Yui Yuigahama stood between Kotomi Izumi and Yukino Yukinoshita, singing the final lines of "Duvet" as the guitar and piano played in harmony.

"I am falling, I am fading, I am drowning

Help me to breathe

I am hurting, I have lost it all

I am losing

Help me to breathe"

The final melody lingered in the air, slowly dissipating. Even though the song had ended, the emotions it evoked didn't vanish with the music.

Kotomi exhaled deeply, a satisfied smile on her face.

It was great—truly great.

Their ensemble—hers on guitar, Yui's vocals, Yukino's piano—though still a little rough as a first performance, left Kotomi feeling deeply content.

In this trio, not a single one of them could be missing!

Even though there wasn't much time left before the actual performance, Kotomi firmly believed that as long as the three of them stood on stage together, they would absolutely succeed! This first—and last—cultural festival performance would become one of their most perfect high school memories!

Originally, Kotomi had thought participating in the cultural festival performance would be a hassle. But now, she was thinking: Maybe choosing to take part, inviting Yukino and Yui to form a three-person band, and joining the cultural festival together—was the best decision she'd ever made!

"Kotomi, Yukino, your ensemble was amazing! Yukino, I missed a beat just now—thank you for slowing down and waiting for me."

Halfway through the song, inexperienced in vocal training and breathing techniques, Yui nearly missed her first high note. Thankfully, Yukino subtly paused, ever so slightly slowing the piano's tempo—just enough to help Yui reach that difficult note. From there, the rest of her vocals flowed smoothly.

"It was nothing. You have some natural talent for singing, but you haven't learned any proper techniques, nor how to control your breathing. I just used the piano to cue your entry into the first high note, and you figured out the rest on your own. All your transitions and high notes afterward were well done. I'll teach you some breathing methods for singing next time. You were clearly tired near the end—that's because you haven't learned how to breathe properly. Once you do, it'll be much easier, and your voice will be more stable."

Yukino offered her praise in a cool, matter-of-fact tone.

"Thank you, Yukino!"

"You're welcome." Yukino shook her head, then turned to Kotomi. "Kotomi, how much time do we have for our performance?"

"Twenty-five minutes, including setup and adjustment time. The act before us is the opera Othello, which will probably run long—at least an hour. So while they're performing, we can keep practicing in the second music room. About half an hour into their opera, we'll head backstage to prepare."

"Only twenty-five minutes? That's not much. Two songs should be just right for our stage time," Yukino offered her opinion.

Kotomi wholeheartedly agreed. In fact, when it came to choosing the number of songs, she and Yukino were completely in sync. Two songs in twenty-five minutes was the perfect balance.

Not only because of the time allotted for their stage performance—but also because there were less than two weeks left before the cultural festival. They'd have enough time to polish two songs, but if they tried for three... it might be cutting it too close.

Best to play it safe. Two songs it is!

"Then let's finalize which two songs we'll perform over the next few days!" Yui, brimming with newfound confidence after their ensemble, said with renewed enthusiasm.

Yukino Yukinoshita shook her head and gestured toward Kotomi. "This great composer here will be writing two songs over the next few days. We'll perform Kotomi's songs on stage."

"Really?! Kotomi can compose music too? Just how many hidden talents do you have that you haven't told us about?!"

Yui Yuigahama was completely stunned. The fact that Kotomi could play the guitar was surprising enough—but now, composing too?

Being a composer sounded like such a distant, professional career, and yet her secret crush, Kotomi Izumi, was one!

"Haha, I wouldn't go as far as calling myself a composer. I just know a bit about songwriting. Since we have the rare chance to perform, I thought it'd be meaningful to play songs I've written with you two," Kotomi said with a modest smile.

"I'll do my best to sing them well!" Yui nodded vigorously, eyes shining like an eager little puppy. She was already starting to imagine what kind of songs Kotomi might write.

Yukino quietly watched Kotomi and Yui interact. After a brief pause, she lowered her head again, staring at the black and white piano keys.

