"Kessoku Band? Never heard of it, is it a new band?"
"No vocalist? Why is the guitarist still wearing a cardboard box?"
"Are today's school bands really this rock?"
In front of the stage, fans of other bands and customers who didn't know Ijichi Nijika found the cardboard box that stood out so much on stage strange at first, and couldn't help but whisper.
But once Ijichi Nijika, Gotou Hitori, and Yamada Ryou began to play, they stopped and started watching and appreciating Kessoku Band's performance.
Usually a band has a vocalist, but there's no rule that a band must have one. Even without a vocalist, a band can still conquer the audience with just its playing.
It's just that relying only on instrumental performance to establish your own style makes things much harder for a band without a singer.
———
"Looks like cramming before the battle worked somewhat… it doesn't sound nearly as bad as the last time I heard them…", Sitting at the bar, Ijichi Seika looked toward the distant stage, listening to the melody of the pop song SOUND OF DESTINY ringing out, and nodded silently.
Even though the bar was diagonally opposite the stage and the sound equipment was a bit far away, so it didn't sound as clear as it did right in front of the stage, she could still tell that the three were matching their rhythm well.
———
She didn't know if it was because many familiar classmates and friends had come, letting them play beyond their usual level, or if the band's chemistry had truly improved.
It was a pity the vocalist had run off, so the parts that required vocals were gone.
After all, most popular songs still rely on the singer. It's too hard to win the crowd over with just the instruments.
The guitarist, Gotou Hitori, was a hardcore social phobic hiding in a cardboard box. The bassist, Ryou, had great skill, but wasn't cut out to be a singer. And Nijika herself, being just the drummer, couldn't take the role either.
If Nijika and the others wanted to keep walking down the band path, they needed to quickly gather all their members.
Seika, as always, worried about her little sister Nijika, until a short-haired woman in a baseball cap came up to the bar.
"One soda, please."
"Alright, just a moment."
The short-haired woman pushed cash, which included the ticket money, toward Seika, then turned her head, scanning the crowd of masked and hatted spectators in front of the stage, as well as the few unmasked ones like Yukinoshita Yukino, Yuigahama Yui, Miura Yumiko, and others. She sat at the bar, waiting for her drink while listening to the music from the stage.
"Here for your little sister?"
As she set the soda on the counter, Seika looked at the young woman before her and asked.
"Guessing I came with someone is natural. But why a sister? Can't it be a brother?"
The black-haired young woman picked up the cup, drank a huge mouthful of the ice-cold soda, licked her lips, then lifted her head to look at Seika. Propping her chin on her palm, she smiled and asked with some curiosity.
"I've been running this shop long enough to notice. Usually, only when a girl comes alone do family members worry enough to follow her."
Seika, with the confidence of someone experienced, spoke assuredly.
Buying a ticket late, not caring much about the band performance itself, instead paying more attention to the audience, obviously she was here for someone in the crowd.
And it was only seven o'clock. Not that late. Only girls with strict parents would have family trailing them. Boys coming home late was nothing unusual.
"I see. My sister isn't very easy to deal with. She's always chasing independence. Since I was free tonight, I thought I'd come check in."
The black-haired woman nodded thoughtfully. Although the reason she was here wasn't quite what Seika imagined, it wasn't purely out of worry, she had indeed come for her sister.
"Don't worry. Nothing shady goes on here. It's not a big place, but many bands with a high ratio of female members like to perform here."
Seeing her guess confirmed, Seika smoothly reassured the young woman, who was clearly a sister worrying about her sibling just like she herself did for Nijika.
She had to admit, band scenes drew all kinds. Some places with poor reputations didn't care about shady stuff, but since her sister Nijika was here, Seika would never tolerate anything that might lead Nijika astray.
Anyway, her place was small. Big-name bands wouldn't come, and there were more than enough small ones. If anything, the small bands preferred performing here. She wasn't afraid of offending anyone.
"Of course. I know your place has a great reputation. I'm just here to have a look, nothing more," The black-haired woman gave a wry smile, a little surprised at Seika's proactive reassurance, but she accepted the kindness.
If she hadn't known the place was safe, she wouldn't have just walked in with nothing but a cap on.
