"Nina-chan, your singing is amazing! You made me cry! You're seriously, seriously incredible! (.>﹏<.)"
Leaping from behind her drum set, Nijika bounded forward and hugged Nina alongside Rinto.
At heart, Nina was still a shy, timid girl. Showered with enthusiastic praise from the Great Angel of Shimokitazawa herself—whom she'd only met today—she blushed so hard she could barely form words.
"N-n-no way… I just know Momoka-san's songs really well, that's all…"
Yamada Ryo: "No. That was real talent."
Ryo's tone was firm and dead serious.
She didn't gush like Nijika, but her amber eyes gleamed beneath her fringe. Sweat from the earlier performance caught the stage lights, shining against her calm, cool expression.
She reached out a hand toward Nina, voice decisive:
"Nina, you've got potential. Lots of people sing their feelings, but barely anyone can resonate like you. You were born to rock—wanna go pro with me? We'll smoke, drink, and play around with girls."
Nina: "Huh… huh?? S-smoke? Drink? Play with what??"
Forget rock—Nina could barely manage a coherent "no." Faced with Ryo's outrageous, overbearing offer, her mind short-circuited completely.
And to make it worse, Nijika—usually the voice of reason—jumped in, eyes sparkling.
"That's right! I totally agree, Nina-chan! You're a total genius! You have to rock with us! Why not join Kessoku Band right now and perform with us tomorrow? Here's one of our original songs—check it out, Miss Vocalist!"
"Ahwawawa~ ('>﹏<')"
Nina had never encountered this level of aggressive kindness before. Overwhelmed and mortified, she darted straight behind Rinto, using him as a human shield.
The chick reflex in full display—Rinto as the mother hen.
And that gap—between the shy, trembling girl now and the fearless powerhouse who'd just commanded the stage—only made Nijika and Ryo find her even cuter.
Grinning like mischievous hawks, they circled closer from both sides.
Rinto: "Alright, alright. It's almost opening time, and Seika-san's watching, you know. Let's wrap it up."
Only Rinto's calm voice managed to stop them.
Realizing they still had work to do, Nijika and Ryo reluctantly backed off to tidy the stage.
Rinto seated Nina and Momoka in the lounge with drinks, then went to help Ryo with her usual tasks.
Nina wanted to help too, but the unfamiliar space and people made her freeze. She obediently stayed seated, hands wrapped around her cup.
From her seat, she watched Rinto chatting cheerfully with Nijika and Ryo.
Especially that cool, composed bassist—Yamada Ryo. For some reason, Rinto seemed extra obedient to her, carrying out all her little errands with puppy-like eagerness.
Nina puffed out her cheeks again.
"Does Rinto… like that type of girl? Cool, mysterious musicians who wear tights and act all aloof… He totally might…"
The more she looked, the more Ryo reminded her of Momoka sitting beside her—same long legs, same confident beauty.
Ugh. Men really were hopeless—always falling for the same kind of cold, gorgeous woman.
Feeling jealousy bubble up, Nina turned toward the idol beside her.
"Momoka-san, you're Rinto's girlfriend, right? Isn't it risky not to keep a tighter hold on him?"
"He's so kind to everyone… tall, handsome, always sweet and gentle. He helps everyone, so girls could easily misunderstand and think he likes them. That'll just cause trouble! You should start doing something about it!"
Momoka: "…Then, by your logic, since you're not his girlfriend, shouldn't you be the first to back off?"
Momoka, legs crossed and still tuning her guitar, delivered the line flatly.
For Nina—the logic monster—it hit like a clean strike to the chest.
She froze, stared at the floor… and then, after a few seconds of visible inner turmoil, nodded.
"…You're absolutely right."
Silence.
Then Nina lifted her head again, eyes shining with stubborn light.
"I like Rinto. I want to be with him. Even if you're my rival, Momoka-san, I don't want to lose. Even if people call me a homewrecker, even if it's wrong—I still want him for myself!"
