Chapter 1: Dissonant Spring Melody

The sound of a dull thud on plexiglass reverberated through Aoi's head. Jolting upright, she began to feel the lingering throb of the impact on her scalp. This was the problem with limited express trains. They braked from such a high speed that it was hard to remain asleep. Not that there was any alternative. If not for the rapid train, it would take over an hour and a half to get to Yoshida from Uji.

The train lurched to a stop as it rolled into the next station. Shichijo; still halfway on the Keihan Main Line to campus. Aoi pressed her head against the glass divider. It was miserable being up so early. The spring sun barely rising above Mount Hiei in the distance. Aoi had done this all before, waking up early to study before school, or in the more distant past, for band practice. Yet, it felt more laboured than ever to turn up for an 8 a.m. class with other options. There had been no choice of schedule in high school; each day started at half-past eight and continued until three.

Maybe Kyouko had the right idea, refusing to consider any courses that started before lunch. Though it seemed like the height of sloth since she lived in a dorm on campus. Conversing over LINE with her was a pain. Not only had Aoi been cajoled into handing over her ID, but the blond-haired girl was also the type that used a barrage of stickers. It was barely tolerable with Kumiko sometimes, let alone a person she barely knew. They ended up having only a single class together, the compulsory introduction to modern Japanese literature.

She caught herself subconsciously releasing a sigh, quickly clamming her mouth shut again. That outcome was probably for the best. Aoi was not sure how much of Kyouko she could take with her overwhelming energy. It was only a temporary solution since her course required that they cover both classic and modern literature. While Kyouko had retreated into the past, studying the Tale of Genji, Aoi had decided to stay closer to the present this semester.

There was no longer scenery to look at as the train descended underground. Aoi's reflection stared back at her in the opposite windowpane. A reminder of the cumbersome baggage with her. Trading her rectangular school bag for a more grownup shoulder bag, it was now stuffed to the brim with novels and her laptop. It would have been manageable if not for the large black hard case she was also lugging to campus.

It had cost a small fortune to buy her own instrument. But Aoi knew that her motivation risked evaporating if she did not invest herself. Her new tenor saxophone had sat in her room mostly untouched except for some oil and polishing. The case reminded her of all the days spent dragging her instrument around the school, playing the afternoon away. As those memories resurfaced, there was a sense of unease that followed. The feeling was amorphous, not tied to any concrete moments. It was easy to link it to her decision to quit or the concert band's massive fight in her second year. Almost too easy. It had infected every other memory of time, mixing all the moments into one bittersweet gyre.

End of the line. Aoi existed Demachiyanagi Station, still submerged in her mixture of thought and emotions. As she rode up the escalator, a meek female voice made a casual apology behind her. A signal that she was obstructing their climb. Mumbling an apology in return, Aoi squeezed herself to the side, clumsily holding together both her bag and instrument case.

The girl that fluttered by was only slightly taller than her, wearing a peach, argyle patterned sweater. Her green hair ties and loose twin tales were strikingly familiar.

"Haruka?" Aoi finally put it together. The other girl was almost five steps ahead.

Frozen mid-step before she could speak, they reached the end of the escalator.

"Is that, your sax?" Haruka asked as they stumbled out of the way of the other commuters.

It was difficult to think of a response. Haruka had been reticent since the chance meeting last week. All the text they managed to trade in the days since reeked of obligatory politeness in a clumsy dance around the issue.

The silence dragged on, prompting an impulsive reply. "Yeah, I bought it once exams ended."

"Is today the first band practice?" Haruka's voice was tempered enough, but it was easy to tell it was laced with a vast undercurrent of misery.

"Yeah, in the late afternoon." A knot had formed in her gut, dragging her words down as she tried to force them out.

Haruka led the way toward the exit. "What if it clashes with tutorials or lectures?"

"I have no idea," She had not given that much thought, assuming their seniors would have worked it out.

"At least it's not late at night, right?" Haruka's smile was strikingly peculiar.

"It could happen. They're still drawing up the exact schedule."

"It changes every term?"

"I guess," Aoi mumbled, weary of talking about the band further. "How has school been?"

"Fine," She mumbled in return. "We haven't really started much."

Aoi wondered where that nostalgic warmth last week had gone.

