the station.

Ishikawa Hayato didn’t notice as he walked straight ahead when they reached the station, but Nijika reminded him.

“Hayato-kun, over here.”

He turned his head, stared at the station for a moment, then asked the two waiting in front of the station,

“Doesn’t Shimokitazawa have a specialty store?”

“Hmm, we need to take the train.”

Yamada Ryo said, looking at her phone without raising her head.

Ishikawa Hayato had a bad feeling. Although Japan isn’t large and has many towns, it feels easy to go from one city to another.

But precisely because of this, places that don’t seem far can take a long time for a round trip.

“Where is it?”

He walked towards Yamada Ryo and asked.

“Shinjuku.”

Yamada Ryo lifted her phone to show him the map.

Ishikawa Hayato estimated that accompanying him to buy things would take nearly an hour and a half from start to finish.

He found it hard to imagine that someone would spend so much time for a newly joined band member.

Ishikawa Hayato took a deep breath, completely disregarding the public setting, and bowed deeply, saying loudly,

“I will remember this kindness for the rest of my life!”

Yamada Ryo put away her phone, silent.

“Hmm, I know, I’ll make you pay me back.”

Nijika was already used to Yamada Ryo’s personality and merely sighed helplessly at this.

“We’re going to miss the train.”