I, who advocate giving up, feel like a disqualified person

I couldn't help but sigh and gave a wry smile, "Well, I'll try my best...try to find a goal."

Although it won’t be realized.

"How should I put it... When you actually encounter it, you realize how huge the gap between ideal and reality is."

"...agree."

I thought I could solve everything with a magic trick, but I found out that I was an African who even the director couldn't save.

"But I still want to get as close to the goal as possible."

"right."

"But almost achieving it and not achieving it at all are essentially the same to others."

"..."

Sure enough, something happened... The person this guy was talking about must have had something he could never forget.

"But despite that, he still showed himself... Ugh?!"

"Don't go any further..." I said, grabbing him and saying, "At least pay attention to the road conditions."

Before I knew it, I had reached an intersection. The traffic light ahead was flashing bright red. The timer on the side was gradually counting down the seconds.

In other words... even though I don't want to waste time, it still slips away doing meaningless things. How is this time wasted any different from the time I spend doing homework and playing games...

"Oh, thank you~"

"...You're welcome." She just unconsciously gave him a hand. "By the way, are you hungry?"

The reason I asked this was because I suddenly remembered that no one was home, so it was natural to have dinner outside. And since Mo Xiaozhi was right next to me, it would be fine to go with him... and by the way, I could also listen to what he had to say.

"...a little bit." He smiled sheepishly.

"Then let's go get something to eat."

"...But..."

"time to go."

The traffic light had turned green. For the endless stream of cars, this was just a change of direction.

"...All right."

Chapter 8 [Memory] Immersed in Water

As the summer heat was still lingering and everyone was about to enter a period of fatigue, I met a transfer student who seemed to be completely out of tune with everything about the school.

She seems to have the temperament of an excellent student, arrogant and acting strangely...but in fact, her grades are not as good as those of a slacker like me. But after getting to know her, you will find that her seemingly strange behavior is actually the result of her brainless thinking.

But she herself didn't realize it at all.

"I just work in a different direction than them."

This was the reason she gave for her poor grades. It was perfectly reasonable, and I couldn't argue with her. She had truly put in a lot of effort for something she loved.

"Then join me."

After taking over the almost forgotten music club, she was full of ambition and hoped that I could join. She also told me her inner ambition without any hesitation.

"After making a splash on the campus stage, it's time to step onto a bigger stage."

I don't know what made me feel this way, but not only others, but also I, who felt ordinary, joined the music club at her invitation, even though I wasn't sure if it could continue.

"Use your talents to assist me."

"I'll do my best."

If you think about it carefully, this scene happened about half a month ago.

"...What should I do next..."

We plan to find members who are good at drums, guitar, bass, keyboard, and singing in two or three days, but the current number of people in the music club is...

"It's just the two of us after all..."

Thinking of this, I couldn't help but smile bitterly.

Even if the ideal is beautiful, there are still practical factors to consider... How could we possibly find so many people, especially those who happened to be able to form a band? Even if we started practicing from scratch, the money needed to buy all those instruments would be a lot, and I don't think there would be anyone besides me to accompany her and do whatever she wants.

"...Anyway, just do your own thing."

After all, I was commissioned as the lyricist. After she improvised a song she liked, I naturally had to write lyrics to her specifications... and then I would constantly listen to the recordings for inspiration. Listening to the same song over and over again was a bit tedious, but seeing the lyrics gradually being completed was truly wonderful.

"...It would be great if it could be established soon."

There is not much time left for us.

Thinking of this, I opened the door of the club room.

"It's such a hassle to help the teacher carry homework... Have you started practicing yet... Hmm?"

In my impression, she should have been practicing very hard at this time, but now she was sitting back in the chair silently, with her hands on the place where her back should be leaning, looking out the window without saying a word.

"Ah...you don't look very energetic..."

It was rare to see her behave like this. The last time she lay listlessly on her desk, motionless, was when her teacher scolded her for her poor test scores.

"...Yeah." She didn't turn around, still looking out the window, "Why...why are there so many people in other clubs...what's so good about sports?"

"After all...it's helpful for further studies." I heard that you can be admitted to some high schools based on your sports scores, and then be admitted to universities through special sports recruitment.

The prerequisite is that you have to be in excellent physical condition.

"This is discrimination, discrimination. Why shouldn't someone who's good at playing a musical instrument be treated so well? I do have special skills! Can I protest? Protesting something like this is effective, right?"

