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Chapter 4: First Time Playing Guitar — But Who’s Really Embarrassed?
🕑 Added 2025-07-30 20:04:01 +0000 UTC“No problem.”
With all eyes on him—Seika, Nijika, and Ryou—Aoki Kei nodded as he pulled the dusty old guitar from its case.
As Seika had said, this guitar definitely wasn’t in great shape.
The strings had dulled, and age had clearly taken its toll.
Still, aside from a slightly muffled sound, it wasn’t unusable.
Kei ignored the minor flaws and gave the guitar a quick tune-up.
His fingers gently brushed over the strings as he prepped to play.
Then he paused.
The moment his hands held the guitar, any worries about the reliability of his newly-acquired [Guitar Skill – Master Level] disappeared.
His fingers seemed to move on instinct, guided by a kind of muscle memory that hadn’t existed until moments ago.
Music theory and guitar knowledge rushed into his mind like it had always been there.
He didn’t know exactly how far this ability could take him, but it was definitely more than enough for a quick performance.
He strummed the strings again, this time letting his memory fish for a song.
Since arriving in this world, Kei hadn’t had much exposure to music.
He’d spent his early years in an orphanage, where pop culture was basically nonexistent.
And after moving out, his life was consumed by part-time jobs just to survive.
So, most of the music he actually remembered came from his past life.
After a brief moment of thought, he decided to go with a song he used to hear all the time in his previous world—“So I Gave Up on Music. だから僕は音楽を辞めた by Yorushika”
He already forgotten the lyrics, but the melody had stuck with him, at least in fragments.
His fingers continued to move fluidly, gently guiding the tune into the air.
Despite the muffled quality of the old guitar, the music rang out clearly—sharp, soft, and smooth all at once.
It was as if his body remembered how to play even if his mind didn’t.
The muscle memory kicked in, and the master-level skill began to shine.
The notes flowed effortlessly.
Ijichi Seika, watching closely, was stunned from the very first note.
She had assumed Kei was probably a beginner—or at best, average.
But what she was seeing now completely blew away her expectations.
The melody of “So I Gave Up on Music” filled the room.
Seika was taken aback not just by the unfamiliar song one she’d never heard before, yet incredibly polished but by the sheer skill behind it.
This Aoki kid wasn’t just good.
He was insanely good.
Frankly, he could hold his own against any top-tier guitarist currently active in Japan’s professional music scene.
His fingering, his picking, his slides—they were all flawless.
Even though the song itself was unfamiliar, his technique was unmistakable.
What kind of monster had her little sister just dragged in?
Nijika, meanwhile, was just as floored.
She had fully braced herself for Kei to be a beginner, even preparing some encouraging words just in case his playing was terrible.
But instead, she was witnessing someone her own age perform at a level she hadn’t even dreamed of reaching.
Her eyes lit up.
‘This… this might actually save their live performance tomorrow!’
However—
Just as she was getting swept away by the music and imagining a bright future for the band…
Kei suddenly stopped playing.
The guitar fell silent.
Blinking in confusion, Nijika tilted her head slightly, her gaze shifting to Kei’s now-still fingers.
Then came Ryou’s low, emotionless voice from the side, with just the faintest hint of curiosity:
“…You weren’t finished. Why’d you stop?”
“…”
Kei stayed quiet for a second, then looked down at the guitar, then up at Ryou.
After a brief pause, he gave a sheepish cough.
“I forgot the rest of the song.”
He had already pushed his memory to its limit just recalling the first half of “So I Gave Up on Music.”
Continuing further would definitely lead to errors—and rather than butcher the second half, he decided to stop entirely.
After all, Seika had only asked him to “try playing a little.”
…
His explanation was awkward, but Nijika currently riding high on pure adrenaline—barely registered it.
Eyes sparkling, she stared at Kei, took a deep breath, and clearly unable to contain herself—reached out and grabbed his hand.
“Wow! A-Aoki-senpai, that was incredible! You’re amazing on the guitar!”
“Uh… it was alright, I guess.”
Kei coughed again, glancing down at his right hand, now being held firmly by an overly enthusiastic Nijika.
He could feel the soft warmth of her touch—something he was very aware of.
He tried to subtly pull his hand back, hoping she wouldn’t notice.
She did not.
Kei winced slightly but gave up the struggle, standing stiffly while Nijika kept beaming at him.
“This isn’t just ‘alright’!” she exclaimed, eyes shining. “You could totally be the lead guitarist in a professional band! With you helping us, our live show tomorrow is saved!”
But before Kei could even think of how to respond, Seika brought the excitement crashing back to reality.
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” she said bluntly. “If anything, tomorrow’s live might be a problem…”
Her words made everyone turn.
“There’s too big a gap between Kessoku Band’s current level and Aoki’s. You guys won’t be able to keep up with him. He’d have to slow down for you, not the other way around.”
She let that sink in for a second before continuing.
“And more importantly… he’s just a temporary stand-in, right? He’s not staying long-term.
So even if tomorrow’s live goes well, the moment fans find out Aoki’s not a regular member, you’re going to lose them by your second show.”
The implication was clear: with their current skill level, the band wasn’t ready for someone like Kei.
Then, pausing once more, Seika turned her gaze back to her little sister and added with a flat expression:
“…Also, how long are you planning on holding his hand?”
