Saturday morning.
The Goto family home, Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama City.
Today, an unusual atmosphere of tension filled the entire Goto household.
Inside the living room, Michiyo hummed cheerfully while carefully wiping down the expensive tea set she normally couldn’t bear to use.
Naoki sat stiffly on the sofa with a newspaper in his hands, though his eyes constantly drifted toward the entrance and he hadn’t even realized the newspaper was upside down.
Meanwhile, Futari lay on the floor drawing pictures while repeatedly glancing upstairs with sparkling curiosity written all over her face.
And upstairs, inside Goto Hitori’s bedroom…
“No no no!
Absolutely impossible!”
“How can I let Fujiwara san see a room like this?!
This is an Introvert nest!
It’s a ruin overflowing with mold and despair!”
“I need to tear down the posters!
I need to burn all this scrap paper!
I need to…
I need to bury myself alive!”
Bocchi chan was currently trapped somewhere between complete emotional breakdown and extreme excitement.
Wearing the pink dress specially chosen by Mrs.
Goto, she scrambled frantically around her room like a headless fly.
Just imagining that radiant, cool, and impossibly handsome Fujiwara Ai, someone who practically resembled a god in her eyes, stepping into this room made her feel unable to breathe while her heartbeat nearly exploded past two hundred.
“Big sister, what are you doing?”
Futari pushed open the door and peeked inside.
“Mama says the guest is almost here.”
“Eeeek!!!”
Bocchi released a tragic scream before immediately stuffing herself inside the closet, her one and only safe haven.
Downstairs.
The doorbell rang exactly on time.
Ding dong.
The crisp sound resembled the arrival of judgment day itself.
Inside the living room, Naoki abruptly stood up before straightening his collar and trying his best to maintain the dignity of a stern father.
“Cough cough…
they’re here.”
Meanwhile, Michiyo excitedly hurried toward the entrance before opening the door.
The door swung open.
Standing outside was a tall young man.
He wore a simple white casual shirt paired with dark trousers while carrying an exquisitely wrapped gift box in one hand.
Although he still wore a mask, the deep black eyes revealed beneath it together with that cool and almost otherworldly aura still caused even someone experienced like Michiyo to momentarily freeze.
“Hello.
I am Fujiwara Ai, Goto san’s friend.”
The boy removed his mask before bowing slightly.
The moment his full face appeared beneath the sunlight, Michiyo felt as though she had suddenly encountered the male lead from one of the idol dramas she watched during her youth.
No.
Even more refined and captivating than that.
That unique atmosphere blending youthful freshness with mature steadiness was simply unfair.
“Oh my!
So you’re Fujiwara kun!”
The smile on Michiyo’s face instantly brightened tenfold as she enthusiastically opened the door wider.
“Please come in, please come in!
Hitori talks about you every single day at home!”
“Excuse me for intruding.”
Fujiwara Ai politely stepped into the entrance before changing into slippers.
Even though this was his first time visiting, he displayed absolutely no awkwardness whatsoever.
Every movement carried calm elegance.
This was thanks to his powerful mental fortitude.
After entering the living room, Fujiwara Ai immediately noticed Naoki sitting upright on the sofa.
The moment Naoki saw Fujiwara Ai, all the intimidating speeches he had prepared instantly became lodged in his throat.
This kid…
is way too handsome, isn’t he?
And this aura…
He doesn’t resemble an ordinary student at all.
Instead, he looked more like some battle hardened artist.
As a former band guitarist himself, Naoki quickly noticed the thin calluses covering Fujiwara Ai’s left fingertips.
Those were the marks of one of their own.
“Hello, Uncle.”
Fujiwara Ai took the initiative to greet him before handing over the gift box.
“This is a small gift for you and Auntie.”
Naoki accepted the gift box and felt its surprising weight.
“Hmph.
Quite thoughtful.
Sit down.”
He pointed toward the sofa opposite him while trying his best to maintain his fatherly dignity.
“I heard…
you’re in a band?”
“No.
I only know a little guitar.”
Fujiwara Ai answered modestly.
“Only a little?”
Naoki raised an eyebrow.
During these past few days, his daughter’s guitar tone had clearly changed while practicing at home.
That thick, rich, and powerful distortion definitely wasn’t something Bocchi could dial in herself.
According to Bocchi, her “Master” had adjusted it for her.
At first, he assumed she was roleplaying some strange game again, but now it seemed…
“That new song she practiced recently.
Did you guide her with that too?”
“I wouldn’t call it guidance.”
Fujiwara Ai calmly replied.
“Goto san herself is very talented.
I only helped her find confidence.”
“Goto san?”
Naoki immediately caught onto the formality in that title.
So formal?
Could they actually not be dating?
But then what was up with his daughter’s completely lovestruck state and those secretly pinned photographs?
At that moment, Futari suddenly ran downstairs.
“Big brother is so handsome!”
Being a complete face con, Futari immediately rushed over the moment she saw Fujiwara Ai before hugging his leg tightly.
“Are you big sister’s boyfriend?”
The innocent question instantly detonated the atmosphere inside the living room like a bomb.
