"A newcomer?"
Tsumugi Kotobuki and Mio Akiyama looked puzzled.
Luo Yu, on the other hand, suddenly understood. "It's Yui, isn't it? Has it already reached this point?"
"That's right! Didn't I just go submit Luo Yu's club application? I saw that the new student had already turned in an application to join our Light Music Club."
"Ritsu, do you know the newcomer's name?" Mio Akiyama asked with concern.
"Her name... let me think."
"I think it was Hirasawa... Yui?"
Yui Hirasawa
"I think it was Hirasawa... Yui?"
So it really was you, Yui. It looked like the original four members of the Light Music Club were about to be assembled.
Knock, knock! A knock sounded at the door.
The members of the Light Music Club exchanged looks, and each could see the excitement in the others' eyes.
Ritsu Tainaka said excitedly, "I think she's here!"
Who "she" was went without saying.
Whoosh! Like a gust of wind, Ritsu Tainaka rushed straight to the door. She grabbed the handle and turned to look at everyone.
"Then, I'm opening the door."
Everyone answered with nods.
"Everyone, let's welcome our new member with a round of applause!"
"Yui... Hirasawa!"
With a whoosh, Ritsu Tainaka pulled open the door, seemingly stirring up a light breeze.
"Eek!"
Outside the door stood a girl who had been frightened silly.
Yui Hirasawa stared blankly at the scene before her. Had someone just called her name?
Once Yui Hirasawa came to her senses, she saw a roomful of eyes fixed on her.
Then she instinctively bowed and said, "Sorry, I came to the wrong classroom." She turned and started to leave.
Suddenly, a pair of hands landed on her shoulders, holding her back so she could not leave.
"Wait, don't go! You're Yui Hirasawa, right? Aren't you here to join the Light Music Club? Why are you running away?" Ritsu Tainaka said as she held Yui Hirasawa by the shoulders and shook her.
"Uh... uh... uh..." Yui Hirasawa's mind was a complete mess.
"Ritsu! You scared her."
Mio Akiyama rushed over, separated the two of them, and apologized to Yui Hirasawa.
"Sorry, there's something wrong with her head. Anyway, come in and have a seat first."
"It's... it's okay."
Yui Hirasawa scratched her head and gave a goofy smile.
Ritsu Tainaka looked unconvinced. "Mio, how could you say that about me?"
"You should shut up first," Mio Akiyama said irritably.
Tsumugi Kotobuki served Yui Hirasawa a cup of black tea and placed a small cake in front of her.
"Hirasawa, please help yourself."
"Arigato."
Yui Hirasawa then picked up the tea and took a sip.
"Delicious."
Then she took a bite of the cake.
"Delicious."
A blissful expression appeared on Yui Hirasawa's face.
"Hirasawa, what kind of instrument are you good at?"
While feeding her, Ritsu Tainaka suddenly asked.
"What kind of bands do you like?"
"I... I... actually..."
Yui Hirasawa looked at the curious eyes around her and became hesitant.
"Actually, you can play every instrument!" Ritsu Tainaka stared at the airheaded girl in shock. Could she be another expert like Luo Yu?
Though the Light Music Club had not seriously practiced many times during this period, Luo Yu had still demonstrated his musical skills to the girls.
Yui Hirasawa was nearly in tears. She could not play a single instrument. If it counted, she could only play the castanets. Joining the Light Music Club had merely been an impulse.
Yui Hirasawa waved her hands repeatedly and said, "No, I just..."
"Just good at a few of them? Which ones? Do you play guitar?" Ritsu Tainaka leaned close to Yui Hirasawa, interrupting her.
"Uh... uh... uh..." Faced with Ritsu Tainaka's relentless pressing, Yui Hirasawa became so nervous that she could not speak.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed the back of Ritsu Tainaka's collar and lifted her back into her seat.
"Ritsu, aren't you getting a little too excited? Can't you see Hirasawa is already terrified by you?"
"How is she?"
Ritsu Tainaka answered indignantly.
Yui Hirasawa let out a breath of relief and prepared to thank Luo Yu. But when she got a good look at his face, she said in surprise.
"Huh? You're that person from the opening ceremony?"
"So it was you. I didn't expect we'd meet again. Thank you for that time."
Her words also stirred Luo Yu's memories. So he had already met Yui on the first day of school. He simply had not recognized her then.
