Recording Work (8): Back to School
School had finally resumed. The long, enjoyable vacation was over, and the day most students dreaded had arrived. But for every student who hated the start of term, there was always someone who welcomed it with open arms. Iris was one such person.
School. The time she'd been aiming for had arrived in earnest. Recording. The word sent a thrilling echo through her chest. Even underground idols weren't truly recognized as singers without a song under their own name. A song was a singer's ID card. Recording was like heading to a photo studio to get that ID picture taken. Iris had started losing sleep lately because she couldn't wait for that moment.
Time, please hurry up and pass, she prayed.
And her prayer went unanswered.
"Uwaaaah! I'm wiped!"
"You reek of sweat."
As Iris, in her gym clothes, flopped her upper body onto the art room desk, Rena pinched her nose shut.
"How hard did you even go in PE?"
"Dodgeball! I couldn't help it—I'm the ace!"
"Dodgeball..."
Rena recoiled in disgust. She was always treated like a chopping board in PE. Sure, the boys at the back of the pack had sworn to protect her, so her body wasn't as tired, but it always left her mentally drained in a weird way. Who wouldn't be, hearing crap like "Ore ga mamoru!" in real life?
"Right! Rena-chan hates dodgeball, doesn't she?"
"It's not just dodgeball—I hate all team sports."
"Heh heh. Always stuck as the chopping board, huh?"
"Shut up."
Rena snapped back after being nailed on the head, and Iris giggled mischievously.
"Those buzzcut muscleheads always yelling they'd protect you and shit—it's so ridiculous..."
"Still popular though, our Rena-chan."
Her personality and mouth were rough around the edges, but Rena's looks were undeniably those of a cute foreign girl. Sure, some people were intimidated or scared of her, but plenty more were head over heels for the gap moe. It wasn't for nothing she was part of Yuuma's rising four beauties.
"Hmph. Their attention means jack to me."
"What about Shin Tae-il?"
"Huh?"
"What if, during dodgeball, Shin Tae-il jumps in front of you, catches the ball from one of those musclehead jerks, and shields you completely?"
"That..."
Rena paused, her vivid imagination building the scene. Dodgeball. It was two against a horde. One of those usually gross buzzcut jocks hurls the ball, but Shin Tae-il grabs it and wraps her perfectly in his protection. Then, with a confident grin, he turns to her and says...
"You okay? Not hurt, right?"
Poomf! Rena's face turned apple-red in an instant.
Iris burst out laughing. "Ahaha! Rena-chan, I can see right through you!"
"Ugh!"
Rena blew up right away, but to Iris, it was just unbearably cute pouting.
"Anyway, this really makes it feel like school's back."
"PE did that?"
It was the first day. As a free-period student, Rena had spent most of it lounging around, except for her homeroom teacher's literature class. The main topic was catching up on everyone's summer stories between teachers and students. Everyone was so active that there were tons of tales, and even the teachers listened with keen interest.
Sadly.
Iris, in the college-prep class, had no such luck—they were already powering through the curriculum. Iris stretched.
"Kuuuh! Still, it was fun hanging with the class after so long. Maybe I should've gone out with them a few times over break?"
"You'd just complain about wasting time if you did."
"True that!"
No matter what anyone said, this was prime band obsession time. Wasting it on anything else was a crime.
Iris grinned at Rena. "What."
"Nya."
Rena had been practicing drums nonstop. Normally, she'd have an easel and canvas in front, brush and palette in hand. Now it was drumsticks in her grip, with drums and a music stand up front.
"Having fun?"
"When stuff that wouldn't work starts clicking?"
Rena's face was impassive as she added her own flair to what she'd learned on the drums. What started as light practice beats turned into a full, resonant thrum. The art room vibrated.
She could feel it. The bouncy scent of autumn approaching.
Iris closed her eyes. Over Rena's playing layered a melody she'd heard dozens, hundreds of times until it was etched in her ears. Precise guitar chops matching the rhythm sharply. A synth melody weaving smoothly in between. Ayane's heavy melodic bass filling the spatial gap left by the missing rhythm guitar. Relentless. The beat splitting softly, the rhythm denser and richer than before.
"Sounds good."
Her lips itched. Iris wanted to sing right then and there, hearing Rena's performance so perfectly suited to Tae-il's soul-selling detail-oriented composition style.
"After-school jam's gonna be awesome, right?"
"Yeah."
Rena muted the cymbal with her hand and smirked, asking for an update. "How was first day in college-prep?"
"Totally average?"
Anyone but the Iris who rolled on the gym floor during dodgeball would say the same. College-prep was the pinnacle of bland.
Considering how busy third-years got with exams, first- and second-years were the final pages of youth. The hottest blaze of life. Romance. Friendship. Dreams. Memories. Massive symbols adorning summer. Iris grumbled that not a single student had used their precious first-year break for any dramatic changes.
"Jealous? Switch to free-period next year then."
Rena shook her head, saying this side was overly chaotic and annoying.
