NOVEL NEXT Chapter 233
Chapter 233 – The Forty-Second Chapter – The Disciple Teaching
So, how about considering singing at a bar? With me around, nothing will go wrong.
In the mind of Yukinoshita Yono, a certain barrel was still nagging incessantly, attempting to persuade the girl to secretly go to a bar with her own initiative.
As long as Yukinoshita Yono agreed, then perhaps at that moment she could even agree to have just a taste of tequila or whisky, it shouldn’t be impossible.
Humph, let’s talk later~
The short-haired girl walked smilingly on the corridor after school, the black guitar case almost becoming a permanent accessory hanging on her back.
Even in her inner thoughts, Lin Qi could feel the smile contained in her words.
She felt like she was being controlled, has this person been a bit too overconfident lately?
Yukinoshita Yono had intended to play the guitar for a while at the activity classroom given by Shizuka Hiratsuka as usual after school, but her advancing steps suddenly stopped, and then her entire body turned involuntarily in the opposite direction.
She immediately struggled, trying to wrestle back control from the demon living inside her body, causing her walk to become extremely stiff, and soon enough her feet became uncoordinated, looking both funny and ridiculous.
Mainly, her advance did not stop as she wished, as if her body was acting independently.
Oh no, wrong!
The short-haired girl quickly begged in the mind’s channel, and Lin Qi finally relented.
Alright, alright, since you say so, we’ll go this weekend, right? Yukinoshita Yono said in a consoling tone like soothing a child.
Great. A satisfied voice echoed in her mind.
After achieving his goal, Lin Qi took advantage of the time while Yukinoshita Yono was practicing in the club room to give a rather good suggestion: “Actually, you can consider being a mercenary.”
“Mercenary?” The short-haired girl paused her strumming, raising her hand to curiously look at her tattooed wrist, “Tell me more.”
“There are many underground music halls that are somewhat similar to clubs. Bands often perform there, so if a band lacks a guitarist, you could join them as a temporary guitarist.”
“I see.” Yukinoshita Yono nodded thoughtfully.
“Like Shibuya Nishikaze, it should have quite a few of these underground music halls.” Lin Qi said, “Want to check?”
“Now?” Yukinoshita Yono looked up at the clock. Although the club activity was not over and it was still early…
“It won’t take long.” Lin Qi smiled.
“Then let’s go!”
Yukinoshita Yono hesitated no longer.
…
Riding an owl-like familiar over Tokyo, it took several minutes to slowly fly to Shibuya Nishikaze while enjoying the cityscape.
Landing casually on the rooftop of an apartment building, Yukinoshita Yono gracefully stepped down from Nue’s bird.
She had become accustomed to using familiars for travel, now she could get around without a driver.
From the rooftop to the street, Yukinoshita Yono used her smartphone’s Google Maps to search for the nearest underground music hall and headed directly towards her destination.
In Shibuya Nishikaze, known for its musical atmosphere, a rock girl carrying a guitar wasn’t rare, but her attractive face attracted many gazes along the way due to her beauty.
After politely rejecting a third man who approached her to chat, Yukinoshita Yono finally reached her destination—a performance hall called “Rose Coast.”
Although the hall’s door was marked as closed, it was unlocked, presumably left open for performing bands.
Entering, the lights dim immediately, and Yono’s eyes took a few seconds to adjust.
The underground hall was spacious, laid out like a bar with a stage and seating area. This made going to the bar unnecessary.
A ticket counter was at the entrance, where a bored-looking sister with spiked hair played on her phone.
Hearing the door opening, she glanced up, uninterested, “Sorry, we’re not open yet.”
“I’m a guitarist looking for a band,” Yukinoshita Yono smiled.
Upon hearing this, her eyes widened momentarily with surprise when she saw the short-haired girl.
Her delicate face, slightly curved eyebrows paired with a hint of a smile, and bright brown eyes in the dim light seemed like twinkling stars, drawing one in instantly.
Who is this young lady, so beautifully dressed?
Aside from her appearance, what struck her most was the girl’s elegant and noble demeanor, which didn’t seem like someone who would dabble in rock.
But her guitar case certainly stood out.
“Mmm, if so, come in.” The sister didn’t hesitate, letting Yukinoshita Yono in with a smile, “Would you like to drink something, sister’ll buy it for you.”
“Very well.” A subtle change came over the girl; sharpness could be felt beneath her gentle demeanor.
“I’d like a whisky, thank you.”
Her sophisticated and high-class aura cracked as soon as those words left her lips.
The ticketing sister was taken aback, wondering if the girl was a completely different person.
Smiling, she said teasingly, “Little sister, jesting aside, you’re still in uniform. I don’t want the cops storming us before the show ends.”
Clearly, a rebellious young lady from a noble background. Now it makes sense.
“A glass of orange juice, please,” Yukinoshita Yono smiled slightly, her noble aura returning.
“Sure thing,” replied the sister, stretching her neck to shout to the bartender, “Pour a glass of orange juice for the pretty girl!”
“Got it!” came the response.
“Go in. If I recall correctly, there’s a new member from another band who couldn’t make it. You’ve shown up at the right time.”
Nodding, Yukinoshita Yono entered the hall.
“Beautiful lady, here’s your orange juice,” the bartender pushed over a cold glass of orange juice.
“Thank you.” Taking a sip, Yukinoshita Yono asked, “I heard from the ticketing sister at the front desk that there’s a band missing a guitarist.”
“Oh, you’re referring to Sachi and the others, they’re over there, sitting in the corner,” the server pointed towards a direction.
Following the direction, Yukinoshita Yono spotted three people sitting at the corner of the seating area below the stage.
