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1. For how little Momoya-kun shows up to club practice, he shows up an awful lot in Atsumu’s notebook. “Playing according to the score is only the starting line,” he says. “Who’s the one who’s not looking?” Momoya-kun’s words are deep and nuanced, so unlike the naive, black-and-white presentations of good versus evil in the children’s shows Atsumu loves. On some nights, Atsumu curls up on his bed and stares at the words in the notebook, pondering their meaning, trying hard to understand, so he won’t make a mistake again. That’s what he cut his hair for.
2. Atsumu knows that Houzuki-senpai is the best koto player of the club, possibly their generation, and that Kurata-senpai and Kurusu-senpai are the oldest. Still, if he’s completely honest, the club members he respects most are Kudo-senpai and Momoya-kun. They are tall and confident and good-looking and talented and wise. Everything Atsumu wants to be, but isn’t. He hopes that if he sticks close enough to them, some of these qualities will rub off on him. Kudo-senpai lets him cling. Momoya-kun doesn’t, but he doesn’t push Atsumu away either. Good enough. (For now.)
3. “Silence… I think.” Atsumu can’t look away from Momoya-kun as he answers the intimate question about sensuality in music. Atsumu has never even actively thought about the rests and the silences before. As always, Momoya-kun is so knowledgeable, and this quote is going in the notebook for sure. Come to think of it, almost everything Atsumu knows about sensuality, other than those crude ads online, he has learned, intentionally or otherwise, from Momoya-kun in these past few weeks (tangling legs with girls in secret alcoves, sweet nothings, silence). Atsumu doesn’t know what to do with that information.
4. Middle school Atsumu never cared about class seating arrangements. High school Atsumu secretly thanks his teacher every day for placing him directly behind Momoya-kun, so he can experience things like casual chatter before the bell (and staring at Momoya-kun’s head instead of the board). What songs should Atsumu share? The first thing that pops into his head is Ku-man’s song. The motivational theme song from his favorite show. The second is those boys and their cruel laughter at his Ku-man tee. Atsumu shakes his head frantically. Momoya-kun’s not like that. Fingers trembling, he presses “Send.”
5. Atsumu is determined to change for the better. To take Momoya-kun’s advice to heart. To fit in with his new family. If that means changing his nails, he is willing. So when Momoya-kun places nails on Atsumu’s desk, he’s confused for an instant because he thinks Momoya-kun has bought them for him, skipping the fitting. “My new nails,” Momoya-kun explains. It turns out Momoya-kun has truly bought them for him, but not in the way he expected. Momoya-kun’s new nails, for Atsumu’s sake. Can he ever repay Momoya-kun for everything he has given?
+1. For how little Natsu shows up to club practice, Yoshinaga shows up an awful lot in his life. In class, sitting behind him. In his LINE messages. In alcoves where he’s flirting with a girl. (In his head.) It should be annoying, but there’s something about Yoshinaga that makes Natsu unable to push him away. (The earnestness in his eyes.) When Yoshinaga blushes and mumbles, “It’s like… we’re friends,” Natsu’s instinct shouts Abort, abort. Too close. That’s closer than he’s ever gotten to anyone. Natsu shuts it down. There’s something about Yoshinaga that makes Natsu think he’ll be worth it.