kscans

Chapter 600 - The Sea-Color in the Gray

Having somehow overcome the climax of the weekend, I safely finished my duty at the selection matches. The next day.

Afterward, I had another brief date with my partner—or rather, we went to play in a nearby dungeon. At night, I visited the Yotsuya residence again, where Sora-san toyed with me (beat me up) after dinner. When I got home, Nia, who had heard about my daytime activities, gave me a lukewarm teasing... and so on.

After piling up a few more additional events, I finally reached Monday.

Normally, I would shift from being a ranker in the virtual world to a student in the real one and focus on my studies, but it was mid-August, and the university was on a long, two-month summer break.

In other words, I was legally free even on a weekday, and so—

"Um, okay... I get that this is an 'after-party,' but..."

And I appreciate the thought of wanting to help me unwind after the selection matches, but.

"Getting unceremoniously abducted to a field I've never been to before is genuinely startling, so I'm going to have to request that you give me a heads-up or something next time."

"'Never been to'? You've never even been to karaoke before?"

"What, was Nozomin actually a sheltered kid or something?"

"I heard you came from a normal family."

"I'm used to this attitude by now, but you guys are really unrepentant, aren't you? Why don't you learn from Kaede-kun, who at least tries to look apologetic, hmm?"

"Ah, haha... Um, sorry?"

I was summoned to the front of the Shijo residence with no plans announced, pushed into Mizuki's car in a torrent just like that other time, and ended up at a karaoke box.

In the midst of the clamor leaking from all directions, piercing through the less-than-perfect soundproofing, I was sandwiched between the childhood friend pair as usual, feeling nervous in the unfamiliar environment as I voiced my complaint... Ah, yes, I knew it, I knew it. It was like water off a duck's back.

Without a moment's hesitation, Toshiki ignored my grumbling and picked up the intercom to order snacks. Mizuki, equally unfazed, operated the karaoke machine. And Shoko-san, also ignoring my complaints, barraged me with questions with a beaming smile to satisfy her own curiosity.

As I suspected, the only source of comfort among this group is the young lady of the Shijo family.

I'll let it slide that she was the one who gave my back a gentle push when I tried to resist with a half-hearted "Hey, what's with the rush, where are you taking me?" and delivered the decisive final attack as I was bundled into the car.

"I'd heard about it, but Nozomi, you really had a gray high school experience, didn't you? What kind of fun have you had?"

"Eh... Fun... Table... tennis?"

"Huh? What, did you frequent a community center or something?"

"No, in middle school, I had a hardcore player teach me for the sports festival."

"That's part of a school event."

"I don't think the 'fun' Toshiki-kun is asking about is that kind of thing. Was it really that gray?"

"H-Hey, Mizuki-chan...!"

"Kaede, what song do you want? Your usual anime song—"

"Mizuki-chan!"

And so on and so forth, until a mountain of snacks, befitting the vitality of university students' stomachs, arrived.

We each held up the glasses we had snatched from the drink bar beforehand—hey, why is everyone looking at me? This is an after-party to celebrate my efforts, so why do I have to give the toast???

"...Uh, well, then. Here's to me, for a job well done."

With a hundred percent resignation, I figured it didn't matter anymore and casually raised my reasonably priced glass for a "Cheers." And with that, the recreation began in an extremely relaxed atmosphere.

I'm ready for it. Bring it on, youth.

◇◆◇◆◇

"—I'll say it again, this is supposed to be my after-party, right...?"

"I-I'm sorry? I'm sure they don't mean any harm, really..."

And so, three hours later. Leaving behind Shoko and the other two, who were still full of energy and proclaiming, "We're just getting started!" I stepped outside for some fresh air and muttered my thoughts, with the sole 'healing element' of the group excluded.

It wasn't that I held any ill will; it was just a sigh of exasperation born of familiarity with my usual lively and easygoing friends. Kaede, the healing element who had followed me, probably understood my inner thoughts, but it was just like her to still apologize with a bow of her head.

