Chapter 46: Still Missing a Bass

Part One

“This pipa’s in the way—it’s stopping me from hugging little Cola tight!” Mahong Byakuya grumbles, pressing her cheek against Cola’s.

“It’s all sweaty…” Cola instinctively tilts her head back.

“Oh, right, almost forgot I’m back in Japan—things are more reserved here!”

“No, no, I don’t think even in the West they’d be that bold…”

“I was just the outgoing type over there.”

“Outgoing there, and a ‘social terrorist’ here…”

“Eh, what were those last words? A magic spell?”

“Chinese, just Chinese…”

“Wow, you speak Chinese? Ugh, my kanji grades in Japan were awful—so many strokes, I could never remember them. Why can’t Japan just switch to English letters?”

“Agreed… Forget kana hell, just make English the native language…”

“N-No way! That’s precious cultural heritage!” Liuli protests, her face flushing red.

“I support fully restoring kanji. The more kana, the worse the Westernization.” Yuki Matsuhisa nods seriously.

“Eh, t-that’s too extreme. Kana’s easier to learn. All kanji would tank literacy rates…”

“This isn’t an academic debate, guys…”

“Exactly! Our first practice was a huge success, so we should hug to celebrate!”

“No, no, let’s not…”

“Then cheek-to-cheek? Or… how about a bath together? Getting real builds team chemistry!”

“Eh?! N-No way!” Liuli shakes her head vigorously, every cell screaming refusal.

Knock, knock… click—
The door creaks open, and a young man in a staff uniform peeks in. “Time’s up. Need to extend?”

All three turn to Cola.

“Uh, let’s call it here. We’ll come back next time.”

“Phew…” Liuli visibly relaxes.

“Next time, we’ll practice hard! Goal: Budokan!”

“That’s a ridiculous goal…”

“Don’t bands always aim for that?”

“You’ve watched too many band anime. Making a living from a band is already a big deal.” Cola rolls her eyes. “Let’s… find somewhere to chill.”

“Cola, Cola!” Byakuya suddenly perks up.

“What?”

“Can you play bass?”

“Nope.”

“Learn it! The band needs a bassist!”

“…Agreed.” Yuki nods slightly.

“M-Maybe don’t push Cola too hard…”

“Bass isn’t something you pick up fast, and we don’t have a bassist to teach me. Lessons are too pricey…”

“I can teach you! No problem—any string instrument, I’ve got it! Bass is easy to start with. I’ll teach you sheet music too!”

“How’d you know I can’t read sheet music…” Cola’s eyelid twitches.

“Eh? You can’t? That’s surprising—you sing pretty well…”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Cola shakes her head, silver hair swaying.

“Let’s go buy a bass now!”

“I-Isn’t that too rushed?” Liuli asks nervously.

“The best time for anything is always now,” Cola and Byakuya say in unison.

“Hey, I knew Cola and I were kindred spirits!”

“I’m not that ‘socially terrifying’…” Cola smacks her lips. “Where do we even buy a bass?”

“There’s an instrument shop nearby,” Yuki says calmly.

“OK, let’s go!”

Part Two

The instrument shop’s entrance is plastered with colorful posters—3D bands, 2D characters, some marked “Same model sold here.”

“Whoa… they’ve got Mio Akiyama’s left-handed bass.” Cola scans the posters. “Yui’s guitar too… and other famous bands’ basses… Uh, can that jumble of English letters really be a name?”

“That’s Glitch Band. Their name’s just keyboard mashing, so it’s unreadable!”

“Seriously, a band that sloppy?”

“Um… Cola, this band performed at our venue…” Liuli points to a poster. “But you weren’t here then.”

“Oh, that keyboardist’s synth is worn like a guitar, and it’s tiny.”

“It’s a portable synthesizer~”

“…No drummers I like.” Yuki scans the posters, shaking her head disappointedly.

Cola’s not surprised—Yuki’s tastes are definitely niche.

“Let’s go in? I want new picks!”

“Pipa uses picks?”

“You can play with picks! Lots of techniques!”

For some reason, Cola imagines a wild scene.
Shaking it off, she steps into the shop.

It’s mainly for basses and guitars, with some keyboards. A drum set sits in the window, more for display.

“Welcome! Looking for instruments, accessories, or gear?”

“W-We’ll look ourselves…” Liuli stammers, hiding behind Cola.

“Any bass recommendations?” Byakuya asks confidently.

“Depends on your needs. For beginners, I suggest this one—affordable and solid.”

Cola follows the clerk’s gesture to a plain milky-white bass. It’s… fine.
Then she checks the price—
Over 60,000 yen.
The cheapest in sight. Others start at 100,000…

Her heart sinks.
“M-Maybe we should hit a secondhand shop. I saw one for like 20,000 yen…”

“Y-Yeah… cheaper’s better for beginners…” Liuli agrees.

“…Rainbow drumsticks over there.” Yuki’s attention is elsewhere.

“Haha, secondhand’s cheap, but issues pile up. If you can’t fix them, it’s tough for beginners. You might not notice tuning problems, and practicing on a bad instrument makes you worse,” the clerk says, clearly practiced.

“I agree! Buy new—it’s all yours, fresh. Instruments are soulmates! Pick one that lasts, one you won’t break easily!” Byakuya nods enthusiastically.

The clerk’s smile deepens, thrilled for support. “Exactly! Beginners can’t skimp on their first instrument. Choose a new one to build a strong foundation.”

“Uh… so the cheapest one’s no good?”

“Under 100,000 yen, I recommend this bass. It’s cheap because it’s on sale! Comes with a maintenance package and a detailed manual for easy care. This bass is…”

The clerk’s spiel goes on, listing perks. Even Liuli, not buying, is swayed.

“Uh… what about this one?” Cola’s distracted, eyeing a red-and-black bass.

“Another beginner model, rare color. Standard black’s 90,000 yen…”

“But it’s cool.”

“Y-Yeah, it’s awesome… perfect for Cola!” Liuli gets her vibe.

“30,000 yen could buy other gear,” Yuki shakes her head.

“Buy what you love! You’ll cherish a loved instrument, practice hard, not let it down!” Byakuya’s the perfect hype woman, pushing Cola’s resolve.

“So… this one?”

“It’s pricey, but worth it!”

“Yeah, go wild for something you love! Happiness is priceless!”

“Uh… Prez, what do you think?”

“Not a fan.” Yuki shakes her head. “Unless Quantum-san really loves it.”

“Buy this, and we’ll throw in a small practice amp—great quality, killer bass tone! It’s 8,000 yen alone!”

“That’s the one!” Cola points decisively at the red-and-black bass.

“Nice, nice, it comes with a bass bag, right?”

“Absolutely, everything’s included! Beginners need nothing else!”

“Phew—” Cola takes a deep breath. “Bass, huh… Hope I can learn it…”

“No worries, it’s easy!”

“But not that easy…”

“If you love it, you’ll master it,” Yuki sums up, as if concluding the others’ words.

“Miss, please fill out your name and phone number here for after-sales!”

“Coming…”

Cola stares at the red-and-black bass on the counter, taking a deep breath.
A band felt so distant back in %%, but now it’s so close.
And she’s even learning bass…