"How was free-period?"
"One guy who wore a wig outta nowhere, saying he was quitting baseball 'cause they lost the Koshien finals because of him."
"Yikes. But why the wig...?"
"He was already bald, couldn't shave more, so wig instead."
"Whoa..."
Iris sighed briefly at the bizarre idea.
"And this total nerd who usually otakus out in the corner came in with a guitar, saying he saw a super cute girl at a live house and now wants to start a band to get famous."
"Oho? New rival?"
"Him?"
Rena scoffed at Iris's guess. She'd once taken slight interest when the kid boasted about drawing manga. Three-day itch. Perfect description for that boy.
"Him as our rival? I'd swallow a thousand needles first."
"Ehh, no fun."
"Free-period's full of weirdos like that."
"Rena-chan's one too, right?"
"Different!"
Rena bristled at being lumped in. "Don't group me with those losers!"
"Really?"
"I'm not like those posers bragging about some junior contest win! Different level!"
"Ehh, but Rena-chan brags about her wins all the time too, no?"
"Not the same!"
Rena whipped out her smartphone, searched her name, and scrolled through her award history. Starting from youth contests, escalating to pro art exhibits. A dazzling list over twenty strong, impossible not to be proud of despite her disdain for modern art.
"See! I'm pro! They're amateurs! I won't even touch youth or amateur contests anymore—too embarrassing!"
"Yeah yeah, Rena-chan's amazing! So cool!"
"That praise feels off somehow..."
"Nyahaha."
Iris laughed it off, and Rena sighed, tapping the drums lightly again.
"So, when's Shin coming?"
"Dunno? Seems a bit late 'cause of Sakuya."
Iris, who'd peeked into Class 7 before leaving, tapped her chin with a finger and tilted her head.
"Heard there's a super pretty student teacher."
"Oh yeah? Thought it was just Sakuya."
Figures there'd been an ant swarm at the classroom door. Crowds always had a reason.
"She's next class over—couldn't Rena-chan just grab her?"
"You nuts? I'm not you—how'm I piercing that mob?"
"True."
At Iris's level, crowds parted like the sea. Sadly, Rena wasn't there yet.
"What about Ayane?"
"Doggo's morals committee, so no lunch anyway."
"Right!"
Iris had initially opposed recruiting Ayane partly for that reason, but she'd forgotten.
Iris cupped her face with a grin. "Heh heh. Shin Tae-il gets to eat all cozy with us. Ayane must be pretty salty?"
"Her own karma."
Who held a knife to her throat to join morals? Personal choice. If she's salty, shouldn't have joined.
"That gloomy girl's basically neighbors with Shin anyway, always together. She should eat the minor inconvenience. Right?"
"From Ayane's side, maybe a bit unfair...?"
"Only her?"
Even as Iris protested that being neighbors wasn't a crime, Rena wouldn't budge.
Still a long way to go...
Ayane and Sakuya, once like sworn enemies, had extended olive branches since that day. But these two? Miles apart.
"Well, she said she'd make after-school practice no matter what..."
Things between members would sort themselves out eventually. As long as jams happened, fine.
Iris decided to keep it simple.
Grrrowl.
Right then, Iris's stomach roared in hunger. She blushed and smiled sheepishly.
"Rena-chan, I'm starving—should I just eat early?"
"Typical pig..."
"Not a pig! It's from PE!"
As Iris protested, Rena's gaze quietly drifted below her neck. Even arms crossed couldn't hide those mountains.
Rena turned away and hit the drums harder. Thoom!
A bit emotional.
"Totally a pig."
Rena's mutter vanished under the booming drums.
"Haa. Finally broke free."
"Yeah."
Tae-il roughly smoothed his messed-up hair from escaping the crowd.
The guys who parted for Sakuya stood like an iron wall for him.
Sakuya, hands behind her back, casually asked, "Sera-sensei was super popular, huh?"
"She's pretty."
"Even by your standards?"
"Right?"
Sera's popularity was rock-solid, right under the regular cast in reader polls.
"Boys must love it. Hot student teacher shows up."
"Dunno."
Student teachers mostly handled grunt work—cleanup for mentoring teachers in the office, standing around watching in class. Maybe demo a lesson for evaluators at the end. That's it.
Unless club activities overlap, won't see her face much...
In the original, Tae-il would've paid attention for club advisor needs, but sadly, Light Music Club already had the excellent Asakura.
"Heard our school's a graveyard for student teachers. Hope she survives."
"Ho? You're surprisingly chill, Tae-il."
"What reaction you expecting?"
"Thought you'd hook another one with that charm."
"Excuse me?"
"Ahaha! Joke, joke."
"Didn't sound like one..."
Tae-il shot her a cold glare. Sakuya insisted it was a joke, fumbling to play it off.
"Anyway."
In the old building hallway, sparse with people except club kids at lunch.
"Tae-il."
Sakuya glared at Tae-il walking beside her.
"You ditched me sneakily this morning and bolted to the animal club alone?"
