Chapter 221 – After Christmas, About the Competition—

After Christmas came Aoki Kei’s birthday.

It passed quietly, but it marked an important milestone—he was finally eighteen.

Old enough, at last, to start learning to drive, just as he’d promised Yamada Ryo.

Once he got his license, the two of them planned to take a road trip all the way to Hokkaido.

But for now, that goal was still a little ways off...

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December 27th.

The night before, the weather forecast had predicted a rare spell of sunshine across Japan—unusual for winter, but a welcome sight.

Still, even with such nice weather, Aoki Kei had work to handle.

A few days earlier, he’d told the girls of Kessoku Band about an offer to perform overseas.

In UK to be exact.

The news was met with instant excitement.

Well, almost instant. Bocchi had hesitated at first, fidgeting as she always did, but even she eventually agreed.

Once everyone was on board, Aoki Kei got in touch with the representative from EMI Records again to discuss the details.

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Around three in the afternoon, Aoki Kei met with Kikuoka Seijirou at the same café they’d used before.

After a few polite greetings, the two of them dove straight into business.

The café was softly lit, filled with the faint aroma of roasted coffee beans and the gentle hum of background music.

Seijirou sat across from Kei, visibly nervous, his fingers tapping lightly against his cup before he finally spoke.

“So, Aoki-sensei,” he began earnestly, sitting up straight, “how about performing once in the UK?”

“Taking part in this event would be a huge opportunity for you and Kessoku Band,” he continued without pause.

“It’ll show the world that your music has stepped onto the global stage! Especially now that one of your songs has been featured in a movie!”

He leaned forward slightly, enthusiasm pushing through his nervousness.

“I can assure you—your fanbase in the UK isn’t small. The venue EMI chose is the O2 Academy Islington!

It’s a perfect stage for international exposure. This could really strengthen your overseas fanbase.”

His tone grew more desperate. “It’s an opportunity you can’t afford to pass up.”

It was clear Seijirou was under pressure to seal the deal.

Rumors about “Suki-sensei” and Kessoku Band collaborating with EMI had already spread like wildfire across social media.

Even though neither Kei nor the band had confirmed anything, their silence had only fueled the speculation further.

Kei exhaled softly, resting his chin on one hand as Seijirou continued his rapid-fire persuasion.

When the man finally stopped to catch his breath, Kei raised his hand slightly.

“Seijirou-san, let’s… take a moment to breathe, shall we?”

Seijirou froze mid-sentence.

“Ah—!” He immediately realized how intense he’d been, cold sweat breaking out along his temples.

“Aha… ha ha, I’m sorry, Aoki-sensei. I got a little carried away. Of course, it’s entirely your decision.” he said awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.

Kei chuckled quietly and waved it off. “It’s fine. But before I decide, could you tell me the details first?”

“Ah—yes! Of course!”

Seijirou nodded, opened his briefcase, and began explaining in earnest.

“This performance isn’t entirely EMI’s idea,” Seijirou said, adjusting his glasses. “We’ve also been in contact with the producer of the movie Fireworks.”

“You got contacted by Nijima-san?” Kei asked, looking slightly confused. He hadn’t heard a word from the man himself.

“Well… not exactly,” Seijirou admitted, flipping through a few pages in his file. “It was the studio that worked on the film. They’re planning to revive international promotions for Fireworks. Since the movie’s been out for a while, their options are a little limited—but they’ve agreed to co-sponsor the event.”

He looked up, his tone gaining enthusiasm. “Promotion, venue, production costs… all of it will be covered. We’re planning a full-scale Kessoku Band concert in the UK.”

A hopeful smile tugged at his lips. “It’s not just a performance, Aoki-sensei. I assure you—the publicity will be incredible. And afterward, we’ll provide full analytics, audience reports, projections—everything to help expand your international presence.”

Then, Seijirou’s voice dropped a little. His expression turned hesitant as he reached back into his briefcase. “There’s… also something else. I’m not entirely sure how you’ll feel about it, but…”

He slid a slim folder across the table. “You might want to take a look at this. It’s a competition—‘Sing! Asia.’ I’m not sure if it’s your kind of thing, but…”

Kei raised an eyebrow, glancing briefly at Seijirou before opening the folder. Within moments, he understood what it was.

