The spotlights inside the venue slowly lit up, and the girls already on stage looked out at an audience much larger than they had imagined, a mixture of nervousness and excitement filling their chests.
According to their prior arrangement, Kita Ikuyo, who was best at dealing with people, was supposed to give the opening remarks, announce the song title, and then start the performance. Nijika clearly hadn't anticipated that even someone with a personality as lively and cheerful as Kita Ikuyo's...
...would inevitably panic under the pressure of a larger-than-expected crowd and their first-ever live show. Kita Ikuyo's mind went completely blank, and in her flustered state, she even forgot the opening lines she had prepared.
The audience below was looking up at her. She had to say something.
"Hello everyone, we are Kessoku Band. Thank you all so much for coming to see our performance today despite the wind and rain..."
"Ahaha..." Nijika, seeing Kita Ikuyo's panic, let out a fake laugh to smooth things over for her. "For a rock band, Kita is way too polite."
Nijika's drawn-out final sound echoed through STARRY, which was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Hitori Gotoh's two civilian fans were very cooperative, letting out awkward but polite laughter.
"So, people in rock music are all impolite?" Satania was astonished, not expecting that a rock band could openly do things only S-rank demons were capable of.
Jhin's mouth twitched slightly. Was Satania going to want to join Kessoku Band because of this misunderstanding?
"No, just assume they're so nervous they've started talking nonsense."
"Oh, I see."
As expected of an idiot, she easily believed Jhin's explanation.
Hitori Gotoh's social anxiety was about to flare up again because of this brief and awkward opening.
So awkward. I want to crawl into a ripe mango box. In fact, I want to evaporate from existence right this second!
But Jhin even specially invited his friends over for my sake, and everyone's efforts up to now can't be for nothing. Hitori Gotoh, you have to pull yourself together!
While she was constantly giving herself a pep talk, Kita Ikuyo announced the official start of the performance: "Well then, here is our first song for you, our original piece, 'Guitar, Solitude, and the Blue Planet.'"
The familiar melody made the civilian fans sway to the rhythm, their hearts full of anticipation to hear the complete song, as they had fallen in love with the music during Hitori Gotoh's street performance.
But even as amateurs, they could clearly hear that Kessoku Band's rhythm was a mess. The lead vocalist was a beat or two ahead of the three instrumentalists, while the drums were a beat or two behind the guitars. It was as if each person was playing on their own, with no synergy whatsoever.
If the audience could tell, how could the four on stage not be aware? But they were in the middle of a performance; they couldn't stop, and they certainly couldn't start an abrupt conversation over the microphones.
Everyone was trying to get in sync with each other, but they kept missing the mark at crucial moments.
Kita Ikuyo glanced at Hitori Gotoh with a worried look. As the person least skilled with her instrument in the band, she could only worry anxiously, unable to think of any way to solve the current problem.
Everyone's playing is completely different from usual. This was Hitori Gotoh's most direct feeling at that moment.
The telepathic synergy they had during the live audition was gone, and they had lost the performance level they should have had from their past practices. Their overall performance was even worse than their first instrumental-only show.
"Did I bring too many people? Was the pressure too much for them?"
Jhin also wondered if his good intentions in bringing so many people to listen had backfired.
"That was 'Guitar, Solitude, and the Blue Planet.'"
When the song ended, a heavy atmosphere filled the stage. The four of them hung their heads in silence. The fans of the other bands had started looking down at their phones midway through the terrible performance.
"I knew I shouldn't have had expectations for a new band. We came too early..."
"Yeah."
The girls Jhin had brought didn't join the discussion, but they only refrained from complaining out of respect for him. They also felt the band's performance was quite bad.
Kita Ikuyo heard these comments and anxiously didn't know what to say. It was Nijika who quietly reminded her: "Kita, introduce the next song."
"O...Okay."
"The next song is also our original piece..."
Hitori Gotoh stood on the stage, able to feel the worried and disappointed gazes of her two fans.
What kind of look does Jhin have on his face right now? Disappointment? Worry? Or anger?
Hitori Gotoh didn't dare to lift her head to find the answer. She was even more afraid that if she did, Jhin's figure would no longer be in STARRY.
He had always been so supportive of her, so believing in her. Why did all sorts of unexpected situations always happen at the most critical moments? Could she still show Jhin the side he had been hoping to see?
"Clap, clap, clap, clap..." Somewhat inappropriate applause came from below the stage, even interrupting the song title Kita Ikuyo was about to announce. They looked intently and saw it was Jhin, clapping all by himself.
There was no disappointment in his sky-blue eyes, only calmness and encouragement, just as he had said before.
"I'm your band's number one fan. I'll do everything I can to help."
Jhin's gaze was like a handful of dry grass thrown onto a dying fire, igniting the flame in their hearts and helping them pull themselves together.
Go for it, my guitarhero.
Although Jhin didn't say it out loud, Hitori Gotoh understood his silent encouragement, and her nose tingled a little.
Jhin still believes in me, he's giving me courage...
The pick swept smoothly across the guitar strings. She deftly stomped on the electric guitar's switch on the stage, and a passionate, fiery solo instantly drew everyone's eyes to Hitori Gotoh.
Nijika and Ryo were shocked by the exquisite skill she displayed. They nodded and exchanged a look. The sound engineer also perfectly timed the dimming of the stage lights. The crisp sound of the crash cymbal, along with the constantly flashing colored lights, followed the soaring guitar sound, jolting the entire audience.
Even the two who had complained at the beginning lifted their gazes from their phones, looking in astonishment at Hitori Gotoh, who was now leading the whole performance.
Kessoku Band's entire performance was as if they had been replaced by different people. Hitori Gotoh was like a pro player turning the tide in a losing game, leading her teammates to gradually find the rhythm to victory.
Hitori Gotoh, having entered a peak state where all else faded away, didn't realize that at this moment, she was getting closer and closer to her dream of being a rock band guitarist who could captivate thousands and drive them wild.
The thunderous, tide-like applause from the audience brought Hitori Gotoh back to her senses. She was a bit dazed, seemingly unaware of what had just happened. Nijika, who had given her all to keep up with the rhythm, had beads of sweat dripping down her cheeks. She picked up her drumsticks, gave Hitori Gotoh a thumbs-up, and flashed her most brilliant smile of the day.
...
"Jhin!"
The members of Kessoku Band were already used to it. After a performance, as long as Jhin was there, Hitori Gotoh would invariably seek his affection while broadcasting their lovey-dovey antics to everyone.
Jhin opened his arms wide to welcome Hitori Gotoh's flying leap. Fresh from the performance and drenched in fragrant sweat, she wriggled in his embrace: "Praise me!"
"You were amazing, Bocchi-chan."
Just a simple compliment and a head pat were enough to make Hitori Gotoh blissfully lose her bearings.
Maybe for our next date, I should just let Jhin pat my head all day. We wouldn't have to go out, and I'd get to stick close to my boyfriend. That sounds pretty good. Am I a genius?
"Little brother, is this your girlfriend?"
Kazami Kazuki's casual question made all the girls who had come with Jhin to the concert focus their attention on Hitori Gotoh.
Jhin: "..."
___
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