Prologue
"There they are! The Small Giants!"
Hinata looked at the tv, it was on a channel for the news but was showing a high school rock band playing at a huge concert.
The guitarist's fingers were moving fast as he played and then he ran up on top of the box the drums were on, higher than the rest of the stage by a few inches, and jumped off it. He was still playing even in the air up so high. When he landed he stopped.
"We are from Karasuno High School, and we're going to show you some real music." The guitarist said with a cool look on his face.
Hinata was moved. So cool! He thought.
And after that Hinata bought his first guitar.
He kept practicing every day in junior high. He even convinced his friends to learn to play other instruments to play in a real concert. Then the day arrived when they would get to play at a concert.
"Woah! Guitars! Drums! Basses! Keyboards! They're all here!" Hinata, 3rd year guitarist, was excited and felt like crying, his dream was becoming a reality.
"Sho-chan," Yukitaka Izumi, 3rd year keyboardist, looked a bit depressed, "do you really think we'll even win?"
"All our practice wasn't for nothing! I know we'll win!" Hinata shouted.
"Uh huh, well you dragged us here so let's not end in last place." Sekimukai Kouji, 3rd year bassist, said.
Suzuki, the first year drummer was feeling most nervous.
"Thank you guys, for all helping me reach my dream."
Hinata was being so honest it surprised the two his age.
"Quit that! It's awkward!" Yelled Kouji.
"We haven't reached it yet," Izumi smiled.
"But we will beat them the first thing to do is win our first round! Yeah!" Hinata shouted, "But after I use the bathroom." Hinata held his stomach.
"Hey who are The Little Rockers?" said a boy next to the water fountain.
"Oh? They're first up against our Kitagawa Daiichi's WMW. I feel bad, a no name group going against WMW… they're going to los—"
"We're not going to lose!" Hinata shouted at the two boys. He was still clutching his stomach. "We're going to win this competition!"
The two boys started laughing. They knew their school would win now up against a band with someone like that as their member.
"Hey!" a boy with short black hair shouted at the two boys. "You're supposed to be setting up my drums."
"Oh no, it's Kageyama!" whispered one of the two boys.
"We were just getting a drink," muttered the other.
"You two don't even play, you should be tending to the players needs rather than your own." Kageyama said with a frown.
The two frowned at his behavior but did follow his orders and walked away. One of them mumbling, "That's the king of the beat for you."
"I—I could have gotten rid of them on my own!" Hinata stumbled over his words as he still held his stomach.
Kageyama stared at him, "Guys who can't take care of their bodies can't take care of getting rid of those two. What? Did you just come here to make memories?"
Hinata glared at the taller male, "I came here to win."
"You're saying that as if it's easy." He turned away.
"I know it's not but… with my guitar, I know I can win this."
Kageyama turned around to face Hinata, "This one, the next one, and the one after that. I will be the one to win. Me and my drums."
They both glared at each other for at least a minute before an announcement came on the intercom.
"Would the students of Yukigaoka junior high and students of Kitagawa Daiichi get ready? Your rock battle is about to start." A voice on the intercom said.
Kageyama turned away and walked to his bandmates.
"Hinata, there you are!" Izumi hurried over to the orange haired male. "We're going to start soon!"
"Right! Let's go!" Hinata hurried to where they were going to play, no longer needing to use the bathroom.
Hinata strummed his guitar, it had a good sound. All right! I'm ready! Hinata thought in his head as he gave a nod.
"Alright here's the order, first song is No, No, Never by The Small Giants, after that is the next song is Jump High by The Small Giants." Hinata said to his bandmates.
They all nodded, they have been practicing the songs since summer.
"First up is The Little Rockers," Said a man into the microphone. "Are you ready?"
"Yes! Ow!" he hit his forehead on the microphone. It was too tall for him. He brought it down, "We are The Little Rockers! Our first song is No, No, Never by The Small Giants."
Hinata looked back, "one, two," Hinata turned back to the front as they started playing the intro.
Kouji started to sing.
When the song ended Hinata sighed. They were off tempo at least three times, Suzuki, the drummer, accidentally kept pausing whenever he made a mistake instead of still going as if he didn't, Kouji was off key, and Hinata's hand cramped midway.
