Formation (5)
“Karaoke, huh…”
Sakuya lifted her head. She shaded her eyes from the blinding sunlight with one hand and gazed up at the top of the towering circular building. True to Japan, the entire structure was dedicated to karaoke.
“But isn’t this place super expensive?”
“It is expensive.” Iris placed both hands on her hips, puffing out her ample chest proudly like she was showing off a trophy. “Adults use it a lot for company dinners.”
“I can picture it…”
Tae-il gave an awkward smile, drawing from his past-life memories of being dragged to hostess bars or clubs for after-work drinks.
“Don’t worry, it’s not illegal or anything sketchy.”
“Really?”
Sakuya eyed Iris uncertainly. Even after coming up to Tokyo, the capital’s nightlife culture still felt off-putting to her at times.
“Miss, I need to step away for a quick report…”
“Go ahead.”
“Thank you. Which room will you be booking…?”
“The party room. You know where, right?”
“Yes. Enjoy your time.”
With Kiriko—the adult and de facto chaperone—stepping away briefly, the atmosphere grew even more awkward.
“Somehow, hanging out here without any grown-ups makes it feel like we’re sneaking off for some rebellion.”
“Rebellion? No way!” Iris shot back at Sakuya’s mutter. “This place is super famous around here! High schoolers use it all the time before it gets dark!”
She went on at suspicious length about the top-notch security that even celebrities frequented, emphasizing how the high price meant top-tier service. With that, Iris strode confidently into the building, as if daring the hesitant group to follow.
Tae-il, noticing the stares drawing toward them, glanced around and hurried everyone along.
“Let’s head in quick. We’re drawing eyes.”
“Shin and karaoke…”
“Oh, they said we can order as much food as we want here, Sakuya.”
“Rena, saying it like that makes me sound like a total glutton.”
“You are a glutton.”
“Urgh.”
Sakuya groaned, unable to deny it.
“Hurry up! Come on!”
The group followed Iris, who seemed right at home as she snagged the elevator. Once everyone was aboard, she firmly pressed the button for the 12th floor—just below the penthouse.
“12 floors up?”
“That’s where the party rooms are.”
“Whoa, basically the top floor…”
Even Ayane, no stranger to karaoke, had never tried a party room before. She’d heard rich kids on the internet raved about wild experiences like this. It was living up to the hype.
“But how much does an hour even cost here…?”
Iris smirked and smacked Tae-il on the back as he fretted over the price instead of the fun.
“Yeow!”
“Don’t worry about money and just have fun. Even at its priciest, it’s less than 10% of my allowance.”
“I’m starting to fear how much allowance you even get…”
“Hehe.”
As Tae-il rubbed his sore back, Iris hooked her arm through his.
“No backing out. You’re the one who suggested karaoke in the first place, Shin Tae-il.”
“Well, yeah, but…”
“So enjoy it. I’m just providing a chance for our band members to bond. Got it?”
“…Got it.”
“Great! Let’s party!”
Ding! The elevator doors slid open on the 12th floor right as Iris shouted.
Instead of a karaoke hallway, they were greeted by opulent corridors lit like a luxury hotel, complete with massive doors.
“FYI, there are only four rooms on this floor! All of them are two-story party suites!”
Iris’s voice echoed through the hall. No wonder it felt pricey for students—the midday party floor was eerily quiet, making the summer heat feel out of place.
“No matter how you slice it, this feels more like a hotel than karaoke…”
Ayane looked around the corridor in a mix of awe and dismay. The others nodded in silent agreement.
“You could basically call it a hotel.”
“For real?”
“Beyond just karaoke machines, party rooms come with beds, pools—everything you could want.”
“P-Pool!?”
“Ah…”
Tae-il panicked at the sudden mention of a pool.
“Iris, do they rent swimsuits here by any chance?”
“Doubt it.”
“Muuu. Such a shame…”
“Why are you even bummed about that…”
“It’s obvious—pervy girl thoughts.”
“W-What’s obvious!”
“Hmph.”
Iris brushed off Ayane’s regret, saying they could just dip their feet on a hot day.
