A/N: I decided to make an original chapter! So soon?! I know it's kinda unusual. The thing is, I want Kita to hold the main spotlight next chapter. My thoughts were since Bocchi had an entire half an episode to her and Kita, this would be a good alternative. This way you also get to see more of what Y/n's like at school. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy!
Nijika: "Get up already!"
He's awoken by Nijika dragging him out of bed. He falls with a light thump.
Y/n: "I'm up! I'm up."
Nijika: "Geez. Why didn't you wake up sooner?"
Y/n: "Sorry, sorry. You know I'm not a morning person."
Nijika: "Honestly! Where would you be without, huh? You'd never be on time for school."
Y/n: "Hai, hai. I'd be nothing without you."
Nijika: "You really wouldn't."
Y/n: "I'll be ready in a moment."
Nijika: *She nods* "Good."
She turns around and heads for the door.
Nijika: "By the way, no breakfast today."
Y/n: "Why not?!"
Nijika: "There's nothing in the fridge."
Y/n: "Oh."
Nijika: "Forgot?"
Y/n: *He sighs* "Forgot. Let's get something on the way."
Nijika: "Already ahead of you."
She holds up Y/n's wallet.
Y/n: "Oi!"
Nijika: *She smiles* "Better get dressed quickly!"
She swiftly closes the door. Fast footsteps can be heard as they race down the stairs.
Y/n: I would end up paying either way, so oh well.
Knowing that his wallet is doomed no matter what, he takes his time getting dressed. His hair was particularly stubborn today. After ensuring he had everything he needed, he heads downstairs.
Nijika: "Took you long enough."
Y/n: "You're up too early!"
Nijika: "You're up too late."
And thus continues their eternal rivalry. Nijika does wake up early. She always makes it to Y/n's house dressed and prepared for school. By the time she arrives, Y/n is still sound asleep. So it's actually Y/n's fault for Nijika waking up so early.
Nijika: "You never complain when I'm here with breakfast."
Y/n: "Well..." Well, she's not wrong. But I don't want to admit that!
Nijika: *She smiles smugly* "Can't refute that, can you? Y~/N~Kun~"
Y/n: She's got me there. "Yeah, yeah. You're right."
Nijika: "Are you going to bring one of them today?"
She motions toward his guitar room.
Y/n: Hmm. Should I? "Nah, we won't have enough time."
Nijika: "What if Masamune-san brings his?"
Y/n: "Then I'll obviously bring one! Any competition is the best competition."
Nijika: "Well, I don't know about Masamune-san, but I think Ryo-"
Without another word, Y/n grabs Voodoo Child.
Y/n: "Today's the day! The challenge I've been waiting for finally finds me!"
Another day sitting behind glass for the rest of his instruments. While Y/n can play anything with strings. Though his favorite memories come from guitars, so he has a bias toward them.
Nijika: That's all it took? "Another day behind glass."
Y/n: "Everyone has their time. Theirs just isn't today."
Besides his core four, he has an assortment of strange and unique instruments. Too many to name, though.
Y/n: "Right, off we go."
Walking to school, they see their classmates talking in different groups. Just high school kids doing their usual. Nothing to worry about, they're just making their commute to school like everyone else. Though, a comment does catch Y/n's attention.
Female student: "Did you catch that gig at STARRY a few days ago?"
Male student: "The one with the mango box girl?"
Female student: "Yeah, that one!"
Y/n: Oh? Is Bocchi getting popular?
Female student: "They totally sucked!"
Hearing this, Y/n slumps a little.
Y/n: A-Ah... Any publicity is good publicity? They tried their best, but they certainly didn't play as a band.
He looks over to Nijika to see a similar expression.
Female student: "But I wouldn't mind catching another show. They were entertaining and the bartender was cute."
Y/n: We'll take that! Please come back anytime!
Nijika: At least they'll be back.
While the band didn't leave the greatest impression, at least STARRY was getting some recognition. Their journey is stopped by stalls full of fresh street food.
Nijika: "Wooah! What should I get today? Takoyaki? Dorayaki? Tamagoyaki? Ikayaki? One of each?!"
Y/n: "Oi, mooch. That's my money."
Nijika: *She smiles proudly* "It's my job as a mooch to ensure that I spend as much money as I please. I humbly accept my responsibilities proudly."
Y/n: "Not an ounce of shame."
He swiftly appears behind Nijika and squishes her stomach.
Y/n: "One of each, Niji-chan? Are you so sure about that? Maybe a salad would be better."