Michiyo covered her mouth while giggling.
Naoki’s expression instantly became complicated.
And Bocchi chan, who had just quietly begun sneaking downstairs, slipped the instant she heard those words.
Thump thump thump thump.
She rolled down the staircase like a tumbling gourd before finally landing directly at Fujiwara Ai’s feet in an unbelievably abstract pose.
The entire room instantly fell silent.
“Um…”
Bocchi chan slowly raised her head while trembling.
Two thick tear streaks covered her face while her hair resembled a bird’s nest.
“I…
I’m here to…
good morning, Fujiwara kun…”
Fujiwara Ai looked at the tearful Bocchi sprawled at his feet before helplessly sighing. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
Then he bent down and extended his hand toward her.
“Get up.”
Bocchi stared blankly at the hand stretched before her.
Slender.
Fair.
With distinct knuckles.
This was exactly the same hand she had fantasized about moments earlier as a “proposal hand.”
Trembling violently, she carefully placed her own hand into his.
However, the moment she stood up using his strength, her legs instantly gave out and she collapsed directly against Fujiwara Ai’s chest.
Fujiwara Ai steadily supported her arm.
“Wooow!”
Futari immediately let out an excited shout.
“Big sister’s face is totally red!
Like a monkey butt!”
“Futari!
Shut up!”
Bocchi chan nearly died from shame on the spot.
“Alright, alright, stop standing around.”
Michiyo smilingly stepped in to smooth things over before guiding everyone toward the sofa.
“Fujiwara kun, don’t be nervous.
Just treat this place like your own home.”
The next thirty minutes could technically be called a conversation.
But in reality, it resembled matchmaking more than interrogation.
Michiyo continuously asked Fujiwara Ai about his family situation, school performance, hobbies, and even directly asked what type of girls he liked.
Fujiwara Ai handled every question effortlessly.
His responses were polite, refined, and completely watertight while never exposing too much private information.
Especially regarding the topic of family, he merely mentioned that he was “currently living alone.”
Rather than raising suspicion, this only activated Michiyo’s maternal instincts and caused her to look at him even more affectionately.
Meanwhile, Naoki repeatedly attempted steering the conversation toward music.
“Fujiwara kun, which do you think is better, Gibson or Fender?”
“Each has different strengths.
Gibson sounds heavier and thicker, making it suitable for rock and metal.
Fender is brighter and clearer, making it more suitable for funk and blues.”
“However, for Goto san specifically, a Les Paul suits her explosive style better.”
“Oh?
You think so too?”
Naoki’s eyes immediately lit up as though he had encountered a kindred spirit.
Soon, the two began discussing everything from pickups and amplifiers to Britpop and heavy metal.
Naoki gradually realized that this young man’s musical literacy was terrifyingly high.
In some areas, he was even more professional than himself.
Slowly, his expression shifted from “scrutinizing the future son in law” into “appreciating a younger musician.”
As for Bocchi…
She spent the entire time curled into the sofa corner while clutching her teacup and lowering her head so far it nearly disappeared inside the cup itself.
Yet her ears stood perked up higher than anyone else’s.
‘Master is amazing…’
‘Even Papa has been completely conquered…’
‘And…
and he just praised my talent…’
‘Hehe…
hehehe…’
Her internal theater immediately began running wild again while pink bubbles floated around her.
“By the way, Hitori.”
Michiyo suddenly called her name.
“Since Fujiwara kun is here already, why don’t you bring him upstairs to look at your guitar?”
“Didn’t you always say you had questions you wanted to ask him?”
“Eh?!”
Bocchi violently snapped her head upward while staring at her mother in horror.
T To the room?!
That room covered in photographs and overflowing with weird things?
That place was forbidden territory!
It was Pandora’s Box itself!
“Is that alright?”
Unlike Bocchi, Fujiwara Ai didn’t think much about it.
He genuinely wanted to see Bocchi’s normal practice environment and perhaps help adjust her equipment while he was there.
“I…
I…
I…”
Bocchi stuttered endlessly before finally surrendering beneath Fujiwara Ai’s calm gaze.
“I…
it’s okay…”
She weakly answered while feeling like half her soul had already escaped her body.
The two stood up and headed upstairs.
Jimmy Han immediately wagged his tail and attempted following them but Futari quickly picked him up.
“You can’t go, Jimmy Han.
Big sister and Big brother are going to do embarrassing things, so we shouldn’t disturb them.”
Naoki nearly sprayed tea everywhere upon hearing this.
“Cough cough!
Futari!
Stop talking nonsense!”
Second floor.
Bocchi stood frozen in front of her bedroom door while gripping the doorknob without daring to turn it.
“Um…
Fujiwara san.”
She turned around while pressing herself against the door like someone preparing for execution.
“If…
if you see anything strange inside…
please forget it!
Or…
or you can just kill me afterward to keep it secret!”
Fujiwara Ai: “…”
Just what exactly was hidden inside this room?
Could there actually be a corpse inside?
“Open the door.”
He answered flatly.
Bocchi tightly shut her eyes before gritting her teeth and opening the door.