They continued their walk south, following the Takano river bank as it merged with the Kamo at a confluence. There was a strained sensation in the air between them. They matched each other's strides, keeping almost perfectly abreast, but were also completely silent. The cherry blossoms and the slow cascade of water around the turtle steppingstones endeavoured to create a tranquil atmosphere. But the rift between them was overpowering. Maybe in some other world, this would have been a happy coincidence. A beautiful morning walk with a friend before their band practice later.

"I'm heading this way," Haruka announced abruptly as they reached the junction of Imadegawa Road. She pointed across the Kamo Ohashi bridge toward the west. Their universities were on the same road, a kilometre and river apart.

"You're going to walk all the way? The nearest bus stop is on this side."

"I feel like it. I could use the exercise anyway." Haruka had never been good at hiding her feelings. The melancholy was starting to seep through the cracks.

There was another bout of silence as she struggled to decide if she should probe further. "Take care," Aoi said, giving up on the possibility of taking immediate action.

Haruka did not reply with words, flashing a weak smile as she crossed the road toward the bridge. Aoi continued east, still a ten-minute walk from campus.

The idea of riding the train together each morning and evening floated through her mind. It was enticing yet impossible. They were never close, only speaking in passing after their connection through the band had been severed. Yet their latest meeting had only dragged more of her feelings about the band to the fore of her mind, entangling them further in an endless bind.

The day's classes were uneventful, covering ground Aoi had treaded before in cram school. Despite the amicable start to her university career, it would not last forever. The sense of unease lingered as she went about her day. The knot within her loosened but never untied itself.

She turned right after exiting the faculty of letters, the path leading out from Yoshida campus towards Higashioji avenue. Across the road was the university's indoor sports complex, which also housed the band facilities. With some time before the band's first meeting commenced, Aoi wanted to check out the massive campus bookstore located there as well.

"Aoi-chan, wait up!" A voice called from above.

Looking upwards, the red-rimmed spectacles made it obvious who it was. Asuka exuded confidence, willing to shout from a second-floor window in the middle of campus. There were a few curious glances from the other students and faculty, but not even a non-verbal rebuke was sent her way. Maybe it was her beauty that let her get away with things that Aoi never could. After only a minute or two, Asuka burst out of the building's back entrance, euphonium case cradled in her arms.

"I thought this was the law faculty?" Aoi said as she resumed her walk.

"law and economics," Asuka replied.

There was an air of smugness to her words. Though Aoi tried to rein in her prejudicial impulse. It was not hard to imagine Asuka as a law student. As insufferable as that reality seemed, she certainly had the grades and the brains for it. Unlike herself, struggling to gain acceptance into what most people saw as a less prestigious or rigorous course.

"I see you're still trying," Asuka continued casually.

Aoi returned a confused look, unsure of what she meant. It was only the second week of the semester and the first one with classes. Why would she not be putting in effort? Asuka also knew full well that she could not afford to slack off.

"You're still bothered enough to wear a dress." As Asuka's eyes traced her figure, there was a light chuckle, making Aoi self-conscious of the lilac one piece she was wearing. At least she had not gone as far as wearing makeup.

On the other hand, Asuka was dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, and a black cardigan. Completely casual, yet still somehow striking in appearance. It must be her height and obsidian hair that let her appear consistently elegant no matter what she wore out.

Asuka's eyes continued until they reached the case in her hand. "You also bought your own instrument."

Aoi glanced down, the glint of the metal lining getting into her eye. "I met Haruka at the station this morning."

"Oh?"

"Is she okay? I didn't get to talk to her much."

"You two rode all the way here in silence?" The corner of Asuka's lips were crooked. It could have meant a myriad of things, but Aoi was never sure.

"It only met her at Demachiyanagi. She's hasn't really been responding to my text."

"What makes you think I text her a lot?" Asuka's reply was almost flippant.

"Aren't you friends?"

"So are we, but I don't text you a lot."

Aoi struggled to suppress a twitch in her expression. What was surprising was not that Asuka considered her a friend; that was probably just a formality. But how could she be on the same rung as Haruka?

"I'm worried about her." Aoi words were spoken into the void. Asuka just happened to be nearby.

"You're the one who said she should learn to take more on her shoulders."

The knot in her gut tightened again, becoming a vice grip. Had she really said something like that? It seemed vaguely familiar like a statement made months ago. Asuka's memory was terrifying. "That's just as the president."

