Girl Band, Gravity Capture

Page 102

Let's wait and see for now.

Moreover, if she were to form a band, she definitely hoped to be the one shining brightly at the forefront. She had some prior experience playing instruments; although she hadn't studied them in depth during junior high, she at least knew a few songs.

If she had to choose, she'd like to be a guitarist and vocalist. The image of her stylishly strumming the guitar while singing sounds incredibly cool.

However, Haneoka didn't have a light music club. I went to check on the brass band club, but it seemed to be empty since it wasn't club time yet...

Finding suitable bandmates on campus is ideal, but if that's not possible, you'll have to try your luck elsewhere... After all, many of the bands formed by upperclassmen involve students from outside the school, so this isn't uncommon.

According to them, recruitment notices are much more reliable at live music venues. Some highly recommended ones include... CiRCLE, RiNG, Galaxy, etc.

It sounds complicated, but anyway... let's give it a try.

On her first day, Chihaya Aine went to CiRCLE, but was taken aback by the bustling crowd inside. She carefully looked through the job postings on the notice board, and unsurprisingly, didn't find a guitarist or vocalist position that suited her.

After all, among all the positions in a band, guitarists are probably the most abundant; you could find plenty of them on the street.

The only redeeming quality was that CiRCLE's tea was quite good; no wonder so many people were sitting inside.

With no other option, she accepted the invitation from the three girls she had become friends with after having lunch together the next day and went to RiNG to try again.

If there's still no progress this time, then she'll...!

...Let's think of another way, what else can we do?

The first floor of RiNG is the area where musical instruments and recording studios are located. Chihaya Aine said goodbye to them there and prepared to go up to the coffee shop on the second floor.

Just as she was halfway up the long, winding staircase, the girl suddenly felt as if a faint but melodious piano melody was drifting towards her ears.

Like a gently flowing, tranquil stream, or like the soft, gentle breeze that quietly surrounds you in the warm spring of April.

It doesn't evoke any abrupt or impatient feelings; the rhythm of the music is incredibly light and gentle, almost like a soft whisper in your ear, outlining a delicate melody.

Lazy, slightly tipsy, tranquil, romantic, yet also elegant.

I have to say, it truly lives up to its reputation as a Live House. Even the music played in the coffee shop has such a wonderful ambiance!

With a sense of anticipation rising in her heart, Chihaya Aine couldn't help but slow her pace to the soothing rhythm.

The next moment, as the music faded and she stepped onto the last step, the girl opened her clear, bright gray eyes wide.

'...Not background music?'

Contrary to her expectations, the perfect music just now did not come from a pre-recorded playback, but flowed so naturally from the nimble and slender fingertips of a human being.

At the counter of the coffee shop, a boy holding a classical acoustic guitar lightly rested his fingers on the strings, ending the song "The Girl with Flaxen Hair".

He handed the guitar to the white-haired, heterochromatic-eyed girl next to him, who was looking up with a focused expression. Amidst the soft applause of the other customers in the cafe, he stood up and casually found a table and chair to sit down.

That handsome face that's hard to forget after seeing him, his jet-black, slightly upturned hair, his refreshingly short hair, and that calm and composed aura... there's no mistake, he must be the boy I saw on the train before!

Unexpectedly, he, with such a calm expression, played such elegant... no, perhaps gentle is a more fitting description for his playing.

And then, when Chihaya Aine finally saw his face, it was as if a lightning bolt had struck her mind, and she finally understood where her inexplicable sense of familiarity came from.

I saw his photo at a related event when I was in junior high school, when I said I wanted to study abroad. The teacher who was leading the group even mentioned him... He was one of the top students who was supposed to study in the UK, and his deviation score of 87 was so impressive that it was hard not to remember him.

However, those photos of him standing in front of the camera with a straight face still don't quite capture his true appearance; they don't really show his features, which is why Chihaya Aine can only make sense of him now when she sees his face clearly.

His grades were astonishing, and his looks were absolutely top-notch. Even in other schools, in the eyes of the student council, a high-level department within the school where she used to be, he would be someone who needed attention and was somewhat famous. Many of her former classmates must have heard of him...

I never expected that not only would she be good at academics, but she's also so talented at performing, especially playing the guitar...

'...Huh?'

A flash of inspiration struck Chihaya Aine, and she suddenly had a bold idea.

We met briefly on the tram before, didn't we?

'If we bump into each other in a place like this, wouldn't it be impolite to go up and thank them?'

