"I used to be in a band too. These days, I still play once in a while." Miss Marina wore a faintly nostalgic expression and said nothing more.
Since she clearly did not want to elaborate, there was no need to press her. I nodded and passed by Miss Marina.
After saying goodbye to Ryo-san, I headed for the storage room. On the way, I passed through the lobby. The door beside the front desk led to the recording studio, and through its window, I could see Kita still practicing guitar.
Seeing a hardworking girl always made me happy.
However, some people worked a little too hard... The front door opened, and Shiko walked in, covered in sweat.
"How many times have I told you? It's dangerous outside at night." I deliberately lowered my voice so no one else would hear.
Shiko wore an awkward expression and did not dare meet my eyes. "I was just getting some fresh air outside..."
"I can feel that CiRCLE has received an energy refill too."
I was moved, but I was even more worried. If I forcibly ordered her to stop sneaking out to hunt every night, would she listen? But I had no way to restrain her...
Shiko had no good excuse. After thinking for a while, she finally spoke.
"Everyone is working toward their dreams, and this is the only work I can do." After saying that, Shiko smiled faintly and headed for the bathroom. Some time later, she returned to the dorm in her pajamas, her entire body fresh and clean.
As soon as she entered, she saw Nijika squatting beside the trash can. When Nijika noticed Shiko, she waved her over.
Shiko took one look and saw pink filling the entire trash can. No wonder Ichiri was nowhere to be seen.
The pink mass was still making noises. "I can't think of anything... I can't think of anything... I can't think of anything..."
"She's in charge of writing the lyrics, but she seems to be suffering," Nijika said.
"Oh, right, writing lyrics—I can write them, I can write them, I can write them..." The pink ball in the bin suddenly stretched out and became human-shaped. Ignoring the two people beside her, she left the room and locked herself in the backstage area.
The two of them initially thought this was just one of Ichiri's ordinary episodes.
They did not know that Ichiri would not appear before them the next day, or the day after that.
For an entire week, Ichiri never came out again.
"It's already been a week... What on earth is happening in there?" Several of them stood outside the backstage door.
"I know!" Shiko clenched her fists. "She's entered solitary meditation and is fighting herself—to emerge reborn from her cocoon, or die and vanish! So Ichiri was carrying such resolve all along..."
"It's all my fault!" Nijika was filled with regret. "I put too much pressure on her, and she..."
"This is what..." Tears welled in Kita's eyes. "Being in a band is..."
"Ah..." Miss Marina's sigh surpassed a thousand words.
Ryo was chewing on a croissant.
"Creak..." The door opened a crack.
Seeing this, Shiko hurriedly held out a paper bag. "Here's today's food."
The door closed.
"Ichi—ri—" "Bo—cchi—chan—" "Go—to—san—" "Go—to—san—"
Without Ichiri's control, the group's hunting strategy became much more cautious that week. They only dared to fight weak targets. Something like the Meat Mountain they had encountered on their first day was out of the question.
On the second day, Ichiri finally walked out of the backstage area.
Oh, dear readers, I find it impossible to describe what a moving scene it was. The moment the door opened, seven cannon blasts rang out, representing the seven days of seclusion. From the wide-open doorway emerged Ichiri, our hero, in a triumphant pose. The path she walked was covered in flowers picked from Flora's Garden, and her glorious achievements would be engraved upon a stone monument, adorned with gold and agate. What a dark seven days she had endured! Amid boundless despair and agony, what tenacity had she shown to shatter her confusion, and what noble spirit had allowed her to claim the crown that belonged to her—look at those heavy dark circles under her eyes. They surely symbolized many nights of torment...
In reality, she had only stayed up for one night.
Last night. Shiko had just gone to sleep when someone pushed her awake.
When she opened her eyes, she saw an extremely familiar woman!
"Who are you?" It was pitch-black, and Shiko could not see clearly.
The visitor said nothing. She merely tugged at Shiko's sleeve, and Shiko followed her sleepily into the backstage area.
Chapter Eight: Guitar and Loneliness and the Blue Planet
After ducking into the little dark room, closing the door, and turning on the light, Shiko finally understood.
Oh, wait, wasn't this that person? The one she had not seen in ages...
"Who are you?" Shiko asked in a perfectly clear voice.
