Tokiya Ichinose - Resonating in the Heart

To think that I would lose to Otoya….
I wasn't being careless….
I sang perfectly, and I certainly never would have imagined that I would lose to the guy.
That is why I am so frustrated.
Just what part of me makes me inferior to him...?
Take today for instance: the moment we finished the recording test, he went...
"Alrighty! Test’s over, time to go eat some delicious food together!"
And he's the type of guy to then really head directly to the dining hall with friends from class.
Wouldn't you normally listen to the teachers' evaluation after the test and then go to an empty classroom to practice what you missed instead?
It's what both I and my partner Nanami do, albeit her to a lesser degree.
Even so, for him to be so happy-go-lucky after finishing just one single test…
And on top of that, he still hadn't returned to the dorm until around nine PM...
"I'm back~! Haaa, that was great! The large public bath is fantastic. You should go there too, Tokiya. It ought to be empty at this hour."
"No, thank you."
Ah, so that's what happened.
That meant that while I was starting to think he wouldn't be returning, he was at the dorm's public bathhouse, soaking in hot waters without a care in the world.
"Ah! That's right! There's a task that's due tomorrow, but there's something I don't quite get. Do you mind explaining it to me, Tokiya?"
"No way! I have to get up early tomorrow, so I'm calling it a day..."
I stood up from my desk and headed towards my bed.
I didn't want to see Otoya's face at the moment. Even hearing his voice was annoying.
There are other things I have to focus on now.
That's what I had originally thought. But being in the same room with Otoya, I couldn't help but notice his behavior, and it bugged me to no end.
"...you know. Then, Natsuki..."
A few days after the recording test, Otoya kept pestering me regardless of how much I tried to ignore him.
"Can't you be a bit quieter? I have homework to do."
"Eh... aah, sorry..."
Come to think of it, I feel like he said the same thing last night.
He would immediately apologize, but the next day would just start going on and on again.
And just when you'd think he would be quiet, he would start roaring with laughter as he read some manga, or he'd play some games and tell me the results after.
"Aah, look, look at this! If you manage a 700-combo, you unlock this awesome effect! Waah, this is the first time I've seen this~ How awesome."
"Hmpf. Unbelievable."
I turned my back on Otoya.
"Hm? ... How mean. Let's play together, Tokiya. It's fun!"
He kept rambling on loudly behind my back.
"No thank you."
I flatly declined without turning around.
"Say, Tokiya, aren't you being kinda rude lately? You don't pay any attention to me at all and you don't even reply when I talk to you either."
There's no use talking to me in that sulky tone.
"I'm busy. Just how many times do I need to tell you?"
I turned a page of the book I was reading and continued to follow along the letters.
"But we're sharing a room now, y'know. Let's talk a bit more!"
"I don't have anything to talk to you about. It's a waste of time!"
"Tsk. What a bore."
I wondered if it was because I continued to give him the cold shoulder, or it was the effect of just not looking at him, but Otoya finally gave up and distanced himself from me.
Whew, now I can read my book in peace.
Then, the moment I was about to continue reading, I heard the sound of a guitar behind me.
"What...?"
A liberated singing voice caught hold of my heart and warmed my chest.
That voice was clear and genuine, free of any embellishments.
But what caught me most of all was the feeling that he enjoyed singing so much he couldn't help himself.
Though his singing technique is not quite there yet, he holds a captivating mysterious tone and one that does not let people go.
Before I could think about what I was doing, I had turned around and was watching Otoya sing.
“You fiiinally turned this way. Do you want to sing along?”
He smiled widely, and invited me over with a carefree smile.
"...I don't want to sing."
"Why? You turned around so you should at least have some interest, right?"
Just like Otoya said, I was drawn in by his singing.
However, this and that are two different matters.
"Interest? No, I was just annoyed by the noise you're making. If you'd like for us to sing together, please hold the neck of the guitar a bit higher. The way you're holding it now is far from professional."
"Ah, is that so…. Y'know, I taught myself how to play the guitar, so I might not be playing correctly. Gotta be careful."
"Tomorrow..."
I quietly murmured before I realized I had done so.
"Eh?"
"It seems that there is a guitar training session held for those in the composer course. They might have priority, but if the class isn't full, you might still be able to participate. Why don't you go have a look? I'm sure there's a flyer with all the details hung up in the staffroom."
I myself didn't quite understand why I said something like that. Was it just because I disliked listening to that poor guitar playing? Or was it because I felt like wanting to sing together with him…?
"Thank you! You're a nice guy after all, Tokiya. I'll get much better at playing the guitar, so let's sing together then!"
"Well, I wonder about that. That depends on you, doesn't it?"
I won't sing, you know.
Though that's what I wanted to say...
I'm still too soft, aren't I?