"Dun-dun!"
"Dun-dun!"
"Thump! Thump!"
With every climax of the song, the drum effects landed perfectly in sync, pushing the entire rhythm to its peak.
The powerful, intertwining music seemed to resonate with the very heartbeat of Kyoka's family, drawing them in completely.
"So… so amazing…"
Kyoka clutched her bass tightly, her eyes fixed on Kaminari Denki as he played with intense focus.
She wasn't sure if it was the sheer power of the music or the sight of him, head bowed, fingers dancing swiftly over the strings but at that moment, she felt an overwhelming admiration for her boyfriend.
His eyes, his posture, his presence, his music… Every detail was etched into her heart, crystal clear, as if captured in high-definition.
Meanwhile, unlike Kyoka's father, who was utterly immersed in the music, her mother's attention remained on Kyoka, watching her daughter's expression, the way she looked at Kaminari, and the emotions in her eyes.
"My husband once told me that the way I looked at him when he sang was like a fire burning brightly… That's… that's exactly how Kyoka looks now, isn't it?!"
At that moment, Kyoka's mother fully understood, there was no point in opposing them anymore. Then, her gaze shifted to Kaminari Denki.
And strangely… she found no reason to object.
No matter how she looked at them, these two children seemed like a perfect match.
If she were to oppose them now… wouldn't it be just like when others opposed her and her husband in the past?
"Since my own mother chose to trust me, support me, and bless me back then… I should do the same for Kyoka now!"
"Ding——Ding——"
As the final lingering notes faded, Kaminari's ten slender fingers came to a stop, and he slowly lifted his head.
"Pap-pap-pap-pap!"
"Pah, pah, pah, pah!"
The Jiro family clapped in unison, though their expressions varied, Kyoka's admiration was obvious, her father looked thrilled, while her mother was much quieter.
"Kaminari-kun, this piece is incredible. Truly incredible!"
Kyoka's father suddenly stood up, grabbed a yellow and black electric guitar from the wall, and plugged it into the amp.
"Dad, what are you…?"
Kyoka began to ask, but her father didn't answer. Instead, he turned to Kaminari with an eager expression.
"I've memorized the song. Let's play together?"
"What?! You memorized it after just one listen?!" Kaminari was stunned.
Even if he had once been the lead singer of a famous band, playing a song flawlessly after just one listen was absurd!
Just then, Kyoka tugged on Kaminari's sleeve shyly. He turned to her, puzzled.
"Um… my dad's Quirk is called 'Music Player.' He can remember every sound he's ever heard and process them freely, organizing, replaying, rewinding, saving, even deleting."
Kaminari blinked in shock, his mouth slightly open. But after a moment, he snapped back to reality.
"Wait, wait, hold on—if it's called 'Music Player,' then why can it only organize, replay, rewind, save, and delete?"
"Where's the actual 'play' function?!"
Hearing this, Kyoka's father chuckled and lifted the electric guitar in his hands.
"Isn't playing and singing music myself the best form of playback?"
"So, not just this song but also all your previous songs—'only my railgun,' 'Hero,' 'Braveheart,' 'Aim to Be a Pokémon Master,' 'Blue Bird'—I can play and sing them all!"
"Okay, Uncle, that's seriously impressive. What about you, Kyoka?" Kaminari asked with a wry smile.
"I've mostly memorized it, so I should be able to keep up."
Kaminari stared at the ceiling in exasperation before turning back to her.
"Are you a dual-Quirk user too? Do you have the same ability as your dad?"
"No."
This time, it was Kyoka's mother who answered. She stepped forward and explained,
"Kyoka only has one Quirk, she inherited mine, 100%."
"So she relies entirely on her natural talent for music. While she doesn't have the same ability as her father's Quirk, she can still memorize 80 to 90% of a song after hearing it just a few times."
Kaminari was speechless. This whole family is ridiculously musically gifted!
Finally, his gaze landed on Kyoka's mother.
"You… don't tell me you memorized the whole song and can play it too?"
"Huh? Me?"
Kyoka's mother chuckled, shaking her head.
"No, you're mistaken, I don't have that kind of ability. But…"
Just as Kaminari was about to sigh in relief, he heard that word again—"but"—and his breath hitched.
Wearing a sleeveless white shirt, a black skirt, and black stockings, Kyoka's mother casually walked toward the drum set in the back.
"But I think I've memorized all the drum beats, so Kaminari-kun, can you mute the drum effects on your pedal?"
"…"
Kaminari was at a loss for words.
After going in circles, it turned out that Kyoka was the bassist, her father was the guitarist, and her mother was the drummer?!
"Hey, if only this song had lyrics, I could be the lead singer too." Kyoka's father looked at the microphone in front of Kaminari with a hint of regret.
"If that were the case, we'd be a full band, vocals, guitar, bass, and drums!" Kaminari laughed.
"Hahahahahaha!"
The four of them exchanged looks before bursting into laughter.
For some reason, as Kaminari stood among the Jiro family, he didn't feel like an outsider at all.
The way they smiled at each other, it wasn't just camaraderie. It felt like family.
And the way he and Kyoka unconsciously gazed at each other… it resembled a newlywed couple still in their honeymoon phase—natural, full of warmth, and brimming with love.
"Alright then… the first-ever full-band performance officially begins!!"
Kaminari shouted with excitement as his fingers danced swiftly across the strings once more, reigniting the electrifying energy of the song.
This time, the music felt completely different from when he had played it alone.
Perhaps… because it wasn't just music anymore.
It carried something even more precious.
Family. Love. Friendship.
And the sight and sound of this moment, captured perfectly in Kyoka's mind would become a treasured memory for all four of them in the years to come.
Four people. Three emotions. Two hearts intertwined. One family.
***
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