He had just briefly looked into how bands were structured. Besides that, it seemed they could also add a keyboardist. Come to think of it, why didn't Kessoku Band have one?
From what he had read, keyboards could imitate other sounds and even substitute for other instruments.
While one person couldn't form an entire band alone, it was still a very interesting instrument.
He was somewhat intrigued.
He would ask after school and see whether they would let someone with no experience join.
Come to think of it, wasn't there a newbie in the band who couldn't even tell a bass from a guitar?
One more inexperienced person shouldn't make much difference.
He wasn't dumb enough to be unable to tell a guitar from a bass. No matter how alike they looked, he could tell them apart.
Because—
He would ask the store clerk.
Before long, amid the school bell ringing throughout campus, his first day of high school came to an end.
Students of the same age quickly formed little groups around common topics, creating their own safe spaces as they noisily headed off to various places for entertainment.
Until the very end, no one dared speak to Ishikawa Hayato, who had called himself a pervert. That suited him just fine.
He picked up his bag, preparing to head to Shimokitazawa and see whether he could run into the other members of Kessoku Band.
"Ishikawa-kun, come to the Staff Room for a moment."
At that moment, the teacher who had been conflicted all day stood at the classroom door, waving awkwardly as he called for Ishikawa Hayato.
Ishikawa Hayato walked over at an unhurried pace.
"I'm very sorry, Sensei, but I have something to do afterward. Could we talk during tomorrow's lunch break instead?"
Although there was apology in his tone, none showed on his face. Instead, he looked utterly calm and unhurried.
"Ah... sure, no problem."
Completely overwhelmed by Ishikawa Hayato, the teacher timidly nodded, then hurried off.
Ishikawa Hayato watched the teacher's retreating back for a while longer.
He remembered that teacher's name was Ishida Hane.
A male teacher who had only graduated a few years ago.
Shimokitazawa was a vibrant place full of personality, where antique shops, secondhand clothing stores, and all sorts of distinctive businesses bloomed everywhere.
Once he entered the area, Ishikawa Hayato noticed more and more people carrying instruments or dressed in highly artistic styles.
Since school had just ended, quite a few students had come here as well.
And that scene was torture for Ishikawa Hayato.
Hold it in, pervert inside me. I'm about to meet several girls for the first time. If I lose it here, I'm finished!
As long as he passed through this alley and walked on—
He would reach that place!
Before coming, Ishikawa Hayato had already looked up the location of the shop called Starry. This livehouse had been open for five or six years and could be considered an old establishment. It had plenty of positive reviews and gave the impression of being run with great care.
After leaving the alley, he turned and saw a sunken staircase beside a tall building.
Ishikawa Hayato did not go down. He knew the shop officially opened at five in the afternoon, and it was not yet four.
He went to the roadside and leaned against a wall, using his phone to browse band-related knowledge while waiting for the two—or perhaps one—people who were bound to pass by.
The early spring breeze still carried a hint of coldness, but within that crisp wind were distant guitar notes, the laughter of young people, and a faint chill.
Before long, a woman with blonde hair and red eyes walked over. She wore a black undershirt and pinstriped trousers. She gave Ishikawa Hayato a cool glance without paying him much attention, then turned and headed down the stairs.
Not long after that—
"Later, I'll ask my sister to put up the flyers... I'm so excited. What kind of people will join us?"
"Yeah. Interesting people are definitely going to come."
Ishikawa Hayato raised his head.
Not far ahead, a blonde girl beamed as she held a flyer, cheerfully chatting with another girl their age who had shoulder-length blue hair and a somewhat androgynous beauty.
Interesting?
Ishikawa Hayato considered it, then silently nodded.
There was no one in the world more interesting than him—when it came to being a pervert.
They had finally arrived. His youthful story could begin now, right?
Ishikawa Hayato straightened up, lightly dusted off his back, and walked directly toward the two girls.
"Hello, I just heard you were planning to recruit members..."
As he spoke, Ishikawa Hayato suddenly realized that neither of them had actually said what kind of members they were recruiting. He glanced at the bass slung over the blue-haired girl's back and changed his wording.
"You're recruiting band members, right?"
"That was fast!"
Ijichi Nijika cried out in surprise. She had not even put up the flyer yet.
She quickly glanced at Yamada Ryo beside her. Yamada Ryo calmly gave Ishikawa Hayato a look.
"Guitarist?"
Ishikawa Hayato immediately understood what she meant and smiled as he waved his hand.
"I'm a complete amateur. I want to learn with the goal of becoming a keyboardist, and for now, I'm hoping to join a band so I can experience and understand the atmosphere of a band more deeply."
"A keyboardist... It'll be difficult without any foundation."
Yamada Ryo slightly shook her head, but she did not explicitly reject him.
