"Meet her?" Utari repeated with a tilt of his head. Then, his lips curved into an ebullient smile and he enthusiastically nodded his head. "I'd love to! Ah, but is this a good time? You said before that today was a bad day for her."

The woman placed a hand on her chin, expression pensive. "True, true. Guess I need to drag her out––"

"Mum?"

A soft and almost inaudible voice called out. It sounded so fleeting that Utari had almost missed it. He looked over to the set of stairs on his right and noticed a young girl there.

The woman turned around, a welcoming grin across her lips. "(Y/n)! Finally out of your room, huh?"

Gaze kept low, shoulders slouched, tired eyes, and fatigued movements; it was clear that the girl was having a difficult time being on par with her mother's high-spirited nature. The girl nodded sedately and her eyes happened to meet Utari's.

Her expression displayed a mix of puzzlement and discomfort. "...Should I come back later?"

The woman shook her head dismissively. She stood up and walked over to her daughter. "We're not being shy in this household. Come say hi and sit down, I'll prepare you something to eat."

Leaving no room for protest, the mother ushered her daughter forward and made her take a seat across Utari. The girl simply sighed quietly. Saying no to her mother was practically impossible.

When the woman disappeared off into the kitchen, the girl slowly met Utari's eyes. She managed a short greeting and a tired smile before her gaze dropped down to her legs. She didn't display any intentions of initiating further conversation with the boy.

Utari wasn't sure if he should speak or allow the silence to continue. It was clear that she didn't want to talk, however, he felt guilty for remaining silent when he knew she was in low spirits. He wanted to offer potential words of comfort or maybe start a lively conversation to take her mind off things. But, with such little context of her situation, he felt like it wouldn't be as effective.

"Hey, so..." Though her voice was very soft-spoken, Utari's attention was immediately captured by the sound of it. "Sorry if this comes across as rude, but who are you? The bakery should be closed by now so..."

"Oh, I'm not anyone special. Your mother was kind enough to let me in because I seemed lost." Well, that wasn't exactly the truth. But, it would be odd to suddenly say that it was because he was seen crying. "My name is Utari Kashi, what's yours?"

"Uhm, well. It's (L/n) (Y/n)."

Utari smiled. "It's nice to meet you!"

The girl did her best to return the boy's bright smile. "Yeah, though. I wish it was at a better time," she said ruefully.

"What do you mean?"

The girl looked as if she was going to explain before her posture slumped. She shook her head. "Don't worry about it."

Utari didn't want to pry, but he also didn't want to ignore her sad expression. The boy's mind searched for a means of comforting the girl before he landed on an idea.

"Hey, do you like the guitar?"

The girl gave him a confused look. "The guitar? Uhm, I think it sounds nice. I'm sorry, I'm not too invested in music."

Utari nodded before he presented his guitar case to (Y/n). He did so with such radiant proudness you'd think he was showing off a trophy. "Well, I'm basically obsessed with it," he said along with a giggle.

The girl laughed softly at his words. "Well, I think having a hobby that you're passionate about is good."

"Do you have any hobbies?"

At the question, (Y/n) paused and averted her gaze to the side, subtly grimacing. Utari looked at her in concern. Did he hit a sensitive topic? In an attempt to veer the conversation in another direction, he quickly suggested, "Want me to play a song?"

Catching onto what he was doing, her expression softened into one of gratitude. "That'll be nice."

Utari excitedly unzipped his guitar case and readied the instrument on his lap. However, suddenly, memories from earlier tonight resurfaced and he found himself hesitating as a pit of discomfort formed in his stomach.

"Are you okay?" the girl asked seeing how Utari had suddenly stopped.

"O-oh, uhm. Yeah, I'm okay," Utari stammered unconvincingly.

The girl's expression clearly showed that she didn't buy it for a second, it was basically a perfect mirror of her mother's unconvinced look.

"Did something happen?" she asked. "Oh, but you don't need to feel forced to tell me. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"It's alright, thank you for worrying," he said. "I had a performance earlier tonight. And, It didn't go so well." It was hard to not grimace at the memory.

"Was it important?"

Utari thought about it for a moment. "You can say that."

The girl remained quiet for a while. "I think our situations are kind of similar."

"Similar?"

(Y/n) nodded. "I also had something important today. It didn't end up going so great...Actually, that's an understatement, it was horrible. It didn't help the fact that it was also recorded for a program. Seriously, I had one job and I just––" She sighed heavily and buried her face in her palms. "I wish I was more competent."

A sympathetic look crossed Utari's countenance. "I...I'm sorry to hear that."

The girl uncovered her face. "Don't worry about it," she said, voice just above a whisper. "...Are you comfortable sharing your story?"

