The bass case didn't look that big, but it held a surprising amount of gear—at least, Miss Ryo had brought a full setup, more than enough for the two of them to busk on a street corner.
It was around nine o'clock on a Saturday, and the foot traffic at the Shibuya Crossing was staggering. Unlike a weekday, the crowd wasn't just hurried office workers; it was filled with tourists, young couples, and groups of vibrant young people, all walking the streets and soaking in their youth.
After finishing their ice cream, Aoki Kai and Yamada Ryo got everything set up on a street corner near Shibuya Station.
When I say "set up," it really just meant tuning and testing the various pieces of equipment Yamada Ryo had brought.
Aoki brushed his fingertips across the strings, and after confirming the equipment was working, he looked at Yamada Ryo beside him.
Never mind busking with a bandmate, this was his first time performing on the street at all.
He had absolutely no experience with this. Aoki's initial plan was to let Yamada Ryo, who seemed to know what she was doing, take the lead.
Unfortunately—
Despite bringing a full set of gear, speaking with complete confidence, and acting with sharp efficiency, it turned out that Miss Ryo only looked experienced.
And so, with both of them being first-timers, they had no choice but to quickly agree on a song. Aoki Kai braced himself and strummed his guitar.
They didn't choose one of the songs they usually practiced as a band, nor did they pick a currently trending pop song. After a brief discussion, they decided Aoki would handle lead vocals and guitar, while Yamada Ryo would provide the bass accompaniment. They would start with "Lemon," a song Aoki had once posted on Yutube.
Yamada Ryo loved "Lemon" and had listened to it many times, so it wasn't too difficult for her to find the rhythm and add a bass line to the familiar tune.
Aoki, of course, knew the song like the back of his hand.
In any case, once the decision was made and the equipment was ready, they began to play.
Aoki's fingers swept the strings, and the gentle, flowing rhythm of "Lemon" rang out.
Among the equipment Ryo had brought were two small speakers that, despite their size, were surprisingly loud. Connected to the microphone and instruments, both the music and Aoki's vocals carried clearly through the street.
At nine o'clock, although Shibuya Crossing was crowded, there weren't many other street performers. The few that were scattered about weren't skilled enough to draw much of a crowd.
But Aoki Kai and Yamada Ryo were different.
Aoki's guitar skills were exceptional, and his singing was more than capable. Aside from a slight nervousness from performing in front of such a massive, shifting crowd, he was flawless.
And Miss Ryo—her bass playing was excellent, providing more than enough support.
Furthermore, "Lemon" was an incredibly recognizable song. Its intro and melodic turns were so catchy that even someone who had only heard it once would immediately recognize it upon a second listen, the melody having already left a deep impression.
As a result, less than thirty seconds after they started playing, pedestrians began to stop and watch.
Humans are, by nature, drawn to a spectacle. Once a small crowd forms, it inevitably attracts more curious onlookers. With so many people passing by, a snowball effect took hold, and soon, a considerable audience had gathered around Aoki Kai and Yamada Ryo.
It was just as Yamada Ryo had said: with their level of musical talent, making money by busking on this street was indeed easy.
Once the crowd formed, listeners soon began to pull out cash and drop it into the open guitar case in front of them.
According to their original plan, Aoki and Ryo had intended to play a few more songs, or at least repeat this one, until they had earned enough money.
But they had clearly underestimated their own appeal and the audience's willingness to pay for good music.
Before they had even finished the first chorus of "Lemon," the guitar case at Aoki's feet was already piling up with bills and coins.
This was more than enough for lunch. Aoki considered this and decided that after finishing this song, he would tell Ryo they should pack up and make a run for it.
However, he had completely overlooked one crucial fact.
Although Aoki currently owned two guitars, the one Seika-san had given him was expensive and high-quality, and he didn't see the need to use it for casual playing. Therefore, he was still using the same ordinary blue guitar that had already appeared in two of his Yutube videos.
Furthermore, Aoki had never tried to hide the fact that he was a high school student on Yutube. And as he sang now, he hadn't considered how recognizable his voice was.
So, with the guitar, his age, and his voice all matching up—and performing "Lemon," no less—it didn't take long for someone in the crowd to notice.
This young man, standing on a street corner, singing and playing guitar... he had to be the famous suki-sensei from Yutube!
No, it wasn't just "highly likely"—
The voice was identical, the age matched, and the guitar was the exact same model. This was suki-sensei!
The few listeners who realized this were considerate enough not to interrupt the performance. They huddled together, whispering among themselves to confirm their suspicions, and then returned to quietly enjoying the music.
The moment the song ended.
Aoki turned to Ryo, just about to ask, "Should we call it a day?" when the surrounding audience members suddenly swarmed forward.
They maintained a respectful distance, not getting too close, but they formed a tight semicircle around Aoki, inadvertently cutting off Yamada Ryo, who was standing to the side.
Aoki was confused for a second, until he heard a fan ask, "You're suki-sensei, aren't you!?"
It hit him instantly.
Since he'd never tried to be anonymous, his Yutube identity had been exposed.
