Glancing at the timealmost 11 PMit was time to wash up and sleep.
Following his disciplined routine, he stood up from his chair.
Akifumi paused and let out a bitter smile.
"When was the last time I had such a healthy schedule? Probably in elementary school!"
[075] Bocchi-chan Believes in Herself! Her Cute Past!!
The next morning came bright and early.
Akifumi didn't bother calling Shiina to help with breakfast.
He rummaged through the fridge, whipped up something simple, and ate quickly.
Before the temperature outside rise to high, he was already out the door.
As for Eriri, he had called her the night before to give her a little break.
"Come to think of it, I'm not some evil capitalist."
"Why did I even say 'giving her a break' like that?"
She was the one constantly pushing herself to draw, totally unrelated to me.
'Whatever, forget it.'
Hopefully, today would be productive.
........
11 a.m.
Akifumi arrived at his destination, only to find it predictably closed at this hour.
"Guess I'll hang around somewhere nearby."
He found a cozy family restaurant, air-conditioned and not too crowded.
After ordering a meal, he noticed the free soda policy.
"No wonder high school students love these places."
For students without deep pockets, a spot where you can chill, drink endlessly, and never get kicked out is basically unbeatable.
With a satisfied sigh, Akifumi pulled out his Switch from his backpack and dove into gaming.
...........
At some point, it happened.
"Even for introverts, there's a place to shineon stage!"
Ah, that's right!
She remembered watching an interview on TV. Inspired by the idea, she decided to join a band.
That was the beginning of her journey with the guitar.
"Maybe someone like me can shine too?"
She approached her dad hesitantly.
"D-Dad, can I borrow your guitar?"
"Ohhh! My daughter's finally interested in guitar!"
She was just a first-year middle schooler back then.
Clueless about chords and utterly baffled by sheet music, her initial attempts produced bizarre noises that still made her want to hide under the covers when she thought back on them.
But she stuck with it!
For two and a half... uh, two years, she practiced for six hours daily.
The videos she uploaded to video-sharing sites gained tons of views and praise.
Being admired at the school festival for her performance was exhilarating.
But just as she was soaking in the gloryBAM! Graduation.
"I swore I'd join a band in high school..."
But a month into high school, no friends, no band.
'Yep, I'm hopeless!'
Not only was she a klutz and a sports idiot, but she couldn't even look people in the eye when talking. Her conversations always started with an awkward "Uh..."
She was one step away from becoming a total recluse.
'The guitar, which was supposed to help me make friends and shine, ended up becoming my emotional crutch instead.'
But she didn't mind anymoreshe genuinely loved the guitar now.
Yet deep down...
"Someone like me will never have friends, right!?"
Just as she was about to give up entirely,
the TV blared again.
"...Coming up next, a feature on the No.1 club among high schoolersthe Light Music Club!"
'Wow, I'm so jealous of people who get to be in that club! Some even have fan clubs for their band members!'
Encouraged by this, she decided to give it one last shot.
She decked herself out with rock band patches all over her guitar case, wore a bold rocker tee under a pink jacket, and read a rock magazine at her desk, hoping someone would notice.
But...
'Why didn't anyone come up to me!? It was so obvious!'
Frustrated, she nearly smashed something.
'Were they ignoring me on purpose? No, that'd be soul-crushing!'
Desperate and lonely, she sat by herself at a park.
Staring at her phone, she saw that her online fan count had surpassed 30,000. It felt like the internet was her only safe place. She was about to skip school entirely when...
Someone suddenly spoke to her.
That person invited her to join a band and even took her to perform at a Live House.
Although she hid in a box during the performance,
'I'm so glad I decided to pick up the guitar!'
Bocchi-chan (also known as Hitori Gotou) believed this wholeheartedly to this very day!
Even though she still felt awkward and downcast around her friends, she had come a long way from middle school.
And today was specialbecause her friends were coming over!
'Is this outfit too weird?' she fretted.
Home attire included a pink pajama set, glowing star-shaped glasses, a tiny red top hat, a comedy mustache, and a welcome banner reading "One-Day Patrol Chief."
"Oh no, they're here!"
The doorbell rang, and cheerful voices called out,
"We're here, Bocchi-chan!"
Bocchi had no time to rethink her choices. As the door opened, the lively chatter of two girls fell into awkward silence.
Pop!
Confetti burst into the air. Still, silence lingered.
"Bocchi-chan, you seem... happy," the blonde girl remarked flatly.
"Y-Yeah," bocchi stammered, her face obscured by all the accessories.
'Oh no... did I ruin the vibe!?'
She was visibly deflated now.
