Chapter 233 — Guitar Hero

After being picked up by a staff member in a rental car, the group finally arrived at the dock — the place where they’d be spending the next couple of weeks, if they still survive.

While waiting their stuff being unloaded the group just stand over the dock looking at the sea.

“Nijika, I think there’s something wrong with this jacket…” Ryou muttered, tugging at the sleeve of the coat Nijika had just bought for her.

The jacket itself wasn’t bad — light but warm enough to block out the chilly sea breeze. But the design… was another story. It looked like something your uncle would wear while walking his dog in winter.

Nijika flushed slightly, rubbing the back of her neck. “W-Well, I could only find that one on sale at the airport. Everything else was ridiculously expensive! At least you won’t be cold, right?”

Ryou gave a lazy shrug, mumbling under her breath, “Stingy.”

“What was that, Ryou?” Kita asked cheerfully, though her smile carried a faint edge.

Ryou immediately ducked behind Kei, using him as a human shield.

Kei sighed. “Alright, alright. Enough teasing. Let’s just get our stuff to the ship.”

“Fine…” Nijika puffed her cheeks slightly before turning toward the massive cruise ship towering over the dock. “But… isn’t this way too big just for a music competition?”

All of them stood frozen for a moment, staring up in awe.

Even though they’d seen photos and videos online, seeing it in person was an entirely different experience.

The ship’s hull gleamed in white and navy blue, its sleek lines rising at least fifteen decks above the water.

A glass observation lounge jutted forward from the upper decks, reflecting the sunlight like a crystal.

From the outside alone, it was clear this wasn’t just a simple cruise ship.

It had everything — a grand theatre for Broadway-style performances, a dedicated “Music Challenge” stage, lounges for live band sets, karaoke bars, and even a DJ booth on the top deck for late-night parties.

It was like a floating city built for musicians and dreamers alike.

Kita stood frozen, her mouth slightly open as she stared at the enormous cruise ship.

A heavy pressure suddenly pressed down on her chest — the realization that this competition wasn’t some casual gig back in Tokyo, but something much bigger.

She had thought it would be like their usual live shows — a small stage, a few hundred people, maybe some cameras. But this… this was on an entirely different level.

Her stomach twisted painfully as the anxiety hit.

‘Oh no… this is bad. I’m starting to feel sick just thinking about it.’

Kita took a deep breath, trying to shake off the nerves, but her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a retching sound beside her.

“U-URP… BLEAAAGH!”

She turned her head just in time to see Bocchi hunched over by the railing, throwing up into the ocean.

“B-Bocchi-chan!” Nijika rushed to her side, crouching next to her and gently rubbing her back.

“It’s okay, it’s okay! Just let it out, you’re doing great!” she said — though most of her encouraging words were probably meant for herself.

Her own stomach wasn’t exactly calm either.

The sight of Bocchi trembling and pale made Nijika remember how nerve-wracking their very first performance had been, just her and Ryou on stage back then.

She hadn’t felt this anxious since that day.

But this time, it was different.

Even though they were still in Japan, the audience for this show would be broadcast all across Asia.

Millions of people could be watching them.

The thought alone was enough to make her knees weak.

Bocchi suddenly reached out and grabbed Nijika’s hand tightly.

“B-Bocchi-chan…?”                                                     

She could practically feel the panic radiating off her bandmate.

“N-N-Nijika-chan, I don’t think this is a good idea! L-let’s just go home!” Bocchi’s voice cracked halfway through her sentence, her eyes trembling and glassy with panic.

She clutched her guitar case like a lifeline, her entire body shaking as if she were standing on the edge of a cliff.

“That’s not good, Bocchi-chan,” Nijika said firmly, though her own nerves were showing in the slight tremor of her voice. “We’ve already come this far. If we give up now, everything we worked for will mean nothing.”

As one of the few who had seen how much effort Kei had poured into preparing all of this, Nijika clenched her fists, determination flickering behind her eyes.

‘We’ve already come this far. Kei-senpai worked so hard to make this happen for us. If we turn back now… it’d be like betraying his trust.’

“B-but…” Bocchi’s voice wavered, trembling into a pitiful whine.

Her thoughts started spinning wildly, each one worse than the last.

‘What if I mess up? What if my fingers slip? What if everyone laughs at us? What if this ruins the band? What if I—what if I become an online meme again?!’

Her breathing grew shallow as panic starting to tightened around her chest like a vice.

Kei noticed immediately.

Without saying a word, he stepped forward, closing the distance between them with calm, measured steps.

“Bocchi-chan.”

His tone wasn’t sharp, but there was weight behind it.

She flinched, glancing up.

Kei crouched down slightly so their eyes met.

“You’re overthinking again,” he said softly. “You always do that before we perform.”

Bocchi froze, her mind stuttering to a stop.

Kei continued, his lips curving into a faint, reassuring smile. “You don’t have to carry everything on your own. That’s what a band is for to hold each other up when one of us feels like falling.”

“Don’t worry, Bocchi-chan. Just play like you always do. Your skill is already professional—honestly, you’ve gone way beyond your old self as Guitar Hero. You don’t need to be so hard on yourself.”

“Y-yeah, Bocchi-chan, your skill already surpa—” Nijika try to jump in on what Kei said but froze mid-sentence, blinking in confusion. “Wait. Kei-senpai… what did you just say?”

