The next day
The long hours of practice quickly slipped away, and before anyone realized it, the time for the third day's live performance had arrived.
Even though they had only practiced with full focus for about a day, Kessoku Band no longer needed endless repetition. Their coordination and skill had already been honed to a remarkable level.
Now, practice served only to reinforce their performance state.
"…"
Wrapped in a knit sweater, Haru walked with an unhurried pace through the inner hall. This live house, Moriya, really was of high quality. No matter when one entered, there was always a considerable crowd of spectators.
Posters of Kessoku Band's live were plastered around the entrance and lobby. Quite a few people, having seen the band's name, eagerly bought tickets with anticipation written all over their faces as they headed into the main hall.
Among them were groups of high school girls chatting excitedly about one of the band's songs, and occasionally even middle school girls with black-framed glasses rushed past him, their expressions tense yet full of expectation.
On each of them, there was something subtle in common, a faint thread not easily noticed by ordinary eyes.
A glimmer flashed in Haru's gaze, the corner of his mouth twitching as though suppressing the barrel of a machine gun about to fire.
No, hold it in, I can't laugh here!
He forced down the swelling urge in his chest, putting on a deliberately cool expression as he strode toward the backstage prep room. But before he even touched the door, sounds drifted out from within.
"…When I went to the restroom just now, I saw the crowd outside. I only counted roughly, but there were so many people, way more than when we usually perform at STARRY."
"In any case, I'd better draw a few more 'human'(人) characters on my hand!"
The sweet, upbeat voice belonged, of course, to the sunniest of them all, Kita.
"Hey, Bocchi~ your guitar should be adjusted by now, right? You've tuned your second and third strings seven or eight times in the last five minutes. Keep that up and the strings might snap!"
That lively but gentle teasing could only come from Nijika.
"So… so many people…"
This voice trembled like squid tentacles fried and then coated in honey mustard sauce. Naturally, it came from Bocchi.
Standing at the door, Haru raised an eyebrow. He was still thinking about how best to make his entrance when suddenly a hand tapped his shoulder. The next moment, a chill pressed against his cheek.
Expressionless, Ryo extended a pale finger and poked his cheek with mischief.
"You there? Why aren't you going in?"
Are you trying to teach me how to live?
"I should be the one asking why you're still wandering around. There's less than fifteen minutes until we go on stage, right?" Haru muttered, pressing down on the handle and swinging the door open at last.
The scene inside slowly came into view.
The first thing Haru saw was Nijika, hands on her hips with a small sigh. Upon her golden head rested a delicate side hat, and she wore a performance outfit of striking yellow and black.
And not only Nijika. Kita Ikuyo, sitting on the sofa, was also dressed for the stage in black and red, her skirt layered with elaborate pleats and lace, brimming with cheerful energy.
As for Bocchi, huddled in the corner of the sofa hugging her guitar, she wore the cutest outfit of all, a pink-and-black costume that made her shine. In stark contrast, Ryo, behind Haru, stood in a sharp blue-and-black dress that radiated cool elegance.
"Hiss…"
Haru sucked in a sharp breath, his dark eyes hardening.
His sudden seriousness made the girls of Kessoku Band fall silent, their breaths caught as they waited nervously for what he was about to say. Haru did not keep them waiting long.
After only a couple of seconds of hesitation, he spoke with firm sincerity.
"These costumes are really nice. You all look even prettier in them than I imagined."
"Hey, is that all?!"
Unable to hold back, Nijika stomped forward in her little shoes and gave his shoulder a light thump, cheeks puffed in mock anger. Everyone had been tense because of him!
Yet hearing him say she looked pretty in her costume, Nijika's eyes darted away. She lowered her head slightly, hiding the faint flush rising to her cheeks.
"Of course that's all. What else is there worth saying?"
Should he have walked in with a grim face and suddenly thrown out, "Quit acting spoiled"?
"They've already gone through plenty of performances like this. Even during street shows, they got used to all the passing stares. Back at the summer festival, none of them ever faltered."
"I just think there's nothing to be afraid of."
With one hand on his hip, Haru's handsome face curved into a faint smile.
"You're right! The audience at the summer festival was way bigger than this!" Kita Ikuyo immediately caught his confidence, her eyes lighting up as she clenched her little fists and sprang to her feet.
Even Hitori seemed to be coming back to herself. She lifted her blue eyes and stole a glance at the dark-haired boy across the room. She thought she was being subtle, but the instant Haru turned his head, their gazes met.