"She's always been a bit of a crybaby." Asuka was still nonchalant.

"I know… but I think it really got to her." Aoi's voice wavered, showing signs of cracking despite the attempts to remain even.

"What are we supposed to do? It's not like we can go back to high school."

"We're her friends…" Aoi trailed on as she processed Asuka's reply. Her rationalism was ruthless, and worse, irrefutable. Not once had she even looked at Aoi, entirely sure of her words.

"You've barely seen her over the last six months. You even rejected the offer to come for the band ski trip. Now suddenly you want to do something?"

"How can you be so harsh?!" Aoi snapped back.

Asuka paused, only momentarily. "Don't do anything extreme again. It's panned out badly every time."

Aoi's expression crumpled. This was not a conversation. Asuka had run this through in her mind at some point, preempting all her words.

"Don't look so down," Asuka continued, still not missing a beat in her script. "How're classes? You also finished the introduction tutorial, right?"

"Yeah…" There was little option but to continue with her since they were going to the same place. "It's been alright. The reading pace is a bit extreme though."

"Oh? Anything I've read?" Asuka was by no means a literature girl, having gone through the science track at Kitauji.

"I guess, Kokoro by Natsume Soseki?"

"Should be easy, right, since you've read it all before." Was Asuka trying to cheer her up?

"For now. We're starting on Murakami Haruki next week for contemporary literature. I've never read his works before."

"The whole book?"

"Yeah, we're doing roughly two novels a week."

"Sounds perfectly manageable," Asuka said, bounce in her words.

It could have been a vote of confidence from her, but it completely backfired. Aoi used to be proud that she entirely read through each of the books set for her literature exam. In hindsight, it was only an achievement because most other students were putting in minimal effort, only bothering with extracts or summaries. The eight complete novels she had read for her three years of high school would now only be a month's work. Her new course mates had already gone through most of the books on their reading list. Seemingly infinitely more prepared and able. The exact scores of the university entrance test were not revealed to the candidates, only being told if they were offered a place or not. Could she have only made it by the skin of her teeth?

"Woah!" Asuka dragged Aoi backward with the sling of her bag.

Her vision rapidly came back into focus, in time to see a car briskly drive by. It was hardly a dangerous speed, but it would have been a frightening experience to see a car break so suddenly.

"Now who's acting like Haruka." Asuka sighed.

Once the crossing cleared, they proceeded into the west campus complex. While the main Yoshida campus comprised mostly renovated red brick buildings from the Meiji era, the recreational complex had a distinctly 1960s brutalist style. The bare grey concrete was incredibly drab, suppressing her mood further. The duo weaved their way through the low-rise, two-story complex that surrounded the main sports hall. They passed by the main campus bookstore, covering the entire ground floor of an annexe. There was no longer a desire to immerse herself in the sea of paper. It only reminded her of the daunting task ahead.

There was some difficulty in locating the band room. Each of the units looked identical to something you would find at the back of most Japanese high schools. They eventually heard the low long tones of a tuba echoing from one of the furthest rooms. There was the chaotic sound of brass and woodwinds behind the closed door, each playing a different tune. Aoi hesitated, only to be gently brushed aside by Asuka. With a playful pout, she clamped down on the handle and energetically swung open the door.

The music stopped, and heads turned, all focus on Asuka's bold entrance. Aoi wanted to shrink back, the attention being almost unbearable. Resisting the urge, she resolved to follow slightly behind Asuka as they made their way into the band room. The low murmuring died down as the other members returned to their seats. Thankfully, Kyouko had yet to arrive, allowing her to dodge a potential embarrassing outburst from her.

This room was twice the size of the main music room at Kitauji. Yet it had a hollow feeling to it, only at half of its capacity. Aoi had expected the band to be larger given the university student body's size and the four-year length of most courses. Swiftly counting the number of people in the room, they barely broke thirty, close to the bare minimum for an ensemble. As they surveyed the place, they were approached by a familiar brown-haired senior.

"Tanaka-san, Saito-san," Chiyomi had the same warm smile. "Why don't you join the other first-years over there."

Seated near a corner of the room, the three other first years Aoi had seen last week were practising some basic tones. Their dynamic was still somewhat uneasy, all of them just looking off into space despite being seated next to each other.

"We're not going to seat in sections?" Asuka asked, causing Aoi to stop mid-step.

