Opportunity / 機会

Ever since that appointment, things went by relatively smoothly, without any noteworthy events along the way. Well, except for one especially important bit regarding my relationship with Natsuko. If our heart-to-heart talk on her first night at my place helped us connect, share our past wounds, and strive for future mutual help, that emotional afternoon only further strengthened our bond. I daresay I now held a higher level of intimacy with her than with my best friend Naoto. Similar to the one you have with an older sister. Featuring less sibling bickering, as that aspect was far more suitable for the relationship I shared with Kimura.

Before we noticed it, midterms were right around the corner. The final days of May were our last chances to study, as the examinations were to be held on the very last days of the month. Naoto, keen on taking advantage of them, already had a plan in mind.

“Hey, you four, want to study together at the library?”

“Sure. Have you reserved a table for us?”, I questioned.

“Of course, I wouldn’t be asking you this if I hadn’t.”

Kimura suddenly intervened, as if she had only become aware of the situation after his confirmation.

“Okay, let’s go then!”

Now sitting at the table, the five of us opened our notebooks. On one side, you had Kimura and Yokoyama. On the opposing side, you had Naoto, Natsuko, and I staring at both of them, suspicious that those two were up to no good.

For proper context, on the day following their studying session at Yokoyama’s place, I inquired Yokoyama about what exactly happened, as my gut told me the odds of it being actual studying were low. This assumption clearly had nothing to do with my previous experience with Kimura. Absolutely nothing.

What I found out from her answer was precisely what I feared—they joked around more than they studied. She didn’t even try to hide it, not minimally ashamed of it, further cementing my belief that stupidity is contagious. This information was passed on to my two friends sitting on my left and on my right.

Our suspicions were sadly confirmed, as they started chatting about their day-to-day adventures instead of attempting to assimilate as much knowledge as they should.

Naoto was not very pleased with the outcome, as he had bothered to pre-emptively reserve a table for studying purposes, not small talk. This isn't to say we couldn’t occasionally talk to each other about matters besides how to calculate the mass of a compound in a reaction or what characters we struggled with.

“Kimura, we’re studying science, not the science of your adventures. Besides, we’re supposed to keep our tone down inside here.”

Unamused for being called out, she retorted with a boring “Yes”. 

“This applies to you too, Yokoyama. I personally don’t intend on being kicked out from here.”

“I know.”

“If you need any help, you can ask away, but try to keep your conversation to a minimum.”

After this, we remained quiet for a long bit, until a student sitting by another table got up and asked for some help from, surprise, surprise, Naoto. That was our class representative, Daijirou Kohei.

“Hey Ueno, can you help me solve this?”, he pointed to his notebook, where a mathematical equation was written.

“Sure.”

While one explained to the other what each letter meant and the meaning of the overall expression, Natsuko and I were hooked to our own notebooks.

“Thanks a bunch, Ueno.”

“No, it’s nothing, class rep. Say, I heard you’re thinking of performing next month at the Summer music festival.”

“Huh, how’d you know?”

I too would like to know.

“Sorry, but I overheard you talking to one of your fellow third-years about it.”

Me and Natsuko disconnected from our studies after hearing that.

“It's okay. I did have that in mind, but I need more people to join, as it’s not a solo performance by any means.”

“Luckily for you, there’s a fellow musician right next to me, glued to his studies this very moment.”

“Who gave you permission to talk about that, Naoto?”, I annoyedly, troubled by my best friend’s lack of self-containment.

“He needed help. I merely indicated to him the best course of action.”

“Oh, Ishida is a musician? Seriously?”, Kimura excitedly commented, turning to address me, "Why'd you never told me?”

Naoto reinforced the need to talk in a low volume, “Kimura, lower please. The class rep’s also here, so that’s another reason for you to moderate your tone.”

A slow monotonous acknowledgment followed suit.

“I’m sorry.”

“Anyway, Ishida here plays an instrument like you.”

“Thank you very much for holding onto secrets so well. And yes, what he’s saying is true. I do play the violin, not that much though. So don’t count on me to participate in a music festival.”

“Alright. If you change your mind, you can always reach out to me. But please don’t take too long to do so, as I need to know who I can count on.”

“Okay.”

While all this talk happened, Natsuko was quietly observing the conversation. Kohei finally realized he had derailed from the matter that initially brought him near our table.

