Chapter 15: A Bit of a Guitar Joke
As evening fell, the living room of the Hoshino residence was filled with the cozy atmosphere of daily life. The orange glow of the setting sun filtered through the blinds, casting dappled shadows on the walls. The blue light from the television shone brightly in the dimming room, displaying the title screen for the second episode of *Starting Today, Falling in Love Seriously*.
Various snacks and drinks were scattered across the coffee table—several bags of potato chips, chocolate biscuits, and a few bottles of soda. Ai sat in the center of the sofa, with Aqua and Ruby on either side of her, each clutching a chibi plushie of Ai. All three pairs of eyes were glued to the TV screen. However, unlike their usual relaxed variety-show-watching sessions, the children's expressions were complex—brows slightly furrowed and mouths downturned, clearly not in the best of moods.
"Do you two *really* want to keep watching this show?" Ai asked, turning her head toward the children with a bit of embarrassment, a hint of bashfulness flickering in her purple eyes. She lightly bit her lower lip, evidently feeling awkward about appearing in a dating reality show.
"Of course we do!" Ruby replied instantly, her hands clenched into tiny fists on her knees with an expression that said it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I won't miss a single one of Mama's shows!"
After some time had passed, Ruby had managed to recover from the grief of the doctor's passing.
*If Sensei were still here... he definitely wouldn't want me to stay immersed in sadness forever.* Dr. Amamiya was so kind; he surely would have comforted her instead, saying: "It's a shame I died, but that doesn't matter. Please keep looking forward, Sarina."
In fact, that was exactly what Aqua was thinking.
At that moment, he gave a rare nod, his expression solemn. "Ruby is right! I won't miss a single frame where Ai appears!"
This was only natural. After all, Aqua—or rather, Gorou Amamiya—was himself a fanatic fan of Ai. Although he usually acted calm and collected, he actually watched every episode Ai appeared in; his focus on her career had never wavered.
On the TV screen, the host introduced the main content of the current episode in a high-energy voice. The scene then cut to the preparation area, the camera panning across the six guests—some were tidying their clothes in their rooms, others were preparing something in the common area, and everyone wore varying degrees of tension and anticipation.
The footage then shifted to Takuya Taira's room. He was standing by his bed, holding several colorful concert tickets, a jubilant smile on his face. The camera followed him as he walked out of the room and found Ai in the common area, currently looking over some lyrics.
"Ai!" Takuya waved the tickets excitedly, his Kansai accent dripping with enthusiasm. "My band has a small gig next week. Do you want to come see? I'll definitely let you feel the charm of rock and roll!"
The camera zoomed in on the tickets, which were printed with "ROCK FESTIVAL 2018" and the name of Takuya's band, "Thunder Cats."
Ai took the tickets and examined them closely, curiosity shining in her purple eyes. She tilted her head and thought for a moment before finally flashing a gentle smile. "Sure, sounds like fun. It's been a while since I've been to a live performance."
"Why did Mama agree to his invitation?" Ruby couldn't help but complain, her little face puffing up like a blowfish. "That guy clearly has bad intentions!"
Aqua remained expressionless, speaking in a flat tone. "Everyone has 'bad' intentions; that's been known from the start. But if she rejects people right as the show begins, they won't be able to film the reality show anymore."
"Exactly!" Ai quickly chimed in to defend herself.
The TV screen cut to a scene of Ai in her room preparing to head out. She stood before a full-length mirror, undergoing a thorough disguise—first, she put on a dark baseball cap, tucking her long hair completely inside, then she donned a pair of large black sunglasses that covered nearly half her face. Next, she swapped her usual exquisite clothing for simple jeans and a white T-shirt, making it impossible to recognize her as a famous idol.
The camera focused on her turning left and right in front of the mirror to confirm the effectiveness of the disguise. She practiced a few mundane expressions she wouldn't normally make to ensure she wouldn't be recognized by fans.
The scene then switched to the exterior of a small Live House. Subtitles appeared on the screen—"SHIBUYA UNDERGROUND LIVE HOUSE"—indicating a subterranean music venue on a street in Shibuya, Tokyo. The shot showed a tall modern building, but the Live House was hidden in the basement level. Various band posters were plastered near the entrance, where a crowd of stylishly dressed young people had gathered—some with multi-colored hair, others in ripped jeans and leather jackets. The air was thick with the scent of youth and rebellion.
The camera followed the disguised Ai inside. Under dim lights, the cramped space was packed with young fans. The stage wasn't large, but the lighting equipment was professional, with multicolored beams swaying through the haze.
*Watching the performance, Ai suddenly mentioned Hikaru Hoshino in her internal monologue, making Aqua and Ruby freeze in place and pout their small lips. However, after a moment, they both had to nod in agreement. After all, Hikaru's performance at the Summer Festival had been unforgettable; that ability to instantly ignite the atmosphere of an entire venue was truly something very few people could match.*
[LanLi: She voiced-it-over the episode if anyone's confused.]
Back on the screen, after the show ended, Takuya Taira ran out excitedly from backstage to find the disguised Ai. His face was still flushed from the performance, fine beads of sweat stood on his forehead, and his eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Ai, how was the show?" he asked breathlessly, his physical exertion clearly evident.
Ai took off her sunglasses, revealing a sincere smile. "It was great! The music was very infectious, and the live atmosphere was amazing."
Takuya's breathing gradually steadied. He continued to press nervously: "Then... how was my playing? I mean me, personally—how was my guitar?"
He waited silently for Ai's verdict, his expression carrying a hint of confidence.
Soon, Ai gave her answer with a laugh.
"I didn't really understand it."
"Uh..." Takuya's expression froze.
Ai spoke candidly: "I don't know much about guitars, so I don't know what counts as 'playing well'."
"But, it sounded very nice."
The purple-red glow of the neon lights spilled over her face as Ai gently lifted her chin, her lips slowly curving into a shallow smile. In the moment she turned her head, the silhouette of her profile looked exceptionally exquisite under the outline of the lights.
The frame froze on Ai's smile, and then, the camera instantly cut away.
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