Chapter 23: Performance (5) (Part 1)

After school.

Gotou Hitori regretted it, regretted it very much.

She even looked for a time machine for a while, and even sent herself a text message, with a timer set for the morning.

'Absolutely do not agree to Kita-san's request.'

After all the fuss, she slowly walked towards the livehouse several kilometers away.

It wasn't because of the distance that she didn't want to go, but because... "Then I'll leave it to Gotou-san. I've told Ijiichi-senpai, and she will pick you up."

"Huh? What about Kita-san?"

Kita Ikuyo, when asked this, showed an embarrassed expression. She averted her gaze and said very apologetically.

"I won't be going. Good luck, Gotou-san!"

As she spoke, she clenched her fist and encouraged Gotou Hitori.

Gotou Hitori smiled, blood overflowing from her lips.

That's where her flashbacks ended. 

She walked alone by the roadside, where even the setting sun couldn't reach, her head down, looking at the small grass growing by the curb, her heart heavy.

'What kind of person would Kita-san's senior be like?'

... 

Ishikawa Hayato, waiting for the performance to start at STARRY, sat for a long time, only to see Yamada Ryo arrive alone.

She slowly walked down the stairs. After returning home, she had changed into her casual clothes and seemed quite excited about the performance.

"Where's Nijika?"

Ishikawa Hayato had a feeling, but he still asked.

"She went to find a guitarist to replace Kita."

Yamada Ryo said, sitting next to Ishikawa Hayato with a bored expression.

"I have a feeling it's going to be a disaster."

Ishikawa Hayato affirmed.

"Mm."

Yamada Ryo nodded.

After a short while, Manager Seika walked over. She looked around, not seeing her sister, and asked the two of them.

"Where's Nijika?"

"She ran away."

Ishikawa Hayato, who never lies, said so.

"Huh?"

Manager Seika, who knew it was a lie, glared at him with the wild and fierce gaze of a former band girl.

Ishikawa Hayato gave an awkward smile and waved his hand apologetically.

"She went to find a guitarist," Yamada Ryo answered Seika's question.

"Searching right now?"

Seika looked surprised, as if to say, 'Are you trying to trick me too?' But when she saw Yamada Ryo nod, she pressed her hand to her head, a headache forming.

"Later, please tell Nijika for me to practice diligently right up until the show starts! Really, that idiot sister of mine."

Seika complained angrily as she walked out.

"The Manager is angry."

"Nijika is in trouble."

The two of them sighed together.

Time slowly passed. Even Ishikawa Hayato was starting to worry if something had gone wrong, when Nijika's cheerful voice rang out.

"Good morning."

He snapped out of his thoughts.

Indeed, for gloomy and dark people, 'Good morning' can be used as a greeting even in the evening.

He looked towards the entrance.

Behind Nijika, followed a timid girl with long pink hair, wearing a pink tracksuit top and a pleated skirt.

The two walked down the stairs, and Nijika introduced the store to her.

He didn't speak, just quietly watched the two of them.

Yamada Ryo pushed her chair back and stood up, walking towards them, and at the same time greeted Nijika.

"You're finally back."

"Yamada Ryo~"

Nijika called out Yamada Ryo's name with a smile, then introduced the person she had brought back.

"This is Gotou Hitori-chan. She's the Guitarist Kita-chan asked to help out."

Ishikawa Hayato watched from his spot. Gotou Hitori was clearly startled by Yamada Ryo's expressionless face.Her expression was starting to look abnormal.

Then Nijika extended her hand to introduce Yamada Ryo to Gotou Hitori.

But just as she spoke a sentence, Gotou Hitori immediately bowed deeply and shouted.

"I am Gotou Hitori! I am very sorry!"

Nijika awkwardly tried to smooth over the increasingly strange atmosphere, then looked around.

Ishikawa Hayato knew it was his cue.

With the elusive ability unique to perverts, he flashed beside Nijika and Gotou Hitori.

He placed his hands on their shoulders.

"Ladies, have you lost something?"