Ichiri lowered her head and looked as if she were about to cry. "Please don't joke like that. You'll really hurt me..."
It was indeed Ichiri, whom they had not seen in a long time. With Water Control, she could stay clean even after several days. The room had barely changed either, except that several more bags of garbage had accumulated beside the trash can. Shiko sniffed. There was a faint moldy smell.
At that moment, Ichiri held out a notebook. "I'm sorry to trouble you, but I finished writing the lyrics and wanted to show them to you first..."
"Why me?" Shiko took the notebook and opened it. Her eyes immediately shone. Whoa! This was something else!
"I had the feeling that Shiko listened to this kind of music more often..." Ichiri suddenly realized something was wrong and reached out to cover the page Shiko was looking at. It was filled with signatures she had designed while spacing out! No one could ever see them!
It was too late. Shiko seized Ichiri's wrist like a predator. Ichiri saw the feral gleam in her eyes. "Sign all of them for me first."
"...What?"
"Your signatures. Sign every one of these first." Flames seemed to burn in Shiko's eyes.
"Eh...? Then..." Ichiri stared blankly for a moment before the corners of her mouth curled up uncontrollably. "Then you can just tear out this page..."
Shiko solemnly tore out the page of signatures. She decided to copy it a thousand times first, just as she had done with the first signature Ichiri had given her. Ichiri watched her cautious manner with a flushed face. "Please hurry..."
As soon as Shiko finished, Ichiri hurriedly snatched back the notebook, flipped to the lyrics, and handed it over again.
Ichiri composed herself and began to read.
"You are not alone..."
"Your dreams will surely come true..."
"Believe, come on, keep moving forward..."
The lyrics were filled with positive, uplifting energy. It would be unfair to call them entirely false, but they did not contain the slightest trace of sincerity.
"You'd be better off writing what you actually want to write." Shiko returned the notebook with an expressionless face.
Ichiri was somewhat at a loss. She had been afraid the lyrics would be too gloomy, so she had chosen to imitate the youthful lyrics of popular bands. Considering Kita's personality, only lyrics like these seemed suitable for her. Yet Shiko had dismissed them so easily...
"You know I really like listening to this kind of youthful song," Shiko continued. "Those lyrics are refined by the lyricist, with the help and encouragement of their friends, from gemlike, shining everyday moments. They reflect the lyricist's true feelings. That's why their lyrics have the power to move people."
"Instead of writing words you don't even believe yourself, you should use your truest feelings to move the people you can reach."
After hearing Shiko's opinion, Ichiri seemed affected, but she was still hesitant. "But will anyone really like lyrics that are too gloomy?"
"I will," Shiko answered without hesitation. There was not the slightest hint of pretense in her eyes.
Ichiri lowered her head and remained silent for a long while. Seeing this, Shiko quietly left and returned to her bed.
The next day, Ichiri handed over the lyrics she had rewritten overnight, dark circles under her eyes.
"Very niche lyrics," Ryo commented.
Ichiri's heart clenched. "As expected..."
"But they'll definitely move some people."
Ichiri saw the corners of Ryo's mouth lift almost imperceptibly.
"They're really good, Bocchi!" Nijika praised them too.
"I really like this line!"
"This one too!" Kita pointed at another line.
They were all praising my lyrics... Besides the praise she had received as Guitar Hero, Ichiri once again tasted the happiness of being acknowledged.
Ichiri noticed that Shiko was looking at the lyrics as well, wearing a sincere smile.
It's wonderful having Shiko by my side.
It's wonderful that I joined a band...
That evening, Shiko passed by the backstage area and heard sounds coming from inside.
"Didn't Ichiri come out already?" She opened the door and looked inside. Ryo was sitting before the computer, working on something.
Before she knew it, Shiko had walked in and was standing behind Ryo. The screen displayed music-composition software. Watching the familiar melody gradually take shape beneath Ryo's hands, she began humming softly.
Ryo noticed her, took off her headphones, and looked up. "Huh? It's Shiko."
"Sorry, I walked in without realizing it." Shiko looked embarrassed. "Are you composing?"
Ryo nodded. "I was inspired after reading Bocchi's lyrics."
