Uchiha Ryo: "How are your preparations coming along? Our game's band won't fail this little test, will it?"
Ijichi Nijika: "Of course not! We've practiced plenty. We're ready to be reviewed at any time!"
Uchiha Ryo turned to look at Gotou Hitori.
"What about you, Bocchi-chan? Do you still need me to hypnotize you for this, to make you see everyone as scarecrows?"
Gotou Hitori looked up. "I... I don't need it!"
Uchiha Ryo: "Oh? It seems you've grown a bit since joining the band."
Growth? Gotou Hitori didn't know if she had really grown. Because those two words were very hard to judge.
Didn't I practice guitar endlessly in the past just because I wanted to form a band, to help me get over my social anxiety and become popular?
But now, she no longer thought so much. Just like Ijichi Nijika's dream for the band, Bocchi-chan wanted the Kessoku Band to become better!
Learning to work part-time alongside Nijika, learning to make normal eye contact with others... Bocchi-chan felt like she had finally graduated from the 'flea' level and was standing at the starting line of humanity.
And this band audition was a trial. A trial to overcome her past!
Thinking about it carefully, there are many ways to get famous with a guitar, like being a video blogger online. Gotou Hitori's guitar performances, posted online under the name 'Guitar Hero,' were also very popular.
But 'Guitar Hero' was a faceless blogger, and Gotou Hitori had no intention of letting 'Guitar Hero' appear in the public eye. Even though she seemed more suited for the online world—after all, she didn't have to show her face or make eye contact with people.
But.... Gotou Hitori hoped even more that she could walk towards success with everyone in the band, in the real world!
Face yourself. Even she, as Bocchi-chan, had a golden dream: to become a rock star.
Hayasaka Ai: "It looks like you've been working hard, Bocchi-chan."
Gotou Hitori: "Woof!"
Oh dear, it seems I've overdone it. Gotou Hitori was still a little scared when she saw Hayasaka Ai now.
"You don't have to be afraid. I'm not your maid teacher right now~ Just call me Hayasaka-san."
Hayasaka Ai bent down and gently scratched under Gotou Hitori's chin with four fingers, as if petting a cat.
Gotou Hitori: "Oh... Hayasaka-san."
Hayasaka Ai: "You still want to be in a band with such a quiet voice? Louder!"
"Haya... Hayasaka-san!"
Hayasaka Ai nodded. Her hand moved from scratching her chin to patting her head, while her other hand pulled a piece of candy from her pocket.
"Such a good girl, Bocchi-chan. Here, have some candy."
"Mhm."
Uchiha Ryo looked at the two in amazement. As expected of Hayasaka Ai! Such skill. How can I learn that?!
The door to STARRY opened, and Ijichi Seika and their sound engineer, PA-san, walked in.
"Get ready, quick. I want you on stage and ready to play in three minutes."
Kessoku Band: "Yes!"
Uchiha Ryo walked up and pulled Bocchi-chan to her feet.
"Think hard about why you joined the band. Think about your dream. I'll be watching you from down here."
Gotou Hitori: "I'll... do my best!"
Ijichi Nijika: "Next up, please enjoy our performance of 'Guitar, Loneliness, and the Blue Planet'."
The music started, and Kita-chan's melodious voice echoed through STARRY. But what they had to show was not just their voices, but their ability to perform as a band!
Gotou Hitori kept her head down. Although she could already play in front of a crowd, she still didn't dare to make eye contact with the people below the stage.
Even though right now, the only people below the stage were the Store Manager, PA-san, Uchiha-kun, and Hayasaka-san.
Lifting her head for a quick peek, Bocchi-chan still saw the expressionless Ijichi Seika, the smiling sound engineer PA-san, and... the applauding Uchiha Ryo.
→
My original intention was to become a popular person. That won't change! But... I'm not alone now. I can walk onto a bigger stage with the band.
I want to help Nijika fulfill her dream for the band!
I don't want to let down Kita-chan, who practices guitar with me every day!
I don't want to disappoint Uchiha-kun, who is watching me from below the stage!
The song's tempo changed. As the singing became more passionate, Guitar Hero finally showed the level she had when she was all alone.
The performance ended. Uchiha Ryo and Hayasaka Ai did not hold back their applause.
Uchiha Ryo: "Store Manager, the Kessoku Band passed, right?"
Ijichi Seika glanced at Uchiha Ryo. "For a layman, a performance like this is indeed passable... not bad? I'd really like to praise you like that."
"But, drummer and bassist! One of you was a bit stiff and almost failed to keep up with the guitar's tempo change. The other was too immersed in herself, causing some of the details to not flow smoothly."
Ijichi Seika's critiques hit the Kessoku Band, one sentence after another.
"But, I at least understand what kind of band you are.... So what's with those expressions?!"
Uchiha Ryo shook his head. "Store Manager, blonde and tsundere is already a handful. At your age, if you're like this, you'll end up like Hiratsuka-sensei, unable to get married. They were pretty good, weren't they?"
Ijichi Seika: "Shut up, you brat! And did I say they didn't pass? They just weren't perfect...."
Gotou Hitori: "Ehh!!!"
Ijichi Nijika: "Mmm— Onee-chan! Who can understand you when you just start criticizing!"
Kita Ikuyo: "That's great! We passed!!"
Ijichi Seika stood up and walked out with PA-san. STARRY was suddenly left with only the young people.
Yamada Ryo let out a sigh of relief. "Bocchi-chan, the lyrics for the new song are up to you. I'll be in charge of composing."
Gotou Hitori nodded. "Mhm!"
I did it, I finally did it! Wuwu, I really want to find a place to be moved by my own emotions, but everyone is here!
Ijichi Nijika: "Then let's prepare for the Kessoku Band's first official performance! The ticket price is 1,500 yen each, and the quota is twenty tickets. So that's five tickets per person!"
Gotou Hitori: "???"
I have to sell five tickets... five... (6д9)!!!!
What should I do? The only people she knew were her bandmates and her family. To sell five tickets...
That's right! Uchiha-kun!
Yamada Ryo: "Uchiha-kun, don't just listen to this performance and not come to the official one. If that's the case.... please pay 1,500 yen for the ticket now, thank you."
Uchiha Ryo laughed loudly. "Rest assured, I'll come."
Yamada Ryo nodded, then held out her right hand.
"Give me the 1,500 yen. I'll give you the ticket in a couple of days."
Uchiha Ryo: "You.... you just have to collect the money from me right now, don't you??"
Gotou Hitori: "!!!"
Ryo-senpai! What's going on? Ryo-senpai invited Uchiha-kun. Why!
She was the first one to meet Uchiha-kun, she was here first. Why! Why did Uchiha Ryo accept Ryo's invitation!
No, it's probably the same no matter who invited him. But if Uchiha-kun is gone, who else can I find for my five tickets?!
Uchiha Ryo pushed away Yamada Ryo's hand.
"I'll buy a ticket when the time comes. But I think I'll buy from Bocchi-chan. Otherwise, she might not even be able to get five people."
[Gotou Hitori's affinity has increased—G-Points +80]