Finding Your Own Bass… (7)
The shower passed quickly, true to its name.
The streets, freshly drenched, felt more stuffy and oppressive than cool and refreshing.
Just like Tae-il's mood.
"Man, it's so damn humid."
He grabbed his collar and fanned it vigorously.
Even hand-fanning did nothing against the lingering heat—the only thing touching his skin was muggy air.
He should've brought a neck fan, at least.
He tilted his head back, and the long case bumped against the nape of his neck.
'Ah, been a while since I felt this.'
Walking around like this, he couldn't even tilt his head freely.
And with an amp in one hand, summer felt like pure hell without a car.
'Right, gotta buy that amp sometime...'
If he was buying, it'd have to be a good one.
Hooking up Ayane's high-end bass guitar to a cheap amp would be a crime.
Tae-il turned his head.
His waist twisted slightly, and the heavy weight clinging sweatily to his back swayed with overwhelming presence.
"You okay, Ayane?"
"Shin-ssi. Let's grab some cool drinks..."
Ayane, trailing behind, muttered with a dying expression.
"It's so hot I'm gonna die."
"Ahaha."
Tae-il agreed wholeheartedly.
Downtown boasted murderous heat and humidity.
Ayane anxiously patted the pink case slung on her back.
"Is the bass okay?"
"Worried about the humidity?"
"Yeah. It won't just break all of a sudden, right?"
Ayane gripped the strap of her pink case tightly, knuckles whitening.
Her scared look over the expensive bass she'd finally gotten was kinda cute.
Tae-il wiped his sweat and nodded.
"It's fine. No need to worry that much."
"Really?"
Instruments don't mix well with humidity.
But they weren't so fragile they'd warp from a few hours of moisture.
"Just toss some dehumidifiers in the case when we get home."
"D-Dehumidifiers...?"
"Oh, Ayane probably doesn't have any at home."
Tae-il figured he could give her some from his place, then remembered his were all used up too.
Tokyo summers easily topped 70% humidity on average.
Even without rain, poor ventilation let moisture build up fast indoors.
Slacking on maintenance even a little, and you'd learn the hard way how instruments could go bad quick.
"No helping it. Wanna check out a nearby store?"
"They sell dehumidifiers at instrument shops?"
"Probably? Most folks buy online, though."
If Korea sold them at places like Daiso, Japan probably did too.
Tae-il considered searching on Google Maps but got lazy and just held out his hand instead.
"Might take a bit, but wanna look around?"
"...Yeah!"
Ayane scurried up and took his hand.
Otome Road.
One of Ikebukuro's otaku holy sites, like Akihabara.
True to its name, it catered to female otaku.
The shower had just stopped, so the street was sparsely populated.
Everyone's probably chilling in cafes.
Thanks to that, Tae-il and Ayane strolled comfortably.
In the open view, they spotted the instrument store quicker than expected.
"There it is."
"Whoa, it's huge. And three stories...?"
Bigger than anticipated.
"Perfect. Bigger stores stock more random stuff."
"Higher chance of dehumidifiers?"
"And amps, probably."
"Gonna buy an amp too?"
"Just to test the bass sound."
He planned to order the amp online anyway.
Ayane asked.
"Too heavy?"
"Heavy, yeah, and pricey."
Cheap amps ran 5,000 to 7,000 yen.
Bargain for the category, but tough on a student's wallet.
Still, skimping felt wrong for Shoko's gift to Ayane.
So, find one that suited her carefully.
"Once you've got a good bass, pair it with a solid amp. That's my motto."
"Ayane thinks that's wasteful..."
"Nope. Trust me, cheap gear always leads to regrets."
Cost-performance options existed, but they had no reason to settle.
Tae-il believed hearing good sound early was always a win, beginner or not.
"No pressure. Just sound-checking."
"Muuu..."
Ayane still looked reluctant.
Tae-il added.
"Oh, but let's grab a portable one if we can."
