Chapter 24: Performance (5) (Part 2)

She tapped her drumsticks, setting the rhythm.

A few minutes later.

*Hum~*

The song ended, and the lingering sound of the electronic instruments echoed in the rehearsal room.

Ishikawa Hayato sighed. Even though he had met Gotou Hitori beforehand, allowing her to adapt to communicating with the others, it hadn't changed much.

"It's super bad."

Because the difference in performance before and after was too great, Nijika was so shocked that she said the opposite of what she was thinking.

She actually kept the phrase 'It wasn't bad' in her heart.

"Pfft."

It wasn't until she heard Yamada Ryo's uncontrollable laughter that she realized her mistake.

She hastily explained.

"No, no, ah, this..."

Amidst the confusion of the group, Ishikawa Hayato adjusted the glasses he had put on at some point.

"It seems we need to change our battlefield."

Then, his glasses glinted with an unreadable light, and he walked out.

Leaving the three with puzzled expressions.

...

"Please, come out!"

Nijika pressed against a combustible trash can, wailing at it.

"The performance is about to start!"

Anyone who saw this scene would feel sorry for this cute girl. Clearly, something was wrong with her.

But, the next moment, a difficult, almost crying sound came from inside the combustible trash can.

"I... I still can't do it after all."

Clearly, there was someone with an even bigger problem present.

"It can't be helped, after all, it's a band that was put together at the last minute."

Nijika looked as if she had already come to terms with it, her hands behind her back, smiling easily as she comforted Gotou Hitori.

"I'm not very good at playing either."

To be honest, she didn't have much expectation for the upcoming performance, only hoping that they could finish playing well.

Meanwhile, Ryo proudly put her hands on her hips, "I play very well."

Inside the combustible trash can, Gotou Hitori, stimulated by this, let out a burst of broken laughter.

'Even the only thing I could be proud of has turned out like this. I shouldn't exist. I'm a water flea, a water flea...'

Seeing that things were getting nowhere, Nijika called out helplessly.

"Just come out of there, don't run from reality."

She urged Gotou Hitori, who was hiding in the trash can, with difficulty, almost as if she was breaking down.

But even so, she still used a gentle, soft-spoken tone.

On the other side, Ishikawa Hayato was sending messages in the men's restroom, holding a bag of things.

[ Kita-san, something's come up, hurry and come help. ]

[ I won't be fooled. ]

In LINE, Kita Ikuyo's tone was as if she saw right through him.

Ishikawa Hayato: [ Then there's no choice. ]

Kita Ikuyo: [ Hmm. ]

Ishikawa Hayato: [ I'll just have to post this apology video online and spend a lot of money to buy ad space so everyone can see it. ]

The next second after the message was read.

Kita Ikuyo: [ I'll kill you!! ]

Ishikawa Hayato: [ Our stage time is 18:00. I don't need to say what will happen if you're not here by then, do I? ]

[ Also, I wasn't lying about something coming up. If you come to apologize before the end, everyone should still forgive you, otherwise, you'll really be resented for life. ]

Ishikawa Hayato sent the message and waited for two minutes. Seeing no reply, he changed his clothes and walked through the live house hall, causing a flurry of screams...

"If you're scared, how about playing inside this?"

Ryo pulled out a box of ripe mangoes from who knows where.

Nijika and Gotou Hitori stared at her dumbfounded, both stunned by her astonishing creativity.

But a moment later...

"It feels exactly the same as how I've always played!"

Gotou Hitori's voice, now full of confidence, came from inside the ripe mango box.

Nijika, who had gone even further down the path of sarcasm, stared blankly at the cardboard box and couldn’t help but ask.

"What kind of place do you actually live in?"

But Gotou Hitori, having entered her personal zone, was already getting carried away.

"Everyone! Let's get hyped tonight!"

Gotou Hitori's excited voice came from inside the box, causing the box to shake continuously.

This bizarre scene was something even Ryo, the one who had brought the box over, hadn't anticipated. Even she couldn't help but comment.

"It feels like an entirely different person..."

Nijika looked at Gotou Hitori (the cardboard box), who showed willingness to go on stage, and breathed a sigh of relief, then asked in a relaxed tone.

"By the way, how should we introduce you to the audience?"

She tilted her head uncertainly, her soft side ponytail swaying.

"Hitori-chan? Can we use your real name?"

Upon hearing this, Gotou Hitori quickly poked her head out from the opening she had just made. She urgently and subtly refused.

"That... It's still..."

"Then do you have any nicknames?" Nijika asked, puzzled.

"In middle school, they all called me 'that' or 'hey' or something..."

Gotou Hitori said gloomily, as if it were routine, words that were sad to hear and brought tears to one's eyes.

This even startled Nijika; it was a topic she could hardly imagine.

"Are those even nicknames!?"

Gotou Hitori also knew this was too pathetic and anxiously hurried to say.

