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Chapter 57: Sing It, Loser!
🕑 Added 2025-08-03 15:46:58 +0000 UTCThe final round of the Be Original / Rock Band Project had officially opened for ticket sales.
Each ticket was priced at 6,500 yen — and they sold out in no time.
Fans had gathered for all sorts of reasons.
Some were there for the prestigious GES Academy Band.
Some came to support other bands in the competition. And, of course, some were there simply because of the mysterious figure known as “suki-san.”
But those who came because of suki-san didn’t necessarily have high hopes for Kessoku Band.
Most were just curious.
They bought tickets with the simple goal of “seeing suki-san in person” or “hearing him play guitar live.”
That’s why, when Kessoku Band stepped onto the stage, the crowd’s reaction was surprisingly muted.
Until Aoki opened his mouth.
—
On stage, Aoki looked out over the crowd.
The sea of people was far larger than the audience during his previous solo performance.
And yet despite the sheer size of the audience the nervousness he’d once felt was strangely absent.
His mind was calm. He had only one thought:
‘Give it everything. Perform this live to the best of my ability.’
He tightened his grip on the electric guitar that Ijichi Seika — the store manager — had gifted him.
Taking a deep breath, Aoki faced the crowd.
“This is… Kessoku Band.”
A short, flat-toned introduction. No emotion, no flair.
Then, after a brief pause, he struck the strings of his guitar.
Some of the audience members exchanged confused glances.
Most bands would announce the name of the song before playing.
But Kessoku Band hadn’t said anything at all…
Yet certain fans — those sitting close to the stage, the ones who followed suki-san — began putting the pieces together.
There was only one microphone on stage, and it was in front of a boy.
Among the five members of Kessoku Band, only one was male — suki-san.
Which meant… it was likely that he would be singing.
Aoki had no idea what the audience was thinking at that moment.
All he knew was that after his simple introduction, he began to play.
Before the first beat of the drums, Loser opened with a slow, distorted glissando a sliding blend of electric guitar and bass.
Though caught off guard by the sudden start, Yamada Ryo, as the bassist, instantly picked up on the rhythm and locked in with Aoki’s lead.
It was a strange progression — clear and bright, yet elusive in rhythm.
Until...
As the gliding tones from the guitar and bass began to descend in pitch, suddenly—
A voice — unlike the emotionless tone from moments ago — burst forth from Aoki’s mouth.
A voice that sounded like he was tearing his throat to scream it, more powerful than a mere shout:
“Loser!”
The very next instant—
A flurry of drumbeats erupted, the glissando ended, and Loser’s tempo kicked in with unmistakable clarity!
—
Before stepping onto the stage, Aoki had thought long and hard about how best to present this song.
But the moment he started playing, all those thoughts vanished — poured out through the strings of his guitar.
He didn’t just sing.
He sang with feeling.
The days of tension within Kessoku Band…
His own wavering, uncertain choices…
The hesitation before he spoke up…
In so many ways, he had been a failure.
But so what?
In that moment — surrounded by the pounding drums, the deep bass, and the roaring chords — Aoki smiled ever so slightly.
As long as he was up here playing with the band... who cared if he was a “loser”?
Even if he was one, right here, right now — he’d sing this song with the pride of a winner.
As the drums burst forth and the guitar and bass melded in harmony, Aoki’s voice rang out through the speakers:
“As always, same street, alone— I've had enough of such days.”
(いつもどおりの通り独りこんな日々もはや懲り懲り)
“I can't go anywhere anymore, still — Watching dreams, good night.”
(もうどこにも行けやしないのに夢見ておやすみ)
His delivery was tight, rhythmically perfect, his words sharp and clear.
The tempo was quick, his voice tinged with a deliberate huskiness — matching the tone of Loser perfectly.
—
And then— The audience erupted.
The moment Aoki’s voice hit them, the crowd exploded into cheers.
The fans who had come just to watch suki-san play guitar?
They were now completely overwhelmed with excitement.
After all — this wasn’t just some amateur.
He had already posted two massive hits: Lemon, which had racked up 7 million views, and So I Once Gave Up on Music, now sitting at 6 million.
His two videos had drawn in over 3 million fans.
Without a doubt, Aoki was the breakout star of the Youtube music scene.
And now — this was the first time anyone had heard him live, not just in a stripped-down acoustic performance, but with full instrumental backing, singing onstage in person.
It only took two lines.
Just two lines, and the audience’s energy shot through the roof.
Even compared to the fan-favorite GES Band from the day before — this performance was every bit as electrifying.
—
Aoki could clearly see how fired up the crowd had become.
But he didn’t let it distract him.
He just kept singing.
No need to overthink it.
No need to micromanage the vibe or worry about keeping the audience hyped.
Just give it everything you’ve got. That’s all.
As the lead guitarist and vocalist, his fingers danced flawlessly across the strings while his voice continued to pour from his lips — perfectly in sync with the rest of the band.
Every member of Kessoku Band was performing better than they ever had before.
Bocchi and Kita’s rhythm guitar work, Ryo’s basslines, and Nijika’s drumming — all of it had leveled up beyond their usual.
This wasn’t just another rehearsal.
This was the live performance.
—
The song continued.
The heart of Loser was simple:
Even when you’re down. Even when your thoughts are dark. Even if you’ve failed in the past — or are still failing now — don’t stop moving forward.
