The gap in talent between people is, in truth, far greater than the gulf between heaven and earth.
The blonde older woman sitting on the sofa slowly closed her eyes, carefully and with deep emotion placing the painting in her hands down.
The act of creating art had long since become an instinct carved into his bones and foundation. No matter how complex or profound the emotions, he could perfectly fuse them into color and brushstroke, bringing forth into substance the feelings buried deep in the hearts of all people.
This was the artist known by the name Yuuka.
"Incredible. Even more so than before."
The world's colors are infinite, yet the human eye can only perceive a limited range.
Such a simple truth is clear even to a child just beginning to learn painting. Yet the work before her, the pale gray-toned painting of "Cinderella," unfolded those severely limited colors into boundless brilliance before the viewer's eyes.
Such a gift of nature combined with brushwork so masterful it inspired fear, it was enough to make one doubt if this man had lived at least eighty years already.
"This is art that resonates with your emotions."
The manager's praise made Haru exhale a long breath of relief. Recently, he had been pushing himself to speed up his deadlines, finishing in one go both works to be exhibited at the London International Art Exhibition and the Paris International Art Salon.
Although Haru had full confidence in his own raw skill, art in the end must be acknowledged by others. No matter how profound his technical foundation, no matter how lofty his artistic realm, it would still remain hidden away in some place unknown if no one recognized it.
"I will deliver these two works to the exhibitions in England and France respectively. If nothing unexpected happens, the results will be out within a week at most. I will immediately inform you of the awards once I receive them."
"M-san, are you planning to deliver them yourself?"
Realizing this, Haru's eyes flickered with something unusual.
The manager only nodded slowly. Her beautiful face showed a serious expression as she answered in a measured tone, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"To me, there is no doubt your works are of gold-medal caliber or higher. The future value of these two pieces will far exceed imagination. I cannot entrust their transport to anyone else or to any shipping company."
"…Thank you. I'm sorry to trouble you with making two trips."
Taking two flights to two distant countries, there could hardly be a manager more dedicated than her.
"It is my honor."
Her words were as courteous as ever. Then she skillfully put on white cotton gloves, carefully placing "Cinderella" into a custom rosewood frame, her movements reverent, as though she were laying a sleeping princess to rest.
As layers of shock-absorbing foam wrapped around the frame's edges, M-san suddenly turned toward Haru, who was helping her pour tea.
"Yuuka-sensei, there is no need to continue hosting me. Because of the urgency of time, I plan to board the earliest flight possible. I cannot bear to leave a work like this in some unknown place."
"I'm sorry. It took me so long to finish that it's made you rush like this."
Haru knew this was his responsibility. Running three bands alone already drained his energy, and he still had to prepare for upcoming lives. There was too little time left for creation.
But no matter the reason, the fact remained that he had delayed until now.
"Please do not apologize, Yuuka-sensei. For a work of this caliber, no amount of time spent is too much."
"Believe me, these two pieces will shake the entire art world. When the time comes, those stiff, old-fashioned relics will finally understand. The true Cinderella needs no glass slipper, she herself is the crystal that lights up midnight."
With those words, the manager departed in haste. Until the moment her figure vanished, she still maintained her respectful bearing.
Although this blonde older sister had long been working well with him as his manager, from beginning to end she remained rigidly proper and respectful. Her dedication was unmatched, yet she never demanded a high salary. Haru truly did not know how to interact with her.
"…"
When the soft click of the closing door sounded from the entryway, the little wooden puppet on the sofa finally relaxed her taut nerves. She leaned unsteadily back into the cushions, unmoving like a doll.
Wakaba Mutsumi had absolute faith in Haru's skill as a painter. But she did not have much faith in herself as his "supplier of inspiration." She was not very good at photography, so she could only take a huge variety of random shots.
But after taking so many, Mutsumi suddenly realized that the sheer number and chaos of the photos might actually hinder Haru's work.
Now that the painting had received M-san's full approval, this deeply worried fiancée could finally let her heart rest.
"This time, it's really thanks to Mutsumi. I just barely managed to finish before the deadline."
Haru naturally noticed his little fiancée's nervousness. Smiling, he reached out to ruffle her hair. His unreserved praise made the girl's heart leap with joy, curling up beside him like a tiny pill bug.
The usually quiet Umiri slowly lifted her gaze, speaking in a tentative tone. "That painting just now, the one called 'Cinderella'... you painted bellflowers, didn't you? Was its inspiration actually a certain girl?"
"…Why does it feel like I can't hide anything at all from you, Umiri?"
Haru gave the black-haired beauty at his side a strange look. A faint smile flickered in her eyes, a kind of unspoken understanding that belonged only to the two of them, something she clearly enjoyed.
