Listening to the weather forecast on TV last night, the next few days were likely to be sunny, but until 6 a.m., the sound of rain outside the window showed no sign of stopping, and I opened my eyes despite reluctance. It was dark in the room, and it looked like it was 6 p.m.

So after putting on my coat, I glanced at the alarm clock again, and when I knew it wasn't my delusion, I breathed a sigh of relief, went to the window, opened the curtains, and flipped through the pages of the calendar on my desk before leaving the room.

Unexpectedly, I couldn't help but yawn when I just came to the corridor, and I felt that the sleepiness of last night had not completely faded. After stretching, the doorbell downstairs kept ringing, and even made me think it was noisy.

Still, I went downstairs to the entrance, cheering up; He put his hand on the doorknob - because he knew who was coming, there was no need to confirm it in advance. As a result, as soon as I opened the door, I caught a glimpse of the aster that didn't seem to be in a good mood. And,Izumi who has always been by her side with a very pleasant expression.。

But I know that Izumi's smiling face is definitely fake, and what is even more terrifying is that it has no flaws at all.

After taking a few deep breaths, I opened the door, "Chihiro, morning!" —"Izumi greeted me in a very spirited voice, and she was carrying a light yellow satchel in her hand, which was very small and didn't seem to hold much.

But just as I wanted to say hello to Izumi, I couldn't help but make eye contact with Shion—she glared at me mercilessly, and my voice immediately stuck in my throat. "I've called you several times, why haven't you answered any of them?"

Shion stared at me for a moment before asking. Her tone is very steady, but it always gives the impression of being very angry. "Really?" I took a few steps back, a little awkwardly, and pulled my phone out of my trouser pocket as I let them both into the hallway.

As a result, there were literally several missed calls. I hurriedly bowed my head to Shion and apologized, "I'm sorry, maybe I slept too deeply!" "But Shion didn't even pay attention to it, and didn't even turn his eyes to me.

"Alright, what about Lola? You can't still sleep, right? ”

"It's up now, I'll take a look!" Shion's voice still sounded a little irritated, so I made an excuse and ran away from her—when I came to the second floor to wake Lola, Izumi came up from behind, patted me on the shoulder and said, "There was a bit of a jam on the way when I came today, so she's in a bad mood, don't take it personally—"

She explained to me unhurriedly.

"Is Lola better?"

She asked in a whisper, and I nodded. Only then did her expression completely relax. As we spoke, we reached the hallway on the second floor, and Lola happened to poke her head out of the room. It's just that at this time, her expression was confused, and her hair was messy. Although I am awake, I feel like I am asleep.

But she staggered down the hallway, "Huh? Izumi? ”

Then he turned his head to us in a vague tone, "You can still recognize me!" Suddenly, Izumi couldn't cry or laugh. Lola tilted her head, then blinked earnestly, followed by a series of yawns.

After that, he staggered and walked over to Izumi like a hangover, "Hehe-hee-" After that, the three of us went downstairs together and said hello to Shion, who had been waiting impatiently on the sofa.

"Hurry up and wash up! Also, tidy up your messy hair......" Shion said, pointing at Lola. "Good!" Lola's voice came back to her senses, and she did so in a few moments.

Aster didn't seem to be at ease, so she went with her.

"Don't pull it! —"It didn't take long for Lola to complain, "You've got all your hair on your stomach here, and you won't be able to recover if you don't do that—"

"That being said, but you can't—" Lola endured it; While complaining, his expression seemed to be very reluctant. "It hurts!?" At this time, "bear with it a little!" Shion said as she fiddled with the comb in her hand.

After about half an hour, we were finally able to practice. But as expected, I became the one who was blamed the most by Shion again, "Chihiro, can you barely keep up?" ”

Although her accusation was not harsh, that sharp gaze made my self-esteem instantly collapse from the soles of my feet! - "Now, I really want to find a crack in the ground and walk in!" "At this moment, I think so." I can't help it, I'm not like Lola in the vocal department! ”

"After all, I'm just a beginner who has just picked up a guitar for half a month!? That's a shocking statement! ”

As I spoke, I even felt the urge to cry.

"I'm the same in this regard......" Shion sighed heavily, and then looked at me with a very disgusted gaze, "I don't want to make a fool of myself in tomorrow's performance." Then, she continued.

"I'm the same!"

Suddenly, I was also unwilling to tell her, "I'm just like you, and I don't want to fail!" At this point, I simply put my guitar aside and stood up to tell her. But if it goes on like this, it is doomed to failure. We can be the laughing stock of everyone, and I know that.

That's why I'm so unwilling.

"Then get some energy, Chihiro!" She got up from the seat diagonally behind me and approached me, grabbed me by the shoulder. "I know!" However, I shook off her hand and returned to my seat with a somewhat self-defeating expression.

