The performance was about to begin.
Yet there were still very few people in the audience, and even those who had arrived didn't seem particularly interested.
"So the first band is called Kessoku Band. Ever heard of them?"
"Nope. Not interested either."
"We should've come later."
"Hopefully the rain stops before the concert ends."
...
Backstage.
The members of Kessoku Band peeked out at the audience.
Although they couldn't hear what the crowd was saying from here, it was obvious that the audience wasn't enthusiastic.
Bocchi trembled nervously, while Kita didn't look very confident either.
Bai Qiu gently patted both of them on the shoulders.
"Hitori, just imagine this is another street performance."
"Kita, pretend we're just singing together at karaoke."
"I'll be right behind you. If anything goes wrong, leave it to me."
Kita and Hitori both nodded, calming down a little.
Nijika looked at them in confusion.
"What are you talking about?"
Bai Qiu turned to her.
"Nijika, do you need some encouragement too?"
"Huh?"
She blinked in surprise.
"But I'm not worried about you or Ryo."
"That just makes me feel even more pressured!"
It was time.
On stage.
The members of Kessoku Band all wore matching black T-shirts.
The words "Kessoku Band" were printed across the front, along with a few small designs.
These were the band's official performance shirts.
Kita Ikuyo stood at the center.
Hitori stood to her left.
Ryo stood to her right.
Behind them, Bai Qiu and Nijika took their places on the left and right respectively.
Kita smiled and introduced the band.
"Nice to meet everyone. We're Kessoku Band."
"Thank you all very much for coming out in the rain to watch our performance."
However...
The only people actually looking at the band were the four members of the Light Music Club, Hitori's two fans, Seika, Hiroi, PA-san, and Raana, who had somehow arrived without anyone noticing.
Technically speaking, considering the size of the audience, the number of people paying attention wasn't actually that small.
The problem was...
They were all friends.
The rest of the audience kept their heads down, playing on their phones while waiting for the bands they actually came to see.
"Kita, you don't have to be so formal... haha..."
Nijika quickly tried to ease the awkward atmosphere.
A few people in the audience laughed along awkwardly.
But the atmosphere remained cold.
Somewhat stiffly, Kita continued.
"Our first song is an original piece..."
"Guitar, Loneliness and Blue Planet."
The instruments came to life.
Kita began to sing.
"Suddenly, a heavy shower falls... Ah, I didn't even bring an umbrella."
*(The sudden downpour makes me hate myself for forgetting an umbrella.)*
"I don't care what kind of mood the sky is in."
*(Whatever mood the sky is in has nothing to do with me.)*
"When the seasons change, what am I even supposed to wear?"
*(When the seasons change, what clothes am I supposed to put on?)*
...
Normally, the opening lyrics fit today's rainy weather perfectly.
But no one paid any attention.
The audience continued staring at their phones.
Seeing this, Yui pouted and whispered to Mio and Ritsu beside her,
"Why is everyone looking at their phones?"
"Are phones really that interesting?"
Mio and Ritsu sighed.
"Some people only came for the bands they like."
"And with the weather being so bad, everyone's mood has gotten worse too."
More importantly...
Something had gone wrong with the performance itself.
Raana calmly commented,
"Boring music."
Bai Qiu noticed it too.
Beautiful melodies flowed from his keyboard.
But a band was never about just one person.
Since the beginning of the song...
Nijika's drumming had been dragging behind the tempo.
Kita, who had performed flawlessly during rehearsal, was making mistakes.
Even her voice trembled slightly.
After all...
Standing alone at center stage placed the greatest pressure on her.
Ryo had also failed to synchronize with Nijika.
This performance...
Was actually worse than rehearsal.
Hitori noticed it too.
But what about herself?
What was she doing?
She kept her head lowered, staring at the strings.
She couldn't face the audience.
She was merely playing mechanically.
There was no emotion in her performance.
Bai Qiu had told her...
"I'm right behind you."
"Just play like it's another street performance."
Hitori asked herself honestly.
Had she really given it everything she had?
No.
At that moment...
The rhythm from Bai Qiu's keyboard suddenly accelerated.
The notes surged forward.
No longer elegant as Seika had once described...
