The song Hitori Gotoh chose to play was "Perfume," a piece that had been quite popular on short video platforms a few years ago.
Since the entire accompaniment of the song is performed using fingerstyle guitar, it's one of the staple practice pieces for many guitar enthusiasts.
"It sounds really good."
Ren Suzuki didn't know much about guitars, so maybe he wasn't qualified to judge her technical skill based on just this two-to-three-minute performance. But at the very least, he could confidently say whether it sounded pleasant or not.
Still, considering that Hitori Gotoh had over 30,000 subscribers on YouTube, her skill probably wasn't average by any means.
With that level of talent, she could easily not just earn her classmates' recognition, but probably become one of the most popular girls in school.
Yet this girl not only failed to communicate this properly, she even let herself spiral into all kinds of impossible, unrealistic fears...
…
Somehow, this was starting to make him a little angry.
What on earth does this girl think of her own appearance and talent?
If she really craves acknowledgment, then she needs to understand her own strengths and charm. That's the only way she'll ever escape her self-doubt.
This much, at least, was non-negotiable.
"I mean, Gotoh-san ... Hey, what are you doing?"
"Eh? N-Nothing!"
At that moment, Hitori Gotoh was quietly bowing reverently to a paper-wrapped bundle of fried chicken.
"I just… I saw something so sacred that I reacted instinctively."
"Just hurry up and eat already. Fried food only gets worse the longer you let it sit."
"B-But… you made this, Suzuki-kun! You woke up early just to cook this for me… it feels wrong to just eat it like it's no big deal."
"If you understand I made it just for you, then leaving it uneaten would actually be far more disrespectful to me."
Ren sighed helplessly.
"Or what, do you not trust my cooking? Or are you just not interested in it?"
"Of course not!"
"Then hurry up and eat it, and let me know what you think."
"...Okay."
Hesitantly, Hitori Gotoh picked up her chopsticks, her hands trembling as she nervously brought a piece of Ren's fried chicken to her mouth…
"It's so good!"
Her voice was almost in a daze.
"The outside is perfectly crispy, but the inside is so juicy… and the flavor is just right…"
"Glad you like it."
Hearing her glowing review, Ren finally relaxed a little.
"I seasoned it based on my own tastes, so I was a little worried you might not like it."
"No way! I could never dislike it!"
Hitori Gotoh shook her head vigorously, practically jumping to defend it.
"It's the best fried chicken I've ever had! No contest!"
"…You're exaggerating."
Even Ren's ears turned a little red under such enthusiastic praise.
Still, flustered or not, he hadn't forgotten what he wanted to say.
"Gotoh-san."
"Yes?"
"If you want more people to know and acknowledge you… would you be interested in joining a band?"
"…Eh?!"
Hitori Gotoh immediately sat up straight, her eyes usually hidden under her bangs now sparkling with an unmistakable light.
"Of course I'm interested! Actually, I've always wanted to join a band! But I never had any friends… and there's no light music club at our school… so I've just never had the chance…"
"…So you really have wanted this all along, huh."
Seeing how Hitori Gotoh had gotten all worked up again, Ren nodded thoughtfully.
"Got it. I'll go talk to them and see what I can arrange."
"Eh?! Suzuki-kun, you actually know people in a band?!"
The admiration in her eyes for Ren seemed to grow by several levels.
"As expected of Suzuki-kun! You can do things I could never even dream of!"
"Don't get too excited just yet. It's their band, after all the decision is entirely up to them. Plus, there are some business aspects involved, so I'll need to look into it carefully before I make any arrangements for you."
Ren explained calmly.
"At most, what I can do is help establish contact between you. Anything beyond that especially the technical side is probably beyond what I can help with."
"Just that is more than enough…"
As she spoke, Hitori Gotoh pressed her hands together in a gesture of sincere gratitude.
"Ahh… what a noble person you are… Not only did you make me the most delicious fried chicken, you're even willing to help me achieve my dream… I must now address you as Master Ren."
"…"
Since she'd opened up and revealed her secret, this girl's entire attitude had done a complete one-eighty.
Rather than simply becoming more honest, it was like she'd thrown all self-restraint out the window.
Despite always acting so timid on the surface, her inner world was surprisingly intense and wildly expressive.
"Ah, wait, I got a little carried away again… I'm sorry, Suzuki-kun… I accidentally showed you something gross…"
"…"
And just like that, she shrank right back into her shell.
Such wildly polarized mental states.
"By the way, why are you sneaking my fried chicken into your lunch bag?"
"Ugh… I was just thinking I should at least keep one piece as an offering to commemorate this…"
"Don't be ridiculous. If you want more, I'll make you more anytime. I didn't bring much to begin with so you wouldn't overeat, so just hurry up and finish it while it's still good."
"But I was planning to save a piece from each batch as a sacred relic…"
"Eat it."
"…Okay."
Reluctantly, Hitori Gotoh pulled out the piece she'd hidden in her lunch bag.
"Is it just me, or did Suzuki-kun start treating me a lot more casually after hearing me play guitar…"
"Probably because my mindset's changed."
Ren's expression was completely flat.
"I might've felt some sympathy for you when I thought you were all alone and helpless, but now that I know the truth, that sympathy's turned into frustration."
"???"
"Anyway, leave the band arrangements to me for now. I'll let you know as soon as I have an update… oh, right."
Suddenly, something else very important came to Ren's mind.
"This could have serious consequences, so it's probably not okay for me to decide everything on my own. Gotoh-san, if possible, could you give me your parents' contact information? I'd like to have a little chat with them."
"…Eh?"