The store owner, who seemed to have opened this livehouse to support her sister's dream, was quite to her liking.
It was just a pity that with all her obligations at college and home, she had little time. Otherwise, she could have come more often to share strategies on handling sisters.
———
Meanwhile, at the back of the crowd, Yukinoshita Yukino listened seriously to Nijika's playing and nodded slightly.
She'd never been to a livehouse, and she didn't really like rock, but she still listened to some music.
Right now Nijika and the others were playing a popular warm-up song with a light, cheerful melody.
Of course, it couldn't compare to the songs performed by the mermaids like Elio, but it was still a signature piece of a certain idol singer, the sort of song that could later become a classic. Not easy to play.
For a rookie band shoved onto stage with little preparation, pulling this off without a vocalist using just bass, guitar, and drums was already impressive.
At least, the average high school girl wouldn't be able to tell whether Nijika, Gotou, and Ryou were playing at a high or low level.
Yukino subtly glanced at Kitagawa Marin and Miura Yumiko, who were holding up lightboards in support. Judging by their expressions, they thought Nijika's performance was good. Fans of other bands might feel indifferent, but they wouldn't think it was terrible.
"But… where's Hikigaya, the one helping them? Why isn't he here now?", As Nijika and the others finished their first song and, after a short break, launched into a second, more upbeat warm-up song, the same question surfaced in both Yukinoshita Yukino and Miura Yumiko's minds.
Hachiman had come to help Kessoku Band because of Nijika's request. He'd even dragged the socially crippled Gotou Hitori into the band.
But now Kessoku Band was performing on stage, and the Service Club members were in the audience cheering. So why wasn't Hikigaya, the Service Club's president, anywhere to be seen?
Iris glanced at the two late realizers, covered her mouth and chuckled, then kept watching the stage with Aegis and the others.
Vignette and Gabriel could feel Yukino and Yumiko's vague stares. Unlike Iris, they couldn't ignore it completely, but they could only blush faintly and pretend they didn't notice.
After all, how could they say outright that Hachiman was on stage right now.
'Hachiman, don't you dare mess around!'
'Yumiko's watching from below!'
On stage, Nijika's pretty face flushed red as she beat the drums, coordinating with Yamada Ryou and Gotou Hitori. She swung her sticks with all her strength, sweat beading on her forehead and nose, not daring to take a moment to wipe it off.
Today's rehearsal in the studio had really paid off. With Hachiman acting like a conductor at the center, they could adjust their rhythm in time whenever something went wrong.
But she had underestimated how mortifying it would be to perform on stage while Yumiko and Marin were staring at her.
Even though Hachiman wasn't doing anything but sitting in her seat, just holding her, Nijika still felt unbelievably embarrassed. Only by forcing all her nervous energy into playing could she stop thinking about her best friend Yumiko.
Because using a soundproof spell on stage would block their playing too, Hachiman couldn't speak. He only used an invisibility spell to hide himself.
Using the secret signals they had agreed on beforehand, Hachiman didn't need words, his empathy and shared-feeling abilities could remind Bocchi and Ryou to adjust their timing.
Thigh fast, shin slow. Just the right spot on the knee.
Left was Bocchi, right was Ryou.
Nijika in the center.
With Hachiman's coordination, the three might not have been perfectly in sync, but at least no major rhythm mistakes showed.
Gotou Hitori, the hardcore social phobic, depended heavily on Hachiman. Just feeling the familiar touch on her thighs and knees calmed her down, letting her perform beyond her usual level with his remote support.
The usually expressionless Yamada Ryou also didn't react strangely to the odd sensation of the empathy collar, keeping the bass line steady.
Only Nijika, truly held in Hachiman's arms, felt crushing guilt and unease toward Yumiko. She couldn't fully throw herself into drumming.
Even though Nijika hadn't made mistakes yet, her face grew redder, her breathing heavier, her small hands striking the snare with desperate strength, anyone aware of the situation could see she was barely holding on.
It was normal that she might not last. If Hachiman weren't simply guiding their rhythm, with how intimate their position was, just a little mischief would've already broken Nijika in front of Yumiko.
But still, this moment, though shameful, was their best state.