"We only do that when the full band is here or if we've already chosen the music set we're going to play."

Doing a quick scan, it was easy to tell that there were gaping holes in the immediate instrument composition. The other first-year from Rikka was the only trombonist in the room, but five trumpeters were present. While the number of people coming early to practice was a reassuring sign, it also begged the question of its purpose with such an incomplete ensemble.

"So, when is everyone else arriving?" Even though Asuka's tone was upbeat, Aoi could recognize the hollowness in her eyes. They both had a sinking suspicion of what Chiyomi's answer would be.

"We're just waiting for a few more people, like Kyouko-chan." Chiyomi was still unphased. "We'll probably just do some personal practice today."

"Is anyone going to direct our practice?" Asuka continued.

"You can ask one of the seniors if you're interested. But I think most of the bass section won't be here today. None of them plays the euphonium either."

"So it's all self-directed?" It was hard to discern Asuka's feelings or intent. It was possible that she was happy knowing that she could play undisturbed.

"Yup! Most of our sessions are like that, and maybe a little bit of socializing."

"What about playing as an ensemble then?" Aoi asked. She could feel herself sliding back into a familiar mental pattern as Chiyomi described the Kyodai band's usual routine.

There was a mild embarrassment to her smile as their senior quickly glanced around the room. "That's usually only on the weekend practice. But we may try something today if we have enough people."

The information they received did little to help Aoi grasp how the band functioned. There was something about Chiyomi's words that suggested it was possible to go a whole week without playing together. The duo from Kitauji nodded politely before they walked towards the other first-years.

"Hey!" Asuka's animated demeanour was undeterred by the awkwardness in the air. "I'm Tanaka Asuka. I just started in the economics faculty."

The shorter girl appeared to have no reaction, continuing to look at Asuka passively, waiting for someone else to respond. The boy was clearly unsure of what to do, his face contorting slightly and the grip on his tuba tightening. Finally, the girl from Rikka spoke up.

Her presence was commanding, almost intimidating if not for her use of stiff polite language. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm Sezaki Mirai. I study Life Sciences."

Mirai's voice was rather deep but still clearly feminine. She was the kind of girl Aoi found difficult to imagine in a dress, not just because of her current causal appearance in slightly ripped jeans. The sharpness of her features, straight black hair, and tan complexation created an air of determination or even hostility. It was easy to mistake her for an athlete. If Mirai stood up to address the room, there was no doubt she would seize their attention. Asuka could do the same, but they would be captivating for very different reasons. While the euphonist employed an energetic, even playful allure, the trombonist had a bearing that inspired confidence in her words.

Taking Mirai's statement as a cue, the boy introduced himself. "I'm Sanada Mamoru, reading philosophy."

Now that Aoi had a better look at him, his face was almost rectangular, which only added to his mildly lanky appearance. Despite his neatly cut and pulled back hair, he appeared somewhat sloppy with his thick and unruly eyebrows. His decision to wear shorts in the still brisk spring weather only added to his casual image.

The shorter girl, as Aoi suspected, was as laconic as she appeared. "Kadotani Yuki. Computer Science."

Her black glasses seemed to dull her expression even more, and her short, almost jagged hair created an impression of indifference. She, too, wore jeans and a blouse, making Aoi even more conscious as she was the only one in a dress.

"I'm Aoi Saito. I study literature." As she bowed, Aoi became self-conscious that she was the only one that had done this.

"You guys must be experienced," Mirai said, eyeing their instruments. "What schools were you from?"

"We're both from Kitauji. We heard from Anzai-san that you're from Rikka." Asuka replied.

"Oh Kitauji, the dark horse of last year. Impressive performance." Mirai still maintained a stern look, but there was no ill will in her words, having changed to less formal diction. Aoi assumed this was just her default expression.

"We weren't that great," Asuka said, waving her hand. "We only got bronze after all."

Aoi found it impossible to tell if it was polite modesty or if she was serious. Glancing over to Mirai, the look in her eyes seemed to reflect the same confused sentiment. It was a relief that the girl from Rikka was not someone imperceptible like Asuka.

"Still did better than Rikka, though, getting to nationals. But if I remember SunFest, your marching could use some work." Mirai's smile only reinforced her commanding airs. Even though she was a girl, Aoi felt that handsome was a better descriptor of her expression than beautiful.

