A tight, enclosed space.
Posters, sketches, and decorations filled the livehouse to the brim, a chaotic mess that somehow gave off a strange sense of order and style.That touch of clutter added a feeling of freedom, even comfort.
It was Ishikawa Hayabusa's first time in a place like this. His eyes lingered everywhere, unable to take in enough.Mm… this underground space felt warm, almost cramped, with darker tones in its design. It reminded him of a safehouse.
Behind the counter, the woman who had glanced at him earlier—bearing a certain resemblance to Nijika—looked up again, her eyes lingering longer on him this time.
"Don't be so stiff. This is my sister's place. Relax a little."
Nijika, catching the look on Ishikawa Hayabusa's face, immediately realized he was a genuine outsider to this world.But she didn't mind in the least. With a bright smile, she urged him on.
Relax?Ishikawa Hayabusa laughed bitterly in his heart. What he really wanted to do was dash around the store like a wild child.
As they came down the stairs, Nijika waved casually toward the counter."Big sis, I'll start my shift later!"
"Mm."
Seika Ichiji responded absentmindedly, wiping down a table with a rag. But her eyes lingered far too long on the boy standing beside her little sister.
The three of them sat at a table tucked away in the corner of the livehouse.
Yamada Ryo was never one for small talk. Ishikawa Hayabusa, for his part, was carefully calculating how to act just normal enough.The silence thickened between them, an awkward atmosphere slowly creeping in.
But before it could take hold, Nijika struck it down immediately. She opened her mouth with cheerful energy.
"Let's introduce ourselves. My name's Nijika Ichiji, second year at Shimokitazawa High. I play the drums. And this is—"
"Yamada Ryo."Ryo took over smoothly, her tone unhurried."Also a second-year at Shimokitazawa High. Bass."
After their introductions, it was Ishikawa Hayabusa's turn. Facing two beautiful girls, his voice remained steady and composed.
"Ah, so you're both my seniors in every sense. I'm Ishikawa Hayabusa, first-year at Shuka High."
"Hayabusa-kun, why do you want to join a band?"
Nijika naturally addressed him by name.
Pervert Instinct Surge: 15%
It was the first time Ishikawa Hayabusa had met such a friendly, gentle girl—one this stunning, too. For a moment, his heart wavered.
But he kept his expression calm, his tone steady, as he shared his goal.
"I want to make music that helps people feel at ease, music that lets them relax and enjoy themselves together."
Ryo's eyes flickered. From her casual, disinterested pose with her chin resting on her hand, she straightened up ever so slightly.
She pressed him further."That's a very easy and very difficult path. Are you serious?"
"Yes."
Ishikawa Hayabusa nodded, and as if to prove it, he pulled out his phone.
"Truth is, I don't know much about music yet, but my sister's great at piano. I figured I'd learn from her first. I already picked out some books, and I've chosen a synthesizer too."
He handed them his phone.
"Self-Study Guide to Synthesizers. Prophet XL…"
Both Nijika and Ryo stared at his Amazon shopping cart and fell into silence.
Nijika spoke hesitantly, awkwardly."Hayabusa-kun… are you, um, rich?"
Ishikawa Hayabusa understood why she asked—after all, everything in that cart added up to over a million yen.
"Not exactly…"
He put his phone away, smiling wryly.
"I saved some money from writing novels before, and I'll borrow a bit from home. That should be enough…"
"Though it does mean I'll have to ask for allowance money for a long while after this…"
Inside, Ishikawa Hayabusa let out a grand sigh to the heavens. I must be the most pathetic transmigrator in history.
"But I want to learn properly. Buying an instrument that lasts and gives room to grow is important. Don't be fooled by how I look—I pick things up really quickly."
He wasn't exaggerating. Ever since he had transmigrated, his mind worked with startling clarity. His memory was so sharp it bordered on photographic, and his learning ability had skyrocketed compared to his old self.If he hadn't held himself back, insisting on living freely, he'd probably already be in some elite "genius class."
"I see."
Ryo nodded slightly, then added a practical suggestion from her own experience.
"But you can buy textbooks secondhand. Instruments are usually cheaper at specialty stores, too."
"Thank you! I'm glad I met you both before buying anything."
Ishikawa Hayabusa said this with genuine relief, though he quickly added, apologetic:
"But… I don't really know these places. I'd need directions…"
Nijika stood up, her tone caring and considerate."Then Ryo and I will take you there."
"Oi."
The warning voice came from afar—Ichiji Seika, who had been watching them this whole time.
"Big sis~! We'll be right back after looking!"
Nijika called back, half-pleading, half-playful.
Perhaps noticing the subtle changes in Seika's usually calm face, she turned back to the two of them and declared:"Let's go!"
Ishikawa Hayabusa caught her word choice. She had said "go look," not "go buy." That gentle nuance… Is this the Archangel of Shimokitazawa herself?A girl like her would make the perfect wife—life with her would be nothing but warmth.
Ryo didn't add anything, simply stood as well.
…
"So, what do bands do on a daily basis?"
Ishikawa Hayabusa asked curiously as the three of them walked toward the secondhand bookstore—Ryo on the left, Nijika in the middle, and himself on the right.
Even in Shimokitazawa, this combination of handsome boy and pretty girls turned heads as they passed.
"Mm… making music, live shows, practice?"
Nijika gave a tentative answer, then scratched the back of her head with an embarrassed laugh.
"Sorry, this is my first time forming a band too. I don't really know either. But Ryo's been in one before."
She slowed down slightly so Ishikawa Hayabusa could look at Ryo directly.
Ryo's reply was short and blunt."There's only one goal. Play."
Nijika froze, wide-eyed, not expecting that.
"Give me a serious answer!"
Her outburst drew curious stares from nearby passersby.
"This is serious."
Ryo's tone remained calm, as if she truly meant it. She explained:"Music comes from play. Music made just for work has no soul."
"Don't go dissing every music producer out there!"
Nijika instantly slipped into the role of comic relief, her protests endless. Finally, she sighed and told Ishikawa Hayabusa:
"Ryo can lie with a straight face. Don't take her too seriously."
"Mm. But… Ryo—can I just call you Ryo?"
Ishikawa Hayabusa asked cautiously, glancing between the two girls.
"No problem." Ryo answered without hesitation.
"Then, I actually agree with Ryo. Music is born out of joy. If you approach it with too much seriousness, it stops being real. That's the wrong path."
"Well said."
Ryo's eyes gleamed as she gave him a look full of approval, her lips curving with pride.
In an instant, the two of them were aligned, forming a front across from Nijika, who looked completely thrown off.
"Eh? Eh? Eh~~~?"
Nijika swung her head left and right between them, dazed. For a moment, she felt like the odd one out.