Chapter 37
"So boring."
Tae-il let out a small yawn, never imagining that walking home alone could feel this dull.
There was no one to talk to, sure, but the surroundings were lively with chatter.
Even alone, he wasn't truly by himself.
The street home was packed with students whose faces and names he didn't know.
Mingling with the crowd, Tae-il mentally sorted through this week's schedule.
'No peeking at the live house for a while...'
With his parents staying at the house, he wasn't bold enough to wander outside carefree during exam week.
'Come to think of it, yeah, I really should start prepping my grades properly.'
He'd originally planned to head back to Korea without a second thought, but the vow he'd made in front of Izumi had tilted his mind toward staying in Japan.
Worst case, he might even have to go to college here instead of Korea.
'Ah, my life plan...'
His head was starting to ache already.
Too many things to think about.
"Maybe that guy's right. Should I actually pay attention in class?"
In his past life, he'd lived solely for the college entrance exam. He'd fallen hook, line, and sinker for his parents' casual refrain that once exams were over, he could do whatever he wanted.
Of course, college did open up more possibilities than his underage school days.
But the responsibilities had multiplied just as much.
The reason Tae-il had gone from admiring his cousin to outright revering him was because the guy had pursued music under parents even stricter than his own—maybe stricter than anyone in the family.
Yet he'd ultimately broken against the wall of raw talent.
Tae-il's own path forward, his future, had been spoiled in advance by his cousin's downfall.
Tae-il knew.
He knew that if he failed, he'd end up just like his cousin.
What Tae-il didn't know...
Was what would happen if he succeeded.
Knowledge and ignorance.
The gap born of experience made him hesitate.
There's a saying: ignorance is bliss—or bravery, at least.
If he hadn't known about the future, if he hadn't glimpsed adult life, he might have charged ahead blindly.
More aggressively than now, staking his youth on it all.
'But I don't have that confidence. Protagonist or not, I'm a coward at heart.'
Tae-il needed to prepare for everything to feel satisfied.
Only by bracing for fear could he overcome it and move forward as a man.
"Alright."
This was just an extension of that preparation.
Tae-il pulled out his smartphone and checked the messages with Sakuya.
Tae-il tapped out three quick replies with his fingers.
She was probably swamped with club activities, so he didn't expect a response.
More than that, Sakuya might get mad seeing he'd read those messages, but Tae-il stayed cool as a cucumber.
He felt like meeting Izumi had changed him.
The old him would've agonized underground, accomplishing nothing and wasting time.
Not anymore.
"Let's just do something. Hesitating changes zilch."
Time is money.
Tae-il needed to use his allotted time actively and efficiently.
Thought turned straight to action.
"I'm home!"
The moment he got home, he bolted up to his room.
Ayane wouldn't be back from her shift for nearly two hours.
Tae-il rummaged through his bag, pulling out textbooks and handouts to spread on his desk.
Today's homework, and subjects whose exam scopes were now basically set.
Exploratory subjects that were just rote memorization—easy to tackle first.
"Knock out the easy stuff first."
Finals started next Wednesday.
Tae-il clicked his mechanical pencil, sat down, and dove into studying.
* * *
Right after school, the sports field was a riot of noise.
With exams looming, it felt even rowdier today.
Probably because free-period students' club activities were banned.
Only top scorers with permission from at least two teachers could do club stuff now.
In other words, the school grounds were quieter than usual.
In other words, the front gate was louder than usual.
Ayane stared, mesmerized, at the sea of students' backs filling the courtyard.
From behind, it was hard to tell who was who.
Not for Ayane.
She was different.
Her eyes locked onto exactly the one she wanted, capturing him perfectly in her view.
Shin Tae-il, bag slung over his shoulder, gradually fading into the distance.
Vanishing and reappearing amid the crowd.
Tae-il passed through the school gate.
"He's really going, Shin-chi..."
Ayane feigned regret, tapping the window with her middle and ring fingers.
He'd paused now and then, glancing back wistfully, but never turned around.
"Hoo."
She gathered her tapping fingers into a fist.
The fist clutched at her chest, exhaling the stale breath deep in her lungs.
Even though it was her own decision, Ayane realized it still carried a heavy tinge of regret.
"Guess I haven't fully graduated yet."
A wry smile escaped her lips.
It'd only been a day since declaring her "graduation."
Truth be told, she'd agonized over sneaking off to school without waking him that morning.
Just like how she'd hesitated watching him cross the gate moments ago, she'd paused multiple times leaving home for school.
She'd even worried what to do if he woke up, dashed out, and called her name. All pointless in the end.
Right up to the last second. He never showed.
