Gotou Hitori arriving at school with a guitar case on her back did not, in the end, cause much of a stir.
Aside from Kasumigaoka Touji, Kani Nayuta, and Kumin Tsuyuri—the Nap Club regulars—the other students paid her little mind. The grand fantasy she had nurtured of being immediately spotted by fellow music enthusiasts, approached with excitement, and earnestly invited to join a band, evaporated before it could even begin.
This outcome left Gotou Hitori deeply disappointed.
The morning classes passed swiftly, and soon it was noon—
"A guitar, huh? I recall Gotou-san practices regularly, doesn't she?"
In the cozy confines of the Nap Club's activity room, Kato Megumi looked curiously at the sleek black guitar case Gotou Hitori had brought along.
Kasumigaoka Touji's gaze drifted toward Kato Megumi's wrist. It was bare—the delicate, fair skin unobstructed. Had she taken it off already? He wondered silently to himself.
Seemingly sensing his brief glance, Kato Megumi's eyes met his for an instant before she looked away. The subtle exchange went unnoticed by the others present, as it was well-known among the group that Kasumigaoka Touji also played guitar—and at a notably proficient level. Kasumigaoka Utaha and the rest saw nothing unusual in his attention toward the instrument.
"I usually practice for about six hours every day… doubled on weekends," Gotou Hitori offered humbly, making a small gesture with her hands.
Though her tone was modest, the content of her words sent a ripple of surprise through everyone in the room—except for Kasumigaoka Touji, who already knew.
"S-six hours? Every single day!?"
"Doubled on weekends?!"
"You practice that much normally?"
Six hours was no short span of time. Factoring in school and sleep, it meant she was dedicating nearly half of her waking hours to the guitar. Had Gotou Hitori been working this diligently in the shadows, completely unbeknownst to them?
Kasumigaoka Utaha also regarded Gotou Hitori with a fresh sense of astonishment, for the first time looking past the girl's extreme social anxiety to recognize this hidden facet of sheer dedication.
"Come to think of it, how long have you been practicing? When did you start playing guitar?" Kani Nayuta asked, her curiosity piqued.
She hadn't gotten around to these questions during their brief morning chat—a conversation cut short by the bell, as Gotou Hitori had, as usual, slid into her seat just as class was about to begin.
"Hmm… the first semester of junior high," Gotou Hitori replied after a moment's recollection.
The catalyst had been a band interview on television. She'd been captivated by the phrase, 'Even a socially anxious person can shine in a band.' That simple idea had taken root, leading to day after day, year after year of practice. Her original goal had been to improve her skills enough to change her solitary circumstances, but by the time she truly came to her senses… middle school had already ended.
Telling the story only brought a wave of bittersweet emotion!
"Eh? When you first started junior high? That means it's been three years already!? You've kept it up for that long?"
"…For the first time, I think Gotou-san is quite incredible!"
"Three years, six hours a day… Your guitar skills must be quite impressive by now, right?"
The Nap Club members were even more surprised to learn she had been practicing for three years. They had assumed she was a relative beginner. To maintain such a rigorous practice schedule for three whole years was far beyond what an ordinary person could endure.
For a moment, everyone looked at Gotou Hitori with a newfound hint of admiration. Kasumigaoka Touji, too, cast an approving glance her way. Honestly, when it came to raw dedication to the instrument, she might even surpass him.
"Gotou-san, after we finish eating, would you play something for us?" Kato Megumi suggested, lifting the lid of her bento box and smoothly changing the subject.
"Mhm." Gotou Hitori gave a gentle nod. She had, after all, promised Kani Nayuta during their morning talk that she would perform during lunch.
While the lack of attention from fellow enthusiasts at school had been a letdown, being able to showcase the fruits of her three years of diligent practice wasn't a bad consolation. Perhaps she could still shine brightly right here, in front of her clubmates!
On second thought, making her 'debut' within the club had its own charm!
"Ehehe~"
Gotou Hitori, having already plunged into a vivid fantasy and reached an internal climax of triumphant performance, couldn't suppress a quiet, gleeful chuckle.
For a moment, Kato Megumi and Kani Nayuta couldn't help but wear expressions of amused surprise before smiling along.
…
Perhaps fueled by the desire to showcase her talent, Gotou Hitori ate her lunch with unusual speed that day. Once finished, she immediately retrieved the guitar case leaning against the wall, carefully unzipped it, and withdrew her father's well-worn guitar. With a soft hmph of effort, she slung the strap over her shoulder.
Then, she turned to face Kato Megumi and Kani Nayuta, offering what she believed to be a supremely cool and confident smile. "Kato-san, Honda-san, what song would you like to hear?"
"I can play all the popular songs from the past few years!" As she declared this, her nose seemed to miraculously elongate just a tiny bit, reminiscent of Pinocchio's tell-tale feature.
Kasumigaoka Touji watched the spectacle with a sense of awe, while Kasumigaoka Utaha and the others observed with great interest.
And in that very moment, under the collective gaze of her audience, Gotou Hitori's body stiffened. A wave of inexplicable, paralyzing nervousness crashed over her.
T-This is bad—!
This is probably my first time performing in front of anyone other than my family… so I'm starting to get nervous…
Like a biologist observing a rare specimen, Gotou Hitori internally analyzed her own condition. She felt like a fish stranded on land, gasping for air as she desperately tried to calm her racing heart. Yet, the more she focused on calming down, the more intense the nervousness became.
Kasumigaoka Touji and the others also noticed her sudden nervousness—goodness, she really couldn't maintain her cool facade for more than three seconds!This was so quintessentially Gotou Hitori!
