If I think about it carefully…
I don't think I've ever actually been to an instrument shop before.
Gotoh Hitori stood silently in front of a rather upscale-looking music store.
And as his brain replayed all the stuff he'd just told Kita Ikuyo—about how you have to buy guitars in a physical store—he suddenly felt like the biggest poser on Earth.
I mean… I'd never even been in one, and I still acted all knowledgeable, telling my student what she "absolutely must" do…
So embarrassing.
If Kita noticed I've actually never been to an instrument shop, my dignity as a teacher would just evaporate, wouldn't it?
But… I didn't have the courage to go in by myself, either…
This place was completely unknown territory. Who knew what might happen? I'd heard that staff in music stores often talk to customers—sometimes they even follow you around while you browse guitars…
N-no…!
If some stranger stared at me the whole time, forget buying a guitar—there was no way I'd even be able to breathe…!
There was only one thing to do.
At this point… I might as well hide behind the great Kita, like she was a human shield…!
Compared to my teacherly pride, I value my life more!
Ah.
Kita's back suddenly looked so broad.
So safe…
Gotoh took one quiet step backward, clinging tightly behind Kita Ikuyo like a duelist's trademark lurking "guardian spirit."
Kita noticed immediately. She blinked a couple times, and then understood.
So that's it—Gotoh-san can't go in alone.
How adorable.
Ever since she'd discovered that Gotoh-san—who looked so cool and handsome—was actually painfully socially anxious, she'd started liking that "gap" more and more.
She really wanted to take a picture right now and save it in her album…
But that would scare him. Fine—she'd just carve it into her memory with her eyes!
"Don't worry, Gotoh-san." Kita turned back toward Gotoh, planted her hands on her hips, and declared confidently, "I'll protect you!"
"…Ah. Th-thank you… Kita…" Gotoh stared at her bright smile, momentarily dazed.
Then he lowered his gaze—only to realize she'd already taken hold of his wrist, completely naturally, and was leading him into the store.
At the front desk, a short-haired clerk whispered, "Manager, there's a pair at the entrance who look like a total 'gap' couple."
After working at this store for so long, this was the first time she'd seen a duo where both the guy and the girl were so absurdly good-looking.
"Yeah, that type is common." The manager sounded like someone with far too much life experience. Unlike the curious clerk, she only glanced at Gotoh and Kita once before calmly looking away. "Some band scumbag bringing his brand-new girlfriend to an instrument shop so he can show off."
"…Manager, why does it sound like you have… a lot of resentment?"
"Watch your mouth unless you want your pay docked."
Meanwhile—
Gotoh and Kita were looking at the rows of straps near the entrance, along with various charms and band merch.
Kita's eyes sparkled as she picked up a black strap and excitedly told him, "Gotoh-san! This strap would look perfect on your guitar!"
"Huh?" Gotoh didn't react fast enough. A blank little sound escaped him.
"Your guitar is a 1968 Gibson Black Card, right? Yesterday, after you sent me that video explaining guitar types, I went and looked it up properly, so I know!" Kita puffed her chest a little, clearly wearing a big Praise me! expression.
Then she even pulled out a pair of black-rimmed glasses with no prescription from her small bag and put them on, adjusting the frames with both hands—her sleeves covering half her palms.
When she noticed Gotoh looking at her, she gave him a slightly mischievous smile and met his gaze openly.
"Gotoh-san, you probably haven't changed your strap much, right? Then why not use this chance to upgrade your guitar's equipment? Ah—and look! This strap with a kitty pattern is so cute! Gotoh-san, look!"
Kita's peripheral vision caught another strap, and she immediately brought that one out too, showing him both like this trip was for him, not her.
"Manager, did you hear that?" The clerk—still secretly watching—suddenly turned solemn. "That guy has a Gibson. And it's a 1968 Black Card Gibson. Our store doesn't even sell something that expensive, does it?"
The manager said nothing.
But the calm in her eyes wavered ever so slightly.
A 1968 Gibson Black Card…
If you did even a little relic work on it or packaged it nicely, it could easily sell for over a million yen—an unquestionable treasure among treasures.
So that guy actually owns something like that…
I underestimated him.
I thought he was just the kind of person who lives off his looks—pretty face, a bit tall, but otherwise all bark and no bite.
Turns out he's not just good-looking—he's got money, too.
Damn it.
With that kind of build, who knows how many sweet, innocent girls he's already toyed with… What a walking sin…
"…It's just a Gibson." The manager snorted coldly, still refusing to change her opinion. "Kids these days all have expensive guitars. It's nothing special."
