Chapter 160: Getting Started
Time passed bit by bit.
The five of them continued their usual routine—a bit tense, yet tinged with small moments of joy.
However, within two days, they predictably received the performance schedule from the organizers.
They were scheduled to perform in the final slot on the last day, with SIDEROS, Ohtsuki Yoyoko’s Band, as the headliner.
It was clear the organizers highly valued them and Ohtsuki Yoyoko’s band.
SIDEROS was even designated as the closing band for the music festival.
By their time slot, all other livehouse performances would have concluded, and the remaining audience would gather at Shinjuku FOLT to listen to the final performances.
This demonstrated the organizers' belief in their skills and their appeal.
Although Kessoku Band did not receive the same treatment, as the penultimate act, they would still gain a comparable amount of traffic.
Compared to other things, this was the most important for them right now.
After receiving this news, while excited, they also felt immense pressure and the terror of being last in line for the guillotine.
Under such terror, Ishikawa Hayato was so busy just replying to messages every night that he was practically dying.
The four girls' messages would ring until midnight.
They didn't have that many serious things to talk about and would usually start chatting after a while.
It was as if simply exchanging messages with him could put their minds at ease.
But the public's reaction was completely different from that of the girls.
After the performance schedule was released, the most excited, naturally, were countless music fans.
The annual Seesaw Festival was a gold rush for many music fans.
The feeling of witnessing a new band rise to fame overnight, or finding their favorite budding band in the vast crowd, was very exciting.
They would first browse music critics' reviews of various band, search for performance videos of those band, and then check the organizer's schedule to plan their three-day music trip.
But quite suddenly, a band that was clearly favored by the organizers, yet had little information from music critics and only a street cover performance video online, entered the public eye.
Because it seemed to be a band with some potential, it naturally stirred up a storm in the Seesaw Festival's related forums.
[ Kessoku Band (Unity Band)? That band name is quite lame. ]
[ Although the Seesaw Festival can be called a cradle for new bands, there really are bands that sign up without any performance experience at all. ]
[ I feel like I can look forward to it. ]
[ This is a perfect band composed of four super beautiful girls and one ridiculously handsome guy. Their performance is the most spectacular in the world, you absolutely have to go see them! ]
"Hayato-kun! Practice properly!"
"There's a limit to self-praise, hurry and delete it!!"
Putting aside those somewhat strange comments, this music festival was also a carnival for writers.
A fresh, basic debut was enough to earn the band more media coverage, and the resulting surge in traffic kept them thoroughly busy.
...
In a cute room, Satou Aiko, a woman actually in her twenties but appearing to be only a middle schooler due to her small stature, was quickly searching for information on the bands performing at this Seesaw Festival on her computer.
She was a freelance writer, and writing news articles about bands was her main source of income and also her hobby.
But clicking on a band's performance video and listening to the unrefined music coming through her headphones, she sighed for what she didn't know was the umpteenth time.
She then clicked on a video website minimized in the background and played some music to cleanse her ears.
Extremely skillful guitar sounds rang out from her headphones, and she showed a relaxed expression, while struggling with how to review that band, she casually said,
"Recently, Guitar Hero hasn't updated her videos either. Could it be that she's also busy with the Seesaw Festival..."
But no sooner had she finished speaking than she let out a wry laugh at her own absurd thought, shaking her head.
"How could that be? No matter what, the Seesaw Festival can't accommodate a professional-level musician like Guitar Hero. Even if it's a debut, she should be at a much bigger venue."
"Then what is she doing now...?"
Satou Aiko stared out the window in a daze.
...
Meanwhile, a certain pink-haired girl was holding her phone and giggling foolishly.
On the other side, Fan No. 1 and No. 2, who had known about Kessoku Band's participation in the event early on, received Kessoku Band's performance schedule. No. 2, who knew little about performances, asked with confusion,
"Why is Kessoku Band scheduled for the last day? Their music is clearly so amazing."
No. 1, who frequently watched various Band performances, smiled and replied,
"Precisely because they're amazing that they can be scheduled for the last day. That's the day with the most important timeslots."
"I see."
No. 2 smiled with a look of sudden understanding, but then blinked and suddenly lowered her head, beginning to mutter in a thoughtful tone.
"If Kessoku Band has such a good opportunity at this big event, then they will definitely have more and more fans in the future, and tickets will become harder and harder to buy. And by then, everyone who could be approached closely will become as distant as idols, and there will be no chance to chat like before, otherwise fans will clamor about unfairness..."
No. 1 looked at No. 2, who was muttering with a dark aura emanating from her lowered head, in horror.
She couldn't help but interrupt, crying out,
“How come you are so knowledgeable about this, of all things!”
After launching into a long tirade about the future, No. 2 ignored No. 1's cry and raised her voice, asking her tearfully,
"What should I do?!"
No. 1 hesitated, then replied,
"Just become the president of the fan club before anyone else, then no one will have any objections..."
