Volume 1, Chapter 5: A Brand New Name

Room B-12 felt smaller with just the twelve chosen first-years left, the air buzzing with a mix of excitement and nervous energy. The unselected students had shuffled out, some hugging their Top 12 friends with smiles, others leaving with slumped shoulders and bitter murmurs. Hiroki leaned against a stack of amps, his heart still racing from making the top three. Aoi sat cross-legged beside him, her eyepatch slightly crooked as she fiddled with her pencil.

“Don’t you dare bring that shit up!” Hiroki warned, giving Aoi a karate chop on the head. “I was thirteen, okay? I’m now done with that cringy stuff!”

Aoi pouted, rubbing her head. “The Priestess never forgets the Dark Lord’s reign. You can’t escape your past.” Her tone softened. “But… it was bold. Like your audition.”

Hiroki’s cheeks warmed, but before he could reply, a slightly tall boy with light tanned skin bounced over, his grin wide and infectious. It was Junichi Enoshima, the saxophone wildcard who had excelled in the auditions. His shy demeanor was gone, replaced by a vibrant energy that seemed to light up the room.

“Hey, guys! Top three, huh? We’re basically the cool kids now!” Junichi called Hiroki and Aoi, his enthusiasm almost blinding.

Hiroki blinked, caught off guard. “Oh, you’re Junichi Enoshima, right? That sax performance was something else! Thought you’d joined the orchestra club instead.”

“Nah, LMC's better. You’re Hiroki Yamada, right? Playing guitar and singing like that? Dude, you’re a beast!” Junichi extended a hand, and Hiroki shook it, both grinning as they traded compliments for making the Top 12—better yet, the top three.

Aoi, however, crossed her arms, her tone sharp and disdainful, her eyes narrowing. “What is this cretin doing in our sanctuary of frequency?”

Hiroki swiftly gave her another light karate chop on the forehead. “Aoi! Mind your words!”

Junichi laughed, his expression unfazed and easygoing. “Nah, it’s cool. We’re good, right?” He winked, his laid-back vibe disarming her chuunibyou glare.

Aoi huffed but couldn’t contain a subtle grin. Before they could continue, Mika’s voice cut through the room, sharp and commanding like that of a seasoned club president. “Alright, kids, this is the club president speaking! Pay attention before we wrap it up!”

The twelve students fell silent, their eyes fixed on Mika, Sora, and Ren standing by the whiteboard. Mika’s usual cheer was tempered with a firm edge. “First, club meetings are every Friday after school. We got lucky with the slot near the weekend, so don’t waste it.”

Sora stepped forward, his tone assertive. “Be on time. We want dedication. No slacking!” The room then nodded in unison.

Mika gestured with her hand. “Second, you’re welcome to bring your own instruments. We’ve got some here, but personal gear would be better. Make it yours.”

“Third,” she continued, her eyes sparkling, “you’ve got five minutes to form bands. Pick your members and come up with a name. Go wild as you want, but make it easy to understand.”

Sora grinned. “Circle around and get to know each other. Find your sweet spot.”

“And fourth,” Mika added, “each band needs to write one original song for the Sakuragawa Halloween Festival tomorrow in late October. Push your creativity and step out of your comfort zone. Show us what you’ve got.”

Sora raised a hand. “I work part-time at a music studio as a sound engineer. If your band’s serious, I can record your song. Talk to me if you’re interested.”

Mika clapped her hands. “One last thing: you’ve got until tomorrow’s meeting to brainstorm your song. Focus on forming your band today. You’re new to this school, so take it one step at a time. Now, let’s move! It starts now!”

The room erupted into motion, the twelve students scrambling to form circles. Voices overlapped as they pitched their skills and passions, hoping to find bandmates with the same fire.

***

The twelve chosen first-years’ voices overlapped in circles to find bandmates with shared passions. The air crackled with excitement, each group buzzing with ideas for the Sakuragawa Halloween Festival in the autumn of October. Hiroki Yamada, Aoi Mizuno, and Junichi Enoshima sat in a tight huddle near the couch, their top-three status forging an instant bond, though their conversation started awkwardly.

On one side of the room, Hasumi Sakakibara (keyboard), Takane Yuzuriha (vocals), Mei Hashimoto (guitar), Yuna Aoki (keyboard), and Sara Fujimoto (vocals) formed a circle, their laughter light and easy. Their chatter about J-Pop and easygoing melodies suggested a laid-back, girls-only band, maybe aiming for a chill and nostalgic tone.

