The rest of the week is pretty much the same.
Waking up, going to school, playing bass after school.
I gradually become better at it, and I’m wondering if we’ll start playing together soon.
So far, Ritsu have been, I wouldn’t call it teaching, but some vague form of guiding me when I practice, and then started playing drums after I left.
I wonder why she prefers to practice alone.
She doesn’t strike me as someone who would be modest about her skills.
I manage to leave early one day and sneak in a visit to the library.
It’s pretty big for a school library, so finding books isn’t hard.
I saw Hanako there, I sort of wanted to talk to her, just to apologize or something, but I didn’t do it in fear of repeating the events of last time.
The librarian was pretty interesting too. She didn’t seem very thrilled over working there, but was still doing her best.
I guess there are a lot of people like that though.
That have to do their best in things they dislike.
Today is Saturday, it’s only half-day at school, that’s nice.
If I had something to fill the time with.
Tomorrow is the festival, it’s weird to see how involved everyone is.
Ritsu doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the festival at all though.
The same could be said for anyone else in our class, for that matter.
It’s weird that our class isn’t running a booth or something.
Especially considering how involved Shizune and Misha seem to be.
Shizune quite literally exploded on that blonde girl who was running late the other day.
Maybe they have enough work with organizing everything.
I actually planned to wake up early today so I could take a shower before school, but I’ve been spending too much time thinking, so I just swallow my pills before going to class.
The school day goes as normal, except that it ends at lunch.
I still haven’t gone shopping in the small town surrounding Yamaku, so I’ll have to eat in the cafeteria, no matter how disgusting their food is.
R: You going to the cafeteria?
H: Yeah, I have no choice really.
R: I’m coming with you then, didn’t make a boxed lunch today.
H: Sure.
I take some kind of bread, I don’t know what, they are all bad. Ritsu just eats plain rice.
The safest bet I guess.
R: Today, I will give you the honor of playing with me!
H: About time, I’ve been decent since Wednesday.
R: No, you are far from decent, useable at best.
I guess that’s good enough, considering I’ve only been playing for a week.
It still stings a little though.
Lunch goes by with nothing but loose chatter, and then it’s time for light music club.
R: I Want to be your dog, One two three four!
The way Ritsu counts in English is adorable.
The song goes surprisingly well for a first play-through.
Sure, I miss a lot of tones and fall off once or twice, but it’s decent overall.
We play it a few more times, and it sounds increasingly better with each try.
On the fifth play through however, Ritsu stops playing, so I do the same and turn around to face her.
She is sitting and shaking her hand, as if to wake it up.
R: ehehe, sorry.
She grins sheepishly at me, as if it was somehow her fault that her hand fell asleep or whatever happened to it.
H: You okay?
R: Yeah, you don’t need to carry me or anything.
I feel warmth spreading to my cheeks, I hate blushing.
But I feel pretty stupid for overreacting like that.
R: it just goes numb sometimes when I’m playing drums.
H: So you’ll never be able to play a real concert? That’s a little sad.
R: Don’t worry, I have my methods.
She winks knowingly at me, as if she’s letting me into some sort of secret.
Which is pretty ridiculous, considering she didn’t tell me anything at all.
I sort of want to inquire further, but Ritsu manages to speak up before I have prepared a way to do it smoothly.
R: We should do something to celebrate that we’re off the ground.
H: well, the festival is tomorrow.
R: Is that a date?
Once again, I can feel my face going a dark shade of crimson.
How am I supposed to answer that?
R: hahaha you’re adorable when you blush.
R: But it’s nothing serious okay? Just don’t sweat it.
R: See you tomorrow?
H: See you tomorrow.
Even though we are headed the same direction, I wait for a few minutes to avoid the awkwardness of saying goodbye before proceeding to walk the same way.
I don’t know what to think about what Ritsu said.
I mean, we’re not dating. I’m not even sure if I would have wanted it in the first place.
Sure, Ritsu is cute, but she’d get a little annoying in the long run.
And I’ve only been here for a week or so, I shouldn’t be thinking about these things.
I return to my room to waste away the rest of the day reading, before eventually growing tired and calling it a day.