[When Ryo saw you feeling guilty, she took the initiative to suggest abandoning the song. She said she had composed it for Kessoku Band, and if you could not keep up she could decisively discard the piece that had cost her a month of effort.]
Nijika finished reading the contents of the simulator.
Soon, a faint look of bewilderment crossed her face.
Nijika had wanted to grow together with everyone in Kessoku Band, to reach the summit together, yet in the simulation she had become the weak link.
A month of effort? How could she give it up?
[...You stubbornly refused Ryo's suggestion. Hitori, seeing you playing tough, wanted to comfort you, but in the end her social anxiety kept her from speaking up.]
[Ikuyo Kita, by nature impulsive and not one to consider consequences, agreed with what you said.]
Right, you could not give up lightly.
["Go for it! Ijichi-senpai!" Ikuyo Kita's words fired you up.]
[Ryo, seeing how determined you were, said no more. She did not actually want to abandon the new piece, because of friendship she chose not to force you.]
Ryo, you're so kind.
Nijika felt a warm glow in her chest.
[Over the next half month, you practiced hard and finally got the new song mostly down, but there were still a few spots where you tended to rush or miss beats...]
[The rest of the band heard your slips, but they said nothing snide, because the piece was complex. Even Hitori, who was teaching her sister guitar in her spare time, had taken nearly a week to master it.]
Mostly there, mistakes.
Spare time, mastery.
Nijika skimmed those two jarring word-pairs again and continued reading.
[Time quickly came to the day of the live. Only a dozen or so fans had gathered at the venue because of you, while the other bands' fans were countless. By evening, in the lively atmosphere, FOLT was packed.]
[Before going on stage, Ryo called you over, took you to a corner, asked about the song order, and asked if you really wanted to make the new song the finale. You replied—]
[1. Confident reply: Yes, I'm sure.]
[2. Not very sure: Maybe put it in the middle.]
[3. Tell the truth: No, I haven't fully mastered the song yet, the performance will have problems.]
[4. Dive into the simulation.]
Which to choose? Nijika unconsciously clenched her small fists.
Choosing 1 or 2 would both be irresponsible... If this were reality, as Kessoku Band's "mom," Nijika would never pick them.
But this was only a simulation.
On top of that, realizing the talent gap had unbalanced Nijika's mindset.
She began to think she did not want to hold the band back. Why could everyone else do it, and she could not?
You chose 1.
[Hearing your answer, Ryo was somewhat worried, but she did not try to dissuade you.]
[Ikuyo Kita, practicing beside Hitori, had no idea about your exchange. Soon, the setlist was finalized and communicated to Ikuyo Kita, the vocalist.]
[A few minutes later, Kessoku Band took the stage.]
[Among the fans of the many popular bands, only a handful held up your cheering placards, but the audience was gracious and helped heat up the atmosphere.]
[The opening song was your earliest work. Having practiced it countless times, there were no problems during the performance.]
[The next few songs went smoothly as well; the audience was very pleased with Kessoku Band.]
[The final song...]
Here came the crucial part.
Nijika focused.
The simulator's text and images slowly appeared.
[At the start of the new piece, you began well. Ryo glanced back at you and gave you a rare smile.]
Hey, I'm not that precise, am I?
[When the piece reached the first difficult section, the rapid tempo made your hands ache. After playing several songs already, your wrists could barely keep up with what your mind wanted.]
[However, thanks to diligent practice, the first obstacle was no longer a true pain point.]
[Second, third, fourth... you crossed the marked difficulties one by one, which made you proud. Effort had not been in vain; even an ordinary person could succeed through hard work.]
[The audience swayed to the rhythm, until...]
[Suddenly, your drums missed a crucial beat. In a panic to cover it up, your subsequent rhythms also fell apart. In that instant it was like dominoes toppling, without the 'guidepost', Hitori's guitar grew chaotic, Ryo's bass skipped entire sections, Kita-chan's singing gradually dropped and finally stopped.]
[The lively venue chilled.]
[Murmurs spread through the audience; they seemed to have guessed what had happened.]