After Yukino finished teaching Yui some breathing techniques for singing, she had originally intended to keep the momentum going and play another song together. Unfortunately, Yui had to go pick up Yuka.

So their first ensemble rehearsal came to an end for today.

On her way home, Kotomi didn't forget to stop and buy a guitar.

She took a slight detour to a nearby music shop. On the way there, she opened the browser and searched: "How to choose a guitar that suits you."

The explanations were incredibly detailed. Unfortunately... Kotomi, who had spent most music classes dozing off, couldn't understand the technical terms at all—and was far too lazy to look them up one by one.

In the end, standing in front of the music shop, Kotomi decided to go with the same strategy she used in the second music room: just pick the one with the prettiest color.

Guitars in the same price range should be pretty similar... right?

"Welcome! Are you looking to purchase an instrument today?" A bespectacled female staff member with braided hair approached with a professional smile.

"Hi, I'd like to buy a guitar."

"A guitar? Please follow me."

The shop assistant led Kotomi to the guitar section and the corresponding accessories area. The display was dazzling. Looking at the countless items she'd never seen before—or had seen but couldn't name—Kotomi felt like tiny stars were spinning in her vision.

How was she supposed to choose? Were these accessories necessary? If she didn't buy them, would it cause issues when using the guitar?

Even though she had decided to choose a guitar based on color and style, Kotomi now stood frozen in front of the shelves, feeling unsure.

Because aside from the guitar itself, there were so many attachments she didn't recognize or understand—and they weren't cheap either. She couldn't decide: should she buy the accessories or not?

Kotomi stood before rows of shelves, scanning for a guitar she liked while also debating whether to buy any of the pricey accessories.

In her mind, the only guitar accessory she could recall was the guitar bag.

Ten minutes had passed, and she still hadn't found one she liked. The shop assistant, who had been patiently waiting nearby, assumed Kotomi was just struggling to decide between a few models and stepped forward with an encouraging smile. "If you're having trouble choosing, you can take down a few that catch your eye and try them out."

"Really?"

Kotomi asked in surprise. She had assumed that with instruments like these, you could only handle them after you'd decided to buy one. After all, the clearest and most obvious feature of these instruments was that each one was more expensive than the last.

Anything related to the arts usually came with a hefty price tag.

As far as she knew, guitars displayed on the shelves weren't to be touched casually. She hadn't expected that she could try them out first.

With one look, the shop assistant could tell the pale-haired girl in front of her, with her soft and refined features, was probably buying an instrument for the first time. Her clueless, newbie energy was practically whiter than her hair.

Thinking back to how Kotomi's eyes had been flitting nervously over the shelves earlier, the assistant could easily guess her thoughts: What are all these accessories called? What do they do? Why are they so expensive? Do I really need them?

The assistant herself specialized in guitar. She'd been playing since elementary school—and in the blink of an eye, had been strumming for nearly twenty years.

Seeing Kotomi reminded her of her own first guitar-buying experience in middle school. She had scrimped and saved for a year just to afford one, even wearing zip-pocket pants that day to keep her wallet extra secure. On the way to the music shop, she constantly checked to make sure the zipper hadn't opened and that the wallet was still there.

She remembered standing in front of the shelves, carefully selecting a model within her budget, and finally, with the help of the store owner, choosing the perfect guitar. That deep sigh of relief when she paid, as though filling a long-empty gap—she'd never forgotten it.

Looking at the snow-haired girl before her now, the assistant felt like she was seeing a reflection of her past self. Only... this girl was much prettier.

"Of course! These guitars are displayed here so customers can test them out. Once you pick the one you like, I'll grab a brand-new, unopened version from the warehouse," the shop assistant said with a smile.

Relieved, Kotomi turned her attention back to the guitars on the shelves.

Soon, her eyes landed on a guitar with a classic body shape made of mahogany wood—it immediately caught her attention.

"I want this one," Kotomi said, pointing to the guitar. She had already made up her mind.