“Swimsuit, huh…”
Sakuya, trailing at the back, thought of the high-leg competition swimsuit tucked in her bag. Tae-il’s reaction to the photo had been dramatic. She felt a brief urge to show him the real thing raw, but even she drew the line at wearing it here.
Room 1201. Iris swiped the card key like a pro, and the massive door swung open like a gym entrance.
Light flooded into the party room as the door parted.
“Whoa…”
Whose gasp was that? Probably everyone’s. Passing a marble shoe cabinet, luxurious furniture came into view right at the entrance.
Iris propped the door open and shrugged.
“No need to freak. I said it was a party room, right?”
“You act so cocky even though you’ve never used one.”
“I-I have used one!”
“When?”
“Wh-When I go karaoke alone…”
“Riiiight.”
Rena snickered at Iris and dragged Tae-il inside first.
“R-Rena?”
“What’re you all waiting for? Hurry up! Time’s wasting!”
“Rena! I paid for this! You can’t just barge in ahead of me!”
“Finders keepers.”
“Ahaha…”
The three bickered as they entered. Sakuya and Ayane lingered by the elevator, exchanging awkward glances.
“This bed is so fluffy!”
“Yeow! Rena! Even so, don’t just tackle me—gah!”
As the room grew lively, Ayane—worried about Tae-il—finally spoke up.
“Sakuraba.”
“Yeah?”
“Truce for today.”
“Ahaha!”
Ayane wasn’t hiding her dislike, but Sakuya was today’s star. It was her celebration, after all. And who knew—maybe this would be the spot where she officially joined the band.
The others might not know, but Ayane was aware Tae-il’s resolve to recruit Sakuya had been rock-solid from early on. It was an inevitable choice, but admitting it out loud was another matter.
“Thanks. Glad you said that.”
“Eek…!”
Sakuya extended a hand, signaling a plea for no hard feelings. If Ayane wasn’t hostile, she had no plans to push too hard. From her view, Ayane’s jealousy was still kinda cute.
Of course, the scene Ayane had witnessed last time—Sakuya might’ve gone a bit overboard without thinking.
She’d reflected on it. Full-body charges should’ve been saved for spots without kids like Ayane.
Ayane stared at Sakuya’s hand for a long moment… then smack—slapped it away.
“D-Don’t get the wrong idea! Ayane’s not accepting you!”
Ayane recoiled. Sakuya wasn’t a pushover like Yuuya. She couldn’t go full aggression like before.
But Ayane was consistent. She hated women flocking around Tae-il without realizing it herself. She alone was enough to appreciate his charms—no need for the world to catch on.
Whether Tae-il planned it or the world was screwing her over, the band was all girls. Iris had proven her worth with vocals alone—undeniable talent Ayane couldn’t argue against. It stung hearing Tae-il insist no one else could do it, but she got it.
Rena had shone brilliantly in no time. Blessing in disguise—half-forced in to check Iris, she’d quickly mastered drums, leaving Ayane conflicted.
Skill wasn’t bad, though. Objectively. Unfortunately, Ayane had no say over Rena.
Sakuya was different. Her athletic prowess was impressive, her popularity real. She’d boost the band’s visibility, sure.
But Ayane wondered: Did the final slot have to be Sakuya? Seeing reporters chase her today drove home her fame.
Still, Ayane didn’t buy popularity as the ultimate band metric. Rena outranked her in recognition already. Leveraging that would help more.
Plus, as Ayane feared, Sakuya’s joining could spark backlash from school staff. Fame meant smooth activities—pre-trouble from her was a red flag. Ayane still viewed her negatively.
Above all, Sakuraba hasn’t shown any musical talent yet.
Skill was king in a band. Pros proved it. Even pretty idols got mocked mishandling instruments onstage.
Ayane’s seen it.
A top Asian male idol—fan service piano bit—dropped his mic mid-performance while grabbing for it, exposing himself. Turned out it was all lip-sync. The clip spread despite fans, becoming a joke.
He wasn’t a band guy, so no career killer, but Ayane figured he was mortified.
Thick fandom saved him. Real band? Instant burial.
Japan let anyone try bands but judged harshly. Band hopefuls with gear got side-eyed for a reason.
