Chapter 1096. New Morning/ Mississippi Blues
「 Hmph. Does the light music club still have business with us? 」
Captain Takeshiba from the track and field club glared at the club president of the light music club, Hirasawa, Katsuyui, who brought the bald hill members with him suddenly.
「 I have some problems and so I came here 」
Hirasawa glares back at Takeshiba-senpai.
「 Oh, I see. The club president came here to apologize personally? 」
Captain laughed.
The light music club guys faked a confession to Megu as a punishment for their games.
They turned Megu into a laughingstock.
After it was discovered, Takeshiba-senpai and the sports clubs caught them.
They had them all kneel, gave their heads a buzz cut using barber’s clippers, and then broke all of their guitars.
「 I know that my members did something rude to your club member. But, that’s their problem, I don’t care about it 」
The president of the light music club a.s.serted.
「 Hmm. So, what did you come here for? 」
Captain Takeshiba continues her glare without looking away.
「 I agree that they did wrong. It was just that you caught them and have them apologize 」
Hirasawa also glares into Takeshiba-senpai’s eyes.
「 However!! Shaving their head and destroying their musical instruments is going too far! Hey?! See?! 」
「 Really? I thought it wasn’t enough yet 」
Takeshiba-senpai speaks in a low tone.
「 What did you say?! b.i.t.c.h! For rockers, their hairstyle is their expression of resistance! The school festival is coming, and we were going to show the best performance you know, despite that, shaving their heads like that means that we can’t show up anymore! 」
Hirasawa screams in anger.
「 Are you stupid? Lockers are just a place to put your luggage in, that’s all it needs to do! Why does it need to resist? 」
「 Don’t make it a f.u.c.king joke! 」
Yeah, nice gag.
「 What I’m talking about is the spirit of rock! Rock Musician. It’s a problem with our hearts! 」
「 Oh, what part of you is rock music? 」
Takeshiba-senpai laughs.
The sports club members who have been watching the situation all laughed.
「 Hey, b.i.t.c.h, don’t look down on me 」
Hirasawa said.
「 Just so you know, I’m so devoted to rock that last Summer Comiket, I cosplayed as Michel p.o.r.naleff!!! 」
Comiket? Cosplay?
「 H-Hirasawa-san, you never mentioned that 」
「 Shut up, don’t say anything else! Mugi! 」
Hirasawa shouts at the other guy whose hair is badly shaved.
「 Furthermore, I cosplayed as p.o.r.naleff, and yet, the people who approached me asks me “Is that Donra?” Stupid people! Don Frye is a wrestler! Despite that, they were so noisy about “Donfra, donfra” that when I told them that it’s p.o.r.naleff, they replied, “That’s not p.o.r.naleff!” They make me angry! 」
Err.
「 So, I intend to cosplay as Eminem for the winter Comiket! 」
「 Hirasawa-san, don’t do that either 」
Another shaved guy from the light music club said with a sad tone.
「 I’m sorry but I have no idea what you’re talking about 」
Captain Takeshiba shows a disgusted expression.
「 Also, I’ve got one question. Is Michel p.o.r.naleff in the rock genre? 」
Wait, that’s your question?
「 Even I know “Tout tout pour ma chérie.” Bra.s.s bands use it to cheer for soccer teams and such! 」
「 I-I-I-It’s rock for me! It’s the rock soul! 」
Hirasawa shouts.
「 Now, I remembered! Y-You destroyed their instruments! To Musicians, their instruments are their life! The face for tools! How can they continue living now that you destroyed them! 」
「 Then let them die 」
Takeshiba-san.
「 If you can’t live anymore because your musical instrument got destroyed then you should just die 」
She laughed.
「 Y-Y-Y-Y-You b.a.s.t.a.r.d! 」
Hirasawa shouts like a chicken.
「 Y-You b.a.s.t.a.r.d! Sports clubs! You always take a huge chunk of the club budgets every year!!! Looking down on the cultural clubs! 」
「 Can’t help it. Sports clubs do a lot of activities and they all cost money 」
「 Light music club also costs money! O-O-Our club only gets 5000 yen from the school’s club budget! 」
「 I mean, we carry the name of our school during tournaments. As for you guys, you just do some “pretend bands” It’s just a hobby, a pastime 」
Captain Takeshiba drives Hirasawa to the wall.
「 It’s not a hobby! It’s our expression of our life! 」
Wow, it’s my first time seeing someone stamp their feet in frustration
「 I’ve had enough. You’re too noisy, so, in the end, what do you want with us? 」
Takeshiba-san got fed up and said…
「 Here are my demands. First; you have to repay the musical instruments you destroyed! You have to buy the same thing! Second! You have to supply them with their wigs for their performance! We have no time until school fest! 」
「 I refuse! 」
Takeshiba-san replies.
「 That’s the end of our talk. What a waste of time. Now, hurry up and go back to your training!! 」
Takeshiba-san told the girls, but…
「 Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! f.u.c.king wait!! 」
Hirasawa rushes towards Takeshiba-san’s front.