Nijika: "I-I just had a heavy breakfast! It'll disappear later today!"
Y/n: "We didn't even have anything for breakfast!"
A blue loner overhears their loud conversation while picking some breakfast from a nearby sidewalk.
Ryo: Mooch... That doesn't sound too bad. Oh well, I've already got enough for breakfast.
While the prospect of mooching off her friends is enticing, she already has a bounty of earthy delights. Back with the other two, they settled on dorayaki.
Nijika: "Fuwa~! They were so good!"
Y/n: *He nods* "They put everything into this."
Satisfied with today's offering, their walk continues.
Nijika: "What do you think about Bocchi-chan?"
Y/n: "As a musician or person?"
Nijika: "Both."
Y/n: "Musically, it's clear she's a gifted solo player. In a band? We still have a lot of improvements to make. That's kind of how I see her, too. Her anxiety is a problem. But we can work on that while improving as a band."
Nijika: "Mm. Couldn't have said it better myself."
At school, Y/n, Nijika, and Ryo are also classmates. That's how they originally met. Though, the school day isn't exactly interesting. It's more about the stray interactions between classes and lunchtime. So let's begin with the end of first period.
Ryo: "Y/n-san, can I borrow a pencil? My mechanical one ran out of lead."
Y/n: "Sure."
Little does he know, Ryo has alternate plans. While going through his bag to get one, Ryo takes the one he was previously using.
Y/n: "Ah, don't worry. I was getting you one."
Ryo: "I like this one better."
Y/n: "But that's a pen."
Ryo: "I like this one."
Her cheerful smile is hidden by the pen she stole. Her plan had worked out perfectly and she had successfully tricked Y/n.
Y/n: "Well... If you insist. Just remember to return it later."
Ryo simply nods her head in response.
Y/n: There goes my lucky pen.
When it comes to any sort of writing, he always prefers pens. He likes the danger of not being able to mess up with a pen. The fact that once you make a mistake, it's there forever. Even if you try and cover it up, the error is still there. To him, that's how life works. Your mistakes are permanent. You can try covering them up, but you'll either create a mess or they'll still be visible. There is no erasure to take away your past. Your only option is to move on and keep writing. In life, you move on from your problems and keep going. Though, he does have a pencil just in case someone asks him for one.
Y/n: Guess I'll use a pencil today.
Personal feelings aside, he uses a pencil today. Before heading to second period, Y/n wakes up Nijika. They switch classrooms to the chemistry room and second period goes on normally.
Chem Teacher: "Today we'll be working in groups of two. So find your best friend and prepare to experiment."
Naturally, this causes a problem for our trio. They want to partner with each other. There's a bit of a partner triangle. Nijika wants to partner with Y/n since he'll mess around with her. Y/n wants to partner with Ryo since she'll take the assignment seriously. Ryo wants to partner with Nijika since they know each other. A major problem arises when the order could also be reversed.
(A/n 1: So, what do you think of Y/n's design? It's a bit simplified here, so it's not exact. Because he doesn't comb his hair, it often looks like leaves are sticking out. His stem(ahoge) is about the size of Seika's Dorito. When I write these stories, I give every Y/n an individual name and design to help differentiate them. You don't have to imagine this when you think of Y/n. It is an insert, so feel free to imagine yourself instead. But for the sake of drawing, this will be what he looks like for future reference.)
(A/n 2: His initial/base design was inspired by how GeneralAtsu drew him. His hair was going to be flat and black. His ahoge was also going to look more like a question mark. Though, that was before I remembered his design details. I had mainly forgotten his hair color and highlights.)
(A/n 3: The final design was inspired by tangerines, random plants, and Xiao. After seeing a tangerine with a really big stem, I thought it'd be funny if his hair was similar. Then I thought it'd be fun if he had a serious case of bedhead since he's always sleeping in. Combine that with his jade-green hair, and boom, he's a plant boy now.)
When the orders are this indecisive, it's not easy trying to figure out who should work with who. Luckily, their problem is solved by an absent student. The three are allowed to work together as a trio. While they do goof off for half the class, they're able to get everything completed by the time the bell rings. Third person is physical education. Moving to the gym, their teacher stands in front of them with a stern expression.
P.E. Teacher: "Today we will be playing basketball. Boys against girls. Split into groups of five. After everyone gets a turn, we'll play tournament style. The best team gets out of tomorrow's mile."
