[Novel] Strum It, Sky! Episode 4

Even though we hadn't planned to meet up, the buses were so infrequent that we all ended up catching the same one. There was Sora, wearing a hoodie with denim culottes; Shizuku, looking like a model in a dark blue dress shirt, a thin tie, and black skinny jeans, yet carrying a large backpack; Kotona, in a jersey that wasn't as worn out as usual, with her hair down; and Mugen, in simple jeans and a bright, warm-colored shirt. The four of them, looking mismatched at first glance, walked along the path through the fields after getting off the bus, looking as if they were part of a scene in a movie, full of significance. Kotona's house and the warehouse used for practice by the jazz band we visited the other day were both just a short walk from the bus stop, but Rumi's house was quite far away. Sora and the others enjoyed the journey while being blown by the dry spring wind.

“Does she really commute this distance every morning?”

Shizuku said.

“Weren't you in the same middle school, Shizuku?”

“We were, but I’ve never been to her house. I didn't know she lived in a place like this. I never imagined I’d have to take a bus from my place and then walk this far to get here. I wonder how she managed to get to middle school from a place like this. It seems incredibly far.”

“Look, look. There isn't a single middle school around here.”

Kotona said, displaying the search results for middle schools on her map app.

“So I guess that explains why the middle school I went to was the closest one. I wonder if her parents drove her every day.”

“At least in the winter, I’m sure they did. It makes me wonder if they even clear the snow properly out here.”

“Oh, we turn right here.”

Kotona said while looking at the map app. The group turned right at an intersection of straight roads running through the fields.

“There are no landmarks at all. I don't feel like I could find my way back here again without getting lost.”

Sora said, looking around. The same kind of scenery stretched out in every direction. After walking for a while, they saw the sign Rumi had mentioned as a landmark.

“Isn't that it?”

“Looks like it.”

There was a hedge along the road, and the hedge broke for about the width of three cars to form a gate. A nameplate reading “Yukino” was on the stone gatepost.

“This is it.”

A gravel lot spread out from the gate, and a large house stood on the right side. The gravel area was large enough to park ten cars, and behind it were two greenhouses lined up. On the opposite side of the main house, across a wide parking area, stood a huge warehouse-style building and another warehouse that looked like a slightly smaller version of the Quonset hut-style one from the other day.

There was no doorbell at the gate, so Sora and the others entered the gravel lot. Hearing a voice call out “Hey!”, they looked up to see Rumi leaning out of a second-floor window and waving.

“Hey. We’re here.”

Kuura waved back in response.

"Coming now."

Rumi pulled back from the window and came out the front door a short while later. She was wearing an oversized hoodie and sweatpants, with sandals on her bare feet. Her long hair was messily held back with a barrette, and the strands that had escaped swayed aimlessly.

"Seriously? Is this how you dress on your days off too, Rumi?"

"Hmm?"

Rumi looked down at her outfit.

"Isn't everyone like this?"

"I completely agree."

Said Kotona, who had arrived in a tracksuit, though she was dressed a bit more properly than usual today.

"We're just meeting up with the members, after all. Band members are basically like family."

When Kotona said that, Rumi agreed, saying, "Exactly."

"We only met last week and we're already family? That's nice."

As Rokugen said this, Shizuku took a photo of the four of them.

"Shizuku, you've completely become the record-keeper."

"Leave it to me. I'll record everything from the start."

The group followed noisily behind Rumi, who walked along dragging her sandals over the gravel.

"This is the place."

Rumi stopped in front of a Quonset hut-style warehouse, turned to look at her friends, and said that before inserting a key into the lock of the closed shutter and turning it. Rumi struggled with the key, which clearly didn't turn smoothly, before pulling it out, crouching down, and opening the shutter. Shizuku took out some kind of device and pointed it toward the shutter.

"What are you doing?" Kuura asked, to which Shizuku replied, "Recording."

Rumi stepped into the warehouse and flipped a switch inside, turning on the dim lights. Following Rumi, Kuura and the others stepped into the warehouse as well. Inside, a large snowblower sat covered, and boxes of home appliances were stacked on shelves built into the walls.

