Every so often, the "Love-Hindrance Sim" would pop up with three choices. No pattern Aoki could see.
Like now—
Because of Seika's one line, three options flashed up.
He scanned them and thought briefly.
He wanted all three, but the game clearly had no "select all." He had to pick one.
Option 3's skills were all beginner—useful in life but not critical.
Option 2's composition skill was similarly less vital when he could "purchase" songs from his previous life's library.
Option 1, though…
Weird as it was, the reward mattered much more to him. And completing it, here in front of everyone, probably wouldn't hurt…
Joining the band and the project talk could wait a minute. The right choice was obvious—
He looked from the manager to Ryō.
Their eyes met. Ryō tilted her head; the usual blank eyes held a trace of puzzlement.
Aoki cleared his throat.
"Uh… Ijichi-san, Ryō said you just docked her pay?"
"…"
Seika paused, arched a brow, glanced at Ryō, and nodded.
The others looked at Ryō too.
Her eyes grew more puzzled.
And then her bad premonition came true—
Having gotten confirmation, Aoki nodded, turned to Ryō, and, under her puzzled gaze, pulled his wallet from his gig bag, then five crisp 1,000-yen bills.
In a dramatized, tragic tone: "Yamada-san, this is your friend fee…"
He pulled another 2,000.
"This is the chatting-on-shift fee…"
More bills followed.
"This is to cover your docked wages—and the entry fee…"
As Seika watched with a "ho? This'll be fun!" look, Ryō stared shock-frozen, and Nijika & co. gaped, Aoki held out the cash.
"…"
Before he could hand it over, Nijika cut in.
"W-wait—hold up, Aoki-senpai!"
She looked at Ryō and scolded in a drawn-out tone, "Ryō—! You're asking Aoki-senpai for money again—!"
"…"
Ryō looked at her, then at Aoki's extended cash.
She blinked. After confusion, shock, and thought, she hesitated—then, face solemn as if going to her doom, reached for the money.
"Thank you for your—ah—"
Before she finished, Nijika bonked her.
Eyes watering, Ryō crouched in the corner, expressionless, holding her head.
Aoki had asked the manager; and though Ryō didn't end up taking it, he had earnestly tried. As Ryō got hammered by Nijika, the familiar chime sounded in Aoki's ear.
Option 1 complete. Reward granted.
His point balance rose by 200; and a bundle of vocal knowledge settled into his mind.
Ignoring the points, he sent a silent apology to Ryō, observed a one-second moment of silence, and spoke up again.
"Ijichi-san, aside from wages and entry fee, Ryō didn't actually ask for a friend fee, so maybe don't hit her so hard… Ahem, the real reason I'm here—Ijichi-san, I want to join Kessoku Band."
Nijika blinked, then reacted.
"Eh?!"
She blurted, then, "Aoki-senpai wants to join Kessoku? C-can you?!"
"Yeah," he nodded.
And, since he'd have to bring it up sooner or later, he added,
"I want to join Kessoku and enter PVC's original music project together, and… place in the contest."
"Join us—sure, we don't mind—but entering PVC's project…" Nijika bit her lip. "Aoki-senpai, isn't that a bit tough for Kessoku as we are now?"
It was. The project was nationwide across all bands in Japan.
But "tough" didn't mean "impossible."
The girls were talented and moldable, and they worked hard. With training and chemistry, two months could level them up a lot.
They'd still be underdogs against veteran bands, but Aoki could make up the gap with original music.
"I can help Gotō-san and Kita-san level up on guitar, and I can write a fully original track for the project. There's no penalty for failing—Kessoku just has to train."
"Just train…" Nijika repeated, glancing at Kita, Gotō (Bocchi), and Ryō (still rubbing her head).
They'd heard everything. None objected—no one minded him joining or entering PVC's project.
Instinctively, she glanced back at Seika behind the bar.
Elbow on the counter, cheek in hand, the manager said, "Your call."
Just train, no penalties…
Nijika thought, hesitated, drew a breath.
Competing with other bands, entering a contest, chasing results—it was exciting…
She looked back at Aoki and smiled.
"Got it, Aoki-senpai. Welcome to Kessoku. And—let's shoot for results in PVC's project together!"
Ryō is so cute
-------
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