Friday evening, at the Starry Performance Hall.
Right after school, Chisato and Hitori headed straight here together.
They arrived before it got too late, and Chisato wasn't due to start his shift yet.
Once the entire Kessoku Band had gathered, they dove into the recording studio for a final rehearsal of tonight's debut performance.
Although Chisato wasn't an official band member, the girls in the band trusted him immensely.
They'd even created a group chat just for the five of them, making him the only guy in a space otherwise exclusive to the four girls.
It felt like he was the band's hidden fifth member, quietly supporting them from behind the scenes.
After the rehearsal, Chisato offered words of encouragement and handed out bottled water to everyone.
At that moment, the delivery person knocked and came in, setting three boxes of pizza on the table.
As the lids opened, the aroma of cheese and meat instantly filled the room.
Ryo was the first to grab a slice, taking a bite with a happy expression as the cheese stretched from the crust.
"Sorry to make you spend on us again, Chisato-kun," said Nijika, expressing her gratitude.
Recently, she'd noticed how much Chisato had been looking after the band.
Writing songs for them was one thing, but he'd been using his hard-earned money to buy them drinks and snacks after rehearsals, always offering words of encouragement to boost their spirits.
In a way, it felt like being looked after by a nurturing mother—the gentlest kind, who made you feel both safe and warm.
Ikuyo felt the same way. To be honest, if she hadn't already noticed the subtle closeness between Hitori and Chisato, she might have even made a move.
After all, guys this kind-hearted and supportive are hard to come by.
"Don't worry about it. Eat up, take a break, and try not to stress too much. Do your best on stage tonight," Chisato encouraged them.
The members of Kessoku Band nodded in agreement.
Still, a question lingered in the minds of all the members except Hitori.
"By the way, Chisato-kun, how on earth did you manage to sell all 35 tickets in just one night?"
The manager, Ijichi Seika, set a tough condition for the Kessoku Band's first public performance at the Starry Performance Hall: they had to sell 50 tickets in advance.
If they couldn't meet the target, they'd have to cover the shortfall out of their own pockets.
By Wednesday, the three other members had reached out to every possible contact they could think of, managing to sell only 15 tickets—a good effort, but still far from the goal.
Just when they were feeling stumped, Chisato suddenly sold the remaining tickets in a single day, which seemed almost unbelievable.
Yesterday, the three of them asked Chisato how he managed it, but he brushed them off, promising to reveal it today. Now, the time has come.
"I'll tell you after the performance. If I don't get to work now, Seika-san will get mad," Chisato said, sneaking a glance at Hitori, who was quietly smirking.
Ignoring the pouting Ikuyo and Nijika, he left the rehearsal room.
"There he goes, dodging the question again."
"Do you think he bought all the remaining tickets himself?"
"No way… Chisato-kun couldn't have that much money, right, Bocchi?"
They both turned to Hitori, who was silently eating her pizza on the side, catching her so off guard that she nearly dropped it.
"Do you know anything about it?"
"N-No… I… I'm not sure," Hitori replied evasively, turning her gaze aside and quickly changing the topic.
"If you don't eat soon, the last piece of chicken and corn pizza is going to be gone."
"Ah! No way!"
"Save some for us!"
Meanwhile, back at the bar, Chisato was busy stocking up drinks and preparing for the Friday rush.
"By the way, Seika-san, how did you know that Hitori is 'Guitar Hero,' that famous music vlogger?" he asked, taking a quick break to chat with Seika, who was lounging behind the bar scrolling through videos.
"I used to be in a band myself, you know. 'Guitar Hero' was already on my follow list, so when I saw her guitar and the way she plays, it was obvious right away."
"So that's why you set such a high ticket quota; you figured her followers would help them sell out."
"Exactly. I'm not just Nijika's sister, I'm the Starry manager too. When there's an opportunity to make money, I'm not going to miss it. It's a win-win."
"Experience comes with age, I suppose."
Seika nudged Chisato's leg from behind the bar, irritated at the mention of "age."
"On another note, you've been getting closer to the girls lately. What's your plan after school? Planning on joining an entertainment agency as a manager?"
Chisato smiled lightly.
"Who knows what the future holds? Maybe."
It was clear he was being evasive.
Seika took a sip of her beer.
Despite being a high school student, Chisato gave her the impression of someone close to her own age—his way of speaking and handling situations seemed mature beyond his years.
Finishing her beer, she tossed the can into the trash and got up from the bar.
"I'm heading out for dinner. Want me to bring you back anything?"
"No, thanks. I'm not too hungry."
With a nod, Seika left the store.
Around 7:00 p.m., the once-empty hall was packed with people.
After pushing through the busiest part of the shift, Chisato was finally able to catch a break.
Since Kessoku Band was a new and unknown group, they were opening the night's performances.
With the audience's attention now focused on the stage, only a few people stopped by for drinks.
"Seika-san, can I take a quick break?"
"Why even ask? Just go. I'll cover for you," Seika replied knowingly.
"Thank you."
Chisato left the bar, and using his position as staff, he casually stepped up to adjust the microphone before slipping down to the front row near the stage.
He checked his phone's battery and camera settings, ensuring everything was ready.
After a few minutes of anticipation, the lights dimmed, and the spotlight focused on the backstage entrance as the four members of Kessoku Band walked onto the stage.
Raising his phone, Chisato aimed the camera at them, ready to capture the moment.
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