The sudden shout startled Hiratsuka Shizuka so badly that the unlit cigarette slipped right out of her fingers and hit the ground. She didn't even bother picking it up — she spun around immediately and craned her neck upward toward the window above.
"Stop staring and get up here. I need you for something."
Hiratsuka pointed at herself, clearly mouthing, Me?
Kagami nodded again.
By the time Hiratsuka Shizuka arrived at the room where the band practiced, she was already smiling as she turned to look at Kagami and asked:
"Kagami — since when have you gotten back into bands?"
Kagami didn't answer. Instead, he just smiled and asked:
"Do you play guitar? Any instruments?"
At that, Hiratsuka glanced over at the drum kit sitting in the corner — and walked straight over to it, pulling out the stool and taking a seat.
"A little, I suppose. Back in middle school, I was in a band for a while."
She picked up the drumsticks with a grin.
"What happened to it?"
Kagami asked, genuinely curious.
"Well..."
Hiratsuka's expression went still.
"Everyone started getting into relationships. The band fell apart."
Just then, Ijichi Seika came over carrying a cup of tea for Hiratsuka as well. Hiratsuka quickly accepted it with both hands.
"Thank you, thank you."
Then she looked up at Ijichi Seika — and blinked.
"Oh my — if it isn't Seika!"
"Long time no see! I honestly thought you'd gotten expelled for skipping school so much!"
"You two know each other?"
Tsushima Kagami looked between the two of them.
Ijichi Seika's expression soured immediately.
"Not really."
Hiratsuka laughed it off and jumped in before the silence could settle.
"Ahaha — weren't we called the 'Delinquent Twin Stars' back in first year? How can you say we're not close?"
"Too bad you stopped coming to school entirely once you got serious about the band."
"I was so lonely~"
She patted Seika on the back repeatedly, completely unashamed of the theatrics.
Hiratsuka had barely reached for her teacup when Ijichi Seika smoothly slid the tray out of reach.
Her expression had already reverted to the same flat, world-weary look she'd worn the very first time Tsushima Kagami ever laid eyes on her.
"Alright, that's enough."
"Since Kagami's the one who brought you here —"
"Tell me what instruments you can actually play."
Hiratsuka blinked, then turned to look at Kagami.
"Wait — what exactly am I even here for?"
Kagami smiled.
"The way I see it, you're a campus drifter — after school you're not in any club, you never go straight home, you just wander the school grounds with nowhere to be."
"Seika and the others happen to be short a member. I figured — hey, if Shizuka here knows how to play something, why not?"
"Joining a band together sounds pretty fun, doesn't it~"
With that, he finished with a little thumbs-up and looked around at everyone in the room.
"Right, everyone?"
"Senpai is absolutely right!"
PA-san and Hiroi Kikuri said it in perfect unison.
After last night's impromptu performance together — and hearing the full story from the others — combined with how much Kagami had helped them, both PA-san and Hiroi Kikuri had already become full-on admirers of his.
Ijichi Seika looked like she had something to say, then seemed to think better of it and turned her head away.
"If Kagami vouches for her and she's actually capable..."
"Then I don't have any objections."
"So — what can you actually play?"
Seika slid the teacup back over to Hiratsuka.
Hiratsuka accepted it, took a sip, and looked over at Seika with a grin.
"Oh, underestimating me, are we?"
"Bass, guitar, keyboard, and drums — I know a thing or two about all of them."
Ijichi Seika took the emptied cup from her, raised an eyebrow, and said calmly:
"Then we need a drummer."
"Show us what you've got."
Hiratsuka picked the drumsticks back up, a gleam of barely-contained excitement already in her eyes.
"It's been so long since I've played in a band."
She started slow — a basic rhythm tapped out on the snare, just feeling out the groove. Then she gradually shifted into double strokes, triple strokes, rolling into a full run. Her left wrist flipped over, transitioning into a flam paired with the hi-hat pedal, and the improvised jazz drum solo began.
The tempo climbed. The kick drum suddenly switched from single to double pedal, the jazz groove pivoting hard into rock. The double kick accelerated faster and faster, spinning up like helicopter blades.
On-beats gave way to off-beats, then back again — crash cymbal, toms, bass drum, and snare all weaving together, her hands and feet igniting into a single rolling thunderstorm of sound.
All three of them stared as Hiratsuka transformed before their eyes — her long hair whipping wildly in every direction with each head-bang, completely lost in the music, as if something had possessed her.
Ijichi Seika, PA-san, and Hiroi Kikuri stood there slack-jawed. Not one of them had suspected that someone like this was hiding in plain sight at their school.
Then, in one final burst of dense, explosive fills, Hiratsuka gradually reined it in — and stopped.
She was breathing hard, sweat already beading at her forehead and neck. Without a word, she flung the drumsticks into the air, then raised both arms above her head and let out a triumphant shout:
"Now THAT'S what I'm talking about!"
Tsushima Kagami finally looked over at Ijichi Seika and the others with a smile.
"Well?"
"Does she fit?"
All three stared at Hiratsuka for a long moment — then nodded.
PA-san and Hiroi Kikuri turned to her together and asked:
"So — would senpai be willing to join our band?"
Hiratsuka snapped out of her daze and tilted her head at them.
"Sounds like it could be fun."
Then she looked over at Ijichi Seika.
"So, Seika — what do you say?"
Seika glanced over at Kagami, who was standing to the side with that easy smile of his — and finally said:
"Honestly — if you think she's fine..."
"Then I don't have a problem with it."
Kagami walked over, still smiling.
"Cause for celebration~"
"By the way, Seika — what's your band called?"
At that question, all three of them froze.
They looked at each other.
Then at each other again.
And finally, with a shared awkward laugh:
"Well... we kind of... never actually came up with a name?"
"...What."
Both Kagami and Hiratsuka stared at them with wide eyes.
"What name have you been registering under at the Livehouse all this time?"
"We've just been using Kikuri's name temporarily."
Seika glanced apologetically over at Hiroi Kikuri.
"She is the leader, after all."
"Ah... I-I could never think of a good name either."
"M-maybe... senpai could come up with one for us?"
Everyone looked at Tsushima Kagami.
Kagami fell into thought.
Right — so we've got guitar, keyboard, bass, and drums.
Woe Upon Woe.
He looked at the four of them with a gleam of amusement.
"How about... 'Woe Upon Woe'?"
Hiratsuka: "That's not cool at all!"
Ijichi Seika: "I have a bad feeling about that name for some reason."
PA-san: "It sounds so bleak — actually, it does suit Kikuri's usual vibe."
Hiroi Kikuri: "C-can we... maybe go with something else?"
"Don't like it?"
"Fine, fine — let me think."
Kagami furrowed his brow and thought again.
Looking at the four of them — what if they became five?
Add a rhythm guitarist, maybe?
Wait.
Lead guitar, rhythm guitar, keyboard, bass, drums.
That's Ave Mujica.
But where would the fifth person come from?
Then, suddenly, someone came to mind.
Kagami turned to Ijichi Seika.
"Hey — would you be alright with adding someone who has absolutely no experience on rhythm guitar?"
____
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