Sleeping with the Enemy
After dinner, during the quiet evening hours.
Tae-il carefully plucked the guitar string.
Diring.
The familiar, friendly melody that came to mind whenever he thought of guitar softly filled the room.
Normally, he'd play freely when his parents weren't home, but lately, those opportunities had dwindled dramatically.
Moreover, his father didn't look favorably on him playing music.
The difference from his previous life was that his mother was at least somewhat supportive. Probably the influence of the neighbors.
Regardless, sneaking glances at his parents every day while playing guitar felt frustratingly unsatisfying.
Now that the band he'd been longing for was finally forming, it bothered him even more.
"Iris wasn't wrong about a single thing."
He needed to practice.
Push himself even harder.
Iris hadn't noticed, but during that bass solo in the practice room, he'd slipped up on the rhythm a few times.
He'd covered it with the slap's distinctive popping bounce, but it was still a mistake.
And it was nagging at Tae-il the most. It was the kind of error that shouldn't have happened.
'Even if it was nerves, that's no excuse.'
Wondering if this was karma for slacking on bass practice lately, Tae-il rubbed his callused fingers with his thumb.
"Guess I should buy an electric guitar or bass soon..."
The biggest advantage of electronic instruments was no worries about noise.
Even with his parents home like now, making him self-conscious, he could adjust the volume or plug in headphones and practice freely.
"Should I dip into my emergency fund...?"
Tae-il hesitated.
For bass, he wanted a brand-new one, untouched by anyone if possible.
Being in Japan helped. Maybe he could snag a better deal locally, so he'd been eyeing the Fender Japan Hybrid series, biting his thumbnail.
"Ah, that red body—I really wanted it..."
It had been the same in college; over 100,000 yen was still a hefty sum. Units in yen, naturally.
In his past life, it'd taken him nearly half a year of part-time work to finally buy one.
Used ones were everywhere, but new ones were hard to come by.
With all the expenses piling up, saving steadily was tough.
"Might have to look for a used one..."
Band formation was in the final countdown.
Once Asakura's email arrived, the Light Music Club would be officially established.
As Iris said, he needed to practice even more.
Less than two years left.
To do that, he definitely needed his own instrument.
"Ah, when's that email coming?"
Tae-il checked his smartphone.
Once official approval came, as a Light Music Club member, he could use the practice room and freely borrow donated school instruments.
Of course, they probably wouldn't be high-quality, but Tae-il didn't mind.
He'd have to rent for a while to practice anyway.
He glanced at the dust-free bass tucked in the corner.
'Never mind.'
Shaking off the distractions, he gripped a chord and played again.
Bzzz.
His smartphone, carelessly tossed on the bed, vibrated without warning.
"Is it here?"
Tae-il quickly muted the guitar with his palm and grabbed the phone again.
The sender wasn't Asakura—it was Ayane.
"Window?"
Disappointment flickered briefly.
Tae-il got up from the bed and opened the window. Even in summer, the cool night air filled his lungs.
Ayane, leaning on the windowsill, lit up and waved happily.
"Shin-kun, practicing right now?"
"Yeah."
"Did Ayane bother you?"
"Couldn't really go all out with parents home anyway."
Tae-il shook his head and shrugged.
"What about you, Ayane? If you had something to say, why not just call?"
"This is more romantic, right?"
"Is it?"
It was true—back when they were kids, there was a certain charm to neighbors chatting like this.
His old apartment in his past life had windows too narrow for face-to-face talks across the way.
Ayane grinned, cupping her chin with both hands.
With the room lights off, her face seemed to glow softly under the moonlight.
"The band's forming tomorrow, right?"
"Probably?"
"How do you feel right now, Shin-kun?"
"Not sure."
Tae-il tilted his head, scratching his forehead.
"Doesn't feel real yet..."
"Will it sink in when we all meet up as a band?"
Ayane and Iris, meeting not as a study group, but with a shared band identity.
Just imagining it was exciting. Tae-il chuckled.
"Ah, Shin-kun's laugh sounds so shady."
"It's not shady."
"I read online that all guys who do music are just trying to get popular with girls. Is that true, Shin-kun?"
"Yeah, most of 'em, I guess?"
It was practically a national rule. Assuming a band of four or five members, at least one or two would say that in interviews.
More often, though, they got swept up by a pushy friend or started on a casual suggestion.
Ayane's expression clouded.
"So even Shin-kun...?"
"You saw me with Izumi-san—don't act like you didn't."
"Ahaha!"
Ayane burst out laughing.
Her smile was shadow-free, as if the moment before had been an illusion.
