Chapter 180: A Dream Beyond Five Stars!
Didn't she recognize him?
Kasumigaoka Touji glanced subtly at Ijichi Nijika, feeling no real surprise. After all, their previous encounter had been a fleeting one, just one customer among hundreds at STARRY. If she had remembered him, that would have been impressive enough to genuinely surprise him.
"Is Gotou-san really going to perform?" Kumin Tsuyuri leaned closer, her expression a complex mix of 'our child is all grown up' and genuine concern.
Kasumigaoka Utaha and Kato Megumi also approached—the latter hanging back slightly, positioning herself at the very edge of their little circle. Though she had been a 'regular customer' at STARRY, her naturally low-profile presence had apparently left no strong impression, as Ijichi Nijika showed no sign of recognizing her either.
Ijichi Nijika gripped the straps of her bright yellow backpack, her fiery-red eyes sweeping over the group as she spoke with energetic grace. "Yes, the venue is over in Shimokitazawa… Are you all friends? Would you like to come and watch? I can cover your tickets for today—but just this once, okay~?"
"Hmm… I'd like to go and see. Now that I think about it, I've never been to a live house before!" Kumin Tsuyuri gently clapped her hands together, looked at Ijichi Nijika, and added in her soft voice, "But I'll pay for my own ticket. I get quite a lot of pocket money, usually."
"What do you all think?" Kasumigaoka Touji turned his head to glance at Kasumigaoka Utaha, his gaze briefly sweeping over Kato Megumi as well.
Kasumigaoka Utaha replied casually, "If Onii-chan wants to go, then we'll all go together."
"I'll go as well," Kato Megumi said, her tone light and airy.
"Then… let's all go together!" Ijichi Nijika beamed at them, her hospitality radiating warmly. "I'll cover the tickets for today. If you feel bad about it, just make sure to drop by more often when you're free! The live house we're headed to is actually mine—well, my older sister is the manager."
"Okay! It's settled!"
She finalized the plan with a decisive clap, leaving no room for anyone to protest.
Hearing her put it that way, Kumin Tsuyuri didn't insist on paying anymore and nodded in agreement, promising she'd visit more often if she had the chance in the future. Kasumigaoka Touji and the others followed suit.
Immediately after, the group, led by the ever-energetic Ijichi Nijika, made their way briskly toward the station.
…
"Oh, you're all from the Nap Club? That's a bit unexpected."
"Yes, that's true, though we all have our own separate hobbies. I'm the only one who particularly loves napping."
On the train—
The cheerful and sociable Ijichi Nijika quickly found common ground with the members of the Nap Club. After exchanging names with everyone, they had at least become casual acquaintances.
It was through this interaction that Kasumigaoka Touji caught sight of her dream—
[Ijichi Nijika's Dream]
1. World's Number One Drummer!Dream Level: ★★★★★ (+)
Dream Description: As a child, she was profoundly moved after watching her older sister's band perform at a live house. That moment became the catalyst for her to start practicing the drums (she chose drums specifically because 'the sound of drums is very loud'). She is now steadily advancing toward her goal of becoming the 'World's Number One Drummer'!
(Note: This quest is divided into five stages. Completing a corresponding stage will grant partial rewards and unlock the next stage of the quest.)
Stage One: Form a band and perform a qualified live show.Reward: 30,000 Dream Points.
Total Dream Reward: 300,000 Dream Points.
[Accept] or [Decline]
…
This was the first time Kasumigaoka Touji had ever seen a five-star-plus dream. The total reward was staggering—a full 300,000 Dream Points. However, completing such a dream seemed almost impossible unless he were to provide her with some form of extraordinary assistance. In his current state, Kasumigaoka Touji simply lacked the means to do so.
Even something like a [Drumming Experience Pack] couldn't be used on Ijichi Nijika. Perhaps once he advanced to a Third-Rank Dream Weaver, he would gain methods capable of affecting such a high-level aspiration…
While Kasumigaoka Touji was quietly reeling from the scale of Ijichi Nijika's dream, Ijichi Nijika herself turned her attention to Gotou Hitori, who had been unusually quiet since boarding the train.
"Is playing guitar your main hobby, Hitori-chan?"
"Hehe~ I am the woman destined to fill the Budokan!"
Gotou Hitori suddenly giggled to herself, lost in a private, triumphant fantasy.
Ijichi Nijika: "…"
The Nap Club members: "…"
"Uh… it's nothing."
Seeming to snap back to reality, her face flushed a deep crimson. She awkwardly averted her gaze, staring intently at the floor—if not for her social anxiety, she'd probably be whistling nonchalantly right now to mask her embarrassment.
