Pssst!
The aluminum tab of a canned soda snapped open, and the fizzy hiss unique to carbonation sent a shiver down the spine. Kazami Haru downed the original black can of Monster energy drink in one go, ton ton ton.
The sharp fizz shot straight to the top of his skull, crashing into his stomach with refreshing impact. That addictive jolt made it hard to stop.
"I want to drink soda for the rest of my life."
Back in Bocchi's room after dinner, a hint of solemnity flickered in Haru's calm black eyes.
His face wore the expression of someone declaring a life-altering ambition—serious and full of purpose.
It had to be said, the food at the Gotoh household was incredibly good. And Bocchi's parents? Incredibly welcoming. Not only did they prepare a delicious homemade meal, they also catered to Haru's love for junk food with takeout pizza and fried chicken. They even thought to stock his favorite carbonated drink—Monster.
Though the Gotohs already had two daughters, one couldn't help but wonder... were they maybe still hoping for a son?
"Bocchi-chan, your home feels really warm and lovely~"
Ikuyo Kita spoke with a touch of envy in her voice, gazing sideways at the pink-haired girl beside her. Bocchi's face instantly froze into a stiff expression, like a machine jammed by a stuck gear.
No surprise there. Her parents had been way too enthusiastic.
Especially toward Kazami Haru, who was visiting for the first time. They were practically bursting with curiosity, asking everything from his grades to friendships to food preferences...
By the end of their interrogation, the couple's eyes practically glowed green with approval.
Living alone in Tokyo, juggling multiple part-time jobs to fund both tuition and daily expenses, mastering cooking, and still finding time to play in a band?
And on top of all that, he was unbelievably good-looking.
It was no wonder the Gotohs were stunned.
In their eyes, their socially withdrawn daughter had never made a single friend growing up. The fact she now had even a few bandmates was already a miracle.
But now, this? For their reclusive Bocchi to befriend a boy as amazing as Kazami Haru?
It was like discovering the hero who saved the world was actually Gatanothor, unbelievable!
The couple, who had long resigned themselves to the idea of their daughter living alone forever, now had a flicker of hope reigniting in their hearts.
"You're late, Ryo."
Ijichi Nijika glanced at the tall, blue-haired girl beside her. Yamada-san had just arrived, clutching her slightly bulging stomach with a look of utter satisfaction.
She hadn't made it to the meetup, but somehow wandered in just in time for dinner, almost like she'd been waiting outside for the exact moment the food was ready.
"Boohoo... Grandma's dog, 'Bass,' got hit by a huge truck packed with Okamoto 001s..."
"It's in critical condition. That's why I'm late."
Yamada Ryo even whipped out eye drops and gave herself a couple of drips before beginning to sob with eerie accuracy.
Not even Ikuyo Kita was buying it anymore, let alone Nijika, who'd known her since they were kids.
"Why Okamoto? Are you biased against Durex?"
Haru, still holding his Monster, deadpanned a reply.
Ryo froze her fake crying and turned those serene golden eyes on Haru, studying him for a moment. Then the corners of her flawless face curled into a cryptic smile.
She didn't say a word, but somehow Haru felt completely challenged.
Oh, you're turning up the heat now? Fine. I hope you know what you're getting into, Ryo-san. If I find an opening, I'll make you beg for mercy!
"Seriously!"
"What are you two even talking about!?" Nijika flailed, flustered. "Shouldn't we be discussing the Live instead!?"
Her words came laced with embarrassment, her shy, youthful face turning a deeper shade of pink. Fluttering lashes, bright red ears, everything about her posture screamed panic.
At this rate, their band would turn into something completely improper!
"It's about the fireworks festival Live, right? Nijika already told me yesterday."
Ryo shifted her mood in an instant.
She glanced over at Nijika, then fixed her gaze on Haru. Her unreadable, elegant face betrayed nothing of her thoughts.
"Less than fifteen days left. Are we doing a new song?"
Her calm question left the group momentarily silent.
Time was tight. Preparing a new song would mean Haru and Yamada had to compose one fast—and training was already putting enough pressure on everyone.
"I think our existing songs are fine. No need to force a new one."
"I-I agree with Nijika!"