It'd been a while since he'd seen a smile like that.
Savoring it quietly, Tae-il suddenly remembered and asked.
"Oh, right. Ayane, who's teaching you bass?"
"Ayane? The music teacher."
"Someone who can teach bass?"
This was news to him.
He remembered most music teachers being classical types, but Ayane nodded.
"Takahashi-sensei. She was in a band club back in school. Keyboardist."
"Ah, from that experience..."
Not uncommon.
Lots of people figured if you could play piano—which looked similar—you could handle synths.
Even band veterans made that mistake.
"She knows bass too?"
"Ayane begged, so she squeezes out whatever knowledge she has—old or new—to help."
Ayane smiled faintly, picturing Takahashi fumbling through private lessons.
"But why do you ask?"
"No, just... I could've taught you bass. So..."
Even saying it embarrassed him; Tae-il subtly avoided her gaze.
His right hand propped his chin, hiding his flushed face.
"Anyway, yeah..."
"No way—is Shin-kun embarrassed right now?"
"Shut up."
Tae-il pouted.
He'd planned to teach her step by step himself.
Not knowing she'd secretly started learning bass left him feeling robbed of his role.
'Well, thanks to that, no drama with starting the club.'
Life's ups and downs—even a blessing counts.
He tried to wrap it up like that, but Ayane, spotting fresh prey after ages, wouldn't let him off easy.
"Then should Ayane learn from Shin-kun from now on?"
"No thanks. Don't embarrass the teacher."
"Hmm. Then basics from Takahashi-sensei, advanced from Shin-kun. Good?"
"Do whatever."
His ears, uncovered, burned bright red.
Ayane stifled a laugh.
Satisfied with the unexpectedly fruitful chat, she asked.
"Shin-kun."
"What."
"Is music fun?"
Tae-il turned to meet Ayane's eyes.
She was smiling, but a hint of fear shadowed her face.
For ordinary Ayane, this world was utterly alien.
Stepping into the unknown bred fear.
Even if downplayed, you couldn't know until you lived it.
Especially since they were aiming for the majors—a goal far from mere fun.
Everyone dreams.
But dreams compromise with reality over time, until you wake up.
We call that growing up.
'Do we really have to go major?'
One of the most common things said to Tae-il, who dreamed of majors.
'Not happy with this scene?'
His bandmates teased playfully.
'You think you're Paul McCartney or JPJ or something?'
As if pro talk was off-limits unless your skill matched theirs.
'Just stay session band? They release albums too.'
"Yeah, yeah. Hit it big, we get TV face time."
'You? Get real.'
'Hey, I can dream too.'
Their dreams stopped there. Tae-il wasn't much different.
Escaping parental support for a life sunk in music without steady income was daunting for him too.
Even now, Tae-il felt the same. No fear? That'd be a lie.
Knowing made it scarier.
Maybe more than Ayane.
Yet he'd decided to cross that line he once wouldn't.
Izumi had pushed his back; Iris showed him the potential.
'Still not an easy path.'
His lips wouldn't part easily.
Tae-il realized he stood at a crossroads.
He closed his eyes.
Like piecing a puzzle, he gathered his scattered past and replayed it as footage.
Was he happy? Or suffering?
Both.
Truth be told, suffering dominated.
Yet.
Tae-il couldn't declare one side.
It was harder than "Daddy or Mommy?"
Of course, he'd pick Mom over his distant dad.
"Haa."
Ayane's sigh snapped him out. She smiled helplessly, like 'Figures.'
"Ayane, I think you get the vibe."
"How?"
"Just looking at your face, Shin-kun."
Tae-il touched his facial muscles.
Stiff.
His expression probably wasn't bright.
"It's tough and painful, right? Really."
"..."
"But you can't quit."
Exactly.
Tae-il nodded faintly, eyes downcast.
"Seriously. No helping it."
Ayane slowly straightened from the windowsill.
Tae-il instinctively turned back to her.
She smiled.
Softly, like a full moon.
"If it's that hard, you can't do it alone, right, Shin-kun? So Ayane will stick with you to the end."
"Ayane...?"
"Ayane's not super confident, but if I drop out midway, I'll cover your back."
Run ahead. I'll fill the gaps somehow.
"Even if we fail."
Even if you crash against the wall and crumble, your place to return is here.
I'll make sure of it.
"That's the bass role in a band, right? Yeah?"
A hollow laugh escaped Tae-il.
He swept a hand over his face.
Head bowed, he called her name.
"Ayane."
"Yeah."
"Thanks."
"Ehehe."
The moon was so bright.
That was reason enough not to lift his head.