It's said that Hyuuga Ruby had been in three different bands before she even reached the age of fifteen.
The first band was formed with her fellow club members when she was in the first year of junior high school. The bassist was a guy who planned to play through a song by strumming on a single string, while the drummer could not even multitask to have his hands move unsynchronized from his feet.
To solve that, Hyuuga Ruby made an ingenious arrangement by asking the girl who was supposed to be the lead singer to help out with the snare drums on the side. However, that girl complained that she could not sing if she did that. As such, Ruby took over and became the lead singer instead—she even practiced hard on the three songs chosen from Green Day.
However, on the day before the school's anniversary, that girl said she wanted to sing as well, and accused Ruby of being sly. She ended up not coming for the rehearsal. The bassist and the drummer of the band sided with the girl and blamed Ruby as well. On the actual day of the performance, Hyuuga Ruby went up on stage by herself with her guitar, and began her solo act with Desperado by the Eagles. Even though her performance was very well received, the band was dissolved on the very same day.
The second band was formed during the summer while she was in her second year of junior high school. It was a disco ensemble that consisted of all girls. The reason Ruby joined the band was because they had put up a recruiting poster at the livehouse she frequents. The band advertised itself with the phrase 'The Micheal Jackson of Gospel Rock,' and she was attracted by the weird but interesting concept that was written. So even though she was slightly concerned about the age difference between herself and the rest of the band members, she still applied to join them. Surprisingly, she was extremely popular with the rest of the members, and they immediately decided to hold a live performance.
However, during one of the celebration parties, it was revealed that Hyuuga Ruby frequented the houses of the various members to spend the night over, and they had even bathed and slept together. With that, the gathering turned into a messy fight, where even the fans were involved in it as well. The only person who escaped from all that was the person in question, who happened to be in a sober state back then. The band was dismissed on the very next day as well.
The third band was formed when she was just promoted to her third year in junior high school. She was invited to join the band by the owner of the music store that she frequents. The rest of the three members were all guys, and the average age of the band members was very high—one of them was already married. However, since the band performed mostly British hard rock, which she happened to be obsessed about at that time, she agreed to join immediately. However, that band was dissolved after three months too.
"… And that means the Folk Music Club is your fourth?"
"Wait, hold on a second. Don't just skip the important part and be done with it." The me who was sitting opposite of Ruby then quickly asked.
"Why did the third band dissolve?" As I had raised my voice unknowingly, everyone at the McDonalds—which includes Yang who was sitting next to me, as well as Weiss who was diagonally in front —stared at me.
"Hmm? I can't tell you about the third band. Oh right, you know about that Thousand Birds Musical Instrument Store, don't you? The place where I'm working at now. The owner Kakashi is my half older brother and he is also one of the three members of the band, and the incident concerns his reputation."
I couldn't help but feel a chill running through my body. I then thought of the impossibly expensive guitar of Ruby's. According to Yang, Ruby managed to get it by finding out the weakness of the owner and threatening him with it. That can't be related to the dissolving of the third band, right?
"I am more concerned about the second band." Yang bit onto the straw of her cola, and said furiously. "Ruby, you've laid your hands on way too many girls already!"
"Mmm, I am reflecting on that too. Well, I didn't do my homework properly back then, so I never thought that having a lesbian relationship with girls would result in me infringing on the Immorality Act as well."
That has nothing to do with the Immorality Act, right!? Man, this girl… Why does her conversations always go in that direction?
Since the third years have exams today, we were unable to hold practice. As such, on our way back home, the four of us stopped by McDonalds together. Even though Ruby said she would be talking about the live performance, the things we chatted about were all unrelated to that, and they were all full of rubbish. That's quite worrying for the members of the newly formed band.
"Anyway, in order to allow the band to steadily make its way towards success, I've decided on three things. First, if I am to be in another band, then I must definitely start one myself."