"It's kind of complicated," Utari replied. "When I performed, the response from the crowd was...something that really disheartened me. I know that I shouldn't let it get to me but, it did hurt." He laughed. "I must sound dramatic. But, singing is really all I do. It's all I really have and to have my performance rejected by the crowd like that..."

There was also the fact that his teacher, someone who he had greatly respected, had not only lied to him about the details of the performance, but also left him to be alone in an unfamiliar environment. A part of him still couldn't wrap his head around that. His teacher was the one who first complimented his voice, helped him begin playing the guitar, helped him have the courage to perform, and supported him the entire way. But, he couldn't use that as an excuse to overlook her actions.

"I think I can relate to you."

(Y/n)'s voice broke Utari out of his oppressive thoughts. His eyes fixated on her, wondering what she meant.

"For context, I'm talking about baking––actually, that might've been kind of obvious anyways. But, baking is really all I'm good for. It's the one thing I have going for me, and I can't even do it properly."

"I'm sure it was just a mistake," Utari said.

"Yeah, but..." The girl bit down on her lip. "I shouldn't have made that mistake."

Utari frowned at the girl's sorrowful expression. He looked at his guitar and lightly strummed the strings. The only means of comfort he could provide to her was a song.

Forget about earlier tonight. Didn't you sing because you wanted to help others?

"I think I'll be okay to play now," he said.

"You don't need to force yourself to. I'll be fine."

"I'm not forcing myself, don't worry," he reassured. "I promise."

The girl still seemed a little unsure, however, she gave him a slow nod and shifted her chair closer. Utari smiled at the gesture and he began playing his guitar. Immediately, his eyes looked over to (Y/n), gauging her reaction. Upon the sight of her look of intrigue, he felt his confidence gradually grow.

He continued to play and when he began to sing, he had to subdue the urge to chuckle at the girl's look of awe. She had unknowingly leaned in closer to hear the music better. An effusive and joyous energy danced around his finger tips as he played a simple upbeat song, a song that he composed through his own freedom. In this moment, Utari dismissed all the negative thoughts accumulated earlier tonight.

When the performance ended, Utari looked over to see that (Y/n) was momentarily stunned before she fluttered her eyes in realisation. With a smile, she clapped enthusiastically.

"That was amazing!" Her voice was more cheerful in comparison to before, but it still had a timid and gentle quality to it.

"I would have to agree."

Utari was startled at the sudden voice that interjected, it was (Y/n)'s mother. Utari's cheeks were suffused with a bashful shade of pink, he didn't expect her to also hear his singing.

"Do you take lessons?" (Y/n) asked.

"I don't. I just practice a lot."

"Wow. I can't even put it into words––you're just that good at singing."

"Aw, look at you two getting along." The woman laughed as she settled down the plates of food in her hands. "Welp, I prepped something for the both of you. You have no choice but to eat it as I'm leaving right about––now."

And, true to her words, the woman left the room before Utari and (Y/n) could say anything. The two of them exchanged glances before bursting into a fit of laughter.

"You know..." (Y/n) played around with her utensils. "There's something about your voice that's comforting."

Utari looked at her. "...Really?"

She nodded. "I feel a little better now. So, thank you."

With a wide smile, Utari replied, "Well, thank you for listening."



===



After chatting with (Y/n), Utari eventually explained his situation regarding to how he was lost and had no means of communication as well as ways of getting back home. (Y/n)'s mother, thankfully, didn't press him too much for details of how he ended up that way and she called his parents for him, in which he was extremely thankful for.

When his father arrived and questioned him, Utari was able to tiptoe around the more complicated information––anything involving his teacher––as to not provoke further questioning. He did feel guilty for lying, especially with how easily his father bought his cover story. But, his parents were already busy as it was. He didn't want to further trouble things.

Utari promised himself that he would get answers from his teacher as soon as possible and resolve the issue himself so that he didn't need to bother them.

And, that's where we are now; the next day after school.

Crossed arms, disinterest expression, and a distant demeanour; his teacher felt like an entirely different person at this point. Utari didn't know what to expect on their first encounter after last night, however, he didn't anticipate such coldness. It felt like he was the one in the wrong.

"Ikeda-sensei, why didn't you tell me the truth about the performance last night?"

It was a simple and straightforward question. And, despite the question being simple, Utari had to work up a massive amount of courage to ask it. Back then, he never would've imagined he would have such a conversation with his teacher where the atmosphere was so tense.

"Are you suggesting that it was my fault?"

Utari's eyes blinked in surprise by his teacher's harsh tone. "Wait, what? N-no, I'm just asking––"

"You were the one on the stage, Utari. And, you were the one who messed up the performance," she glowered, a disappointed look on her expression.