Across the room, Gojou Komaki (drums), Riku Tanaka (guitar), Daichi Sato (guitar), and Kenta Mori (bass) radiated intensity. Their circle felt like a war room, their voices low and focused as if plotting a musical Manhattan Project. Hiroki caught snippets of their conversation about “heavy riffs” and “epic breakdowns,” suggesting a hard-hitting metal sound that matched their intense demeanor.

Hiroki, Aoi, and Junichi, however, were still finding their rhythm. They leaned close, faces inches apart as Junichi’s eyes lit up. "You know, I’m all about blues and jazzy stuff, but I dig some heavier vibes too. Classic Western rock and metal like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and so on!"

Hiroki grinned, his enthusiasm spilling over. “Hell yeah! I’m obsessed with experimental hard rock—Muse, Deftones, Radiohead, and so on. Their tones are just… chef’s kiss.”

Aoi nodded, her eyepatch glinting. “The Priestess seeks raw power, which shall shake the very souls.”

Junichi’s grin widened. “Oh, and get this—I play drums too!”

Hiroki and Aoi froze, their jaws dropping. “What?!” Hiroki surprised with a mix of frustration. “Why didn’t you pick drums in the first place?”

Junichi scratched his cheek with a sheepish grin. “Back in elementary, I was all about drums, though. My dad’s a blues nut; he put me to the drum tutor. But Dad sold my kit in middle school. Didn’t want to piss off the neighbors.” He pulled out his phone, showing a video. “Anyway, check this out.”

The clip showed a younger Junichi at a middle school festival, hammering the drum set with a laid-back but powerful blues groove. His snare hits were crisp, and his cymbal crashes were timed perfectly, permeating a seasoned touring drummer. Hiroki’s eyes widened. This guy’s a triple threat.

“So why convert to saxophone?” Aoi’s tone was skeptical.

Junichi shrugged, explaining, “I didn’t really convert. My dad just encouraged me to try something new. Sax was fun, but drums? That’s my heart.” He grinned and pointed at Aoi. “What about you? Uh, sorry?”

“Aoi Mizuno. The Priestess,” Her chuunibyou flair made Hiroki wince slightly. “I wield the guitar and vocals, but the bass also bends to my will.”

Junichi raised an eyebrow. “Bass too? Since when?”

“Middle school,” Aoi said with a nod. “My frequency master witnessed such potential in my very soul.”

Hiroki’s mind raced. Jackpot. “Guys, this is huge! We’ve got guitar, vocals, drums, and bass—all in three people! What if we form a trio? Like Muse—only three members but sounding like a thousand!”

Junichi and Aoi exchanged glances, a brief but weighty silence hanging between them. Hiroki’s heart sank. Did I overstep?

But Junichi broke into a smile. “If that’s your vibe, I’m in, bro!”

Aoi nodded, her expression softening with a faint smile. “The Priestess shall align with this vision. I too shall anchor the abyss.”

“Sweet!” Hiroki’s adrenaline was surging. “Now we need a name.”

Before they could brainstorm, a guttural scream tore through the room. One of the Gojou’s circle was practicing a metal growl, his voice rattling the walls. One girl from Hasumi’s group yelled, “Will you just shut up?!”

The room laughed, but Hiroki, Aoi, and Junichi refocused. Aoi spoke first. “I propose… Eclipse Covenant.”

Hiroki sighed once and shook his head. “Sorry, too generic.”

“Generic?!” Aoi snapped, her chuunibyou flaring with frustration. “It’s divine! What do you suggest, Dark Lord of Tartarus?”

“Stop calling me that!” Hiroki shot back. “How about… Tartarus?”

Junichi grimaced. “Dude, that’s way too metal. Sure, I love something like Black Sabbath. But guttural screams like those guys? Sorry, not my thing.”

Hiroki and Aoi's debate slightly heated up, battling each other for proposed names. Until Junichi snapped his fingers. “Guys, chill! How about… Suede?”

Hiroki and Aoi blinked. “Suede?!” they said in unison.

“Yeah, inspired by the British band!” Junichi pulled up So Young on his phone. The 90s pop-rock vibe filled their ears—catchy, nostalgic, with a driving beat. Hiroki liked it, but it wasn’t quite right.

“It’s cool, but we’re aiming harder but not that hard. Like Muse, Deftones, or even Royal Blood!” He said.

Aoi clapped her hands. “I have it! Dark Priestess!”

Before they could respond, Sora’s voice boomed. “Thirty seconds!”

“Dammit!” Hiroki groaned, frustration mounting. “I can’t think!”

“Make up your mind, Dark Lord!” Aoi retorted, further pressurizing Hiroki.

“Fine, Suede!” Hiroki blurted, the pressure winning.

Aoi’s eye widened. “Why not, Dark Priestess?”

