Chapter 156: Cute Girl (Part 1)
Ohtsuki Yoyoko left the group, informed the manager of Hiroi Kikuri's location, then quickly ran and hid in the waiting room of the store, squatting in a corner and shutting herself off.
She thought nervously,
He shouldn't follow me here, right?
It was terrifying just now, the way that man was silent after she finished speaking, she felt like she was going to be killed.
But after a short while, she finally relaxed and sat on a chair.
Were those two the 'very special' and 'very strong' pair Hiroi-nee often mentioned? They didn't look like it at all.
One was timidly leaning on a man, and the other was scarier than a yakuza when he got angry.
She thought they would be formidable rivals she needed to pay attention to, but it turned out they were only this level.
Seriously, why does Hiroi-nee talk about them so often!
As she was thinking, the door suddenly opened, startling her.
"Senpai, you're here. Rehearsal has started, aren't you going to watch?"
It was none other than her band's drummer, Hasegawa Akubi.
Ohtsuki Yoyoko secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but she tossed her head and said disdainfully,
"Hmph, no. None of the bands here can compare to ours."
"That's easy to say... but the Kessoku Band you were so interested in is scheduled to rehearse third. Such a high sequence suggests the organizers are quite interested in this band."
Hasegawa Akubi naturally wouldn't mention that she had been asked by Hiroi Kikuri to come.
However, Hasegawa Akubi wasn't just making up that last point. Whether it was for the pursuit of music or a sense of responsibility for the event, organizers would always lean towards powerful bands.
Even for events like this, which are for new bands, it's the same.
They would pay more attention to and care for the bands that performed well in previous screenings.
Ohtsuki Yoyoko hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth and said,
"No, they're ultimately a third-rate band. There's no need to waste my ears."
Hasegawa Akubi saw Ohtsuki Yoyoko's expression and knew she was being stubborn again, so she just said,
"We and Hiroi-senpai are watching from the usual spot. If you change your mind, you can come over."
As the door to the waiting room closed, the room—which had been somewhat cluttered with autographs and marks left by various bands—suddenly fell silent.
A moment later, Ohtsuki Yoyoko held her breath.
Another moment later, she clenched her fists.
Yet another moment later, she paced around the room.
Finally, she flung open the door and told herself,
“Since I'm just bored, I'll stop by to listen for a bit!”
...
"Hello everyone, I'm Hiroi Kikuri from SICK HACK. It's that time of year again! Ah, it's great to see so many new bands appearing every year, it makes me feel young again. Ah, I feel like my seniors said something similar back then..."
On the stage usually used for performances, Hiroi Kikuri, still somewhat tipsy, swayed as she gave the opening speech.
The scene at this moment was quite peculiar: the audience below was full of musicians carrying instruments, while a drunk person on stage spoke into a microphone.
To Kita's surprise, the originally chaotic venue quickly quieted down with her voice.
She didn't know if it was Hiroi Kikuri's relaxed and casual tone, or her reputation, that made the many musicians in the venue stop chatting and listen to her speak.
"Hiroi-san is actually giving a very serious opening speech."
Against the backdrop of Hiroi Kikuri's voice, Kita quietly said to the others beside her.
Nijika glanced at Kita, who looked slightly admiring, then looked at Hiroi Kikuri, still tipsy on stage, speaking whatever came to her mind, and secretly sighed.
'Is this what happens when someone has a generally bad impression, but when they pull their act together when it counts, it gives themselves a lasting positive impression?'
"Anyway! Don't worry about anything, even if you fail, there are other bands behind you to support you. Perform boldly and freely! Oh, if equipment gets damaged, you'll have to compensate that person over there, the manager of this store, Gin-chan."
Hiroi Kikuri casually raised her hand high and pointed towards a corner.
Kita followed the direction of her finger.
Standing in the direction Hiroi Kikuri was pointing was the ponytail man who had dragged her away earlier.
He now looked at the stage with a terrifying, fake smile.
Kita wasn't surprised at all. After all, Hiroi Kikuri's tone sounded as if she was certain that equipment damage would occur, so how could the store manager not be angry?
"Ah," Hiroi Kikuri seemed to realize the problem, and she corrected herself.
"His name is Yoshida Ginjiro..."
...
In the end, the opening ceremony came to a close in an awkward silence.
Next, the more formal event staff came on stage to explain the process.
This music festival would last for three days, with seven bands performing each day, and a total of nine live houses participating in the event.
Today's schedule involved simple rehearsals to generally confirm the bands' skill levels and styles, then arrange the performance order for the following three days.
The final rehearsal would be held on the morning of the performance day, with official performances starting in the afternoon.
After the performances, the organizers would edit and publish footage of the most popular bands over these few days on the event's official website.
After the staff finished explaining the arrangements, the atmosphere in the venue became considerably more tense.
This arrangement, like a hammer, struck heavily at the hearts of those present, shattering the peaceful atmosphere.
They clearly understood that while the staff said it was a rehearsal, the competition had already begun.
Although this event was meant to give new bands an opportunity, it ultimately depended on one's own strength. Without strength, even an opportunity would be useless.
From the staff's words, it could be deduced that there were currently 21 bands in the venue, and they would compete here for better performance times.
Furthermore, they would later need to attract more audience members to gain more exposure opportunities.
It could be said that winning one step could lead to winning every subsequent step.
The bands participating in this event were all new or not very famous, as there was no money to be earned from this event.
Most people were prepared to stand out in this highly popular event, which gathered nearly two hundred bands.
Of course, there were also bands, like Nijika had planned, who were just there to gain some popularity.
"Ahaha... at Seesaw Festival, there are always bands that become famous overnight every year."
Nijika laughed stiffly. She continued to speak to the silent group around her, and to Hitori, who was scared and leaning on Ishikawa Hayato's arm.
"But it doesn't really concern us... as long as more people like our music because of this event, that's enough..."
The more she spoke, the less confident she sounded.
She had seen this kind of scene before coming, but it didn't affect her much when she didn't have a band.
Only after experiencing it firsthand did she realize the pressure of such an event.
She had a feeling that they had already started to lose.
After hearing Nijika's words, Ryo turned to look at Ishikawa Hayato.
Kita noticed and also looked in the same direction.
Nijika and Hitori also looked at him.
Ishikawa Hayato sighed at the scene, then relaxed and smiled, saying,
"I want to win first place... Even though that’s what I want, the pressure would definitely be overwhelming. So, let’s take a step back—at least...”
He looked around at the four and said lightly, "We have to have fun, otherwise this event isn't for us."
Hearing the goal he set, the four quickly relaxed.
Unbeknownst to them, Ishikawa Hayato had already become their pillar of strength.
Actually, no matter what he said, as long as he wasn't nervous, they could all gradually regain their calm.
"You mean friendship comes first!"
Kita smiled, clenching her fists, and with an all-out effort, recited a classic sports day slogan.
"Kita-chan... this isn't a sports day... you can just relax here."
Nijika also started teasing Kita.
But soon, a staff member's words broke the relaxed atmosphere.
“...Now, the bands ‘Hometown,’ ‘Midnight Return,’ ‘Kessoku,’ ‘Cute Girls,’ and ‘Sharp Corner’—please prepare for rehearsal and come on stage in order."
"Eh!?"
The four girls were stunned when they heard the staff member inexplicably call out their band's name.
Ishikawa Hayato started chuckling at their dumbfounded expressions.
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