"I hope Gotou-san can show us that 'fill the Budokan' spirit later," Kasumigaoka Touji said with an amused smile, holding onto the train's handrail as he teased her.
Gotou Hitori flinched slightly, whispering, "I… I can't do it!"
"It's okay, Hitori-chan. Just do your best later. That's all anyone can ask for."
Ijichi Nijika offered a bright, encouraging smile. Truth be told—no, from the very moment they met—she had sensed that Gotou Hitori was profoundly introverted. It was better not to pressure her and simply let her perform to the best of her ability. No matter how the final result turned out, it would still be better than not having enough members, being unable to form a band, and missing the performance entirely!
She had pleaded with her Onee-san for this performance slot for what felt like ages, even volunteering to handle a full month of household chores before finally securing permission. She had to get on that stage!
"By the way, Hitori-chan, have you ever been part of a band before?"
The journey still had a way to go. Ijichi Nijika wanted to build a good rapport with Gotou Hitori and understand her a little better.
"Ah… that… I've always wanted to form a band with others, but I've never been able to find suitable bandmates…"
Gotou Hitori stole a glance at Ijichi Nijika before quickly averting her eyes. Deep down, she genuinely wanted to connect with the other girl—after all, this was the first person in so many years who had actually invited her to play music together, even if it was only as a temporary guitarist for an imminent performance... Still, no matter how you looked at it, this could be considered a dream coming true!
It was just that the realization of this dream felt a bit too sudden, and she was utterly unprepared. If only she could have had more time to ease into it gradually...
"Is that so?"
"Then… after this is over, would you consider joining us properly? Our band actually happens to be missing a permanent guitarist…" Ijichi Nijika hesitated for a moment before extending the invitation in earnest.
Forming a stable band was genuinely difficult, mainly because both she and Ryo were still high school students. Most adults weren't interested in teaming up with teenagers, and there was often a mismatch in schedules and mindsets. They were limited to finding fellow high school students, but those who played guitar, were willing to commit to a band, and lived nearby were exceedingly rare. So far, she had only come across two—and the previous one had ended up running away...
"Huh? R-really? Is that okay?"
Hearing Ijichi Nijika's offer to join the band for real, Gotou Hitori couldn't help but show an expression of shocked delight. Never before had she felt her dream was so within reach! For a moment, a surge of powerful motivation welled up from deep within her heart. She clenched her fists and pounded her chest with a gorilla-like fervor, declaring:
"I'll perform well later! I'll give it everything I've got!"
Gotou Hitori was suddenly brimming with passionate energy.
This unexpectedly fiery display surprised the watching Nap Club members. Ijichi Nijika, who had initially felt some uncertainty about the future after inviting Gotou Hitori, couldn't help but break into a relieved smile upon seeing this transformation. She clenched her own fist in solidarity and cheered:
"Excellent! That's the spirit! Let's work hard together, oh oh!"
Ijichi Nijika energetically raised her fist high above her head…
"…"
As the two music-loving girls chatted with growing enthusiasm, Kasumigaoka Touji observed them quietly. With a thought, he opened the interface to view Gotou Hitori's dream.
[Gotou Hitori's Dream]
1. Form a band with classmates and shine brightly!Dream Level: ★★★★☆
Dream Description: Form a band together with classmates, perform at the school festival, and become a campus celebrity!(Note: This task is divided into two phases. Completing a corresponding phase will grant partial rewards and unlock the next phase.)
Phase One, Section 3.2: Form a band with classmates and perform a qualified live show.Reward: 20,000 Dream Points.
Total Dream Reward: 60,000 Dream Points.
[Accept] or [Decline]
"…"
Well, students from other schools still count as 'classmates' in a broad sense, right?
By the way, is Kita Ikuyo also attending Toyosaki?
Kasumigaoka Touji recalled that in the original story, Kita Ikuyo and Gotou Hitori attended the same school, while Ijichi Nijika and Yamada Ryo went to another. That was how it was supposed to be. In reality, however, he hadn't spotted Kita Ikuyo on campus yet. Of course, that was partly because he hadn't made a point of actively searching for her, so he couldn't say for certain whether she was enrolled at Toyosaki Private Academy or not.
Regardless, Kasumigaoka Touji now saw a clear pathway to fulfilling Gotou Hitori's dream. It was just a pity that his active task slots were completely full. He couldn't complete the dreams he had already accepted in the near term, nor could he take on new phase tasks…
It felt like missing out on a fortune—a sensation of having lost a billion!
With a deeply regretful expression, Kasumigaoka Touji stared at the details of Gotou Hitori's dream…