"So then, Hitori... how long have you been playing guitar?"
Izayoi's voice wasn't particularly loud, nor did it carry any obvious pressure, yet it made Hitori feel as though the entire space around her was closing in. She could feel his gaze fixed on her, a look full of curiosity not the shallow kind. It was as if... he was observing her every smallest movement, trying to read her thoughts.
Hitori froze. That question... She didn't know how to answer it. Four years. She had spent four years practicing, from the early days with swollen fingers to countless nights repeating the same riff until she could play it smoothly. She used to believe she had talent, especially when people praised her covers as if they were done by a professional. But whenever she looked back, she still felt so small compared to real guitarists.
So if she said that out loud, what would he think? Sakamaki Izayoi. That name was no ordinary name. He was a genius. Someone who didn't need to try too hard to achieve what others could only reach through sweat and tears. If he knew it had taken her four years to reach her current level... If he compared that to how easily everything else came to him... He would definitely laugh at her.
A vague fear rose within Hitori. She didn't want to be laughed at. Not now. Not in front of this person. So before she could think any further, she blurted out a lie:
"Ah... not that long... I just started recently. It's just that... I tried playing with my dad's old guitar..."
As soon as those words left her mouth, Hitori regretted it. Too late. The words were small, nearly carried off by the air, but she knew Izayoi had heard them. Because he didn't say anything. He just looked at her.
Izayoi's silence dragged on, heavy enough that Hitori found it hard to breathe. His eyes stayed fixed on her, expression unreadable. No doubt. No mockery. Just... observation.
That look made Hitori uneasy. Did he believe her? Or had he already realized she was lying? She didn't know. But then...
"Mind if I try it?"
A simple question, but it blew away the silence like a gust of wind.
"Huh...?"
Hitori blinked, unsure of what she had just heard. Izayoi pointed at the guitar next to the table.
"Your guitar."
"Let me borrow it for a bit."
Hitori swallowed. He... wanted to borrow her guitar? For what?
"You... you know how to play guitar?"
She asked again, voice full of doubt. Izayoi raised an eyebrow as if the question was too obvious.
"Sort of."
Sort of...? Hitori felt like something was off. Who even used "sort of" to describe playing guitar?
Still, before she could react, Izayoi had already reached for the guitar. The moment his fingers touched the fretboard, a strange sensation ran down Hitori's spine.
As if... As if she was about to witness something far beyond her imagination.
She couldn't explain why she felt that way. Maybe it was because of Izayoi's demeanor. He held the guitar so naturally, as if this wasn't his first time with the instrument. No awkwardness as his hands found the fretboard, no hesitation in his movements.
Just... absolute confidence.
Hitori's heart pounded. She didn't understand why. But a part of her... a very small part whispered in her ear:
"What am I about to witness?"
The melody began. As soon as Izayoi's fingers lightly brushed the strings, Hitori felt the whole world around her tremble.
She had prepared herself for a "sort of" performance, just like he said. Maybe a few scattered chords. Maybe a simple blues phrase. Or, if Izayoi really had some skills, maybe a gentle solo.
But no. What came out of her guitar wasn't something a "sort of" player could produce.
The melody rose and fell, powerful, each note ringing clearly as if it had a will of its own, drawing in the space around them. Izayoi's fingers flew across the fretboard at unbelievable speed, every movement sharp, precise to the point of being frightening. His whole body moved with the rhythm, his blond hair swaying slightly with each fluid strum.
Hitori's jaw dropped.
Wait... wait a second... What the hell was happening?
Was she dreaming? Or had someone swapped Izayoi's body with that of a legendary guitarist?
The tempo grew more intense. Izayoi wasn't just playing... he was performing. The riffs flowed seamlessly, each complex technique,sweep picking, tapping, bends, vibrato executed flawlessly as if it were nothing. In just a few seconds, Hitori came to a horrifying realization:
He didn't just know how to play guitar. He played at a level far beyond anyone she had ever met.
Hitori's mouth hung open, but no sound came out. Her brain completely glitched.
She had spent four years getting to her current level, and yet... this person simply placed his hands on the guitar and played like a professional?!
No, that wasn't right. "Professional" wasn't enough to describe it. She had watched so many guitarists online, studied legends like Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, and John Petrucci... but what Izayoi was doing...