For this hastily thrown-together rookie band with little rehearsal, this was the best they could possibly achieve.
Thinking of Yumiko, Marin, and her sister in the audience, Nijika's heart pounded wildly, her breath coming faster, but she gritted her teeth and endured.
———
"Hah! Th-thank you everyone for watching, next up…"
Having finished the last two songs to warm up the crowd, Nijika looked at the clapping audience, gasping for breath, face flushed. She glanced at Yamada Ryou, equally out of breath, then tugged along the still-boxed Gotou Hitori to bow in thanks before heading to the rest room, leaving the stage to the next band.
The performance was over… finally over.
Carrying the weight of her betrayal of a friend, she had finished today's show.
Although they'd only played some popular warm-up songs, not their own originals, the audience seemed to accept their performance. No disastrous accidents.
Their first show tonight was a complete success.
———
"We did it!"
"Unbelievable, didn't think it could work like that."
"Hachiman! Thank you so much for tonight! From now on Marin and I will support you and Yumiko with all we've got!"
Back in the rest room, Gotou Hitori, Yamada Ryou, and Nijika all suddenly turned around and hugged Hachiman, who had closed the door behind them.
This time, Gotou didn't shy away. The normally poker-faced, disappointing ice beauty Yamada Ryou even showed clear joy. And Nijika, excited, made her promise.
"Why are you all being so forward?", Hachiman, surprised, looked at the three who almost kissed him.
Bocchi was understandable. Their relationship wasn't that deep yet, but she'd already been dragged into bold situations by Iris.
Yamada Ryou being shameless wasn't surprising either.
But Nijika? He thought she'd be mortified offstage and holding a grudge against him for what he did during the performance.
After all, whether Bocchi was fast or slow, or Ryou was fast or slow, in the end Nijika was the one forced to adjust in real time.
He hadn't expected the girl, so embarrassed on stage, to hug him so boldly afterward.
"Is it that strange? You hugged me for so long tonight, what's wrong with me hugging you once?", Hearing the surprise in his tone, Nijika blushed, loosened her grip on his shoulders, but didn't pull away immediately. Instead, she shot back.
If she hadn't allowed it, how could Hachiman have done anything strange to her?
She wasn't ungrateful. She wouldn't take the help then blame him.
Sure, having him press her thighs and legs felt weird. Even pressing her stomach, but that was over now.
From now on, she and Bocchi and Ryou would have plenty of rehearsal time. They wouldn't need Hachiman's "cheating" anymore.
"Nijika, you can hug him however you like, but wait until I turn off the empathy collar first," Yamada Ryou glanced at her only friend Nijika, then at the equally red-faced Gotou Hitori, and calmly let go of Hachiman.
After all… everything Nijika had felt, she had felt too through the collar. The only difference was the lack of physical touch.
Still, she had to admit Hachiman had skill.
He could so easily grasp their rhythm, predicting who was ahead or behind and helping them adjust instantly.
"Ryou, what are you implying? Next time I'll make Hachiman hug you during the performance!"
"Better you keep him, Nijika. I can't steal my best friend's man."
"Ryou!"
"Um… Hachiman, how did I do today? I didn't let you down, did I?", Gotou Hitori, watching Nijika chase Ryou in embarrassment and anger, was about to ask her only friend Hachiman for praise, when suddenly a voice came from outside.
Knock! Knock!
"Nijika, are you resting in there? Is that guy Hikigaya inside?", The voice of Miura Yumiko at the door froze Nijika mid-motion as she chased Ryou.
"Feeling guilty?", Ryou turned back to see Nijika frozen stiff, not moving at all.
Nijika had once complained to her that Hikigaya and Yumiko's relationship was crawling along at a snail's pace, making both her and Kitagawa Marin anxious.
But from her perspective, Nijika and Hikigaya had their own suspicious air.
It looked like Nijika had let him hug her purely for the sake of the performance's success.
But judging from the synced sensations, it seemed Nijika wasn't doing this for the first time. Many times, before Hachiman moved, Nijika was already prepared.
If it were just normal friends, Nijika wouldn't have let him press her thighs and legs like that. This level of closeness, just one step away from lifting her shirt.
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