"Thank you, you may take a break until WMW finishes their first song."
"WMW, are you ready?"
They all looked at each other, it seemed like none of them were ready.
"We're ready!" Yelled Kageyama. It sounded like he was directing it at his bandmates instead of the judges.
They all frowned at Kageyama's shout. "We are WMW, our first song is an original song from our band called Timer Child." The bassist said monotone.
Kageyama instantly lifted his drum sticks up and hit them together. "One, two, one, two, three!"
Hinata stared at them. They were amazing.
This… this is an original song? Amazing… how could they come up with such amazing lyrics and music?
Hinata made a fist. He couldn't give up, he knew exactly what he had to do to win.
When WMW finished it was The Little Rockers turn again. Their final turn.
Hinata backed up to where the drums were. His back to the judges. His eyes serious, he had to win.
The drummer, Suzuki gulped and whispered to Hinata, "Why do you look like that? We've lost."
Hinata stared at him, "The battle isn't over yet. We haven't lost."
Hinata turned around, "Our next song is Jump High by The Little Giants."
"One, two… YEAH!" Hinata raced forward three steps then jumped high.
Everyone's eyes widened when they saw how high he jumped. The music played and even when Hinata's feet hit the ground the music still continued. Kouji smirked at Hinata, very impressed. He looked forward to sing… only he forgot the lyrics.
What's the first line? Kouji asked himself in his head.
Hinata noticed Kouji unable to sing and quickly lifted his head towards the mic.
"Now and then, I jump as far as I can but then I realize, I need to jump higher." He sang the lyrics. His diction was good and so was the rhythm but…
He's a terrible singer!
Everyone in the crowd realized Hinata was off pitch so badly that it was difficult to keep a straight face hearing it and to not cringe.
He continued to sing until the song ended.
"Thank you." One of the judges said when the others were silent unable to comprehend how badly he had sung. "WMW please get ready."
"We totally won this." One of the guys of WMW said as he picked up his guitar.
"No! We haven't won yet! You got to play faster! Listen to the drums and follow my lead." Kageyama snapped at the guitarist as he passed him to sit at his drums.
The guitarist glared at him but put the strap over his head and walked to the microphone.
"Our second song today is another original song, Listen!" spoke the bassist. He looked back at Kageyama, a quick glance before facing the judges again.
"One, two. One, two, three!" Kageyama hit his drum sticks at a quick tempo before banging away at the beat.
Hinata tilted his head, this song was strange. It was well sung and there seemed to be heart in it but could it be too much heart? It was something the singer was passionate about. But that was what made it strange, it was the lyrics.
"Why don't listen. Why do you always command? Such an unfit leader, keep it up and we'll be gone. Listen now!"
When they finished the judges all whispered together for less than a minute. The answer as to who had won both rounds was obvious to them.
"The winner is WMW." The judge said into the microphone. "Thank you to both bands for playing."
Izumi and Kouji looked at Hinata, both silent unable to say anything to cheer him up. "Come on let's go Sho-chan." Izumi finally said.
They picked up their instruments, except the drums which were borrowed for the competition, and headed out the door. They had to wait now until their ride was back in order to leave. It took at least four more competitions before their ride came and they had to leave.
"There's nothing we could have done, they were on a different level." Kouji said when he saw Hinata stop walking.
"Whether the opponent is better or worse, in the end it's about whether you win or lose. If you lose you no longer can have people listen to your music." Hinata explained. He remembered the king of the beat, the drummer of WMW.
Just as he recalled his face he saw the boy walk out the doors below them.
"It's you!" Hinata shouted and pointed at the black haired male. He turned back to look at Hinata as Hinata walked down the steps. "If you're king of the beat… then I'm going to beat you!"
Sho-chan, that was lame... Izumi thought.
"If you want to beat me, then you must improve." Kageyama spoke calmly. And with that move earlier, he recalled the high jump, I'm sure you'll be a terrifying rival.
They glared at each other before Kageyama hurried back inside and Hinata hurried to the car to go home along with Izumi, Suzuki, and Kouji.
That was the end of Hinata Shoyo's third year of middle school.
End of Prologue