"If something goes wrong during the performance, just bite the guitar and keep going."
"Everything can be solved with rock. The audience will probably think it's just part of the act anyway."
While gently poking the nearly unconscious pink sandshrew-like girl, Kazami Haru offered this serious suggestion.
"You're giving 'rock and roll' way too much power..."
Ijichi Nijika sighed softly. Looking at Kazami Haru's satisfied grin left her mentally exhausted.
Every time she saw him, she couldn't help but feel like he was some kind of alternate version of Yamada Ryo. After spending some time with him, she'd come to understand him pretty well.
Kazami Haru, a guy whose quirky personality completely contradicted his delicate, handsome appearance.
"You three can take your time practicing here. I'll go grab some drinks outside and wait for your performance."
Under Hitori's pleading gaze, Kazami Haru strode out of the practice room without hesitation.
If Haru, her usual "reliable" Keep reading on NovelHub - where stories come alive!
This was a hurdle she needed to overcome herself.
Haru rubbed his chin as he scanned the counter for drinks and snacks.
STARRY was one of the more famous live houses in Shimokitazawa.
With more customers came more demands.
Since live houses fell under the food and beverage category, drinks alone weren't enough, offering small treats like cakes and dango was perfect for someone with a sweet tooth like Haru.
"The place is small, but surprisingly well-stocked."
"The first part of that was unnecessary, brat."
A blonde woman with sharp eyes glared at him, arms crossed. Her striking beauty was undeniable, but her intimidating gaze made anyone meeting her for the first time shrink back—
That is, unless they noticed the "Good Kid Juice" box in her hand.
"You're one of Nijika's friends, right? Here."
Before he could even speak, the blonde woman tossed him a juice box, her slightly upturned eyes and deliberately raised chin making it clear this was a freebie.
Just take it and drink!
Though this was his first time meeting her, Haru recognized her instantly, thanks to the signature family blonde hair and the single, quivering ahoge on her head.
Ijichi Seika, Nijika's older sister and the owner of STARRY.
"Thanks, boss. By the way, no snacks to go with this?"
"You've got some nerve."
Seika propped her chin on one hand, lazily pointing to a nearby display case filled with overpriced dango and other sweets each with a clear, eye-watering price tag.
Haru's eye twitched the moment he saw it.
A single matcha daifuku for 350 yen?!
Are they insane?! A discounted pork cutlet bento at the supermarket only cost 288 yen!
How dare they charge that much for a bite-sized mochi ball?!
"You're not thinking we're robbing people, are you?"
"Not at all, boss. The pricing is perfectly fair and reasonable."
Haru turned to face Seika with a deadpan expression, his tone utterly sincere, while his left hand casually swiped the sinful matcha daifuku from the shelf.
You 350-yen monster... I'll devour you in one bite!
"The drink's free. Snacks cost money."
"So this IS a robbery."
Haru's expression didn't change, but he nearly chucked the daifuku back in outrage.
This place really embodied the rock spirit—after paying for a ticket, you still had to buy drink vouchers just to get a beverage, which cost 500 yen a pop!
Even the most basic snacks were grossly overpriced. In Haru's eyes, this was highway robbery.
In the end, under Seika's amused stare, Haru reluctantly forked over 350 yen for the matcha daifuku.
Well, since he'd already set his sights on it... maybe it was fate.
"Crap. Didn't realize I was pairing this with Good Kid Juice."
"Got a problem with Good Kid Juice? Watch it, or you won't get any good juice to drink."
Seika glared, shaking her nearly empty juice box.
This was the ultra-sweet drink beloved by Japanese elementary schoolers! Everyone loved it!
Haru's lips twisted slightly. When it came to food, he had standards.
Mixing the cloyingly sweet juice with an even sweeter daifuku would just make one overpower the other, what kind of culinary crime was that?!
Whether it was fruit juice that tasted like plain water or mochi that felt like chewing wax, both were unacceptable to him!
"Aren't you going up on stage with Nijika?"
Ijichi Seika stood with her arms crossed, her mature and beautiful face wearing an indifferent expression.
At that moment, the band on stage was halfway through their performance. Next up was the trio with Nijika, the final band of the event.
Who knew how much progress they could've made in such a short time?
"I've never found being in a band fun."
"Really? That's a surprisingly jaded thing for someone your age to say."
Seeing Kazami Haru casually respond, Seika raised an eyebrow in mild surprise.
Whether it was herself or the young people around her, people their age were usually swept up in youthful passions from loving music, chasing dreams, and being obsessed with rock and roll. That was perfectly normal teenage madness.
Kids like him were rare.
"Just kidding. If I get the chance, I might try performing with them someday."
Kazami Haru chuckled as he pushed a straw into the juice box and then tore open a corner of the matcha daifuku's wrapper.
Just as he was about to enjoy his dessert, a small head suddenly popped up in front of him.
The silver-haired girl softly uttered those words amid the noisy crowd, causing Kazami Haru to instinctively look down.
An enigmatic, mysterious girl had suddenly appeared.