Despite being called a competition, it wasn’t the usual kind.

It was a grand televised music event—a spectacle broadcast across multiple countries.

The show invited professional musicians from around the world—some famous, others rising stars—to compete in an elimination-style format.

The concept itself was ambitious: the competition would begin aboard a luxury cruise ship departing from Shanghai, stopping at ports like Okinawa, Ha Long Bay, Singapore, and Klang—before culminating in a final live broadcast in Macao.

The winner would walk away not only with a massive cash prize, but with something far more valuable—international recognition.

But the risk was clear.

Every participant was top-tier.

If someone lost early—especially in the first round—the backlash could be severe.

It was, in every sense, a gamble.

Win, and you soar.

Lose, and you fall hard.

Kei leaned back slightly in his chair, his eyes narrowing.

The event was being hosted by a Chinese media company.

It wasn’t that he distrusted them, but a Japanese artist competing on a foreign stage… it made him wonder.

Because how similar this world history to his previous life is, there is a significant amount of anti-Japanese sentiment in China.

While official government relations have varied and can include cooperation, popular sentiment is often influenced by historical grievances, which are perpetuated through media like war films and patriotic education campaigns. 

And that can raise a question.

‘Would the competition truly be fair, or would there be unseen play behind the scenes?’

In his previous life, there had been plenty of similar “global competitions.”

Most of them, he remembered bitterly, had turned out to be nothing more than scripted reality shows.

Kei sat in silence, weighing the pros and cons.

Strictly speaking, Kessoku Band didn’t need to take such a risk right now.

They could play it safe—focus on steady growth, and still make their way to the top eventually.

But…

He wasn’t the same person he used to be.

Ever since that unforgettable live concert, something inside him had changed. He no longer sang just to survive—or played guitar just to fill the silence.

He performed because he wanted to.

Because standing under the lights, surrounded by his bandmates, hearing the crowd roar his name—that was what made him feel alive.

He could still remember that night vividly: the moment he’d sung Hikoutei and declared to everyone that Kessoku Band would rise to the very top of their generation.

And from that night on… fear had vanished from his vocabulary.

After finishing the proposal, Aoki Kei finally looked up from the folder, his expression calm but resolute.

“This competition…” he said slowly, tapping a finger on the page. “If Kessoku Band joins, do we already have a confirmed schedule?”

For a brief moment, Seijirou blinked in surprise.

Then, realization hit him—and his face lit up with excitement.

“Y-Yes! Yes, it’s scheduled for early February next year!” he said, straightening his posture.

“The production team will send you an official invitation soon. EMI Records will make sure everything is handled perfectly—accommodations, transport, promotion, all of it!”

He fumbled through his notes, flipping through a few pages before continuing.

“As for your concert at the O2 Academy Islington, we’ll coordinate with headquarters to align the dates—either right before or right after the competition. That way, both events can support each other publicity-wise.”

“If things go well forget single concert you can even go to world tour at this point!”

Kei gave a small, approving nod. “Sounds good. I’ll leave the arrangements to you, Seijirou-san.”

Seijirou’s relief was almost palpable. “Of course, Aoki-sensei. You can leave everything to me,” he said, his tone brimming with determination.

Their meeting ended on that polite yet promising note.

———————————————————————

On the 28th, Aoki Kei went to apply for driving lessons.

The sky was clear, no snow that day.

After leaving the driving school, he bought a bottle of juice and took the train home.

In the living room, he ran into Ryo—who promptly snatched his drink without asking.

And right after that, his phone rang.

It was Niijima Yusuke, calling about a radio appearance invitation.

Even with New Year’s just around the corner, Aoki Kei’s schedule was only getting busier— Concerts, competitions, radio interviews…

And finally, all the loose ends and aftershocks from the past few months were starting to settle down.

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[TL Note] — This is the point where the story begins to take a completely different path.

I wanted to bring the narrative onto a more global stage, showing the steps of how he’ll achieve that.

From here on, the story will gradually diverge from the original plot.

And please remember — this is just a story! I’ll do my best to keep things as accurate as possible through proper research.

I also want to make it clear that I don’t hate Chinese people — the reason I’m including international elements is because I want to make the story feel more global and diverse.

If anything feels off or inaccurate, please understand that this is simply fanfiction.