"That's not what I'm trying to talk about! I'm asking why you didn't tell me the truth about the performance. Then, I would've done a better job––"

"Oh, so because of me you were held back," his teacher spat. "I never expected you to be this type of student."

Wait, just where was this conversation going? This wasn't what Utari planned to discuss, in fact, he never wanted to bring up his performance during that night.

His short pause allowed his teacher an opportunity to continue taking control of the conversation.

"Though you've disappointed me, I'm willing to give you another shot."

Utari furrowed his eyebrows. "What?"

"You already know of this, but the student council is holding a performance. I already informed them that you'll be singing in it. It's taking place in a few weeks," his teacher explained. "Don't disappoint me like last night. That was terribly embarrassing for me."

Though he was overwhelmed with the idea of another performance already, he was determined to persist in getting the answer to his question. Quickly, he said, "I just wanted to know why you lied––"

"Lied?" his teacher repeated reproachfully. "That's a strong word. Are you going to discredit all the work I've done for you?"

"No! Of course not! I––"

"I don't want to hear it." She turned her back to him. "We're no longer discussing this."

Utari watched in disbelief as she walked away without another word. He wanted to call out to stop her, however, his shoulders slumped in defeat instead. A part of him felt like any further attempts would prove to be futile.

A part of Utari desperately hoped that his teacher had a reasonable explanation to justify her actions. He hoped that somehow she didn't mean any ill harm. However, judging from how that conversion went, any hope of that was immediately crumbled.

Just, why? Why did she do that?

With a despondent sigh, he began making his way home. The school was deserted by now so the air was silent and peaceful, causing Utari's mind to wander freely. His thoughts referred back to his teacher mentioning something along the lines of a performance.

That caused confliction to stir within Utari. The idea of a performance in front of a crowd only reminded Utari of what happened last night. However, if he doesn't show up, the students in his grade might begin to question him. He is well known for participating in every performance, after all.

Utari looked down at his hands and remembered the pleasant feeling of playing the guitar to (Y/n). He smiled to himself, he'd like to experience something like that again.

"I guess I'll perform," he said to himself.

After all, one bad incident doesn't reflect on his overall capability, right?

Nodding to himself, he buried the memories along with the unpleasant emotions associated with that incident. He'll keep performing, not because his teacher wanted him to, but because he chose to.



===



Today, the student council prepared a fundraiser event. And, in order to increase engagement, they organised a small performance to take place during lunch. Utari's one was first and he was allowed to leave class early to prepare himself. Currently, he was by the sink in the halls to freshen up.

A cool and refreshing feeling enveloped Utari's skin as she splashed a handful of water on his face. The boy let out a quiet sigh of content and he looked at his reflection.

The tips of his ink black locks dripped with water and his silvery blue eyes shone prominently against his dark hair colour. His appearance truly did resemble his mother; long eyelashes, a smile that seemed to light up his eyes, and a face on the prettier side.

"There's a performance during lunch, right?"

"Yeah, I think Utari-san is the first one."

Two voices suddenly interrupted the quiet air. And, at the mention of his name, Utari's body tensed. The voices sounded like they were closely approaching and the first thought that came to Utari's mind was to hide. He swiftly turned a corner and hid behind a wall.

He wasn't too surprised by this. Recently, more students were talking about him. He would catch his names being mentioned in whispers, however, he was never able to find out exactly what was being mentioned about him. Students would either notice him and stop their conversations or they would be talking at a volume hard for him to decipher the contents of the conversation.

Maybe that was why Utari chose to remain hidden behind the wall instead of walking to prepare for his performance. The inkling feelings of apprehension he has been feeling for the past few weeks left him desperate to find out what people were saying about him.

"Why is it always him? Can't they find someone else?"

"It's because he's good. Well, that's what people say anyway."

"If I'm being honest here, I think people are giving him too much credit."

"Right? I mean, I guess he has a pretty face. But, I think his songs are pretty forgettable."

"Oh! Actually, I heard something interesting. His teacher went through a lot of trouble to get him a performance in this crazy important place. Apparently he messed up badly."

"Well, duh. His singing may be praised here, but people wouldn't bat an eye at it in the real world."

"You have a point. Also, I heard he blamed his teacher for his mess up."

"Seriously? I never thought he'd be that arrogant. What a waste of an opportunity."

The conversation began drifting away and the voices grew fainter and fainter as the students walked off. Utari remained in silence, his nails unknowingly digging into the palms of his hands, feet rooted to the ground, and expression in a daze as he processed what he had just heard.

...Was this what everyone was saying about him?

Actually, when did word get out about his performance? Utari had never told anyone about the details. So, how did the students come to such a conclusion?

The boy took in a deep breath and shakily exhaled, trying to quell the urge to allow tears to prick his eyes and forcing himself in a state of equanimity. He had a performance in a few minutes, after all.

A performance, huh?