Looking at the fan who had asked the question, Aoki hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"Ah... yes, that's me."
The moment he confirmed it, the murmuring crowd went silent for a beat, and then erupted with a torrent of questions.
Aoki's two videos on Yutube had astronomical view, like, and favorite counts, with an approval rating well over ninety percent. Yet, despite this, the "suki-san" account had never posted a single status update or replied to a single comment.
The "suki-san" profile page was completely empty, save for those two videos.
Other than the single clue that he had once played at STARRY, the "suki-san" account was shrouded in mystery.
These fans, who had only ever dreamed of getting a lucky reply, were now standing face-to-face with their idol. They weren't about to let this chance slip by.
"Suki-sensei, suki-sensei! When are you releasing your next song?"
"Suki-sensei, hello! I'm a huge fan, can I please have your autograph?"
"Suki-sensei, why did you suddenly decide to busk on the street? Will you be here tomorrow?"
"Um... suki-sensei, was the bassist next to you your girlfriend? You look great together!"
The questions came one after another. Trapped in the semicircle, Aoki was completely overwhelmed.
A few of the questions were answerable, but most were too personal, leaving him at a loss for how to respond. Yet, the fans were all well-intentioned, asking out of genuine curiosity. He couldn't just brush them off.
He patiently tried to answer them one by one, using "I'm sorry, I can't really talk about that" for the questions he couldn't answer.
While responding, he kept shooting a desperate, help-me look toward Miss Ryo, who was still standing outside the circle.
Yamada Ryo certainly noticed his predicament, but she clearly had no intention of helping. A faint, almost imperceptible smile played on her lips as she watched him squirm.
Aoki was trapped for several more minutes, unable to escape.
He had just finished saying, "I'm not sure when the next song will be ready," when a high school-aged girl wearing a hat spoke up.
"Suki-sensei, both 'Lemon' and 'That's Why I Gave Up on Music' are such sad songs. I was wondering... what kind of emotions, or what experiences, led you to create music like that?"
"..."
The crowd quieted down.
The high school girl stared at Aoki, her eyes burning with intensity.
Aoki opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
This question was sensitive; it felt like she was trying to pick at an old wound. More than that, Aoki, who was just a "transporter" of these songs, had no good answer.
He hesitated, thinking.
Outside the circle of fans.
When the high school girl asked her question, Yamada Ryo blinked.
She stood silently for a moment, then took a soft breath. She bent down, repacked all the equipment on the ground into the bass case, and then zipped up Aoki's guitar case and slung it over her own shoulder.
Yamada Ryo looked back at Aoki, who was still trapped in the crowd.
Then, carrying both the guitar case and the bass case, she pushed her way into the crowd. "Excuse me," she said, her voice flat and cool, a rare thing for her to say. She squeezed through to Aoki's side.
As Aoki watched in confusion, Yamada Ryo scanned the surrounding fans. Then, in that same slightly chilly tone, she addressed the crowd.
"Sorry, everyone. I'm borrowing suki-san for a while."
With that brief announcement, Miss Ryo reached out and grabbed Aoki Kai's right wrist.
Their eyes met. Under Aoki's startled gaze, Yamada Ryo, her face expressionless, began to pull. Aoki, still stunned, instinctively followed her steps as she squeezed back out of the crowd.
Aoki was confused, but after being led several steps away, it suddenly dawned on him.
Miss Ryo might seem completely unreliable on a daily basis, but she was actually an incredibly considerate person.
She must have heard that girl's question and worried it would upset him. That's why she had decisively pulled him out of the crowd.
The palm of her hand was slightly warm.
Feeling the light pressure on his wrist, Aoki was silent for a moment, then suddenly chuckled.
"Miss Ryo," he began.
"Do you think the money we made busking is enough for a meal at that restaurant in Minato, 'Flaose No.1'?"
...
...
The average bill at Flaose No.1 was absurdly high. The money they made busking obviously wasn't enough.
They walked and debated, finally settling on a Chinese restaurant for lunch.
They ordered Kung Pao Chicken, Mapo Eggplant, two orders of fried dumplings, and some side dishes.
Everything was on the spicy side, which wasn't particularly friendly to Aoki, who wasn't a big fan of spicy food. On top of that, the prices were a bit high. Aoki personally felt the meal wasn't worth it.
However, considering Miss Ryo seemed to be enjoying it, he decided to reserve judgment.
In any case, after a quick meal, Aoki Kai and Yamada Ryo left the restaurant around 11:30 AM.
Considering they were both carrying instruments, they decided to walk around for a bit before heading straight to the live house.
They wandered around Shibuya until about one o'clock, then slowly made their way toward STARRY.
Aoki assumed the rest of the day would be a normal band practice, but he was wrong. Halfway to STARRY, they ran straight into Kita Ikuyo.
Kita was surprised to bump into Ryo-senpai and Aoki-senpai.
She looked at Aoki, then at Yamada Ryo. After a moment of silence, she spoke, her tone a mixture of surprise, confusion, and a hint of "I-knew-it."
"Are you... on a date again?"
-------
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