Act 1, Chapter 5: A Brand New Name

With just the twelve chosen first-years remaining, Room B-12 felt smaller; enthusiasm and nervousness filled the air.

Hiroki leaned against the whiteboard, his heart still beating after finishing in the top three. Aoi sat cross-legged next to him, her eyepatch slightly crooked as she fiddled with her pencil like a butterfly knife.

"First of all, don’t you dare bring that shit up!" Hiroki warned Aoi with a sharp glare. "I was thirteen, okay? I’m now done with that cringy stuff!"

Aoi pouted and crossed her arms. "The Priestess shall never forget the reign of the Dark Lord. You can’t escape your past." Her tone softened. "But… it was bold. Like your audition."

Hiroki's cheeks flushed at her compliment. But suddenly a somewhat tall boy with pale tanned skin jumped over, his grin contagious. It's Junichi Enoshima, the saxophone wildcard who had excelled in the auditions. His timidity had vanished, replaced with a lively energy that lit up the room.

"Hey, guys! Top three, huh?" Junichi called Hiroki and Aoi. "We’re basically the cool kids now!" His enthusiasm is 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," Junichi laughed. "You're Hiroki Yamada, right? Playing guitar and singing like that? Dude, you're a beast!" They both smiled as they shook hands, exchanging compliments on making the Top 12—better even, the Top 3.

But Aoi crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing with disdain. "What is this cretin doing in our sanctuary of frequency?"

Hiroki lightly clapped her forehead. "Aoi! Mind your words!"

Junichi laughed, his face unfazed. "Nah, it’s cool. We’re good, right?" He winked, his laid-back vibe disarming her chuunibyou glare.

Aoi huffed but couldn't hide a grin. Then, Mika's commanding voice rang across the room like a seasoned club president. "Okay, kids, here's the club president speaking! Pay attention before we wrap things up!"

The twelve students fell silent, their eyes fixed on Mika, Sora, and Ren standing near the whiteboard. "First, club meetings are held every Friday after school. We're lucky with the schedule near the weekend, so don't waste it." Mika announced.

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."

"Third," her eyes are sparkling, "you’ve got five minutes to form bands. Pick your members and come up with a name. Go wild as you want, but keep it simple."

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

"And fourth," Mika added, "each band must write one original song for the Sakuragawa Halloween Festival. Push your creativity and beyond. Show us what you’ve got."

Sora raised a hand. "I work part-time at Studio Boogie 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 more thing: you've got until tomorrow's meeting to brainstorm your music. Focus on building your band now. You are new to this school, so take things slowly. Now let's get moving! It starts now!"

Twelve kids hurried to circle around. Voices merged as each pitched their skill and passions, hoping to strike the same chord.

***

Hiroki Yamada, Aoi Mizuno, and Junichi Enoshima huddled beside the couch, their top-three status forging an instant bond, although it started awkwardly.

On one side of the room, Hasumi Sakakibara, Takane Yuzuriha, Mei Hashimoto, Yuna Aoki, and Sara Fujimoto formed a circle, their laughing light and easy. Their chat about easygoing pop rock songs suggested a laid-back, girls-only band, possibly aiming for a nostalgic tone.

Besides, Gojou Komaki, Riku Tanaka, Daichi Sato, and Kenta Mori's circle felt like a focused war room, as if planning a musical Manhattan Project. Hiroki caught snatches of their chat about "heavy riffs" and "epic breakdowns," implying a hard-hitting metal sound for their intensity.

Hiroki, Aoi, and Junichi were still finding their rhythm. Junichi's eyes widened as they drew closer. "You know, I'm all about blues and jazz, but I dig harder music too. Western rock like Led Zeppelin, Dream Theater, and more!"

Hiroki's passion was boiling over. "Hell yeah! I'm a huge fan of experimental hard rock bands like Muse, Deftones, and even Radiohead! Their tones are just... chef's kiss."

Aoi nodded with a dramatic pose. "I, the priestess, seek such force, which shall shake the very souls."

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

Hiroki and Aoi froze, their jaws dropped. "What?!" It stunned Hiroki. "B-but... why didn't you pick it 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 fan; he even sent me to a drum coach. But he sold my kit in middle school. Didn't want to piss off the neighbors."

He brought out his phone. "Anyway, check this out."

The video showed a younger Junichi at a middle school festival, striking the drums with a laid-back yet strong blues rhythm. Each strike was sharp and perfectly timed, like a seasoned touring drummer.

Hiroki's eyes widened. This guy's a triple threat!

"So why convert to saxophone?" Aoi’s query was skeptical.

Junichi shrugged, "Didn’t 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. "And what about you? Uh, sorry?"

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

Junichi raised an eyebrow. "Bass too? Since when?"

"Middle school," Aoi nodded. "My frequency master witnessed such potential in my very soul."