“Ten seconds!” Mika shouted, clapping her hands.

“Fine, if you insist!” Aoi huffed, throwing up her hands.

“Alright, here goes nothing!” Hiroki grinned with worry.

***

Room B-12 chatter faded to a hush as Mika raised her hand, her grin wide but commanding. The three newly formed bands stood ready, their members buzzing with ideas for the Sakuragawa Halloween Festival. Hiroki Yamada, Aoi Mizuno, and Junichi Enoshima exchanged glances, their trio—freshly christened Suede—still settling into their dynamic.

“Alright, we’ve wrapped up the grouping,” Mika announced. “Everyone got a band?” A unified cheer of “Yes!” erupted from the room. “Sweet! Let’s hear your names and roles, starting with Hasumi’s group.”

Hasumi Sakakibara stepped forward, her braids swaying as she spoke with a shy but clear voice. “We’re Toriteba. You know, inspired by the chicken wing—tasty and savory.” Giggles rippled through the room, especially from Gojou’s group, who exchanged smug looks. Hasumi ignored them, continuing, “I’m on keyboard, Takane’s our vocalist, Mei’s on guitar, Yuna’s on bass, and Sara’s on drums.”

Hiroki raised an eyebrow. Different roles from their auditions? Interesting. It was a clever move to balance the band with their multi-talents. Sora leaned forward, curious. “Music vibe?”

Takane, the vocalist, piped up enthusiastically. “We’re aiming for pop rock, like The Pillows and older anime songs. Catchy and bouncy!”

Sora nodded, jotting it down. “Interesting. I love The Pillows too. Next!” Mika pointed at Gojou Komaki’s group.

Gojou, his red bandana tied tight, threw up double devil horns with a preppy grin. “We’re Yakomori, dude! I'm on drums, Riku's on lead guitar and vocals, Daichi's on second guitar and vocals, and Kenta's on bass and third vocals.”

Daichi nudged Riku, smirking. “Bro’s a massive Touhou addict, by the way.”

The room chuckled, but Sora raised a hand, eyes glinting. “Hold up! A four-piece metal band? Metallica fans, eh?”

Riku, the lead guitarist, laughed and gave Sora a macho handshake. “Touché! Also inspired by Bullet for My Valentine and Avenged Sevenfold, though!”

“WE’RE GONNA RIP AND TEAR ALL OF YOU!” Riku roared, his guttural scream echoing. The room burst into laughter, though the Toriteba girls rolled their eyes, visibly annoyed by their chaotic energy.

Mika clapped to settle the room. “Cool it down, cool it down! Hiroki, your turn.”

Hiroki stepped forward, his heart pounding but his voice steady. “We’re Suede. I’m lead guitar and vocals, Aoi’s second vocals and bass, and Junichi, the sax kid? He’s killing it on drums. We’re a trio, inspired by Muse—small member, but big sounds.”

Aoi clasped her hands like a preacher, her chuunibyou flair on full display. “We shall shine the darkened soul of the abyss with our frequencies.”

Sora chuckled, scribbling on his clipboard. “Suede, going for a trio, huh? Bold. I like your audacity.”

Mika clapped, wrapping up the meeting. “Awesome! That’s all for today. Tomorrow, bring your song ideas. We’ll jam, assign practice slots, and prep for the festival. See you on Friday!”

As the students grabbed their bags, Riku from Yakomori yelled across the room, pointing at Hiroki’s group. “Suede?! What a dumb name! It’s freaking leather for clothes! You wanna get burned?!”

Hiroki bristled, but Sora stepped in, his seniority cutting through the tension. “Hey, kids! Be humble, alright? Save the rivalry for the stage!”

The twelve members and three 2nd-year senpais filed out of Room B-12, the cherry blossoms outside glowing in the dusk.

But Hiroki lagged, Kaito’s words echoing in his mind: “Feel the music, Hiro. Let it scream.” The weight of his brother’s loss lingered, but the spark of Suede’s formation kept him grounded.

Junichi slung an arm around Hiroki and Aoi, grinning. “It’s alright, bro. We’re gonna prove them wrong! Three-piece band with a huge sound. Right, Hiroki?”

Aoi’s eyes gleamed, and she fisted Hiroki’s chest with determination. “Brace up! Ignite your minds for tomorrow!”

Hiroki smiled, Kaito’s voice steadying him. “Yeah. But let’s focus on studying first.”

As they stepped into the evening air, the cherry blossoms swirling around them, Hiroki felt the strength of their new bond. Tomorrow, they’d start crafting their song—a chance to carve their legacy at the Sakuragawa School Festival. Suede was ready to roar with a brand new name.