I asked him to be my pretend-boyfriend but after a while I fell for him, but I can't seem to admit that fact!

Akira-sama.

Finally, today was the live performance of “Inherit the Sound,” a year after the last one. It’s a shame I can’t go with Asai, but… I’ll be able to see Akira-sama anyway!

…Though again, it’s just as an audience and a celebrity.

Well… for now, I’ll put that aside and enjoy the concert to the fullest.

—Responding to Yuka’s request that we should do some shopping while we’re in the central district, we met up early.

“Hey, Itsuki! Thanks for inviting me today!”

“No problem, and thank you for coming even though I invited you out of the blue.”

“I couldn’t get any tickets, so I’m really grateful to your big sister!”

“Haha… Yuka, you’re really into ‘Inherit the Sound,’ aren’t you?”

“Well, that connection was the starting point… plus, their music is great, and Akira-sama is so cool.”

That connection she’s talking about is when we first met Akira-sama. It might have been about over a year ago.

It was back when Yuka and I came to watch a live performance, just like today. Though, back then, “Inherit the Sound” wasn’t famous; they were just one of the bands performing at the live house. And, to be honest, “Inherit the Sound” wasn’t even our main focus for going there.

However, it was their overwhelming performance that instantly captured my heart.

The guitar, vocals, bass, and drums, despite being just a three-member band, created such a powerful sound. Their ensemble was entwined in a mesmerizing, almost surreal manner, and Akira-sama’s clear voice, both strong and filled with sorrow, seized my heart and wouldn’t let go.

Well, just that wouldn’t be enough to make me fall for Akira-sama.

But, what happened next was the turning point.

The members of the band we were initially interested in started making aggressive advances towards Yuka and me, for reasons beyond me.

We declined their advances politely, as we had no such intentions… However, the members, who were drunk, turned forceful and came closer to us.

…I was scared.

While I have a strong personality, I know I wouldn’t stand a chance against a bigger and stronger guy than me.

In the midst of that fear, someone appeared with a heroic presence: it was Akira-sama.

“Hey, guys, it’s not cool to try and make a mess like that with the fans, you know?”

“What the hell? It’s none of your business, right? These girls came here for that reason too anyway.”

“Huh… is that so?”

It was impossible for that to be true, but… unable to voice my fear, I merely shook my head.

“It doesn’t seem like that’s the case.”

“Damn it, whatever. You’re annoying, so just get lost!”

Even though they continued with their violent intentions, Akira-sama brushed them off lightly and tried to peacefully defuse the situation by saying, “It’s dangerous. Stop it.”

However, because they were being too persistent, Akira-sama eventually took action and applied a joint lock to one guy.

“Hey, guys… would you mind if I beat you up until your face is unrecognizable if you continue?”

With a broad smile, he threatened them.

Finally, the other members of “Inherit the Sound,” who seemed like the heroic figures from the Three Kingdoms, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, appeared upon hearing the commotion. With their arrival, the situation was, thankfully, resolved.

Are you alright, Onee-san?”

“Y-Yes.”

A very cliché turn of events, but it was this incident that led me to… fall in love at first sight with Akira-sama.

By the way, at that time, I wasn’t aware of Akira-sama’s true identity, and I thought of him as just a passing guy who had helped us. I only found out that it was Akira-sama when Yuka told me on our way home.

…Someday, I’ll express my gratitude.

…Someday, I’ll convey my feelings, even if it’s just in my heart.

While I was lost in those thoughts… “Inherit the Sound” became famous in no time, and now they’re an unattainable presence to me.

By the way, Asai’s first name is also Akira.

If he fixes his hairstyle and stands tall, he’s not quite at Akira-sama’s level, but he’s definitely handsome enough.

Wait… why am I thinking about Asai at a time like this!?

“Speaking of which, Asai isn’t a fan of ‘Inherit the Sound,’ is he?”

“Huh?”

…Why is Yuka bringing up Asai now? We often talk about music with Asai, but we’ve never really delved into ‘Inherit the Sound.’

Maybe I’ve intentionally avoided the topic since I like Akira-sama, but… why?

Asai… seems like he’d really enjoy ‘Inherit the Sound’ and such.

“Well, I think he probably likes them to some extent, but we haven’t really talked much about ‘Inherit the Sound,’ to him, I guess.”