Chapter 36: Electric Guitar Audition (Revised)

Although Ryuichi Sugawara possessed a wealth of musical knowledge and a repertoire of songs due to his professional-level electric guitar skills, he knew very little about the culture surrounding them. Before taking the subway, he had specifically used his phone to research where to buy an electric guitar in Tokyo. The top recommendation on Google was Ochanomizu Musical Instrument Street in Chiyoda Ward.

The greatest benefit of acting alone is freedom; one can choose their destination based purely on personal preference. It was 4:00 PM, the time when school lets out, but it was not yet the evening rush hour for commuters, so there were plenty of seats. Settling into his seat on the subway, Ryuichi took the opportunity to browse the internet for information and plan his itinerary to avoid any confusion upon arrival.

Not long after, he reached Ochanomizu Station and got off. Because he had prepared in advance, he was not aimless despite it being his first visit, and he proceeded according to the guide he had found online. His destination was clear: a musical instrument shop that allowed customers to test their gear, as he wanted to put his professional-level skills to the test. If the experience proved to be good, he wouldn’t mind spending the money to buy an electric guitar. Times were different now; with a lucrative job lined up and the security provided by his System, he no longer had to worry about money. Of course, he believed in saving where he could; he wasn't about to become extravagant just because of a sudden change in fortune.

As he walked out of the station and blended into the crowd, four "gyaru" girls emerged from the station exit.

"Ochanomizu Station... why would he come to a place like this?"
"Who knows?"
"This is a place that specializes in musical instruments."
Unlike the others, Yuki Takanashi had a slight impression of the street because she was fond of music.
"Isn't he going to a hotel or something?"
Finding that his destination was such a place, Aine Ishiguro felt quite disappointed; she had expected to see something more dramatic.
"Aine, didn't you say you wanted to ask him to clarify things? Go on, then."
Yoshino Sakai also felt let down and didn't want to keep following him.
"I haven't found a good opportunity."
"We were on the subway for so long, and there were so many chances. You aren't afraid to talk to him, are you?"
Seeing her still making excuses, Yuki looked at her as if she could see right through her, asking with a hint of amusement. She had only managed to talk to Ryuichi herself after working up the courage, so she knew how difficult it was.
"Uh..."
With her thoughts exposed, Aine felt guilty.
"Don't be so impatient. We've already paid the fare; let's see what Sugawara-san is actually doing."
Kyoko Utada didn't want to return empty-handed; she needed an answer to satisfy her curiosity.

Meanwhile, Ryuichi was walking down the street and stepped directly into a secondhand musical instrument shop. These stores, which specialized in pre-owned gear, were the most encouraging when it came to letting customers try out the instruments.

"Welcome! How many are in your party?"

As he entered, a male staff member approached him immediately, offering excellent service. Unlike general retail stores, staff at instrument shops required a certain level of professional knowledge, which was why there were fewer female employees.

"Just one." Ryuichi replied to his enthusiasm.
"Very well. May I ask what you are looking for today?"
"I'd like to look at some electric guitars, preferably ones I can test out."
"Understood. The electric guitars are on the second floor; please follow me."

After their brief exchange, Ryuichi followed the clerk. Along the way, he saw a dazzling array of music-related items: sheet music, music theory books, guitar picks, cables, CDs, and even some anime merchandise. The inventory was vast and varied, yet remarkably comprehensive.

"Welcome!"

As they reached the second floor, other idle staff members noticed the arrival of a customer and immediately greeted them with smiles.

"Shh—keep it down."

That greeting nearly scared Aine to death, and she quickly gestured for them to be quiet. She knew she was doing something wrong by secretly tailing him, and it would be troublesome if Ryuichi discovered them.

"..."

The other three exchanged glances, their hearts pounding in their chests, equally guilty of their covert behavior.

"Understood."

The male clerk felt delighted to see four pretty high school girls enter the shop. Their type of store didn't usually attract such a demographic—and now, four of them, all so beautiful, had appeared at once. Just assisting them was a pleasure.

"That boy who just walked in, do you know him?" Yoshino Sakai, having observed for a moment to ensure no one was coming down the stairs, asked in a low voice.
"I don't. This is his first time in our shop," the clerk replied, shaking his head.
"What is he going upstairs for?"

At this point, although Yuki Takanashi felt guilty about stalking him, her curiosity outweighed her shame. She wanted to know why, if Ryuichi had refused to go to karaoke with them, he would run off to a place like this by himself. Didn't this guy say he had to study?

"Going to the second floor is usually to look at instruments," the clerk said. Though he didn't quite understand their relationship to the previous customer, he saw no reason to hide it.
"Can we go up and look?"

Seeing is believing. Kyoko Utada, who had the most favorable impression of Ryuichi, was not going to be satisfied so easily.

***

Guided by the clerk, Ryuichi reached the second floor.

"Whoa..."

Seeing the layout and the scene on the second floor, Ryuichi couldn't help but gasp in amazement. Unlike the first floor, which was filled with accessories, the second floor was magnificent. Everywhere he looked, there were electric guitars of every variety. It was his first time in an instrument shop, and it was truly an eye-opening experience.

"What brand of electric guitar do you prefer?" the clerk asked, clearly pleased by his look of wonder.
"Let's start with Fender," Ryuichi replied after a moment of thought.

In truth, he didn't know which brand he preferred. However, the knowledge he had gained from his "Professional-Level Electric Guitar Skills" told him that Fender guitars felt comfortable to play and were well-suited for pop and rock music.

"This area is all Fender guitars. See if any of these catch your eye." The clerk nodded and led him further into the room.

Facing the wall of instruments, Ryuichi scanned them for a few moments and quickly made his choice. Once he had decided, the clerk promptly took the guitar down, plugged it into an amplifier, and handed it to him along with a pick. After all, an electric guitar wouldn't be much of an electric guitar without power.

"This feels pretty good."

Although it was his first time handling an electric guitar, Ryuichi's posture was quite standard. He carefully plucked the strings a few times, and hearing the resonant, pleasant sound, his spirits lifted.

"All the instruments in the store have been pre-tuned. Feel free to give it a try," the clerk suggested enthusiastically, noting from his posture that Ryuichi was not a complete novice—at least, he had clearly learned the basics.

"A test run..."

Perhaps he had done his research, but when it came time to actually play, Ryuichi didn't know what to perform. His mind was flooded with various electric guitar tracks, but he wasn't a die-hard rock fan; he had no strong impression of many of the songs, most of which were Western. If possible, he wanted to play a song he already knew and liked.

Just as he was searching through his mental catalog of guitar tracks, a very familiar name caught his eye:

*Lemon (Electric Guitar Version)*

It was the most popular, highest-ranked, and most recognizable song by "Hachi-san," a Japanese track that he had loved dearly in his previous life.