As you can see, this warehouse is barely used.

To make this place like that practice area, we'll probably need a stage or some kind of platform.

Rokugen said, stomping on the ground.

Exactly. That place was just a section of a warehouse, but they had something like a wooden floor set up as a stage. Since this is just a dirt floor, I think we'll need a platform like that if we want to set up drums and amps.

We'll need quite a bit of equipment, too. Two guitar amps, a bass amp, and the drums. Plus a power amp for the vocals. Since we don't have a keyboardist, we might not need a mixer, but if someone is going to sing backup, it would be better to have one.

Kotona said, crossing her arms.

I have a few leads. First, my dad said he'd lend us one guitar amp. It's not huge, but it's the kind they use in live music venues. Also, those guys from last week said they'd get us a set of powered mixers and speakers from a banquet hall in a shop that closed down in the shopping district.

A powered mixer?

Sora asked.

A powered mixer is a mixer with a built-in amplifier. Usually, a mixer is just a machine for mixing sounds. You send the mixed sound to a power amp, and then it plays through the speakers. A powered mixer has that amp built right into the mixer.

So we can get one of those?

I'm not sure if they're actually getting it for free or buying it cheap. They just said they'd get it from a shop that closed down. The guy who was playing the sax there runs a bar in the shopping district, and he seems to have all sorts of connections through the shopping district.

It's amazing that you're working with people like that, Rokugen.

Sora said with a sigh.

I wouldn't say working with them; it feels more like they're letting me hang out with them. One of the guys in their group plays bass, and when he can't make it, they call me if I'm free.

Huh.

Sora was thoroughly impressed.

My dad said he'd lend us a guitar amp, too.

Your dad plays guitar too, Rumi?

Yeah. He barely plays anymore, though. Apparently, he was in a band back in the day. He used to teach me a lot when I first started playing guitar.

“So both Rumai and Rokugen have dads who play guitar. Hey, what about you, Kotona? Do your mom or dad play music?”

Sora turned to look at Kotona and asked.

“Hmm? My parents don’t. People often ask if my parents play music because I’ve been playing drums since middle school, but they’re just listeners. They love music itself, so our house has always been filled with it, but neither of them plays an instrument.”

“I see. My parents don’t play either. Hey, what about you, Shizuku?”

“My dad is a listener and a total geek. A music maniac. He knows a lot of strange music. And even though he doesn’t make it himself, he knows a lot about how it’s made. So when I say something like, ‘This sounds good,’ he’ll tell me, ‘That’s made with this kind of instrument.’ That’s how I got hooked on this world.”

The sound of a diesel engine and gravel crunching could be heard from outside the warehouse. Hearing that, Rumai said, “Oh, someone’s here,” and went out of the warehouse, with Sora and the others following behind. A truck had entered the property, and on the side of its cargo bed, it said “Shimanaka Construction.” The truck stopped in the middle of the lot, and a man wearing work overalls got out of the driver’s seat. The man was tanned and glowing, and his whole body was brimming with energy.

“Hey there. Good afternoon, Rumai-chan. Where’s your dad?”

“Hello, Mr. Shimanaka. Did you have an appointment with my dad? He went out somewhere this morning, so he’s not here right now.”

“Oh, is that so? Well, he should be back soon, then. Is this the warehouse in question?”

“In question?”

Ignoring Rumai’s confusion, Shimanaka walked into the warehouse. Sora and the others followed him inside.

“Haha. I see.”

Saying that, Shimanaka walked around the warehouse with the brisk, practiced air of someone who knew what they were doing, took a tape measure from his belt, and began measuring several dimensions.

“Who is that guy?”

Sora asked in Rumai’s ear.

“Mr. Shimanaka is a carpenter who’s an acquaintance of my dad’s. I heard he’s the one who built our house.”

“Oh, I see. Hey, what is Mr. Shimanaka doing?”

“I don’t know either.”

Having finished measuring several dimensions, Shimanaka returned the tape measure to his belt and then began walking around, tapping on the walls and pillars. He moved about, listening to the different sounds made by the places he tapped, occasionally nodding or pursing his lips.

