"...Ah~~~~~~!!"
Following Kouzen Sura's explosive high note, the speakers emitted a ringing "buzz—."
The emotions of the guests and audience members also reached a climax, collectively letting out a cry of "Woo~~~~~~."
It was at this moment that Hayato slowly made his way through the crowd toward the stage where Kouzen Sura was located.
As Kouzen Sura knelt down with all his strength, trembling and enjoying the lingering resonance, he heard someone beside him gently say:
"Mister Kouzen Sura, thank you for your hard work. It's my turn now. Could you please lend me your guitar..."
Kouzen Sura glanced to the side and saw the smiling Hayato.
He snorted disdainfully and said:
"Your guts are quite BIG. You actually dared to come up... Just don't get scared stiff."
Hayato smiled and said nothing.
However, although Kouzen Sura's tone was arrogant, he was quite respectful. He handed the guitar to Hayato without a word, then jumped off the stage alone.
Performing a switcheroo with Hayato—he walked toward Hachisuka Hidemichi.
"That was hard work," Hachisuka Hidemichi said.
"Heh, Ah Hidemichi, your friend is probably going to have a rough time, all because I am too strong and too cruel." Kouzen Sura sighed, embracing his own body dramatically.
"Heh heh." Hachisuka Hidemichi chuckled dismissively.
The show was starting.
What he wanted was exactly his "too strong and too cruel." he thought to himself.
"Idiot..."
Kurashiki Reina glanced at the stage.
Where did this inexplicable competitive spirit come from... Admitting that he wasn't good at guitar wouldn't kill him.
Then, under the gaze of her, Nanao Akane, and the two followers, the audience below erupted into noise, just as expected.
Their criticism was directed straight at Hayato, who had just stepped onto the stage and was adjusting his guitar volume and posture.
"Hey, who are you!?"
"We want to hear Sura-kun sing! Newbie, get down! Don't you know you only get a chance when Sura-kun isn't here!?"
"If Sura-kun doesn't give it, you can't take it. If Sura-kun gives it, we still don't want to give it!"
"Get down!"
"Get off the stage!"
"Get off the stage!"
"Get off the stage, get off the stage, get off the stage, get off the stage, get off the stage!"
Someone started the chant to get off the stage, and the two words were immediately followed by an endless stream of shouts.
Immediately after, many people directed "????" signs and thumbs-down gestures at Hayato on the stage, displaying utter mockery.
The occasional shouts of "I think he looks pretty handsome, maybe there's a surprise in store" were drowned out by the calls for his removal.
This was the result Hachisuka Hidemichi wanted, and he watched everything unfold with a smile.
"Wow, how pathetic~~",
Kouzen Sura said, but he didn't step forward to say anything else. That's how it is for people without skill.
When he first performed on stage, he had also endured a lot of ridicule.
"...I'm going to the restroom," Kurashiki Reina said.
She really had no interest in such a ridiculous scene.
"I'll go with you," Follower Number One said, clutching her stomach in pain. She glanced at Nanao Akane: "...Um, Nanuo Student, right? Do you want to come too?"
Amidst the sounds of ridicule, Nanao Akane's face had flushed crimson.
She stood up, clenched her fists, placed them near her abdomen, and after holding it in for a long time, as if about to shout, she finally yelled out:
"Hayato—"
The "chan, you can do it" was still unspoken.
"Shut up."
They heard Hayato lean into the microphone and say softly.
The audience members, who were still immersed in Kouzen Sura's song and focused entirely on getting this unknown punk off the stage, were stunned by his abrupt statement and didn't quite know how to respond.
Nanao Akane was also stunned.
Because when Hayato said that, his gaze was actually directed toward her.
Rather than speaking to the audience... Nanao Akane felt that the sentence was spoken only to her.
"Sit down and listen to the song, be good," Hayato whispered again.
Nanao Akane was now completely certain that Kobayashi-chan was talking to her.
She quickly nodded, then sat down, following his instruction.
At the same time, the series of anxious, angry, and uneasy emotions on her face vanished without a trace.
Nanao Akane didn't know why, but after hearing Kobayashi-chan's words, she felt like he could handle anything.
Kurashiki Reina and Follower Number One both took a deep look at Nanao Akane.
Kurashiki Reina's gaze was especially peculiar, mixed with confusion, bewilderment, amusement, and even a hint of... jealousy.
"Are, are we still going to the restroom?" Follower Number One asked.
Just as Kurashiki Reina was about to answer, the sound of the electric guitar rang out in the silence caused by Hayato's two sentences.
Not only did Nanao Akane realize it, but even Kurashiki Reina knew instantly that this was not the tune of ""other than spring, love, and flowers"".
Its style was unlike the awkwardness and subtlety of youthful romance; it carried no hint of ambiguity or sweet-sourness, but instead contained a metallic intensity.
Aggressive.
After only five seconds, the introductory melody ended.
Hayato began to sing into the microphone:
"Uragiri no yuuyake yakkai ni karamitsuku ase o kirisaku you ni shite mashin wa sakebu utau you ni"
(Under the betrayals sunset, a whole body of troublesome sweat, as if it will be torn apart, the machine screams as if singing)
In the first five seconds, the audience, who had fallen silent due to Hayato's two sentences, snapped back to reality and wanted to shout "Get off the stage" again, but were forced to stop by the appealing electric guitar melody.
And after Hayato sang the first line of lyrics, the audience members looked at each other... Huh? This feels... not bad?
"blow up louder, mukuchina yousei wa soko ni iru! blow up louder, tsugunai wa kudaketa ai no kakera"
(Blow up louder, the silent fairy is right there! Blow up louder, the price is the shattered fragments of love!)
The audience continued to look at each other.
They could see the evaluation of the song in each other's eyes... It was a little strange... but strangely good.
What was going on?
The group looked up at Hayato on the stage again... Wait? Ah, was this guy actually this handsome!?
Before they could finish evaluating Hayato's looks, his singing gradually became excited and soaring:
"Aa asahi wa noboru! Biru no tanima, ima shinjireba kawaru no sa! Muimi jyanai ano yume o!"
(Ah~~! The morning sun rises, the darkness falls away! If you can feel it now, you can see that tomorrow is not meaningless!)
With that one shouted "Ah," the audience's emotions were clearly stirred up. They began to sway their bodies, just as they had during Kouzen Sura's performance, and some even started drumming on the tables.
Many people wanted to sing along, but were suddenly surprised to realize—what song was this?
"Reina, have you heard this song?" Follower Number Two asked Kurashiki Reina.
Kurashiki Reina looked at Hayato on the stage in disbelief. Relying on her excellent eyesight, she could even see his light sweat dampening his bangs, causing them to stick tightly to his forehead.
She shook her head.
Just like before, it was another song she had never heard.
Follower Number One no longer had the desire to go to the restroom. She grabbed her phone, raised her arm, and started recording... This was definitely a good find...
------------------------
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