Chapter 116: Band Performance and Hitori Gotoh Becoming a Girlfriend (Patreon)

Thanks to Daniel's diligent efforts, Hitori Gotoh finally woke up.

She was still in a daze, though, and every so often she'd look at Daniel and giggle foolishly.

"Heh heh heh. Mom, Dad, Futari, it looks like I don't have to worry about nobody wanting me anymore."

Daniel watched her grin like an idiot, then pinched her cheek to pull her out of her fantasy.

"Uwah, sorry! A person like me shouldn't fantasize about you taking me home, marrying me, having kids, growing old together, and finally being buried in the same grave!"

Snapping back to reality, Hitori scrambled out of Daniel's arms and knelt on the floor to apologize.

Haah. Depression really is like this.

Daniel pulled her up off the floor and comforted her. "Okay, Bocchi-chan. Starting today, you're my girlfriend, just like Ryo."

"...?" Hitori wondered if she'd misheard. She stared blankly at Daniel. She had a boyfriend now?

But why did it feel so hasty? Weren't you supposed to spend time together first, build up affection like in a dating sim, and only confess after some mysterious event triggered the right choice?

Seeing Hitori spacing out again, Daniel's mischievous side kicked in, and he deliberately tried to scare her. "What, Bocchi-chan? Don't tell me you're unwilling?"

"N-no, no, no! I'm willing! Marriage! A dowry! Yes, a dowry for you!"

Hearing that, Hitori thought Daniel was angry because she hadn't agreed, and she hurriedly pulled another piggy bank out of her bag and held it out.

This time, Daniel accepted it, so she wouldn't feel uneasy and start imagining things again.

"Very good. Bocchi-chan is such a good girl~" Daniel reached out and ruffled her little head as if petting a small animal.

"Heh heh, I'm really not that good..." Pink bubbles instantly floated up around Hitori as she put on a politely modest, somewhat proud front.

So cute.

Ryo Yamada watched their interaction with narrowed eyes, a wicked smirk curling her lips. Bocchi-chan's personality seemed like a lot of fun.

Nijika happened to be away, so nobody would stop her. With that thought, Ryo stepped forward and held out her hand. "I'm the legitimate main wife. If you want to be with our boyfriend, pay the coexistence fee!"

Hitori froze for a moment, then hurriedly pulled a few yen bills from her pocket and respectfully offered them with both hands. "Ah! Please take this, and don't kick me out!"

Ryo took the money and grinned. "Yoshi yoshi, you know your place. In that case, I won't kick you out."

"Arigato!"

Hitori thanked her obediently, secretly delighted. She'd even managed to win over her boyfriend's girlfriend, so she'd surely get married someday.

Daniel's mouth twitched. He knocked Ryo on the head, hard enough to bring tears to her eyes.

"Ow, what was that for?"

"Bocchi-chan is naive enough already, and you're bullying her. Didn't I give you plenty of money? Why are you eyeing Bocchi-chan's pocket change?"

"How can it be the same? What you gave me is money I earned the hard way, and what Bocchi-chan gives me is what I deserve. Not charging you a cheating fee for your infidelity already shows how kind-hearted I am!"

Ryo declared it with total conviction. Clearly, Trash Ryo had her own way of understanding things.

"Ryo, you really are something..." Daniel was speechless. He sighed. This kid was just going to stay like this forever.

Ignoring Ryo's twisted logic, Daniel took out a few bills and handed them to Hitori. "You idiot, you believe whatever she tells you."

Hitori took the money, quite touched. She never expected Daniel to be so nice to her.

It seemed she wouldn't end up living the miserable life she'd seen on TV.

Like in those dramas, where she'd work herself to the bone outside while Daniel took her money to play pachinko, beat her from time to time, and sometimes vent on her too. If that was the life waiting for her, she'd rather not get married at all.

"Bocchi-chan is fantasizing again," Ryo remarked, looking at Hitori's vacant eyes.

Just then, the door of the practice room swung open and Nijika walked in, beaming. "Sis said yes!"

"Once the band on stage finishes, we're up next."

What Nijika didn't mention was that there was a condition: if this performance went badly, Daniel would have to leave the band.

But she wasn't going to bring up a bet they couldn't lose and unsettle everyone.

Sis was still too naive. How could Daniel, with his kind of ability, possibly do badly?

"That's soon, then. Let's get ready to stun them all," Daniel said with a laugh, an arm around Hitori.

Nijika's eye twitched. Sis was a good judge of character, though. Daniel really was a playboy.

Under Daniel's lead, they ran through the set a few more times, and then PA-san told them it was time to go on.

Compared to last time, the crowd below the stage was surging. The earlier bands had already warmed things up.

A few regulars recognized Daniel and Ryo Yamada and the others.

"Isn't that the band from last time?"

"And that guy who gave the review is here too."

"Damn, so he joined the band just to get the attention of those girls?"

"I'm jealous. But my ears are probably about to suffer again."

Hearing the chatter from the floor, Daniel didn't bother defending himself. He followed the rehearsed plan and kicked things off with an electric guitar solo that heated up the room.

"Hello, everybody! We're Kessoku Band, and I'm the vocalist and guitarist, Daniel."

"Next, let me introduce our second guitarist, Hitori Gotoh, also the famous Guitar Hero of the internet!"

Once Daniel finished the introduction, Hitori slipped into the zone, her expression excited.

Transformed into her Guitar Hero form, Hitori played at the level she was capable of, and the crowd erupted in cheers.

"Next up, our drummer Nijika Ijichi and bassist Ryo Yamada!"

Ryo and Nijika exchanged a look, and the drums and bass kicked in together.

The two meshed quite well, the drum rhythm and the low bass ringing out as one.

But after just a moment, Ryo, feeling she had less presence than Nijika, started pulling out tricks.

She slung the bass around her body, spinning it like a hula hoop, and kept playing the whole time.

The crowd below instantly buzzed!

"As expected of a bassist, she's got moves!" someone couldn't help praising.

A qualified bassist has to know how to put on a show.

Ryo showed off just a little, a smile hanging at the corner of her mouth. Clearly, the compliment had made her happy.

Once the two finished their part, Daniel and Hitori played the intro to Hero, and the song shifted into a hot-blooded anime-opening mood.

The fiery rhythm got the audience worked up, and plenty of them swayed along while still remembering to pull out their phones and record video.

Daniel and the others' performance reached the most passionate chorus, and he sang lyrics laced with spiritual fluctuations.

"If you're a man, then grow strong for someone else."

"Grit your teeth and protect them to the very end."

"It's okay to be knocked down, as long as you stand up again."

"If you can do just that, you're a hero..."

Down in the crowd, Seika Ijichi was dumbfounded. Only one person had joined, so why had her sister's band evolved into this?

And this song. She'd never heard it on the market. Could it be an original that Daniel brought with him?

PA-san's eyes sparkled with excitement as she said, "Boss~ it looks like your sister has hooked up with someone incredible."

"He's a bit of a playboy, sure, but for a band, that's perfectly normal. If you're not going to make a move on him, Boss, then I won't hold back."