Sound! Euphonium (light novel) by Ayano Takeda

Author:Ayano Takeda
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Yen On
Published: 2017-06-20T04:00:00+00:00

“Saitou’s really quitting?” asked Shuuichi as he leaned back in the train bench.

The band had been dismissed shortly after Kumiko, Asuka, and Ogasawara had returned to the room. Kumiko had been standing on the train platform, alone with her uneasy thoughts, and it was Shuuichi who’d called out to her and suggested they go home together. Now that she thought of it, she was pretty sure that this was the first time she’d ridden the train with him. Kumiko shrugged as she traced her finger over the seat’s green upholstery.

“I think so. Aoi’s pretty serious.”

“So not even the combo of Tanaka and President Ogasawara could convince her?”

The train clattered over its tracks. The scenery outside moved from right to left through its frame. Shuuichi put his bag on his lap and yawned.

Kumiko looked quietly down. “Asuka…wasn’t trying to convince her in the first place.”

“But she left after you and the president went to get Saitou. I was sure Tanaka’d gone to stop her, too.”

“No, Asuka, she…”

That was as far as Kumiko got before she cut herself off with a quick intake of breath. What had Asuka wanted to say back there? Kumiko pressed her hands against her forehead. All that came to mind were Asuka’s eyes in that moment. Those two bright eyes were superficially kind, but in their depths was something else—something unreadable but distinctly cold. Even now, Kumiko found them somehow terrifying.

“Asuka, she…what?” asked Shuuichi, head tilted curiously.

“Nothing,” said Kumiko, shaking her head.

The two fell into silence. The train rattled, swaying as it rolled through a curve in the tracks.

“Man, I…” started Shuuichi. Kumiko looked up and over at him. She glimpsed the nape of his neck where it emerged from his uniform jacket’s collar. Its line was—faintly, but distinctly—more robustly masculine than it had been in middle school. “I’m really…not a fan of hers.”

“‘Her’? Who do you mean?”

“Tanaka,” said Shuuichi, scowling.

Kumiko was shocked into momentary silence. “D-don’t ever say that in the band! They’ll tear you apart if you say anything bad about Asuka!”

“You think I don’t know how popular she is?”

“Okay, so why are you telling me this all of a sudden? And wait, didn’t you really respect her at first?”

“Yeah, but…like…she’s too perfect.”

“Huh?” Kumiko blurted at the unexpected statement.

“It’s like, you need faults, or…maybe you don’t understand.”

“I do not,” said Kumiko immediately.

Shuuichi scratched his head, seemingly at a loss. “Well, try a little harder, then.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, though.”

Shuuichi furrowed his brow. “I mean, I just hate that whole ‘I’m totally perfect!’ thing she does. Don’t you think people in the band buy into that a little too much?”

“Oh, so you’re just jealous.”

“Oh, excuse me for being jealous, then!” snapped Shuuichi, turning away.

Kumiko smirked and smacked his shoulder. “I do kind of get it, though.”

“Huh?” Shuuichi’s eyes widened at the unexpected response.

“What?”

“No, I just figured you were a true believer in Tanaka.”

“I mean, I definitely respect her. She’s really impressive as a senior band member. But…” Kumiko paused. She chose her words carefully, not wanting to say anything accidentally inflammatory.

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