Chapter Text
Utahime and Shoko stood still in the middle of the unfurnished room, their eyes filled with both awe and longing. They were inside of their dream unit that they have been eyeing since last year. It was twice as big as their current studio-type unit, and it even had two bedrooms that can easily fit two beds inside. The landlady was even kind enough to put the advertisement for renters on hold until the end of the week to give them time to decide if they would be transferring here. Things looked like they were working out well for them, if only they could afford the place with just the two of them.
But of course, double the size, double the payment. The girls firmly believed before that once this moment has arrived, they would have a list of potential roommates that would complete the group; but there they were, totally clueless on who to invite. It was not that they didn't gain new friends for the past year. It was just that most of them were either already have dorms they were staying in or didn't see the need to live in one.
The click of the unlocked door pulled both of them out of their hopeless state.
"Yo! Is this your new unit?" A male voice coming from the open door greeted them cheerfully. "Or not." He added once his narrow eyes observed the empty place.
"Ah, Suguru," Utahime greeted her kouhai in a rather lackluster manner as he let himself enter the room. "Unfortunately, it's not." She sighed for the nth time this day.
Suguru met Shoko's blank stare and threw her a questioning look. If this was not theirs, what on earth were they doing in here?
"Well, apparently, we are into trespassing now." Her response was so monotone that Suguru was second-guessing if she was being serious or not. "I'm just kidding. As if I can convince Utahime to do a crime." She chuckled lowly while waving her hand to dismiss his confused look.
"But if you're on your own, you're not against the idea?" It was Utahime who voiced out the exact thoughts of Suguru.
"I think we all know the answer to that."
No, they actually do not.
"Anyway..." Utahime trailed off after a few seconds of silence among them. "We're here legally to check out the unit, and gosh, it looks so great. I mean, there are separate bedrooms, unlike our current one, and look how big the kitchen is. There is even an island counter." She sighed dreamily as her hand grazed the smooth marble countertop.
"Also, there is a balcony," Shoko added.
"The lounge area is bigger as well. We can finally add the bean bags we wanted."
"Did I also mention that there is a balcony?" The younger girl repeated as she looked over Suguru to give him a grin. "I don't have to go out of the unit to smoke."
"Shoko!" Her friend's exclamation sounded scandalized. "Is that the only thing you wanted from here?"
"I mean... there's also a bathtub." She replied before she got an earful.
"Oh, yeah! Gosh, that would be a perfect stress reliever, especially when I start my masters next year." Utahime clasped her hands together as she was successfully distracted by Shoko's previous response. "Now, I'm extra upset that we cannot get this unit."
"I told you last time that I can just ask my parents to raise my allowance so I can chip in more."
"And again, I told you that you don't have to. I thought you don't want to get any more out of your parent's privileges." Utahime raised her eyebrow at her.
"Well, if you put it that way..." Her voice sounded defeated and resigned. "If we won't be getting this unit, at least let me experience smoking at the balcony." She was already reaching for a pack of cigarettes from her jean pocket as she tapped on Suguru's chest, clearly telling him to join her.
Their gestures made Utahime rolled her eyes before turning and heading for the door. "I'll be seeing you two at the lobby then."
With the sound of the door closing, both of the second years were left alone. Shoko led the way across the room, opening the sliding door to be greeted by the soft, warm breeze. She stepped out of the balcony with Suguru, who closed the glass door behind them.
"Ah, such a shame." She lightly shook her head before placing a cigarette between her lips. She fished out a purple lighter from her back pocket and proceeded to light the end of her stick.
"Hmm... must be nice, especially during the night with all the city lights." He agreed with a low hum.
He took his own smoke from Shoko's awaiting hand, offering him her pack. He also trapped it between his lips before casually leaning down towards Shoko, touching the tip of his cigarette to her lit up one. Her eyes were staring at him intently; both of them knew what he was doing. He was taking his sweet time to light up his stick. Soon, he straightened up his posture and took a long drag, his gaze never leaving hers. He drew out a cloud of smoke as his mouth slowly stretched into a subtle smirk.
"So, have you girls asked Mei-senpai if she wants to move in with you?" He started their conversation as he rested his elbows on the steel railings.
"We did, but she said she already had renewed her contract with her current place. It's alright though, cause I think that would work well for all of us. Mei is better off living alone, especially with her, um..." She frowned as she struggled to find the proper term.
"Lifestyle?" He suggested with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, her fucking lifestyle," Suguru can't help but laugh at the double meaning of her words. "So yeah, bummer. I guess we should just give up this place."
"I have an idea..." He trailed off, unsure if he should go with it. Shoko gently bumped her small shoulder against his broad one, encouraging him to go on. "Well, only if you want to, but I am actually looking for a better place where I can stay, so..." He looked at her, expecting her to connect the dots easily.
