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V2 Chapter 27: Are You a Saiyan?
🕑 Added 2025-05-10 10:06:18 +0000 UTCIdiot, idiot, idiot, idiot...! (Baka, Baka, Baka, Baka...!)
He played the keyboard way too well! And he had the nerve to tell her he was just a beginner?
If he's a beginner, then what does that make me, someone who can't even read sheet music?! Just a total, hopeless idiot!
Chihaya Anon tightened her grip on the black guitar bag slung over her shoulder, quickening her pace again. Her long, vivid cherry blossom-pink hair fluttered behind her as she stormed off.
Her lips pressed into a pout. Her head was a mess.
Running away, again.
Just like before.
Back when she studied abroad in the UK, she couldn't communicate well with the students there. She couldn't adjust to the lifestyle. And because of that, just because of that... she came crawling back to Japan in less than a year like a lost dog.
She remembered boasting to her middle school friends before she left.
And now look at her.
It was beyond embarrassing.
She thought coming home, back to her turf would mean she was in control again. But when faced with difficulty, she fell back into the same habit: running away.
Run once, and you'll run again.
Her head dipped. Her steps gradually slowed.
"Anon!"
"Eh?!"
A sudden voice behind her made her turn reflexively.
Only to see Kazami Haru chasing after her, jet-black hair flying in the wind. The moment she realized, panic set in. She turned around and bolted.
W-Why's he chasing me?!
He had to know she was just running away, he had to.
He can't catch me!
If he did, he'd definitely ask why she left and she had made up that excuse so half-heartedly, she didn't even know what she'd say if he called her on it.
If he confronts me… I'll die of embarrassment!
"Stop chasing me! I told you, I've got something urgent!"
"Yeah right! Who would believe that?!"
Haru tore straight through her paper-thin excuse. Anon flushed red with embarrassment and frustration and broke into a full sprint.
This time she was serious about escaping.
Even with nearly ten kilos of electric guitar on her back, she moved like a beast on the battlefield.
"Why is she speeding up?!" Haru wiped sweat from his brow.
These guitarists had ridiculous stamina!
The last time he had to chase Bocchi, it nearly killed him but Anon, the ever-energetic normie, was even faster than Bōchi running in full panic mode!
Even Taki, who was a drummer and trained on stamina, probably couldn't keep up with her in a sprint!
Watching her figure get smaller in the distance, Haru gritted his teeth.
"You damn pink fluffball, stop running!"
"Who're you calling—"
Unexpectedly, that line hit the mark.
Anon came to a dead stop, turning to face him with her hands on her hips, furious.
Finally, he caught up.
Panting, Haru staggered to a halt beside her. That run nearly wiped him out—his Lv2 stamina stat barely gave him enough endurance to survive that sprint.
Even with a buff, he almost couldn't outrun this pink-haired menace.
Clack!
He reached out and gently grabbed Anon's slender, pale wrist.
Clearly to make sure she didn't take off again.
"What're you doing?!"
"I should be asking you! Why'd you bolt like that?"
Haru glanced around, chest still heaving. This pedestrian bridge looked way too familiar.
(TL Note: Not the pewdiepie one, the Kita moment one.)
How had he ended up following Anon here of all places? Something about this place just reeked of bad luck. And with Anon acting like this, things weren't going to get easier.
"I…"
She choked on her words.
"You ran away because you realized your guitar skills weren't good enough, and you couldn't read the sheet music, right?"
"Y-You…"
Anon's eyes widened. Haru had stripped her bare—figuratively, of course.
He hit every one of her insecurities without hesitation. It felt like she was standing in front of him totally exposed. No secrets. No dignity.
Her eyes reddened slightly with frustration, and she tried yanking her hand away.
Normally, Anon was a social butterfly. Even when classmates talked behind her back, she could handle it. She knew how to navigate gossip and relationships like a pro.
But when it came to someone like Haru, who confronted her directly, she'd immediately fold.
"So what if I did?! You chased me all the way here just to rub it in?!"
Her voice trembled, her tiny fang-like teeth bared defensively.
But the moment Haru grabbed her, her tone softened. To him, it made her seem even cuter than before.
"Do I really look like the kind of guy who'd mock someone like that?"
"Absolutely."