"Still, it's normal for you to be nervous."
"After all, this is the largest-scale live Kessoku Band has ever done since debuting. If you're feeling anxious about anything, you can tell me. As long as it's something I can do, I'll do my best to help."
"No matter what, I'll be right behind you."
Haru looked around, as if to read the expressions of his girlfriends.
But Kita, who had been endlessly writing the character for "human" on her hand, now wore her usual bright smile. Bocchi lifted her head ever so slightly from where she clutched her guitar, her transparent blue eyes shimmering like starlight.
Standing in front of Haru, Nijika's lips curved in a gentle arc. Her hands folded neatly behind her back, her warm softness glowing in her gaze.
The truth was, none of them were nervous anymore.
From the moment Haru walked into the prep room, they had all felt themselves relax. Especially when they realized he was trying to ease their tension, that flutter of unease vanished into some quiet corner of their hearts.
"I'm nervous. I need help."
Ryo suddenly raised her right hand without warning, leaving the other three girls frozen in place.
Wait.... out of everyone here, wasn't she the one least likely to be nervous?
She hadn't shown the slightest hint of tension. If anything, she had been carefree enough to wander off twice. Nothing about her looked nervous at all.
For Nijika, believing Ryo's words would be harder than believing Griffith could take care of your children for a night.
Haru was taken aback but only for a moment. With a helpless tone, he asked, "So, Ryo, the one who's 'nervous,' what exactly do you need my help with?"
"Nothing major."
The girl spoke casually, twirling a lock of hair with her pale fingers to reveal her left ear, adorned with a punk-style earring. Her cool, elegant air softened with an unexpected touch of allure.
The blue-haired girl stepped toward him, entirely natural, and pinched his chin between her fingers.
The next instant...
"Eh?"
Kita's yellow-green eyes went wide, her body stiff as a broken-down doll. Light flickered in her gaze as though reflecting the scene before her.
Nijika was the first to recover, her mouth dropping open. Face blazing red, she stammered, "Ryo?! Wh-what are you suddenly doing?!"
Her movement had been too fast. No one had the chance to stop her.
Lips pressed against his, the blue-haired girl narrowed her golden eyes, a sly glint flashing across her face. Then she pulled away with grace, leaving ripples in the air between them.
"Mm. I'm not nervous anymore."
"…"
Ryo's sudden assault left Haru stunned. Feeling the lingering warmth and faint fragrance on his lips, his gaze instinctively darted to his three girlfriends.
The one girl who wasn't his girlfriend, Ryo, had just kissed him right in front of the three who were.
This was a situation far beyond his imagination.
"I… I suddenly feel really nervous too. I might need Haru's help…"
"No, I definitely need it!"
The room suddenly filled with the sour sting of jealousy, sharp enough to make him feel like he'd just bitten into a whole lemon.
"In any case, me too!"
Kita bit her lip, her eyes trembling as her hesitant words turned instantly to certainty.
"…I-I'm feeling a little nervous too!"
Kita's bold declaration seemed to spark a chain reaction. Bocchi, who had only been watching, finally made up her mind. Clutching her guitar, her cheeks burning red, she jumped off the sofa.
"Kita-chan, Bocchi, you… you shouldn't copy that idiot Ryo!"
"Nijika-senpai, you have to join too! Otherwise it won't be fair!"
Hey, seriously, are you really saying this in front of me?
So much for the performance.
For the first time, Haru felt truly at a loss. He had just kissed Ryo, so how could he possibly refuse his girlfriends now without it looking like he was rejecting their feelings?
Kita and Bocchi glanced at each other, then leaned in from either side, planting kisses on Haru's cheeks. Different scents and faintly different touches pressed against his skin.
What a blazing-hot combination move.
"Nijika, your turn."
"Eh?! M-me? I-I don't really have to, right?"
All eyes turned to her at once. Already blushing to the tips of her ears, the angelic girl waved her hands frantically. But Kita Ikuyo gave her no chance to escape, gently pushing her forward.
And so, half-resisting, half-accepting, she found herself standing right in front of Haru.
"…"
The girl kept her head lowered, her shy red eyes fixed on her toes.
Why is everyone else so bold?
To do something like this in front of everyone… For Nijika, it was overwhelming. Always thin-skinned, she had no idea how to refuse, and now she had been shoved into the very center of attention.
J-just the cheek will do, right?
Ikuyo and Bocchi only kissed his cheeks earlier!
