area51novel Page 26
Page 26
Chapter Twenty-Five, He Did
The three of them lay on the practice room floor with Taro's feet at the center, their faces flushed and their breathing rapid.
Taro placed his hand between the thighs of several people, and Meowmon stared wide-eyed, pretending to be practicing. Every now and then, she would strike a drumbeat that made no sense, matching the actions of the others.
"Ah... I can't take it anymore, I'm going to die, I'm going to die..." Goto Ichiri wailed.
The drumbeats have an unclear meaning.
"What are you talking about? This is just the beginning!" Taro scolded the other person without caring.
"Taro...please spare me, please spare me, I know I was wrong," Chihaya Aine cried out in anguish.
The meaning of Yueyi Jiulin Liu (IV) Liu Ni put II (8) Drumbeats *2
"Ugh... Hah... Master Taro... I'll do my best..." This is Takamatsu Akari's penguin call.
Unclear drumbeats *3
"Good, good, just like that, haha!" This was the sinister laugh of a schemer who had succeeded.
Unclear drumbeats *4
"Why do I have to do sit-ups all of a sudden?!" Aine struggled to lift her upper body up, only to fall back down after hitting her knees.
"No, no!" Taro slammed a paper fan he'd somehow acquired onto Aine's bare thigh. "Don't use your hips, use your abs!"
"Why can you still see it! Didn't you cover it with your clothes!?" Because Aine and Takamatsu Akari were wearing school uniforms, Taro kindly let them unbutton their jackets and cover their fronts to prevent them from being exposed.
"Sit-ups are very effective for exercising the lower abdominal muscles. If you want to be a guitarist and vocalist, you'd better endure this level of training!" Taro scolded Aine loudly.
"Ugh! I... I'll try my best!" Takamatsu Akari managed to squeeze out the words in a voice that sounded like she was about to run out of breath.
"No, no, the angle is too small, come up a bit more, come up a bit more!" Taro urged the little penguin, shouting, "Singing with this kind of breath control is just embarrassing, Takamatsu! Try harder!"
"Yes, Master Taro!" The penguin stretched its body forward even more vigorously.
"I'm...I'm going to die..." Goto Ichiri also looked like he was about to die.
"Good, good! Keep breathing! One more set!!" Taro clapped his hands encouragingly, "One more set and we're done!"
Under Taro's coercion, the three of them managed to complete another set of sit-ups.
After it was over, Aine lay face down on the practice chair, while Takamatsu Akari and Goto Ichiri lay on the floor. Takamatsu Akari's breathing was so labored that it was as if a drowning person had grabbed a rope and was greedily scrambling for air.
Goto Ichiri even blew white bubbles from the corners of his mouth.
"A demon...a devil..." Chihaya Aine recovered the fastest, pointing at Taro and saying, "Taro! You bastard, you murdered Ichiri!"
Because they shared a similar plight, Aine's hostility towards Goto Ichiri has subsided, and she now directly calls Ichiri by his name.
Chihaya Aine initially thought Taro was just experiencing teenage infatuation and trying to take advantage of her. After all, Taro was very handsome, and he had even offered to cover up any areas that might be exposed.
Thinking that being touched on the calf wasn't entirely unacceptable, I agreed to Taro's order. Maybe it would even make him give up the lead singer position without saying a word.
But she quickly regretted it; Momoi Taro had no intention of taking advantage of her at all. In fact, she'd rather be the one being taken advantage of! This devilish human was extremely demanding of the three of them, constantly saying "no, no, no" and such.
Chihaya Aine was filled with regret, wishing she could slap herself for being so talkative half an hour earlier. Serves you right for being so talkative! You should have just watched the show quietly. Now look what happened! Both her body and mind have suffered, leaving Aine exhausted... She should have just practiced guitar instead.
"Taro! You're definitely retaliating! This is bullying! Bullying!" It's definitely retaliating against my desire to be the lead guitarist and vocalist, and even Kotomi, who spoke up for me, is being bullied!
Well, the only lesson humanity can learn from history is that humanity can learn nothing from history. This pink-haired girl is hopeless.
"What are you talking about? I don't understand at all. As for Goto's matter, don't worry about it." Taro said confidently with his arms crossed, "I also know a little about medicine."