Insecurity began knocking on his conscious and Utari desperately tried to not let it in. He battled with that state of mind up until it was his time to perform. And, before he knew it, he was already on stage. Since it took place during lunch, there wasn't an immediate crowd waiting for him. He'd have to wait for a bit. So, Utari stood in front of his mic with his guitar in hand, and did just that.

Then, the sound of the bell and the clamorous excited chatter from students enmeshed loudly together and reverberated throughout the school. Students took notice of Utari's presence on stage, however, they simply walked by him and went over to a different direction.

Why was no one stopping by?

This wasn't Utari's first time performing during lunch. Usually, he would accumulate quite a substantial crowd before they were even finished setting up. Students would always look forward to his performances and his friends would always excitedly encourage more people to join the crowd.

Now that Utari thought of it. When he mentioned it to his friends, did they seem less enthusiastic than usual? Or were they always this way and he was just simply being paranoid?

Though, despite having no crowd Utari still had to start his performance. There were other performances scheduled after him and he couldn't hold them up. With hesitancy, he began to play his guitar and sing. Performing without a crowd was not only discouraging, but also uncomfortable.

Eventually, after some time, a few students gathered to see him perform and the crowd steadily increased. At the sight, Utari smiled in relief, however, that smile soon fell when Utari recognised some of the students to be the same ones from before who had gossiped about him prior to his performance.

That fact instilled hesitation into him and he suddenly halted his singing. The students looked at him in confusion, questioning why he stopped. But, the boy was able to compose himself quickly and continued his performance like usual. But, it didn't mean the discomfort had gone away.

All his mind could think of was the gossips that swirled around him, no matter how hard he tried to push those thoughts away, just one glance from the crowd of students caused an onslaught of doubt and uncertainty to oppress his mind.

And...Was it just him, or did everyone seem distracted?

Students were talking amongst each other and some simply stood there and paid attention elsewhere. For the ones who did have their attention fixed on Utari he couldn't help but feel like they were watching him with a critical eye. The more he played, the more desperate he became to please the crowd. Was his singing not compatible with the tune? Was the guitar too simple and boring? Did the melody of the song not please the students?

Was he actually not as good as he thought he was?

His performance quickly came to an end and scattered applause soon followed suit afterwards. The applauses felt ingenuine, the type a crowd would give for the sake of filling the silence after an end to a show. There were a few students Utari noticed came to watch towards the end of his song so they simply walked away after he was done.

Though it was incredibly difficult, Utari forced an effusive smile towards the crowd before thanking them for listening. He walked off stage. Typically this was where he would join the audience and watch the rest of the performances. However, this time he walked away into a different direction.

Utari didn't know where he was headed himself, he just wanted to get away. A part of him was fearful to face the students, afraid to hear their opinions. And, a selfish part of him didn't want to witness everyone paying more attention to the next performance than they did to his.

Utari was wandering around the school in a daze at this point and hadn't realised that he had entered an empty corridor. He didn't bother turning back and welcomed the silent and lonely air.

Then, he encountered the last person he wanted to see; his teacher. Utari had forgotten that the teacher's staff room was located close by.

"Oh, has your performance finished?" Ikeda glanced outside the window. "Hm, that's a large crowd. Was yours just as big?"

Utari winced at her words and remained silent, not displaying a spectacle of willingness to look outside the window. He didn't want to feel more disheartened than he already was.

"You can't really do much without my direction, huh?"

Confused, Utari looked at his teacher. "What do you mean?"

"I thought it was obvious. The moment I stopped lending you a hand in your performance, engagement from the students drastically dropped."

"Thats..." Utari paused and began considering his teacher's words seriously. Even if that was true, it doesn't discredit his abilities.

Right?

"Ikeda-sensei, how did students find out about my performance from a few weeks ago? I never told anyone and you're the only other person in this school who knows about it."

His teacher knitted her eyebrows together. "The performance was done in front of hundreds of people, not to mention it was from a reputable company. Of course word will eventually get out," she said. "You're far too naive."

"Naive? What does that have to do with anything? Actually, never mind. I'd like to stop talking about this please."

"That attitude isn't going to get you very far," his teacher said.

"Far? Far in what?" Utari asked. "Ikeda-Sensei, you've been acting differently these days."

"Differently? No, I've just realised that I've been too easy on you. That is all."

What? What did she mean by that? "Too easy on me? Did I do something wrong?"

"Something wrong? Isn't it obvious? What have the students been talking about lately?" She ignored Utari's grimace and continued. "Ichika-san is here today."

Utari's eyes widened. "Why?"

His teacher gave him a cold look before scoffing and averting her eyes. "If you paid more attention to your surroundings, you would know. The cause for the fundraiser event the student council is doing today, Ichika-san's agency has also worked closely with them. She was interested in the performances," she explained. "It was a pathetic sight seeing you perform with no audience."