"So what's the secret? Was it that new teacher?" Mamoru said, interrupting.

"Pretty much," Aoi responded immediately. Their band would have just muddled along, squandering all that talent if not for Taki-sensei.

There was a short sigh from the boy as he looked up to the ceiling in frustration.

"Don't mind him," Mirai continued. "He's from Ryuusei. They only got a famous advisor after he left."

"They're apparently on track for nationals." He lamented.

"Kadotani-san, where are you from?" Aoi said, not wanting her to be left out.

"Fukuoka," Yuki replied. It explained the traces of Hakata dialect Aoi was picking up.

"What's it like there?" Aoi continued to try and make conversation.

"Warm," Yuki continued to look at her directly. It was an earnest reply, but Aoi could not help but blush in embarrassment at the almost harsh treatment.

Asuka burst out laughing, dragging Mamoru into the mix, mostly at Aoi's expense. Even Mirai had a slight grin. Yuki remained mostly unphased with only subtle hints of discomfort as she made small movements in her seat.

"Everyone!" Chiyomi called from the centre of the room. "We're still deciding on our next pieces. Personal practice is going to be until five-thirty. Be back in the band room by then; we'll have the sheet music ready."

She clapped her hands to signal the end of the announcement. Some of the other members began to stand up and shuffle out of the room with their instruments.

"Anzai-san," Asuka brazenly called out. "Where is everyone going?"

"Some of us normally practice outside. Feel free to use to the roof as well."

With that, Asuka signaled for them to follow her, grabbing on to a music stand with her free hand. Aoi was reluctant to play outside with her brand-new saxophone. Even if it was invented to be a sturdier alternative to the clarinet, she wanted hers to remain spotless. Looking over at the other saxophonist, they seemed to be a clique of older girls still in the middle of a lively conversation. There was no way she could insert herself into that.

The weight of her saxophone's neck strap was pleasantly familiar, even if it felt a bit straining at times. As the first years did the short climb to the building's roof, Aoi's mind wandered back to Haruka. She had used the exact same neck strap in high school. How was she not constantly sore from her baritone sax? It was almost twice the weight of her tenor.

Asuka finally paused near the ledge of the roof, setting down her stand and sheet music. Chiyomi had not been joking when they said the roof was an option for practice. There were plenty of spare chairs near the stairwell door. As they established a semi-circle around the music stand, the obvious question finally entered Aoi's mind.

"Asuka, what are we supposed to practice?" She had assumed the seniors would have some kind of direction for them.

"Have no fear!" She replied, entering her overtop persona. "I have prepared something we can all play."

"It's a bit strange for so many different instruments to practice together," Mamoru mumbled.

Asuka replied with a shrug. "That's how it goes here, apparently."

Mirai was already looking through the sheet music. "Carnival of Venice, huh? An adaptation of Arban's arrangements."

"Le Carnaval de Venise" Asuka said in a butchered, indiscernible accent. "Arban's different variations of the tune are the bible for all brass players. Even if you're not a brass player," She turned to Aoi, "it's a good chance to practice your finger work and staccato."

"I like a challenge," Mirai raised her trombone over her shoulders, extending its slide. "I could also use some tonguing practice."

There was a weakness in Aoi's fingers as she heard their back and forth. Getting a chance to go over the score, its latter portions looked insane. There were so many notes to play at such a fast tempo that her hands were cramping up just thinking about it. The extent of reed and tongue control required was also likely beyond what she could do. Or most players, for that matter.

"This is just supposed to be a challenge piece, right? You're not supposed to finish it."

"I can," Asuka said in a matter-of-factly tone. "Let's just go over the first part. It's a nice smooth legato section covering the theme."

The five of them quickly got in tune, creating an excellent, even sound together. After a little more warmup, Aoi getting used to her sax's familiar fingering, they launched into the Carnival. It was a little strange to have both tubas play the melody with them, leaving them without a bassline. Aoi followed along well enough but had to devote much of her attention to her just getting the notes out. Asuka merrily bounced around in her seat, effortlessly swaying with the music. While Mamoru's expression seemed to be between her and Asuka's, Mirai and Yuki were machines. The taller girl was impeccable, playing with precise movements of the slide and her back completely straight.

After a few more repetitions of the main theme and the first variation, Asuka let them take a short break. "Aoi, it's supposed to be a fun piece. You sound like you're in pain."

