Months have passed since I gave Hoshino my phone number. The biggest change since then was the sudden acquisition of a human alarm clock.
Specifically, a morning alarm that flies into my inbox at the exact same time every single day.
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●Ai Hoshino●
- The star has arrived! ( ˘╰╯˘)
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Despite her appearance, she's a diligent brat—or perhaps just bizarre—sending the same weird greeting at the same time every morning.
'It feels a bit like obsession... it's actually kind of creepy...'
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●Hide●
- The star has departed. (⌒◞⌒)
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There is a legendary quote left behind by Liam Gallagher, the frontman of Oasis.
'I go my own f*cking way.'
At first, Ai used to get absolutely livid at my rebellious responses, but she seems to have adjusted now, continuing to talk about herself at her own pace. That's another thing that's changed.
Another shift is that the cynical edge hidden behind her smile has softened significantly. In the past, it felt like she was forcing herself to be artificially bright, but lately, she just feels... genuinely bright.
It's a look children her age should naturally have, which makes me happy, but being around her for too long still feels like she's draining my soul.
But truthfully, the biggest problem is that I still haven't managed to form a band.
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I definitely thought I had built up quite a bit of recognition over the last few months. In a place devoid of popular music involving actual instruments, I had provided a fresh shock to the system.
I'd even put on performances intense enough to get hauled off to the police station, like setting my guitar on fire in the middle of the street, just as Jimi Hendrix once did.
The issue is that it's impossible to become a legend through solo effort alone. Legendary bands were great because they were a convergence of genius talents. The music world isn't soft enough for one person to reach the top in isolation.
And my talent lies in vocals and songwriting. While I'm a guitar player, my technical skill back in my previous life wasn't exactly world-class. However, my head is filled with countless masterpieces, and I possess a vocal tone that is the spitting image of Kurt Cobain's.
Regardless of that, I can't recreate those masterpieces on my own. They can only be truly realized in the form of a band.
That classic harmony of vocals, guitar, bass, and drums.
So, the conclusion is this.
To become a rock star, I have to move.
Oh, and I only recently realized that those with stars in their eyes are the ones with maxed-out talent in their respective fields.
I threw on my clothes and stepped out the front door.
Guitar, bass, drums, vocals.
The classics are classics for a reason; this is my definitive vision of a band.
The format that emerged during the era of Elvis Presley and was perfected by the Beatles.
'I was always old school, even in my past life.'
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.
.
The place I arrived at was the campus of a certain university.
In this world, instruments are a rarity handled only by music majors. Therefore, true instrumentalists can only be found at universities where music is studied professionally.
Rough diamonds exist everywhere.
Even though in the modern era, particularly in Korea where interest in rock was scarce, countless gems remained buried.
And above all, in Korea, rock was treated merely as a commodity.
A strictly calculated product accompanied by agencies, media, and massive marketing budgets.
'Ah, they're all so mediocre...'
In a band, no single member should stand out excessively. Even if the level of public attention differs, their skill levels should be similar. At the very least, their talent must be undeniable.
Half-baked amateurs won't do. You can't become the best with mediocre people.
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But life never quite goes the way you want it to.
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●Ai Hoshino●
- Are you at school again today? (•‾̑⌣‾̑•)ノ
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Indeed. Over two weeks had passed, and I still hadn't found a single band member.
Those with the will lacked talent, and those with talent had no interest in music.
Since the very concept of a 'band' was something being attempted for the first time, some even reacted with sheer bewilderment.
[Umm... I'm sorry, but I just don't see a future in this. It sounds too much like a daydream.]
[Let's say we do organize this "orchestra-type thing" you're talking about. Does it actually make money? How will we perform, and how would you handle marketing or PR?]
Just thinking back on it makes me sigh.
I haven't caught a single person in my net. Not one.
So what if I've gained a bit of recognition... This is a world where agencies have a complete stranglehold on the music industry. In the eyes of others, I'm just an aspiring singer with a bit of talent.
Reality is always bitter.
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●Hide●
- Still searching for comrades to share the Rock 'n' Roll with. !(•̀ᴗ•́)و ̑̑
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Wait... what's with that guy? He was a man with massive muscles holding drumsticks. And he had stars in his eyes.
He looked to be of mixed Black heritage...
Actually, that's even better.
As a rule, muscular guys are great at the drums.
Since it's a part that requires intense movement, immense power and stamina are essential.
"I'm Hide. You can find my profile online. Would you like to play some 'real' music with me?"
This guy is the real deal.
A level of talent that was hard to find even in my previous life.
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●Hide●
- I think I found it. A true, genuine talent.
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