It was like some mythical creature from another planet who just happened to know everything about rock music.
Hitori instinctively took a small step back, her heart pounding like crazy. What the hell had she just encountered?!
She looked up at Izayoi's face, hoping to see some kind of expression like
"Haha, I actually practiced a lot" or "It's just a small talent."
But no. His face was completely calm. No hint of effort or concentration.
As if playing guitar at that level was nothing special to him.
And then suddenly...
"Oh right, I almost forgot this part has a pretty fun trick."
Izayoi said, and suddenly, his left hand let go of the guitar neck entirely.
Hitori held her breath. No way... He wasn't about to...
One-handed tapping?!
Before she could even process what was happening, Izayoi's right hand launched into a blazing tapping sequence, notes firing from the guitar like a rapid-fire machine gun. His fingers danced across the fretboard, each tap, slide, and pull-off flowing together in perfect harmony.
Hitori's face twisted in disbelief.
This wasn't just playing guitar anymore. This was a full-on assault on her sanity!
She clung tightly to the edge of the table, feeling like if she didn't hold on to something, her soul might literally be blasted out of her body.
After what felt like an eternity of a solo, Izayoi suddenly stopped.
No sign of stress. No sweat. Not a hint of fatigue. He placed the guitar gently back on the table, like he had just completed something utterly mundane.
"Hmm, this guitar's pretty decent."
"W-what..." Hitori stammered, her eyes still locked on the guitar like it had just transformed into an alien artifact.
"What's wrong?" Izayoi tilted his head innocently. "I was just messing around a bit."
Hitori blinked rapidly. Something didn't feel right... Something felt very wrong.
After a few stunned seconds, she finally found her voice.
"What... what was that you just played...?" Her voice came out dry and cracked.
Izayoi tilted his head again like the question was too simple.
"Just a popular rock song. I watched it online a few times and memorized the melody."
Hitori felt her entire body stiffen.
"You... only watched it a few times?"
"Yeah." Izayoi nodded like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
A wave of dizziness hit Hitori. Did she mishear? He didn't use sheet music? Didn't need to practice? He just watched and could instantly play it back perfectly?
She didn't want to believe it. But everything he'd just said none of it felt like a lie.
An eerie fear began creeping into her heart. But before she could gather herself, Izayoi casually added:
"Oh, by the way... I don't just know how to play guitar."
"...What?"
Izayoi touched the guitar on the table, his purple eyes catching the soft light from the window. He smiled.
"I'm fluent in all instruments."
Hitori's mind went completely blank.
All instruments? No. He had to be joking. Her world felt like it was crumbling.
I... I'm going to faint. I just ran into someone who defies logic.
No way. He had to be joking. There's no way someone can master every instrument. That's just exaggeration!
But when she looked at Izayoi again, his face was calm. No sign of boasting or sarcasm.
Hitori's hands and feet felt cold.
If she went any deeper into this conversation, she'd fall into a world she could never hope to understand. So she chose to retreat from this abyss of despair.
She took a deep breath and looked up at Izayoi with genuine respect in her eyes.
"Izayoi... you really are a genius."
Izayoi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Complimenting me all of a sudden? What's the occasion?"
Hitori shook her head. "No, seriously. Your technique isn't just fast, it's incredibly precise. The way you change chords seamlessly, your control over each bend, smooth vibrato, clean tapping, and your flawless sweep picking... This isn't the skill level of someone who's just 'decent.' This is the level of a true guitar artist."
She rubbed her temples. "Actually, maybe even beyond a pro. Honestly, even after watching the top YouTube guitarists, I've never seen someone play with the ease you do."
Izayoi didn't reply. But the corners of his lips curled into a faint, almost mischievous smile.
Hitori instantly sensed something was off.
"Uh... Why are you smiling like that?" She instinctively took a step back.
Izayoi leaned his chin on his hand, eyes glinting with amusement. "Oh, it's nothing."
"...No, something's definitely off."
Izayoi smiled. "It's just..." he drew out the words,
"Hitori, didn't you say you only started learning guitar recently?"
Hitori flinched. She was done for. She'd slipped up. She blinked quickly, and sweat began to bead on her forehead.
"Uh... Yeah? That's right?" She forced a strained smile.