"Sakiko?"
The little wooden puppet hugging her cucumber pillow spoke up instinctively, immediately drawing both their attention.
That made Umiri nod thoughtfully. She touched her chin like a detective who had found a clue, her eyes glimmering with meaning. "I see. Put that way, it really does look like her."
Seeing this, Haru knew there was no point in hiding it any longer. Raising both hands as if in surrender, he explained. "You're right. When I painted that piece, I was thinking of Sakiko."
It was like the shame of a fourteen-year-old boy in puberty, secretly buying a men's magazine, only to fall asleep exhausted before anything happened, then waking the next morning to find his pants pulled back on and the messy magazines neatly stacked on the desk.
What can you do in a situation like that?
Nothing at all.
"Hm?"
When Haru explained that "Cinderella's" specific source of inspiration was Sakiko, his two little girlfriends surprisingly showed no reaction at all.
But knowing their personalities, he still asked without thinking.
"Are you jealous?"
The little cucumber only shook her head.
"…Sakiko would be happy if she knew."
Obedient Mutsumi probably would not get jealous over something like this. After all, the piece he submitted to the F Exhibition had been created for her. And since the one in question was Sakiko, someone always thinking of her, she had even less reason to feel jealous.
But a certain best friend might feel differently.
"I don't think I'd get too jealous. After all, I haven't really given Haru any gift with special meaning either. Besides, if I were truly jealous, I would naturally express my dissatisfaction through action."
The black-haired cool beauty spoke with her usual layered tone. Slowly, she lifted a hand to tuck back her silky black hair, revealing a punk-style earring similar to Haru's. Against her flawless white skin, her ear tip looked all the more alluring.
Others might not know what she was hinting at, but did Haru, the person involved, really not understand?
If Umiri actually got angry, would it turn out like last time?
No, it might even be worse.
"Don't worry. I could never forget you, Umiri."
Haru understood deeply the importance of keeping balance. As Umiri's true lover in every sense, there was no way he would let her feel neglected.
"…Is that so?"
His sudden seriousness startled Umiri slightly. She quickly masked it, sipping her coffee as if nothing had happened, though her jade-green eyes shimmered with light. Yet her long, slender white legs drew slightly closer together.
The handsome cool beauty remained as elegant and aloof as ever. But beside her, Mutsumi's eyes widened in a daze, fixed on the flush blooming at the base of Umiri's ear, hidden beneath her dark hair.
She was not skilled at speaking in a soft, shy tone, and naturally struggled to express what she felt in that moment.
Umiri only pressed her lips together, then spoke in as gentle a voice as she could manage. "As your girlfriend… I'm not really qualified. After all, I haven't actually done anything for you."
"If Haru needs anything, just use me however you like."
Truly however he liked?
Then next time, I'll be the one on top.
"Speaking of that, there actually is something I need your help with."
Haru's smiling gaze met Umiri's. Slowly, he wagged his index finger, and under her puzzled eyes, continued unhurriedly.
"I went along with you as a 'mercenary' so many times before. This time… I'll need you to support my band. I think you're the most suitable person to take the bass position."
"Your band?"
The girl tilted her head slightly, her cold, beautiful gaze fixed straight on him.
…
Time's footsteps quickened, and before long, the day of the scheduled live arrived.
Crowds of ticket holders entering RiNG's main hall buzzed with excitement, their voices filling the space. The venue, with a capacity of under a thousand, was packed to the brim, while staff backstage scrambled about in a frenzy.
The chatter of the audience blended with the electrical hum of microphone tests. Waves of sound from the speakers stirred up dust beneath the stage lights, the mix of noises forming a peculiar kind of music that filled the ears.
"Dim the lights a little more. Adjust the angle of the spotlights."
Pulling back a corner of the curtain, Haru quietly instructed a few staff members backstage. Only when the stage lighting gathered to the right positions did he nod to himself in satisfaction.
Don't ask. If you must know, he learned it from Roselia[1].
"Haru, is it ready?"
A soft, airy voice came from behind him. A white-haired girl stood there, guitar in her arms, watching him with mismatched blue-and-gold eyes. Her delicate, adorable face could not hide her excitement.
Haru only reached out to gently pat her head, a tender smile forming on his lips. "Just a little longer. Is everyone in the prep room?"
"Yes. Tomori's been hugging the microphone in the corner the whole time."
"Even with matcha candy, she won't let go."
As she spoke, Raana even raised her hand to mimic holding a microphone. The lifelike gesture nearly made Haru laugh out loud. Suppressing his amusement, he reached out to pinch the stray cat's soft cheeks.
"Then let's hurry and check on them. Now you've got me worried too."