Instantly, the room was as quiet as if it had been frozen. After a while, Lola walked up to me and took out her notebook and wrote, "Otherwise, I'll quit, right?" I was losing my patience with a sentence that startled her!

Even the notebook and the pen that I had been holding in my hand fell to the floor together, making a loud noise.

Immediately after, Lola grabbed my hand and shook her head vigorously, her expression seemed to be very sad and scared at the same time, and at this time, I also saw the words she had just written in her notebook: "Come on, we have been practicing together for so long." Chihiro, you'll be sure! ”

It landed at my feet.

At this time, Izumi also approached me and suggested as if to comfort me, "Chihiro, why don't you concentrate on practicing a song?" Isn't that easier than memorizing the melodies of two songs at the same time? ”

As soon as Izumi's words fell, Lola also stood up suddenly, picked up the notebook as quickly as she could, and rewrote her thoughts—"I agree with Izumi's idea, let's practice the song we've been practicing this week!" Chihiro! ”

Suddenly, she grabbed my shoulders and looked me in the eye enthusiastically and said! "It's the one you've been helping me correct my mistakes for the past few days?" Momentarily I hesitated to ask her, but halfway through my sentence, I saw her nodding vigorously......

"Okay, I'll try!"

Instantly, I felt like I was inspired and gained some confidence. It's still hard to keep up with Lola. But it's not like the previous song, which is always forced to stop halfway. Anyway, our ensemble started to go smoothly from this point on.

At this time, Shion finally looked like she was smiling.

A week later, we arrived at the gymnasium, which was already crowded. Now even the aisles between adjacent seats are full of people! "What to do! I'm super nervous right now!? "Where we are now, on the edge of the stage.

"So far, even if it's like this, it's okay!" Izumi looked at me and said with a wicked smile. "Yes, it's all come to this, if you back down, I won't forgive you!"

Shion patted me on the shoulder and said something very scary, "If you really do that, I might hate you for the rest of my life, right?" Suddenly, I forced a few laughs with a stiff expression, and said with sweaty palms: "Why, how is it possible!" ”

Then, with his back to them, he leaned against the wall and took countless deep breaths to try to calm himself down. Immediately after, thunderous cheers came! Even through the curtain, you can hear it clearly......

With this voice, I suddenly felt as if everything around me was rapidly moving away from me. The breathing that had just calmed down became restless in an instant, and it took a long time but I couldn't even take a step?

"It's just moving forward, why can't I? Could it be that it's because you're still scared? "I can't help but ask myself. At this time, the sweat on the forehead is also increasing. Even if it is noticed, it is not surprising.

"Sure enough, I'm still—"

However, just as I was about to say "I want to get out of here", my hand, which had been shaking since just now, was gently held - Lola stood beside me at some point, "It's okay, isn't it still me!" ”

At this moment, she smiled gently at me, as if she was full of confidence, "Isn't there still me!" ”

Then we were on stage – and the cheers seemed even louder than before! I looked at both sides, and Izumi and Shion both had very calm expressions, as if they were not affected at all.

How is that possible? —Actually, Izumi is writing something in the palm of his hand, and it seems to be some kind of mantra? I do not know. However, she obviously wanted to calm herself down by relying on this, however, the moment she found that it had no effect, she panicked even more!

Moreover, my eyes kept peeking at me, and suddenly, there was nothing I could do but smile at her, but I didn't expect that this somewhat embarrassing smile magically made her regain her composure.

Then, a familiar melody rang in my ears......

All the eyes, the sight, whether it is anticipation, surprise, excitement...... And jealousy, ridicule, and unwillingness, all gathered on us at this moment! It's impossible to keep yourself from caring about that. At the same time, it is impossible to keep yourself from being influenced.

So, just calm yourself down as much as possible and concentrate on what you need to do – the melody that has been engraved in all corners of your body is accurately restored through the guitar in your hand!

Izumi is right in front of me right now—I didn't know she sang so well to this day. At the same time, thanks to her singing, no one will notice even if I have a slight deviation, which makes me breathe a sigh of relief.

"It's not just singing, don't you think the guy who plays the piano is also handsome?!" "yes, yes! Super handsome! After that, I'm going to confess! On the way, I seem to have heard something like this.

Feeling relieved, I turned my head to look at Lola, who was also turning her head to look at me. In an instant, the eyes were on track! It's just that she seems to be a little angry? At the same time as he noticed this, a chill suddenly rose behind him!

Sure enough, when I looked at Shion, I instantly knew why I felt the way I did—and now she was staring at me with a fiery gaze! "What are you fluttering about? It's time to focus on the guitar, right!? ”

So, I immediately looked away...... It's like running away. Then, like her, focus again. Until, the moment before the end comes...... Until the moment when all the sounds are gone.