"Hayato-kun!"

Nijika was startled by Ishikawa Hayato and immediately turned her head, then stomped her foot in anger. She didn't mind Ishikawa Hayato touching her like that.

Rather, she knew how timid the person next to her was, and being scared like this by Ishikawa Hayato could make her run away.

He's usually so sensible, why is he suddenly like this now!

"Ah, Ishikawa-kun..."

Gotou Hitori looked at Ishikawa Hayato, who was holding her shoulder, in surprise.

She hadn't expected Ishikawa Hayato to be here. Seeing someone she knew, she felt a bit relieved.

She even felt an irrepressible surprise.

Could it be that the band she was temporarily joining was Ishikawa-kun's band!?

Ishikawa Hayato looked at Gotou Hitori, then suddenly got into character, pulling out a handkerchief from who knows where, wiping away tears, and said with a wronged expression.

"Sniff, sniff. Gotou-san must dislike me. She comes right away when others invite her, but ignores my invitations."

"Eh, eh, eh, no, no, that's not it at all!"

Gotou Hitori frantically waved her hands in denial.

"You two know each other?" Nijika blinked in surprise.

Ishikawa Hayato returned to his normal demeanor and said with a smile.

"Yes, Gotou-san is the guitarist I wanted to bring in before."

"I see."

Nijika let out a long sigh of relief.

Indeed, even though Hayato-kun always likes to do strange things, he is still a very sensible person.

At this moment, Yamada Ryo remembered what Seika had asked her to tell Nijika.

"Speaking of which, the Manager said to keep practicing until the show starts. She also complained angrily about Nijika going out, and she went out to run some errands herself."

Nijika looked at Yamada Ryo, startled, and even clutched her small hands in fear at the end.

Clearly, her angry older sister still held a lot of sway over her.

"No way!"

She quickly urged the others, pushing Yamada Ryo.

"Let's go to the rehearsal room before she comes back."

...In the past, only three members frequented the rehearsal room to practice, but today there was an additional member.

And this is what happened.

Nijika pushed Yamada Ryo into the rehearsal room, then mercilessly abandoned her, taking out the performance plan and everyone's sheet music from under the cabinet.

She glanced at Ishikawa Hayato, and seeing him make no move, she handed the few sheets of paper to Gotou Hitori herself.

"This is today's schedule and sheet music."

Gotou Hitori took the sheet music. She confirmed the band members.

The one who brought her here earlier was Ijichi Nijika.

On the way, she said she was the Drummer.

Yamada Ryo was the bassist.

Ishikawa-kun was... She saw Ishikawa Hayato walk to the set-up synthesizer.

He was the Keyboardist.

Plus Kita Ikuyo, who had previously said she couldn't play the guitar.

Isn't this almost a full lineup?

Speaking of which, where's the vocalist?

"Um, the band members are..."

"Everyone for this performance is here. This time, we're doing an instrumental performance."

Nijika said, helping her turn on the amplifier, then patted it, "Hitori, use this."

"Ah... Mm."

Gotou Hitori nodded awkwardly, then noticed Ishikawa Hayato's gaze from the side.

When she looked at Ishikawa Hayato, he gave her a bright, encouraging thumbs-up, then began testing the keyboard sound.

She also quickly checked the sheet music.

No problem.

She could easily play a song of this level, but without a singer, the performance would require more effort.

Moreover, this was also an opportunity for Ishikawa-kun to see her skills.

Nijika looked at the confident smile of Hitori, who had joined temporarily, and relaxed a little.

Even she knew that finding a Guitarist two hours before a performance was too exaggerated.

And if the performance was too bad, her sister would kill her when she got home tonight.

She watched Gotou Hitori's expression as she spoke.

"Then, without further ado, let's start from the beginning."

"Well, let's take it slow at first, then gradually get used to it."

Worried that she might be too impatient and overlook others' feelings again, she observed Gotou Hitori. After tuning, she had a small smile, looking eager to show off.

Then she said.

"Let's begin."