"Geto Suguru, are you asking me to be your roommate?" Shoko rested her free hand on her chest, near where her heart was, and chuckled teasingly. She was distinctly reacting as if he just proposed to her.
"I mean, I wouldn't mind it." He shrugged and looked down, observing the tiny people on the sidewalk twenty-four stories below them.
"Yeah, I wouldn't too." Her voice is much softer now and more sincere.
They stayed there in silence, enjoying each other's company as they finish their smoke with relaxing puffs. There was a different air between them they never bothered to mention, not that they have to. They both know it was there, existing quietly. Shoko didn't mind it, and she was sure it was the same for Suguru. She actually enjoyed the thrill of it, the anticipation of what would happen next—of what he would do next. They don't have to put any label on it yet since no one was rushing anyway. They could take their time.
"I guess we'll just have to ask Uta about it," Shoko stated as she flicked off the butt of the cigarette before stomping it on the ground.
---
"And this is why I love you, Mei!" Shoko exclaimed as she shot up from the couch where she was lazing around.
Mei Mei reappeared from the kitchen of her unit and placed four cans of ice-cold beer on her square coffee table. The four individuals gladly took one each and opened them with a satisfying pop before chugging down a mouthful. It has been a while since they all drank together since most of them were not in Tokyo during the academic break. Meimei and Shoko were on vacation with their respective families. Meanwhile, Utahime was back in her hometown in Kyoto, helping her parents manage their family business, a well-known kimono shop. Suguru was the only one left in Tokyo, where he spent most of his days relaxing in the comfort of his family home.
"So, how's the roommate search going on?" Mei directed her inquiry to the girls in the room after licking some of the beer foam lingering on her glossed lips.
"Well, about that," Shoko placed down the can on the table and moved her gaze to Utahime. "Suguru is actually looking for a new place as well, and he proposed that if we don't mind, he can be our new roommate. It's fine with me, but we still want to hear your opinion about it."
"Oh, really?" Her brown eyes lit up with the news, feeling the newfound hope that they might be getting the new place after all. "I don't see any problem with it. I am already friends with Suguru, so I know he will be a great roommate. Also, there are two bedrooms anyway, so there will be no awkward arrangement or whatsoever." She tried her best to keep her calm and not look overly ecstatic about it and that earned amused smiles from the pair of lower years.
"So when can you move in, roomie?" Shoko lightly nudged her knee against Suguru's back; he was on the floor with his back resting on the couch where the girl was casually on her side.
"Hmm, my things are just in my dorm, so I can easily pack them and move as soon as the new unit is ready." He tilted his head backward to look at her, his head casually resting on her leg.
Utahime can't help but notice the interaction between them and the subtle skinship. Well, it was a fact that both of them have gotten closer before the academic break. She decided to ignore it as it was not that unusual between friends. "One more roommate to go, then."
"I may have a solution for that as well. I was supposed to share my new dorm with my friend since his family is moving back to their house in Aoyama, and he doesn't really want to commute every day. If you don't mind, I can ask him to move with us instead."
"Aoyama?" She craned her head to the side with a thoughtful expression. The guy must be loaded to be living in the wealthiest district in Tokyo. "Aoyama is not that far, though. It is just less than an hour away if you ride the train."
"Eh, the guy is a bit lazy. He prefers to be just a walking distance away from the university. I guess he got used to living just a few streets away from here." He shrugged with a hint of exasperation in his expression.
"Is this friend of yours the tall guy with the round glasses? The one who was always waiting for you after history class?" Shoko interjected, and Suguru answered with a simple nod.
"You know him, Shoko?" Utahime inquired before taking another swig at her beer can.
"Yeah, but he is more like an acquaintance. I had the same physics class with him last year, and he... stood out, I guess? I mean, he always aced his exams and was always the first one to finish the lab activities. I even heard that he's just as great on his other subjects. Oh, my parents would love to have him as their child." She scoffed with an eye roll.
Utahime can't stop her face from scrunching upon hearing her friend's words before turning her attention back to the only guy in the room. "Do I know him? Did you bring him to watch some of our gigs last year?" Her face became thoughtful as her index finger rested on her chin. She wanted to know if he saw his face before and to remember it since he was a possible roommate after all.
"I don't think so; it's just not his type of crowd. He prefers to spend his free time playing video games or do some uh... other things." His hesitation made her cock an eyebrow, but she still decided not to press for more. Maybe he was just kind enough to hide some "weird hobbies" of his friend.
"Well, as long as he is not a creepy pervert, I don't mind. Besides, I trust that you have a great standard on choosing your friends." It was true, Utahime has been friends with Suguru for more than a year now, and she has nothing to complain about him. Based on the descriptions she heard from her friends, she actually could come up with a representation of how he might look. She imaged him to be some tall skinny guy wearing huge thick glasses who was also probably pale because of always staying indoors, playing video games, and possibly watching anime as well. He was hundred percent harmless in her head.