Izayoi tilted his head, eyes narrowing like a detective who'd just caught a suspect in a lie.
"Then explain this to me. How does someone who just started learning guitar recognize every technique so accurately?"
Sweat dripped from Hitori's brow.
"Uhh... Well, I watch a lot of videos online, so I kind of just... got used to hearing the techniques? Yeah! That's it!"
Izayoi squinted, his smile growing.
"Oh? Just from watching videos, you can tell if a bend is in tune? You can distinguish smooth legato from sloppy legato? You can judge the stability of vibrato? And even assess the fluidity of sweep picking?" He blinked dramatically.
"You sure you only just started playing?"
"Y-yeah."
"Really?"
"U-uh huh."
Hitori's voice had dwindled to a whisper.
Izayoi stared at her for a moment, then looked down at the guitar on the table.
Suddenly, Hitori froze.
Wait... wait a second.
He's looking at my guitar.
She swallowed hard.
In the tense silence, Izayoi smiled.
"Hey, Hitori." His voice turned teasing.
"Your guitar... looks really familiar."
"...Huh?"
"Yeah." Izayoi nodded, tapping lightly on the guitar body. "I've seen an identical one on YouTube."
The floor collapsed beneath Hitori.
"...No... No way..."
Izayoi tapped the guitar again, his casual smile now carrying a deadly undertone.
"You know," he tilted his head, voice calm but ominously heavy,
"there's someone on YouTube who covers the hardest guitar songs in the country. Their tapping, sweeping, and legato techniques are all top-tier. And guess what?"
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Hitori struggled to stay standing.
Izayoi smiled. "They play with a guitar exactly like yours."
"......"
"Surely... it's just a coincidence, right?"
Hitori's head spun.
Wait, wait, wait! No way! No way he figured it out!
No way he realized I'm...
"I... Izayoi." Her voice trembled. "When did you find out?"
Izayoi shrugged like she'd just asked the dumbest question ever.
"From the moment you lied."
"...Huh?"
Izayoi smiled, but his eyes gleamed with sharp clarity.
"You said you just started learning guitar, but when I played, you didn't just recognize the techniques, you described them in detail like a guitar professor. A beginner could never tell if a bend is in tune or not, let alone distinguish clean from sloppy legato. That means you've been playing for a long time."
"...Ugh."
"And when I saw your guitar..." Izayoi tapped the Ibanez JEM in front of him.
"It's the exact same model used by the Guitar Hero on YouTube."
"......"
"Not to mention..." Izayoi locked eyes with her, his gaze laser-sharp.
"The way Guitar Hero plays is unique. Their style stands out. And guess what?" He leaned on his hand.
"When you picked up your guitar earlier, your fingers landed exactly where Guitar Hero ends their covers."
"So..." He tilted his head, eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Are you still going to keep lying, Guitar Hero?"
Hitori sat frozen like a statue. Her brain felt like an overheating CPU ready to burst into flames.
He... figured it all out. Every last detail.
She had kept her identity hidden for years never once slipping up in front of anyone in class. And yet this guy unraveled it all in minutes?!
What kind of phenomenon was he?!
"...Um." Hitori finally managed to speak, her voice trembling. "I'm... sorry..."
"Hm?"
"I didn't mean to lie. I just... I'm so used to hiding it that I said it without thinking."
Izayoi leaned his chin on his hand, narrowing his eyes like a judge deciding whether or not to pardon a criminal.
"...I see." He nodded slowly.
"Alright. I'll accept your apology."
Hitori barely had time to breathe a sigh of relief when Izayoi continued:
"...But Hitori."
She flinched. Now what?!
Izayoi smiled lightly, but there was an unplaceable danger glinting in his eyes.
"You seem really scared of people finding out you're Guitar Hero."
Hitori felt a direct hit to the heart.
"Ugh... I just... I'm not good at dealing with people..." she mumbled.
Izayoi looked at her for a while, then suddenly...
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
He burst out laughing.
Hitori was so startled she nearly fell over. "W-what? Why are you laughing?!"
Izayoi slammed the desk. "No, it's nothing! It's just... you're shockingly introverted."
Hitori froze. "...Huh? Introverted?"
"Think about it. You're a brilliant guitarist with hundreds of thousands of fans online. You play like a living legend. You can make anyone lose their mind with your talent. But..."