「 Huh?! You still have something to say?! 」
「 Don’t just end the conversation like that, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d! 」
「 So, you won’t get it unless I beat you up and shave your head? 」
Takeshiba-san said, but…
「 I-I-I-I’m a man of no consequence! My show of defiance is without resistance! Kazumasa Kanshin! 」
「 Sorry but I don’t have much time so I’m gonna shove you away 」
「 Don’t ignore me! You make me look like an idiot!!! 」
No, you already are.
Then.
「 So, in the end, are you strong? 」
Edie asks from the side.
「 S-Strong? 」
「 I mean, as a musician? You said a lot of things, but if you’re not even skilled, that’s just not cool 」
She smiled.
「 That’s right, you talk about the rock soul, and yet, if you can’t even play it right, then that would be boring 」
「 Apart from Comiket, have you guys ever done a live concert? 」
「 You didn’t even leave an impression during last year’s school festival 」
The boys from the sports clubs said.
「 You don’t have a guitar anymore, right? 」
「 Err… 」
Hirasawa’s confused.
「 Hirasawa-san has a guitar in the clubroom. Should I bring it over? 」
One of the bald members asked Hirasawa.
「 Shut up you stupid Mugi! 」
He tried to cover his mouth in a hurry.
「 Err, this guy’s a second year, he’s Kotomugi Mugi. 」 His parents are fans of “Yellow Ranger,” and “Dirty Pair,” and so they named him like that 」
「 You won’t fool me with that 」
Takeshiba-senpai smiled.
「 That’s interesting. This girl’s right, why don’t you play some tune for us? You keep talking about the rock soul, that the instrument is your soul and all the other big stuff, but unless you’re skilled with it, things won’t end nicely you know 」
「 Hirasawa-san, should I bring over the guitar? 」
「 You idiot! Don’t bring it over, Mugi!! 」
Then.
「 I have a guitar here 」
One of the girls in the sports club said.
「 It’s just an acoustic one from the hiking club though 」
「 I have the keys to that clubroom 」
「 Bring it, bring it!!! 」
The girls run to the second floor…
Then, they came down with a guitar case.
「 Here, Takeshiba-senpai 」
「 Thanks, girls 」
Captain Takeshiba opens the guitar case and then brings out the musical instrument from the inside.
「 Yeah, this has strings 」
Then, to Hirasawa;
「 Try playing something 」
She pushed it on him.
「 Ueeeeeeeh! 」
Hirasawa’s sweating all over his face when he received the guitar.
「 Hey, settle down everyone! 」
The students in the clubroom focus on Hirasawa.
「 H-Hirasawa-san! 」
「 Now that it has come to this, show them Hirasawa-san’s secret technique 」
「 Do the legendary three fingerpicking, the one you always tell us 」
「 I’ve never seen it before though 」
The light music club members said. Hirasawa:
「 Y-Yeah…Watch this, dammit! 」
He accepted his fate and took the guitar.
「 Ah, one, two…one two three four! 」
Then.
「 Huh? 」
Everyone’s speechless.
Hirasawa’s music is, has an awkward tone
「 Hey, did you step on a cat? 」
「 The guitar? 」
「 It’s amazing in a sense 」
Yeah, you’re right.
「 Stupid! That’s not all! 」
The next thing he played is…
「 “Donadona” 」
「 It’s sad 」
「 I feel cold now 」
Hirasawa stopped playing.
「 Can’t help it! I’ll also do vocals! Usually, I just play my guitar!!! 」
He says in a panic.
「 Just so you know, I joined in a band that said “Let’s make a band, then, let’s recruit everyone other than the vocals,” but every other member other than me have “a different musical sense,” and so I left them 」
So he’s bad at vocals too.
「 That’s enough. We’ve had enough, don’t want to see your face anymore. Don’t ever show yourself before me again 」
Captain Takeshiba said with a harsh look.
「 No, I… 」
「 Don’t talk. I’ll kill you 」
s.h.i.t, it’s gonna be b.l.o.o.d.y if this goes on.
However.
「 Give me the guitar 」
Edie stretches her hand to Hirasawa with a smile.
「 Y-You can play it? 」
Edie’s raised from an a.s.sa.s.sination cult in New Orleans.
People of various ages are there.
It won’t be weird if she knows how to play the guitar.
Besides, Edie’s a genius who can do anything.
「 I had a guitar back in America 」
She took the guitar from Hirasawa…
「 Huh? This is badly tuned 」
She plucks each string then tunes the guitar
She doesn’t show any hesitation.
「 Okay, that’s good enough 」
The sound Edie made is completely different from earlier.
「 Yep, this is a good guitar 」
Then, Edie sits on the concrete floor in front of the clubroom and begins to play the guitar.
My spine shivered from hearing the first sound.
「 Ooooh! 」
Then, she started singing together with powerful guitar music.
It’s an English song I don’t know.
However, Edie’s musical performance won over the students in front of the clubrooms.
It’s a sad tone, a sad song.
Even so, you can feel the vitality.
It’s a beautiful piece.
「 Heyyyyaaaa!! 」
Edie’s performance ended in a blink of an eye.