"For noise?"
"Yeah."
Sound quality sucked, but with headphones or earphones, it was apartment-proof.
"Speaking of, how far's your bass lesson gone?"
"Chords, kinda...?"
Takahashi was a bass newbie, so only basics.
Basically harmony class without personal practice.
Too embarrassing to show Tae-il.
"C-Can't you just tune it for me, Shin-ssi?"
"What, embarrassed?"
"Yeah."
"You played chords in front of Shoko earlier."
"True, but..."
Tae-il's reminder flushed Ayane's face.
First time playing bass in front of him—she'd messed up tons from nerves.
'Knew the chord names, but fingering? Blank...'
Even mixed up 3rd and 5th frets once, startling herself with the wrong note.
Scared of repeating it.
Tae-il, though, had been impressed by her pinky use.
* * *
The store was quieter than expected.
Few customers, and those just dodging rain, gone quick.
The owner was a plump auntie type.
She glanced at Tae-il and Ayane, then back to her smartphone.
"Phew. Finally cool."
Tae-il fanned his shirt, feeling alive.
Ayane, entering behind, peeked out the door.
Where hot, humid air met AC-chilled bliss.
"Don't wanna leave..."
Even Ayane couldn't resist the AC.
"Store's way bigger than I thought. Bet they got good amps."
"Yay... or nay...?"
Ayane, first time in one, blanched at the wall of drums.
"Shin-ssi, all that's...?"
"Yup. All drums."
Not full kits—parts displayed separately.
Huge drums on walls, kick pedals scattered below with price tags.
"Eek!"
Ayane peeked at tags and freaked.
Five zeros.
"Wh-Why's one pedal so expensive?"
"Br-brand name...?"
Quality too, but Tae-il couldn't explain drums deep.
"C'mon, not here for drums. Let's go in."
He dragged freaking Ayane deeper.
Past walls of cymbals, a familiar bookshelf appeared.
Not paper—drumsticks.
"So many drumstick types..."
"Cool, right?"
"Yeah."
Organized chaos.
Ayane's take on the store.
"Thought drums only sold in sets."
"For beginners. Oh, bass stuff's all upstairs. Let's go."
Up the stairs, familiar sights.
Basses he'd studied online, lined up.
Price tags next to pics of rockstars using them.
"So many..."
"Ikebukuro's not bad."
Ayane awed purely; Tae-il relieved—no need for Ochanomizu.
Ochanomizu.
Japan's instrument mecca, like Korea's Paradise Mall.
Tae-il led Ayane to a massive amp.
"Shin-ssi, this a bass amp?"
"Big, huh?"
Tae-il grinned.
Ayane paled at the cabinet reaching her chest.
"You lug this to every gig...?"
"Pros do."
Tae-il gawked at pro afterparty pics sometimes too.
That size? Tough even with a car.
'Can't use at home anyway...'
Time to blast it here.
Tae-il urged her to unpack the bass quick.
"E-Embarrassing..."
"Just us. Light chords."
Ayane hesitantly set down the case, slung on Shoko's gift.
Brand new—no fingerprints yet, handled gingerly.
"Cable's custom too..."
Tae-il lamented the custom shop vibes.
"Clean tone first. Hit a few chords?"
"Any okay?"
"Yup."
Ayane gripped the neck cautiously.
Shoko custom-fit for her—perfect grip.
'C major first...'
Basic chords in sequence.
Calmly.
Not rushed, not slow.
Photographic memory guided her fingers.
'Root C...'
Index plucked the 3rd string lightly.
'Next D...'
Middle finger to 5th fret on 3rd, middle finger pluck.
Then fluidly E, F, G, A, B.
No stumbles—Tae-il saw her real practice paid off.
"H-How's it?"
"Sounds great. You?"
"Ayane likes it too. School bass didn't sound like this."
"Probably out of tune."
This one? Perfectly tuned, no tweaks needed.