Izayoi tilted his head, the corner of his mouth lifting. "You're this terrified of people finding out who you are?"
"Hmm. This isn't just introverted. You're like, ultra-mega-introverted."
"Y-you're exaggerating, right?"
"Not at all." Izayoi shrugged.
"You seem like the type who won't leave their room unless there's a life-or-death reason, am I wrong?"
"..." Hitori avoided his gaze.
"You feel drained after talking to strangers?"
"..." "You'd rather spend the whole day practicing guitar alone than go hang out with friends?"
Hitori turned pale at his questions. But then Izayoi suddenly softened his tone.
"Don't worry," he said gently.
"Because I'm an introvert too."
"...Huh?"
Izayoi nodded. "Yeah. I don't really like crowded places either. I'm not that good at talking to people." He smiled softly. "I'm just... a little better at hiding it than you are."
Hitori blinked in surprise. She never would've guessed that someone like Izayoi ,a guy who could confidently play guitar in front of her without hesitation, who could deduce things like a pro detective, who teased her relentlessly was also an introvert.
But as she looked more closely, she realized Izayoi really didn't have many friends. Since entering this school, he usually sat alone. Though he'd once joined a study group for some special exams, he had stopped participating and left for some unknown reason. And thinking back on the way he talked smart, but not overly open; mischievous, but never loud or obnoxious Hitori realized that Izayoi really did dislike noisy environments.
"...I see" she murmured with a faint smile.
Izayoi nodded again. "So..." He held out his hand. "Let's be friends?"
Hitori froze. Friends...? Could she really become friends with this guy? The one who exposed her secret identity, teased her into the ground, and played guitar like a pro?
But then she realized something.
Izayoi wasn't like the others. He wasn't mocking her. He didn't want to force her to reveal herself. And most importantly...
He accepted her for who she was.
No more hesitation. Though still unsure, Hitori gently placed her hand in his.
"U-um." She whispered.
Izayoi smiled. "Good."
Both of them immediately pulled out their phones.
"Let's exchange LINE."
Izayoi held up his QR code, and Hitori scanned it instantly. A moment later, her screen lit up with the message:
"Your friend has joined LINE: Sakamaki Izayoi."
She stared at the screen and clutched her phone tightly.
She had really just made a friend.
For the first time in her life.
Not an online follower.
Not a fan behind a screen.
But a real friend.
"...Hehe."
Hitori couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Izayoi gave her a puzzled look. "What's up?"
She shook her head, hiding her face behind her phone.
"N-nothing."
She didn't want to admit it, but warmth was blooming in her chest.
For the first time, Hitori didn't feel... alone.
Izayoi tilted his head, as if pondering something serious. His gaze narrowed, sharp, like he was trying to read her thoughts.
"Hey, Hitori. Have you ever been in a band?"
She blinked, caught off guard. She quickly shook her head, laughing softly. Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"No... I've never been in a band. I've always played alone."
Izayoi tapped his chin thoughtfully, but the corner of his mouth curled in amusement.
"Really? Someone this good at guitar has never joined a band? That's... so you."
Hitori stiffened, feeling like her pride had just been pricked.
"I-I just don't like standing in front of crowds!"
Izayoi laughed like he saw that coming a mile away.
"So you're that bad with people, huh?"
"I-I'm just not good at this kind of thing... and besides... I don't really know anyone..."
Izayoi crossed his arms, studying her.
"Hmm... then maybe you should try joining a band."
Hitori bolted upright. "H-Huh?! What brought that on?!"
He shrugged, still completely calm.
"Well... to be honest, I've got nothing better to do. You know, those special exams at this school are pretty boring."
Hitori frowned. "But aren't individual points super important? You'll be in trouble without them!"
Izayoi just smiled. "As long as I have enough to get by, I don't really care. And I've got other ways to earn points besides slamming my head into those stupid exams."
He pulled out his phone, casually scrolling. A lazy smile crept across his lips.
"Now that I think about it... watching Gotou Hitori, the ultra-introverted guitar genius, grow as a person might be pretty entertaining."
Hitori froze. "H-huh? I'm not a genius or anything!"
Izayoi raised a brow. "Oh really? You play like that and you're not a genius?"
Her face turned bright red as she flailed. "U-um... I just practiced a lot, that's all!"
