Hitori's fingers trembled as they returned to the keyboard.
She didn't know how to reply.
She didn't want to play that song. Not at all. Which meant she didn't want to respond to the fan's request either.
But ignoring a loyal fan who had supported her all this time felt rude too.
After mulling it over, Hitori finally typed a single line.
"Sorry, I can't play it."
Ding-dong.
To her surprise, the reply came instantly: "Yeah, I figured."
"Thank you anyway. I'll keep supporting you."
"Yeah, I figured"?
Hitori stared at the screen, confused.
To be honest, the melody wasn't hard. Even a beginner with some practice could pull it off decently.
For someone like Guitar Hero to say she couldn't play it, that should have sounded strange.
But the fan replied as if they expected it?
That meant... from the very start, this person didn't think she'd be able to play it at all.
Hitori couldn't make sense of it.
Who was this person?
Why did they send her sheet music for that melody she heard in Hell?
Why did that same melody drive the Gun Devil into a frenzy?
"Ugh, forget it. I give up. Time to sleep."
Hitori decided to just check out.
She shut her laptop and flopped back onto her bed, pulling up the blanket her mom had sewn for her.
The next day, she went to school like usual, guitar and Pochita in tow.
There was nothing particularly special about her school life.
But today, she saw a familiar face.
Well, not someone she actually knew.
But after yesterday's encounter, the impression was still fresh.
Kobeni Higashiyama.
She was in the next class over. Turns out they were even the same year.
Hitori had never noticed her before. But now, she recognized her right away.
Kobeni, however, didn't seem to recognize her.
When Kobeni glanced through the window from the other classroom, Hitori immediately raised a textbook to cover her face.
Even though we talked for a bit... I get the feeling she's not exactly easy to get along with.
Better to pretend I don't know her. Keep some distance.
Hitori admitted she was desperate for friends.
But someone like Kobeni, who had literally shaken her down for cash, was someone she'd rather not befriend.
During lunch break, something else popped into her mind.
Their band still wasn't complete.
They had a guitarist, a bassist, and a drummer. The only missing piece was a vocalist.
Nijika had mentioned before that if they found the right person, they had to do whatever it took to get them on board.
And Hitori had just spotted someone promising.
"So Kita can play guitar too?"
"Haha, just a little bit. I've taken some lessons."
That cheerful voice belonged to a red-haired girl chatting happily with her friends. Her name was Kita.
She seemed like a perfect fit.
Good with a guitar, outgoing, with a bright voice. As long as her singing wasn't terrible, she'd make an ideal vocalist.
Hitori leaned quietly against the window, watching her, thinking.
But...
She didn't dare approach.
It's not like she's going anywhere. I'll have other chances to talk to her.
Next time. I'll definitely talk to her next time.
After all that internal pep talk, Hitori still ran away.
Though, once she left, the red-haired girl glanced in her direction.
"A guitar?"
Noticing the bulky case on Hitori's back, the girl tilted her head in curiosity.
...
After school, Hitori once again made her way to STARRY.
Nijika was as bubbly as always. Ryo remained aloof but wasn't hard to deal with.
She had to admit, after three days together, she could probably call them friends.
There was no show today.
They spent the day doing menial work serving drinks, cleaning up. Afterward, they squeezed in a bit of band practice.
Just as everyone was getting ready to head home, someone called out to her.
"Hitori, hang on a second."
"Huh?" She turned around, confused, and saw a mature-looking blonde woman.
Nijika asked, "Sis, what are you doing?"
"I just want to have a quick chat with Hitori," the woman smiled. "You girls head on home."
"Okay, but don't scare Bocchi-chan, alright? She's super shy!"
"I know, I know."
This woman was Seika Ijichi, Nijika's older sister and the manager of STARRY.
Soon, everyone else had left.
"Um... Manager..." Hitori said nervously.
"No need to be so stiff, Hitori," Seika said kindly, standing up. "You've been coming here for three days now. I just wanted to ask how you're feeling about everything."
"Uh... it's great. I really like it here..."
"Glad to hear it. You seem to be getting along with my sister and Yamada. Feeling a little more comfortable around us now?"
"Yeah... kind of."
"Shall we walk together?"
"Sure!"
"I said you don't have to be so nervous."
Seika really wasn't self-aware.
Despite her gentle words, her tone and expression always gave off a strict, slightly intimidating vibe.
After three days, Hitori had come to understand that Seika was actually quite soft-hearted, especially toward her little sister.
STARRY itself had been built from scratch just to support Nijika's dream.
As they walked to the front entrance, Seika turned back and said, "Aren't you forgetting your guitar?"
"Oh, right. Sorry, I forgot," Hitori replied. "Actually... it's really heavy. Do you mind if I leave it here for now?"
"That's fine."
"Thanks! I'll go grab my bag then!"
She ran back inside.
She could leave the guitar, but there was no way she was leaving Pochita behind.
The two of them walked side by side down the street. Seika would occasionally ask her questions. Hitori, though shy, managed to answer each one.
Eventually, they reached an intersection where they had to part ways.
"See you tomorrow, Hitori," Seika said. "I'm honestly looking forward to your next performance."
"Really?"
"Yes. I've always thought you had more potential than you're showing."
In group settings, Hitori often stumbled, unable to keep up with the others.
But when playing solo, she shined.
Seika, as an experienced veteran, had seen it clearly.
For once, Hitori felt recognized by someone in the real world. Her mood lifted, and she gave Seika a rare, genuine smile as they said their goodbyes.
Right then.
BOOM!!!
Out of nowhere, a massive object crashed down.
The surrounding buildings trembled.
The road ahead was completely blocked off.
A hulking creature stood there, hideous and muscle-bound, with the grotesque head of a bat.
"What the hell is that?!" Seika screamed.
Hitori blinked.
"Probably... a devil."
"What?!"
Her calm, uncertain voice and Seika's terrified shriek overlapped in the chaos.