Aoi wiped away the sweat starting to form on her brow. Despite the pleasant spring weather, she could feel heat all over her body from tensing up. Aoi had no idea how to manage accuracy with being expressive. She was just not of the same calibre as them. Even Yuki, who was outwardly almost expressionless, managed to give her notes a cheerful float to them.

"Let's play the whole thing," Asuka announced. "Try to keep up for as long as possible."

Aoi stretched her wrist back as they prepared to start. Her entire forearm had been tensing just to keep up. Hopefully, it was only because she was out of practice.

Taking a deep breath, they started the Carnival of Venice's main melody. Aoi felt a slight flutter inside of her as the first variation finished without a mistake. But it only got more complex from there. The notes had a machinegun like pace, forcing her to rapidly press on the keys in sync with her tongue. She could feel herself going red in the face as she struggled to take in enough air. Too much of it was being wasted at each note before the already microscopic rests.

Her saxophone wailed as she botched her final note—the last one in a long-running chain of mistakes. Mamoru followed soon after, having fallen out of sync with the other three. It felt wrong to take solace in someone else's failure, but it felt reassuring to know she was not that far behind everyone. As they went into the third variation, Aoi could not help but stare in amazement at how fast Asuka could press the valves on her euphonium. It was a little longer before Yuki gave up. Her eyes narrowed as she remained completely still, glaring into the empty space in front of her.

"Kyodai's instruments… old and worn out," Yuki muttered to herself, drawing Aoi's attention to the many minor scratches and dents on her tuba. It seemed she was the only one using a instrument borrowed from the band's inventory. "I've got to ship my tuba here."

"Holy crap," Mamoru exclaimed, his eyes fixed to the remaining two.

Asuka and Mirai continued, determined to finish all the variations. Aoi had no idea if their playing was impeccable or just adequate to complete the score's hardest parts. But it sounded impressive just hearing them pour out the ridiculous number of notes. With a final long tone, the piece finally ended. Asuka let out a satisfied sigh while stretching her fingers.

"Wow, that was awesome!" An energetic voice yelled from below.

Aoi looked over the parapet to see Kyouko standing below with a brimming smile.

"Did you just get here?" Asuka replied.

"Yeap! Just in time for ensemble."

The band room's air conditioning was only mildly better, Aoi continuing to sweat slightly after settling down. Chiyomi began to walk around, passing out pages of sheet music. She was clearly an essential person in the band, though it was hard to be sure what role she held with the lack of formality. Aoi sat in the left end of the horseshoe arrangement, in front of what was supposed to be the trombone section. Mirai was still the only one present and had been lumped together with the bass section. The other saxophonist next to Aoi were pleasant enough but largely left her alone.

"The music still isn't final," Chiyomi said, standing in front of the ensemble. "We talked it through, and we'll try playing the finale of the William Tell Overture and Entry of the Gladiators."

Another girl holding a conductor's baton stepped forward as Chiyomi returned to the trumpet section. "Sorry for not being here earlier. I had a seminar. For the few first years that are with us today, I'm Nishi Himeko, the band president."

There was some friendly heckling from the seniors before she waved them off. Pulling her phone out of her hoodie's front pocket, she did a brief check before addressing the band again. "Shiro just got back to me. He managed to get a booking, so dinner is still on after this."

Aoi had been expecting something more important than a social announcement. A part of her wanted to laugh, but another part felt too uncomfortable and confused.

Himeko made another quick glance at her watch. "I think we've got enough time to do some trial runs of the pieces. Have a quick look through before we start."

Aoi had already gone over the sheet music since there was no one to talk to. It started with a trumpet fanfare in something vaguely similar to the Cresent Moon Dance Kitauji had played. The main melody seemed fairly straightforward aside from the changes in dynamics.

Aoi turned around in her seat, unsure of what to do beyond a general attempt at the piece. "Sezaki-san? What do you think they are expecting?"

Mirai and Mamoru the only ones in earshot, Asuka and Yuki being further towards the centre of the ensemble.

"Beats me," She replied, massaging her temple. "This arrangement is pretty fast. I have no idea what I'm supposed to do as the only trombone."

"Isn't William Tell the guy who shot an apple off someone's head or something?" Mamoru asked.