If it weren't for her Arcadia-otaku side peeking through, she'd be the undisputed most sensible person here... but well, I suppose that gap is part of her charm.

"Um... I'm sorry for egging you on, too. You were so good, I was surprised and thought, 'Is this really your first time?' so I just got carried away..."

Well, that's a clever play, weaving praise and apology together to create a situation where I have to forgive her... Not that she intended it, of course, but alright.

I shall remove the name Shijo Kaede from the list of sinners who made me sing my limited repertoire on repeat. The remaining three, starting with Shoko, you'd better remember this.

Upon my return, they shall be sentenced to sing a randomly selected song with all their might until the very end.

"...You seemed pretty used to it. Do you like singing?"

"Nah, not enough to say I like it. I've gained enough courage to sing in front of people through various experiences, and as for that song, I listened to it to death in high school..."

It wasn't that I was used to it, but rather that I knew how to sing it because I had it memorized down to the last detail. Looking back on those three years, which were truly extreme in many ways, it was the only entertainment that encouraged me as I worked myself to the bone with part-time jobs and studies...

"So, it's not so much that you like singing, but... you like 'Unagi-chan,' is that it?"

"Don't call her Unagi-chan—well, yeah, something like that. It was just work, study, work, study, study, work, work, study, and I honestly thought I was going to lose my mind a few times. But I couldn't give up on either, so I figured I'd implement some healing entertainment during my breaks and commutes."

'Music' was the first thing that came to mind, so I went to a local shop to find a decent album... and there, a song playing in the store caught me. It wasn't love at first sight, but love at first listen.

Unasaka Nagisa—I had no way of knowing at the time since I'd sworn off the internet, but apparently, she was a former indie virtual singer who made her major debut on the strength of her singing alone.

I say 'former' because, unfortunately, she has since ended her activities.

She apparently appeared like a comet about five years ago and instantly took the scene by storm, a legendary figure, but she retired after just under two years, much to the dismay of her many fans.

Learning that now was, of course, no small shock. I might just be a casual fan who only ever bought a single CD, but still.

"I don't know... the melody, the lyrics, her voice, the way she sang, it all just hit me right where I needed it back then... I listened to it on infinite repeat and got infinite energy from it."

It's not really a joke to say that I might be here today thanks to Unasaka Nagisa... well, I feel a one-sided debt of gratitude to her, more or less.

"Ah... I see—it's like the Sword Saint and the Acrobat for me."

"Seriously, stop. That's forbidden."

As I rubbed the goosebumps of embarrassment off my arms and shot her a sidelong glance, she returned it with a mischievous little laugh. I don't know if it's because they're related, but they're really similar in this way... The two young ladies of the Shijo family are two of a kind.

"Ehehe... You know, after hearing a story like that, it makes me want to hear it again. Can I request it one more time?"

"Seriously...? How many times are you going to make me rehash my few party tricks?"

"Just one last time. Your favorite, 'perfect blue star,' will do. Please?"

"How do you know my absolute favorite song like it's common knowledge?"

"Eh? I can just kind of tell. The passion in your singing was different for that one."

"What's that? How embarrassing."

As we bantered back and forth, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I took it out and opened the message that had arrived... Ah, yes, yes, I'm coming back.

A wry smile crept onto my face at Shoko-san's teasing message: 'You two, how long are you going to keep flirting?' It was a harsh joke in more ways than one.

"Alright, if you give a full-throated performance of your 'usual,' then maybe I'll think about it."

"Huh...? Heh, wha- n-no, that's not... That was just Mizuki-chan's joke!"

I turned on my heel after delivering my counterattack, and the friend who reacted so similarly to my partner was so amusing that my expression shifted to a relaxed smile—and then we returned to the room.

Afterward, I was somehow dragged into the punishment I myself had decreed and forced to belt out an idol medley of a certain pair of pipsqueaks from memory... but that is another story.