The room itself actually wasn’t messy.
Although there were many things inside, everything had been neatly organized.
Band posters covered the walls while sheet music and CDs piled up across the desk.
And directly in the most noticeable position on the closet door…
Hung a photograph.
It was a side profile shot of Fujiwara Ai playing guitar in the park that day.
Although the lighting was dim and the quality blurry, his lonely and focused atmosphere had been captured perfectly.
Bocchi was an adult.
Around the photograph were tiny pink heart stickers together with countless handwritten notes.
[Master is so handsome…]
[I want to become a guitar so he can hold me…]
[Is this…
a god?]
Fujiwara Ai: “…”
He silently stared at the closet. This story is hosted at g.com.
So these were the “strange things” she mentioned?
This wasn’t merely strange anymore.
This was public execution.
“Aaaaaah!!!”
Bocchi instantly screamed before lunging toward the closet in panic.
“You didn’t see anything!
You saw absolutely nothing!
This is…
this is all a hallucination!
There’s nothing there!”
She desperately tried tearing down the stickers, but the more she panicked, the messier everything became until she practically tangled herself up.
Fujiwara Ai slowly walked over.
He didn’t mock her.
Nor did he get angry.
Instead, he simply reached out and gently pressed down on her frantically moving hand.
“Stop tearing them.”
His voice was soft.
“The photo was taken nicely.”
Bocchi froze.
Slowly, she turned her head and looked toward Fujiwara Ai.
The boy quietly stared at the photograph.
There was no disgust inside his eyes.
Instead, there was even a faint trace of nostalgia.
That was indeed him.
The lonely version of himself still searching for belonging within this unfamiliar world.
“Goto.”
Fujiwara Ai turned toward her.
“Is this photo the reason you started calling me Master?”
“Um…”
Bocchi lowered her head while speaking softly.
“Because…
of that feeling.”
“That feeling of still being strong even while alone…
being able to create such amazing sounds despite loneliness…”
“I wanted…
to become someone like that too.”
“So…
Fujiwara san became my aspiration.”
“My hero.”
Guitar Hero.
That was Bocchi’s online identity.
Yet at this moment, she felt that title suited the boy standing before her far better.
Fujiwara Ai quietly looked at her.
Although the girl’s eyes constantly wandered nervously, the admiration and longing hidden inside them were undeniably genuine.
At that moment, he suddenly felt all his previous attempts at correcting her title had been unnecessary.
The title itself didn’t matter.
What mattered was that she understood that feeling.
“Sit down.”
Fujiwara Ai pointed toward the floor nearby.
Bocchi obediently sat down.
Fujiwara Ai then picked up the Gibson guitar leaning beside the bed before lightly checking the tuning.
“The neck is still slightly warped.”
He pulled a portable hex wrench from his pocket before skillfully adjusting it.
The room gradually became quiet.
Only the sounds of the tool turning and the breathing of the two people remained.
Sunlight streamed gently through the window while illuminating them both.
Bocchi silently watched Fujiwara Ai’s focused profile.
Watched his slender fingers dance across the guitar strings.
That intense heartbeat returned once more.
But this time, it no longer carried panic.
Instead, it brought unprecedented peace and sweetness.
‘As long as things stay like this…
it’s enough.’
‘As long as I can keep looking at him…
that’s enough.’
“Done.”
Ten minutes later, Fujiwara Ai placed the guitar down before handing it back to her.
“Try it.”
Bocchi accepted the guitar before lightly plucking a string.
The sound came out crisp, bright, and absolutely perfect.
“S So amazing!”
She looked upward in surprise and immediately met Fujiwara Ai’s faint smile.
That’s right.
He was smiling.
Although the corners of his mouth only lifted slightly, for Bocchi, who constantly observed him, it felt as unbelievable as the sun rising from the west.
“Fujiwara san…
smiled?”
She blankly muttered.
“You saw wrong.”
Fujiwara Ai immediately returned to his usual poker face.
However, he still reached out and gently patted Bocchi’s head once again.
“Practice properly.”
“At the next Comic Convention, don’t make me save you again.”
“Yes!
Master!”
This time, Bocchi shouted it exceptionally loudly without changing the title.
And this time…
Fujiwara Ai didn’t correct her.
At that exact moment, the bedroom door suddenly burst open.
Futari poked her head inside while carrying a plate of sliced watermelon.
“Big sister!
Big brother!
Eat some watermelon!”
Then she glanced toward the two of them.
Bocchi hugged her guitar while grinning foolishly, and Fujiwara Ai had only just withdrawn his hand from her head.
“They really were doing embarrassing things!”
Futari loudly announced.
“We were not!!!”
Bocchi’s tragic scream echoed throughout the entire Goto household.
Downstairs, Naoki and Michiyo exchanged glances before revealing relieved smiles.
“It seems the young people are getting along very well.”
“Yes.
Our Hitori has finally grown up.”
And upstairs, as Fujiwara Ai quietly watched this lively family, the sense of alienation he always carried inside himself seemed to melt slightly.
So this…
was daily life.
Although noisy…
It really wasn’t bad.