If anything, she sounded even more convinced.
A guy who's rich, handsome, and—worst of all—can play guitar?
Even if the sky fell, that kind of guy would absolutely be a scumbag.
That was an eternal truth.
In real life, anyone who plays in a rock band has never had a clean private life!
"…Um, I think… this one might suit Kita more…" Gotoh had no idea he was being judged behind his back. His attention was entirely on the two straps in Kita's hands.
Honestly, he didn't feel strongly about straps. As long as the color matched the guitar, it was fine—either one would do.
But if he said that out loud, it would definitely crush Kita's kind intention. After thinking it over, he decided to respond carefully.
Besides, he wasn't in a hurry. From the beginning, he'd planned to let Kita browse slowly.
"The kitty one…?" he asked.
Kita lifted the strap in her right hand and considered it. "I actually think this one fits you better, Gotoh-san. Um… what should we do… Oh! How about this: you and I both use the same strap! What do you think?"
"Huh? But… we haven't even looked at your guitar yet. Is that okay…?"
"It's fine! The main color is black. A black strap won't look weird with any guitar color, right?" Kita explained with a confident hand-on-hip pose, raising one slender finger like a lecturer.
Gotoh closed his eyes and thought about it.
…That actually sounded true.
Usually people focus on the guitar itself. Hardly anyone even notices what the strap looks like. That was exactly why Gotoh believed matching the general color was enough.
But still…
Is it really okay for her to use the same strap as me…?
Gotoh quietly pressed a hand to his fragile heart.
He knew exactly what kind of person he was.
If Kita really used the same strap as him, he'd definitely get carried away.
He'd start thinking that if he shared the same item as a bright, popular extroverted girl like her, then it must mean he'd taken a step closer to becoming the sort of person people liked.
Maybe—just maybe—becoming a dazzling, wildly popular figure who could raise a hand and cause roaring cheers… wouldn't be a dream anymore!
But Kita was already that kind of person now. Once she learned guitar, she'd become even more popular…
And if one day she didn't need me anymore—after learning guitar from me, she forgot I existed, or she became a professional idol, went down the film-star route, and changed her guitar strap…
I'd be hurt for the rest of my life…
I'm sorry, Kita…
I'm sorry I'm such a pain…
Gotoh's imagination spiraled into a full-blown disaster play, as usual.
It was his bad habit.
His imagination was far too powerful compared to normal people, making his inner world absurdly active—and causing him to miss chances to befriend others like a normal person.
Just as his vision started to go dark, he felt a hand clasp his. His mind snapped back to reality.
Kita was smiling at him like always.
"Please don't worry, Gotoh-san." She didn't lean in close. But somehow, through her soft hand, he could almost feel a heartbeat. "If you and I use the same strap, I absolutely, absolutely will keep using it forever. No matter what happens, I won't change it. And I'll practice guitar even more seriously!"
"...Huh? Really?"
"Of course! Didn't I tell you already? I really admire you, Gotoh-san!" Kita's eyes shone even brighter.
"But… what if… one day… my strap breaks by accident?"
"Then, when that happens, Gotoh-san, please make time for me—and we'll come buy an even nicer, cuter, sturdier strap together!"
Kita said it with a smile.
"Straps can break. But we won't… right?"
Kita—
At that moment, Gotoh felt like Kita was literally glowing—so bright it could light up the entire store.
"…Manager, is it really the 'scumbag guitarist + innocent girl showing off' thing?" The clerk, who had somehow produced a pair of sunglasses and put them on, whispered nervously. "This feels… kind of different."
"This looks more like the girl is—"
"Shut it. Do you think I'm blind?" The manager also somehow produced sunglasses and put them on. "And keep your voice down. Move less. Don't disturb them while they're talking."
"Manager, your face-changing is—"
"Hm?"
"I mean—Manager, you're brilliant! Oh—Manager, they went upstairs."
"You stay here and watch the store." The manager stood up decisively. "I'm going up to see what they're really made of."
Before the clerk could protest, the manager picked up a pack of cleaning tools, pretending she was staff going up to do instrument maintenance, and headed to the second floor.
She'd just gotten completely outshone by that red-haired girl…
But she still felt her judgment was probably, maybe, possibly correct.
A young man and woman entering an instrument shop looking like a couple—if they weren't here to show off or just browse, could they really be here to buy something?
The manager wore a complicated expression… and then she heard the red-haired girl wave at her.
"Um, excuse me, miss—can we take that guitar down and try it?"
There it is!
I knew it!!
I knew they were here to show off!!
