During times of relaxation from basketball, Riko Aida brings the Seirin basketball team to a new environment other known as a concert venue where Teppei Kiyoshi finds himself growing deeply interested in one of the crew members of the band that had...
THE CONCERT venuewas hidden in an alley near a laundromat, intimate in a way Teppei couldn't quite fathom.
The darkness of the alley enveloped the entrance, adding to the sense of melancholy yet calmness that accompanied it. However, this is where the interior moderately contrasted with the exterior.
Just before entering the awaiting chaos, a small table was set up with a rather buff-looking man leaning on it, fulfilling his duty of ensuring the right people entered the venue. His intense eyes seemed to harden as he inspected each Seirin member's ticket, letting them pass one by one. Only when Riko passed did his expression soften, and he greeted her with a small smile— Teppei could only guess that she must be a regular.
As they walked down the short tunnel, their ears began to ring, adjusting to the noise that grew louder with each step.
The venue itself was a medium-sized room painted black, with posters featuring various band names plastered on the walls. On one poster, Teppei noticed a list of all the bands performing tonight.
He wasn't exactly sure if any of the bands were famous or which one was Riko's friend in. The invigorating crowd swaying in unison to the current performance urged Teppei to pause his thoughts and join in appreciating the music.
"What exactly is the name of your friend's band, Riko?" Kagami asked, trying to not feel too overwhelmed by the sea of bodies around him.
"Oh, right!" Riko exclaimed. She dug into her jean pocket and pulled out a crumbled piece of paper, reading out loud, "Sonic Bloom."
As if by magic, the lights dimmed, and the stage shortly came to life with an announcer who occasionally cracked jokes to keep the crowd engaged. After a few minutes warming up the audience, the announcer finally called out the next band: Sonic Bloom.
The name didn't hit Teppei as hard as it did the rest of the Seirin boys, who began to playfully shove Riko, impatient to see what was coming next.
However, the scene unfolding in front of Teppei left him speechless, and the melody only boosted the feeling.
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AN UPBEAT melody gets the crowd going, hands clapping, cheers flowing— Sonic Bloom has accomplished the ultimate.
The venue has never felt as lively as it does now, but nothing confuses Teppei more than noticing a random girl beside him in tears, passionately yelling out the lyrics to the song currently being performed.
It's hard to make out every word, but the way she clutches her shirt right over her heart pulls his attention back to the stage, where his focus zeroes in on the band's vocalist.
It is then that he tries his hardest to catch the lyrics.
The vocalist, with her furrowed brows, closed eyes, and hair sticking to her forehead as sweat trickles down her face, seems lost in a high of her own— just like the rest of the band members but it's also impossible to make out their exact expressions due to the lighting.
Why the sea on the tide has no way of turning?
The beat tries to play with Teppei's mind— tempting him to stop listening so intently.
More than this.
Both the cheers of the crowd and his teammates urge him to lose himself in the sway and let his mind go blank.
You know there's nothing.
But the girl next to him continues to belt out the lyrics, her voice blending with the vocalist's until the words become more distinct, more powerful.
And all the sudden, this song— one that everyone around him seems so eager to follow— only leaves Teppei more confused by its possible message.
When Sonic Bloom's performance ends and the band ignores the crowd's pleas for an encore, retreating backstage, Seirin's Iron Heart can't muster the same excitement as his teammates. He's just thankful none of them have noticed the shift in his mood.
If any of them had and went out of their ways to ask him about it, he wouldn't have been able to find an answer for them.
Soon enough, the next band take the stage, and the crowd seems to have forgotten the impact of Sonic Bloom and the energy that had filled the venue during their set.
To Teppei, it seems ridiculous that such a brilliant group can be allowed to just walk offstage so easily.
After another performance, he decides he needs a quick break and some fresh air. His height and broad frame make it easy enough to slip through the crowd, and he makes his way to one of the quieter sitting areas in the right corner of the venue.
There, two dark purple wingback chairs are placed. Seeing one already occupied, Teppei heads for the empty one.
The girl in the other chair sits with her eyes closed and her head titled back, lost in her own world. Her outfit— black tank top, black flared jeans, and black DCs— blends seamlessly with the crowd he's just escaped. The only thing that sets her apart is her excessive jewelry, particularly a gold necklace— contrasting her silver pieces with the word Bloom on it.
"Excuse me," he says softly, trying not to disturb her too much.
Without moving, she acknowledges him with a simple, "Hm?"
"Do you mind if I sit?"
"Suit yourself," she replies, and so he does.
As Teppei settles into the chair, the girl opens her eyes and takes him in. Even when he returns her gaze, she holds his stare, unfazed.
That's when he gets a clear view of her features: tired expression, slightly messy hair ( most likely due to it being messed with often ), and most striking of all— her dark eyes that seem to grow more intense with every passing second of unbroken eye contact.
Her brows furrow slightly, just enough for Teppei to notice, before she abruptly stands up, leaving her chair without so much as a glance back at him.
He watched her retreating figure until she disappears into a room beyond the venue, the image of her intense eyes replaying in his mind.
Only a few minutes later, as he heads back to rejoin his teammates, does Teppei realizes that the girl looked strangely familiar.