This live at RiNG was something he had been preparing for in advance. The performance for Raana wasn't entirely under MyGO's name, so Haru had put together a temporary band just for the occasion.
"That sort of thing could never—"
The moment they reached the prep room, Haru already heard some commotion inside. Before he could listen closely, Raana pushed open the door, revealing a rather strange scene.
Clutching her microphone with a pale face, the little penguin crouched in the corner, lost and confused. Taki's cheeks were flushed red with both embarrassment and anger as she glared to the side. And the last one, Umiri, stood there holding her bass with a faint, teasing smile in her eyes.
"…What's going on here?"
Haru's complicated expression shattered the fragile ecosystem inside the prep room. The tiny penguin, her face white from nerves, scrambled to her feet. Taki, who had been about to speak, froze instead. Her face turned even redder as she swallowed her words back down.
Only Umiri arched her brow, speaking lightly with eyes full of mischief. "We were just chatting about ordinary things. For example, Taki was planning to—"
"Wait! Didn't I tell you not to say it?!"
Shiina Taki rushed forward in flustered anger, covering Umiri's mouth with her hand. Her face burned like a furnace, making her all the more strikingly beautiful. She couldn't stop herself from shooting Haru a glare before hastily ducking her head.
Even without words, Haru could guess well enough. This was clearly one of those things better left unsaid, unless he wanted to risk his life.
"Everyone ready? We've got about fifteen minutes before going on stage."
With one hand on his hip, Haru swept his gaze around the room, lingering briefly on the composed faces of Taki and Umiri before settling on the timid little penguin.
This was the [temporary band] Haru had assembled for the live. Overall, the members worked well together and had solid chemistry. There was no need to worry about their level once they got on stage.
"There weren't any problems during rehearsal. If anything, our coordination was too good. Even the stray cat's better behaved than before… it honestly makes me feel a little conflicted."
Shiina Taki's expression turned complicated. This band was only "temporary," yet the way the five of them played together, their coordination and performance, was even better than MyGO, despite all of MyGO's training.
What kind of joke was this…
MyGO had spent so much time on ensemble practice, improving in skill and balance to the point of matching professional bands, maybe even surpassing them.
But this ad-hoc group, thrown together after only a few days and not even given a name, was already performing at a level higher than ordinary professionals, even excelling in the trickiest area of coordination.
"Yeah~"
The cat proudly flashed a peace sign, snipping it together like a crab's claws.
"Nobody's praising you!"
Faced with Raana, Taki pressed her fingers to her temples in exasperation. The habitual motion brought a glimmer of amusement to Umiri's eyes, who then deliberately teased. "That gesture looks familiar. Who did you pick that up from, Taki?"
"…Huh? You must be seeing things."
Taki's flustered denial carried no weight. But seeing her still able to banter like usual, Haru understood she wasn't overwhelmed by nerves. He turned his attention instead to the little penguin.
"Tomori, how are you feeling?"
"I… don't know…"
Takamatsu Tomori fidgeted with her fingers, her right hand clutching the microphone without letting go.
As MyGO's vocalist, she had already been on stage several times. It shouldn't have been possible for her to be this nervous. Yet her expression made Haru suddenly realize something. He spoke softly, probing.
"Tomori, do you think… you're not suited for this?"
The girl froze for two seconds, then nodded dejectedly.
"Because I haven't worked hard enough. Kita and Uika's singing is much better than mine. Since this live is so important to Raana-chan, I feel like… Haru, you should've chosen one of them as the vocalist instead."
Haru sighed lightly, then reached out to ruffle her gray hair.
"I think Tomori is incredible. You're the one most suited to be this band's vocalist."
"Or… are you doubting my judgment?"
His serious words left Tomori staring in shock. Flustered, she waved her pale hands, hurriedly denying it. "No, no, it's not like that… I never doubted you, Haru, I just…"
"Tomori."
Cradling her guitar, Raana stepped forward. She caught the girl's restless hand with her own.
"Tomori, sing."
"…Raana-chan?"
Haru, watching, was caught off guard. A small smile spread as he spread his hands. "See, Tomori? The leader herself has spoken."
Tomori stared blankly at Raana. The faint trace of seriousness in her eyes slowly hardened into resolve.
"I… I'll do my best!"
The firm words of the girl drew a breath of relief from Taki. She couldn't resist sneaking a glance at Haru, only to catch his teasing eyes on her. Flustered, her face reddened as she coughed lightly.
"Then, once we're on stage… what should we call ourselves?"
"The Ginyu Force?"
"…Are we supposed to be fighting Saiyans up there?!"
[1] https://bandori.fandom.com/wiki/Roselia