In reality, the reward for winning wasn't that great. Whatever team wins probably has a basketball player or players. So running a mile is nothing to them. They'd probably want to run it for extra training or to show off. Nevertheless, they had to participate. The results of their playing? About what you'd expect. Y/n's team was eliminated in the first round. While he has dexterous hands and an athletic build, he's not an athlete. He's easily crushed by a team who regularly practices the sport. The winner, to no one's surprise, is a group comprised of students from the school's basketball team.
Nijika: "I thought we'd last a little longer."
Ryo: "I didn't."
Y/n: "Neither did I."
After changing, it's time to head back to homeroom for fourth period. There is no saving math. It's a boring class where you need to pay attention. If you look away for even a second, you'll the once number-based math replaced by ancient Babylon script. Math is brutal and declares war on the entire student body. It's up to students to complete each cruel thesis that's thrown their way. The reward is survival. The punishment? Remedial classes. No one wants extra school. Lunch approaches swiftly and saves them from their vicious course.
Y/n: "I..."
He did make a bento today, that's why his fridge was empty. He used what little he had to make lunch. But since Nijika said he had nothing in his fridge, she meant nothing to cook with, he forgot to take it out.
Y/n: "I forgot my bento box at home."
Nijika: "As forgetful as always." I forgot to remind him it was in there!
Y/n: *He looks over to the lunch lines* "You think they still have something?"
Nijika: "If you get in line now, they shou-"
The students disperse as the lunch lady puts down a sold-out sign.
Nijika: "Ah." I shouldn't have spoken.
Y/n: "Be right back."
He gets out of his seat and looks around. Students holding different food items wander back to their tables. He locates the three he needs to have a successful lunch.
Y/n: "Hey, you there."
The student in question looks back at him.
Student: "Yes?"
Y/n: "Ten thousand yen for that melon pan."
Student: "Deal!"
While most people would be skeptical of such a deal, they know Y/n's good for it. They make their exchange and part ways. Y/n slips the melon pan into his pocket and locates student two.
Y/n: "Big guy, three thousand for your onigiri."
Student: "Five thousand and we both walk away happy."
Y/n: Does he think I'm made of money? "Filling?"
Student: "Iberico pork."
Y/n: "It is... Acceptable."
They nod before completing their exchange. The last student sits by the window and watches outside. He's the holder of the mitarashi dango.
Y/n: "Hey boss, five thousand for them."
Student: "Buzz off. I'm hungry."
Y/n: "Ten thousand."
The student looks Y/n directly in the eyes and begins eating the dango.
Student: He really thinks just because he's rich he can have whatever he wants. "I'll sell you the sticks and packaging for fifty thousand."
Y/n: This guy... He turned down ten times the profit. For what? "Your loss." Two out of three. Not bad.
He returns to the others holding his bounty.
Y/n: "I secured lunch."
Nijika: "Sugoi."
Y/n: It's not much, but I picked purposefully filling things.
Ryo: Good thing I came prepared today.
While she doesn't have money for simple meals most of the time, her parents usually leave a bento for lunch.
Ryo: "I'd be willing to give you some of mine."
Y/n: "Really?!" Her parent's cooking is great despite the fact they run a hospital.
Ryo: "If you're willing to admit who the better bass player is."
Despite her best attempt to contain her mischievous smile, it sneaks out. She holds up a tamagoyaki to tantalize him.
Y/n: I am the best. "W-Well, you know I don't like lying."
Ryo: "Is that your final answer?"
Y/n: "You didn't say bass guitar! I am the best bass player here."
Ryo: "How disappointing."
To tease him further, she looks him in the eye as she slowly eats her tamagoyaki. She makes sure to maintain eye contact as she plucks out each eggy delight.
Y/n: This is the worst kind of torture! "You can be wicked when you want to be."
Ryo: *She blushes* "Y-You think so?"
Nijika: "Why are you getting flustered?"
Ryo: "I-I guess I'll let you have one."
True to her word, she grabs one piece of tamagoyaki and holds it in front of him.
Ryo: "Say ahhh."
Y/n: "I'd rather die."
Ryo: "You're no fun."
She places it on his last onigiri and continues eating her lunch.
Nijika: "Y/n-kun, I'll split some of my lunch with you."
Y/n: "An angel has surely descended on me! Praise be!"
Nijika: "I-It's not that serious."
After lunch is Y/n's favorite period. Fifth period is music class. The class where Y/n challenges everyone to whatever they're playing. He has a good win record against everyone, including the teachers.