"These are my honest feelings! I can't step aside! Rinto said we'd be friends forever—I won't break that promise, and I won't let him break it either!"
…But of course, there was always a but.
Her defiant energy soon softened.
Quietly, she pulled her legs up onto the chair, curling into a small ball.
"But… if Rinto doesn't actually like me that way… I won't force him."
"I still want to be his friend. Even if it hurts, even if it's one-sided… I'll still support him."
She smiled then—gentle and heartbreaking.
"Just like how Rinto always supports me, I'll always support him. No matter who he chooses, I'll accept it. Even if I cry, even if it kills me—I'll accept it. Probably."
"…You really are something else," Momoka murmured after a long silence, eyes softening.
She knew she couldn't match Nina's purity or courage. Maybe that was why Nina's singing had shaken her so deeply.
Ryo had been right. Nina was born for rock.
That unfiltered emotion—it would be a crime if the world never heard it again.
"…Compared to you, I'm just a washed-up half-measure. Calling myself your idol feels like a bad joke."
"Momoka-san…?"
Nina hadn't caught the quiet, self-deprecating tone. Tilting her head, she rested her chin on her knees, puzzled by Momoka's complicated smile.
That was the difference between them—the unscarred heart of a child and the weary one of an adult.
Momoka, too used to hiding pain behind charm, forced a bright grin.
"Anyway, Nina, you really have talent! Why not join Kessoku Band for real? Nijika and Ryo are great—they're your age too. I bet you'd have fun."
"N-no-no-no way~! ('>﹏<')"
Nina's face turned the color of a ripe tomato. She flailed her hands, trembling.
"I-I-I don't have talent! I'm not even a real rock fan! I just like your songs, Momoka-san! A friend introduced me to them, that's all—I don't really know much else."
"I'm not familiar with this whole scene, and I'm super shy! I can't perform in front of people! Plus, I've got to study for college entrance exams soon! There's cram school and—no time at all!"
"Huh? Wait, you actually plan to study?"
Momoka blinked.
She'd seen Nina's apartment and cram school, sure—but she'd assumed it was just an excuse to move to Tokyo. She figured the girl would skip classes within a month and join the legion of failed dreamers who never made it back to school.
People like that filled this world. Graduating high school alone already made you exceptional.
"N-no! You're exaggerating!" Nina waved both hands desperately. "Even in the rock scene, people aren't that uneducated… right?"
Momoka couldn't help but laugh.
Oh, these sweet, naïve girls…
Nina might understand how to sing—but she didn't understand rock.
Grinning wickedly, Momoka stood and led Nina to the table where Seika and the heavily pierced PA-san were chatting over drinks.
"Excuse me, Seika-san, PA-san—mind telling us your academic background?"
Seika blinked. "Huh? What's this about?"
Seika-san and PA-san didn't seem bothered at all by the somewhat rude question.
Sucking on a lollipop, Seika looked up thoughtfully, twirling the candy in her mouth with her tongue.
"In high school, I spent all my time playing in bands, skipped too many classes, and ended up repeating two years. Then I barely graduated from some no-name college, so technically I'm a university graduate."
PA-san giggled. "Oh my~ That practically makes you a sage in the rock scene. As expected of Seika-san~."
The gorgeous punk beauty clapped her hands lightly, her oversized sleeves fluttering adorably—the kind of move that could instantly wipe out any unsuspecting teenage boy.
She tapped one perfectly manicured nail against her lips, thinking aloud:
"Well, I'm not as impressive as Seika-san. I just couldn't wake up in the mornings, so I didn't earn enough credits. Dropped out after one year of high school~ Final education: middle school graduate~."
Momoka turned triumphantly toward Nina. "See? In our world, that's normal. Rock musicians are all like this."
Having now bared their tragic education levels, the three immediately bonded.
Momoka, Seika, and PA-san posed together for a rock-style selfie, tongues out and flashing peace signs, as PA-san giggled madly beside them.
"…My idol filter… noooo…!"
Nina covered her face miserably, on the verge of tears.
