Episode 7: We Were Listening to the Same Sound
The weekend. Saturday evening.
Can of beer bought for a coin in hand, I stood somewhere in the middle of the live house crowd.
The Hollow Echoes show. The small venue was packed, thick with heat and energy.
Somewhere in me, a small part was looking forward to maybe running into her. Just a small part. But even that fact made something in my chest itch strangely.
It’s not like anything, we just happened to find out we were going to the same show.
The intro started, and my body swayed on its own.
Yeah. This band really is good.
Shizuku’s voice live is nothing like hearing it through streaming or video. The sound vibrating the air hits your body directly.
I took a sip of beer, closed my eyes, and listened.
The alcohol had started to kick in a little, and the soft guitar riffs and bass lines settled gently into my head. It felt good.
I love moments like this.
The first song ended, applause rising.
On a whim, I glanced up—and there she was.
Hanamori.
Somewhere in the crowd, close to the stage, swaying to the music.
Nothing like her usual feminine office wear. A cap, an oversized hoodie worn loose, shorts, all casual. Light makeup.
…Huh. She’s kind of cute like this.
No, wait. What am I even thinking.
At that moment, Hanamori turned this way.
Our eyes met.
She looked briefly surprised, then broke into a grin and waved.
That smile wasn’t the calculated one from the office. It was strangely unguarded.
I waved back on reflex.
Hanamori gave a small laugh and turned her attention back to the stage.
I drank my beer and tried to refocus on the music too.
But for some reason, Hanamori kept flickering at the edge of my vision, and I couldn’t focus at all.
The second song started.
Haruto’s guitar rang out.
I could see Hanamori swaying happily.
Ah, she really does love this band.
Realizing that made me a little happy, somehow.
Third song. A clear, transparent vocal filled the venue.
Our eyes met again, briefly.
Hanamori laughed, a little embarrassed, and quickly looked away again.
…What is this feeling.
The fourth song, the fifth, the show building in energy.
I finished my beer and let myself sink into the music.
But Hanamori stayed on my mind, and my gaze kept drifting back to her.
It felt like she glanced over this way sometimes too.
Every time our eyes met, a small smile would follow.
The encore ended. The show was over.
The applause wouldn’t stop.
Still clapping, I glanced toward Hanamori and found her already looking at me.
Our eyes met again.
She gave a small smile.
Something like, that was great, wasn’t it.
I smiled back and nodded slightly.
We left the venue.
The cold outside air felt good against my flushed skin.
I figured I’d just blend into the crowd and head home.
We weren’t exactly close enough for me to strike up a conversation with Hanamori anyway.
Thinking that, I started walking toward the station, when someone tapped my shoulder.
“Asami-san.”
I turned around, and there was Hanamori.
A little out of breath. Had she run over?
“Good work out there.”
“You too.”
I raised a hand in a small wave.
Hanamori laughed a little.
“That was a good show, huh.”
“Yeah, it was.”
“Shizuku’s voice really is different live, huh.”
“Yeah. Nothing like streaming.”
“Haruto’s guitar was so cool too.”
“…Of course, Haruto.”
“What’s that reaction supposed to mean.”
Hanamori shot me a light glare, then giggled.
A short silence passed.
The crowd around us flowed steadily toward the station.
Hanamori looked down slightly, fingers touching the brim of her cap.
She seemed to be hesitating over something.
“Well, see you Monday, then.”
I said it and started to turn away, when Hanamori looked up.
“Um…”
“Hm?”
“Want to grab a quick bite to eat?”
Her voice was small, eyes lowered.
Hesitant in a way I couldn’t have imagined from the usual Hanamori.
“…Huh?”
The question caught me so off guard the sound just slipped out.
“I mean, I’m not forcing you or anything, but since we ran into each other and all…”
Hanamori laughed, a little embarrassed.
That expression was nothing like the composed one she wore at the office.
Annoyingly, my heart skipped a little.
“…Well, going straight home now feels kind of anticlimactic anyway.”
“Then let’s go.”
Hanamori’s expression softened.
Seeing that smile, something in my chest warmed, just slightly.
“There’s a few places I know around here.”
“Okay.”
Hanamori fell into step beside me.
Hanamori in a cap felt strangely novel.
The two of us walked through the night streets.
Not the slightly guarded Hanamori from the office.
Shimokitazawa on a Saturday night was packed with people.
“Oh, that place looks good, doesn’t it?”
Hanamori pointed at a small izakaya.
“Yeah, let’s try it.”
“Okay.”
Hanamori laughed, a little bashful.
An honest expression she never showed at work.
Seeing it made me happy, somehow, and I found myself smiling warmly too, without meaning to.
“Asami-san.”
“Hm?”
My voice toward her had gone soft without my noticing.
“You’re treating today, right? You’re the senior, after all.”
—Huh?
“Wait, huh. You’re the one who invited me?”
“But I’m still only in my first year. Isn’t it common sense for a senior to treat a junior?”
Hanamori declared it with a bright smile.
Where had that shy, hesitant girl from a second ago gone. Completely, utterly vanished, like a different person entirely.
“…You know, normally people don’t say that kind of thing out loud.”
“If I stayed quiet, you’d probably just split the bill, Asami-san. Come on, come on, get inside already.”
Laughing breezily, Hanamori pushed the door open and strode in without waiting.
Turning back, her grin was the same old Hanamori.
I felt a flicker of irritation at her audacity, but ended up laughing anyway.
Yeah. Hanamori is Hanamori, after all.
I followed her inside.
Mentally counting how many days were left until payday.