The Light Music Club was located on the top floor of Cherry Blossom High's main building, right next to the large iron door leading to the rooftop, making it easy to find. Staring at the sign that read "Light Music Club," Yui Hirasawa felt a sudden urge to bolt. But when she bumped into Hakumo standing behind her, she gave an awkward smile.
What am I even afraid of? she thought. I've got the ultimate weapon by my side!
Maybe it was the string of bizarre clubs they'd passed on the way here—the Alien Research Society, the Supernatural Study Group, the Secret Shadow Box Art Club—that had spooked her. But feeling the reassuring presence of Hakumo behind her, Yui mustered her courage and pushed open the clubroom door.
"Um, hi! I'm Yui Hirasawa, and I'd like to join the club!" she announced, half her body peeking through the doorway.
The three girls inside, who had been chatting among themselves, froze and then rushed toward her with wide eyes.
"Hi, hi! You're Yui Hirasawa, right?" one of them exclaimed.
"We've been waiting for you!" another added.
Ritsu Tainaka grabbed Yui's hand and shook it enthusiastically, but Mio Akiyama quickly intervened. "Okay, Ritsu, don't block the doorway. Let her come in!"
"Oh, right, right! Come on in!" Ritsu stepped aside.
As Yui entered, Hakumo's figure became visible behind her.
"Whoa, whoa! Isn't that Hakumo from the class next door?" Ritsu said, her voice tinged with surprise. "Are you here to join the Light Music Club too?"
"I'm just here with her," Hakumo replied casually, his tone suggesting he wasn't planning to steal the spotlight.
Yui gave a shy giggle, not denying it.
At the sight of Hakumo, Mio's usual confidence seemed to evaporate, and she shrank back, her cheeks faintly pink. She wasn't great with boys. Meanwhile, Tsumugi Kotobuki's eyes sparkled as she stared at Hakumo, as if he were some rare treasure she'd never seen before.
"Tsumugi, don't just stand there—get the tea ready!" Ritsu nudged her.
"Right away!" Tsumugi snapped into action.
Moments later, a slice of delectable cake and a steaming cup of fragrant tea were placed in front of both Hakumo and Yui. The aroma of the tea alone made Hakumo marvel. No surprise there—she's loaded. This tea's probably worth half a month of Yui's allowance! And yet, the Light Music Club members treated it like it was just regular tea.
Yui fidgeted nervously, eyeing the tea and cake in front of her.
"Please, enjoy!" Tsumugi said warmly.
Unable to resist the hospitality, both Yui and Hakumo took a sip of the tea.
"It's delicious!" Yui said sincerely, then eagerly dug into her cake. "This is amazing!"
Hakumo, never one to hold back, joined her in savoring the treats. This is basically the club's vibe, right? he thought with a smirk.
Watching Yui blissfully munch on her cake and sip her tea, Hakumo chuckled. "I'm just here to check things out with her, so don't mind me."
With that, Ritsu, Mio, and Tsumugi shifted their full attention to Yui.
"So, Yui, what kind of music do you want to play?" Ritsu asked.
"Uh?" Yui blinked.
"What kind of bands do you like?" Mio chimed in.
"Who's your favorite guitarist?" Ritsu pressed.
"Um, uh…" Yui stammered, clearly overwhelmed. "Jimi… Hendrix?"
"No, no, wait, I mean…" she backtracked.
"Jimmy Page?" Mio suggested.
"N-no, not quite…" Yui's voice grew smaller.
"Jeff Beck?" Ritsu tried.
Yui, now thoroughly flustered, shot a desperate look at Hakumo for help.
"How about King Gigi?" Hakumo said with a playful grin.
The room went silent. All four girls stared at him, dumbfounded.
King Gigi? Is that even a guitarist?
"Who's that?" Tsumugi asked, tilting her head curiously.
"King Gigi? The legend of Bear Ridge, the Black Myth, the racing god, the dual-wielding war god—a king loyal to his own path!" Hakumo said, his voice tinged with mock reverence.
Tsumugi's curiosity was piqued. "Oh? What's his signature piece?"
"Well… it hasn't been released yet. I heard it got delayed," Hakumo admitted, scratching his head.
Ritsu quickly steered the conversation back on track. "Anyway, we're so glad you're joining, Yui! We were in big trouble."
"Yeah," Mio added. "If we don't get enough members within a week, the school won't officially recognize the club, and we'll have to disband."
"Thank you so much!" Tsumugi said, her voice full of gratitude.
Yui, however, knew her own limitations. She glanced at Hakumo for reassurance, then stood up, her resolve wavering but present. "Actually… I wasn't planning to join. I don't know how to play the guitar or any other instrument."
"Then what can you play?" Ritsu asked, unfazed.
"Um… the harmonica?" Yui mumbled.