[At that moment, Ryo gave Hitori a look, then leaned to the microphone and began to sing. Hitori followed with a guitar solo, her exquisite skill quickly winning over the crowd. They shifted their attention away from the mistake and even thought it had been part of the show.]
[You quickly adjusted your mindset, and after Hitori's solo ended, you recovered the beat.]
[Thus the somewhat stumbling live show was completed successfully.]
Nijika could no longer bear to watch.
Everything was ruined. A perfect live show had been destroyed by her arrogance.
It was all her fault.
[After the performance, everyone gathered in the dressing room and breathed a sigh of relief. Ryo did not blame you, she just patted your shoulder and reassured you that it was okay. Accidents at live shows are normal, even rock stars make mistakes, no one is perfect.]
[Hitori, meanwhile, was still drunk on the perfect solo she had just played, scratching the back of her head and smiling foolishly, as if lost in a daydream.]
[Ikuyo Kita bowed to you and apologized, blaming herself for egging you on.]
Why are you apologizing? It was clearly my fault.
Nijika lowered her head and would not look at the band members displayed on the simulator.
A sharp wave of guilt made her feel miserable.
[At that moment, at the backstage entrance, Kitahara Toru walked in; he glanced at you several times.]
[Kitahara Toru had just watched the whole performance and applauded enthusiastically. When you slipped he had also felt anxious for you, but at this moment, all that remained in his heart was relief for you.]
Relief?
I clearly made a mistake, and yet Kitahara is relieved?
[After chatting with Ryo and Hitori for a bit, he came over to you.]
[Kitahara Toru did not console you. Instead, he praised and affirmed you, saying he really liked your drumming, it carried the scent of sweat earned from hard work, ordinary yet extraordinary. Just like his bass, it was perfect and required no change.]
Sweat, scent?
Nijika did not like her drumming, it was not perfect at all.
If it were perfect, then why would there be mistakes and awkward silence?
[Kitahara Toru seemed to see through your turmoil. He did not say much, but suggested he organize a celebration that evening for the successful live.]
[That night, you went to an upscale yakiniku restaurant.]
[When you came out, Kitahara Toru called to you.]
[You have triggered a special event, do you wish to enter?]
Yes.
Nijika's consciousness quickly plunged into the simulator.
◇
In a quiet little park.
Toru sat on a swing, rocking like a child. Nijika watched him and sat on the swing beside him, gently swaying together; the gloom she had been feeling earlier eased considerably.
"Nijika."
At his call, Nijika lowered her head and looked at the ground, "What's the matter?"
"Nothing, I just wanted to say a few things to you."
"Um, how should I start..."
Toru paused for a few seconds, then continued, "People often say, all roads lead to Rome, but that is empty talk. For many ordinary people, not every road is clear. Countless boulders, quagmires, and forests stand in the middle of the way. Getting past one does not mean you can get past the countless difficulties that follow."
He looked up at the stars.
After a few more seconds of silence he said, "Giving up is not shameful."
It seemed he had seen through Nijika's troubles, which was why Toru had asked her out to talk.
"...Mm."
Nijika also knew that everyone has things they are not good at.
Avoiding it is not shameful.
Just as she entertained the thought of giving up, Toru turned to her and said, "But I think it is too hasty to give up before you reach your limit. At least you are still improving; you are not stagnant, are you?"
Nijika gazed into his eyes, which were filled with a dazzling, sunlike intensity of determination. He was not speaking in platitudes, Toru had gone through countless efforts, and Nijika felt that.
To give up without even trying, that is indeed very hasty.
Rather than simply denying yourself, it is better to give it a try.
Nijika slowly lifted her head, no longer looking at the ground but staring at the sky. "Kitahara-kun, I want to become dazzling together with everyone in Kessoku Band."
She wanted to become a star that lit up the sky.
Kitahara Toru looked at her with a gentle expression, "Then go for it, I'm looking forward to that day."
Nijika was drawn in by his soft expression; her fair cheeks bloomed a faint cherry-red in the moonlight.
At the same time, the simulator's prompt sounded:
[Congratulations! Master, you have acquired Kitahara Toru's teaching secret: the Extreme Pressure Training Method!]
[Please note, using this method to train will make your body extremely weak! Think twice before proceeding!]