“Oh, sorry. I came here to clear my doubt and now I’m persuading a fellow classmate to join me in my silly plans. Thank you, Ueno, see you around!”

“No, it’s fine. It’s just that… violin isn’t…”

Lacking the right words, I failed to complete my sentence. However, Naoto and Natsuko could clearly see where it was leading.

Days passed and our knowledge was put to the test from varied perspectives. From Math to Science, Japanese to Social Studies, every student in this school suffered the same fate.

Our grades, on a scale of 1 to 100 were the following:

Akira Natsuko:

English – 90; Japanese – 80; Math – 87; Science – 91; Social Studies – 83.

Daijirou Kohei:

English – 91; Japanese – 88; Math – 90; Science – 87; Social Studies – 90.

Hatsui Yokoyama:

English – 100; Japanese – 74; Math – 76; Science – 79; Social Studies – 73.

Naoto Ueno:

English – 98; Japanese – 100; Math – 100; Science – 100; Social Studies – 97.

Sakurai Kimura:

English – 78; Japanese – 80; Math – 77; Science – 73; Social Studies – 80.

Yuki Ishida:

English – 96; Japanese – 75; Math – 85; Science – 89; Social Studies – 78.

With the midterms over, June had at last arrived, bringing hotter temperatures to our everyday lives. The weekend that followed our midterms had flown by and we found ourselves back in the same place.

After our daily dose of classes ended, Natsuko took the lead and rushed ahead, intending to catch up with our class rep, who was the first to leave the classroom.

“Kohei, wait!”

I was surprised to see her rush out of the room, through the corridors.

After making contact with him in the corridor, he noticed her by his side, bearing the face of someone with a lingering question in their mind.

“Natsuko, you shouldn’t run in the hallway. Is there anything you want to ask me?”

“I’m really sorry. Umm a few days ago, I heard you and Ueno discussing something related to a music festival in which you had intentions of participating. Do you still need people to help you?”

“Oh, does that mean Ishida changed his mind?”

In that instant, she thought to herself, “Is Ishida the only musician in this school?”, frustrated with Kohei’s lack of consideration for her.

“Not really, but, like him, I also play the violin.”

“That's great! Do you want to join in on the effort then? I need at least two more violinists, so that’d truly help me here.”

“Yes, but I intend to convince him to join as well. Only then will I help you.”

“Are you two a couple or something?”

“H-Huh? Of course not! Anyway, those are my conditions.”

“Well, don’t count on me to persuade him. Good luck! I’m hoping you two can join us.”

“I’ll see what I can do and we’ll talk more tomorrow. Bye!”

Noticing her leaving abruptly and unexpectedly, he made sure to deliver the last bit of information.

“Hey, the festival is on June twenty-first!!!”

“Ok!”

Her answer could be heard all across the hallway, echoing as she rushed back to the classroom, looking for me. A few minutes of searching later, she found me near the entrance hall, waiting for a particular female student who had vanished in the blink of an eye.

“There you are,” she spoke, huffing and puffing, “I searched every corner of this building looking for you! Why didn’t you stay in the same place?”

“Says the one who went out of the classroom sprinting in search of who knows what.”

We began walking.

“I was simply shocked to see our class rep leave so early on, given I had a few questions for him.”

“And what would that be? What was so important that obliged you to chase him down the hallway?”

“It’s about the music festival he told Ueno about a week ago.”

“If that was it, couldn’t you have just messaged him on your phone instead?”

“Now that you say it… it sounds more practical. Anyhow, I promised to partake in that festival, and you’re coming as well.”

“Whaaaat??? No way that’s happening. You can go alone, Miss Bach.”

“I already knew you’d say that, and that’s why I have a strategy in mind!”

Noticing her convinced pose, I remarked to myself, “Ok. Pump it out. Now I want to hear your unrefusable proposal”.

“You said you don’t want to play the violin because you don’t feel comfortable with the way you are.”

“Yes. So what’s your genius proposal? Spit it out.”

“You’ll cross-dress as a girl at the festival,” she replied with the most ordinary tone.

“Huuuhhh??? Are you out of your mind?”

“What's wrong? I thought you’d be delighted with this.”

“Natsuko, ever heard of atmosphere?”