Two boys and a girl, one of whom was anxious on the phone, while the other two sat dejectedly on small stools.
“She’s sick with fever, she can’t make it,” replied the boy on the phone despondently.
“What do we do now?” the sole female in the band sobbed.
“Looks like there’s no choice now but to cancel the gig.”
“But this is our debut, we can’t just quit now…” Another boy retorted indignantly.
Just as they fell silent, a clear voice sounded like a nightingale echoing, “You need a guitar player, right?”
For the band eager to debut, the voice was like a divine tune.
“Indeed!” The band leader looked up, his joy evident in his voice.
But upon seeing the short-haired girl with a sunny smile, he was stuck momentarily.
“I can step in as your temporary guitarist,” Yukinoshita Yono was unfazed. Such initial reactions were common the first time they met her.
“Eh, um, thank you! You’re really making a big difference for us!” The boy who was initially fluid suddenly stuttered a little.
Taking a deep breath, he continued fluently introducing the other band members, “I’m the lead guitarist and singer, Murakouko Sachiko.”
“The girl is the bassist, and he is the drummer.”
“I’m Yukinoshita Yono, nice to meet you.” Yukinoshita Yono nodded. “Well, let’s get started. What songs are you planning to perform?”
“Two pop songs, our originals aren’t ready yet,” Sachiko murmured apologetically.
“It’s alright, pop is my forte,” Yukinoshita Yono smiled, “Shall we practice once?”
“Yeah, sure!”
The short-haired girl swiftly seized control of the conversation, quickly gaining a commanding presence in the band.
Particularly because of Yukinoshita Yono’s striking beauty, coupled with her graceful composure, the trio was immediately awestruck, mistaking her for a seasoned mercenary mentor, ignoring her student uniform, showing her respect accordingly.
In reality, they were college students—actual elders.
Yukinoshita Yono didn’t intend to clarify, such a situation worked to her advantage, avoiding later entanglements.
Hierarchy was strictly enforced in Japan.
If these individuals learned she was a ninth-grader, they might act recklessly.
The rehearsal went smoothly, although they were beginners, they likely just started learning. The drummer stood out though.
The lead singer’s voice was decent, but the guitar skills needed improvement.
As for the bassist… it mattered little since bass presence was low anyway.
Conversely, Yukinoshita Yono’s proficiency conquered the three newcomers, confirming her status as an elder.
Time passed quickly during rehearsals, and by the time darkness fell, the hall began regular operations. Guests filled up, sipping drinks in anticipation of the performances.
Four bands were scheduled tonight, Yukinoshita Yono’s and her band were second, offering them a comfortable slot.
The first band, regulars at the venue, started with well-prepared original tracks, swiftly lifting the atmosphere.
The audience was roused, if the newcomers performed flawlessly, even minor flaws wouldn’t matter.
Three original tracks concluded; Yukinoshita’s troupe took the stage.
Carrying her expensive ESP electric guitar, she confidently took the stage while the rest appeared timid—especially the bassist who seemed nervous.
“This, this is Image Noise Band. First time on stage, debut performance, hoping everyone likes it!” Murakouko’s voice trembled as he introduced the band.
Drums led off, yet Yukinoshita’s brow furrowed slightly.
Off key.
Ah, understandable for a novice band’s first performance.
In a blink, her brow smoothed again.
Though the beginning was awkward, the drummer quickly adjusted.
The start went well until halfway, where issues arose with their lead vocalist.
Perhaps due to being on stage for the first time, or because of a beautiful senior behind him, Murakouko underperformed in contrast to rehearsals, dragging the drummer and bassist off rhythm.
Audience noticed, whispering amongst themselves.
“What’s wrong? Too nervous?”
“Errors are frequent. Even a novice should be prepared.”
“Problematic lead, too raw.”
Audience feedback naturally affected the performers’ confidence. Already jumpy, negative emotions worsened their performance.
Sighing softly, Yukinoshita’s hands sped up—her fingers danced across the strings, altering the melody, seizing the rhythm forcefully.
The already fragile cooperation crumbled further.
Murakouko momentarily forgot his lyrics.
However, the audience didn’t care if he continued—they were captivated by the powerful guitar.
The latter half became a solo by Yukinoshita.
…
Post-performance, after greeting the astonished trio, Yukinoshita prepared to leave.
Before departure, she ordered another orange juice, paying for both glasses in repayment for the earlier courtesy.
The bartender had switched—now the ticketing sister faced her with interest.
“You play with a thief’s style. Impressive guitar presence. How about joining us as a regular?” she smiled.
“In any case, my collapse was severe. I figured I might as well give it all.” Shrugging, Yukinoshita said, “Forget about staying, I’ve got school.”
“Oh, isn’t this part of your rebellion?”
“Rebellion, ha, true,” Yukinoshita laughed, finishing the last sip of orange juice with a wave goodbye, “I’ll visit next time if I free time.”
Exiting the underground hall, Yukinoshita walked down Shibuya’s streets. An unwarranted rumble echoed.
“Starving.”
She had informed her family earlier about skipping dinner, but rehearsing delayed her meal.
About to grab food from a restaurant when a white-robed elderly man interrupted.
“Pardon me, elderly sir. Is something amiss?” Yukinoshita inquired courteously.
“Miss, do you believe in religion?” The old man extended a trembling hand to offer a printed flyer.
The short-haired girl took it and frowned, “Mizaru Sect?”
“Apologies, I do not believe in such things.”
Politely declining, she tucked the flyer away and bypassed the man.
Some odd sect, better focusing on eating first.
…
That noisy summer.