Kani Nayuta, perhaps hoping to ease the tension, raised her hand eagerly like an elementary school student and called out, "I want to hear Winter-sensei's 'Unravel'!"
"O-oh… that song? Honda-san has great taste!" Gotou Hitori's eyes lit up slightly, and she looked at Kani Nayuta with a spark of surprised recognition. She also really loved this song, and it was one she had practiced countless times. She hadn't expected Kani Nayuta to request it, and the familiar choice made her feel a surge of confidence that she could play it well. Her tense mood even relaxed a fraction.
"Then… 'Unravel' for everyone!"
She attempted to speak in a cool, collected tone, mimicking the demeanor of professional musicians she'd seen, and raised her guitar with what she hoped was a confident flourish.
It should have gone like that—
But the moment she felt the collective gaze of her friends focused solely on her, Gotou Hitori's fingers on the fretboard stiffened. Her throat seemed to seal shut, and no sound emerged. What followed was a performance so plagued by missed notes, shaky rhythms, and stifled vocals that it barely resembled the song at all.
When it was over, Gotou Hitori set her guitar down gently, her entire body seeming to deflate. She then slithered under the nearby table like a wounded creature, her expression one of utter despair.
"I am plankton Gotou… not even as significant as a water flea…"
(bddc)
She had completely shut down!
"No, no, no…"
"Actually, you played quite well! At least it was completely… almost completely recognizable."
Kumin Tsuyuri bent down and, with surprising strength, pulled a limp Gotou Hitori out from under the table as if uprooting a particularly wilted radish.
"Gotou-san was just too nervous," Kato Megumi said softly, her voice gentle yet pinpointing the core issue.
"Yes, you were much too nervous."
Kani Nayuta nodded in firm agreement, then added with a hint of a pout, "But we're all so familiar with each other! How can you still get this nervous…?"
They had known each other for over a month now and had shared countless lunches and conversations. That she could become this paralyzed in front of them was truly astounding.
"I didn't want to be…"
Gotou Hitori turned her head away blankly, her right hand absently tracing invisible circles in the air.
"No band will want you like this."
"Uwaah—!"
Kasumigaoka Touji's casual, blunt remark struck like a precise arrow. Gotou Hitori immediately clutched her chest, adopting a dramatic pose as if mortally wounded and on the verge of coughing up blood.
"If you want to join a band—or have one accept you—you'd best train your courage first."
"For example, you could start with some public performances!"
Kasumigaoka Touji held up a single instructive finger toward Gotou Hitori, who was now looking at him with tear-filled, pleading eyes.
"No, no, I can't do that… Absolutely not!"
The mere words 'public performance' made Gotou Hitori shake her head with such frantic speed it created visual afterimages, like a rattled drum.
Just the thought of performing in front of a crowd of strangers made her feel dizzy, as if her soul were about to ascend on the spot!
"The best way to face a difficulty is to confront it directly. Avoiding it is useless."
"I think Kasumigaoka-san is right~." Kato Megumi chimed in, her tone soothing yet firm. "Gotou-san, if you truly wish to join a band, you must train your courage. At the very least, you need to reach a point where you can play without freezing up. Otherwise, if you get nervous during a live performance, it could jeopardize the whole team."
"Exactly, exactly." Kani Nayuta and Kumin Tsuyuri nodded in unanimous agreement.
Gotou Hitori knew all of this in her heart; she had no grounds for refutation. But…
After a long moment of silent internal struggle, Gotou Hitori lowered her head in dejection, her voice barely a whisper. "I can't even play properly in front of all of you… let alone in front of strangers."
"You can't just surrender before the battle even begins."
Kasumigaoka Touji chided her lightly. Then, as if struck by a sudden idea, he pinched his chin in thought. "Now that I think of it, there's that park near the school… I often see children playing there."
"Since performing for adults seems too daunting, why not start with children? You wouldn't be too scared to play in front of kids, would you?"
Kasumigaoka Touji raised a skeptical eyebrow at Gotou Hitori, who opened her mouth, very much wanting to protest, Yes, I absolutely would be!
Kato Megumi neatly clasped her hands together. "Well then… Gotou-san, would you like to go and practice there this afternoon? I can accompany you."
"I don't have any plans for the afternoon anyway."
"I can come too!" Kumin Tsuyuri raised her hand with energetic enthusiasm.
"Hmm… I can't," Kani Nayuta frowned slightly, her expression torn. "I still have to go home and finish my manuscript today."
Her tone indicated she was willing in spirit but bound by duty.
"Shall we go as well, then?"
Kasumigaoka Touji glanced at Kasumigaoka Utaha, who had been quietly observing. She gave a gentle, affirming nod.
And so, it was decided: they would all go to the park together that afternoon to support Gotou Hitori's practice session.
Gotou Hitori, the subject of this hastily arranged intervention, was left utterly dumbfounded. I haven't even agreed to go practice yet, and you're all already planning to accompany me?
Kani Nayuta also looked somewhat put out by the sudden planning.
"What's this… why does this feel like a club outing? Am I the only one who can't go?" She muttered, feeling unexpectedly excluded from the group activity, a faint unhappiness settling over her.
Kasumigaoka Touji reached over and affectionately ruffled her hair. "Go home and finish your manuscript today. We'll all go together next time."
Gotou Hitori: "…"
Even the 'next time' has been decided for me?
Nevertheless, she did not voice a refusal. On one hand, she didn't want to disappoint the sincere kindness of her fellow Nap Club members. On the other hand, a small, desperate part of her truly wanted to change…
It's time to be brave, Gotou Hitori!
A miniature, chibi version of herself appeared in her mind, pumping a tiny fist in determined encouragement…