Act 3 - The School Festival
18-3
"Speaking of which, Rintaro, what's that?" (Rei)
"Hmm?" (Rintaro)
As I'm relaxing on the couch after dinner and washing up, Rei suddenly points to the bass case propped up on the wall and asks me a question.
Well, no wonder she'll be curious about it. It wasn't there until yesterday.
"There's been a little thing going on. And it turns out that I'm going to perform on the stage at the closing party after the school festival." (Rintaro)
"Eh, Rintaro, you are going to?" (Rei)
"Is it that surprising?" (Rintaro)
"Yes. Very much." (Rei)
"Well yeah, I think so too." (Rintaro)
I am sure Yukio will be surprised to hear that I will be performing in front of such a large audience.
I take out the bass from the case and sit down on the couch again while holding it.
Fortunately, it seems that Nogi didn't have the habit of decorating everything with pretty things, and this bass itself was monotonously colored black and white.
That way, even if I carry it with me, it won't look blatantly like a borrowed one.
"What kind of wind brought that on?" (Rei)
"Ostensibly, it's to help other people. But underneath it all, I just wanted to start playing a musical instrument." (Rintaro)
"I didn't know Rintaro was interested in musical instruments." (Rei)
"......Because it's cool." (Rintaro)
"Eh?" (Rei)
I feel embarrassed and avert my eyes from Rei.
My employer, Yuzuki-sensei, told me to lead a life of understanding toward various kinds of entertainment, and among them, I tend to enjoy music, which is ideal to accompany me while I work.
I am not yet an adult, but my simple mind easily yearns for music when I listen to it regularly.
As for singing, I don't think I ever wanted to try it, but I have always wanted to try playing guitar, drums, or bass guitar, even if only once in my life.
I didn't have any notable hobbies to begin with, so I had a faint hope that it would become a hobby if I got into it.
"I'm just an average high school boy, so I think it would be fun to play a musical instrument and I honestly think it would be cool too. That's the kind of reason." (Rintaro)
"......It was simpler than I thought." (Rei)
"Ugh...... Sorry to disappoint. I didn't have a good reason." (Rintaro)
"No. I'm rather relieved to see that side of you. So I want to support you." (Rei)
As Rei leans toward me, she smiles as if she were looking at something pleasing.
Since I've been spending time with Rei, I've been gradually becoming more honest with myself――――no, I feel like I'm being forced to be honest.
It seems that her straightforwardness in conveying her feelings has influenced me as well.
I thought it would just be horrible to be influenced by others and have myself change, but I didn't find this to be as bad as I thought it would be.
"Well, when it comes to actually playing an instrument, this doesn't go so well." (Rintaro)
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I fiddle with the screws called "pegs" that line up at the tip of the bass called "head" with my fingers.
This is called tuning.
If guitars and basses are left alone, they will gradually deviate from their original sound. I don't know the details of the cause, but it is said that there are various causes, such as strings stretching or shrinking due to humidity or temperature.
Before playing, it is necessary to adjust the strings in this way so that they sound as they should. This is a bit of a hassle, though.
Fortunately, there is an item called a tuner that assists in tuning.
If you put this tuner on the head and find that the sound is not out of tune, the tuning process is complete.
While holding down the strings on the neck, I plucked the strings with my other hand.
A piece of the prelude to the song we are going to perform echoes in the room.
After receiving the bass from Nogi, I practiced this part over and over again. Although I didn't have much time, I managed to play it slowly and steadily.
"......" (Rei)
"What do you think? Even if it's just the bass, one can at least vaguely tell what song I'm playing――――What's wrong?" (Rintaro)
"Ah...... no, I was just looking." (Rei)
"Hmm......?" (Rintaro)
I follow Rei's gaze and it leads me to my hand.
Is there something wrong with my hand?
"Rintaro, you belong to plucking style, don't you?" (Rei)
"What? A-ah...... all the artists I like are playing with plucking style, because it feels more comfortable than using a pick." (Rintaro)
There are two main factions of bass players, which leads to the difference between using a pick and not using a pick.
Well, it seems that most people are plucking style, but I couldn't understand the difference in the details regarding this as well.
I may eventually be able to understand the difference in detail, but I wonder when that will be――――.
"Rintaro, let me see your hand." (Rei)
"Well, okay." (Rintaro)
I take my hand off the bass and show it to Rei.