Hiroki's mind lit up. Jackpot! "Guys, this is huge! We have guitar, vocals, drums, and bass in three persons! What if we formed a trio? Like Muse—only three people, but sounded like a thousand!" Junichi and Aoi exchanged eyes, and a brief but heavy quiet fell between them.

Hiroki's heart fell. D-did I overstep?

Junichi broke a smile. "If that’s your vibe, I’m in, bro!"

Aoi nodded, her expression softening with a faint smile. "Very well, the Priestess shall align with his vision. I too shall enlighten the void."

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

Before they could brainstorm, a guttural scream tore the room. One of the Gojou's circle was practicing a metal growl that reverberated against the walls. One girl in Hasumi's group yelled, "SHUT YOUR BITCH ASS UP!"

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

Hiroki shook his head. "Sorry, too generic."

"Generic?!" Aoi snapped with frustration. "It’s divine!" She groaned. "What do you suggest, Dark Lord of Tartarus?"

"Stop calling me that!" But uncertainty is creeping in. "How about… Tartarus?"

Junichi grimaced. "Dude, that’s kinda death metal. Sure, I love something like Iron Maiden or Black Sabbath. But guttural screams like those guys? Sorry, not my thing."

Hiroki and Aoi's debate slightly heated up, battling each other for the proposed band's 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 laid-back beat. Hiroki liked it, but it wasn’t fitting.

"It’s cool, but we’re aiming harder, like Muse or even Deftones." He responded.

Aoi clapped her hands and pointed at both Hiroki and Junichi. "I have it! Dark Priestess!"

Sora’s voice boomed. "Twenty seconds!"

"Dammit!" Hiroki's frustration is mounting. "I can’t think!"

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

"Fine, Suede!" The pressure won over him.

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.

***

The three freshly formed bands were ready, with each member humming ideas for the Sakuragawa Halloween Festival. Hiroki Yamada, Aoi Mizuno, and Junichi Enoshima exchanged looks with their newly formed trio, Suede. But they were still settling into its dynamic.

"Alright, we've wrapped up the grouping," Mika stated. "Everyone got a band?" A unified nod erupted in the room. "Sweet! Let's hear your names and roles, starting with Hasumi's group."

Hasumi Sakakibara moved forward, her twin braids flowing with a shy yet modest tone. "We're Toriteba. You know, inspired by the chicken wing—tasty and savory." Giggles echoed across the room, especially among Gojou's gang, who exchanged smug grins.

Hasumi continued forth, "I’m on keyboard, Takane’s on vocal, Mei’s on guitar, Yuna’s on bass, and Sara’s on drums."

Sora leaned forwards. "Music vibe?"

Takane spoke out passionately. "We're going for pop rock, like The Pillows or some 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 tightened his red bandana and threw up double devil horns with a preppy grin. "We're Yakomori, dude! I play drums, Riku's on rhythm guitar and lead vocals, Daichi's on lead guitar and second vocals, and Kenta plays bass and third vocals."

Daichi poked Riku, grinning. "Bro's a massive Touhou addict, by the way."

The room chuckled, but Sora raised a hand. "A four-piece metal band? Metallica fans, eh?"

Riku 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's guttural voice boomed. The room burst into laughter, but the Toriteba girls rolled their eyes; their wild energy annoyed them.

Mika clapped to settle the room. "Alright, cool it down! Hiroki, your turn."

Hiroki stepped forward, his pulse racing but his voice firm. "We're Suede. I'm the lead vocal and guitarist, Aoi is the second vocal and bassist, and Junichi is the sax kid? He's crushing it on the drums. We're a trio like Muse—small members, but we sound like thousands."

Aoi clenched her hands like a preacher, her chuunibyou on full show. "We shall enlighten the void with our frequencies."

Sora chuckled. "Suede, going for a trio, huh? Bold. I like your audacity."

Mika clapped to end the meeting. "Awesome! That's it for today. Bring your song ideas tomorrow. We'll jam, schedule practice times, and prepare for the festival. See you on Friday!"

As the students grabbed their bags, Riku called across the room, pointing to Hiroki's group. "Suede?! What a dumb name! It's freaking leather for clothing! You wanna get burned?!"
Hiroki reacted angrily, but Sora intervened to break through the tension. "Hey kids! Be humble, okay? Save your rivalry for the stage!"

The twelve first-years and three second-years filed out of Room B-12 as the cherry blossoms outside glowed in the dusk. But Hiroki lagged; the weight of his brother's death persisted, but the spark of Suede kept him up.

Junichi flung his arm over Hiroki, beaming. "It's okay, dude. We're gonna prove them wrong! Three-piece band with a huge sound. right, Hiroki?"

Aoi's eyes glittered, fisting Hiroki's chest with resolve. "Chin up! Ignite your minds for tomorrow."

Hiroki smiled, their voice steadying him. "Yeah. But let’s focus on the study first."

As they stepped into the evening air, Hiroki felt the strength of their new bond. A chance to mark their legacy at Sakuragawa. Suede was ready to roar with a brand new name.