Both the girls shrugged. Aoi had no clue what kind of emotion she was supposed to put into the piece other than playing it vivace. Was it meant to be more aggressive or optimistically energetic? Shooting a fruit so close to a person's skull sounded like an act of intimidation.

"I know it as the music they always use when there's galloping horses," Mirai replied. It was oddly specific, but it was more to work with.

"Alright!" Himeko said as she returned to the podium. "Even though the trumpet fanfare is loud, remember that you're supposed to be mezzo-piano for the first part of the melody."

Immediately, the conductor raised her baton, almost causing Aoi to fumble her brand-new saxophone. As she brought it down, the trumpets screeched to life. They had been lax while tuning, leaving some dissonance. From the corner of her eye, she could see that Kyouko was having a blast, unlike herself. It was challenging to keep up with the tempo Himeko set with her baton's swishes, but in contrast, her left hand was almost lifeless. Without any clear cues from the conductor, Aoi just proceeded mechanically.

Their earlier practice with the Carnival of Venice had been fortunate, giving Aoi the warmup and refresher she needed for a piece at this speed. The sound they produced was scratchy but impressive for a first attempt. It was becoming clear that the band did not lack in skill or talent. Only competent musicians could get away with haphazard practice like this. The alto sax next to her abruptly stopped playing, sticking out her tongue in a mixture of a wince and a smile. She had fallen out of tempo and come in extremely sharp on a note. But the volume of the other instruments broadly covered it up.

"Okay, that was pretty decent," Himeko said once the piece had finished. "We'll discuss if we want to perform that this weekend." Flipping the pages of her sheet music, she instructed the band to take a short rest before they attempted Entry of the Gladiators.

This time, Asuka stood up and marched over to where Aoi was seated. "Did you handle that alright?"

"I guess?" Aoi was unsure of what her question actually implied. Was it expressing doubt at her musical ability or as a criticism of how they were made to play? "We're just trying it out, right?"

"It's a waste of time if you ask me," She huffed.

Aoi raised her hands, meekly gesturing for Asuka to tone down her voice. Even if she had a point, it was a bad idea to let everyone else hear them. Maybe she was too confident in her opinions of her own good.

"I asked Sezaki-san and Sanada-san what I should do for the piece just now, but they weren't familiar with it. Do you know anything about Entry of the Gladiators?"

Behind her red-rimmed spectacles, Asuka's eyes flickered for a moment. "I don't care. It doesn't matter." Turning on her heels, she marched back towards her seat, entirely indignant.

"Woah, she really doesn't give a damn," Mamoru mumbled, his gaze following her as she returned to her seat.

Aoi hesitantly scanned the room for a reaction from their seniors. They seemed to be either oblivious to the incendiary statement or were an ironic mirror of Asuka's view; they did not care about her opinion at all.

"She's right, you know." Mirai's words had force. But she had enough sense to speak at a volume that only carried as far as Yuki, who seemed to not care either.

"Well, since we're going to play Entry of the Gladiators anyway…" Mamoru said, attempting to defuse the situation. "I'm pretty sure it's the clown song."

"The clown song?" Before anyone could reply to Aoi, Himeko cleared her throat, signaling they were about to start.

"We're going to try this at the tempo of a screamer." Again, they launched instantly into the score without any time for Aoi to ask questions.

There was another trumpet fanfare before they launched into the main melody at almost breakneck speed. Aoi did her best to keep up, suspecting that it was over 120 beats per minute. At their pace, the first section of the melody lasted less than a minute. The pain should have been over quickly as they bumbled through the piece.

It was shocking that they constantly repeated the initial melody. Some of the trumpets or horns wanted to try something different or were just unsatisfied in general with their performance. It was a stark contrast to the ambivalence they displayed during the William Tell Overture. Not only did it give Aoi an overwhelming sense of whiplash, but it was also anarchy. Despite there being a president, it appeared the post was little more than another administrative job. Most decisions were apparently made in an open discussion with all the band members present.

Each time they approached the part of the melody led by the bass instruments, they would cut and repeat the entry. Aoi began to worry as she imagined what Asuka was thinking. They were going in circles, their runs no better than before since they had so little direction. The bass section must have been even more frustrated, deprived of the chance to play the part of the score where they were prominent.

As they continued to play the opening of the Entry of the Gladiators, the image Mamoru had put in her mind of clowns taking to the stage was impossible to dispel. All Aoi could see before her was a circus.