"A pathetic sight?"

Both Utari and his teacher froze at the unexpected voice. Red hair and lips, a bewitching smile, and an attire that prominently displayed her wealth; speak of the devil, it was Ichika.

"I-Ichika-san?" It was clear his teacher didn't expect the woman's sudden appearance as well. The intimidation his teacher once had in her demeanour quickly slipped when Ichika made her appearance.

"Why do you seem so surprised?" Ichika asked. "You knew I was going to be here."

"Of course!" His teacher exclaimed. "I was just shocked we would be meeting again so soon."

"Is that so? Though, while coming here, I overheard some concerning things." Ichika's red eyes looked over to Utari. "I don't want to assume or misinterpret things, so may I have an explanation?"

Before Utari could debate whether or not she was asking him specifically to explain, his teacher had already spoken first.

"We were just discussing the performance! I was surprised he was able to still sing so well despite there being no audience," Ikeda frantically explained.

"Oh, I see. Then, what were you referring to when you mentioned a pathetic sight?"

"Th-that's..." His teacher was at a loss for words, a wobbly amiable smile struggling to stay on her lips as panic began crawling on her expression. Utari took her pause as an opportunity to speak up.

"Uhm, Ichika-san. Can I ask you something?"

The woman smiled and nodded. "Of course."

"It's about the performance a few weeks ago at your agency—" Utari didn't fail to notice the panicked look on his teacher's expression when he spoke. "—you gave that opportunity to my teacher, right? Why did you do that?"

"Well, it's pretty simple. One of my performers in my show cancelled on me and I needed someone to fill in the spot. I was planning on giving the opportunity to one of the trainees in my agency, however, I watched your performance and enjoyed it. So, I asked your teacher if you would be comfortable doing something that was quiet grand in such a short time span," she explained. "I was surprised when she agreed so quickly. I expected her to get back to me in at least a few days. But, she was very enthusiastic in saying that you'll be thrilled. I took her word for it. But..."

She looked at Utari's teacher. "Judging by the current situation, I'm guessing I shouldn't have?"

Ah, so that's what happened. There were many things he wanted to say. How he was given the wrong information, how he was left alone in an unfamiliar environment, how much that single night impacted his confidence, how he wasn't even dropped off at the right place.

But, would it really make a difference? The incident has already happened, what change would elicit if he were to say everything now? Would he just cause more trouble?

"Okay, I see." He smiled and politely bowed. "Thank you for telling me."

Utari didn't want to deal with this anymore. He simply wanted to forget everything that happened.

"Was the experience unpleasant?"

"Unpleasant?" Utari had to hold back a bitter laugh. "Well—"

"I would hate to think I was involved in putting you in an uncomfortable situation."

Utari shook his head. "It's okay! You don't need to worry about it." He put on his usual bright grin to make his act more convincing.

The woman raised an eyebrow and faced his teacher. "Was he given the proper details?"

"Of course!" she exclaimed. "Why are you accusing me?"

"Oh my, I never accused you, did I? I just asked a question," Ichika said, a satisfied look on her face at the teacher's flustered state. "I'm starting to see what's going on now."

"What? See what?"

The woman didn't address her question. "I wonder what you were trying to accomplish, Ikeda-san."

Utari remained silent the whole time. Honestly, he also wanted to know what his teacher was trying to accomplish as well. However, his thoughts were now more so directed towards the red haired woman.

Was she a good person? From an outsider's perspective, you'd assume she was. After all, she's currently defending him and she answered all his inquiries without hesitation. However, he was afraid to trust her too quickly. He didn't forget the fact that both his teacher and her left him alone during the night of the performance.

Since he was still in thought, the boy hadn't realised that Ichika had kneeled down in front of him. "Would you like another chance?"

Utari was already feeling uneasy at the idea. "Another chance?"

"The response from the audience must've been disheartening, I feel terrible knowing that you had to experience that at a venue I was in charge of. From the looks of it, you weren't properly informed of the details and, in turn, didn't adequately prepare, right?" she asked.

"For the next few months, I'll be holding weekly performances around this area. It's going to be something simple and casual, like a street performance. There's no pressure to partake in it. If you come, I'll allow you to perform. And, if you don't, then that's okay," she said. "Judging from how the conversation went, I'm assuming your teacher won't be finding you any more opportunities to perform."

"What? That's not true––"

"Are you still lying in such a situation?" Ichika's tone suddenly became strict. "Tell me, do you genuinely care about him or do you just care about his musical capabilities?"

Ikeda remained silent, struggling to get words out. Utari was surprised at how many times Ichika managed to make his teacher speechless. When he tried getting answers, he struggled to even get his own words out.

