Chapter 24.The First Verse

"Alright, everyone, I've got the finalized schedule for our book signing tour," Shota Inoue, better known as Nyx Everfall, announced as he scanned the paper in his hand.

His voice carried an effortless coolness, fitting for someone with a reputation for enigmatic stories and sharp charisma. "Day one, we're kicking things off at Tokyo Bay Health Center. Day two, Kiyokawa General Hospital. On the third day, Shinjuku West Medical Center. After that, Tokyo General Hospital, Seijiro Memorial Hospital, Nagisa Coastal Hospital, and finally, on the seventh day, Tokyo Medical Center." He paused, letting the words sink in before glancing over the rim of his glasses at the group.

"Looks like you'll be showcasing your talent at your brother's workplace, Ms. Midnight," Takeshi sneered, his tone laced with mockery. "I'd love to see you crash and burn."

Ayaka, known to fans as the mysterious Ms. Midnight, raised a brow, unfazed. "Did you forget we're in the same group, Takeshi? If I fail, you fail too," she countered with a sly smirk that cut through his arrogance like a blade.

"Tch…" Takeshi clenched his fists, his lips twitching with frustration. No matter how hard he tried, Ayaka's confidence was impenetrable.

Breaking the tension, Shota leaned casually against the wall. "So, what's the plan for our performances? Any suggestions?" His tone was light, but his sharp gaze darted between the two, clearly gauging their tempers.

Takeshi seized the moment. "How about a dance performance in pairs? Two guys, two girls. It's perfect." His grin reeked of mischief, aimed squarely at Ayaka.

"No," Ayaka replied flatly, her arms crossing with finality.

"Come on! People would love it! Imagine their favorite authors dancing. Especially you, Ms. Midnight, the queen of murders and mysteries," Takeshi taunted, leaning forward with an exaggerated flourish.

"Then dance by yourself," Ayaka snapped, her eyes narrowing.

"W-what?! You think you're so high and mighty!" Takeshi shot back, his voice rising as he stood to face her.

"You just want me to break character," she said, her voice calm but sharp. "Lucky for you, your character doesn't rely on being mysterious."

Takeshi's frustration boiled over. "People want to see that side of you! It'll make you even more famous!" He jabbed a finger toward her, his anger barely contained.

"Enough!" Akami Nakagawa, also known as Orion Solace, rose to her feet, her voice commanding and firm.

The room fell silent. "We're not here to fight. And honestly, dancing in a hospital feels... inappropriate."

"Agreed," Shota said smoothly, pushing off the wall. "How about roleplaying? We could bring some of our characters to life for the audience."

Ayaka frowned, shaking her head. "That would take too much preparation. We only have a week."

"What about forming a band?" Akami suggested thoughtfully, glancing around the group.

Takeshi scoffed, crossing his arms. "A band? Isn't that what everyone does? It's overdone."

Akami smiled knowingly. "Then we'll add a twist."

Her gaze landed on Ayaka, who immediately stiffened. "Why are you looking at me?" Ayaka asked, pointing to herself suspiciously.

"You're the queen of plot twists, after all," Shota said with a teasing grin. "You're bound to come up with something clever."

Ayaka sighed, crossing her arms as she thought hard. "Hmmm… I suppose we could serenade the doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers," she finally said. "They're the real heroes, after all."

Akami nodded approvingly. "Now that's an idea I can get behind."

"Oh, I've got it!" Shota said, his face lighting up with sudden inspiration. "For the chapter reading at Tokyo Medical Center, we'll invite patients as our special audience. And for the performance, we'll dedicate a song to the healthcare workers—something heartfelt to show our gratitude."

"That's… actually a great idea," Ayaka admitted, a hint of excitement creeping into her voice.

"Not bad," Takeshi muttered, grudgingly nodding his approval.

"Then it's settled," Akami declared with a smile. "We'll perform as a band. Now we just need a name, roles, and a song."

Shota grinned. "Why don't we write the song ourselves? I mean, we're all writers."

"For once, a good suggestion from you," Ayaka quipped, flashing Takeshi a thumbs-up.

"We'll finish the song today and start practicing tomorrow," Shota said decisively.

"But who's playing what?" Ayaka asked, tilting her head.

"I'll take the guitar," Takeshi volunteered confidently.

"I can handle the keyboard," Akami offered.

"And Shota can sing, right?" Takeshi added, looking at him expectantly.

Shota gave a casual shrug. "Fine, I'll sing."

"Then I'll write the lyrics!" Ayaka exclaimed.

"Uh, no. We're writing it together." Akami opposed firmly. "And you're singing too, Ayaka."

"Me?! I can't sing!" Ayaka protested, her eyes widening. "Shota already agreed to sing!"

"It'll be a duet." Akami said with a grin. "It'll add depth to the performance."

Ayaka groaned, realizing she had no way out. "Ugh… fine atleast it's better than dancing."

"I'll just grab my guitar from the quarters so we can get started." Takeshi said, already heading toward the door with a spring in his step.

Shota smirked, leaning against the edge of the table. "Wow, Takeshi, you didn't anticipate this moment your whole life, did you?" he teased, his voice dripping with playful sarcasm.

Takeshi paused at the door, glancing over his shoulder with a confident grin. "What can I say? I bring Josie everywhere I go."

The room fell silent for a beat. Akami blinked in disbelief, slowly turning her head toward Ayaka. Leaning in, she whispered with an incredulous tone, "Did he… just name his guitar Josie?"