Even the usually quiet Bocchi spoke up.
As the band's Guitar Hero, Bocchi was unquestionably the most skilled. Even if Haru handed her a brand-new song the night before the Live, she could memorize and master it in time.
But that didn't mean everyone could.
Take Kita, for example. She'd once mixed up a multi-string bass with a guitar. Sure, she'd been practicing hard all summer, but her experience and talent still lagged far behind Bocchi's. Even learning a new song in fifteen days would be tough for her.
And writing a new one? That takes time, too.
"In that case, let's go with our previous original songs."
After weighing the pros and cons, Haru made the call.
Even if he could whip a new song out of thin air right now, that didn't guarantee the group could perform it flawlessly in time.
To play it safe, polishing their existing originals to perfection was the better call.
"That said... this might still be a great opportunity."
The moment Haru finished speaking, the girls around him all wore puzzled expressions.
"Since our Kessoku Band debuted, we've only had one live performance at STARRY, and it was limited in audience. Sure, the show went well… but at the end of the day, we're still just a new band."
"This summer's Fireworks Festival Live will draw a crowd from all over. It's a great opportunity to promote ourselves. If we do well, we could gain serious traction online!"
"After that, we might even get invited to bigger music festivals."
Ever since acquiring the "Management & Operations Lv.2" skill from Soyo-san's simulation, Kazami Haru had gained new insights into the music business and from that simulation, he learned a critical piece of info.
The Tokyo Music Festival.
In the simulation, MyGO made it onto that stage thanks to their growing popularity. But right now, Kessoku Band wasn't quite there yet.
They'd just debuted. Relying solely on Ikuyo Kita , the band's self-proclaimed Minister of Social Media, to manage their presence wasn't enough. To gain traction and recognition, they needed to perform live, constantly.
"Music festival…?" Kita's eyes widened in wonder. The word still felt foreign to them.
But Ijichi Nijika , who grew up around a live house, understood the weight of it.
Big festivals meant sharing the stage with pro-level bands. There were serious skill expectations. But the rewards 'exposure, opportunity' were just as massive.
Bands that shone at major festivals almost always got scouted by talent agencies or record labels.
"Haru-san, are you saying we're… going to debut?"
Nijika hesitated before asking the question in a cautious tone.
The word debut hit the group like a wave.
Bocchi, who longed for the spotlight, was already off in another world. Yamada Ryo lowered her head, deep in thought. Only Kita's smile began to stiffen.
"Uwah… it suddenly feels like Kessoku Band is getting really far away from us…"
Kita's murmured words echoed something they all quietly felt.
Debuting meant CDs and albums for sale. Concert tickets, merch—everything would start costing more. Their band name, "Kessoku Band," might even show up in music magazines.
They might even, hand in hand, make it to their dream stage: Budokan.
"If we perform at a festival, does that mean we could end up competing with a band like Afterglow?"
Ryo raised her left hand like a student answering in class, still expressionless.
Her offhand question made Nijika and Kita both freeze. Their dreamy fantasies of the future were instantly replaced with dread.
Afterglow was a high-profile, pro-level band.
Us… versus Afterglow? You've got to be kidding.
"You guys don't need to think that far ahead," Haru said, exasperated by the way Nijika and Kita were already spacing out.
He reached out and gently pinched Bocchi's squishy, soft cheek in an attempt to bring her back from her daydream—but even after a while, she still didn't snap out of it.
"Ahaha~ Haru's right. We've got a long way to go, after all!"
"Y-yeah! You're making me nervous now~"
Nijika and Kita quickly bounced back from their daze, flashing bright, cheerful smiles to play it off.
Their mood swings were so intense that Haru wasn't even sure how to respond.
"If the Fireworks Festival Live goes well, competing with bands like Afterglow won't be a matter of if, but when."
That single line instantly made the two girls squirm again.
Haru couldn't say for certain whether Kessoku Band would end up on the same stage as Afterglow. But if they continued on the path he envisioned, they'd almost certainly end up facing off against a grown, evolved version of MyGO at a major festival someday.
What that would look like… he couldn't say.
But what he did know, was that Kessoku Band had serious potential.