Stand tall. Face forward.
Even if you’re a loser — stand like a winner.
And right now, Aoki was singing that message with everything he had.
His slightly rough, somewhat lazy tone — hiding underneath it a perfect rhythm and a beat so joyful it almost seemed... defiant.
As a few lines of lyrics passed, the crowd began to sway with the beat.
And now, “Loser” was building, inching closer to the chorus.
“Walked about forever, finally arrived”
(歩き回ってやっとついた)
“What's this here, paradise?”
(ここはどうだ楽園か?)
“I just don't know anymore”
(いまとなっちゃもうわからない)
“The result of a quarter-century is here.”
(四半世紀の結果出来た)
“A green faced superstar.”
(青い顔のスーパースターが)
“Waiting with an empty stomach”
(お腹すかしては待ってる)
As the final pre-chorus line dropped, Aoki’s raspy voice paused just briefly—
Then came a sharp, rhythmic burst of drums.
And right after that beat faded— All instruments fell silent for just a beat—
Then a powerful, scorching guitar slide exploded from Aoki’s guitar!
The chorus hit.
“I'm a loser!”
(アイムアルーザー!)
“So might as well howl!”
(どうせだったら遠吠えだっていいだろう!)
“Once more, once more, raise our voices.”
(もう一回もう一回行こうぜ 僕らの声.)
“I’m a loser! I heard it long ago,”
(アイムアルーザー! ずっと前から聞こえてた)
“But that sound buried deep in my pocket, waiting to break free!”
(いつかポケットに隠した声が !)
The tempo picked up.
His voice—raspy, yet now strikingly clear— Pushed the energy even higher.
The audience?
Completely lit up.
If words could describe the energy in the room right now, it would be: fully unleashed.
Unlike “Lemon” or “So I Gave Up on Music,” “Loser” had a raw, driven sound.
There were hints of despair—but at its core, it was a rallying cry for the defeated.
A song for losers.
And honestly—who hasn’t been a loser at some point in life?
Which meant—this song wasn’t just for a few people.
It was for everyone.
Even in failure— Hold your head up, raise your chest, and face the world like a victor!
Suki-san's newest song, once again, didn’t disappoint.
From “Lemon” onward, he’d never let his fans down.
For just 6,500 yen, getting to hear this live…
The crowd swayed to the rhythm, hearts pounding.
Who knew when suki-san and Kessoku Band would perform live again?
But this performance— They were so glad they came.
Even if they couldn’t capture suki-san’s face clearly on video, just being here—
It gave them bragging rights for life.
Meanwhile, it wasn’t just the audience in high spirits.
On stage, the girls of Kessoku Band were fully swept up in the music.
Aoki-senpai—suki-san— His voice was truly electric with emotion.
This was what it looked like when Aoki gave everything he had— Complete command over the crowd, A performance that brought the very soul of “Loser” to life.
Just like manager Hoshika had once said— Aoki had professional-level talent.
And right now, that same Aoki… Was sharing the same stage with all of Kessoku Band.
The song kept going.
Each lyric pushed the energy higher.
The end drew near.
Inside Kyoto Sports Arena, packed with over a thousand fans— The whole place was now roaring.
Then came the final stretch of “Loser.”
“Say it if you wanna be loved—Nobody'll get it if you just think it.”
(愛されたいならそう言おうぜ—思ってるだけじゃ伝わらないね)
His voice—clearer for a while—became raspy again, This time, with a hint of lazy, emotional drawl.
“And even the eternal lady looks away—Paradise is somewhere way over there!”
(永遠の淑女もそっぽ向いて—天国は遠く向こうのほうへ!)
Then, his pitch began to climb.
“Since we're here, let's have a dance”
(ここいらでひとつ踊ってみようぜ)
Each lyric grew more spaced out, each note higher than the last.
“Let’s stumble forward—until the break of dawn—!”
(夜が明けるまで転がって行こうぜ)
Each line louder, more urgent.
And just before the final chorus— With all the instruments crashing in unison,
Aoki screamed the last pre-chorus line— More a shout than a song:
“If you can hear it—then scream it out and move forward!”
(聞こえてんなら声出して行こうぜ!)
Then came the crash— Rapid-fire drumming.
A searing guitar slide.
And then—
“UOHHHH—!”
A raw shout, nearly cracking from intensity, erupted through the speakers!
With that, the final chorus burst forth:
“'Cause we're here, let's have a dance!”
(ここいらでひとつ踊ってみようぜ!)
“Let's dance around till we found a dawn!”
(夜が明けるまで転がって行こうぜ)
“If they can't hear us, then let's raise our voice!.”
(聞こえてんなら声出して行こうぜえええええ! .)
...
Until the final words rang out— And this emotionally charged rendition of “Loser” finally came to a close.
Aoki took two deep breaths, Wiped the sweat from his forehead, And turned to glance at the girls of Kessoku Band one by one.
The live performance had gone off without a hitch— It was a huge success.
Seeing the girls just as breathless as he was, A warm smile crept across Aoki’s face.
Then, he turned back to the crowd, Lifted the mic to his lips, And spoke with a voice still catching its breath:
“We’re Kessoku Band. That song… was called ‘Loser’.”
Comments
Mc54322
I really loved that u attached the song to the post. Would love to see more of that