Ayaka raised an eyebrow, her lips pressing together as she processed what she just heard. "I… guess?" she replied, her voice trailing upward as if the word itself was uncertain.

She tilted her head, clearly trying to make sense of the revelation.

"Josie..." Akami repeated under her breath, shaking her head in mild amusement. "Who names their guitar like it's their long-lost lover?"

Shota chuckled, pushing off the table. "Takeshi does, apparently..." he said, rolling his eyes. "I bet he serenades Josie when no one's looking. You know, whispering sweet nothings to her strings."

Ayaka couldn't help but laugh softly, covering her mouth to stifle the sound. "Well, at least he's… dedicated." she said diplomatically, though her tone carried a hint of dry humor.

Meanwhile, Takeshi's voice echoed faintly from the hallway. "I heard that!"

The trio exchanged quick glances before bursting into laughter.

------

Minutes later, Takeshi returned, proudly carrying his guitar as if it were some priceless artifact.

The guitar itself was sleek and polished, with an intricate floral design etched along the body. It was clear Takeshi had poured both time and affection into maintaining its flawless condition.

He placed it gently onto the table, cradling it like a treasure. "This..." he began, brushing his hand across the strings with a reverence that bordered on theatrical, "is Josie and she's going to blow your minds."

Shota raised a skeptical brow. "She better or we're sending her back to the quarters."

Akami suppressed a laugh but couldn't resist. "Do we… bow to her first? Or is she going to do an introduction speech herself?"

Takeshi shot them a withering look. "Laugh all you want, but Josie's about to carry this band to victory."

"Sure, Takeshi." Ayaka said with a faint smirk, sitting down and crossing her arms. "I'm sure Josie will win us an award someday."

Unfazed by their jabs, Takeshi strummed the guitar once, the rich, warm sound reverberating through the room.

The group's teasing came to a halt, their expressions shifting as they heard the pure tone.

"Okay, okay..." Shota admitted with a nod. "She's got a nice voice."

"Of course she does!" Takeshi said smugly, adjusting the tuning pegs with practice ease. "You don't name just any guitar Josie... She's special."

Akami leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "Alright, Mr. Guitar Whisperer, since you've hyped her up, let's hear what you've got. Impress us."

Takeshi grinned. "Patience, my dear Akami. Genius takes time."

As Takeshi began to play a few experimental chords, Ayaka glanced at Shota, lowering her voice. "I can't believe we're having a heartfelt moment with a guitar right now."

Shota chuckled softly, leaning in. "We should at least let the man have his romance. It's probably the most emotional connection he's got."

Ayaka stifled a laugh as Takeshi shot them a quick glare, clearly aware that they were still poking fun at him.

"Focus!" he barked, strumming a dramatic chord as if to command silence. "This is art in the making."

Akami clapped her hands lightly. "Fine, fine. Let's give Josie the stage. I'm curious to see what this 'art' sounds like."

As Takeshi dove into an impromptu melody, the teasing faded into genuine admiration.

The notes were smooth and deliberate, weaving a soundscape that filled the room with energy and emotion.

His fingers danced across the strings with precision, each note resonating with confidence.

Akami leaned back, visibly impressed. "Okay, that's… actually pretty good."

"I'll admit it." Shota said, his smirk softening. "Josie's got some talent."

Ayaka tilted her head, listening closely. "Maybe she'll carry the band and you, Takeshi."

"Ha! I knew you'd come around!' Takeshi replied, flashing a triumphant grin as he finished the riff. "Now, let's see what you bring to the table, Ayaka."

She crossed her arms, raising a brow. "I'm not duetting with your guitar if that's what you're asking."

"No need." Takeshi said smugly. "She's a soloist anyway."

"Unbelievable..." Ayaka muttered, shaking her head.

"Let's go write that song now, shall we?" Takeshi replied with full energy.

------

Hours of brainstorming, scribbling, and debating passed as the group poured their collective creativity into crafting the song.

The table was strewn with crumpled drafts, hastily scribbled notes, and coffee cups—testaments to their relentless effort.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they leaned back with a shared sense of accomplishment. The lyrics were complete, and the melody had been mapped out.

Takeshi tapped the body of his guitar with a satisfied smirk. "Alright, here it is. I mean, we only have my trusty Josie for now, but Akami's keyboard is arriving tomorrow. Let's try out the first verse. Shota, you're up."

Shota stretched lazily, cracking his neck as if to downplay the moment. "Got it." he replied coolly, though his eyes hinted at excitement.

Takeshi positioned his guitar, the strings glinting under the warm light, and began strumming. The soft, mellow chords filled the room, setting the mood with a gentle rhythm.

The melody felt like a calm heartbeat, steady and comforting.

Shota closed his eyes briefly, letting the music guide him before he began to sing, his voice low and rich:

"To our dear heroes;

You have fought so hard;

So hard, sometimes it leaves scars

As every day, you face war..."

The room fell silent as the final note hung in the air, lingering like a whispered promise.

Akami's head nodded along instinctively, her lips curling into a small smile. "That's actually… really good," she said, her tone genuine. "It's mellow, but it has this emotional pull. Catchy too."

"Well, of course!" Takeshi said, brushing his thumb against the strings with a smug expression. "It's up to Ayaka now to not mess it up when she sings her part." He glanced her way, his smirk deepening.

Ayaka's eyes narrowed, and though she met his gaze with confidence, a nervous energy swirled in her chest.

She could feel the weight of his challenge, and her hands instinctively curled into fists in her lap. "I know I can't sing, but I'll try my best!" she said firmly, though her voice betrayed a flicker of unease.