Chapter 165: Choice (Part 1)
During the intermission, several new posts appeared on the forum.
[ Check out this band—they’re unbeatable! Come on over! ]
[ Don’t waste your time watching some pop star—this year’s best band has already been decided. ]
[ As expected, the most amazing ones are always unknown! ]
The replies from those who strongly supported Kessoku Band on the forum were intermittent, and after a while, they all fell silent again.
Before long, some people on the forum who couldn’t contain their curiosity came to Shinjuku FOLT.
After all, the music festival activity allowed one ticket to be used universally, so any livehouse could be entered freely once a ticket was bought.
Moreover, the activity area was only in Shinjuku, so changing venues didn't take long, and the cost of trying a different place was extremely low.
As more and more people on the forum said, “I’ll go check it out,” and then disappeared.
The number of people whose curiosity was piqued also grew.
Until... a staff member stood at the entrance of Shinjuku Folt, apologizing to the incoming audience.
“Sorry, our venue is already full. Please go to other venues to watch the performance.”
The audience could only leave dejectedly.
The organizers hadn’t expected that the situation they had only worried about for the final show, a full house, would occur during the main event.
After all, the final show was quite late, and not that many people would stay to listen, so even if it was full, it wouldn’t be that crowded.
But at this time, there were still many people, which led to this unexpected situation.
However, it also proved one thing: Kessoku Band had attracted the audience with their own strength!
Meanwhile, just as the staff had said, the venue was already packed to the brim.
Kita looked down from the stage and could barely see below the chests of the audience members.
Facing such a situation, the five members showed no signs of nervousness, playing with composure.
The soaring music and powerful yet gentle vocals spread through the dimly lit venue from the stage, where the lights converged.
“I always daydream of boundless horizons from a corner of the room.”
“I know I can’t be the perfect protagonist.”
“I know I’m just Villager A, who can’t do anything.”
So at least let me swim freely in the ocean of my heart!”
Their music was so beautiful, giving a feeling of being in a paradise, which Hitori herself hadn’t expected.
Every time she wrote lyrics, she expressed her regrets, disappointments, and worries.
She would read them herself after writing, and even if she tried to add a bit of hope, it couldn't hide the overall gloom.
But that gloom was completely erased by the five members playing together.
The passionate music made even sadness beautiful.
So beautiful that it felt magical.
“Even when drenched by the rain, you face it with a smile.”
“I admire you for that.”
“Before I know it, I’ll become as strong as you.”
“I’ll smile even more openly than before.”
“If we ever meet from afar, please look back at our clasped hands.”
It wasn’t just the song that changed, she did too.
Unbeknownst to her, she felt increasingly free.
Hitori couldn't help but sigh.
'Rock is truly great, and... it's really truly the best.'
Another song came to an end with a long, drawn-out note, leaving behind a lingering sense of pure enjoyment.
After the applause, Kita, questioned by the audience, spoke about their previous failed performance.
“...That day, a typhoon suddenly came, and we were startled, and at that time, the band had just formed, and everyone lacked confidence...”
As Kita spoke, feeling a touch of guilt and embarrassment, Ohtsuki Yoyoko stood by the aisle, arms crossed, calmly watching the five people on stage.
If their strength during rehearsal was enough to make her take them seriously, now, she could confirm.
Kessoku Band was a band worthy of being compared to theirs.
This was a band that grew stronger with every setback, becoming more powerful through difficulties.
Their soul was not controlled by Ishikawa Hayato, who outwardly had the highest skill.
He controlled the coordination between the various instruments, making the overall performance more perfect.
But the one responsible for the explosive power was Gotoh Hitori, whom she had always looked down upon.
It was precisely because of Gotoh Hitori’s explosive performance that their show this time was so dazzling.
So dazzling that even she, their rival, was looking forward to their future performances.
Afterward, the performance continued, interspersed with interactive transitions.
After performing “If I Could Be a Constellation” and “That Band,” the girls were a bit out of breath.
Such high-intensity, high-level playing put considerable pressure on them.
Of course, the pervert was an exception.
The audience reluctantly also realized that this incredibly long half-hour was about to pass, and their performance was coming to an end.
The air conditioning was on in the venue, but Kita was still drenched in sweat from the heat and exhaustion.
Her sideburns were damp, and her voice no longer had its initial vigor.
But she still smiled, speaking with all her might into the microphone.