"Haha. Sorry."
Even as Tae-il apologized, Sakuya puffed her cheeks, still mad. They'd seen each other that morning, so missing faces at opening ceremony was no biggie. That's what she'd claimed to friends, anyway—not her real feelings.
Even together, she'd have been called up front nonstop, barely time to chat with Tae-il.
Logic said so coldly. But logic aside. She'd played it cool in front of friends, but inwardly regretted it.
She'd have celebrated even the tiniest award sincerely...
In the dull routine, she missed Tae-il's spot, pouting her lips.
"Wasn't alone though."
"What?"
"Mori-senpai was there too. Knew Yuuma events suck, so she..."
"Hmph."
"Huh? Sakuya?"
Even now, with another girl? Sakuya, miffed at Tae-il's obliviousness, snorted and sped up.
Flustered Tae-il chased after. "Sakuya! If I messed up, I'm sorry! Sakuya!"
"Idiot!"
Tae-il apologized nonstop until they reached the art room, clueless what he'd done.
"Okay."
Tae-il snapped his fingers and stopped playing. Lunch was short. They'd scarfed food in the art room and jumped straight into jam.
Tae-il subbed on bass for Ayane—results were a smashing success.
"Fitting together way better now?"
"Totally."
Iris, watching from across, nodded vigorously.
"Phew."
Sakuya wiped sweat from her brow and set down her guitar.
"Everyone's got the scores memorized perfectly?"
"Duh."
Over a week since tablature arrived. No slacking—and if you still couldn't memorize, were you even human? Rena boasted.
Tae-il muttered softly. "Ayane's still struggling though..."
"Gloomy girl's human?"
"Rena..."
"This song's bass is the toughest anyway—Ayane's part. Not just root notes, she's carrying melody like guitar too?"
Iris defended Ayane.
"Tch."
Rena vented on the drums instead.
"Ahaha."
Sakuya would've usually jumped in, but didn't want to stir trouble—stayed quiet, gently picking her guitar.
Tae-il opted to praise Rena over needling her.
"Still, your playing was killer, Rena. Way better than last practice."
"Really?"
Rena beamed, her earlier snap forgotten. Iris and Sakuya exchanged wry smiles at the instant switch from Tae-il's few words.
"Yeah. Not overdoing practice?"
"Course not."
Rena thumped her flat chest proudly. Total lie. She was pushing hard. Tae-il saw through it and teased a warning.
"Lie and I'll ask Iris to force you to rest?"
"Ehh..."
"Rena-chan!? Don't hate it that much!"
"Iris is a bit..."
"Or we do forced camp."
"Camp?"
Not just Rena—all members tilted heads.
"Yeah. Parents going on business trip soon."
"Business trip!?"
Sakuya freaked, knowing Ayane was half-crashing at Tae-il's lately.
Tae-il explained. "No parents, so crash in our living room... Oh, I'll sleep separate."
"Yes!"
Rena shot her hand up. Tae-il's place, no parents (meddlers)? No reason to refuse.
Iris scolded Tae-il hastily. "Shin Tae-il! That's a reward, not punishment!"
"Eh? I-Is it...?"
Tae-il faltered. Didn't girls usually hate group sleepovers with guys? He was already losing alone time thanks to Ayane.
"Hey, Iris! Why sabotage?!"
"Your mind's too dirty, Rena-chan!"
"Ahaha!"
Sakuya laughed like a maniac amid the bickering.
"Tae-il."
As Rena and Iris squabbled, she sidled up, arm around his shoulder, whispering.
"When's your folks' trip...?"
"Trip?"
Tae-il pulled his phone, showing a schedule crammed with cryptic notes.
"Next Wednesday on."
"Back when?"
"Short trip one's week, long two. Around then?"
"Hmm."
Sakuya plotted instantly.
Absolutely.
No leaving Tae-il and Ayane alone.
"Etchoo!"
Ayane sneezed, and Sakurako on patrol near the gate turned.
"What, you got a cold?"
"Sniff. Not sure. Sneeze came outta nowhere..."
Ayane wiped her mouth with her longer post-break uniform sleeve.
"They say even idiots don't catch colds in summer. You and your childhood friend not pulling all-nighters or something?"
"N-No! We're totally wholesome!"
"Really? 'Cause you're chicken...?"
"Has nothing to do with chicken! Seniors like you still single, right!?"
"You little...!"
"Kyaa! Hayate-senpai! Sakurako-senpai's gonna spank me! Kyaaaa!"
"Haha."
Hayate chuckled softly at the sudden game of tag.
"Gotta watch for colds..."
Freeze.
Sakurako and Ayane halted the chase, staring at Hayate.
"Huh?"
Hayate panicked at their sudden stares.
"President...?"
"Senpai...?"
Hayate sweated bullets. "H-Heard that...?"
Sakurako cried out, tears in eyes. "Uragirimono!"
First day of school.
A morals committee member's tearful shout echoed endlessly across the campus.