"Alright then, I'll be in your care! Teacher Mutsumi!"
"A-Anon-san, that way of addressing me is a little..."
"I'm just kidding! Anyway, thank you for agreeing to be my guitar teacher!"
Facing Wakaba Mutsumi, who wasn't very good with jokes, Chihaya Anon said with a smile.
"Practicing all by myself is really a bit difficult, and our little Rana isn't good at teaching people. It got so bad I was considering signing up for an instrument class!"
"As repayment to Chihaya-san, this is nothing."
Mutsumi shook her head lightly.
"However... I've never taught anyone before, so I don't know if I'm any good at being a teacher..."
"It's fine, it's fine! You never know until you try!"
Anon said in a relaxed manner.
"The reason Onii-chan asked you to teach me guitar was also so that you could try more things you haven't done before. So don't be so reserved, just teach me with the feeling of participating in a club activity!"
"But, aren't you going to Yokohama this weekend for the [Summer Zodiac] live show?"
Although her expression and tone were no longer tense, Mutsumi's attitude remained very serious.
"On a stage of that level, a poor performance could very well affect [MyGO!!!!!]'s reputation..."
"Well, you say that, but we're just the backing band appearing during the encore, like an 'easter egg'."
Anon said.
"According to Togawa-san, she seems to want to use this part to slightly tone down the 'looking up from below' feeling of the live show, so the only requirement for us is to perform at our own level."
"Even so, the error rate should be kept as low as possible..."
Mutsumi said as she looked at the guitar in Anon's hands.
"At the last show at [RiNG!!!!!], you made the most mistakes in the entire band. The main reason the tempo sped up later on was because you got too excited and unconsciously played faster. Even if Sakiko's only requirement is for you to 'perform as usual,' if you play at the same level as last time, it will only lower your evaluation in the industry. You're aiming for a 'major debut,' aren't you? In that case, you absolutely cannot mess up this live show."
"Y-you have a point..."
Seeing the usually quiet Mutsumi speak so much at once, Anon lost any desire to talk back.
"Ahem, well then, shall we start practicing now!"
"Mhm, let's begin."
Mutsumi said, straightening her posture.
"Let me hear it first. I want to see what your playing level is really like."
...Ten minutes later...
"...I see."
Mutsumi stared at Anon for a good while before speaking.
"It seems that after that live show ended... you've been working very hard."
Hearing this, Anon's eyes widened in surprise.
"Eh? You can tell?"
"Mhm."
Mutsumi gave a slight nod.
"It's mainly that the improvement in your technique is very obvious. Compared to the live show that day, your technique is much more polished, and your rhythm is a lot more stable."
From her own experience, such a clear improvement in fundamentals could only be achieved through a massive amount of practice.
To achieve in less than a month what might take others several months, or even a year, it seemed her attitude toward the band... was far more serious than she let on.
"...I see. That's a relief."
After hearing Mutsumi's evaluation, a gratified smile appeared on Anon's face.
"This way, I shouldn't have to drag everyone down like last time."
"..."
Hearing this, the way Mutsumi looked at Anon changed once again.
Come to think of it, ever since [MyGO!!!!!] was formed, everyone had the impression that Anon's skill was lacking. And Anon herself had never denied it, instead admitting it openly and frankly. But on second thought, for someone like her who always cared so much about her image, such an impression was undoubtedly sharp and hard to accept. Beneath her carefree exterior, what kind of psychological pressure was she bearing? Perhaps only she herself knew.
Just how much of her unseen effort was hidden behind the growth she was witnessing right now?
"Anon-san, you really..."
"Ah, wait, I know what you're going to say, Mutsumi!"
But before Mutsumi could finish, Anon immediately cut her off.
"While it's nice to be acknowledged, I know that this little bit of improvement has only brought me from a beginner to a proficient level."
Anon laughed awkwardly and scratched the back of her head.
"I'm a person who gets carried away easily. If a great guitarist like you praises me, I'll definitely lose the fighting spirit I have now. I can't readily accept your praise until my skills have completely caught up with everyone else's. So, for now, just point out my mistakes! If you have any compliments, save them for after the live show!"
"...I understand."
Mutsumi was silent for a moment before nodding.
Her evaluation of Chihaya Anon was gradually changing.
Before this, although Anon's guitar skills were not high, no one had ever questioned her position or significance in the band.
The reason was simple: she was Chihaya Tetsuya's sister.
For this band, which had been successfully formed with his help, Anon could have done nothing and justifiably stayed, enjoying his affection under the envious eyes of everyone else.
But in reality, she wasn't just squandering the advantages that came with her status. Like this improvement she had never deliberately shown off to anyone, she had been quietly working hard to make herself worthy of all the preferential treatment she received—
"You don't have to go this far, no one would force you..."
"It's true that I'm vain and lazy. But even someone like me has things I absolutely cannot give up on."
Anon said.
"So that I don't become just a child who is unilaterally taken care of by him, so that I can occupy the most intimate position by his side, this level of effort is necessary. So, let's continue, Mutsumi."
"...Mhm."
So, it's to become someone worthy of Chihaya-san's affection...
Mutsumi silently committed these words to memory, then continued to coach Anon on the guitar.
As she watched Anon's focused and serious expression, a transparent string was, without a sound, pulled taut.