Gathering what courage she could, Nijika closed her eyes tight, rose up on her tiptoes, and leaned forward. Just as her lips were about to brush against his skin, Ryo suddenly grabbed Haru's hand.
"Mmh!"
The soft warmth against her lips froze Nijika in place. Her face flared as red as a furnace, steam rising from her head as though she might boil over.
"Nijika-senpai, so bold."
"N-no, it's not like that!"
How was she supposed to explain this?
The prep room dissolved into chaos, when suddenly a staff member outside signaled that it was time. Kessoku Band's moment had come.
The girls scrambled to fix their hair, grabbed their instruments, and hurried toward the stage. Haru stayed behind for a moment, rubbing his temple with a helpless sigh.
…
"Hello everyone! We're Kessoku Band from Shimokitazawa!"
"We're so happy you came to see our very first live! We've been preparing for this important day for a long, long time, and we hope our songs can carry our feelings to you!"
Kita Ikuyo's radiant smile shone flawlessly. Having already stood on stage countless times, she showed not the slightest trace of stage fright, no matter how dense the crowd. Her voice was as natural as if she were still singing on a street corner in Shimokitazawa.
"Please listen, Forget Me Not!"
Their performance, forged by relentless practice, was unlike anything before.
Nijika's steady drumming and Ryo's deep bass formed a foundation stronger than steel. Over it soared Bocchi's breathtaking guitar melody, giving Kita's hard-practiced vocals a perfect stage to shine.
They were all born with talent, but it was effort and sweat that brought them here.
Gotoh Hitori's hand gripped the neck of her guitar, her pick flying across the shining steel strings with flawless precision. Even with her eyes shut tight, she would not miss a note. Her muscle memory alone could guide her through the perfect performance.
When… when had she come this far?
Once, the idea of playing a real live had been beyond imagination for her.
"…"
Her strumming grew fiercer, explosive chords running through the lines into the amp, bursting forth as waves of sound that shook the entire hall.
The long-haired girl clutched her pick, her gaze fixed only on her fingertips.
Her pale, slender fingers raced across the frets like magic. Even the most demanding techniques, she executed with seamless clarity, cleaner and sharper than she ever had before.
When had she become this good?
Thunderous cheers pulled her back to the moment. Her clear blue eyes lifted, sparkling like flawless crystals of water.
For the first time, she truly noticed the audience.
It was the kind of scene she had only ever seen in her dreams, the stage of stardom that the old Gotoh Hitori had longed for, imagined countless times. Now she stood upon the soil of that dream.
But why did it feel so familiar?
"Next is our final original song! Thank you for listening until now! This marks the end of Kessoku Band's very first live, and we are truly, truly grateful!"
"So, please listen—"
Joy surged through Kita's voice, mingled with the fatigue of continuous singing. Her breathing was heavy, her forehead beaded with sweat, but her eyes shone with nothing but pure happiness.
"The Ever-Blooming Pure White Flower!"
In that instant, the guitar's strings seemed to send a shiver through her soul. Onstage, Gotoh Hitori's fingers moved almost by instinct. The more she played, the stronger the sense of déjà vu grew. Even the harmonics and vibrato felt exactly the same, impossibly perfect.
She remembered.
This was how she had played in her dreams.
The memory of that dream-world resurfaced, and a strange power coursed through her, filling every corner of her being. Her figure overlapped with that of the legendary rock guitarist, the Guitar Hero.
Now, she felt she could play anything, no matter how impossible.
Her extraordinary technique carried the entire song. Her bandmates all sensed the change in her, but shock left them no time to hesitate. They simply fought with everything they had to keep up.
The song reached its end.
Sweat dripping from her forehead, the girl threw her head back. Her body moved by pure instinct, straining to take in every face in the audience.
At last, her gaze found one.
A dark-haired boy, smiling at her from the crowd.
"Ah…"
Hitori lifted her head, a faint smile blooming on her lips.
Perhaps this was the first time she truly faced her audience.
The hall thundered with cheers, soundwaves like giant transparent hands pulling at her ears. The perfect close of their live, the wild response of the crowd, lit up the stage with joy.
Kita raised the mic, ready to deliver their final words.
But the Guitar Hero moved first.
Her grip on the pick tightened. All at once, she unleashed a storm of sound, a furious solo that drowned out the world itself. Every voice became a backdrop, her trembling hands summoning a performance beyond imagination.
This was her guitar hero, and this was her earth-shattering song.