She scoops my hand from under and begins to lay her other hand on top of mine, stroking my fingers one by one, and tracing the palm of my hand. (PTW/N: How l*wd.)
That is so ticklish.
Her face is somewhat serious as she strokes my hand, and even though I am getting embarrassed, I feel a little uncomfortable withdrawing my hand from her.
"Umm ...... Rei-san?" (Rintaro)
"......." (Rei)
"...... Hello~." (Rintaro)
"————Yesh." (Rei)
Before I knew it, Rei's entranced eyes had returned to consciousness.
She looks at my hand and then at my face, and somewhat embarrassed, she removes her hand.
"......Sorry." (Rei)
"This is just my guess, but do you have a hand fetish......?" (Rintaro)
"I thought I didn't, but maybe I do." (Rei)
"A pattern you were unaware of, huh. So, are my hands into your type?" (Rintaro)
"Yes. I have never looked at them closely before, but I think Rintaro's hands are very my type. It's bigger than I thought, and his fingers are long and slender. The veins that stick out just a little bit are somewhat...... naughty." (Rei)
"Let's not go any further! Okay!?" (Rintaro)
That's close, I nearly let myself be carried away by this strange atmosphere.
Both of us become awkward for some reason and our eyes start to swim.
I can no longer stand this atmosphere, so I turn on the TV.
"Ah...... this is." (Rintaro)
What appears on the TV is a music program that airs every week at this hour.
The set is a set where the guests sit between the host and the regulars, but I recognize the girls sitting there.
Or rather, they're living next door to me.
"This is the one taken the other day. I think they did it to coincide with the release of our photo book." (Rei)
"Heh........" (Rintaro)
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As we are both watching the program, the regular performance by the guests begins.
Every time in this segment, the guest performs a new song, which seems to play a role in the promotion.
MilleSta also performs a new song without exception and makes the program greatly lively.
[The new song that we just performed will be released on the same day as our photo book.] (Rei)
[We are literally putting our skin* into it, so if you are interested, please don't hesitate to purchase.] (Mia)
[The CD also has a handshake ticket that can be used at the handshake session with us!] (Kanon)
The program ends with the advertisement by the girls.
But a handshake session, huh. Hearing these words, I am made to remember that these girls are indeed idols.
"I mean, the photo book has already been released, hasn't it?" (Rintaro)
"Yes. Ah――――Reminds me, I've been thinking about giving one to Rintaro." (Rei)
Saying this, Rei takes out a magazine from her baggage that has herself and the girls highlighted on the cover, and hands it to me.
"Here it is." (Rei)
"......Even if I were to accept it, it's kind of complicated to think that it's a photo album of the girl in front of me." (Rintaro)
"Is it?" (Rei)
The reason is that all of them are dressed in very revealing swimsuits.
Even if I am accustomed to being with Rei in this way, it is still very poisonous to the eyes of adolescents.
By the way, I don't think it matters, but I don't have any er*tic books. I buy everything in digital file form.
"Well...... if you say you'll give it to me, I'll accept it gratefully." (Rintaro)
"Mmm. It's good that you are being honest." (Rei)
"It sounds like you have ulterior motives, so please stop it." (Rintaro)
I took the photo book and put it on the table for the time being.
At the same time, the smartphone Rei is holding starts vibrating.
"Ah, my manager is calling. I'll be out in a minute." (Rei)
"Okay." (Rintaro)
Saying that, she walks out into the hallway.
I am relieved to see that she is sensible enough to make sure I, an outsider, can't hear the conversation.
I pick up the photo book, which I placed on the table, and move toward my bedroom.
Then, I take out the "other photo book" hidden under the pillow.
"There's no way...... I can tell her that I already bought one myself, can't I?" (Rintaro) (PTW/N: Bro should buy at least 3, one to use, one as a spare, and last one as a spare's spare.)
I put the photo book I just got on a bookshelf lined with manga and put the "other photo book" back under the pillow.
Please don't let her find out about this by all means.
~"(This is a Translation Content of pemudatunawisata[dot]my[dot]id. so, read only on there, kay~)"~
[End of Chapter]
A/N: Incidentally, I myself, the author, also like the bassist's hands.
*PTW/N:
一肌脱ぐ (Hitohadanugu): to pitch in and help; giving someone a helping hand.
肌脱ぐ (Hadanugu): [1] to remove one's shirt thus revealing the skin; to remove the upper part of one's garments, [2] to work with great effort.
