I dashed back home after school, after I removed my shoes and walked into the corridor to find my mother.
"Mom, I've something to discuss with you." I opened the doors of the living room. Mom was sitting on the sofa with the laptop resting on her knees, and she was typing out her article at great speed, she was banging hard on the keyboard, the laptop should be a goner soon.
"Do you have anything to discuss with me?"
"Yup. I am calling for a family meeting."
"What's wrong? There's something you want, right?"
"Umm… yeah." I sat on the sofa after calming myself down. Mom naturally in charge of the finances of our household, I'll have to do a family meeting if I want to buy something expensive. "I… want a guitar."
"Isn't there a guitar in the house?"
"You broke it when you used it to hit a cockroach! Don't you remember?!"
"… Doing it for a girl?" Mom asked that suddenly.
"Eh? W-What?"
"There can only be one reason for a guy to want a guitar all of a sudden. It is so that he can be popular with the girls."
"What's with that bullshit? Apologize to all the guitarists in the world right now!"
"I'll be casting a rejecting vote if you do not admit to it honestly."
I could say nothing. Why is she such a pain in the ass?!
"How much do you think a guitar costs? It will cost at least fifty to sixty thousand yen for you to get a decent one, right? You only have about twenty thousand yen which you are free to use, isn't that right?"
"Mom, why are you so damn clear about things like these?" I gave a pout, and sank myself into the sofa.
"Why don't you earn some cash for yourself like your sister does! If you want a job, you can write a few articles for me." Mom pushed the laptop on the table towards my direction.
"No… I don't wanna do those things again." I pushed the laptop back.
In the past I had helped Mom with some of her articles back when the deadlines were approaching. I originally thought it was impossible for the stories written by a middle school student to be published in an official music magazine, but little did I expect the editor to actually use them. It's probably due to Mom editing them a little or something? Speaking of which, is that magazine really alright? Since then, my articles were published in magazines or on CD covers frequently, and Mom would pass on the royalties of the particular articles. Even so, the cash earned from the articles written doesn't translate into my pocket money fully. Mom said that thirty percent would be mine, while seventy percent will be incorporated into the family expenses.
I tried protesting once by saying, "Why can't I use the full amount of cash that I earned?", and she would always reply with, "Because that's the same for me!" I can't argue against that. As a result, I have to hold a family meeting if I want to buy things that are out of my budget. In other words, there will be no need for me to hold family meetings like this if I write more articles under Mom's name. Then again, what should I do about the music magazine that has not once realized they are publishing stories written by a middle school student…? Also, I want to purchase the guitar right now so that I can practice with it, but it will be at least two months before I can receive the royalties for my articles.
"The responses of the articles you had written were all rather good. You have indeed inherited my skills—how amazing! It just so happens I have only managed to write two lines since this morning, so help me out a little!"
"I said I don't want it!"
"If you don't wish to help, you'll have to admit that you are buying the guitar so that you can be popular with the girls! If not, I won't agree to you buying it."
"Why do you have to be so insistent on that!"
"Because you had once started learning the guitar, but you gave up on it immediately."
I hugged the cushions, and fell silent. Mom always hits the nail on the head once in a while amid all her jokes—I think that must be a very bad habit of hers.
"It's true, but… "
"That's why, if a guy is doing it so that he can be popular with the girls, then there will be no problem at all! Just admit it. And this time, you must have the resolve such that if you give up halfway, you will not be able to get a girlfriend for the rest of your life!"
Those words of hers sounded quite stupid, but they were somehow extremely convincing as well. I took a brief moment to think about what she said in silence. For girls, huh… all of this was indeed started by Weiss, but it's more of a case where I want to teach her a lesson…?
"… Fine. I want to play the guitar so that I can be popular with the girls. Just cast your vote of agreement already!"
"Whoa, to be hearing such a stupid line from the mouth of lil' Haruto—Mommy feels really sad."
"Mom, you are in no position to be saying that!"
"Just joking! Remember to write my name down when you make the payments, or else they can't wire the bill to me."
I went back to my room, and sorted out my thoughts while lying in bed. I have never been to a proper musical instrument store before. They do put up some guitars on display at music CD stores, but I have no intention of getting a half-assed one from there. However, it feels strangely uneasy if you want me to deliberately look for a musical instrument store on the streets. Also, if possible, I want to get a guitar that is cheaper.