And with that, Ruby took a look at all of us. This is the first time she started to gather the four members of the band from scratch. Since Ruby's an idealist, I don't think it's a good thing for her to join someone else's band either.
"Secondly, the male-to-female ratio of the band. The first was 2:2, the second had four girls, while the third was 3:1—and they all failed. I myself am a girl, so the only remaining option left is to form a band with three girls and a guy."
"… So the reason you invited me into the band is because of a stupid reason like that?"
After hearing me say that with a dumbfounded expression, Ruby cocked her eyebrows.
"That's not a stupid reason, and that's not the only reason either. I said so before, right?"
Well, she's not wrong. This girl seems to be serious at just about everything, but is there any relationship between the male-to-female ratio of the band and its survival?
"Lastly, the final person to join the band will have to come up with the name of the band."
Ruby took a look at Weiss next to her. Till then, Weiss had been staring at the dry fries while keeping silent this whole time. But when she heard Ruby say that, she lifted her head up in shock. "… M-me?"
"Yes." Ruby grabbed onto the hand of Weiss with her own two hands.
"W-why?" Weiss was confused, and I was too. Why must Weiss be the one who comes up with the name? Ruby took the box of fries.
"This is me…" Ruby drew out a stalk of fries and placed it on the tray.
"Followed by Yang…" She looked at Yang briefly, then picked out another fries and placed it side by side with the first.
"Next is Uzumaki…" She drew out the third, slightly shorter strand of fries.
"And finally you, Weiss." Ruby then chose the longest fries out of the lot. After arranging the first three fries for a brief while, she used the last fries as a string to tie up the three fries together with a knot.
"See, we have gathered together because of you. We can form our band because of you joining us. Therefore, if we are to come up with a name, it should be written by this person here."
Ruby placed the bundle of tied fries before Weiss. She then pointed to the three fries plus the long one, and said, "You have to be the one to name the band. With that, you won't be able to leave. As long as you don't leave, the remaining three people will never break apart and be separated."
Ruby continued to look straight into Weiss' eyes. Weiss bit on her lips and lowered her head in order to shift her gaze away.
"… But I…"
"You can come up with whatever name you wish. Just use the words that you like."
"I'll be very troubled should you say that."
"Why?"
"Because… I only joined because I followed Ruto along."
Yang looked at me solemnly, but I could only fix my sight on Weiss' pink lips. What's going on here? Why is Weiss that afraid?
"Therefore, I can't be deciding something as important as this."
"It's precisely because it is something very important that I want you to decide." Ruby pulled her face right next to Weiss', and said gently, "I'm not asking you to decide on a name right now. However, I have to rent the place for our live performance, plus work on the posters and the tickets. So if possible, give me your answer after tomorrow."
"What did you just say about Live Performance?"
"It's the live performance of our band! The date was just decided not too long ago. We're going to perform with two other bands next week, so we need to name our band right now, Weiss—"
"No, I don't want to do it!"
Just when Ruby was about to speak, Weiss pushed her chair away loudly and stood up.
"Weiss? Wai—"
Ignoring my calls, Weiss heaved her guitar casing onto her shoulders, then made her way past the tables and disappeared down the stairs in an instant. That left me—who was halfway into standing up—with no choice but to sit back down in my chair.
What the hell, why did things suddenly turn out like this? Did someone say something that made her unhappy?
"… Well well. This girl is really sensitive." Ruby murmured. She removed her ribbon and let loose her long black hair, before heaving a sigh. "I had no intention of reprimanding her, but it seems like she noticed anyway."
Wha-what's this? Did Ruby say something wrong just now? I have no clue of what's going on.
"Haruto, what are you doing here at a time like this?" Yang's fist was about to fly straight into my face. "Go chase after her! What are you dazing here for?"
"Why me?"
"Just go and chase after her already, idiot! Geez, you're dense!"
Yang kicked me hard on my feet. I immediately got up and quickly made my way towards the stairs.