Seeing that Ryo did not seem opposed to the idea, Nijika smiled and lightly clapped her hands together to smooth things over.
"Well, don't just stand here. Let's go inside Starry and talk."
Band Formation
A cramped space.
All kinds of posters, drawings, and decorations filled the livehouse to the brim. Amid the clutter, it carried a distinctive sense of depth and style.
That slight messiness also gave it a sense of free-spirited comfort.
It was Ishikawa Hayato's first time in a place like this, and his eyes could not help lingering everywhere.
Mm, this underground space feels warm and cramped, and the dark-toned decorations make it feel like a safe room.
Behind the counter, the woman Ishikawa Hayato had met earlier—who resembled Nijika somewhat—looked up and watched him for a while.
"Don't be so formal. This is my sister's shop, so relax a little."
Nijika noticed Ishikawa Hayato's expression and confirmed that he truly was a complete outsider.
But she did not mind at all, greeting him with a bright smile.
Are you sure you want me to relax?
Ishikawa Hayato silently complained. He already wanted to run wild around the shop.
As they walked down the stairs, Nijika casually waved toward her sister at the counter.
"Big sis, I'll start work a little later."
"Okay."
Ijichi Seika replied absentmindedly as she wiped down a table with a rag, though her gaze continued lingering on the boy beside her younger sister.
The three of them sat down at a table in the corner of the livehouse.
Yamada Ryo was not the sort of person who had many topics to talk about, while Ishikawa Hayato was considering how to appear at least somewhat normal.
For a moment, a stifling atmosphere began to arise.
But before it could spread, Ijichi Nijika crushed that hint of tension. She spoke first.
"Let's introduce ourselves first. My name is Ijichi Nijika. I'm a second-year student at Shimokitazawa High School, and I'm the drummer. She's..."
Yamada Ryo calmly took over.
"Yamada Ryo. Also a second-year student at Shimokitazawa High School. Bass."
After the two introduced themselves, it was Ishikawa Hayato's turn. Facing two beautiful girls, he remained perfectly composed.
"Ah, then I can call you both senpai in every sense. I'm Ishikawa Hayato, a first-year student at Shuhua High School."
"Why do you want to join a band, Hayato-kun?"
Ijichi Nijika naturally began calling Ishikawa Hayato by his given name.
Pervert Outburst Value: 15%.
It was Ishikawa Hayato's first time meeting such a warm, friendly girl, and she was so pretty, too. His heart wavered for a moment.
But he maintained a normal expression and calmly stated his goal.
"I want to make music that lets people feel relaxed and at ease. I want others to listen to that kind of music with me, relax together, and enjoy it together."
Yamada Ryo's gaze shifted slightly. She moved from propping her chin up in disinterest to sitting a little straighter.
She asked again.
"That's an easy and difficult path at the same time. Are you serious?"
"Yeah."
Ishikawa Hayato nodded, then took out his phone as if to prove it.
"Actually, even though I don't know much about music, my younger sister is very good at piano. I can learn some basics from her first. I've also picked out books to buy, and I've chosen a synthesizer too."
He handed them his phone to look at.
"Synthesizer Self-Study Growth Tutorial, Prophet XL..."
The two looked at the Amazon shopping cart on his phone and fell silent together for a moment.
Ijichi Nijika awkwardly and hesitantly asked, "Hayato-kun, are you rich...?"
Ishikawa Hayato knew why she was asking. After all, the items in the cart added up to over one million yen.
"Not really..."
He put away his phone and smiled helplessly.
"I've been writing novels for a long time, so I saved up some money. If I borrow a little more from home, it should be enough..."
"It just means I'll have to ask my family for allowance money for quite a while afterward..."
Ishikawa Hayato sighed toward the heavens in his heart. He was probably the most pathetic transmigrator ever.
"But I want to study seriously. I think it's important to buy an instrument that will last a long time and leave the user plenty of room to grow. Don't let how I look fool you—I learn very quickly."
Ishikawa Hayato was not lying. Ever since he had transmigrated, he felt that his thoughts flowed exceptionally smoothly. His memory was so absurdly good that he suspected he might have acquired perfect recall, and his learning ability was several levels beyond what it had once been.
If he had not wanted to hold himself back and become someone who lived freely, he would probably be studying in a gifted class by now.
"I see." Yamada Ryo nodded, then offered a reminder from the perspective of someone more experienced.
"But you can buy textbooks at secondhand bookstores, and instruments are a little cheaper at specialty stores."
"Thanks! It really was a good thing that I looked for a band first."
After saying that, Ishikawa Hayato added with some apology.
"Still... I don't know much about this stuff, so the exact addresses..."
Ijichi Nijika stood up and said thoughtfully, "Then Ryo and I will take you there."
Before you continue