At three in the afternoon, the sunlight was warm and gentle.
Golden rays filtered through the gaps between the leaves, casting a tapestry of dappled shadows upon the ground, like a meticulous painting composed by nature itself. A soft breeze whispered through the park, causing the leaves to sway and rustle softly.
The park near Toyosaki Private Academy—
"No children here at the moment."
Kumin Tsuyuri walked lightly with her hands clasped behind her back, her eyes scanning the surroundings. The park wasn't large, roughly half the size of a football field; one could take in its entirety with a single glance.
"They should have just finished school around this time. They'll probably be here soon," Kasumigaoka Touji remarked, taking a few strides before nimbly hopping onto a stack of large, sun-warmed concrete pipes. Having basked in the sunlight all day, their surface was pleasantly warm—quite comfortable, actually.
He then looked over at Gotou Hitori and called out in a leisurely tone, "Come on now, Gotou-san! Just think of us as your audience of 'big fans,' and please begin your performance!"
"Uh…"
Gotou Hitori was momentarily speechless at his choice of the term 'big fans,' but she didn't voice any protest. She placed her backpack on one of the concrete pipes, unzipped her guitar case, carefully withdrew her instrument, and slung the strap over her shoulder…
During this time, Kasumigaoka Utaha and Kato Megumi had wandered over and taken seats on the nearby swings. Kumin Tsuyuri glanced around—there were only two swings available—so she drifted over to a waist-twisting exercise machine instead, gripping the handles and gently rotating her hips back and forth.
In the blink of an eye, it seemed the three of them had each found their own little diversions. This atmosphere, oddly enough, allowed Gotou Hitori to relax just a fraction.
She took a deep breath, lowered her gaze to her guitar, and began to play—a piece she practiced regularly and was quite familiar with.
Under the golden afternoon sun, the girl began to shine—
Quite literally, as the sunlight glinted off her guitar strings!
"…"
"Hm? Is someone performing over here?"
"Judging by her uniform skirt, she's from our school…"
"I know her; she's that odd first-year… the one who always wears the pink tracksuit. I even saw her once wearing a skirt over sweatpants…"
"Huh? What kind of country bumpkin fashion is that? So outdated!"
"Don't say that… Though come to think of it, she seems to be playing rock music. I guess it's not too surprising…"
"True. A lot of people who are into rock do seem a bit eccentric."
"…"
As it turned out, they hadn't waited for children to arrive, but rather a small group of girls from their own school. Gotou Hitori, who had just been finding her rhythm and making fewer mistakes, overheard their conversation. Instantly, her playing faltered, becoming disjointed and chaotic. Even an untrained ear could clearly hear the messy, discordant notes clashing together.
"Alright, let's not disturb her anymore. Let's go play somewhere else."
A more considerate girl among them glanced at the now visibly flustered Gotou Hitori, then at Kasumigaoka Touji and the others scattered around the park, before gently ushering her companions away.
Once they were gone, Gotou Hitori let out a quiet sigh of relief and gradually began to calm down again.
"…"
"It's a long and arduous road ahead!"
Kasumigaoka Touji watched Gotou Hitori under the sunlight, sighed with a mix of sympathy and amusement, and hopped down from the concrete pipes. He strolled out of the park with his hands in his pockets. When he returned, he carried a convenience store bag filled with drinks and snacks, which he distributed to everyone—including Gotou Hitori. He then took a sip of his own Calpis and looked at her.
"Don't pay too much attention to what others say or think. You care far too much about other people's opinions."
"I… I don't want to…"
Gotou Hitori replied weakly, clutching her drink bottle.
What more could Kasumigaoka Touji say to that? He simply shrugged. "Well, just treat it as exposure therapy. Experience it a few more times, and you'll eventually get used to it."
"…"
The practice session continued!
Before they knew it, a small audience had gathered—a few children and some adults taking a temporary respite in the park. The children, in particular, cast curious glances toward Kasumigaoka Touji and the others, their attention especially caught by Gotou Hitori and her guitar.