"Do you have an answer?" She gave him a patient smile. Her voice was now stripped of its strict tone and had dropped into a much gentler one.

"I..." Utari wasn't sure. At this point, just the mention of a performance was enough to cause him to feel nauseous. What if people simply just walked past him? And, since it's public, what if people openly express their distaste towards his music?

"I understand your hesitance." The woman reached into her handbag and took out a notepad. She scribbled something down, ripped out the piece of paper, and handed it to Utari. "Here are the details. Remember, I'm not pressuring you to come. However, I do hope you show up," she said. "Despite what you may think, I truly did mean it when I said I see potential in you."

Silently, Utari took the paper and nodded slowly. Ichika smiled and stood up. After sending a glance of disapproval to his teacher, she bidded Utari a friendly goodbye before making her way outside the building.

Once Ichika was out of sight, her friendly smile fell into one of satisfaction. She pushed her red locks back and began walking across the school. It was a lively school; students ran around, chatter overflowed the area, and conversations were found at every corner. And, she managed to overhear some parts of said conversations.

"That was bad timing, huh? A lot of the students were busy taking photos of the decorated wall and buying the special items the student council were selling to watch Utari-san's performance."

"Yeah! I feel bad, they should've made the performance start later. I wanted to see his singing!"

"I hope he doesn't take it the wrong way."

"Weren't there a few students who gossiped about him? I really wanted to hit them! But, I'll get in trouble."

"Right? The others were mainly talking about how they felt sorry that he messed up the important performance. The ones who talked bad about him suck!"

Ichika simply raised a curious eyebrow before she let out an amused hum. She wondered what kind of misunderstandings that will instil into Utari. From her guess, Ikeda was the one who probably spread the news of his performance around the school.

Ichika worked in the industry for many years. During her days when she struggled to work her way to the top, she had her fair encounter of both deceptive and terrible people.

Upon the first meeting with Ikeda, only a few minutes into their conversation and she could guess the type of character she was. Someone who wanted more than what they currently have. And, typically, Ichika would welcome that type of person in her industry. They were the most easily exploitable, after all.

However, Ikeda's attempt to manipulate Utari was laughable.

It was quite obvious why she did what she did. All this time, she was supporting Utari hoping for a chance that he'd become something more and she could get a fair share of her fame. But, she knew that Utari wasn't aiming for that, so she lied of the event details in order to ensure his presence there.

She even went out of her way to ask what kind of songs the audience preferred and got Utari to based his song off it, restricting his creative freedom by trying to appeal to the people. Ikeda was planning to make that night Utari's time to stand out, like a debut in a way.

Of course, that didn't end well. And, Ichika admitted, she did play a partial role in that outcome. The audience was confused not because Utari's singing was clumsily, but because they didn't expect him to perform in the first place. Before the show started, they were given a booklet of who will be performing and what to expect. They expected a well trained aspiring idol to put on a lively and engertic performance. Not an amateur with an acoustic guitar.

Ichika was the one who didn't bother changing the booklet. And, things went exactly like how she anticipated.

Unfortunately for the teacher, Utari didn't blow the audience away with his singing. Honestly, did she think it would be that simple?

But, the teacher did choose to go down another route; create insecurities, make him feel anxious, make it so that he believes that he can't do anything without relying on her. Since Utari's still young, it'll be easier to manipulate him. But, the teacher poorly executed it and it backfired. She ended up losing all the trust he had in her.

"Well, that's good for me," Ichika mused quietly to herself. "I'll just do the manipulation myself."



===



"Hey, Utari-san. Are you going to perform anytime soon?"

Ah, it was that question again.

Utari managed to hold back a tired sigh as he zipped up his bag and strapped it on his shoulders, ready to exit the classroom as school had ended. His group of friends were waiting by the door and he went ahead to join them.

He smiled at the friend who asked the question. "No, I don't think so."

It wasn't that Utari was actively avoiding a performance, it was just there wasn't an opportunity to do so. Honestly, he was completely fine with that. And, besides, whenever the brief idea of singing in front of a crowd appeared, he would instinctively grow apprehensive.

Even playing in front of his parents was hard at one point. Though Utari knew they would smile and applaud for him, a doubtful part of him whispered to him that they were only doing so because he was their son. The nights where he sang to himself was enough for him. There wasn't anyone to clap for him, but there also wasn't anyone to judge him. It was lonely, but it was safe.

"Eh, that's sad," one of his friends said. "Hey! Can you sing for us then?"

Utari tensed and he almost immediately blurted out no. Instead, he forced a cheerful laugh. "Maybe someday."

There were a few whines of protests, but his friends didn't force him into it. Utari was relieved at that, however, a small part of him did feel a little sad. Because, even if the thought of singing in front of others scared him, he did miss it.