Beginner inconsistency normal after a week.
"Gotta take good care of this."
"Keep pressuring, Ayane'll get mad?"
"Eep, sorry."
Tae-il apologized, stood from squat, joined her side.
"Ayane, open strings once?"
"O-Open...? Like..."
Left hand open, right pluck.
Ting.
Tae-il guided her right hand to pickup.
"Shin-ssi?"
"More pressure with index?"
Following, he moved her finger—light pluck.
Thung.
"Like that?"
"W-Wait..."
Ayane pressed and plucked.
Thung.
Clean as before.
"Middle finger same open."
"Y-Yeah!"
Heel tapping beat, index-middle alternate.
Slight bounce stabilized after five bars.
"Quick study. Now amp tweaks."
"How?"
"Keep repeating that note."
As she looped, Tae-il boosted bass, cut mids.
Sound shifted.
"Huh?"
"Better?"
"Easier on ears."
Already mellow bass, now even smoother.
"Scales too?"
"Lydian max..."
"Already? Week one?"
"Ehehe."
Ayane beamed at praise.
"Good. One scale to finish."
"Okay."
Growing comfy, she played another.
'Fingers so flexible.'
Plus, right-hand pressure spot-on after one demo.
Protagonist senses all around.
"Remember this feel?"
"Uh, yeah?"
"Cool. Next amp."
Tae-il fetched smaller orange one.
Ayane knelt, tapped speaker.
"Smaller than before?"
Prior one a drag; this handheld easy.
"Intermediate players love these."
"Really?"
Skeptical look.
"Oi, doubting me?"
"Muuu..."
Ayane plugged in obediently.
"Same as before."
"Yessir."
Tae-il wry smile at pout.
First amps? Can't buy anyway—price, home scrutiny.
Showed premium first for best sound.
Cheaper = less power, narrower tweaks.
Now test tiers down, find sweet spot.
Compromise hunt.
Plugged in, play resumed.
Ayane warmed to performing for him.
"This one?"
"Kinda meh...?"
Gaining confidence, articulate feedback.
Good sign.
"More gain then..."
"Ah, Ayane hates that fizz..."
"Noted."
Tae-il memorized dislikes, kept tweaking.
30 minutes later.
Compromise found.
Tae-il snapped pic, noted brand/series.
Search online later for her taste.
"Good work."
Rubbed calves standing.
"Ow..."
Squatting cramped legs.
Stretching legs to back, eyed Ayane packing bass with faint regret.
Tae-il sighed inwardly relieved.
'Helped, looks like...'
Worried price tag scared her off untried, but no resistance.
Praised her.
"Your ears sharper than mine?"
"Good thing?"
"Blessing for musicians."
They bought dehumidifiers, accessories.
Exiting, sky burned red.
"Sun's setting."
"Gotta hurry, Shin-ssi."
"Yeah."
Rush hour trains hell; no lugging gear through it.
On train home.
Ayane, thrilled with new bass, looked up at seated Tae-il.
"Shin-ssi, tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow?"
No plans.
Animal club weekdays fine.
"Dunno... what?"
Exams done.
Live houses again?
Nah.
Practice new bass good though.
Study group flubs recalled.
'Gotta practice too.'
No slacking excuses now.
Left: check SoundSky reactions, lyric practice.
'Ask Ayane?'
Eye contact—Ayane tilted, beaming.
She'd practice bass, less shy showing lyrics.
Tae-il hesitant.
"You...?"
"Hinako and Misuzu wanna meet, but..."
Tailed off slyly, smirking eye-lock.
"Whaddya think?"
"Friends? Go ahead..."
"If Shin-ssi begs nicely."
Train stopped at station.
Ayane rose slowly.
"Feels like free time anyway...?"
"Haa..."
Tae-il sighed.
Whispered tiny.
"Stay with me this weekend."
"Yay!"
Ayane nodded, beaming.