"I don't think it will work..." This guy was still thinking of some unreliable ideas. "Besides, it's hard to standardize on musical instruments. There are so many instruments, but there are only a few sports."

"Tsk, just because you're afraid of trouble? How incompetent."

"That's not the case. The school has its own reasons." However, I don't deny that I'm afraid of trouble.

"Ah... What should I do..."

"Well...be more positive."

"...Really? I've lost all motivation in ages." She turned her head towards me, her face devoid of her usual energy. "After all, it's so boring practicing alone..."

"There's nothing we can do about it. Well... there's always a way." Although he said that, it seemed like there was little hope now.

"Solution...Solution...Solution..."

She repeated what I said like a tape recorder. This means that she is now really thinking... After thinking about it for a while, I almost understood her habit.

"Oh..." Seeing her like this, I also felt that I should do something, but when I thought about it carefully, it seemed that there was nothing I could do.

Anyway, let’s work hard on the lyrics.

I took out a notebook from my bag, then took out my phone, plugged in headphones, and continued to think about the next lyrics.

"...Are you listening?"

My headphones were suddenly pulled away, and then I realized that she had appeared in front of me without me noticing, "Don't just listen to the music."

"...Aren't you still writing lyrics for your song?"

"Is that so... Well, this kind of thing isn't important anymore."

I then noticed that her face had regained its usual vitality. Well, that's good news for me too.

"...what you up to?"

But on second thought, she must have had some unrealistic ideas again.

"Well, stand up for a moment." Without saying anything, she pulled me up and let me stand in an open space on the side.

"What should I do..."

"Now, take it."

Before I could figure out what was going on, she handed me something. If I wasn't mistaken, it was the electric guitar she always used... with a flame pattern on it.

"Uh huh?! Isn't this yours?"

I reacted but didn't take it.

"Of course it's mine."

She confirmed calmly.

"Then...then why..." I was a little panicked. I had no idea what she was going to do, so I naturally thought of the worst.

"Are you asking me to take pictures with this and recruit members?" This is simply the act of the devil.

"Oh... there is this method. I haven't thought of it before." An expression of sudden enlightenment appeared on her face.

Haven't you thought about it before?

"I'm going to find a camera and women's clothing tomorrow..." "Forget about the camera, but what the hell is women's clothing?" Isn't that weird?

"No... because you're so cute, Xiaozhi. If you put on some makeup, you'll definitely be as charming as me."

He actually started looking at me like this...

"So why are you wearing girls' clothes..." That's all I can't understand.

"Um...personal interests?"

"That's enough!"

.................

Anyway, she forgot what I just mentioned... I guess it was her fault. Ever since she accidentally lifted my bangs, I have tried to cut my hair short.

After that, I found myself attracting more attention...and they seemed a little surprised by my transformation.

"I didn't expect you to be... quite cute."

This is the most common sentence... But when a male classmate says this, it always feels a bit...

"Anyway, just hold it like I normally would."

While I was a little dazed, she still didn't give up the idea of ​​handing me the guitar.

"All right..."

This must be very important to her, so I took the guitar carefully.

"Hmm..." It wasn't as heavy as I'd imagined, but it wasn't light either. But the feeling of holding it was... quite subtle. Looking at the strings of varying thicknesses, even though I knew nothing about them, I couldn't help but want to pluck them and hear what kind of sound they would produce.

"Squeak!—Squeak!"

The sound of the powered speaker and guitar connected could be heard again.

"Hey, what's going on..."

"Oh, sorry~ You seemed really interested in my guitar, so I didn't want to bother you." He stuck out his tongue a little and said, "Please forgive me this time."

“…Really…”

Well, I can complain, but I don't hate her or anything because of this.

"Well, try playing it." She smiled and pointed at the guitar in my arms, "Now I allow you to use it as you like."

"Oh? Is that really possible?"

"Yes, sure." She nodded.

"Then...I'm welcome then."

I was still feeling a bit excited... My fingers, trembling slightly, gently plucked the strings. The vibrations produced a sound that was amplified by the speakers and reached my ears.

"Is this the sound..." played by my hands?

"I always feel..." It's pretty good.

Then, I relaxed my inner restraint a little and followed her usual method, imitating her and strumming the strings with my right hand.

. . . . . . . .

"Ahahahaha!"

"Um, stop laughing..."

"Okay... okay, hahahaha!"

"What's so funny?"