His performance even seemed to disrupt everyone's rhythm.
Some audience members thought the keyboardist had made a mistake too.
But this...
Was Bai Qiu's way of waking Kessoku Band up.
The girls all looked at him in surprise.
After hearing his music...
The confusion disappeared from Hitori's eyes.
Determination gradually replaced it.
She stomped her left foot onto the stage.
She had arrived.
The Guitar Hero version of Gotou Hitori.
Her pick moved so quickly that afterimages appeared.
Wild, explosive guitar notes burst forth.
The intense sound finally disturbed those who had been looking down at their phones.
An outstanding keyboardist alone could carry an entire band.
An exceptional guitarist...
Could turn the tide when it mattered most.
Thanks to Bai Qiu...
And Hitori...
Nijika and Ryo also came to their senses.
They quickly adjusted their performance.
Ryo turned toward the others.
She was no longer trapped inside her own world.
Kita's voice stopped trembling.
Its bright, warm energy returned.
Music that truly carried emotion...
Could strike directly at people's hearts.
The audience quickly realized that something had changed.
One by one...
They lowered their phones.
They looked up.
They watched.
They listened.
And they began to praise the band.
"This band isn't bad at all."
"They're much better than I expected."
"Now that I'm actually listening..."
"The lyrics and composition are really interesting."
"This band has a unique style."
"That cheerful girl is singing such a melancholic song."
"Isn't that guy..."
"The keyboardist from that viral video a few days ago?"
"Interesting..."
"Both the musician and the music."
The members of the Light Music Club...
Along with Seika Ijichi and the others...
Also noticed the change in both the music and the atmosphere.
Smiles appeared across their faces.
...
"I want to become something... anyone at all."
*(I only want to become someone... anyone is fine.)*
"The foolish me can only keep singing."
*(All this foolish girl can do is sing.)*
"Let's pour everything out to the stars."
*(I'll tell everything to the stars above.)*
The first song ended.
Although the beginning had stumbled...
Kessoku Band recovered beautifully.
They had successfully captured the audience's attention.
Then—
Kita smiled brightly.
Confidence shone across her face.
"Please enjoy our second original song!"
"It's called..."
"That Band!"
Her singing was now louder.
More beautiful.
Filled with genuine emotion.
"The songs that band sings..."
*(The songs sung by that band...)*
"Sound like piercing laughter to me."
*(To me, they sound like sharp, ringing laughter.)*
"The songs that band sings..."
*(The songs sung by that band...)*
"Are like the deafening bells at a railroad crossing."
*(To me, they're like the shrill ringing of a railway crossing.)*
...
"Now I can feel the heartbeat deep inside my chest."
*(Now I confirm the heartbeat deep within me.)*
"I don't want to hear anything else."
*(I don't want to hear anything but this.)*
"Except for the sound I create."
*(Nothing but the sound that comes from me.)*
As the second song came to an end...
The atmosphere grew increasingly lively.
Outside...
The rain seemed to have stopped.
More audience members began entering the venue.
Kita's cheeks were flushed red with excitement and sweat.
Her eyes sparkled with exhilaration.
"Our final song!"
"Seishun Complex!"
"I always loved dark, cramped places..."
*(I loved dark, narrow places, hidden beneath the hood pulled over my head.)*
"My eyes hated this heartless world..."
*(My eyes despised this cruel world, yet hopelessly longed to be loved.)*
-------------------
The fully completed English PDF of this fanfic is available on my Patreon shop for readers who want to support me and own the full story at once.Just grab the PDF and binge-read the entire fanfic from start to finish without waiting for updates.
I've also uploaded some new fanfics based on reader requests.If you're interested and would like to support my work, feel free to check them out and grab a copy on Patreon.
Recently uploaded fanfic titles:
" Game of Thrones : Heroic Invincible System "
" Rock Girl Won't Let Me Go "
" Villain: Suppressing the Protagonist and Stealing the School Beauty "
" Cartonist in Doraemon "
" Swallowed Star: Heaven-Defying Comprehension, Joins Chat Group "
" System Rewards Iron Body "
"A Summer Night Tainted by Love"
"The Ice-Cold Devil's Kiss"
Patreon.com /Ramzane