If Bocchi could overcome her social anxiety and inconsistent performances, she could absolutely debut as a top-tier lead guitarist. Yamada Ryo, who'd been playing bass since childhood, had raw talent—she just needed proper training to unlock it.
Nijika wasn't quite on the same level in terms of innate talent, but ever since their debut live, her improvement had been shockingly fast. Like Kita—who already had strong vocal skills—Nijika was proving to be incredibly moldable.
It was obvious: each of them held hidden potential.
"In any case, let's focus all our energy on making the Fireworks Festival Live a success."
Haru let out a breath as he finished speaking, only to notice several pairs of eyes staring at him.
Wait… why was everyone looking at him like that?
He knew he was ridiculously attractive, but this was getting a little uncomfortable.
"Question!"
Kita suddenly shot her hand into the air, her usual sunny self now replaced by a dead-serious expression.
"Kita, go ahead."
"For this Live… what are we going to wear?"
Haru inhaled sharply, whipping his head around to look at Nijika.
Last time, they hadn't settled on performance outfits until the day of their debut live. In the end, they just used the logo design Nijika had initially created for Kessoku Band.
But this time, it was the Fireworks Festival. They couldn't exactly show up in button-down shirts again.
The truth was, while everyone in the band had decent fashion sense, none of them could actually design clothes and hiring a professional? Way out of budget.
No other choice...
"I've got a friend who's really good at this stuff. I'll ask her for help."
A silhouette began to form in Haru's mind, pink-haired and stylish. Anon-san was incredibly talented when it came to fashion. If she ever became a head designer, she could probably launch something like ANONTOKYO Ltd.
She'd probably agree to help… but knowing her, she'd use this chance to rope him into some unfair "contract" or another.
"Anyway, for now, let's just focus on training."
"You all just focus on practice. Leave the rest to me."
…
The next day, 2 PM.
STARRY—
Kazami Haru had been training at STARRY since before noon. From the practice room came the thundering symphony of instruments clashing and harmonizing, until this round of practice finally drew to a close.
Ijichi Nijika , who had been pounding away on the drums, let out a long breath. After hours of non-stop sound and vibration, her ears and palms were both tingling.
Endless practice over several hours was bound to wear everyone down. Aware of this, Haru let his fingers lightly glide over the keys of the digital piano, eyes gently closing as he tuned into the subtle changes within himself.
[Musical Prodigy Lv.2]
After gaining the Bass Lv.3 skill from his "daughter" in the Soyo simulation, his [Musical Prodigy] trait had leveled up. On paper, it was just a jump from Level 1 to Level 2 but the actual difference was something Haru could hardly have imagined before.
His grasp of music and training efficiency had both improved drastically. He could now detect even the slightest flaw in the bass line, even when multiple instruments played together.
Which meant that now, he could offer each member targeted feedback and help them refine their performance.
"We've been at it for a while. Should we call it for today?" Nijika, as the leader, tapped her drumsticks in the air.
Sweat covered her smooth forehead in a fine sheen. As the drummer, the most physically demanding position in the band, she had obviously been exhausted for some time but she pushed through and only now suggested a break.
"We're probably just rusty from not playing together in a while. There were quite a few mistakes at the start, but we were definitely improving by the end."
Practice had clearly ramped up in intensity, and Haru could feel how serious everyone was.
They were adjusting to each other, improving as a unit. At this rate, they'd undergo serious growth by the time they hit the stage.
"I played perfectly," Yamada Ryo said flatly, puffing out her chest and wearing the kind of look that practically begged for praise.
"Uuugh, my fingers hurt…" Ikuyo Kita stared at her red, sore fingertips with teary eyes. As a guitarist, her fingers had to constantly rub against steel strings. After several hours of intense training, it was no joke. Compared to her, Bocchi looked completely unfazed.
But then again, Bocchi had been putting in six-hour daily guitar sessions all summer long.
Her fingers could probably rival Sukuna's for durability.
Bzzz~
Just as Haru was about to speak again, a buzz in his pocket interrupted him. The sudden vibration pulled his focus away, and he glanced at the phone screen.
A chat bubble popped up, marked by an icon of a blooming cucumber flower.
The moment he saw the avatar, he recognized it immediately.
"Mutsumi?"
- - -
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