"It was nothing." That familiar goofy smile appeared on Yui Hirasawa's face again.
"What? You two know each other?" Ritsu Tainaka could not help asking from the side.
"At the opening ceremony, I was spacing out the whole time. Hirasawa was the one who told me the ceremony had ended," Luo Yu answered Ritsu Tainaka's question.
Well, they had watched enough of the show. It was time to solve the problem.
Luo Yu turned to Yui Hirasawa and said, "Hirasawa, you don't have an instrument you're good at, do you?"
"How could that be! A name like Yui Hirasawa sounds amazing. How could you not know how to play an instrument?" Ritsu Tainaka persisted.
Just then, Yui Hirasawa suddenly stood up from her seat and bowed to everyone. "I'm sorry, everyone! I actually can't play any instrument at all."
"Huh?!"
Not only Ritsu Tainaka, but even Mio Akiyama and Tsumugi Kotobuki were stunned. She really could not play any instruments.
"Sorry for disturbing everyone." With that, Yui Hirasawa began packing her things to leave.
The girls of the Light Music Club began communicating through their eyes.
Ritsu Tainaka: How could we let a duck that has reached our mouths fly away?!
Mio Akiyama immediately understood: We have to find a way to keep her.
Tsumugi Kotobuki: We'll definitely make her turn back.
Then the girls shifted their gazes toward Luo Yu.
Luo Yu read all of that from their eyes, sighed, and said, "I don't remember the Light Music Club ever saying we only accepted members who could play instruments, right?"
Ritsu Tainaka's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly grabbed Yui Hirasawa, who was preparing to leave.
"Right, right, right! I forgot there was no such rule. So what if you can't play an instrument? It's not like you can't learn."
"Huh? So I can join the Light Music Club?" Yui Hirasawa asked blankly.
Ritsu Tainaka quickly pressed Yui Hirasawa back into her chair. "Of course. Welcome to the club, Hirasawa."
"Hirasawa, would you like some snacks?" Somehow, the young lady had produced more snacks.
"Thank you. Mmm, delicious!" Yui Hirasawa exclaimed.
"Hirasawa, is there anything else you like?" Ritsu Tainaka asked.
"I like all tasty food."
...All she thought about was eating.
"What do you usually do at home?"
"I just laze around... I guess."
"What do you like?" Tsumugi Kotobuki continued asking.
"Cute things... I guess."
"Then what do you dislike?" Mio Akiyama asked as well.
"I don't like it when it's too hot or too cold. In winter, I curl up under the kotatsu, and in summer, I lie on the floor doing nothing."
She was useless!
She really was useless.
That was the message being exchanged through the girls' gazes.
"Well! Hirasawa, would you like to hear us perform?" Ritsu Tainaka suggested.
"You'll perform for me?" Yui Hirasawa said excitedly.
She took the bait.
"Hey! Luo Yu over there, don't think about slacking off. Get over here, we're about to start performing," Ritsu Tainaka said to Luo Yu.
Luo Yu had originally planned to watch this place where the dream began from the audience, but Ritsu's words snapped him back to reality.
Right. He was already one of them now. He should perform with them onstage, not be an audience member below.
"Yes, yes, yes. I'm coming." Picking up his guitar, Luo Yu began tuning it.
In the distance, Yukino Yukinoshita put down her book. She knew everything that had happened here.
"Now then, everyone! Our performance is about to begin."
"One!"
"Two!"
"Three!"
As the instruments sounded, the performance began.
The Girls' Weekend
Clap, clap, clap. The performance ended amid Yui Hirasawa's applause.
Ritsu Tainaka asked, "What did you think?"
"How should I put it... I think it's hard to express in words." Yui Hirasawa said excitedly, "You all looked so cool. Anyway, I was really moved, and I thought it would be great if I could join you too."
"How about it? Feels pretty good, right?" Ritsu Tainaka continued trying to talk Yui Hirasawa into it.
"It doesn't matter if you can't play yet. We'll all help you! Everyone has an instrument they're good at, so you can learn whatever you want. If there's something we can't play, you can ask Luo Yu. He can play anything."
"Oh, Luo Yu, are you really that amazing?" Yui Hirasawa looked at Luo Yu with shining eyes.
Luo Yu smiled and humbly bragged, "I'm only average. I do know a little bit of everything."
Before you continue