"Well... yeah, I guess." He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled timidly at his senpai. "I'll let him know later about it, and if he agrees, I'll let you both know. I think he can move in a few days before the start of the semester, though. He's still currently in Hawaii with his family."
Oh, he's filthy rich, alright.
"Glad you guys sorted that one out." Mei Mei spoke after just being an active listener for a while. "But where is our new potential bassist, Utahime?"
"The last message he sent me was that he was already on the train. Wait, let me just text him again." Utahime patted the oversized pocket of her hoodie before taking her phone out once she located it.
Their previous bassist graduated last year and has decided to quit the band to manage their auto service shop back in Kyoto. A portion of their break was dedicated to looking for a potential band member, and unfortunately, they were not that lucky to find one. Not until Utahime heard the news that her old high school friend was currently an incoming freshman in Tokyo Metropolitan University. He used to play as a temporary bassist for her high school band whenever they need a replacement. He was great at playing, but he was not totally committed or passionate about joining the band. The sole reason he played with them was that they offered to give him a talent fee. She can't blame him, though, since it was a smart trade.
Of course, Utahime used a similar approach to convince his stubborn ass. She told him how they land a regular gig—okay, they were technically not permanent yet, but he does not have to know that—on a concept bar near their campus. "There will be a pay every performance, and you can use it to start saving up for your retirement." Those were her exact words when she sold the idea to him by poking on his life-long dream of retiring early and peacefully in Malaysia. Now, he can't really say no to that, can he?
After a few minutes, the doorbell of Mei's apartment rang that made all of them snapped their heads toward the white front door. The apartment's owner was preparing to stand up from her sea,t but Utahime was quick to gesture to her to stop.
"I'll get it! It must be him already." She muttered the last part to herself as she pushed herself up from the concrete floor.
Her soft footsteps paddled across the floor as she made her way to the door and reached out for the knob to unlock it.
"Hey, Kento!" She greeted the visitor with a cheerful expression, but upon seeing him, her smile quickly dropped. "K-Kento?"
"Utahime-senpai," He replied in a monotone but still respectful voice. If he did not acknowledge her, she would not have believed that this man was her old schoolmate. It took her a couple of head-to-toe looks at him before the recognition hit her.
The individual in front of her has the same blond locks, thin pair of eyebrows, and small narrow brown eyes, but the rest were different—his features have improved if she wanted to be precise. Now, his hair was pushed back, and it emphasized his even more defined jawline. He was also taller and bulked up comparing to his slim figure during their high school days, and his shoulders were so broad that Utahime can hide her existence behind it. It took her quite a while to notice that he was carrying a black guitar case behind him.
Well, damn. I hope puberty was that good to me, Utahime begrudging thought to herself as she got a bit jealous with the man's drastic glow up.
"Utahime, is this our new bassist?" Mei Mei appeared as she wrapped her firm arm around the shorter woman's waist. "Me likey!"
"Mei Mei!" The other reprimandingly whispered before introducing the two. "This is Nanami Kento, my old schoolmate, and this is Mei Mei, our band's drummer."
"And also the owner of this apartment." The light-haired girl added as she extended her palm for a proper handshake. "Which you're more than welcome to visit anytime you want, handsome." She even has the confidence to add a flirty wink.
Her words made Utahime roll her eyes before hastily turning around to go back inside with the other two in tow. "That one is Geto Suguru; he's the lead guitarist of the band. And lastly, that is Ieiri Shoko; she's here just for the free beer." She proceeded with the remaining introduction with her hand gesturing to the appropriate person as she spoke. The second years greeted him with a chorus of hello's which Kento responded with a polite nod.
"So, Kento," Mei began as she sat back down on the sofa. "Is it okay for me to call you that?"
"I don't mind whether I am called Nanami or Kento." His voice has a hint of nasalness to it, and the sound of it piqued her interest more.
"Great, I'll stick with Kento then. I like the sound of your name." She made a small smile as she crossed her long legs.
The remaining trio huddled up together while watching the scene unfold in front of them, and knowing Mei Mei, they were not that surprised by what was transpiring.
"Anyway, Utahime recommended you as our new bassist." She resumed when she heard no more reply from the new guy. "Have you always wanted to play in a band?"
"To be honest, I only agreed to do this because of the income that Utahime-senpai mentioned. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike playing the bass, but I have to be practical with my decisions. I need to base my choices on how much money I can earn. After all, I need it to accomplish my life goal." Kento answered frankly.
"Oh," She subconsciously licked her bottom lip before pulling it up into an impressed smirk. "Utahime, I am liking him more and more!" She added without removing her gaze on the first year.
