The Weight of the First Revenue
Izumi pulled a single bill from her pocket and handed it over.
Tae-il's eyes went wide.
"This is…."
Ayane peeked over from the side.
"Whoa! Tae-il, isn't this a 2,000-yen bill? Ayane's never seen one in real life before!"
The neatly coated 2,000-yen bill.
Unlike typical Japanese bills featuring people's faces, this one depicted the Shurei Gate of Shuri Castle in Okinawa. Since hardly anyone used it, unless you were a collector, people didn't bother keeping them—even if they had one, they'd just exchange it at the bank.
The only place it might see some use was Okinawa itself.
Even there, vending machines were infamous for rejecting them.
"Tae-il, why are they showing you a 2,000-yen bill?"
"Well, it's kinda complicated to explain…."
"What's complicated about it?"
Yahiro, chin propped on his hand, wore a nostalgic expression.
"Little miss. This here? It's the ticket price paid by our very first audience member, back when we were nobodies getting ignored. In other words, it's BARD's first official revenue."
"Your first revenue?"
"Yeah. We were all so moved, we even shed tears."
"Liar. The only one crying was you, Yahiro. You were laughing and crying about why it had to be 2,000 yen of all things."
"Give me a break at times like this, man!"
"Nope."
Izumi beamed and turned her head away sharply at Yahiro's outburst.
It was like watching an uncle flustered by his niece.
"Somehow… it's cute."
Yahiro freaked out at Tae-il's unwitting murmur.
"Hey! Don't say stuff like that or…!"
Emboldened by Tae-il's praise, Izumi pressed her index finger to her cheek.
"Izumi's actually cute, right?"
"Fuck! Has this bitch finally lost it!?"
Yahiro recoiled in horror and backed away.
Ayane, snapping to her senses late, grabbed Izumi.
"So that's it? Tae-il was Miss Izumi's first audience member?"
"Yep. Tae-il, our 0th gen #1 fan. We even saved spot #1 in the fan club just for you."
"Th-that's theft!?"
Ayane despaired at having her exclusive nickname stolen.
"Theft too…?"
Misinterpreting Ayane's anguished cry, Izumi tilted her head.
"Well, it's not exactly theft, but I do feel a bit sorry to the other fans. It's not official, right?"
"Pfft. It is official."
Izumi proudly pulled out her phone and showed their official homepage.
0th Gen #1 Fan: Anonymous
"No way, it's actually real…."
Tae-il's face flushed hot as he rubbed it down.
Yahiro, back before he knew it, sat with his arm slung over the chair back, keeping distance from Izumi.
"Think of it as our way of saying thanks. It might've been nothing to you, but that 2,000 yen gave us real strength."
They'd found salvation in the cheer from a kid who knew zilch about music.
Not empty words echoing hollowly from the boy, but actual cash—2,000 yen, no doubt a fortune to him—that empowered BARD.
"The spark of the millennium."
"The song that made us big came from the money you paid, so it's fitting, right?"
"So that's why the lyrics mention a 2,000-yen bill."
While Yahiro smirked slyly, Tae-il's face twisted in a complex mix of emotions upon hearing the backstory to a masterpiece.
Finally, he nodded solemnly.
"Um, when I get home today, I'll join for sure. The fan club."
"Awesome! The mysterious #1 fan finally reveals himself. Gotta hype it big on SNS soon."
"Akitora and NA.IN will love it too."
Tae-il turned from the excited pair and gazed at the coated 2,000-yen bill.
Creators always craved attention from others.
And that attention evolved into a hunger for recognition.
Tae-il was no different. He was just an ordinary guy—a wolf starved for interest, yearning for validation through his music.
"It… gave you strength, huh."
"Yeah. That's why I've kept it close ever since. I called you here today to express my gratitude."
"Th-that's why you shouldn't call me Tae-il! That's Ayane's privilege!"
"Why?"
"B-because…."
"Haha. Izumi's a bit oblivious. Sorry, little miss. She doesn't mean any harm."
"I know that!"
The voices gradually faded away.
When Tae-il came to, Yahiro and Izumi were gone, Ayane too—leaving him alone.
Thick darkness shrouded his vision.
In the blackness where he couldn't even make out his own form, Tae-il searched for Ayane.
"■■■? ■■?"
No voice came out.
Before the panicking Tae-il appeared an older version of himself, from his previous life.
Without preamble, he asked bluntly,
"Scared of what?"
His voice worked now.
Tae-il reached for his throat but got distracted by the 2,000-yen bill still in his hand.
"Don't overthink it. It's just a manga world, right? Worry all you want, you'll just end up a chuunibyou reject."
The past-life Tae-il approached the hesitant one, patting his shoulder with a wry smile.
He asked in a casual tone,
The past self nailed his conscience, urging him to stop hiding.
His not-yet-jaded conscience cried out in pain.
The ground flipped.
Sounds that had faded beyond hearing returned.
Ayane protesting to Izumi, Yahiro mediating, Izumi tilting her head in confusion—the world rushed back.
'Protagonist.'
The middle-school delusion he'd always dismissed now wrapped around him tightly.
Who wouldn't think that?
After an absurd possession and reincarnation, only one plotline came to mind.
'I'm this world's new protagonist.'
Tae-il had denied it. Brushed it off as nonsense.
That's why he'd obsessed over explaining the phenomenon too.
He was searching for reasons he wasn't the protagonist.