Thus, Guitar and Loneliness and the Blue Planet was born. Shiko had not heard the song in a long time. Her longing overcame her shyness, and she asked to hear Ryo's unfinished version.
"Here." Ryo said nothing else and simply handed Shiko her headphones.
Shiko put them on, and the familiar melody engulfed her. Precious emotions were drawn from the cracks in her memories. She struggled to keep herself composed and not reveal too much.
But as she listened, her brows furrowed. Part of the melody was completely different from the Guitar and Loneliness and the Blue Planet she had heard in her previous life.
"Where did you get the inspiration for this section?"
Whenever the subject turned to music, Ryo became excited. "I was inspired by the night view here. That day, I sat on the roof, and there wasn't a single person in sight. Above my head was only the natural starry sky. The loneliness contained in the desert night matched the lyrics perfectly. Turning that feeling into a melody was my stroke of genius."
She looked very pleased with it.
Though this was only a demo and she probably should not have interfered, Shiko still could not hold back. "But... if you're considering the lyrics..." Shiko was not good at giving people advice and began fumbling over her words.
Ryo did not mind at all. She glanced sideways at Shiko. "Just say whatever comes to mind."
Encouraged by Ryo, Shiko finally explained her reasoning. "Loneliness is one aspect, but Ichiri's lyrics are more about a longing for attention—a frantic longing, a longing to show herself. So if that's the case..." She flicked her hand, and a sheet of white paper appeared in it. With another flick, new musical notation appeared on the page.
Ryo watched for a while, then tried entering it into the composition software. She put on her headphones and closed her eyes, listening carefully.
"This section really is good, and it fits the style of the song well... but..."
The two of them worked on it for a long time, but in the end, Ryo still kept her original idea.
"Sorry. It was only a demo, but I still said unnecessary things." Shiko looked perfectly calm as she prepared to leave.
Ryo waved her hand. "It's fine. I'm glad you offered your opinion." Although she said that, her face showed no expression.
Shiko left. Ryo put on her headphones and listened once more to the melody Shiko had written at the beginning. She glanced toward the direction Shiko had gone.
There was something she had not mentioned earlier. She had heard Bocchi play songs written by Shiko herself before, but this melody was completely different from the style she had heard from Bocchi. Instead, it resembled Ryo's own style.
Once she was out of Ryo's sight, Shiko's expression changed instantly. Under the cover of the shadows, nothing could be seen clearly.
The day of CiRCLE's audition arrived soon.
Chapter Nine: The Audition
Onstage, everyone in Kessoku Band was somewhat nervous.
Only Miss Marina and Shiko were sitting below the stage.
This audition was in front of people they all knew. Yet the pressure on Ichiri was even greater than last time. It was an encouraging kind of pressure. Ever since her identity as Guitar Hero had been exposed, she had practiced guitar harder than ever, solely so she could live up to the title. This audition would determine whether Kessoku Band could continue as a qualified band. This was the first band she had ever joined, and she absolutely could not let the story end like this!
"Next, we'll perform Guitar and Loneliness and the Blue Planet!"
This was Kessoku Band's first song, and it certainly would not be their last!
Ichiri's guitar playing was clearly much better. Kita could hear that the drums and bass were giving it their all too. Although she was the weakest member of the band, she would not lose to anyone!
"Foolish Me Will Just Sing" (This foolish, ignorant me can only sing at the top of my lungs!)
This was music that belonged to Kessoku Band. It was music created by combining different personalities, music that only Kessoku Band could write. Ryo loved this kind of music. She wanted to keep performing it and write more!
"Why have I gotten so fired up? I can't stop!" (Why has my heart grown so hot? I can't stop it!)
Ever since learning that Bocchi was Guitar Hero, Nijika had been carrying a burden of pressure. Bocchi was only unable to display her strength because of her personality. Once she overcame that difficulty, everyone else might become a burden to her. So Nijika had to work as hard as possible. Once they found a chance to return to reality, Kessoku Band would surely become an incredibly powerful band, and her dream would soon come true! Now, they had to take this important step! Then they would make the name Kessoku Band reach everywhere it possibly could!
"Shall we spill it all out to the stars?" (Shall we pour out everything to the stars?)
The song ended.
"Ha... ha..." The four of them panted simultaneously.
Before you continue