「 Wow! 」
「 Edie-san, you’re an amazing singer! 」
「 Your guitar skills too 」
「 Was that blues? 」
The girls surrounded Edie before the boys could.
「 Yes, it’s WALKING BLUES 」
Edie smiled.
「 Y-Y-You, why do you know Robert Johnson?! 」
Hirasawa, the light music club president, asked Edie while trembling.
「 I’m the one who should ask you. You know about Rober Johnson? 」
「 I-I’m a man whose knowledge is far and wide! 」
So he just knows the name.
「 I’m born in New Orleans. Naturally, I know about the Mississippi Delta Blues 」
「 Is that Robert Johnson popular? 」
Takeshiba-senpai asks Edie.
「 He’s a legendary bluesman who sold his soul to the devil to obtain his guitar technique. They say that his cause of death is that a woman poisoned him, but n.o.body actually knows 」
Really?
「 Edie-san should be the one performing in the school festival instead of the light music club! 」
「 Yeah, that’s a good idea 」
「 Yeah, to think that you’re this amazing 」
The girls said.
「 No, that’s embarra.s.sing 」
Edie’s embarra.s.sed.
「 If that’s the case, Edie-san will hold a mini-concert during the collaboration between the bakery and the tennis club in the coffee shop! 」
Kana-senpai?
「 That’s okay, right? I mean, it’s a way to attract customers, right? 」
If this goes on, it’ll continue to make progress.
「 What do we do, Darling? 」
Edie turned to me.
Yeah, can’t help it.
「 Why not? I also want to hear more of Edie’s songs 」
「 Then sure 」
Ah.
「 But, you have your match soon, won’t it be hard for your training? 」
She can’t practice her singing or guitar playing for the school fest.
「 I’m fine. Even if it’s a while, I managed to sing it out 」
Edie thinks that it’s okay.
「 Match, what is that about? 」
Takeshiba Captain’s sharp in that kind of talk.
「 Oh right, Edie’s going for a match, or should I say an MMA tournament 」
「 That’s right, it’s finally decided 」
Edie smiled.
「 It’s a big tournament where not just MMA people would appear but also pro wrestlers, karate, and judo pract.i.tioners will appear too 」
「 It’s not the junior cla.s.s! You fight adults there 」
「 Wow, that’s amazing 」
「 I’ll cheer for you, Edie-san 」
「 When’s the tournament? 」
The students get excited.
「 One month later. Right after the school fest 」
Edie told everyone.
「 It would be impossible for anyone doing martial arts in our school to spar with you. Even the boys can’t keep up with your speed 」
Captain Takeshiba knows how outrageous Edie’s muscles are.
「 Although, I still have to prepare my body for the match. I’ll run around the oval sometimes 」
Edie said with a smile.
「 Use it anytime you want to run around 」
Captain Takeshiba smiled.
「 Then, we’ve got some mess to clean up but, Edie, take the tennis club girls to the bakery 」
Katsuko-nee said from the van.
「 Yeah, please do that Edie. We’re going ahead to put down the ingredients 」
I also got in the van.
「 Got it! Here, thanks 」
Edie returned the guitar to the girl who brought it.
「 Okay~ Everyone, this way! 」
Kana-senpai gathers the tennis club girls.
「 I’ll be their lecturer today so I can get in the van, right? 」
Mana asks whisperingly.
「 Oh right, we can let Kana-senpai and Edie take care of the tennis club girls 」
Mana’s actually younger, but since she’ll be their teacher, she should act important.
「 Get in, Mana 」
「 Okay~ 」
「 Megu, do your best in training 」
I called Megu.
「 Ah, yeah, Yoshi-kun 」
Megu smiled at me.
「 You don’t need to rush, do it slowly like Katsuko-nee 」
「 I’ll keep that in mind! 」
From now on, Megu’s trying to become like Katsuko-nee, someone who’s slightly mature.
「 Then, excuse us Takeshiba-senpai 」
I greeted her last with a loud voice
「 Yeah, thanks for the refreshments! 」
Takeshiba-senpai also shouted back to make the other sports clubs remember.
「 Oh, right. Thanks for the drinks! 」
「 I’ll make sure everyone gets their share! 」
「 I’ll also go in the free sampling later! 」
「 Me too! I’ll bring the tea I got 」
「 I’m looking forward to our lunch 」
For now, they accepted the refreshments and free food samples.
「 Okay! Training time! Everyone, let’s go to the ground! 」
Takeshiba-senpai leads the track and field girls.
「 Oh, s.h.i.t, we have to go now! 」
「 Okay, let’s go! 」
「 We should too 」
「 Yes, yes, let’s move now! 」
Then, each of the sports clubs started their training.
「 Huh? Huh? What? 」
Hirasawa Katsuyui and his light music club members are left alone in front of the clubrooms.
「 So, Hirasawa-san, what about the compensation on our instruments? 」
「 What are we going to do? 」
The club members looked at Hirasawa.
「 You think I know?! 」
Yeah, they got completely ignored.
「 We’re driving off 」
Katsuko-nee steps on the accelerator.