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Chapter 29: A Promise for Tomorrow and Plans Put in Motion
🕑 Added 2025-07-30 20:29:00 +0000 UTCThanks to Yukinoshita Yukino’s provocation, Aoki Kei readily accepted the wager she proposed.
The terms were simple: whoever ranked higher in the next school exam would be declared the winner.
If Yukino lost, she would have to offer a proper, formal apology.
Kei didn’t really care about the apology itself, nor whether it was formal.
What mattered to him was dignity.
Having something you’ve put your heart and soul into dismissed by others—no one with a shred of self-respect could just let that slide.
And so, after a simple “I accept,” Aoki Kei walked out of the Service Club room.
By the time he stepped outside the school building, it was already around 3:40 p.m.
With long summer days, the sun still hung high in the sky.
Guitar case slung over his shoulder, Kei exited Shuchiin High School and headed for the train station.
As usual, he rode the train to the livehouse in Shimokitazawa.
He spent some time coaching Kita Ikuyo, and the band went through a few practice rounds together to tighten their coordination.
It was around 7 p.m. when the sky finally began to dim, and Kei left the venue, STARRY.
Before heading back to his apartment, he stopped by a convenience store.
He was running low on daily necessities, and it had been a while since his last restock.
He picked up shampoo, toothpaste, and a summer must-have—mosquito repellent incense.
After a moment of hesitation, he also added a copy of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya to his basket.
Back at his apartment, Kei dropped off the items, changed out of his school uniform, and pulled out his textbooks to get started on his homework.
Homework wasn’t much of a challenge these days.
As long as he stayed focused, he could maintain speed and accuracy with ease.
So, as he worked through problems, his mind drifted to band matters.
The Kessoku Band had been improving rapidly.
Bocchi-chan was blending in much better with the group, and Kita Ikuyo’s guitar skills were steadily improving as well.
Barring any surprises, the four of them should easily pass Manager Seika’s screening at the livehouse.
But their current level still wasn’t enough to secure a placing in the upcoming competition.
Kei had tried playing alongside the four girls, but the result was... underwhelming.
If he played at full strength, they struggled to keep up.
But if he dialed it down to match them, the sound felt off, disjointed.
Improving chemistry and hitting performance goals would be a long, tough road.
Still, even with the uncertainty of whether they could pull it off, Kei couldn’t deny how much he was enjoying the present.
He had to admit, just spending time with a group of cute girls, watching their lively interactions—it was oddly soothing in a way he couldn’t quite explain.
Lost in thought as he flipped a page, the phone beside him buzzed gently, pulling him back to reality.
Turning his gaze to the screen, he saw a message from Ryo Yamada.
It started with a sticker of Kumamon holding a bass, followed quickly by a text:
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[Weird Bassist]: suki-san, are you free tomorrow?
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Tomorrow was the weekend, and with no part-time job currently, Kei had the day mostly open.
He replied quickly:
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[Yeah, I’m free. What’s up?]
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As usual, Ryo’s response came in almost immediately:
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[Weird Bassist]: suki-san, I haven’t eaten in days... I’m starving. Can you treat me to lunch tomorrow?
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Straight to the point—but Kei couldn’t help rolling his eyes a little.
If he remembered correctly, Ryo had just decided to stay over at Nijika’s place for dinner tonight.
So the whole "haven’t eaten in days" line was complete nonsense.
She was clearly just fishing for a free meal.
He didn’t mind treating her.
While Kei lived frugally, he wasn’t so broke he couldn’t cover one lunch.
In fact, thanks to the system rewards and some income from his YouTube channel, his finances were relatively stable.
Now that he no longer had to pay tuition, Kei had even begun improving his daily meals.
He thought for a moment, then replied:
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[Sure, I can treat you. But didn’t you just have dinner at Ijichi’s place tonight?]
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This time, Ryo didn’t reply immediately.
A full thirty seconds passed before her next message arrived:
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[Weird Bassist]: Well, it’s just that having lunch together is more convenient. After we eat, we can head straight to the livehouse to practice.
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She dodged the question entirely, instead offering a perfectly reasonable explanation.
Kei chuckled and decided not to press the issue further.
He typed out a response:
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[True, it would save time. So, what do you want to eat tomorrow?]
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Lying on her bed, staring at her phone screen, Ryo blinked in surprise.
‘He’s... letting me choose?’
After a moment’s pause, she replied:
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[Weird Bassist]: There’s a place in Minato called Flaose No.1. I heard their wagyu is super fresh.
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Kei stared at the message in silence.
A few seconds later, he replied plainly:
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[How about omurice instead?]
[Weird Bassist]: Omurice sounds great too...
[Let’s meet around 11 a.m. tomorrow, at that music store we randomly bumped into each other near last time?]
[Weird Bassist]: Got it—thanks, suki-san!
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Kei didn’t reply after that.
He set his phone aside, exhaled lightly, and turned back to his homework.
With the same dual focus as before, he worked through problems while thinking about the future.
He still had enough savings to get by for now, but whether he spent frugally or not, there likely wouldn’t be enough left for rent two months from now.
He had about 700 points left in the system, enough to redeem a few more songs or lyrics.
Even if they managed to win the upcoming contest at PVC Records, the fame alone wouldn’t pay his bills.
For all his jokes about “eating grass” if they failed, Kei knew he needed a solid plan for rent.
He’d been considering monetizing his YouTube channel more seriously.
But now wasn’t the best time to post another original song.
The buzz from Lemon was still lingering.
YouTube’s algorithm rarely favored back-to-back viral hits from the same creator.
If he wanted the suki-san channel to stay relevant, he had to play the long game.
Still, it had been about two weeks since the last upload...
Kei thought it over, then decided to move the idea of posting a new video back onto his to-do list for the coming days.
With a final scribble, he finished the last of his homework.
It had taken about half an hour.
Still early.
He put away his books, stretched, and stood by the window of his apartment, watching the streetlights outside.
Then he sat back down and opened the copy of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya he’d just bought.
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Around 9 p.m., Kei tidied his desk, brushed his teeth, laid out his futon, and went to bed.