"That's it!"
No. 2 said without hesitation.
No. 1 looked at her resolute expression and felt a chill in her heart.
She had a feeling she had created a problem for Kessoku Band.
...
Soon, the music festival opened.
However, the five of them did not go to watch other people's performances but instead remained hidden in the Starry rehearsal room, practicing new songs.
Rather than being disturbed by others' music, it was better to cram a little more at the last minute, to give themselves more reasons to believe in themselves.
After all, this time was different from before. Previously, they were at their home ground, Starry, a place they knew as well as their own homes.
But this time it was not only a big event but also in an unfamiliar place, making the girls very worried about whether they could perform well.
While they were in hiding, the event was in full swing.
Countless music fans, musicians, and even record companies gathered in Shinjuku.
People carrying instruments and people wearing band merchandise were everywhere.
Shinjuku at this moment seemed to have become a music sanctuary.
Yet the five people holed up in the Starry rehearsal room knew almost nothing of the reaction of the outside world and what was actually happening at the music festival.
From completely ignoring the festival's opening performance, they felt a sense of spiritual transcendence.
To put it simply: I even dared to skip the opening performance, what else is there to be afraid of?
Amid this overly relaxed atmosphere, the time had come for the last day of the Seesaw Festival.
On this day, Ishikawa Hayato, uncharacteristically, walked towards Starry alone, carrying his keyboard.
He was wearing a band T-shirt and dark casual pants.
This lazy band person's attire led to many people trying to strike up conversations with him along the way, but he politely declined them all.
Before he even arrived, Ishikawa Hayato saw Nijika and Ryo from afar, standing by a flower bed, also wearing band T-shirts like him.
Nijika looked at Ryo with a slight hint of complaint, while Ryo stood lazily, even yawning, looking as if she was about to fall asleep.
Ishikawa Hayato walked forward, and even before he got close, Nijika noticed him.
She raised her hand high, greeting Ishikawa Hayato with an extremely bright and gentle smile.
"Hayato-kun~"
Ishikawa Hayato jogged a couple of steps closer, smiling as he said,
"Looks like I'm quite early."
Nijika was cheerful when she greeted him, but after he got closer, she subtly maintained her distance from Ishikawa Hayato.
"Hayato-kun always comes early, but Kita-chan and Bocchi-chan should be arriving soon too."
Nijika's smile, for some reason, carried a sense of distance.
Ishikawa Hayato looked at her curiously, cautiously taking half a step forward, and Nijika subtly stepped back.
Ishikawa Hayato moved to follow, and she retreated again.
Before the third time, Nijika noticed a mischievous grin on his face.
"Hayato-kun, now is not the time to bully me!"
She stomped her foot in annoyance.
Ishikawa Hayato smiled, waving his hand in surrender, and followed Nijika back to her original spot.
Soon after, Hitori and Kita arrived one after another.
After exchanging greetings, Ishikawa Hayato looked at the four energetic girls, then turned back to Starry, raising his fist and commanding,
"The appointed time has come! Now we emerge from the Hyperbolic Time Chamber and achieve victory at the Cell Games!"
Upon hearing his words, the four girls' hands, which had instinctively started to rise in accompaniment, froze mid-air.
After individual sighs, they still raised their small fists, revealing their fair and delicate wrists, and responded,
"""Oh~"""
After getting off the train, Nijika looked at Ishikawa Hayato, who was carrying the heaviest instrument, and remembering that Ishikawa Hayato was always responsible for moving instruments during their previous outings, she suggested to the others,
"Speaking of which, we can't always transport equipment like this for every performance in the future, can we? If possible, let's save up and buy a commercial van for transporting equipment."
"Good idea."
Ryo agreed to her suggestion without a second thought.
Nijika immediately saw through her thoughts, looking at her with disdain.
"Ryo, you're just too lazy to move, aren't you?"
Ryo returned a vague smile.
"I agree too," Kita added.
"I... me too," Hitori quickly followed.
After each of them expressed their thoughts, they noticed that one person hadn't said anything, and looked at him in surprise.
Ishikawa Hayato was seen tearfully hugging his keyboard, asking the four girls,
"Everyone... everyone is tired of me, aren't they?"
Upon hearing his words, the three girls looked at him coldly.
Who were they buying the car for?!
The five of them chatted as they walked out of the station, but as soon as they reached the streets of Shinjuku, they immediately felt that this time's Shinjuku was completely different from how it felt last time.
Not to mention the people carrying merchandise or instruments, even some of the shop signs had been revamped, exuding a touch of rock and roll.
If this were a game, the BGM would automatically switch to “It's My Life” the moment they stepped into Shinjuku.
The girls were stunned for a moment, but Ishikawa Hayato walked behind them and put his arms around all four of their shoulders.
He said with a smile, “Let’s go.”
The girls looked at him, smiling faintly in resignation.
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