Kokushibo: "Y/n! You! Me! Battle!"
Y/n: "Say less!"
Kokushibo Hikari, the school's top piano player. His talent has attracted many to his performances during special events. Rumor is that he has a scholarship lined up at a prestigious music academy. His greatest rival is our very own. If it has strings, Y/n plays it. That includes a piano. While Y/n isn't better than Kokushibo, they still enjoy the challenge.
Y/n: "This time I'll crush you under the weight of your own hubris!"
Kokushibo: "I'll flatten your resolve until there's nothing left!"
Y/n: "They won't be able to pick the pieces of your soul back together after this defeat!"
Kokushibo: "You'll never be able to show your face ever again after this!"
Y/n: "No one will acknowledge you ever again after when I'm through!"
With the excitement of their duel reaching its boiling point, Y/n starts off.
His masterful and refined playing brings the class to tears. Truly he is a jack-of-all-trades, master of anything he puts his mind to. He has the dedication and talent to back up his words.
Y/n: "There. Now admit your defeat and crawl into the back of everyone's memories!"
Kokushibo: "I will... Never be a memory."
They both know this is far from over. Kokushibo is truly a master of his craft. Y/n merely plays the piano, but Kokushibo was made by it. He's forged his skills with years of intense training.
To combat Y/n's slow-burning masterpiece, he brings a more energetic piece to motivate the crowd. There is no true victor. They are no enemies. They are rivals. But they lack any bitter or malicious intent. They get up from their seats and shake hands. It's a draw.
Nijika: "That was incredible!"
Y/n: "Kokushibo-sama always brings his best."
Kokushibo: "You never disappoint."
With their time left over, Y/n challenged Ryo. Y/n and Ryo are on equal grounds when it comes to playing the bass guitar. They played until the dismissal bell rang. Sixth period is their final period. English class. Y/n is highly proficient in English. He's close to native speaker level because of his father's teachings. While he prefers using Japanese, he's not against pretending to only know English to get out of situations. English class goes by quickly since it was just a review packet. Finishing off their school day, the trio heads to their lockers.
Y/n: "Man, today was fun."
Nijika: "Too bad tomorrow's test day."
Ryo: "The calm before the storm."
Y/n: "You got that right. I wish math didn't exist." I will go the rest of my life without seeing math that advanced.
Nijika: *She giggles* "That'd be a terrible thing. Math's here for a reason. Without it we-"
Brring. Her speech is interrupted by her phone going off.
Nijika: "Hm?"
She takes out her phone and reads her notification.
Nijika: "It's from Bocchi-chan."
She shows the others Bocchi's text.
Bocchi(Text): 'I'm sorry! Please come to work today blaring EDM and dancing around with energy drinks on hand!'
Nijika: *She looks over to Y/n* "What in the world."
Ryo: "Beats me."
Y/n: "Don't look at me. I don't even like energy drinks."
Nijika: "I don't know what she's meaning by this, but we should help her out."
Y/n: "Sure. We can swing by the convenience store on the way to STARRY."
While they're perplexed by Bocchi's sudden text, they decide to just go with it. Against Y/n's tastebuds, they buy two boxes of energy drinks. He has the others hold them since their mere sight makes him feel like his teeth are melting.
Y/n: "What's up with Bocchi? She'd never ask us to do something so social."
Ryo: "No clue."
Walking faster than the others, she happens to notice Bocchi around the corner.
Nijika: "Bocchi-chan! Your instructions were super weird, but I made Y/n-kun buy energy drinks like you asked!"
Opening her eyes, she notices there's someone right next to Bocchi. Someone they never thought they'd see again.
Nijika: "HUH?!"
As the others turn the corner, they stop in their tracks when they notice the terribly familiar face.
Nijika: "The runaway guitarist!"
A/n: There we go! A lot of firsts today. First original chapter, first chapter set in primarily in a school setting, first time you're getting to see Y/n, first reappearance of the runaway guitarist, and even the first edition of Y/n. So, how was it? I mean everything. Was this chapter a hit or miss? Would you be open to seeing more time at school? Or should I stick to only showing the band altogether? There might be a time I have to include a school scene to make up for the Bocchi-centric content. Slowly but surely I'm doing my best to make this story more original. But I want to make sure you guys are also enjoying what's being made. Feel free to lend me your thoughts. If you have nothing further, then that's all for now. Thanks for reading, Reader-san. -Kishimino-Sensei.