Hiroi's PoV
Maaga pa ako sa alas kwatro naghanda para pumasok sa school, para sana doon gumawa ng assignments, pero 'di pa ako nakakalayo eh nakarinig-rinig na ako sa mga kapitbahay na suspended daw ang klase ngayon.
Hawak ko pa ang panibagong flyer na ididikit ko sana sa announcement board sa school, pero mukhang uuwi lang din pala ako.
I am Hiroi Dion Martinez, the leader, vocalist, and rhythm guitarist of Random. Ever since Damond quitted the band, I use to arrange both rhythm and lead guitar by myself. Dati-rati trabaho ni Damond ang sa lead. Now that we lose a member, we are now only a four member band; a quartet.
I tried to recruit a new lead guitarist by posting flyers on the announcement board, but no one is qualified. In these past months, we, Random, alternately do testing the auditionees for the lead guitarist part through playing with them, and practicing and arranging songs to improve ourselves musically.
Japanese rock, as the genre our band focuses on does not sound like it, when lead guitar is missing, so until now, even the Battle of the Bands is near, I am still hoping to find someone.
Tinignan ko ang flyer.
Hay, nasa punto na ako ng pagkatao ko na gusto ko nalang ipaubaya sa mga signs kung dapat pa ba akong maghanap ng lead guitarist o 'wag nalang.
Napabuntong-hininga nalang ako at naibagsak ko nalang ang balikat ko.
Saktong nakatingin ako sa daan nang makita kong may inaanod na black shoes. Gusto ko sana matawa, pero naunang mag-react ang paa ko para apakan ito at patigilin sa pagkakaanod. Ibinalik ko ang tingin ko sa harap ko.
"Tsk" saktong nakarinig ako ng isang lalaking tumatakbo papalapit sa direksyon ko. "Sinabi na kaseng suspended nga. Gusto pa makitang sarado school eh" sabi nito.
May babae palang nakasunod sakanya, and I think, that woman is Mia Lakeblues. She is known for being one of the top student sa klase n'ya last year. Mukhang s'ya ang kausap ng lalaking nasa harap ko.
"Ehhh, magagalit kaya si Ashley kung male-late ako sa practice 'no. Mabuti nang sigurado. Palibhasa kase wala kang banda. Pamigay mo na lang gitara mo" sagot naman ni Mia.
"Uhm, sa'kin 'yang sapatos. S-Salamat ah" sabi ng lalaki. It was at that moment when I realized na schoolmate ko rin pala 'tong lalaki. Inalis ko ang pagkaka-apak ko sa sapatos n'yang inaanod kanina. Agad n'ya naman itong dinampot.
"Wala 'yun"
"OMG, Nathan" Hinampas-hampas ni Mia 'yung lalaking tinawag n'yang Nathan habang nakatingin... sa'kin?
Magkakilala ba kami?
"Ano nanaman ba? Tara na umuwi na tayo" Tumalikod na 'yung Nathan, pero hinila parin ni Mia ang kwelyo n'ya likod, kaya napabalik ito.
"Aray! Mia, konti nalang, sasaktan na kita"
"Duh, 'di mo ba s'ya kilala? Si Hiroi... 'yung leader ng Random. Pagkakataon mo na na magkaroon ng banda. I saw their flyer sa announcement board. They're looking fo a new lead guitarist, 'di ba Hiroi?" sabi ni Mia. Saglit s'yang napahinto at parang nahiya. Mukhang na-realize n'yang masyado s'yang casual sa pagkausap sa'kin, gayo'ng 'di naman kami magkakilala personally.
"Huh?" humarap saakin si Nathan. Ilang segundo ako tinignan ako no'ng Nathan hanggang sa makita ko ang kaunting pagbilog ng mata n'ya na para bang may naalala s'ya. "Ahh, that...time"
"Uhm, oo. Naghahanap nga kami ng bagong lead guitarist" sagot ko sa tanong ni Mia.
"Hay nako, Mr. leader ng Random, you could recruit Nathan. If only you knew, Nathan has numerous sound records of your band's performances and adopted some of your styles, so I'm sure Nathan will be a good fit for the position" Mia said.
Well, I didn't know that... but now I know.
"It was just because I found their band a good study material... Hmp, daldal Mia, insensitive kahit kailan," at umakto pang parang babatukan si Mia. Pagkatapos ay humarap s'ya saakin. "Sorry for not recognizing you. I indeed tend to listen to your band a lot, through sound recording your performances, but I don't really watched you perform... Uhh, sorry," he paused. "I think I only saw you perform once, but I never knew that those records are of your band's"
"Ha, isn't that a bit more insensitive than what I've said? Listening to them, but not knowing the band itself. Ewan ko sa'yo una na ako umuwi" sabi ni Mia at agad na nag-martsa paalis.
"Huh? Ah gano'n ba? Uhm, sorry. W-Well then, can I... audition for the position? I actually wanted to join a band, but I never knew that there are bands like yours that are still incomplete, especially at this time"
I was in awe. I barely said anything, but a potential member is now asking for an audition.
"S-Sure. Much appreciated" sabi ko nalang. "I'll talk to my bandmates for your audition. We'll just inform you when" Hiningi ko ang contact number n'ya at pangalan.
Nathan Fiersh.
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Dex's PoV
I am Sinedex De Luna, the drummer of Random. We own a band studio, where I usually practice for my recitals. Doon rin kami madalas mag-practice ng mga kabanda ko.
My grandfather was a vocalist of a local band. He worked hard until his last breathe until our band studio is finally established. Unfortunately, a few days after that, my grandfather died. In my family, there is no succeeding musician except me, so I hold this band studio dearly in my heart.
I usually bring my own pair of drumsticks with me when I go to school. Just before I zip my bag almost ready to go, my elder sister, from the outside of the studio, called out for me. "Dex, halika dito" bahagya n'yang binuksan ang pinto at sumenyas s'ya saakin mula sa salamin nito.
Nilabas ko nga.
"Do you know this band? I heard, they are from your school" she directly asked showing me a picture of a band in her phone, as soon as I was out.
I took a closer look. There are two females, and three males. Mia Lakeblues, Ashley Coide, Touma Grioso, Neuzin Matsumoto, and Sign Evehalk.
"Ahh Oo, bakit?" tanong ko sakanya.
"Who among these guys is Sign Evehalk?"
I know Sign. He's one of my classmates, so I immediately pointed at the person at the far left. "Since when do you get interested with bands, ate?" I asked.
As I said earlier, I was the only one who succeeded our bloodline of being a musician... also the only one who's an avid listener of music. My sister, ate Venice is a nurse at a local hospital. I also have an elder brother who's a software engineer overseas, by the way.
"Hindi naman sa... well, one of my patients has asked me to watch this band for her," simulang paliwanag ni ate. "Especially Sign, and you know, I was just curious kung anong klaseng banda meron si Sign"
Hmm, sounds a bit personal to the patient. It might be best not to pry.
"Ahh, alright then, I'll be going" Babalik na sana ako sa band studio para kunin ang bag ko, at umalis nang pigilan ako ni ate.
"You don't have class today. Suspended. That was also one of the reasons why I intentionally went here"
"For real?"
"Yeah. 'Heard and saw it on the news. Well then, pero ako, I have work, so I'll get going" paalam ni ate. Kumaway s'ya at umalis.
Kinawayan ko s'ya pabalik at tsaka bumalik na sa loob ng bahay.
When I was just finished changing my clothes, I received a text message from Hiroi.
Hiroi
Dex, is the band studio available this week?
Well, I think I know where is this heading to.
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