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After Asakura picked up that pile of bottles and jars and left STARRY, today's Livehouse performances were also nearing their end.
Although Gotō Hitori kept muttering something about 'today's energy being used up,' she still watched all of today's performances properly and seemed to be touched by the other bands' brilliant performances on stage.
It would be great if she could try to match the rhythm of the other band members a little more next time. Ijichi Nijika thought to herself as she watched the girl's profile, lost in thought, gazing at the stage.
"Bocchi-chan, are you really not coming with us to Wagnaria?"
After the performance ended, Ijichi Nijika confirmed again.
"Sorry, I've reached my limit,"
Gotō Hitori let out a dry retch, "If I keep talking to normies, I feel like even my soul will be absorbed…"
"Don't say weird things like old people from the Taisho era who haven't seen cameras. Normies aren't some kind of monsters."
Ijichi Nijika retorted.
"No, on this point, I think Bocchi is right. While normies aren't monsters, dealing with those normies who always come over for some inexplicable reason is quite a waste of time and energy."
Yamada Ryo said earnestly, "Time is money, and money is the indispensable backbone of life. So, it's perfectly fine to say that normies are all Sanguine. Q.E.D."
"That being said, Ryo, you pretty much do your own thing at school and don't really bother with those people, do you?"
Ijichi Nijika frowned, exposing her childhood friend's lie.
"Not bothering with them doesn't conflict with being annoyed by them. It's like how many people don't bother with flies in the summer, but they still get annoyed by their buzzing."
Yamada Ryo said unhurriedly.
"Those classmates who invite you to karaoke after school would be very hurt if they knew you thought of them as flies."
Miss Nijika, who was beautiful and kind, sighed.
"No matter what, I used to be a band member. It's too much to expect to hear me sing without paying."
Yamada Ryo said triumphantly.
"Seriously, I wasn't praising you, you know."
Ijichi Nijika sighed, then asked her childhood friend, who was searching for something in the corner, "By the way, Ryo, what have you been rummaging for over there since earlier?"
"A small pendant I had on my bass bag fell off. Nijika, have you seen it?"
Yamada Ryo asked.
"No… I remember that was some souvenir you got from another Livehouse before, right?"
Ijichi Nijika shook her head, "Is it merchandise from a band Ryo likes?"
"No, it's merchandise from an underground idol."
"…Huh?"
"Although Nijika, you might not know this, but actually, small Livehouses like STARRY have a hard time making money just by hosting rock bands. So, most of these venues also accept performance applications from underground idol groups… Honestly, because there are many otaku who like this kind of thing, it's actually more profitable than doing proper band activities."
Yamada Ryo said casually, "Seika-san must have received similar requests, but given her seriousness towards music, she definitely refused all of them."
"I know about that. What surprises me is that Ryo, you actually go to watch those kinds of performances?"
Ijichi Nijika rubbed her forehead, feeling as if she had discovered a new side of her best friend: "You're so particular about a band's individuality, yet you're interested in underground idols who only sing generic songs…"
"That's where you're wrong, Nijika. While the vast majority of underground idol groups are indeed terrible professionally, occasionally there are some very interesting ones, and sometimes you can hear some unique songs… Well, maybe one out of twenty or so."
Yamada Ryo said indifferently, "By the way, at STARRY, about one out of five songs is by an unprofessional rock band, and they all have quite unique personalities."
Ijichi Nijika shook her head helplessly. Although Yamada Ryo's condescending attitude when evaluating others was indeed a bit excessive, she was already used to it. Moreover, Yamada Ryo's bass skills were quite outstanding; at least among the unprofessional players who performed today, very few could surpass her on bass.
"So, the charm you lost was from an idol group that only had one interesting song out of twenty?"
Nijika asked.
"Hmm, I think Nijika, you'd probably like their songs too."
Yamada Ryo nodded, "I remember they were called [Idol]…"
"Oh, then I'll find some time to check them out."
Ijichi Nijika's curiosity was piqued upon hearing this.
"You probably won't be able to see them," Yamada Ryo shook her head and said, "That group has already disbanded."
"Is that so? What a pity. Have they all left the music industry?"
Although she felt a little regretful, Ijichi Nijika didn't take it too much to heart. Underground idols were similar to amateur rock bands—they lived day by day, and no one knew when they might suddenly disband. She just asked casually.
If anyone was still in the industry, then that song should still be heard.
"They should all be gone," Yamada Ryo said, "After all, the reason for the group's disbandment was that the lead singer, who was the center, was murdered by a sasaeng fan."
"…"
Ijichi Nijika, who was originally helping Yamada Ryo look for things, froze for a moment, then sighed with a weary heart, "How should I put it? I should have felt particularly surprised, but when I remember that this is an idol group you particularly cared about, Ryo, it feels like there's nothing unacceptable anymore…"
"Quite rock and roll, right?"
"Rock and roll your head! Why would you put such an ominous thing on your bass bag?!"
"Nijika, you don't understand. Although that group has disbanded, they were quite famous back then. It's said that they were one of the few groups with the potential to debut as official idols from underground, and they actually had many fans… The merchandise they gave away when they performed in those small Livehouses became rare items and were sold at very high prices."
Yamada Ryo said spiritedly, "I will absolutely not let anything worth over ten thousand yen slip through my fingers!"
"But the money you casually spent on a guitar you'll never use is far more than that, isn't it? Instead of slipping through your fingers, it's more like you threw your entire wallet into the Pacific Ocean…"
Ijichi Nijika said helplessly.
"The guitar… is calling to me…"
Yamada Ryo feigned a mysterious, mumbling tone, which, combined with the girl's mostly expressionless face, gave off a strange sense of humor.
"Um, that…"
Gotō Hitori suddenly raised her hand, holding a somewhat crudely made doll, and asked.
Perhaps it was just her imagination, but after picking up the doll, Gotō Hitori inexplicably felt a chill—maybe the air conditioning in the basement was just too strong. The girl thought to herself.
"That's right, that's it! Bocchi, I love you~"
"Eh heh heh…"
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