'He plays the guitar so well, he could be in charge of the guitar and I could be the lead singer... If only I could get him into the band...'

Songs that require two guitar positions are not uncommon; isn't the song "Afterglow," which my three friends like, an example?

Not only did her band suddenly gain an excellent guitarist and a handsome member who could act as a stage presence, but if she could build a good relationship with him and have him cover for her in front of her former classmates... maybe the rumor would spread that "Chihaya Aine didn't return to Tokyo because she couldn't stay in London, but was persuaded to stay by a close friend" or something like that?

Or, it's not just friends who are more convincing—"We're such good friends, we originally planned to study abroad together, but something happened to him and he couldn't go to England. He couldn't bear to be apart from me, so he came back so quickly." That kind of story sounds pretty good too.

Not only can it perfectly wash away the shame of failing to go abroad, but it can even make you look at someone with envy again!

And Chihaya Aine, who was immersed in her own wonderful daydreams, only came to her senses after Genji took his seat at a leisurely pace and quickly looked around.

The white-haired girl didn't seem to intend to follow.

Judging from the empty seat opposite him, no one seemed inclined to sit there. Only a black-haired clerk walked over, apparently taking orders.

opportunity!

Judging from the performance just now, the person who can produce such a mellow tone is probably not a difficult person to get along with, so it's okay to be a little more proactive.

Go up first and sit down under the pretext of thanking him for what happened on the tram, then ask him if he has any ideas about joining his band.

Even if he doesn't join, it's okay. He doesn't necessarily have to be a band member to help me. The most important thing is to build a good relationship.

With these thoughts in mind, Chihaya Aine bravely stepped towards the empty seat in front of the boy.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Hello, do you remember me?

"...Are you the girl from the tram?"

"Yes, yes, what a coincidence! It's only been a few days and we've already met again. It feels like fate." Chihaya Aine clasped her hands together, a lively smile spreading across her face at the unexpected encounter. "Actually, I really wanted to thank you for what happened that day, but you probably had something to do, right? You left in such a hurry—"

As she spoke, she quietly and as naturally as possible sat down in the chair opposite Yuan Xudou. Seeing that he didn't seem to want to send her away, the girl breathed a sigh of relief.

Okay, the first step has been successfully completed... Let me think about what to do next...

"By the way, my name is Chihaya Aine. What's your name?"

“Yuan Xudouer Yisanwu Ni 9 Liu III Er.” His voice was like a calm lake without ripples, but it wasn’t exactly cold either.

Not feeling rejected, the girl's enthusiasm remained undiminished, and she continued to be full of energy.

“Gen Kyouto…”

Xu Dou sounds like Kyoto. When you think of Kyoto, you think of Kyoraku, but that's too long and doesn't sound very familiar…

How about calling him Kyorarin? That sounds much better.

The moment Chihaya Aine heard the name Genjiro, she subconsciously came up with a nickname for him in her mind.

After all, if the plan goes smoothly, it will come in handy sooner or later, and we just happen to have some ready-made inspiration.

"That guitar playing was amazing." Chihaya Aine, snapping out of her reverie, enthusiastically started a conversation to get closer to him, her light gray but not dim eyes blinking. "I almost thought it was an album recorded by a professional singer."

"Actually, I also play the guitar, but I'm nowhere near that level."

"It's not that exaggerated, I just play it occasionally."

"That's already amazing! And the melody of that song... I feel like I've heard it somewhere before..."

"The Girl with Flaxen Hair, a piano piece by Debussy, was just arranged into a guitar tablature." Yuan Xudou nodded and explained to her, "After all, RiNG's café doesn't have room for a piano."

After their conversation, Chihaya Aine became even more convinced that "this boy is indeed very easy to talk to."

"So, Xu Dou, do you often come here to play?" Chihaya Aine quickly realized this was a natural place to steer the conversation towards the topic she wanted to discuss. "Then, why don't you join in..."

"--Hello."

A cold, chilling voice, as sharp as a block of ice that could freeze a person with just a touch, suddenly rang out from beside the two of them.

"What are you doing?"

Chapter Twenty-Six: Chihaya Aine's First Attempt

Shiina Tatsuki is in a bad mood right now.

Xu Dou usually doesn't stay at RiNG for very long. Today, he also happened to play guitar with Nora Neko. According to Rinrinko-senpai, the song is called something like "The Girl with Flaxen Hair"... The thought that he might be playing it while thinking about other girls made Shiina Riki feel annoyed.