“I see. This is quite something.”

Shimanaka said that in a voice loud enough to be more than just a mutter, smiled at Rumi, and headed back to the truck. Rumi met Sora's eyes and tilted her head. As Sora and the others exited the warehouse, a minivan entered through the gate, followed by a large four-wheel-drive vehicle.

“Oh, my dad’s back.”

The minivan steered around the Shimanaka Construction truck and stopped in front of the greenhouse in the back, and the four-wheel-drive vehicle parked next to it. A tall, slender man got out of the four-wheel-drive, and a somewhat shorter, sturdier man got out of the minivan.

“Oh. You’re all here. Welcome.”

The man who got out of the minivan said.

“That’s my dad.”

Rumi said.

“This is Rumi’s father. Nice to meet you. This is Sawaki-kun, who runs a coffee shop in Higashikawa.”

Rumi’s father came over to Sora and the others, greeted them, and introduced the other tall man.

“Hello. I’m Sawaki. Yukino-san comes to my shop quite often, and that’s how we became friends.”

Sawaki greeted them politely and bowed his head.

“Sawaki-kun is a coffee shop owner now, but he was a band member when he was young.”

“That was a long time ago, though. I used to play guitar back in the day.”

Sawaki said.

“I’ve met you before. I’m Rumi. I play guitar. Let me introduce my friends. Starting here, this is our guitar-vocalist, Sora, the one who started this band. Her singing is incredibly captivating. Next to her is Kotona on drums. She plays with a very reassuring rhythm. And this is Rokugen. He’s our bassist. He’s a versatile player who can play anything. Finally, there’s Shizuku. Shizuku isn’t a band member, but she does house techno-style music. She always seems to show up wherever the band is to film videos.”

Rumi greeted Sawaki and introduced everyone to him and her father. Each member bowed as they were introduced.

“Nice to meet you all. It’s a bit hectic, but please make yourselves at home.”

After saying that, Rumi’s father walked toward the truck. Watching him go, Sawaki bowed to Sora and the others and headed back toward the minivan.

“Sorry, Shimanaka-san, you were here first.”

By the truck, Rumi’s father began talking to Shimanaka.

“Yeah. I’ve looked it over. It’ll be a two-stage process. We’ll handle the floor first, then the walls later.”

“For now, if we can just get the floor and the power supply sorted, we can make it work, so that’s fine.”

“Yukino-san, where should I unload the luggage?”

Sawaki shouted from by the minivan.

“Let’s put it in the main house for now.”

Rumi’s father shouted back.

Sawaki opened the minivan’s rear gate. Inside were gray boxes of various sizes. Some were square, some were cylindrical, and they varied in size.

“Those are drums.”

Seeing the cargo loaded in the minivan, Kotona said that and ran over to Sawaki.

“I’ll help.”

“Oh, it’s heavy, so don’t worry about it.”

“No, I’m a drummer. This is a drum set, right?”

“I’ll help too. The stand case is heavy, isn’t it?”

Rokugen also rushed over and pulled a large square case out of the minivan. Seeing Rokugen lift the case with his back properly braced, Sawaki nodded.

“Impressive. If you know what everything is, that makes things easier. In that case, I’ll take you up on your offer and let you help.”

Kotona also carried out smaller round cases, one in each hand. Sora watched them and hesitated about whether to help, but since Sora had no idea which case was which or how heavy they were, she decided not to go over, fearing she would just get in the way.

“Wait, Dad. What is going on?”

Rumi shouted at the adults who were pushing ahead with the plans.

“What do you mean, what? We’re turning this warehouse into a practice space. I talked to various acquaintances about it. Then Sawaki-kun said he had some old drums, so we decided to borrow them, and I consulted with Shimajima-san about whether he could build a stage in this warehouse for practice.”

“Of course I can build anything, but as it is, it’s too cold in the winter and you’d be done for. If you want to practice in the winter, we need to insulate it to some extent and install some kind of heating equipment. The ground is exposed underneath and there’s no foundation, so it’s going to be freezing as it is. Even if we insulate it, these walls are flimsy. At the very least, we need to make them like gymnasium walls. The rest is just a matter of discussing how far we’re going to take it.”

