Chapter 51: And So, Bocchi Lowered Her Head
"Is there a problem?"
Minami asked straightforwardly.
He wasn't exactly emotionally unintelligent. From earlier, he could tell that Nijika and the others standing behind him wasn't because his performance was terrible, but for some other reason.
"A problem..."
Nijika rubbed her temples. She had finally convinced herself.
Minami had only just picked up the guitar, yet he had already reached this level after such a short time.
Two hours!
Could geniuses really be this reckless with their talent?
She was somewhat astonished, but the reality was right in front of her, and she had no choice but to accept it.
With that thought, she lifted her head. "Minami, have you listened to other people play the guitar before? What do you think of your own level?"
"My level?"
Hearing Nijika's question, Minami raised an eyebrow. "I've only been practicing for two days, with a total of about two hours. What level could I possibly have? My playing is just a mess."
His words weren't false modesty—Minami never overestimated himself.
After all, it was the truth.
From picking up the guitar to practicing, if he counted today, he had played for only two or three hours in total.
Compared to Bocchi, who practiced five hours a day, his practice time wasn't even a fraction of hers.
In his opinion, calling his playing "a mess" was already being generous.
"Honestly, I'm very dissatisfied. I can't accept it."
Minami shook his head, sighed, and added.
Even with the simulator assisting him, and his incredible learning ability, his guitar playing still felt weak and lacking.
For someone who always strived for perfection, this was hard to accept.
But as soon as he finished speaking, he heard Nijika's incredulous voice.
"Y-You can't accept it?"
Nijika really couldn't hold it in anymore. She opened her mouth, staring at Minami, nearly choking on her breath.
At that moment, she truly felt like comparing herself to him would just be self-destructive.
"You've only practiced for two hours and already have this level of proficiency, and you're still not satisfied?"
Her cherry-pink lips trembled with frustration. "Kita-chan has been practicing for two or three months, and she's still not half as good as you!"
She was so anxious.
Though she wasn't even sure why she was anxious.
But the moment Minami said,
"I'm not particularly satisfied,"
she suddenly started to panic.
Are all talented people like this?
Already outstanding, yet still demanding more from themselves?
There has to be a limit to perfectionism!
"That's pretty normal, isn't it?"
Minami seemed completely unbothered by Nijika using Kita as an example.
"Kita-san not being as good as me is normal, Nijika-san. You shouldn't be surprised. After all, I'm a genius."
He said it so matter-of-factly, without a hint of arrogance or provocation—like it was simply the truth.
And the fact was, it
was
true.
With the simulator's assistance and his extraordinary learning ability, his life was already smooth sailing, and with such an extra boost, it was practically soaring.
Of course, Nijika didn't know any of this.
So when she heard Minami casually say,
"Because I'm a genius,"
she wordlessly pressed her pale hand against her forehead.
"...You... You're way more narcissistic than I expected."
So this was why Minami always carried that inexplicable confidence.
For someone who could
calmly
say,
"I'm a genius,"
without hesitation—
That level of
self-assurance
could
only
come from
bone-deep narcissism
.
"Uh... Manager-san, I don't think Minami-senpai is actually narcissistic."
"Huh?"
Ijichi Seika turned to Gotoh Hitori,
visibly surprised.
She hadn't expected
the quietest
member of Kessoku Band to
speak up
in Minami's defense.
And then, before she could even process that—
Kita Ikuyo
raised her hand too
.
"Yeah! I think Gotoh-san is right. Uh... Manager, I don't think Minami-senpai is narcissistic."
"???!"
Seika felt like the
entire world
had flipped upside down.
Gotoh standing up for Minami
was surprising enough
But now even
Kita
was backing him up?!
At
29 years old
, Seika was still
a little tsundere at heart
,
So this level of
"betrayal"
was hard to accept.
"Manager, Minami-senpai has always been first in our grade."
Kita, always one to
speak honestly
,
Appreciated
Seika sticking up for her,
But she also
valued the truth more
.
"Even in the most recent
national deviation score test
, Minami-senpai ranked
first in the entire country
..."
"So it's really not narcissism—he's just... actually a genius."
Placing
first in the entire nation
Among
over a million
high school juniors?
Even their
own school
had made a
congratulatory banner
just for him...
If that
wasn't genius
, then what
was
?
"Though...
"
"Saying it out loud like that does
make him sound
super narcissistic."
Yamada Ryo, propping up her
beautiful, sharp-featured
face with one hand,
Casually
added a cutting remark.
But
even she
, the
aloof and enigmatic bassist
,
Had to admit—
She
envied
Minami's ability
to learn anything
just by
watching it once
.
"If only I could compose songs as effortlessly as Minami does..."
"Alright, fine."
National
first place
in the
deviation score test
Out of over
a million
students?
That was
alien-level genius
.
After hearing this,
Minami's
insanely fast guitar progress
suddenly
made a lot more sense
to Seika.
But what
really caught her attention
Was
Gotoh Hitori's reaction.
She noticed something.
The usually shy, socially anxious girl who avoided eye contact with anyone...
Seemed strangely
proactive
when it came to Minami.
Just now, Bocchi had been the
first
to stand up and defend him.
That was something the usual Bocchi would
never
do.
Curious, Nijika leaned in.
"Bocchi?"
"Ah...? N-Nijika-san?"
Surprised by the sudden attention, Bocchi flinched and took a step back.
"You seem to understand Minami pretty well... Was he always this good at guitar?"
"Ah... Th-This..."
Bocchi hesitated, her gaze peeking out from under her bangs toward Minami. She mumbled softly, "I feel like... he should be even better."
"Hm? What did you say?"
Since her voice was too quiet, Nijika moved in closer.
"A-Ah! N-Nothing, nothing! I was just talking to myself!"
Panicked, Bocchi frantically waved her hands.
Once she managed to brush off Nijika's curiosity, she cautiously looked at Minami again.
For some reason...
She realized that Minami's guitar habits were
exactly
the same as the ones she had seen in her dream-like memories last night.
C-Could it be... Minami-senpai
also
has those memories?
N-No way... right?
That... That's
Minami-senpai
we're talking about... Someone like me...
No, I shouldn't overthink it.
Lacking the courage to ask, Bocchi timidly lowered her head, her delicate face hidden beneath her long bangs.
Edit: Made an oopsy earlier, sorry bout that gents!
For Advanced Chapters, 16+ ahead on my /Loverice929
Thanks to @Charlie Dalfall, @Ethan Farias, and @Insert Name.
I'll upload more chaps later