This sent Gotou Hitori into another brief fluster, but bit by bit, she managed to steady herself once more.
Kasumigaoka Touji glanced at the time; it was nearly four o'clock. He was just wondering whether Ijichi Nijika would show up today, and when, when a clear, bright, and utterly surprised exclamation suddenly cut through the park's ambience.
"A guitar—!!!"
Looking up, he saw a cute girl with long, golden hair tied in a lively side ponytail, pointing directly at Gotou Hitori with an expression of sheer delight. Her voice was so enthusiastic and loud that it startled Gotou Hitori, who let out a series of flustered "Ehhh—ehhh?!" sounds, stopped playing mid-strum, and looked up in wide-eyed bewilderment.
Kato Megumi, who had been quietly browsing her phone on the swing, glanced up at the sound. Her gaze lingered on the newcomer for a moment, and a subtle, thoughtful light flickered in her eyes.
Simultaneously—
"Ah… I'm so sorry! Did I startle you?!"
Ijichi Nijika bowed deeply and sincerely, her form almost reaching a perfect ninety-degree angle. She then straightened up, placed a hand over her heart, and introduced herself with vibrant energy:
"I'm a second-year student at Shimokitazawa High School. My name is Ijichi Nijika!"
"Ah… I-I'm Gotou Hitori, a first-year at Toyosaki Private Academy." Though thoroughly bewildered and feeling a bit lost, Gotou Hitori quickly returned the bow on instinct.
"Mhm! Um…"
"Although it's a bit embarrassing to say this… I'm actually in a bit of a bind right now…"
Ijichi Nijika's expression turned slightly sheepish; she fidgeted a little, pinched her thumb and index finger together in a tiny gesture, then clasped her hands together and bowed her head earnestly.
"Please! Could you be a temporary guitarist for my band, just for one day? I'm begging you!"
"Uh…"
A… band?
Gotou Hitori's mind processed this slowly. She stared blankly at the other girl, her face gradually shifting to an expression of 'Did I hear that correctly?'
Happiness had arrived so abruptly—!
"Yes! We have a performance coming up, but our guitarist suddenly ran off."
"Please! Please come and help us out!"
"Ah…? A p-per-performance!?" The moment she heard that word, Gotou Hitori couldn't help but take an involuntary step backward. Her imagination had already spiraled far ahead!
"No way…"
…Absolutely not!
There was simply no way she could do it!
In her current state, she'd probably freeze solid on stage and ruin everything!
Gotou Hitori instinctively raised a hand, intending to refuse, but as someone crippled by social anxiety, she genuinely didn't know how to turn someone down. A deeply troubled expression washed over her face, and spirals of distress began to swirl in her eyes…
"That's fantastic!"
Kasumigaoka Touji hopped down from the concrete pipes and walked over to stand beside Gotou Hitori.
"Haven't you always wanted to join a band? Now the opportunity has fallen right into your lap. You even get to go straight to performing on stage—it's practically a one-step shortcut to your dream."
"This…"
This is not a one-step shortcut at all!
It's a one-step ticket to disaster!
What if I ruin someone else's performance?
I won't be able to face the world anymore; next year today will be the anniversary of my social demise!
Gotou Hitori looked at Kasumigaoka Touji, her eyes practically pleading, on the verge of anxious tears.
"Oh, really? Is that so!"
Ijichi Nijika looked at Kasumigaoka Touji in surprise, blinked, then turned her fervent gaze back to Gotou Hitori.
"It's truly wonderful that we could meet like this! It must be fate!"
"Please, put your guitar away, and let's go. We can talk on the way."
"Oh, I'm the drummer, by the way… The song we're playing is relatively simple. Anyone who can play guitar should be able to pick it up quickly."
'…I haven't even agreed to go yet!'
Gotou Hitori stared at her, inwardly screaming in despair.
Ahead lay an abyss!
And behind her… behind her, there was no path of retreat!
Frozen in place for a good two seconds, Gotou Hitori finally bit her lip, stiffly began to pack her guitar back into its case, and surrendered to the relentless tide of fate…