It stung, yet oddly satisfied her that without her, he wouldn't wake on time.
They had to stop meddling in each other's every move.
It felt almost fated.
Ayane mocked herself for such girlish delusions.
"Am I an idiot?"
Tae-il was out of sight now.
Deep down, she'd hoped he'd turn back and wait, but no miracle happened.
Not that it would've helped.
She'd decided to push him away first, yet here she was, the one with the aching heart.
"No."
She'd boldly declared a "push-pull" strategy in front of her Morals Committee seniors.
Ayane steeled her wavering heart.
"Gotta hurry."
Morals Committee members had no duties during exams either.
Study.
Yuuma High held that students should stick to their studies as their duty.
After the dismissal bell and 30 minutes of patrol, a committee member's day was done.
Ayane had gotten permission from her senior to skip patrol.
And she'd allocated that time for herself.
The music room.
"Ready?"
"Yes!"
Takahashi Rinko nodded with a pleased smile at Ayane's spirited reply.
With club activities halted and exam questions submitted, she had nothing to do. The sudden newbie was a welcome surprise.
Even if the girl wanted band instruments over classical—did it matter?
In Japan, bands were everyday life.
Everyone strummed a guitar once, fumbled a bass out of necessity, banged drumsticks.
And capped it by grabbing a mic onstage to sing.
Band music was truly everyday in Japan.
Unlike Tae-il's homeland Korea, doing a band here wasn't weird at all.
Though by Takahashi's standards, Ayane's instrument choice was a bit unusual.
"Bass for real?"
"Yes."
Ayane gently stroked the bass, still unfamiliar in her hands.
'What an unusual girl.'
Takahashi skimmed the textbook they'd use, glancing at Ayane.
Classical was her major, but she knew bands.
Back in school, she'd gotten recruited just for knowing piano.
And every Japanese person dabbled in band interest at some point.
All the nation's pop stars had done bands, after all.
'I was obsessed with Ozaki Yutaka as a kid...'
Chanting "Onii-chan!" shamelessly, tailing him everywhere.
Fond memories now.
"We covered basics yesterday—theory only. Still remember?"
"Yes!"
How to hold it, play it, basic structure and concepts—all memorized.
Not enough with Takahashi's lessons; she'd researched online too.
Was this okay during exams? But time was tight for Ayane.
"Got all the basics down! Harmony theory's still a bit shaky, but..."
"Theory can wait. You need practical skills now, right?"
Takahashi calmed the impatient Ayane.
"Slowly. No need to rush."
"Okay..."
Ayane bit her lip.
Takahashi kept advising patience, but it didn't stick.
Time was short.
No telling when Tae-il's band slots would fill.
She'd picked bass deliberately—the hardest to fill, buying more time. Plus, Tae-il loved bass.
Ayane gripped the neck with her left hand, resting her right thumb lightly over the pickup.
"Good. Let's start with basic open-string practice."
"Yes!"
In bands, guitar and drums stole the show.
And hands-down coolest, most eye-catching, most coveted spot? Guitarist.
So many wanted guitar, bass often got the leftovers.
Thus, most bassists could play guitar too.
Not just same strings—properly skilled.
Bassists might rage, but bass was often the "filler" role.
Yet they took pride in it.
Someone had to do it, proving bass was irreplaceable.
Guitar? Skippable.
Stray from standard band, and anything could sub for guitar.
Not drums or bass.
Irreplaceable.
That's what hooked Ayane.
The spot least wanted, hardest to fill last.
'I'll take it for sure...!'
She'd be Tae-il's band bassist.
Utterly irreplaceable.
Ayane absorbed Takahashi's lessons with laser focus, more than during exam prep.
Time was short. Not on her side.
So even as her index and thumb throbbed, she kept plucking.
"Again! Left hand lost the chord rhythm! Match the metronome! No mistakes! And keep tapping your foot—don't forget the beat!"
"Yes!"
"Multitasking is key with instruments! Focus is good, but don't get lost in it!"
"Got it!"
A toddler babbling "oneness with water" or whatever would just flail worse.
Takahashi knew bands, but wasn't an expert.
Bass even less.
She'd crammed basics overnight after Ayane's request, quizzed band acquaintances, and hammered it objectively into her.
No flair, no finesse—just fundamentals.
'This is all I can give.'
Ayane said it was enough, so Takahashi taught with all she had.
Rare newbie.
Not classical, but a girl stepping into music to color her youth? Always welcome.
So she cheered her on.
Pure motives or not, it was youth.
Takahashi smiled warmly, watching Ayane pluck the bass strings.
The summer sun sank slowly.
But surely beyond the horizon.