The sensation was like strong black coffee with added bitterness, or an unripe mango with a greenish tinge—not too stimulating, but with a lingering bitterness.

...Su Shi is probably closer to Xu Dou than she is right now.

It's always been this way, and I should be used to it. But it's still hard to ignore such a self-evident reality and to dispel the resentment that's building up inside me.

After finally waiting for him to finish playing, I was just about to bring out our drinks, as is our custom, so we could sit down and have a proper chat. But when I turned around, I found that my seat had been taken by some random pink-haired girl who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. She was acting all familiar with Xu Dou, trying to get close to him!

Who are you?

Do you know that Xu Dou has a female companion? Even if the relationship isn't as close as before, it's not like you can just pick up any random woman right under your nose!

Unable to admit it herself, the possessiveness of Shiina Tatsuki took three steps at a time and quickly walked from backstage to the table where Chihaya Aine and Minamoto Koto were, as fast as a driver rushing to catch someone cheating on a rainy night.

Then, she gave the suddenly appearing pink-haired man a cold stare, her voice indifferent and low, with a faint, displeased hissing sound mixed in.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"……Eh?"

Feeling a slight stinging sensation on her skin from the undisguised hostility directed at her, Chihaya Aine asked a bewildered question and turned her head away, confused.

The girl in front of him, with her long, slanted eyes and a delicate beauty mark at the corner of her eye, looked like someone who was not to be trifled with. For some reason, she was staring at him with a fierce look in her eyes.

Isn't she wearing a RiNG store employee uniform? Why is her attitude so bad?

"Um..." Still confused and bewildered, Chihaya Aine raised her hand and cautiously asked in a tentative tone, "Just give me a cup of black tea...?"

"--ha?"

Oh no, his expression seems to have gotten even fiercer.

Unable to figure out what she had done to offend the person in front of her, Chihaya Aine was at a loss for what to do.

However, since she had been attacked, it was always right to fight back. She immediately decided to question the other party about why they had suddenly stepped forward and acted hostile towards her like a guarded wolfhound.

But before she could escalate the situation and turn her one-sided harassment into a conflict between the two, someone intervened in time to stop what was about to happen.

With an expression that shifted from calm and relaxed to helpless, Yuan Xudou gently tapped the table, producing a small but clear sound.

"Tachiki, Chihaya and I just bumped into each other on the street by chance, and I helped her out a little." After calming down Shiina Tachiki, whose face had darkened, he turned to Chihaya Aine, whose cheerful smile had vanished and who looked unconvinced, and sighed softly, "I'm sorry, Chihaya."

"Lixi's way of speaking is a little direct... it's not that she has any ill intentions towards you."

Is it really the same as the six-year-old Qi (6)?

Looking at the purple-eyed girl next to her, whose eyes still seemed fierce, Chihaya Aine remained skeptical of his statement.

But now, she finally understands the cause and effect of the matter.

The girl next to her, whom she thought was just an ordinary shop assistant, was actually a close friend of Kyorarin. She had taken Kyorarin's seat without knowing this, which led to Kyorarin's confrontation.

But while I understand, isn't it a bit too much to start with a questioning tone?

"Straightforward personality" is a euphemism used by gentle people like Xu Douqin; in reality, it just means irritable and rude. Chihaya Aine secretly cursed in her heart, not having a good first impression of Shiina Tatsuki.

"...Tsk." After hearing the boy's explanation, Shiina Tatsuki clicked his tongue softly, a hint of displeasure still lingering at the corners of his slightly downturned mouth.

How incredibly rude!

As if helpless against her obvious resistance, a hint of helplessness appeared between Xu Dou's gentle brows.

Having such a nasty friend must be exhausting... Chihaya Aine felt sorry for him, who seemed a bit troubled, and decided to give in first.

Moreover, Kyorarin will definitely like her even more after feeling her thoughtfulness and lack of pettiness.

"It's okay, it's okay." The girl waved her hand understandingly, with a tolerant and generous look on her face. "You don't have to call me Chihaya anymore, it sounds too distant. Just call me Aine."

"You're way too familiar with people."

Chihaya Aine pretended not to hear Shiina Tatsuki's soft whisper beside her, her bright eyes shining with a hopeful gaze as she looked at the boy opposite her.

He hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded slightly.

"I'm glad you understand, Aine."

Then, Genjiro turned his gaze back to Shiina Tatsuki, who was looking sullen beside him.

"Lixi, why don't you sit next to me later?"