So this was the reality behind the glamorous image—irresponsible big sisters everywhere! No wonder rock had such a bad reputation!
Right then and there, Nina made a solemn vow:
She would never become an adult like them.
She'd study hard! Get into a proper university! Earn a respectable degree!
She didn't realize that from the moment she decided to study hard just to protect her self-image… she'd already taken her first step into the rock scene.
Meanwhile, the high-school group, overhearing the adults' confessions, wore mixed expressions.
Nijika, especially, looked mortified. She bowed deeply toward Rinto.
"I'm so sorry, Rinto-kun. My idiot older sister is way too blunt. I promise I'll lecture her properly later. And Ryo and I actually have good grades—we're not failing students! We'll definitely go to university, okay? You have to believe us!"
Yamada Ryo: "Huh? Why? My family's loaded. I don't plan to go to college—I'll just graduate high school, then mooch off my parents for the rest of my life."
"—You NEET bourgeoisie!! (〃＞目＜)"
Hearing Ryo shamelessly declare it with zero guilt, Nijika—daughter of a small business owner—snapped, shaking her bandmate by the shoulders in outrage.
Ah yes, such was the beauty of human relationships. Rinto stood calmly to the side, watching the chaos like a Zen monk.
Soon, 11 PM arrived—the cutoff for high schoolers working part-time.
Despite her carefree personality, Seika followed labor laws strictly.
After saying their goodbyes to Nijika and Ryo, Rinto took Momoka and Nina onto the train home.
The night had been a massive success—everyone had bonded well, and even Momoka had opened up, laughing and chatting with Seika and PA-san like a true kouhai in their circle.
On the train, Momoka looked relaxed and content.
"That Live House really has a great vibe. If I'd known about it earlier, I'd have dragged my bandmates there to play all the time."
Rinto smiled. "That's great to hear. It's not too late. Once you form your new band, come back and repay Seika-san's kindness."
He'd deliberately guided her toward this topic—the whole night had been designed to rekindle her passion for performing.
"…Yeah. Maybe someday."
Momoka smiled faintly, not looking at him.
That slight hesitation told Rinto this would take time.
How could he help her fall in love with music again?
…Thump.
A soft weight fell against his shoulder.
For a girl like Nina, 11 PM was already far too late. She'd fallen sound asleep beside him.
Rinto steadied her gently, shifting her head so it rested comfortably on his shoulder instead of slipping into his lap.
Momoka, watching, pursed her lips.
"Why don't you drop her off first? You could even stay with her tonight. I'll just head home alone."
But Rinto was even bolder than she expected.
"No need. Let's have her stay with us."
He looked down at Nina's sleeping face with quiet affection.
"She must be lonely, living alone. Until she settles in Tokyo, let her stay with us for a while. She can take my room—I'll move into yours."
"…Why should you sleep in my room, you pervert?"
Momoka shot back instantly, but her cheeks flushed a deep pink, betraying her mood.
Rinto didn't reply.
He wrapped one arm around Nina, holding her carefully, and the other around Momoka, gently patting her head.
The so-called "useless older rocker sister" didn't resist—she simply melted into his arms with a sigh.
That too was part of rock, she thought hazily. Something she couldn't refuse.
From his embrace, Momoka could see Nina's peaceful sleeping face clearly.
She probably feels the same warmth I do now, Momoka thought. The same safety.
Then, Rinto's voice brushed softly against her ear:
"I love you, Momoka. Stay with me for the rest of our lives."
"…Stupid rock-scumbag."
Momoka sniffled quietly, her chest twisting with a mix of happiness and pain.
She couldn't imagine leaving this man. She loved him too deeply.
Yet the deeper that love grew, the heavier the darkness within her heart became—a thick, tar-like shadow that burned hot and whispered from the depths:
[—You traitor. What right do you have to live happily?]
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T/N: I DONT THINK ANY OF YOU READS THE THOUGHTS SECTION SO IM GONNA JUST TRY POSTING IT HERE
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say thank you to Girantina for that thoughtful message