Kei tilted her head slightly, looking puzzled. “Hm? Oh, that she’s already professional-level?”

“No, not that part! The other one!”

“Oh, you mean the Guitar Hero thing? I thought you already knew.”

The entire dock went quiet for a second.

Nijika’s eyes widened.

Kita’s mouth fell open. Ryou just blinked.

“W-wait… Bocchi-chan… you’re that Guitar Hero? The viral one from YouTube?”

Bocchi froze. “A-ah, w-well, um, that’s—”

Bocchi’s attempt at explaining herself instantly dissolved into a series of incoherent squeaks, her face growing redder by the second.

Nijika’s eyes, however, lit up like fireworks.

“That’s incredible! I can’t believe it’s you!” Nijika grabbed Bocchi’s trembling hands, practically vibrating with excitement. “You were my inspiration when I started learning drums!”

Ryou folded her arms with a small smirk. “So that explains your solos. I always wondered how someone with that much stage fright could play like a legend.”

“R-Ryou-san, don’t say that!” Bocchi squeaked, crouching down as if trying to vanish into her oversized jacket.

 Her entire face turned crimson, and her shoulders trembled like jelly.

Kita, who had been frozen in disbelief until now, finally found her voice. “Wait… so Bocchi-chan’s the Guitar Hero? The one who uploads all those insane arrangements online?” Her eyes widened in amazement.

“That’s amazing! No wonder your explanations during practice were always so easy to understand!”

Bocchi made a tiny, panicked noise, waving her hands frantically. “N-no way! I’m not calm! My brain is just screaming the whole time!”

“See, Bocchi-chan?” Kei said. “You’ve already proven your skill to us a long time ago. You don’t have to prove anything — not to us, and definitely not to anyone else.”

His words weren’t pitying, just honest — grounded in the kind of quiet confidence that made people instinctively trust him.

The air seemed to settle around them, the sound of waves brushing softly in the background.

But Bocchi’s thoughts still spiraled.

‘P-proof? No, no, now they’ll expect even more! What if I mess up? What if they regret finding out?’

“Hey.”

Kei’s voice cut through her panic — not sharp, but firm enough to stop the spiral in its tracks. “You don’t have to be Guitar Hero right now,” he said softly. “Just be yourself. That’s already enough.”

Bocchi slowly lifted her head, her wide eyes meeting his.

The sea breeze brushed against her cheeks, cool and steady, and for the first time that day, her racing heart began to calm.

Then, in a small, trembling voice, she whispered, “You… you’re not disappointed?”

Nijika blinked, unsure if she’d heard Bocchi right.

Kita tilted her head, still processing the question.

Even Ryou raised an eyebrow, her usual calm breaking for a second.

“Disappointed?” Kei repeated, his voice quiet but steady. He exhaled softly, eyes meeting Bocchi’s trembling gaze. “No. Why would I be? We’re proud of you, Bocchi — not because you’re some hidden prodigy, but because you’re you.”

Bocchi blinked, her breath hitching slightly as he continued.

“You worked hard. You pushed through every anxiety, every panic attack, and still showed up for us. That’s not something a title like Guitar Hero can measure.”

The words were gentle, but they carried weight — simple, honest, and real.

The kind that didn’t try to cheer her up, but made her believe she was enough just as she was.

For a long moment, Bocchi just stared at him, her breath caught in her throat.

No one had ever said something like that to her before.

All her life, she’d been the awkward girl who couldn’t talk, who froze up, who never fit in anywhere.

She had always thought that people would eventually get tired of her, that she would always be left behind.

But now… Kei was looking at her like she belonged.

Her chest tightened, her heart aching in a way that make her felt confuse.

Warmth spread through her, melting away the years of loneliness and self-doubt she’d kept bottled up inside.

This — being seen, being accepted — was all she had ever wanted.

Her eyes shimmered as she tried to hold back the tears, a trembling smile forming on her lips.

“...Thank you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible but filled with everything she couldn’t put into words.

A shaky smile found its way to her lips.

“A-and o-okay… I’ll try,” she murmured softly, voice trembling but sincere.

Nijika and Kita exchanged relieved smiles as they helped Bocchi to her feet.

The tension that had been suffocating moments ago melted away, replaced by the group’s familiar, clumsy warmth.

Still, Nijika and Kita couldn’t resist bombarding Bocchi with questions, their voices filled with curiosity and pride.

Meanwhile, Ryou who stay behind just stood there along with Kei, her usual unreadable expression concealing a mess of thoughts.

Her sharp gaze caught something the others hadn’t: Bocchi, still flushed red, sneaking shy and confused glances toward Kei whenever she thought no one was looking.

As she saw that her eyebrow twitched.

She turned to look where is Kei is.

Only to find him stood near the railing, the sea wind brushing through his hair as he looked out at the waves, completely relaxed.

Ryou then started to walked up to him, her steps deliberate.

Without warning, she jabbed a finger into his side.

“…?” Kei looked down at her. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Ryou muttered, crossing her arms.

Her tone was flat, but there was a faint tint of pink on her cheeks.

She turned away, pretending to scan the docks. “Suki-san, I’m hungry. Let’s go find something to eat.”

“Sure,” Kei said easily, though his gaze lingered on her for a moment before following the others.