"Ha...ha..." Takamatsu Akari was the second to recover. She had no objection to Taro asking her to do these things.
From a young age, Takamatsu Akari was different from ordinary people, always getting lost in crowds and deviating from everyone else's path. But when she met Taro, who was just like her and didn't follow the path everyone else took, her heart was filled with longing.
Moreover, Taro is right. I do sometimes struggle to breathe while singing, and I frequently forget the lyrics. If I can overcome these problems, wouldn't that be proof that I'm making progress step by step?
Hell...this is hell...
In contrast, Goto Ichiri was picked up by a strange man and inexplicably began training... However, Goto Ichiri didn't actually dislike this feeling.
Goto Ichiri lives in a happy and fulfilling family; her parents and younger sister are all outstanding individuals. However, she herself is quite different.
It's been like this since I was little. My mom, sister, and dad are all good at socializing, but I'm just a social outcast. I even have trouble greeting people properly.
My only strength is playing the guitar; I can't do anything else well...
It's actually quite funny. He started learning guitar to get attention. Now, he has 30,000 followers on his guitar cover videos, but he still hasn't made a single friend.
Goto Ichiri hated this version of herself.
She has always wanted to change herself, but she has always been afraid of changing herself.
But this man used forceful methods to change her, and she didn't actually resist it. She might even be looking forward to it...? She could only express her resistance, and she was grateful that he ignored her resistance and pulled her into making changes.
Moreover, the other person actually recognized her. Even though she was hiding in a cardboard box when they first met, and she was just a terrible player, the other person was able to notice her. She was really grateful to the other person.
But... I'm too tired today. I'm very sorry, but I'll try to make changes another day.
"I've used up all my social energy for today... I need to go back." Making up an excuse to slip away, Goto Ichiri tried to leave the practice room, but felt something pulling at her wrist.
Goto Ichiri turned around and, unsurprisingly, saw the guy who claimed to be a deliveryman: "Where do you think you're going? Training isn't over yet."
"Um... so... I've used up my social energy, I'm a little tired, and I want to go home and rest." Goto Ichiri said softly, her voice getting softer and softer until it was almost inaudible.
"What is social energy? What form does it take? What special significance does it have?" Taro asked the other person very seriously, but to Izuri, it sounded like an interrogation.
Pochi's Inner Theater--
Judge Taro Momoi struck his gavel and pronounced the sentence: "Ichiri Goto, you cannot escape the charge of deceiving your friend. Your punishment is now: death penalty, to be carried out immediately!"
Back in reality, Pochi's body trembled like a leaf, and he bowed deeply in a very loud voice, shouting, "I'm so sorry! I was just making things up, I'm so sorry!"
Taro paused for a moment, then exclaimed with delight, "That's it! That's the tone and manner! Even though the content isn't quite right, that's it! Goto, do it again! Treat me like a guest! Do it again!"
Hearing Taro say that, Goto Ichiri was slightly taken aback... Was she really going to do what she had just done? Seeing Taro's very serious expression, Goto Ichiri's head spun, and she shouted loudly, "Welcome!"
"Great job! Goto, you did it!" Taro patted Goto Ichiri on the shoulder with an excited expression.
Miaomeng, always eager for excitement, played another section of Yi Qun'er's zither music. Liu Yi, whose drumming was unclear, then put down his drumsticks and clapped, saying, "Congratulations."
Aiyin glanced at Miaomeng, then suddenly realized and clapped along, saying, "Congratulations!"
"Hmm..." Takamatsu Akari glanced at the two of them, pondering to herself. Did Goto Ichiri also want to become human? This would be a step towards becoming human, which is why Aine and Yutenji congratulated her.
So she clapped along and said, "Congratulations, Goto-kun."
Takamatsu, oblivious to the fact that the two people behind her looked a little disappointed, did not notice this.
"Are they even going to use old anime references?" Goto Ichiri's face went blank as she straightened up. But it didn't seem as difficult as she had thought.
"Very good, Goto, let's move on to the next training exercise!" Taro's smile brightened even more.