“I’m sorry. I know fighting against it is a hard thing to do. Still, you can’t give up because of that! Screw everyone else’s opinions, all that matters is how you feel!”

“If only things were that easy…”

“I don’t care how you look. Neither do any of your friends, I’m sure.”

“I know that much! But it’s… so hard…”

“Don't give up! I'll lend you a hand!”

“You don't get it!”

I realized I raised my voice too much that moment.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have… shouted like that.”

“It’s fine. Well, if you have a change of heart, let me know. We live in the same house after all.”

The bus arrived that very moment, but, contrary to usual, the two of us didn’t carry our normal joyful demeanors. Instead, we were both downcast—one disappointed in the other and the other wishing they had more courage. That’s how it was until we both entered our own bedrooms.

We spent the rest of the time left until dinner avoiding contact with each other, closed within our rooms, lying on our beds. Even during the meal, we avoided any unnecessary talking with anyone.

After we returned upstairs, our parents, having noticed how unusually quiet we were, did exactly what normal parents do in these situations.

“Ryūga, do you know why they’re both like that?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Just typical behavior between two siblings. They probably had a fight or something important they disagreed on. I’m sure it’ll go away soon. We just need to let them both cool down.”

“Well, they’re not really siblings,” she laughed, “but they may as well be. Just like brother and sister. No, two sisters.”

As the evening gave up its place to the lasting night ahead of us, Natsuko started to hear a violin play. The sound came directly from the room next to hers. That soothing melody was enough to prompt her to get up and see what was happening. Except she knew exactly what was going on. And that put a smile on her otherwise disappointed face.

She went out of her bedroom and slowly opened the door to mine.

Downstairs, my father, who was sitting next to my mother on the couch, commented how I was playing violin again after months of not touching the instrument.

As she got closer to me, the sound kept increasing in intensity. There, she spotted the source of that unrelenting sound. Someone raising and lowering their bow, producing a simplified version of Vivaldi’s Spring Allegro.

“For someone who refused to play the violin, you seem to be hitting just the right notes.”

I continued my practice, acknowledging her presence.

“So it seems.”

“What about the music festival?”

“I gave it some thought, and… well, since you seemed so certain that a plan as sketchy as that would work, I will go along with it. I’m placing my trust in you, so it better be good.”

“Of course it is!”

I stopped my practice and put the violin and the bow down, atop my bed.

“Also, I have one condition.”

“Alright, what is it?”

“I want my parents and my friends to watch it.”

“Deal.”

She suddenly grabbed my hand and began sprinting downstairs, pushing me along.

“Come on, let’s tell them! I’m sure they’ll be delighted to know you’re going to participate in a music festival!”

“Heeeyyy, wait!”

Those glowing eyes. I had seen them countless times before, but I never stopped to think how much they had changed since I first caught a glimpse of them. Once disheartened, without hope, they now brimmed with hope and excitement. Why did it take me this long to notice them, Natsuko? To notice I had succeeded. That you were now the one trying to color my world.

When we arrived on the first floor, my mother was standing there, wanting to know what the fuss was all about.

“Natsuko, what’s the matter?”

Wanting me to be the one to talk, she leaned toward me and pushed her shoulder against mine. I readily verbalized the words that came to my mind like a soldier answering their superior.

“Ummm, I am going to participate in a music festival on June twenty-first!”

“Oh, really? That’s amazing! I thought you’d never do it again!”

As my mother spoke those words of surprise and excitement, Natsuko leered at me, whispering, “You didn’t tell them everything”.

“Ah! And I will be cross-dressing as a girl,” my excited tone derailed to a quieter one as I realized how embarrassing that was, “if that’s okay by you.”

Silence filled the living room momentarily. My father broke the quietness.

“That’s great!”

“Yeah! I’m proud of you!”

Seeing all the attention focused on me, the girl next to me attempted to steer the focus to herself.

“I am also participating!”

“Wow, really? I didn’t know we had two violinists at home! That’s wonderful! Where is it? We want to go, right honey?”

“Yes!”

“It’s in—”

I started answering my mother’s query, but Natsuko, unwilling to let the focus shift to me, interrupted me.

“The Symphony Hall.”

“Okay, we’ll buy the tickets as soon as we get the chance to!”

“Mhm!”

Natsuko nodded energetically, satisfied with how smoothly her plan was going so far.