"Oh, look over there. I think there's something going on." One of his friends pointed up ahead to a crowd of people.

Curious, Utari followed where they were gesturing to. It looked to be...

"A performance?" Utari mumbled to himself. "Wait..." His thoughts referred back to a few months ago when the red haired woman gave him the piece of paper. He recalled the details of it and his eyes widened when he remembered that this was the location of it.

Utari took a step back. "H-hey, maybe we should turn back––"

"Let's go check it out! I think someone is singing!"

"Yeah! Doesn't Utari-san like to watch performances?"

Before Utari could protest or attempt to change their minds, one of his friends had already grabbed him by the arm and led him towards the crowd whilst the others ran excitedly up ahead. After that, he couldn't find it in him to ruin their eagerness.

Since they were students, they were hidden amongst the adults. Utari was thankful for at least that, he didn't want Ichika to see him and misinterpret his presence. The boy looked up to the stage. It wasn't anything fancy. The platform wasn't any more than a few steps up and there was only simple decor around it. Ichika was right, it really was just a casual street performance.

After the singer ended their song, the crowd broke into a loud applause. Even his friend who came late into the song clapped vehemently. Utari looked around the crowd and back at the performer who bowed and smiled at the audience.

"Ah, these performances are always such a treat."

"Right? Who would've thought my mood could improve so much with music?"

"I can't wait for the next one!"

Whispers such as those floated amongst the crowd and Utari wordlessly listened in.

You also perform too, don't you? Why aren't you up there?

Utari looked up at the stage then to the ground.

Because, I'm afraid.

But, he couldn't deny that there was a part of him who longed to perform again. A part of him that wanted to see people smile because of his singing, that wanted to experience the great feeling of a loud round of applause again. On impulse, he began walking up ahead.

"Utari-san, where are you going?"

He looked back at his group of friends and a smile graced his lips.

"To perform."

Of course, his vague words were going to leave them confused. But, he didn't have any desire to explain. As he walked around to find Ichika, a war of conflicting thoughts raged in his head; one side immediately yelling at him to back out, telling him that his singing will ruin the pleasant atmosphere. And, another side that missed performance so much that he rationalised that it'll be fine.

As his eyes searched around for Ichika, someone tapped him on the shoulder from behind. Turning around, he almost flinched out of surprise to see that it was the exact person he was looking for.

"Well, this is a surprise. But, it's a nice one. You're here to perform, right?" Ichika looked over Utari's shoulders. "I'm guessing this was an impulsive decision? You don't have your guitar on you. That's alright, I have a spare."

The woman gestured to Utari to follow her and he did so quietly. He made this decision on an emotional impulse and now regret was slowly crawling back.

"Are you nervous?"

Utari paused, but displayed no signs of a response. However, his face displayed clear signs of discomfort. A thoughtful look reflected in Ichika's dark red eyes before she bent down to Utari's level.

"I understand how you feel," she said, voice gentle. "It's pretty easy for a few bad experiences to cloud a large collection of good ones, huh?"

Utari gave her a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"You feel anxious performing in front of a crowd, right? You're worried that the reception will be bad, or perhaps you're worried the crowd wouldn't acknowledge you at all."

"I..." Utari remained speechless. She wasn't necessarily wrong, however, her being right doesn't mean his confidence had suddenly come back.

"You've performed plenty of times before, right?" she asked. "How did those performances go?"

Utari thought back to the several times he performed prior to that fateful night. He remembered that one time where a boy with forest green eyes told Utari that his sister liked his music, he remembered that night when he sang to (Y/n).

...How could he forget all that so easily? Or was it his doubt in himself that purposefully buried those memories?

"I promise you, the same won't happen again."

Utari had a doubtful look. "How can you be so sure?"

Ichika smiled. "Who is the one here who has been working in the entertainment industry for several years?" she said, a string of playfulness attached to her tone. "Trust me on this."

Utari gave her an uncertain look. However, at her encouraging expression, he gave her a slow nod. She knew exactly how he felt. And, coupled with her expertise her words must have some merit, right?

He walked on the stage and noticed a spare guitar on the side. Picking it up, he quickly readied himself. His grey-blue eyes glanced at the crowd and he did his best to not wince at the amount of expectant eyes on him. He then also spotted his friends. They were surprised at first before they all broke into wide grins and gave him enthusiastic thumbs up while mouthing 'good luck!' Utari smiled appreciatively at the support.

He breifly glanced back at Ichika and she simply gave him an encouraging nod.

Taking in a slow breath, he calmed himself down. It'll be okay. You'll do just fine.

When he began playing, he was expecting an immediate negative reaction. However, such an outcome never came. Instead, people had smiles on their faces. And, to his shock, he could see the crowd growing larger. He could see people walk by before pausing and urging their friends to stop by and check out what was going on.