Before Rumi could say anything, Shimonaka started talking, and Rumi missed her chance to speak.

For now, since we still have time until winter, let's start with the floor. Making it a place where we can put the drums is the top priority.

Rumi's father started talking to Shimonaka right away.

What on earth is going on?

Doesn't this mean that a lot of people have agreed to help us turn this warehouse into a band practice space?

Shizuku said.

It's all happening way too fast, though.

Voices were flying back and forth noisily everywhere, and Rumi, who was bewildered and flustered, and Sora, who had lost her place and felt awkward, were left behind. Shizuku was busy moving around, filming Sawaki and the others carrying the drum set, Shimonaka and the others talking by the truck bed, and Rumi and Sora, who didn't know what to do with themselves.

After a while, the truck engine started, and Shimonaka, gripping the steering wheel, shouted, "See you all later," before backing the truck out and leaving. Rumi's father waved at Shimonaka and then returned to Rumi.

Hey, Dad. What is this?

I told you. We're renovating this warehouse so you can practice here.

When?

They said they'll start tomorrow. You'll be able to practice here by next week.

Huh? Is it really that urgent?

Rumi said in a voice Sora had never heard before.

Well, we have to make it so you can practice as soon as possible, right?

No, I know that, but... won't it cost a lot of money?

Don't worry about that, you can pay me back when you make it big. Once the band gets famous and starts selling, you can pay me then.

Huh? What are you even talking about? I'm not mentally prepared for any of this.

Listen here. If you wait until you're mentally prepared, your passion will cool down. You have to be at the point where you're already going the moment you think about going.

Rumi's father said, as if to admonish her.

“Was Dad ever that kind of character?”

“I was like this when I was young. Rumi, you reminded me of something I had almost forgotten.”

Saying that, her father ruffled Rumi's hair.

“Yukino-san, I've moved the drums into the room for now.”

Sawaki said as he came out, chatting with Kotona and the others.

“Oh, that was fast.”

“The young ones helped out, so it was finished in no time.”

“Okay, okay. So, what are you guys planning to do today? If nothing's decided, how about we have some yakiniku now?”

“Eh? Yakiniku? Oh, right. It is lunchtime, isn't it?”

Rumi was bewildered by the sudden change of topic, but she also felt a little relieved.

“Hey, what do you guys think? Want to eat yakiniku?”

“Agreed!”

“There is no option to not eat.”

“I'm hungry. Pretty much always.”

“Of course we're eating.”

The four of them agreed one after another to Rumi's question.

“Still, there are five high school students, right? Don't we need like a ton of meat?”

When Rumi's father said that, Rumi immediately replied, “That's not true at all.”

“Well then, shall we get ready for yakiniku? The yakiniku equipment is in that warehouse too, right?”

Rumi spoke to Sora, who was closest to her, and as the two of them headed back to the warehouse, Kotona and Rokugen followed.

“Everything is around here.”

As Rumi lifted the folding table, they each took turns carrying the charcoal stove, kindling, charcoal, and chairs that were nearby. In Hokkaido, simply saying 'yakiniku' usually refers to Jingisukan, and having a Jingisukan barbecue in the yard on the weekend is a widely popular leisure activity. Some people do it every week as long as it doesn't rain, and the real enthusiasts will even do it on rainy days in a garage with a roof. The members gathered here had all done it at their own homes, so they were well-versed in how things worked.

“Where should I put this?”

Rokugen, holding the stove, asked Rumi's father.

“Oh, around here, I suppose. Well, anywhere is fine. There won't be any traffic in and out after this anyway.”

Rokugen placed the stove where he was told, and Kotona arranged the charcoal she had brought inside it. They set up the tables and chairs they had each carried around it, and without anyone giving specific instructions, the preparations for a Hokkaido-style barbecue were completed. As if sensing that the preparations were ready, Rumi's mother came out from the main house with the food.