The manager's heart felt refreshed. She quickly walked over, wore the brightest smile of her entire career, took down the guitar they pointed at, and handed it to the boy with the heavy bangs.
The boy politely murmured a quiet "thank you," then found a place, set down the guitar bag he'd been carrying on his back, and sat with the guitar angled lightly across his leg.
His long fingers settled naturally on the strings—fretting cleanly, positioning his picking hand correctly. Just from that compact, practiced posture, it was obvious he was experienced.
The manager gave a curious "Oh?" and slowly withdrew her contempt.
To be fair, what she hated wasn't skilled players—it was talentless posers who came in to flirt and act cool. If an actual guitarist came in and played well, she'd be happy to listen.
But at the very peak of her anticipation…
She realized the boy was only checking the guitar's tuning.
Once he was done, he handed it to the girl beside him.
Then he began explaining the guitar's pros and cons, and even started teaching her how to do basic finger exercises and the most fundamental, beginner chords.
"..."
The manager fell completely silent.
So in the end…
These two…
They were just here to learn guitar…
B-but that still didn't make sense.
Learning guitar here, fine, I can accept that.
But what is their relationship?
A couple? They didn't seem that clingy.
Friends? Normal friends don't say such cheesy things.
Teacher and student? But they both speak so politely to each other…
Forget it.
I'm not thinking about it.
They said if the strap breaks, they'll come back to buy another.
At that point, I'll find out what they really are.
…
…
…
After leaving the instrument shop—
"Earlier I thought your guitar bag looked heavy, but it's really heavy… Gotoh-san, are you okay? You've been carrying that all day. Want me to massage your shoulders?"
Kita took out her phone and snapped a ton of photos of herself wearing the guitar bag.
She'd already taken lots inside the store, but apparently it still wasn't enough. She kept taking pictures for a few more minutes before finally stopping and turning to Gotoh, her eyes still brimming with energy.
"N-n-n-no, no, no, no, no! No need to trouble you, Kita—I'm not tired at all!" Gotoh shook his head so hard it was like a rattle drum.
Just being around Kita normally left him getting blasted into retreat by her unstoppable "Kita beam."
If she actually massaged his shoulders, the Kita beam would probably kill him on the spot.
"More importantly… Kita… are you really sure about that guitar?" Gotoh looked worried.
The guitar Kita had ultimately chosen was also a Gibson. Not as expensive as his, but still close to six hundred thousand yen.
Six hundred thousand yen for a guitar.
And she was a total beginner.
Honestly, Gotoh couldn't quite agree with that choice.
Most people start out aiming for something pricey and high-end.
Then after a few days—or a month or two—they get busy with work or school, and the guitar ends up gathering dust in a corner, and all that money is wasted.
That was why Gotoh had originally recommended she start with something affordable—an Ibanez, or an Epiphone, something in the twenty-thousand to sixty-thousand yen range.
Then, once she truly confirmed she liked guitar and wanted to go deeper, after one or two years she could upgrade—buying a Gibson then would be no problem.
But buying a Gibson right from the start…
And not just any Gibson—a high-end one…
Gotoh was genuinely worried she'd get scolded by her family.
"Yup! I'm decided. I'm getting this guitar." Kita nodded brightly. "It's definitely expensive, but… it's still within a range I can accept, so you don't have to worry!"
"Actually, at first I wanted to buy the same guitar as yours, Gotoh-san. But after looking everywhere and asking around, I couldn't find it. So I had to settle for the one I liked best…"
"Gotoh-san… do you think I'm just wasting money?"
"…No." Gotoh shook his head. "If you decided this, then you must have your reasons. I trust you, Kita, so I won't think you're wasting money."
"I see…" Kita lifted her chin, feeling the weight of the guitar on her back.
"Thank you, Gotoh-san. Thank you for supporting my decision."
As she spoke, Kita suddenly quickened her pace.
With both thumbs hooked under the guitar bag straps, she bounced lightly and moved to stand in front of him.
Then she turned around gently.
With the sunset behind her—deepening into evening—and the traffic light at the intersection counting down, she faced him.
Gotoh stopped instinctively, wanting to pull her back a little—at least away from a dangerous spot.
But the girl seemed to understand him without words.
The very next second after the thought rose, she took a small step forward, moving to a position that made him feel at ease.
Gotoh could tell.
She had something she wanted to say.
But in the end, she chose to keep those unknown words inside.
Instead, she put on the kind of smile that always made it impossible to look away and asked,
"Gotoh-san, where are we going next?"
"…Ah. Um… a live house," Gotoh answered, slightly dazed.