The sight instilled encouragement into Utari and he began playing with an enthusiastic smile. People didn't hate his performance, people were still watching him, no one was looking away. All eyes were on him, and all looks of awe were directed to his performance.

It all ended with a loud round of applause. Utari simply stood there in awe, how long has it been since he felt such relief?

He walked off the stage, mind still in a small daze. It was odd, just the simple validation from a crowd of people was able to melt away his doubts so easily.

Was that a good or bad thing?

"How was it?" Ichika asked.

Utari looked over to her with a face much brighter than before. "You were right. It wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be."

The woman chuckled. "What did I tell you? I'm pretty good when it comes to these things, after all," she said. "But, I must say, for an impulsive decision, you managed really well. I certainly have a good eye for talent. Say, What if I extended another opportunity?"

Utari gave her a perplexed look. "An opportunity?"

"To join my agency."

The boy was startled at the woman's words. His expression displayed uncertainty before, with a polite smile, he said, "Thank you for the offer, but I don't think I want to do something like that."

Ichika didn't seem to take any offense or appear disappointed at his words. Instead, she gave an understanding nod. "I see, I supposed that makes sense. But, it is a shame. What would you do after this?"

"What do you mean?"

"In terms of your music."

"Oh, uhm..." Utari took some time to contemplate her question. "I guess I'll just continue practicing?"

"Will you be having any other performances after this?"

"I think I'll just continue to join talent shows or do school performances."

"That's a good direction, but it can only get you so far." Ichika placed a hand on her chest. "I can help you reach your fullest potential. You said you wanted to make others smile, make people feel a sense of comfort in your music, right? Wouldn't it be great if you can spread that influence at a much larger scale?"

Utari didn't know how to respond. "I..."

"You know, the same thing could happen again if your abilities remain stagnant. What if people start to grow bored of your music? Didn't you see what happened at the night of my venue? Students and the public are easy to please, but there are others with much higher standards."

Utari's breath hitched when she mentioned the venue. Ichika noticed his discomfort and gave him a sympathetic smile.

"I'm sorry if that sounded harsh. I'm just truly concerned about what will happen to you in the future. If music is something you're talented in, wouldn't it be a waste to not pursue it further?"

Ichika's voice was eloquent and articulate, her tone carried a sense of assurance and confidence that would make you want to instantly pour all your trust in her just by hearing one sentence. Her gestures, her expressions, her speech; everything was delivered perfectly, perfectly to manipulate someone.

Her persuasive words were especially impactful on someone who was both young and inexperienced, someone like Utari. Not to mention, she managed to cleverly integrate various aspects that would elicit an emotional reaction out of the boy.

Utari doubted his abilities and he needed reassurance, he needed validation to remind himself whether he was good enough or not. This will make him especially conscious of what others say about him. Of course, since he's a child, that thought process can be easily cured if he was given the needed help and proper advice. Ichika knew that fact very well.

But, why do that when she can use it for herself?

The conversation was interrupted when Ichika noticed Utari's friends waving at him and excitedly beckoning him to come over.

"Seems like they want you over there," she commented. "Well, I won't hold you up. But, the offer still stands. Again, I promise you won't regret it."

Utari could only muster a hesitant nod before he went ahead and joined his friends, his mind spinning in both conflict and confusion.

"You didn't tell us about that performance!"

"Yeah! It was super cool. You totally looked like an idol."

An idol, huh? Utari managed a smile despite his entangled thoughts and convoluted state of mind. "Uhm, surprise?"

One of his friends playfully punched him on the shoulder. "Seriously! We were all so shocked! We all wanted to show off so badly to the audience that you were our friend."

Utari laughed, he wondered if his friends noticed the strain behind it. Yes, he was happy with the outcome of the performance. But, Ichika's words stayed in his mind.

Could he go further with his singing?

If he could do bigger things with his music, would his parents also be proud? If he could somehow generate income from singing, then will they be less busy? He never considered doing music as a career. But, this type of opportunity doesn't come to everyone, so would it be a waste to reject?

The feeling of being on a stage, being in the center of a million applause; that sense of validation seemed pleasant to Utari. And, the knowledge that his music can have a positive impact on people's lives seemed even better to him.

As he walked, mind blurring out the conversation his friends were having, he glanced by a glass door. He looked at his reflection and examined his features. Touching his black locks, he mumbled,

"I wonder what I'd look like with dyed hair."

A/n: Utari's backstory was planned to end in this chapter, but there's still more to write so the next one should be the final part to it!

How'd you guys find it? It was especially hard conveying Utari's state of mind. Welp, if I did a bad job, I'll be sure to learn from it. Things can't always be easy when it comes to writing, after all.