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Chapter 5 â To Move Forward\nVolume 2\n<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide">\nWhen I told Sayaka about the invitation from Fujisaki, she agreed with a quick two words. She seemed to be quite happy that she was invited and seemed to be excited about what to wear. However, when I added that I would be there too, she looked blatantly displeased.\n\n
âEh? Why are you joining us?â\n
âYou dislike my presence that much?â\n
âYes.â\n\n
She said it quite clearly. I was hurt inside.\n
Inside Sayakaâs room. Thanks to the recent arrival of Fujisaki, the room has become much tidier. The trash that was usually stored in the corner of the room has all been collected, and textbooks and reference books have been organized on the desk.\n
It would be so much easier if it was always done like this.\n
I sighed.\n\n
âIsnât it fine? Even Iâm looking forward to it. I mean, there are only three of us, not a big group, and Iâm sure you can talk to Fujisaki normally.â\n
âThatâs not the point. Itâs kind of embarrassing when your family is there.â\n
âI donât think so at all.â\n\n
It was a typical adolescent comment. Maybe she was worried about the fact that I always treated her like a child.\n\n
âSo, where are we going?â\n
âKaraoke.â\n
âI see, not a bad choice.â\n\n
Sayaka loves going to Karaoke. Her good mood seems to have returned a little.\n\n
âHmmâŠI canât leave my shitty brother in the corner either. Can you please not use me as an excuse for your date with Fujisaki-san?â\n
âI donât mean that. Itâs simply because Fujisaki also said that she would miss seeing Sayaka. Even though you guys are in the same school, you donât get a chance to talk much since you are in different grades.â\n
âThatâs trueâŠâ\n\n
She seemed to be embarrassed. Thereâs a part of her that just canât be honestly happy at times like this. Even now, she just twitches the edge of her lips and tries not to show it on her face.\n\n
âThen, Iâll say okay to Fujisaki.â\n
âOkay.â\n\n
I took my phone out of my pocket and sent a quick message on Line. It seemed that the other party was also looking at her phone, and it was read immediately. Soon, I received a stamp with a smiling face.\n
I decided on a time while talking with Sayaka, and when I told Fujisaki, she agreed. I put my phone back in my pocket and told Sayaka about it as well.\n\n
âWell, letâs meet at the next station on Sunday at 1 pm. Thereâs a Karaoke hall there.â\n
âYes, I think thatâs fine.â\n\n
I had been there once with my family. The machines are not that old and the rooms are not too small.\n\n
ââŠItâs been a while since Iâve gone out for Karaoke with my shitty brotherâ\n
âWell, you and I donât often go together.â\n
âBecause you always sing songs I am not familiar with. Something like nostalgic melodies?ăItâs all 1990s and early 2000s. I donât listen to that stuff.â\n
âAnd youâre always singing the theme song of some otome game I donât understand.â\n
âUnfortunately for you, Iâve listened to all the latest popular songs and can sing them. Thereâs no way Iâm going to choose those songs in front of Fujisaki-san.â\n
âAs expected of a secret otakuâŠâ\n\n
She must have been hiding her otaku hobby from her few friends as well. Maybe she is preparing for the time when she goes to karaoke with those friends.\n
On the other hand, Iâm not very familiar with the latest songs, except for anime songs. My repertoire consists of songs I heard when I was a kid and songs I learned from my otaku hobby. In that sense, Iâm not much different from Sayaka.\n\n
âDonât ever sing weird songs, okay? I know Iâm like you, but if you sing songs that are full of otaku taste, Fujisaki-san will just look at you like you are weird.â\n
âI know that much myself. Iâm only going to sing the songs that everyone knows.â\n\n
Many of the hits from the â90s and early 2000s are still being listened to today, just that Sayaka doesnât know much about them. It was a time when CDs were selling like hotcakes, and the popularity of artists back then was a social phenomenon.\n\n
âSayaka, you sometimes miss a note, so youâd better be careful. Make sure you keep one ear closed so that you can hear your own voiceâŠâ\n\n
Then, the red-faced Sayaka shouted loudly.\n\n
âUgh, youâre so annoying!ăLeave me alone!ăYou shitty brother isnât that good either, are you?â\n
âThatâs true. Well, maybe itâs all genetic.â\n\n
When I said that, Sayaka laughed bitterly and swept her gaze to the side.\n
Thereâs one more reason why I and Sayaka donât go to karaoke together. Itâs because we rarely go to karaoke as a family.\n
Itâs only because we donât want to go with our father.\n\n
âWell, either way, you are better than our fatherâŠâ\n\n
Her eyes were distant.\n\n
I still remember it vividly. It was probably about two years ago. My father suddenly said, âLetâs go to karaoke!â and since there was no reason to refuse, I and Sayaka decided to accompany him.\n
What awaited us after that was hell.\n
One thing, my father was tone-deaf. The highs and lows pulsated in such a mysterious way that I forgot the concept of pitch. It was almost scary to listen to.\n
Next, my father ignores the order. Or should I say, heâs not very adept at it? Whenever he thinks âOh, I feel like singing that song,â he would start singing it in succession. I tried to complain to him, but he was in such a good mood that he wouldnât listen to me.\n
It was a trauma for us.\n
After that, no matter how many times my dad asked us to go out with him, we never did. So whenever he went to karaoke, he was always alone.\n\n
<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide">\nTN:Itâs been a while⊠well, Iâm still in the process of reading⊠so updates will be slow for a while.\n\n