“Welcome, everyone, to such a place. It was a long way, wasn't it? We have plenty of drinks and food, so please help yourselves without hesitation.”

Hearing that, everyone replied in unison, “Okay!” and sat down in their chairs.

Sora poured cola into paper cups and handed them out, while Shizuku distributed the paper plates.

“I sometimes have a barbecue in my yard on my days off, too.”

Sawaki began to speak, and Sora and the others turned their attention to him.

“When I start grilling meat by myself, high school students from the neighborhood come by and start eating it.”

“Kids you don't know?”

Sora asked.

“Well, the first one isn't a stranger, of course. It's usually a kid who comes to my shop often. But once one or two of those kids start eating, their classmates and such start to join in.”

Rokugen started the fire, and the charcoal caught.

“You're good at that.”

Rumi's father praised Rokugen.

“Do kids from the light music club usually gather at your shop, Sawaki-san?”

This time, Kotona asked.

"Well, for some reason, it's the kids from the photography club who gather at my shop."

"The photography club? That sounds like Higashikawa."

Kotona said that and started grilling the meat. The other members, who had been struggling to find the right timing, followed her lead.

"I suppose so."

"By the way, Sawaki-san, you used to play guitar, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then why do you have drums?"

"Good question."

Sawaki held up his index finger before taking a sip of his cola.

"That's also thanks to a customer at the shop. They knew I used to play guitar back in the day and asked if I could look after their drums. Apparently, that person played drums when they were young and owned a drum set, but they had no place to play them anymore. They couldn't bring themselves to throw them away, and they didn't want to sell them to someone they didn't know, either. So they asked if I could keep them if I had the space. I have a warehouse in the back, like this one here. I use it as a course for playing with RC cars, but there's plenty of extra space. I told them, 'I can keep them if you're okay with that, but the humidity and temperature aren't controlled, so I can't guarantee they'll be kept in the best condition.' But they said that was fine and to just keep them there. So, I've been holding onto them."

"Then those drums aren't yours, Sawaki-san?"

"Yeah. They aren't mine."

"Is it really okay for me to borrow them?"

Kotona asked, looking uneasy.

"Yeah. I made sure to call the owner this time, so it's fine. When I asked if I could lend those drums to a high school band, they were absolutely thrilled. They said if someone was going to play them, they could even have them."

"Really?"

"Yeah. So, please take good care of them."

"Yes."

Kotona answered with extra vigor.

I'll have to bring my dad's guitar amp and the equipment the guys are procuring here too.

Rokugen-kun, you're Shuji-san's son, right?

Sawaki turned to face Rokugen.

Oh. Sawaki-san, do you know my father?

Yeah. Rokugen-kun, your father adjusts your bass, right?

Yes.

Did you know your father is at a professional level when it comes to adjusting guitars and basses?

Huh? Is that so? I had no idea.

Rokugen stopped his chopsticks halfway to his mouth.

Your father used to play guitar, but he's knowledgeable about electronics and works in an electrical-related field now, right? If you ask him to repair a guitar or bass, he does it at an incredible level. He has the skill to open a shop like that. He did say it would be hard to make a living doing that around here, though. Since he's an electrical expert, modifying circuits is a piece of cake for him, and he's very reliable. People who do that kind of work are called repairmen, and your father is a repairman who could open his own shop. I've had him adjust my guitar a long time ago, too.

Wow. I had no idea. I just thought he liked playing guitar.

Actually, he's no ordinary guy. So, this band is in good hands regarding instruments. If something breaks, we can usually get it fixed by consulting your father, Rokugen-kun.

Sawaki said that and laughed.

That's amazing. Everything is going so well. We're being guided, aren't we?

Sora said while stuffing her cheeks with grilled meat.

But Sora, the hard part starts now.

Rumi said to the excited Sora.

Well, finding members is the first hurdle for a band. Getting past that means we've finally made a proper start, I suppose.