Anon glared. And Haru had no comeback for that.
Still, he hadn't forgotten why he chased her down. He raised his head, eyes locking with hers, voice firm.
"So what's your plan now?"
"You keep running like this, sooner or later everyone's gonna figure out how far behind you really are."
She didn't reply.
Truthfully, her plan was to rush home and practice on her own. To quietly level up before anyone noticed.
Because if she stayed like this, what kind of guitarist-vocalist would she be?
"Are you an ostrich or something?"
"Who're you calling an ostrich?!"
Head bowed, she couldn't argue back, so she just threw out a half-hearted rebuttal.
Seeing the frustration on her face, Haru sighed.
"Seriously… you're hopeless."
In MyGO, all five members mattered. If they didn't have Anon, the warm-hearted girl who cared about everyone—the band wouldn't last long.
So this wasn't just for himself. He had to think about Tomori too.
One way or another, he had to help this stubborn pink puff.
"The others can't see how much you're struggling. If you want to hold your head high, start putting in the work, today."
"Of course I know that…"
Anon pouted, cheeks puffed up like a steamed bun.
She knew. But what could she do?
Guitar wasn't something you could master overnight. Even if she went home right now, she wouldn't see results right away.
And besides, she couldn't even read sheet music.
"I'll teach you."
"…You'll teach me?"
She blinked, surprised.
She'd been angry at him for exposing her weaknesses. She never expected him to chase her this far just to help.
What would he get out of it?
Was she really that irresistible of a beautiful girl? Did he… like her?
"I know my way around guitar. 'Haruhikage' isn't that hard. As for reading music, I'll teach you the basics too."
"Stick with it, not on and off, and you'll see results in a week."
Haru raised a finger, staring directly into her eyes.
It might've sounded like a joke, but he was dead serious.
Anon wasn't dumb. In fact, she was sharp. She already had some foundation. If someone taught her music theory, she'd pick it up quickly.
"But I won't do it for free. You'll owe me some 'tuition.' Sound fair?"
She was prideful. Competitive. If he helped her without asking anything in return, she might've pushed him away, suspicious of his motives.
So instead, he asked for a small symbolic "fee", just enough to make it easier for her to accept the help.
But did he really think Chihaya Anon wouldn't see through that?
She, who once flawlessly navigated class cliques and social tension?
Of course she knew this was Haru's awkward way of giving them both an excuse to move forward.
And yet…
"Hmph. No."
She turned her head with a pout, still clearly annoyed.
One thing at a time, she hadn't forgotten Haru's earlier "betrayal."
Haru squinted slightly. He could tell she was just being stubborn now, but it meant she'd more or less accepted the offer.
"Suddenly got hungry~ I want a strawberry sundae with a matcha milkshake, and maybe a cream puff too and the latest Pokémon toys look super cute, so I want a kids' meal from KFC Fried Chicken~"
…Are you a Saiyan or something?!
"...Fine. I'll take you next time."
"Deal!"
As if afraid he might go back on his word, Chihaya Anon flashed a sly grin and grabbed the sleeve of his hoodie.
The anger from earlier had long since vanished from her adorable face.
Her lips curled ever so slightly into a smug, victorious smile—like the angry, fierce pinkhead from moments ago was an entirely different person.
Chihaya Anon glanced down at a message on her phone, then casually said, "No one's home today. Let's just go to my place."
"…Huh?"
"What do you mean huh? Didn't you say you'd teach me guitar?"
Acting nonchalant, Anon placed one hand on her hip and stared at him like it was only natural. Her pale pink hair shimmered like an art piece in the sunlight, gently hiding the blush that crept up her ears.
A soft crimson hue bloomed quietly at the tips of her ears.
…
And so… he really followed her.
Kazami Haru walked stiffly down a street he didn't recognize, glancing at the girl walking lightly ahead of him, this pink-haired beauty, and wondering what the heck he'd gotten himself into.
Sure, it was true the sooner they started "cramming," the better. But he hadn't expected her to instantly drag him to her house, just like that.
And she even made a point of saying no one else was home. How was he supposed to stay calm after that?
If Haru had been the kind of guy with bad intentions, he'd probably already be planning what to name their third child.