"Harmonica? I've got one right here!" Ritsu pulled a harmonica from her pocket. "Give it a try!"
Yui froze, then bowed deeply. "I'm sorry, I don't know how to play it!"
Ritsu blinked, then laughed. "No worries! Hey, Hakumo, you want to give it a go?"
"I've dabbled a bit," Hakumo said, taking the harmonica. "Let's see…"
It was a chromatic harmonica, and after testing its pitch, Hakumo began to play a melody he'd always loved: The Place of the Stars. The moment the first note rang out, the room fell silent.
The melody was hauntingly beautiful, filled with longing for the twinkling stars in the night sky. The harmonica's unique tone conveyed a delicate sorrow, a quiet yearning that felt like moonlight brushing against the heart. Yet beneath the melancholy, there was a thread of resilient strength—a sense of standing alone but unyielding.
The song wasn't just about longing; it carried a quiet power, a reminder that even in solitude, there's strength to chase dreams and overcome. As the final note faded, the four girls erupted into applause.
"Hakumo, that was incredible!" Yui said, her eyes shining. "It felt so serene, but… lonely, too."
"Exactly," Mio agreed softly. "It was beautiful."
"If you join the club, you could play like that too, Yui!" Ritsu said enthusiastically.
"Me? Really?" Yui's eyes lit up.
The three club members exchanged a glance and nodded. "We'll work hard together!"
"W-wait, no, I still don't know how to play anything!" Yui protested, waving her hands.
"But you want to join, right? That means you're interested in music!" Tsumugi said, placing another plate of cookies and scones in front of her. "Want more tea?"
Yui, unable to resist, started nibbling on the treats. Daily snacks like this? Sign me up! her expression seemed to say.
Hakumo could practically read her thoughts and chuckled.
Mio, meanwhile, gave a wry smile. "I feel like we're getting a bit off track from the whole 'music' thing…" She yelped as Ritsu playfully nudged her.
Hakumo leaned toward Mio. "You okay?"
"I-I'm fine!" Mio stammered, her face flushing as she avoided his gaze. Under the table, she subtly kicked Ritsu in retaliation, clearly embarrassed.
As the playful chaos unfolded, Hakumo sipped his tea, feeling oddly at ease. The club's carefree energy was infectious.
"Now, let us play something for you!" Ritsu declared.
The trio performed a lively rendition of Give Me Wings, and when they finished, Yui leapt to her feet, clapping wildly.
"What did you think?" Ritsu asked.
"It's hard to put into words…" Yui hesitated. "It wasn't, like, mind-blowing or anything."
The three girls froze, and Hakumo burst out laughing.
"But!" Yui continued quickly. "It was super fun! Compared to Hakumo's harmonica, it's different, but… I want to join this club!"
With Yui's decision to join confirmed, Hakumo finished his tea and prepared to leave.
"Wait, Hakumo!" Yui called out. "You should join too! You said you wanted a club where you could eat cake, drink tea, listen to music, and chat, right? This place is perfect! And you haven't found a club yet, have you?"
Hakumo raised an eyebrow. "You're making me sound like a slacker."
"No, please join us!" Ritsu said eagerly. "You haven't joined any clubs yet, right?"
"Exactly!" Tsumugi added. "This is the perfect club for eating cake, drinking tea, and hanging out!"
Hakumo glanced at Ritsu, who was practically begging. "If Yui joins, don't you have enough members already?"
"Last year, yeah, but the school merged with another, so the student council raised the minimum to five members," Ritsu explained. "We've got less than a week to find one more, and we're out of options!"
"Please, Hakumo, join us!" Ritsu said, bowing deeply. "We'll do anything!"
"Anything?" Hakumo asked, a teasing glint in his eye.
"Uh, well…" Ritsu faltered, her eyes darting nervously. "I mean, Mio will do anything!"
Mio's jaw dropped, and she punched Ritsu's back. "Ritsu! What are you saying? I'm not doing anything!" She glanced at Hakumo, her face burning. "N-not that kind of stuff!"
"What kind of stuff?" Tsumugi asked innocently.
"Yeah, Mio, what were you thinking?" Ritsu teased, grinning. "Hakumo's not gonna ask for anything weird."
Mio's face turned even redder under Tsumugi's curious stare and Hakumo's amused gaze.
Hakumo hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "Fine, I'll join. But I've got stuff to do after school sometimes, so I might be a bit of a ghost member."
"Totally fine!" Ritsu cheered. "You do you, and we'll handle practice!"
"Alright then, count me in," Hakumo said.
"Awesome! No more worrying about the club disbanding!" Ritsu pumped her fist.
"Let's take a group photo to celebrate!" Tsumugi suggested.
With a click, the five members of the Cherry Blossom High Light Music Club were immortalized in a single frame, their new journey just beginning.
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T/N:
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