Izayoi watched her with a smirk, clearly amused.
"Practiced a lot, huh? Even though you said you only started recently? Hitori, you might wanna check your memory."
She froze. "A..." Cold sweat ran down her back. She'd contradicted herself.
"I-I didn't mean it like that! What I meant was... um... etou..."
Izayoi chuckled but said nothing more, going back to his phone.
Then suddenly...
"Oh?"
Hitori jumped. "What?"
Izayoi squinted, a strange smile forming. "A band just posted an ad looking for a backup guitarist... for tonight."
Her eyes widened. "WHAT?!"
He skimmed the post.
"Their lead guitarist bailed right before a gig. Looks like he ran away."
A chill ran down her spine.
"R...ran away?! Why?"
Izayoi shrugged. "Probably too much pressure. Anyway..." He turned to her with a mischievous gleam.
"What do you think, Hitori? Wanna try playing on a real stage?"
She stared at his phone, face contorting in panic as she read the notice. Anxiety surged inside her like a tidal wave.
"U-um... I don't think that's a good idea..."
Izayoi raised a brow, still unfazed.
"Why not? You're great at guitar. It's just one performance."
She froze, clutching the hem of her shirt tightly.
"B-but... I've never performed in front of anyone before... What if I mess up? What if people laugh? What if I faint?"
Izayoi nodded, pretending to consider each point seriously. Then he grinned slyly.
"So you're scared?"
Hitori's face turned beet red. "I-I'm not scared! I just..."
He patted her shoulder lightly.
"Relax. No one's gonna laugh at you. And if they do, I'll... toss them on stage."
Her eyes widened in horror. "Don't do anything scary like that!"
He shrugged but looked at her with sincere eyes.
"But seriously, I want to see you play on stage. Watching you express yourself instead of hiding would be... amazing."
She bit her lip. Someone actually wanted to see her perform? Not out of curiosity or to mock her but because they genuinely wanted to?
She sighed, knowing there was no turning back now.
"O-okay. I'll give it a shot."
Izayoi nodded in satisfaction. But then Hitori turned to him, frowning slightly.
"By the way... why are you calling me by my name? We just met."
He blinked, then smiled innocently. "Well, you're calling me by my name, aren't you?"
She froze. Her brain scrambled to recall.
"Huh?! That's because... because..."
Izayoi grinned, drawing out his teasing tone.
"Hmm~~? What's that? You did call me Izayoi, right?"
Hitori clenched her fists, face contorting with embarrassment.
"That's because when you transferred in, you told the class 'just call me by my name,' remember?!"
He raised his brows, feigning surprise. "Oh? Did I? But I don't recall you objecting to it."
She choked on her words, cornered. "T-that's because... I didn't think you'd start calling me that right away!"
He laughed. "Alright, alright. Want me to call you Gotou-san then?"
She quickly shook her head, her expression even more flustered.
"No no, that's way too formal! Just... keep calling me Hitori..."
He smirked like he'd predicted that answer.
"Got it, Hitori."
She let out a sigh, feeling like she'd just survived a psychological battle and lost.
Outside the window, the evening sun had begun to mellow, casting a warm orange glow over the sky. The trees in the schoolyard swayed gently, yellow leaves drifting down in a peaceful scene completely opposite of the chaos in Hitori's heart.
Izayoi pocketed his phone, his relaxed expression making the previous conversation feel like nothing more than a casual joke.
"Alright, it's settled then. After school, let's meet at the small park in Shimokitazawa. That's where the band is."
Hitori gulped, trying to stay calm.
"Shimokitazawa Park... Okay..."
But the moment she said it, a horrifying realization struck her.
Wait a sec.
I HAVE TO MEET STRANGERS?!
Terror surged like a tidal wave. Her survival instincts were instantly wiped out, replaced by a storm of panic. Her breath quickened, hands gripping her gym shirt tightly.
Cold sweat coated her palms, every muscle in her body going on red alert. She could hear her own heartbeat thundering in her ears loud enough for someone nearby to hear.
IS IT TOO LATE TO BACK OUT?!
But unfortunately, what's said can't be unsaid. And before Hitori could come up with a valid excuse to escape, Izayoi had already walked off leaving her alone to wrestle with the emotional typhoon raging in her mind.