Am I being simulated by their love affair.

Chapter 282 The Story of the Drum Set and Clarinet
The girls watched as Jun Matsueda's hands moved like phantoms, his right drumstick suddenly striking the cymbals hard, while his left drumstick flew high into the air, spinning rapidly.

Yamami Maki's eyes widened. She thought the boy had made a mistake, but when the rapidly spinning drumsticks landed steadily back in Matsueda Jun's hands, she realized that the performance was over.

The girls clapped enthusiastically, but for them, the final movement of Jun Matsue spinning the drumsticks was the essence of the performance.

The boy's earlier display of power and speed was completely suppressed at the last moment, leaving only the white drumsticks spinning back and forth in the air. Combined with the boy's downcast and calm eyes, it was full of dramatic tension.

Yamami Maki was the happiest of the girls clapping, as if she herself had just performed.

"You played the drums well, and the last beat was really cool." The girl wearing a pick necklace nodded. "I'm Izumi Mizuki, the head of the Light Music Club. You can just call me Izumi. I'm in charge of the guitar."

"Hello, Izumi-kun. I've seen you before at the club meeting." Jun Matsueda stood up from his seat, smiling politely, while the upperclassman next to him puffed out her cheeks slightly.

A surname with only one character sounds especially friendly.
"I'm Xiaoxing, who plays bass, just call me that~" the petite girl giggled.

"Hello, Xiaoxing."

Atsushi Matsueda and Maki Yami had the same thought: Are all band members this outgoing?
"So where's your keyboard?" Jun Matsue asked Aya-chan, who was still clapping.

"The keyboard," the girl said, her face showing a look of utter despair, "was driven away by the first drummer."

"It's okay," Beth Xiaoxing comforted her. "The three main pieces are still enough for a performance."

Jun Matsue smiled. The three main instruments are guitar, bass, and drums. Theoretically, they could even kick Aya out and just let the bassist or guitarist play and sing at the same time.

"So does this mean I've joined by default?" He suddenly realized this question.

"Otherwise what?" Izumi Mizuki looked at him, puzzled. "Did you come here just to put on a show for us, then wave goodbye and run away?"

The president of the light music club was the tallest girl Matsueda Jun had ever seen in school. Although she looked aloof, she was surprisingly funny when she opened her mouth, and the girls all laughed.

"We're just missing a drummer, Chun-ge," Cai-jiang said, feigning pitifulness as she stood next to the boy. "We've been waiting for so long!"

Matsueda Jun glanced at the pitiful girl, then looked at the senior student beside him who was smiling and not saying a word—those beautiful drumsticks were still in the closet in the apartment, and it was indeed a pity not to use them.

"I might not be able to stick with you guys in the band for a long time," he reminded the girls one last time.

"We'll see when the time comes," Xiaoxing said indifferently. "Anyway, so many people have come and gone before the band has even been formed yet."

Jun Matsue looked at the drum set placed by the window, and after a long time, he started playing it. It felt really good. "Shall we wait until after the midterm exams?"

"Everyone must be busy studying these days, right?" He looked at Aya Miyamura. "There are still two or three days until the midterm exams. Although the band is really fun, don't forget to study."

"I remember—"

Thus, it was a natural progression for Jun Matsueda to join the band, and the members of the light music club high-fived each other in celebration.

"So, is this senior also joining? We could also have a keyboard or guitar or something." Koyuki looked at the girl standing on the other side of Matsueda Jun.

Yamami Maki hurriedly waved her hand, "Ah, no, I just came with Matsueda-san."

"Just good friends."

The word "senior sister" came out unconsciously but naturally transformed into something else. "Senior sister" sounded a bit too unfamiliar, the girl thought.

After chatting for a while, the girls in the light music club wanted to practice a little longer, but only Jun Matsueda and Maki Yami left the practice room. Even though she had long since left the brass band club, Maki Yami still felt a little guilty as she walked up the stairs, hearing the faint, melodious wind instruments drifting towards her.

"Is the senior student satisfied with my performance?"

The boy's words brought her back to her senses, and Yamami Maki smiled, "Very satisfied, Matsueda Jun looks really cool playing the drums."

Jun Matsue smiled and said, "I initially wanted to learn the drums because it looked cool, but actually practicing it was quite a struggle and too physically demanding."

"Back then, when the orphanage made dumplings and such, I would take two kitchen knives and chop the filling, practicing the rhythm as I chopped."

Imagining the boy wielding a kitchen knife, Yami Maki couldn't stop laughing. "That sounds really interesting! I'd love to see it for myself!"

The two walked out of the club building. Jun Matsueda walked towards the bike shed, and the girl followed him, taking a detour.

"I think whether it's because of being handsome or for any other reason, as long as you want to do it, it's a very meaningful thing."

The hint of regret in Yami Maki's tone prompted Matsueda Jun to ask, "What made you start playing the clarinet, senpai?"

"Me...?" The girl's expression became confused. "It's not because I like it or anything."

“My family had me try various musical instruments, such as the piano, violin, and harp. In the end, they found that I had the best talent on the clarinet, so they let me continue to practice it.”

"As I practiced, I realized it wasn't so bad, and maybe I gradually came to like it."

Yamami Maki's smile faded slightly, like the hazy glow of the sunset.

Just like how she joined the student council only because of her family's demands, many choices in a young girl's life are decided in this way.

Her tranquil personality may stem from this—she is easily satisfied, accepts the status quo, and is accustomed to finding pleasure in it to console herself.

The two were silent for a short while. The bicycle was pushed to the school gate, and Jun Matsue looked at the girl beside him.

"Senior, would you like to try playing the drums? I can teach you."

Yamami Maki looked at the boy with surprise, "Is it okay?"

But then she shook her head, "Third-year students don't have that much time. I'd much rather watch Matsueda play the drums than play them myself~"

The girl made a tapping motion with both hands, saying, "The drumsticks I gave to Matsueda-kun can finally come in handy!"

Jun Matsue nodded. "I remember. I'll bring it with me next time I practice."

"If I give Matsue a pair of drumsticks, you'll remember that someone is looking forward to your performance whenever you play the drums," the girl said back then.

The two parted ways at the school gate. Yamami Maki waved to him, saying, "Although I may not have time to learn to play the drums, I will go and watch Matsueda practice."

"I'm really looking forward to my first performance!"

　Forgot the timer
　　
　
(End of this chapter)