We returned home some weeks later.
I've been practically stuck with Step-Father-san the whole time so it's been awkward. We talked about many things and Mom was barely around like always. I couldn't help but feeling slightly annoyed about that, but it wasn't too bad. Out of all the men Mom has seen, he's the least shady and he doesn't mind my tone or questions at all. It's kind of suspicious. Should I be on guard? But he didn't strike me as that kind of person.
Still, coming home by myself that day cause Mom had places to be and he had to return to work... It felt odd. Lonely almost. Kagami was away, Arima-san went to visit hot springs with her family, so the town felt quiet.
My feet were on auto pilot but my mind was a blank as I trekked towards our neighborhood. Maybe that's why I didn't see him until I arrived at my destination.
The GPS in my mind turned off the second I approached my gate.
That's when I saw him.
A lanky fellow with a plaid jacket tied around his waist shielded his eyes from the sun as he stared up at the windows of a house and pressed the bell.
I studied his lean muscles, the bracelets that adorned his wrist seemed handmade. The red cap and pierced ears, red- tipped his fiery blonde hair but finally the most obvious of them all, a guitar case.
He was obviously a musician of some sort. So he must be an acquaintance of Kagami's, this was the first time anyone came to his house though...and with suitcases of their own?
"Excuse me..."
He didn't hear me, he had his headphones in. I could hear music blaring in them from over here.
I sighed, held up my phone towards him, and took a picture before sending it to Kagami.
[Someone's outside at your front gate, is he someone you know?] I clicked the send button, my wrist was instantly seized and my phone yanked out of my hand.
He was wearing sunglasses but he took them off to read. His brow knitted together at first but then finally relaxing.
"If you're here to see Kagami, he's not home. Also, he won't be returning until near the end of summer vacation."
The boy returned my phone.
He was a few inches taller than Kagami whose height rivaled my own so I kinda had to crane my neck to look up at him.
He seemed agitated at first but now he folded his arms and hummed. "So? Where's he at?" There was a slight accent there.
"Gunma."
"Where in Gunma?"
"Somewhere, I don't know. I'm just letting you know."
"Oh."
"His Mom is out as well."
"I see." He nodded to himself, a sigh escaping him as he turned to leave.
"Umm..." It was most unlike me. I never thought twice about leaving someone on the streets to squat, maybe it's because he could be close to Kagami.
"Would you like to come inside? You could wait inside or something..."
He stared at me for a while. His glasses veiled his eyes but finally, he nodded.
I was a stranger at the end of the day, I get it. More importantly, I was already beginning to regret it as I opened my door.
---
The audience began to clap to the beat and all of a sudden Mana began to sing in English before eventually switching back to Japanese and shouting random words that strung together feeling like a poem.
Once the performance ended the audience applauded.
"Everyone give it up for Betelgeuse!"
The crowd cheered.
"Now if anyone would like to have a go on stage be my guest."
A kid closest to the front shuffled forward as I stepped down.
"Ey, where do you think you're going?"
"We encourage anyone to the stage."
We played every day but ultimately our event that invited bands to play and perform together was a failure. Aside from Betelgeuse, Banshee, and Mange, no other bands joined the fray, and if they did they didn't really try playing with different people.
Before we knew it the end of the week had arrived in a flash. The briefing for the end tour concert had drawn near. Everyone was summoned to an underground basement seated in rows of seats to discuss.
Renjiro-san from the band Ainz walked on stage once it was time. A couple of exciting voices called out as soon as they saw him but he held up a hand as he reached the mike. His face was grave.
"What do you all think it means to be a professional musician?"
The crowd was silent.
"Just what do you all think this project was for? Only a few of you have even grasped the purpose of why you were brought here and even then it was too late." Renjiro launched into a scolding tirade but I tuned out. No one had to tell me this project was a failure, I already knew.
Did they think we would butt heads with each other cause of bad history or something? We're still just kids, this wasn't the west. No one is going to talk to each other that easily... if they wanted us to they should have made an event to naturally push us together...
I got a notification from Amara then. She's been emailing me every now and then, but this was the first time she texted me. I pulled up the message holding my phone low only for my blood to frieze.
There was a boy in the photo she sent to me. His eyes were shielded by sunglasses and his fiery blonde hair by a cap, but his build, piercings to even the stickers on his suitcase stood out to me.
Izanagi?!
I was so shocked I barely caught on to the last of what Renjiro-san said."...all be performing in separate bands for this concert. Your performance will be evaluated."