"O—!" Goto Ichiri, who thought this seemed easy, responded immediately, but she quickly realized what the other person had said: "Wait, wait, wait!? What is the next training exercise?"
"It's very simple. Your voice was acceptable, but your movements were completely wrong!" Taro calmly explained. "First, you need to smile at the guest, then you need to bow. It's very easy to understand, isn't it!"
"Taro, there's no need to rush. Change takes time. Ichiri has already taken a step forward today and has worked very hard." Aine advised from the side, "Forcing him like this might backfire and make him take back even the first step he's taken."
step?
Goto Ichiri's face froze completely, and she roared inwardly.
I thought I had already made 10,000 steps!!!
"Is that so?" Taro looked at Ichiri with some doubt, while Ichiri nodded frantically in agreement. He really didn't want to do any more of those weird training exercises!
“I understand…” Taro nodded seriously: “Then, I will go to your workplace tomorrow afternoon to check on your work.”
Oh no! If I find out tomorrow that my performance was completely unacceptable, this guy will definitely drag me into another round of grueling training... I need to think of a way to fix this.
Taro then turned his attention to Aine and Nyanmu, saying, "Also, regarding the band's training, feel free to ask me any questions you may have!"
The two naturally asked Taro about some problems they had encountered during practice, and Taro easily taught them how to solve them, and even corrected their playing posture.
Then, as usual, the two of them went through the sheet music again... Meow's progress was as good as ever, but Aine's progress wasn't as rapid as yesterday. Was yesterday just a coincidence...? Taro wondered to himself.
Goto Ichiri and Takamatsu Akari calmly enjoyed the performance. As for Goto Ichiri herself, Chihaya Ayane, who had the same hair color as her, was a bit average, but the drummer seemed quite interesting. Come to think of it, she didn't see the other members of Mr. Taro's band? Could it be a very rare three-person band?
Goto Ichiri was lost in thought.
But at this rate of progress... it really is possible? Taro picked up his phone, opened the chat app, sent a message, and then said to the two of them:
"Today's progress was a bit disappointing, Miaomeng. Although I told you to pursue a certain performance style, losing the original rhythm is unforgivable! You missed the beat in several musical phrases, which would be fatal in a formal live performance!"
"Yes~~~" Meow Dream replied to Taro with a drawn-out tone. She was always willing to accept Taro's criticism because she knew that Taro's criticism was always reasonable.
She believed that as long as she listened to Taro and made corrections, she could improve. Therefore, she never cared about Taro's strictness. On the contrary, she thought it was better that way.
"What about me? What about me?!" The pink-haired girl on the side jumped up and down anxiously, looking for praise.
"25 points! You need to practice more!" Taro said with a stern face, "Your guitar skills are far from being good enough to be a lead vocalist! Keep working hard!"
"Okay..." Aine was still a little disappointed. She was definitely the type who needed praise to improve faster. Taro would never praise her, but being told that every day was no good; it was still a bit discouraging.
But she quickly cheered up, after all, Taro hadn't really done anything wrong, he was just telling the truth.
Her eyes locked onto Ichiri Goto, and then, as if suddenly remembering something, she asked, "How's Hitorin's guitar playing?"
"Eh? Little Dodo...?" Goto Ichiri was slightly taken aback before realizing that he was calling her.
"Ai②LingEr』〔d侕卄易「I?IILingBa2子's taste in names is really terrible~" MiaoMeng squinted and teased, "If it were me, I would absolutely not accept such a tasteless nickname."
"Eh~ I don't want to be said that by Nyanmu-chan! How does Dokudo feel?" Aine looked at her expectantly. Goto Ichiri looked very happy, and there was even a circle of blooming flowers around her: "Yes! I am Dokudo!"
Aiyin gave herself a nickname. Aiyin is a good person. I like Aiyin.
Miss Meow Dream was completely baffled as to how things had turned out this way. She'd been slapped in the face like that; was there something wrong with her taste? She refused to admit it, so she could only instinctively utter a single syllable.
"what?"
Chapter Twenty-Six: Oh no!?
In the basement of Wakaba Mutsumi's house, Wakaba Mutsumi was practicing his guitar as usual.
“Instead of this, Mumu, why don’t you help me think of a way to beat Taro?” Metathy complained.