Kotomi didn't really know if it was a good guitar or not, but its shape and color looked exactly like the one used by Yui Hirasawa in the second anime series she had loved: K-On!—Yui's beloved 'Gitah.'

With the power of K-On! faith backing her, was there even a need to hesitate?

This was the one. No question!

"The Gibson Les Paul Standard Plain Top? Nice choice, little miss. This model features a mahogany body and AA-grade maple top. It's a bit heavier than others, but the tone is soft, and the plucking sound is rich with detail. Are you sure about this one? Would you like to try it out before deciding?"

"No need. This is the one."

The same Kotomi who had been indecisive just moments ago now spoke with decisive clarity—enough to make one wonder if she had come here specifically for this guitar all along. Maybe she hadn't been confused at the shelves earlier—maybe she had just been searching for this one all along.

"Alright, we happen to have a brand-new one in the warehouse. I'll take you there. By the way, we're currently running a promotion—if you buy a guitar priced over 200,000 yen, you get a matching guitar bag for free."

"Eh? Over 200,000 yen?"

The free guitar bag offer didn't really catch Kotomi's attention—she was entirely focused on the number mentioned in the previous sentence. 200,000 yen?!

"Yes, this guitar is a classic model. It's priced at 250,000 yen."

Two hundred fifty thousand yen?!

The same model as Yui Hirasawa's guitar was that expensive?! Kotomi knew guitars were pricey, but she hadn't expected one to cost that much.

No wonder guitar players often came from well-off families. Forget about the lessons—just buying the instrument alone was a major expense.

Kotomi suddenly felt very fortunate that her parents hadn't enrolled her in any extracurricular classes when she was little. Otherwise, all the money they'd have spent over the years could probably pile up into a small mountain. And given how slow she had been at learning things back then, there was no guarantee she would have picked anything up properly.

She imagined a scene where young Kotomi, enrolled in guitar lessons, was fast asleep hugging a guitar taller than herself, drooling at the mouth, dreaming of delicious treats.

As a kid, she dreamed of food and new toys. Now, she dreamed of beauties and overnight wealth.

"We also have some entry-level guitars that are more beginner-friendly—and more affordable too," the shop assistant added. Since graduating high school, she had worked at this music store and, seeing Kotomi's expression, assumed the price was a bit much for her budget. She gently offered to show some less expensive beginner models.

She recognized Kotomi's school uniform as Sobu High's autumn-winter outfit. A high school student would have a hard time suddenly forking over 250,000 yen unless she had been saving up for it for a while.

Having once been in high school herself, the assistant understood completely and didn't feel disappointed about potentially missing out on a high-ticket sale.

"No need, this one's fine. I was just surprised to hear about the promotion. There weren't any posters about it on the door or walls," Kotomi said, shaking her head. While the price had indeed startled her, she could still afford it.

"That's because the promotion started at the beginning of the month. We had posters up for a few days, but they didn't really match the storefront, so we took them down. But the promotion's still active—buy any guitar over 200,000 yen before the end of the month and you get a free bag."

"But just to be sure—are you really going with this one? Honestly, back when I was in high school, I wouldn't have dared buy something this expensive without checking with my parents first," the assistant asked, still a bit concerned.

"I'm sure. My parents already approved," Kotomi nodded. Even though it was a bit expensive, she had made up her mind.

It wasn't the sound or build quality that drew her to the guitar—she hadn't even tried it out, nor did she know how to judge one. The reason she had firmly decided on this guitar was simple:

It was the same model as Yui Hirasawa's guitar from K-On!.

Faith. Sometimes, that alone was enough to justify impulse.

Even knowing it was overpriced, just the thought of owning the same model used by a beloved character was enough to grit her teeth and pay up.

Of course, rational spending is always best. Faith-based purchases should only be made when you can afford it on your own, without burdening your family, and when it doesn't affect your ability to eat well or live comfortably.

"Alright then, I'll take you to the warehouse."

The assistant didn't press further. After noting the model Kotomi wanted, she led her to the nearby warehouse.

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