“So, next is our last song, and also the first original song by our band! ‘Guitar, Loneliness and Blue Planet”
Sweat ran down her cheeks, dripping onto her white half-skirt.
The five could say they performed to their heart’s content.
And it was precisely this feeling of enjoyment that prevented them from controlling their energy consumption as they usually did during practice.
But... after announcing the last song, the packed venue of music fans let out the loudest response of the night, loud enough to break through the venue’s soundproofing.
In this sound, Kita smiled weakly, then turned to look behind her.
Ryo and Hitori noticed her movement and also turned around at different speeds.
The five looked at each other, at their disheveled but persistent appearances, then at Ishikawa Hayato, who seemed unfazed.
The girls showed a helpless smile, as if to say, 'What kind of monster is he?' and then—no one knew who started it—one of them let out a soft chuckle.
Everyone followed suit and laughed.
This wasn’t planned.
It was just a spontaneous glance from Kita, and everyone went along with it naturally.
Then, with a nod from Nijika, and after confirmation from the others, the music began!
And so, the curtain fell on their most dazzling, most fulfilling night.
...
The performance ended.
Their long-prepared, long-practiced, and long-anticipated performance ended.
After the curtain fell, separating the audience from them, the girls immediately relaxed.
They were half-bent over, supporting their legs, breathing heavily.
Nijika, sitting on her chair, didn't even try to control her hands, letting her arms hang limply.
From their condition, it was clear how much effort and satisfaction they put into tonight’s performance.
Seeing them like this, Ishikawa Hayato put away his synthesizer, patiently giving them time to recover their strength.
After a short while, Nijika sighed and said.
“It’s almost time to go down. SIDEROS will be on stage soon.”
""“Mm...”"" The girls responded to her words and started to move.
Ishikawa Hayato also began to help Nijika dismantle her drums.
...
Inside the corridor, Ishikawa Hayato walked in front, effortlessly carrying a large stack of drum parts in his arms.
The others only carried their own belongings, yet they swayed like reeds in the wind.
Ishikawa Hayato really wanted to help them, but today the drum kit was scattered in pieces, and he couldn't carry any more.
However, a lazy voice quickly spoke up.
"I can't anymore... I can't move."
Ryo had only taken two steps before she looked like she didn't want to move.
Nijika, who was carrying the snare drum and other parts, was even more tired.
She panted as she comforted her.
"We'll be in the waiting room soon, we're almost there, just hold on..."
Kita and Hitori were speechless.
But as soon as Nijika finished speaking, she heard hurried footsteps moving forward.
She weakly turned her head to look, only to see Ryo quickly walk to the front, take her bass off her body, and neatly hang it on Ishikawa Hayato.
"Hey, hey."
Ishikawa Hayato glanced back, a helpless smile on his face, as if he couldn't do anything about her. He turned his body and adjusted the angle of the bass Ryo had casually hung on him.
Nijika was stunned and shouted at Ryo with a voice even louder than before.
"Ryo! Carry your own!"
Ishikawa Hayato didn't mind much, completely going along with Ryo.
He then turned to the others and said,
"Never mind, it's fine, it's already a common occurrence. How about, to make it fair, everyone lets me carry their things?"
Hitori looked at the large stack of drum parts in Ishikawa Hayato's hands and waved her hand, refusing.
"No... no, I'm still fine."
But when Ryo heard Ishikawa Hayato say that, as if confirming he still had plenty of energy, her two tender, lotus-root-like arms reached over his shoulders and hung on his chest.
Her head rested directly against Ishikawa Hayato's back, hanging on him like an ornament.
She even said contentedly,
"Hayato, walk carefully, don't let me fall."
"Alright..."
Ishikawa Hayato made a mental note to her; if she was going to use him so unceremoniously, he would get his return sooner or later.
Kita, who was also about to refuse, saw this scene. Having sung and talked for nearly half an hour earlier, she now let out another gasp.
"Ryo?!"
This was the first time she had called Ryo with a hint of displeasure.
But Ryo merely lifted her eyes, ignored Kita, and continued to close her eyes, entering 'hang-on' mode.
Nijika's cheeks puffed out in displeasure. If she wasn't still carrying drum parts in her hands, she would have hit her with a drumstick.
"Haha..."
Ishikawa Hayato felt like something terrible was about to happen and let out an awkward laugh.
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