"I... I haven't become familiar enough with anyone to get a nickname!"

Upon hearing this, Ryo seemed to sense that she wanted a nickname.

She was quite thoughtful and, with her familiar manner, came up with a nickname for Gotou Hitori.

"Hitori, alone." She blurted it out as if she hadn't given it any thought.

"How about Bocchi-chan?"

This nickname made Nijika, who was standing nearby, dumbfounded. This was a name often used for dogs!

Does this person not think before she speaks?!

But... Gotou Hitori, no, Bocchi, who had poked her head out of the box, had her eyes shining, and she cried out with joy and emotion.

"I... I... I'll be Bocchi!"

As she spoke, little stars of happiness even appeared around her.

She was happy... Nijika stared blankly at the happy Bocchi.

At the same time, while the three were chatting animatedly, a pervert silently snuck in.

Hearing Bocchi's voice, he nodded with satisfaction.

He had arrived at just the right time.

But he squatted in the corner, waiting for an even more opportune moment.

Don't ask how he hid. A Pervert can even stick onto the corner of a ceiling.

“This is my first nickname.” Bocchi's tone carried a leisurely happiness, and she smiled, as if her whole being had softened.

From all the time Nijika had spent together with Bocchi up until now, this was the first time she had seen her like this.

In contrast to Bocchi happy moment, Nijika felt a pang of heartache for her. She pressed her hand to her chest and sighed softly.

"Ah, I feel like I'm about to cry." 

Under their encouragement, and feeling their concern, Bocchi gained some courage and asked.

"I still don't know the name of your band."

This immediately made Nijika's expression freeze as if struck by a blow. She recoiled a step.

"It's the Kessoku Band."

Ryo explained in a calm tone.

Then, seeing Bocchi fall into confusion, Ryo covered her mouth, quietly chuckling at her proud naming.

"A masterpiece."

"That name is too cold! I absolutely have to change it!"

Nijika waved her hand in exasperation, yelling at Ryo, then clutched her head in agony, wailing.

"Ah ah ah ah..."

"Why? Isn't it cute?" Ryo asked, puzzled.

"Ah... yes." Bocchi replied.

Seeing that even Bocchi agreed, Nijika's wails grew louder, but she quickly changed her attitude.

"Never mind the band name for now, it's almost time to go on stage."

No sooner had she finished speaking than Bocchi, sighing in fear, shrank back into the cardboard box.

"It's okay!"

Nijika said, comforting her with a smile.

"Even if you play badly, the core is to enjoy playing."

"Music can easily evoke strong emotions."

Before Nijika could finish her comforting words, a very ill-timed character appeared.

"Exactly, happiness is the essence of everything."

Ishikawa Hayato appeared. He quietly turned on the synthesizer and played the sound he had previously adjusted.

"Aiyaya~~"

The three who were conversing were startled by the sound. They looked at the suddenly blaring amplifier, then immediately turned to the keyboard.

The three froze.

The sight that greeted them instantly stunned their minds.

Ishikawa Hayato was wearing a crude scarf like a ragged cloth, iron bracers on his hands, long boots... and a loincloth.

Ishikawa Hayato, who usually looked like he had an ordinary build, appeared strong and sturdy after taking off his clothes.

Although he didn't have the large muscles of a bodybuilder, his sleek yet well-defined physique found the perfect balance between slenderness and strength.

Paired with this outfit, he exuded a sense of fashion that was so trendy it was beyond comprehension.

He stood with his hands on his hips, a proud expression on his face, striking a strange pose as he said.

"Even if we play badly, as long as we keep their attention focused elsewhere!"

"Oh~"

Ryo was the first to recover enough to exclaim in surprise, then nodded.

"Very feasible. Even if the ticket prices are raised, girls will still come to see it."

Nijika, who had been speaking to Bocchi in a gentle tone, was completely dumbfounded, her mouth opening and closing, unsure what to say, until a few seconds later.

"Hayato-kun, put your clothes on!!"

Her face flushed as she closed her eyes and screamed desperately.

“Ahhhhhh!”

On the other side, Hitori glanced over twice, her face red, and she retreated into her cardboard box as if drowning.

“Hm, not bad…”

Ishikawa Hayato even felt the impact wasn't enough. He slowly pinched a corner of his loincloth and began to pull it up.

“Oh oh oh!”

Ryo seemed shocked as she she kept stumbling backward.

“Our band will be famous throughout Japan in one day!”

Hitori noticed the commotion outside growing stranger and couldn’t help but peek out.

“Ah!”

The moment she saw Ishikawa Hayato, she covered her eyes, but the next second, her middle and ring fingers parted, and her bright green eyes stared intently at Ishikawa Hayato through the gap.

“That’s enough!”

Finally, Nijika’s forehead veins bulged with anger. She grabbed a cardboard sheet from the side, blocked Ishikawa Hayato, then punched him…