'Protagonist my ass. It's just self-indulgent delusion.'
Embarrassing.
His ears burned like when his parents found his secret notebook.
But the sparked flame showed no sign of dying down.
An unprecedented thirst welled up inside Tae-il.
I want that too.
I want to be famous.
I want recognition for my music.
I want to wield my talent like a protagonist, influencing countless people.
Just like he did for BARD. Like he did for Ayane.
Then, if he became hugely famous, he could shout it at his cousin—who'd made the same choice in this half-transmigrated life as in the last.
That his path wasn't wrong.
That he didn't need to despair like that.
That they could start again right now.
Click.
The gears of his conscience began to shift.
"Huh?"
Izumi, reaching to take the bill back, looked puzzled. Tae-il was gripping it tight, not letting go.
"Tae-il?"
"One promise."
"Kid. Look, even if we're close, private favors are…."
"Keep shining up there forever."
"Shining?"
Tae-il handed over the bill fully, then placed his hand atop it.
"Ah."
Izumi let out a soft gasp.
"Don't get forgotten by the masses. Don't cede your star spot to anyone else. Shine purely from the heavens as BARD. Become a band recognized not just in Japan, but across Asia—and the world."
Yahiro cut in, baffled.
"What, the world? You think we're gonna be the Beatles or something?"
"That'd be great."
He let out a hollow laugh at the bold remark.
"Kid. You don't know this scene yet…."
"I'll follow behind you."
"What?"
Yahiro stared blankly, speechless.
"You guys can do it."
Resolute determination shone from Tae-il.
He wasn't a star yet. Didn't even qualify.
In the nebula of countless starlights, he was invisible.
But like a Bok globule, he was greedily devouring dust and gas in the dense clouds, stockpiling the power to shine. That power would one day fuel a massive dust storm and nuclear fusion.
Someday, to be called a proudly newborn star from Earth.
His eyes sparkled like stars.
Five seconds.
Just five seconds of eye contact, and Yahiro pulled his hat low over his face.
"Hey, Izumi."
"Yeah?"
"I lose."
"Heh. Obviously."
He felt his heart race at the impudent challenge from a kid whose blood hadn't even fully dried.
At the same time, his chest thrilled at the thought of this boy chasing them.
Low presence?
That had been a slip.
"You're… gonna form a band?"
"Yes. Forming a band where I'll always be—that's been my dream."
Tae-il declared firmly.
Not 'my own' band, but one with me in it.
"I see."
Izumi nodded deeply in empathy.
'In my past life, what I did was more like a hobby circle than a real band.'
Sharing musical tastes with like-minded folks, practicing steadily, occasionally hitting a live stage. Win or lose, wash away the awkwardness with drinks after.
Past-life Tae-il had been content with that.
He'd feared stepping up from mere hobby territory.
The despair and downfall of his idol had traumatized him, breeding hesitation.
But now it was time to shake it off.
"Tae-il, that…."
As if vowing to himself, Tae-il pulled a notebook from his pocket.
"I've been composing songs nonstop. Thinking I'd use them if I ever formed a band someday."
But opportunity never came—not in his past life, nor this one.
Or rather, he hadn't seized it.
"Over ten years of tweaking, adding, repeating."
Now, he could close his eyes and the chords would float up automatically.
"But I've never shown them to anyone."
"That's…."
You'll never move forward like that.
Izumi gave him a pitying look.
Tae-il steadied his breath. He was still a frog in a well.
Even tracing BARD's footsteps was daunting.
The silver lining: he knew his flaws perfectly.
"I'm gonna flesh these out properly and upload to SoundSky and such."
Expose songs he'd hidden out of fear. Face judgment.
Obvious for a musician, but not for Tae-il—until now.
He clenched his molars.
"Not just talk. I'll act. I'll form a band."
His pupils churned like a stormy sea, hands gripping his knees trembling on the verge of collapse.
His gaze was on Izumi and Yahiro, but it was a declaration of war on himself.
No more running—he'd burned the bridges.
"So please, keep shining brilliantly until I climb up."
Shine so bright we can compete.
Finishing with a quavering voice, Tae-il bowed his head.
He couldn't face them straight.
Cold sweat drenched his nape.
They must think I'm arrogant, right?
He squeezed his eyes shut.
At the provocative vow from a rank amateur, Izumi smiled softly.
"Sounds good."
Tae-il's eyes flew open as he looked up.
"R-really?"
"Yahiro."
"What? It's tough, but not impossible. We've been thinking of evolving our sound anyway."
They couldn't stick to soft rock forever.
They'd built fame maximizing Izumi's vocals, but it was time to broaden their spectrum.
The members had pondered it silently but never voiced it—until this boy dragged it out.
What a little demon.
Maybe Izumi wasn't the only one enchanted.
The corner of Yahiro's mouth curled up slyly.
"But hey…."
"Gah!"
Yahiro jammed his fedora onto Tae-il's head.
Trained bassist strength pinned him as he struggled.
"We'll cruise along fine on our own. But you? Think you can hack it?"
Tae-il stopped thrashing.
A vile grin spread on Yahiro's face.
His meaning was clear.
We're already successful. But you? Can you even start?
Tae-il didn't break under the scorching provocation.
"I…."
He yanked the brim of the forced fedora with both hands.
Under the black brim, dark eyes gleamed.
"I will! No matter what!"