Rokugen said from the side. Kotona nodded next to him. Seeing that, Sora remembered that she was the least experienced among the members musically. When the four of them played together for the first time last week, Sora thought they had performed as wonderfully as possible. But surely, that was just good for a first time. For them, having played music for a long time, they must see various challenges that Sora doesn't understand yet. There was no doubt that a dream team of members had gathered for Sora, but at the same time, it meant that if things continued like this, Sora could end up holding everyone back. There was an illusion that everything was going well, but in reality, nothing had even begun yet.

Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to dampen the mood that much.

Seeing Sora's obviously anxious expression, Rumi spoke.

"Yeah. It means we're going to help each other improve."

Rokugen said while eating at his own pace.

"I'm planning on learning a lot from you too, Rokugen, so I'm counting on you."

Kotona poured yakiniku sauce onto a paper plate.

"Huh? I don't think there's much I could teach you, Kotona."

"If anything bothers you during practice, just say it. I just want to get better, no matter what."

"That goes for all of us. No one should hold back with the other members. That's the rule."

Rumi said, looking at each of them in turn.

"That's right. We'll say what's on our minds. It's not about whether it's right or wrong; what matters is that you thought or felt that way."

Kotona said while chewing on some meat.

"Exactly. We don't need flattery between members. Let's build a relationship where we can share our opinions frankly."

Rokugen said this with his usual energy, then turned to face Sora.

"That goes for you too, Sora. You probably think everyone here is incredibly talented right now, don't you? But if the accompaniment makes it hard for you to sing, that's no good. You have to speak up about things like that."

"That's the kind of thing people who do technical instrumental music tend to mess up."

When Kotona said that, Rumi said, "That's me," making everyone laugh.

"Actually, I've been wondering since this morning when I should bring this up."

As he said that, Rokugen rummaged through the bag he had brought and pulled out a piece of paper.

"This."

Sora and the others all leaned in to look at the flyer Rokugen had placed on the table. It was a flyer announcing an event.

"A summer festival?"

"Yeah. It's a festival they hold in the shopping district every year. There's a live stage. The stage is sponsored by Tyvas, and they're looking for performers."

"Tyvas is the name of a live house in the shopping district."

Rumi added.

"Tyvas is sponsoring it. They're looking for local musicians to perform. Amateurs are welcome, of course. Actually, it's mostly amateurs who perform every year. The set time is short, so if you play normally, you'd probably get two songs in. Maybe three if they're short, but that's about it."

"So it's perfect for a first stage, then."

Kotona said.

"I was thinking, what if we write two original songs and bring them to this?"

"That's ambitious."

Rumi reacted immediately.

"But don't you think it's a reachable goal? It doesn't have to be perfect from the start. I think this would be a good goal to help us figure out what this band's music is all about."

Following Rokugen's proposal, Rumi and Kotona exchanged glances, and all three turned to look at Sora.

"Um. It looks like all three of you think we can do it. In that case, I have no reason to object. Honestly, I don't have any confidence at all, though."

Sora had no idea how difficult it would be to write two original songs and perform them at a live show by the summer festival in the first place.

"It's okay. You're not performing alone, Sora."

Kotona said, placing a hand on Sora's shoulder.

"That sounds fun, so I'll enter as a solo act too."

Shizuku said.

"It's fine. I'm performing alone, but I'm confident."

"You're amazing, Shizuku."

"Confidence isn't about thinking you're amazing. It's about believing that even if you aren't amazing, you can still shine when you stand on stage—that you'll be okay."

Shizuku said, peering into Sora's face.

"That's even more amazing. I can't imagine being able to shine if I'm not amazing."

"You just have to not lie to yourself. I make sure not to lie to myself, at least. When you do that, you start to gain confidence."

"Not... lying to myself."

Sora repeated Shizuku's words.

"It's okay. We'll pull that confidence out of you, Sora."

Rumi said, placing a hand on Sora's shoulder.

"Alright, it's settled then. We're doing it—the summer festival."

When Rokugen held up the flyer, everyone raised their fists and shouted, "Yeah!" Sawaki and Rumi's father, who had been watching over them, looked at each other and nodded.

Sora felt a greater sense of anxiety than joy at the fact that he was approaching his dream at a speed he had never even imagined. He felt a slight irritation toward himself for feeling that way.

<<To be continued>>

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