"A live house?" Kita tilted her head a little, then her eyes lit up again. "Are you taking me to see a performance together? If that's the case, I know a lot of places!"
"I-I'm sorry, it's not that…" Gotoh quickly corrected.
After searching for words, he explained, "Live houses… they have practice rooms. Studios… stuff like that. And now that you've bought a guitar, Kita… it's time to start practicing properly."
"I thought… at least for teaching you, it should be a more professional, quieter environment. So I chose a live house. Um… if you have a better place, that's fine too…! Because live houses charge money for the room, so it adds extra costs, so…"
Gotoh couldn't finish.
He didn't know how to bring up the cost of renting a practice room.
Should that expense be covered by his pay? Or should they split it? If it was the latter, would it make her uncomfortable…?
Just thinking about money made his head feel like it was going to explode.
As an adult, he understood how important money was—and he was terrified that handling it badly would damage their friendship.
While he struggled to figure out how to continue, he noticed Kita frown.
His heart dropped.
A huge wave of anxiety rose in him.
Just as he was about to say something—
He heard Kita ask,
"…Is that really okay?"
Kita stepped back to his side. In her green-yellow eyes, there was no concern about money—only thick, genuine worry.
Worry for him.
"Gotoh-san… when you were still in a band… you probably practiced in places like those practice rooms, right?"
"I don't really know all the details about that band, but… you disappeared for half a year without a word. You stopped updating videos. You didn't appear on stage anymore…"
"That's enough to show you really resisted that band… isn't it? If that's true… then if we go to a practice room, will it make you remember things you don't want to remember?"
Kita gently tugged his sleeve.
"…It's okay if I practice outside, Gotoh-san. I don't know exactly where yet, but I'll help you think of something. I'll stay with you."
Gotoh froze again.
The traffic light had already cycled twice.
Pedestrians hurried past.
Cars flowed like water.
His lips moved, but in the end he awkwardly lifted a hand to hide most of his face… and suddenly squatted down.
"Huh? Gotoh-san? Is it low blood sugar again? That awful band really hurt you that badly? Just mentioning it makes you uncomfortable… I'm sorry, Gotoh-san, it's my fault! Um—let me see, I have candy—Gotoh-san, do you want some?"
Kita immediately squatted too.
Panicking, she fumbled in another bag, trying to find candy.
But she moved too fast, too suddenly.
Before she could pull anything out, she started tipping sideways, losing her balance.
Kita let out a small yelp and reflexively shut her eyes.
And in that moment, Gotoh reached out and caught her by the shoulder.
"Gotoh-san?" Kita looked at him in surprise.
"Um… Kita…" Gotoh paused for a long time, and only then forced the words out.
"I… I'm not… that sensitive about it. So you don't need to worry too much."
"But… thank you. For thinking about me like that… really… thank you… a-and—ah! It's almost red, Kita! Let's go!"
Gotoh sprang to his feet.
Maybe because he'd spent half a year working like a corporate drone…
His stamina was much better than in high school.
Back then, going down and up like that would have triggered his low blood sugar immediately.
But now, he could grab a college girl's wrist, weave through the crowded street, race the countdown of the traffic light, carry a guitar bag bouncing on his back, and run across the crosswalk.
…This feels kind of like a movie scene, Kita thought.
Then she smiled brilliantly and shouted behind him,
"Gotoh-san! Let's run faster!"
…
…
…
6:30 PM.
Panting heavily, Gotoh finally arrived at the entrance of STARRY with Kita—who still looked full of energy.
More accurately, they stood at the top of the stairs.
Gotoh opened his map. After confirming for the tenth time that this really was the live house Kikuri Hiroi had told him about, he fell silent, then opened Kikuri's chat window, preparing to message her.
But maybe their timing was off.
Before he could even type the first character, he heard a loud bang—the door downstairs was shoved open. A blonde girl, wiping tears, ran up the stairs and shouted at the top of her lungs:
"I'm never talking to you again, Sis—!!!!"
Her voice cracked with the declaration.
And she rushed past Gotoh.
In the midnight air—
A few strands of golden hair lingered behind, overlapping with some distant piece of memory, before vanishing into the unseen.
Gotoh turned his head, blankly.
Then he blankly met Kita's eyes.
Together, they looked toward the direction the girl disappeared.
Then together, they looked down.
A woman holding a bottle, wearing wooden sandals, with a side-braided plait, poked her head out of the doorway. She looked up at the two of them at the stairs—her expression shifting from worry to delight.
"Oh! Gotoh, you're here! Come in, come in! Big sis has missed you sooo much—!"
-------
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