Before Utahime can retort back, Suguru has beaten her in changing the subject. "So, Nanami-san. Can we hear you play? I want to know where your skill stands and if it will fit the songs we play. We have an amplifier there, and you can just use that." He pointed at the black amplifier on the corner of the room, near Mei Mei's drum set.
The bassist approached the device while removing the guitar case from his back which he propped steadily against the wall. He quietly jacked in his guitar and proceeded to tune it up by experimentally plucking the cords and turning some of the knobs of the amplifier. His guitar has a dark golden color with black irregularly-sized spots. It almost resembled an animal print if you squinted your eyes a little. The design looked unique and a bit odd, to be honest, but it suited him well. After getting his desired pitch, he faced his audience, who were already looking at him expectantly. Utahime was the most curious among them since she knew that he played great, considering it was just a mere hobby for him. She wanted to hear if he improved or if his playing style changed.
"Whenever you're ready." Suguru offered with a gesture of his palm and a big assuring smile.
Kento nodded and cleared his throat before his fingers plucked and strummed the chords. He created a good rhythm with ease which made even him bop along with it. His foot was lightly tapping the floor, and his head was nodding along with the tempo. They were getting into the music the longer he played, and that made Utahime smiled proudly at him. She recommended a good one, alright, and she can confirm it by watching her friends' reactions. Mei Mei was watching him with a new spark in her eyes, looking more attracted to him if that was even possible. Suguru was beaming widely, clearly enjoying the performance as he did subtle air guitar movements from the couch. Shoko, the perfect example of a simple listener, was nodding along to the music with an impressed look in her usually flat-looking eyes.
This guy, even if he's joining the band with half-hearted intentions, will be a great addition to their live gig.
They started a small round of applause after he hit the last note of his performance. "I think I'll speak for everyone if I told you that you gave us an exciting performance." Mei Mei was of course, the first to speak to him.
"Thank you, Mei-senpai." Kento bowed down before removing the connected chord in his guitar and putting it back inside its case.
"Oh please, we'll be doing shows together. Just call me Mei," She chuckled as she waved off his formality.
"Wow, and I still have to call her Mei-senpai." Suguru sulkily murmured under his breath, and it made Shoko reached out and gave him a sympathetic pat on his shoulder.
"Talk about favoritism, right?" Utahime offered with a light giggle before standing up and joining Kento in front of everyone, swinging her arm around her kouhai's shoulder. "He's great, right?" Her questions earned enthusiastic approval from the people in the living room.
"So, when would we start to play?" He was kind enough to lean toward the shorter lady so she would not strain her tiptoes from reaching him.
"Excellent question, Kento-kun! We'll be doing a test gig on a bar near our university next month." Her free hand flew up to her mouth before she can even catch her slippery tongue. It was safe to say that her secret was already out of the bag.
"Wait, trial gig?" He gently removed the arm around his shoulder to look at her directly in the eyes. "I thought it was a regular thing."
"Well... I'm sure we'll be their permanent line-up once they hear us play, especially now that you're in the band." She sheepishly replied with a hopefully convincing grin.
Kento was not able to do anything but to let out a deep long resigned sigh. This deal is shit.
---
They said that time flies by fast if you're having fun, and true to that, it was already the weekend before the start of the academic year before they even realized it. The trio has already settled down in their new unit, with only a few small boxes of clutter left to unpack. They also got used to the morning routine they shared daily, similar to what they were experiencing now. Suguru was currently in the bathroom, taking a cold shower after his usual morning run, and meanwhile, Shoko was sluggishly eating her breakfast at the kitchen counter. Utahime busied herself on cleaning the pans and utensils she used when she cooked while being entertained by watching a sleepy Shoko chewing her food painfully slow as her head tilted side to side, obviously dozing off.
A sudden loud ring made the younger girl almost fell from the barstool as she jumped on her seat.
"Relax, sleepyhead. It's just the doorbell." She can't help but snicker at the sight as she wiped her hands dry on the kitchen towel hanging from their fridge.
Suguru informed them that his friend would arrive today, and that was why Utahime has thoughtfully prepared an extra serving for breakfast. It was also the reason why she had convinced—forced— Shoko to get out of her bed earlier than usual so she can welcome their new and remaining roommate. She quickly walked across the hall and opened the door to greet the person waiting outside their apartment unit.
"Good morning, you must be Suguru's friend! I'm—" Utahime's greeting was the epitome of a perfect hostess. Her smile was sincere and welcoming, while her hands were folded elegantly in front of her abdomen. She was about to bow down to introduce herself, but the stranger's voice immediately cut her off.
His loud voice was a mix of shock and wonder as he verbalized his unexpected inquisition. "What the hell happened to your face?!"