Bzz…
Just as his mind started wandering into dangerous territory, his phone vibrated in his pocket—a special buzz tone he'd set for Takamatsu Tomori.
While Anon wasn't looking, he pulled out his phone for a quick glance.
[Haru, is Anon-chan okay?]
[Should be fine now.]
He sent the reply and looked up, only to see that the pinkhead had suddenly stopped walking, raising an eyebrow as she glanced him up and down with a look that was hard to read.
"Haru-haru? Who're you texting?"
…What, are you my girlfriend or something?
He wanted to roll his eyes, but kept his expression perfectly neutral.
"Tomori. She asked about the keyboard."
"Huh? You just left it in the studio?"
Anon looked up in surprise, but when Haru glanced over, she immediately looked away and didn't bring it up again.
Maybe it was his imagination, but her mood seemed to brighten a little.
Following her lead, they soon arrived at a large standalone house.
The nameplate read: Chihaya.
The whole place looked expensive and classy, surrounded by neatly trimmed plants and flowers. A spacious balcony extended from the second floor, while the parking space below was wrapped in a soft curtain of greenery.
Haru liked plants. So, naturally, his first impression of the Chihaya residence was a good one.
"This is it. Come on in~"
Maybe it was because she was back on her home turf, but Anon seemed more relaxed now—no longer tense like before.
She led Haru straight upstairs to her room, opening the door without a second thought. No hesitation. No preparation.
So confident.
A lot of girls wouldn't let anyone into their room without frantically cleaning first—especially not a guy, but Haru's visit had been a surprise attack, yet her room was already spotless.
"Hmm."
Though it felt a bit rude, Haru couldn't help but glance around.
Anon came across as a trendy, flashy girl but her room was surprisingly warm and simple. Light wood tones, soft sunlight-colored lamps, tidy shelves. Not a thing out of place.
Totally unexpected.
"Don't go looking all over the place!"
Blushing slightly, Anon nervously twirled a lock of her cherry-colored hair between her fingers. She had just started to relax, but now tension returned to her posture.
The truth was, she was the nervous one.
This was her first time bringing a guy home and Kazami Haru was a healthy teenage boy.
Not to mention… he might actually like her. How was she not supposed to get nervous?
In Japan, when a girl invites a guy home alone... it usually means something else entirely.
"Alright, let's get started. First, I'll teach you basic music theory and how to read sheet music."
Oblivious to Anon's flushed cheeks, Haru pulled out a notebook and started prepping his mini-lesson. With her current condition, there wasn't a moment to waste.
Learning electric guitar on your own was way harder than people thought. Without guidance, the time and energy it took could be overwhelming.
Not to mention, if you wanted to play well, you needed a solid foundation.
Today's goal was simple: get her to understand basic music theory. If she couldn't read a score, how was she going to play?
"Got it~"
Anon knew now wasn't the time to get all shy. She scooted closer, listening intently as Haru carefully explained each concept.
They sat side by side at the small table in her room, with barely any space between their chairs. Close enough to feel each other's breath.
"..."
Anon's face stiffened a bit, unsure how to react, but she didn't move away.
She simply stared at his notebook as he wrote and drew, slowly getting swept up in his rhythm.
He's good.
What he was explaining wasn't so different from the tutorials you could find online, but hearing it from him, up close—it all clicked.
Each note, each concept, made sense when he explained it.
Before long, she found herself getting lost in his deep black eyes.
After about ten minutes of theory, Haru noticed she was zoning out a bit.
"You keeping up?"
"...Of course. It's easier than I expected!"
Anon casually pointed out a note on the score and repeated what she'd learned.
She'd gone from zero to understanding the basics in just a few minutes.
She wasn't lacking talent. Not at all.
But wow, she really had a punchable face right now.
Raising an eyebrow, she looked at him with the smuggest expression ever.
Even without saying a word, Haru could practically read her mind:
[Hurry up and praise me!]
That's what that face was screaming.
He stared at her blankly. She couldn't help but laugh.
Resting her chin on one hand, Anon sat quietly beside him, smiling faintly as she admired his handsome profile.
To avoid spacing out again, she occasionally glanced at the notes he'd written.
"Wanna do it now?"
"…What?"
Her sudden mumble confused him, but when he turned to ask, she was already pretending to be focused on the notebook again.
