"So, what should I do?" Haru asked the other three as soon as he sat down in the practice room.
"You're asking what to do... I'm not really sure either..." Nijika replied from behind her drum kit. "According to the original plan, we should have started practicing right away..."
"Then let's just start practicing like this. I'll listen," Haru said, nodding in the direction of Nijika's voice.
"By the way, I won't be in the way here, right?"
"Not at all," Nijika waved her hand dismissively, then turned to the other two.
"Um, you two are okay with this?"
Ryo gave an "okay" sign. Hitori, on the other hand, was completely unable to voice any objection. After a silent nod, she hunched over and pulled out her guitar.
"Well... let's begin."
Nijika tapped her drumsticks, and the other two joined in with their instruments.
They played a pop song, the kind you'd hear in a shopping mall—not particularly challenging.
Resting his chin on his hand, Haru gently nodded along to the beat.
In his mind, "colors" began to materialize.
Yellow, blue... and gray.
They clashed violently, like a child's paint palette after an art class. The only word to describe that it was "messy."
As Nijika's final drumbeat faded, all three turned to Haru.
"Hmm, how should I put this? You sound like a textbook rookie band..." Haru remarked with the air of a seasoned veteran.
"...Koneko, you're the same age as me... Why are you talking like you've been in bands for ages?" Nijika asked, her lips twitching.
"I don't even remember you learning an instrument..."
"Hmph~ I guess you could say I'm just a genius. Plus, I dropped out of school early and dedicated all my time performing." Haru said proudly, crossing his arms.
"Wow... that's amazing..." Hitori's eyes widened as she genuinely admired him.
If only I had the courage to drop out too...
No, no, no! That would be letting my parents down!
Ryo clapped beside her. "That's so rock 'n' roll."
"I want to argue with you... but calling this rock 'n' roll actually makes sense..." Nijika sighed, then turned to Hitori, whose eyes were sparkling.
"...Hitori, don't get any ideas. He only dared to drop out because his family is rich."
"Gah..." Hitori made a strange noise and lowered her head.
Haru smiled briefly before his expression turned serious.
"But even though I said my evaluation was 'standard,' it was actually terrible, right? You all understand that, right?"
Nijika paused, then nodded.
"Well, we only formed the band yesterday..."
"That's true, but don't keep using that as an excuse. Tomorrow it'll be 'the band we formed the day before yesterday,' and the day after that it'll be 'the band we formed three days ago.' If we keep making excuses, we'll never improve."
"We get it," Nijika nodded.
"And... more importantly..."
Haru turned her head toward what she guessed was Hitori's position.
"Bocchi, is there something wrong with your guitar?"
"Huh? N-no... not really..."
"...Then why doesn't your guitar have any 'color'?"
"...What?"
The other two members also looked at Haru with puzzled expressions.
Haru tapped his white cane.
"I can hear it. Even though I can't see, I can hear your music when you perform and imagine the colors of your sounds."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Nijika's is a lively yellow, though you miss a lot of drumbeats."
"Gah!"
Nijika lowered her head, looking as if she'd been shot through the heart.
"Yamada-san's bass is impressive, but... it's completely self-absorbed, a cold blue."
"I think I'm doing great."
Ryo gave herself a thumbs-up.
"As for Bocchi... to be honest, it's not about whether her playing is good or bad. It's this gray area of... ah, not that you're not playing at all, you know."
Haru's comment pierced through Hitori like a bullet.
"Gurgle... gurgle..."
Hitori began making strange noises and frantically searched for a trash can, only to be quickly restrained by Nijika.
"Actually, it's not about technique. It's more like... are you holding back, Bocchi?" Haru continued.
Hitori, still being pulled away from the trash can by Nijika, froze.
"J-just a little..."
"...Just a little?" Haru sighed. "Is it because of me? Are you holding back because I'm here?"
"No, she'd be holding back even if you weren't here," Ryo replied.
Haru blinked. "I see..."
"I-if there were a perfectly ripe mango..." Hitori raised her hand. "If that were the case, I'd feel much better..."
"What kind of secret code is that...?" Haru tilted his head in confusion.
"No, she meant a cardboard box..." Nijika pulled one out from behind her.
"Bocchi's just... really shy, right?"
"Ah..."
Haru tapped his white cane against the floor.
"So that's why she suddenly goes silent sometimes."
"Koneko, is there anything we can do about this?" Ryo asked.
"For mild cases, the 'pumpkin imagination method' works—wearing a mask or something. But Bocchi's problem is clearly more complex. She'll just have to get used to it herself."
"Waaah... I'm just a worthless bug holding the band back..." Hitori collapsed onto the floor, completely lifeless.
"Ah! She's dead! It's all Koneko's fault!"
"Her vitality is so fragile!"
After about ten minutes of chaos, Hitori finally regained her human form.
"Anyway, let's focus on performing more for now. Bocchi's issues will have to be addressed gradually," Haru said, picking up a water bottle and taking a sip.
"More exposure to others—it's like desensitization therapy."
"Feeling any better?"
Nijika nodded.
Meanwhile, Hitori sat fidgeting nervously.
I really want to run away...
"Bocchi," Haru suddenly called out.
"Huh?" Hitori looked up.
"Do your best. Nijika and Yamada-san will definitely be there for you," Haru said with a smile.
"That's right, Hitori. I'll be right there behind you," Nijika added.
"If all else fails, we could always switch guitarists... Just kidding," Ryo chimed in, only to receive a sharp elbow to the ribs from Nijika.
"..." Hitori blinked.
Ah... This... Is this... encouragement?
Encouragement between friends?!
Tap... tap...
Hitori took two steps back. Ryo and Nijika turned to look at her, hearing the footsteps.
Haru listened from the side.
Is she about to declare her resolve?
Ah, how should I put it? Seeing the bonds of the band forming... even I'm a little moved.
Though I couldn't see it myself...
Bang!
A loud crash followed.
Hitori collapsed to her knees. "Thank you both for your immense kindness! I'll never forget this! In the next life, I'll serve you as a cow or a horse!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sound of her head hitting the floor echoed relentlessly.
"Aaaah! Why does it always end up like this?!" Nijika groaned, clutching her head in frustration.