"But didn't you say earlier that you weren't ready to make your debut yet?" Kaminari's dad asked, puzzled.
Kaminari didn't deny it and explained, "That's true. We're not officially debuting. We're just a school band, more like a club. We only release songs occasionally, and we don't plan on doing any performances until after we graduate."
"But basic promotion is still necessary," Kaminari continued. "You know, things like member posters, song previews, that sort of thing. Yaoyorozu Momo's family will probably handle most of that."
"Wait, did you just say Yaoyorozu?" Both his mom and dad perked up immediately. The Yaoyorozu family was one of the wealthiest in Japan, easily rivaling the Mitsui family.
Kaminari hesitated before replying, "Yeah, one of the two female classmates I mentioned before is the eldest daughter of the Yaoyorozu family. She's agreed to be the manager of our band..."
He hesitated because he knew this information could overwhelm his parents. In a socially stratified place like Japan, families like the Yaoyorozus weren't just wealthy, they were practically royalty. The influence and power they wielded were very real, especially to people like his parents, who had lived their entire lives navigating the complexities of society.
For a moment, his parents just stared at each other, processing what they'd heard. Then his dad let out a hearty laugh and said, "Well, well, son, you're doing great!"
"Yeah, we're proud of you!" his mom chimed in, her face full of encouragement.
Kaminari sighed internally. "This isn't what I meant..." he thought, feeling slightly worn out by the misunderstanding.
"Anyway, Dad," Kaminari changed the subject, "tomorrow's Sunday, and I was thinking of bringing my bandmates to the company around noon. We'll meet with Dawu to record a new song."
"Sounds good!" his dad said enthusiastically. "I'll call the cleaning crew right away and have them tidy up the office tomorrow morning."
Though he wasn't exactly thrilled about the idea of the eldest daughter of the Yaoyorozu family visiting his company, Kaminari's dad still saw it as an opportunity, a rare one at that.
"Hey, son," his mom suddenly interjected, "if you can, bring them over to the house sometime."
"Sure, if there's time," Kaminari said, though he didn't make any promises.
"By the way," his dad asked, "what's the name of your new song?"
"The title is 'Gotta Catch 'Em All!'" Kaminari replied with a grin.
---
The next day, March 4th, was the first weekend break since Kaminari and his classmates had started their school year. Finally, a chance to relax.
It was around 11 a.m. The early spring sun was warm but not overpowering, and a gentle breeze made the weather feel perfect. The kind of day where couples would want to go out and enjoy themselves.
Kaminari was standing near the entrance of the subway station closest to his dad's company, watching couples stroll by with mild amusement. He wasn't there to people-watch though, he was waiting for Kyoka. As for Yaoyorozu Momo, Kaminari was pretty sure she wouldn't take the subway. She'd probably show up in a luxury car any minute now.
And sure enough, as the saying goes, "Speak of the devil and he shall appear." Kaminari spotted Momo stepping out of an expensive car.
"Kaminari!"
"Hey, Momo," Kaminari greeted her, a little puzzled as he looked at her outfit. "Why are you dressed so formally?"
Momo was wearing a sleek, custom-tailored business suit, looking completely out of place for a casual band meet-up.
"This is formal," she said with a proud smile, looking down at her fitted suit. "As the band's manager, I'm meeting your uncle at the company today, so of course I have to dress the part!" She twirled playfully and asked, "What do you think? Do I look good?"
Her polished appearance had already attracted plenty of attention from passersby, particularly from men who weren't even trying to be subtle much to the dismay of the women they were with.
"You look great," Kaminari replied, though honestly, with her natural elegance, Momo would have looked amazing even in regular clothes.
Just then, another voice called out, "Kaminari!"
Kaminari turned to see Kyoka climbing the subway stairs, carrying a large bass case over her shoulder. She was a bit out of breath, a sheen of sweat glistening on her forehead.
"Here, let me take that," Kaminari said, stepping forward to grab the bass case from her. Kyoka didn't protest, just gave him a shy smile. However, when her eyes landed on Momo, she froze momentarily before quickly returning to her usual self.
"Um, who's this?" Kyoka asked, eyeing Momo curiously.
"Wait, Kaminari didn't tell you?" Momo asked in surprise, glancing at Kaminari. She extended a hand to Kyoka, introducing herself. "I'm joining the Pikachu Band as the manager. It's nice to meet you!"
"Ah, right! Sorry, I didn't expect this," Kyoka said, a bit flustered, but quickly shook Momo's hand. They were classmates, after all, though Kyoka couldn't help but feel slightly out of place.
Seeing Kyoka's discomfort, Kaminari scratched his head awkwardly. "Yeah, sorry about that. I meant to tell you last night, but I got caught up talking to my dad."
"It's fine," Kyoka replied with a small smile, though she still felt like she had forgotten something. Just then, she remembered that there was someone else she hadn't told about today's plans.
"Kazama... I'm sorry," Kyoka thought guiltily, realizing she hadn't updated her good friend, who was miles away. "I'll explain everything to Kaminari later..."