Vol 1 Chapter 10 (1/2)

A lively voice can be continuously heard through the AV room’s windows that were thrown open.

A week left until the cultural festival.

Because of it, various points of the school building turned into a battlefield in the after school hours.

Might I add, I’m also spending my days in a state of sleep deprivation since I’m in the Home Ec Club and the Light Music Club at the same time.

That’s why I absolutely couldn’t afford to cut corners.

That Miku-san is! Because she’s coming all the way here for a concert.

“Len-kun sure is late…… I want to hurry and decide on the arrangement though.”

Lately, Len-kun was always getting personal talks from Sensei.

Quick pace two days a week, since summer break began.

(The reason…… has to be that after all……)

When I glance at the clock on the wall, almost an hour has pa.s.sed.

When I stand up from my chair, thinking that I’ll go and show my face in the kitchen, the door suddenly opened.

“Sorry––for––making––you––wait……”

Len-kun comes in, walking sluggishly and with an air of exhaustion about him.

“Good work. What did Sensei want today?”

“The thing is, she repeated eeexactly the same thing as last time. With a serious face, she said ‘Are you serious about going to Tokyo after graduating high school and making a living with a single song? Are you serious!?’”

“Incredible, Len-kun’s good at impressions!”

“……Sensei told me the same thing, too. With a self-satisfied expression, she said ‘It really is difficult to become a musician. In your case, isn’t there a possibility to first aim for becoming an idol or a performer instead?’”

“Aah, yeah……”

There might some reason in what Sensei is saying.

If I try and imagine it, it oddly sort of suits him.

As I’m thinking of that, Len-kun looks at me, displeased.

“I’m telling you in advance, I absolutely won’t tie a hachimaki around my head or wear shorts and an athletic s.h.i.+rt.”

“……Excuse me? What’s that about?”

“Eh, you’ve never seen it before? Among the super-popular idols during the Showa period, there were people like that. Looking at it now, at second glance that’s rock, huh?”

Why, you’re surprisingly pretty into this, aren’t you?

If it were the me from before, I think I probably would’ve retorted like that.

But always looking at him from close by, I understood that Len-kun is serious about music, so I swallowed my words.

“And besides, it would suit Rin more to be a performer.”

“You’re awful!  If you say that, then it suits Len-kun a hundred times more!”

Even after becoming boyfriend and girlfriend, our banter-battles didn’t end.

Or perhaps I should say, I get the feeling that it’s gotten worse instead. In fact, it’s like a skit.

But I also figured out that that was Len-kun’s way of timing things.

“……Oh, by the way.”

See, there it is.

After briefly saying something idiotic and laughing about it, his voice suddenly becomes serious.

Somehow, I realize that maybe he’s about to ask me something.

“Rin, have you already narrowed down your candidacy to confectionary school?”

“……I’ve decided on my favourite.”

“A local one after all? You won’t come with me to Tokyo?”

“Len-kun, that’s……”

“It’d be fine if you’d do it while going to school. In Tokyo, the two of us, making music, try thinking about that, too.”

I thought it was a joke at first.

But inviting me whenever possible, I wasn’t so sure about it after a while.

(There’s no maybe, I guess he’s serious about it……)

Of course, I understand that it’s a hard thing to go to Tokyo and make music.

(That’s how it is, but, I do end up thinking that it would be fun if I was together with Len-kun.)

If I could sing by his side forever, like I have until now……

Even if I understand that it won’t be so easy, there’s a part of me who imagines dreamlike things somewhere in her heart.

“You don’t need to rush your answer.”

“……Okay.”

To the kindly smiling Len-kun, I nod my head a little.

I dare not put it into words, though.

The truth is, we both understand that we can’t delay it any longer.

It’s the autumn of our third year of high school already, depending on the examination methods, some places have already started accepting applications.

That’s why Sensei’s in a hurry to persuade Len-kun somehow, too.

(Frankly speaking, it’s faster to count Len-kun’s grades from the top in our grades.)

It seems that in the teacher’s room, our advisor Meiko-sensei is the only one who approves of Len-kun’s plans for the future.

Suddenly, I hear the sound of stilettos coming from the hallway.

It’s impossible to mistake that steady yet powerful rhythm.

Speaking of the devil and all that, it’s Meiko-sensei.

“Ooi, Kagami and Otosaki! I brought someone here for you.”

Opening the door with vigour, Meiko-sensei said so in a high-spirited tone.

Who is it? Why, I didn’t even need to ask.

When I saw who came in after Sensei, I couldn’t keep myself from screaming.

“Mi–, Mi-mi–, Miku-san……!?”

Indeed, the one who has descended before my eyes was Hatsune Miku.

(Incredible…… Just like I saw her in magazines and online, no! Her aura’s even greater~)

With her slim figure and small face, she looks just like a model.

“Nice to meet you, I’m a former student, Hatsune Miku. You must be Otosaki Rin-san, right?”

“Ah, yes! I’m sorry for screaming all of a sudden like that……”

“Oh, that was nothing. I was really happy that you knew who I was.”

Wow, what shall I do!

That Miku-san is smiling kindly at me!?

Looking at me as my face turned red and my voice won’t come out, Len-kun came forward with a wry smile.

“I think you can tell from looking at her, but Rin is a huge fan of Miku’s. You know, her reason for taking Aisaka’s exam was that she wanted to go to the same school as Miku.”

Hold on a sec, Len-kun! Of all things, why are you so blunt about that?

It feels like my head is about to burst into flames from the embarra.s.sment and the awesomeness.

“’It doesn’t matter if we’re not there at the same time! The fact is that our alma mater is the same!’ or something like that.”

Standing beside me as I’m worrying, Len-kun keeps going enthusiastically.

Looking up at him that I won’t let him say any more, he stiffly raises his thumb with a smile.

Then, his expression suddenly turning serious, he held his hand out to Miku-san.

“It’s been a while, huh, Miku.”

“Woah! Len-kun, you’ve gotten taller, haven’t you?”