Ayane fretted over the rough scene. She vowed: Once started, no burdening Tae-il.
That’s why she sidelined schoolwork for bass practice.
So. Until Sakuya proved guitar—or whatever—talent convincingly…
“Ayane will never accept you…!”
Not in a million years. Their distance wouldn’t shrink. Ayane’s view of Sakuya’s necessity wasn’t absolute like Iris’s.
“J-Just watch! If we jam, Ayane’ll show you the skill gap!”
Sakuya wouldn’t fold to this, but Ayane puffed up, leveraging her month’s head start in bravado.
She was glued to her growth. Lately, her progress stunned even Tae-il. Once fired up, she devoured new techniques with confidence. Tae-il swore she rivaled Rena’s pace.
“J-Just watch!”
Ayane jabbed a finger, glanced nervously, then bolted inside.
“Haha…”
Sakuya watched her back with a smirk.
“Fun.”
Guitar had intrigued her a bit before. Hearing Tae-il eyed her for it fueled her.
She’d binged YouTube clips in spare moments. Cool—no huge arm waves, yet rich sounds. And flashy techniques? Eye candy.
Flashy and cool. Enough to hook her.
“Band stuff ain’t bad.”
More fun material than volleyball, maybe. Plus, with Tae-il? Win-win.
Motivation surged—for other reasons too.
“Guitar, huh…”
How would it feel in her hands? Suppressing the urge to try ASAP, Sakuya entered the room.
[So.]
[That girl is using the party room right now?]
“Y-Yes! That’s correct, Master.”
Kiriko bowed repeatedly to thin air, tense as hell. A grown woman in a suit clutching her smartphone politely with both hands, bowing low—it looked kinda comical.
But she had no choice. Her caller was Iris’s father, Arisugawa Zenjiro.
“With… friends…”
[There’s a boy in the group, right?]
[How curious.]
The sound of Zenjiro stroking his signature rough beard came through. Kiriko swallowed hard from nerves.
[Band, huh…]
Zenjiro sighed, as if she still hadn’t ditched that pipe dream.
[Tch. I permitted it, so nothing to be done.]
“Wh-What does that mean…?”
[I won’t interfere until she graduates high school.]
That was the deal. Zenjiro intended to honor his promise to Iris, his beloved wife’s final gift.
Wh-What a relief…
Before Kiriko could exhale…
[However.]
“Y-Yes!”
[If it causes issues for her marriage prospects later, all bets are off.]
The Arisugawas were nobility. They dabbled in culture as investors. Direct family involvement? Traditional, refined, beneficial to Japan.
Not loud Western noise. Bands could dent Iris’s future matches. Especially with a Korean boy involved—Zenjiro hated it.
[Kiriko, was it?]
“Yes! Kise Kiriko, at your service, Master!”
[Report her every move from now on.]
[Direct to me—no Eishun middleman. Every detail around her, nothing missed. Understood?]
“Yes!”
[That’s all.]
Click. The call ended.
Kiriko clutched her chest in relief.
“Haaah!”
Eishun face-to-face? Manageable. Salary at stake, but no instant firing.
Zenjiro? One misstep, and you’re gone.
Just a sudden call—not even in person—shaved years off her life.
“This is insane…”
Eishun’s “EMERGENCY” text—two words—had her on edge. Gut said big trouble. Sure enough: direct from Zenjiro. Freaked her out.
“Sigh. What now with our miss…”
She knew Iris’s band passion. Watched it all up close.
Subbed for her at concerts and fanmeets—done every hardship.
“She wouldn’t run away… right?”
If so, fired for failing duty before any pay cut.
“Sigh.”
She trudged from the parking lot, glancing up at the building. Imagined Iris partying on 12.
Charming girls and one boy beside her. That boy was the issue.
Iris was soft with him—unlike any other peer. Unaware, but maybe already fallen.
Trouble brewing.
“Better scout new jobs…”
Tough market. Prep or bust. Kiriko shuffled back inside.
“Eh. Might as well milk it.”
Iris was treating big today. Unseemly for an adult? Whatever.
She’d treat herself on Iris’s dime for her troubles.
“Can’t resist snagging some miss cash.”
Felt right.