The red-haired girl tried to maintain a smile to keep her friend from feeling bad.
"You must've been really excited for today, huh?"
"Yeah," the blonde girl chimed in, forcing a grin.
"Ah, Kita-chan's kindness is melting my heart!" Bocchi felt giddy from the support.
"Come in, please!"
"Thanks!"
"Sorry for the trouble!"
Today was about designing T-shirts for their upcoming performance.
Bocchi, who had decorated her room like a karaoke booth, felt mortified.
But this was a rare and precious gathering of friends!
..........
Meanwhile, at 3 p.m., Akifumi finally set down his Switch and finished his drink.
"Wait, it's already this late?"
Time had flown by unnoticed.
"Games are seriously a time sink!" he scolded himself.
"Next time, I'll be more mindful!"
He grabbed his stuff and left the restaurant.
As soon as he stepped outside, the blazing summer heat hit him like a beast.
"Whoa, it's so hot!"
It was a whole different world compared to the cool indoors.
But humans, being resilient creatures, always find a way to survive harsh environments.
'Wait, wait! It's not like I'm enduring some apocalyptic challengejust walking in the heat!'
Even so...
"This temperature is unbearable!"
Announcement/Voting!
Hello! It's me again!
As I continue translating Becoming a Mangaka in Anime World, I've noticed that interactions with the main cast have been decreasing.
There are scenes where they deepen their bonds, but for some reason, those moments get skipped over in the next chapter.
So to make things more engaging, I've decided to add a few extra scenes whether its NSFW or SFW.
I'll be posting the first piece of additional content and the voting polls on P-@treon.
p-atreon.com/InsomniaTL
Please remove the hyphen to access the page normally!
Let me know if you'd like me to keep adding new scenes in the future or if you'd prefer everything to stay true to the original!
P.S.
For now, the add content is only available to the 'Celestial Owl' t1er. Thank you for your understanding!
ATTENTION: If you're under 18 years old, please do not proceed any further after seeing the [NSFW]/[R-18] warning. This content is intended for mature audiences only.
[076] Composing Music
Air conditioningwhat a brilliant invention! Truly a beacon of humanity!
Even though it was just a few hundred meters away, by the time Akifumi arrived, he was already drenched in sweat.
The only good news? The once tightly locked gate was now open, with the iron lock nowhere in sight.
'Thank goodness it's unlocked!'
No way did he want to go home and walk in this heat again!
Descending the stairs into the basement, the dim lighting cast cool shadows across Akifumi, offering a welcome reprieve from the sweltering heat.
As he approached the closed door and reached out to push it, a mature voice called out behind him.
"Tickets only go on sale after five, you know?"
He turned around to see a woman with striking golden hair and sharp features standing behind him.
She wore a sleek black long-sleeved top, black-and-white pants, and a black satin ribbon around her neck, giving off a confident, no-nonsense vibe.
For some reason, she looked oddly familiar to Akifumi, sparking confusion in his mind.
Before he could speak, the woman mistook his silence for hesitation and introduced herself.
"I'm the owner of this place."
The owner? Could she be Ijichi Seika?!
Wait... isn't she from 'Bocchi The Rock'?
Akifumi finally pieced it togethershe was Ijichi Nijika's sister, Nijika being the leader of the now-disbanded band that had helped Bocchi during a crucial moment.
"This world is seriously small," he thought, shaking his head in disbelief.
Returning to the present, Akifumi smiled politely. "Hello, Ijichi-san. I'm here on a request from Hiratsuka sensei, who contacted me yesterday."
"I'm not here to buy tickets."
"You're that guy Shizuka mentioned?" Ijichi Seika gave him a surprised once-over.
She nodded and gestured toward the entrance. "Well, come in first."
Akifumi followed her inside. The layout of the hall radiated a clear rock-and-roll vibe at first glance.
Seika led him to the bar.
"Have a seat."
The two sat across from each other.
"So..." Akifumi thought to himself, "What exactly did Hiratsuka-sensei want me to do here?"
Before he could ask, Seika ran a hand through her glossy blonde hair.
"By the way, Shizuka never told me your name. How should I address you?"
"I'm Akifumi Mugihojust call me Akifumi."
Seika nodded thoughtfully.
"Alright, Akifumi, do you have an artist name? Have you released any music?"
Akifumi froze.
"An artist name? Released music?"
Given that this was a Live House, she was obviously asking about music, right?
It couldn't possibly be about manga...
Wait.
Was Hiratsuka-sensei is messing with him?!
Of course, earning a favor from her wouldn't come that easily.
With a sigh, Akifumi asked, "Ijichi-san, could you clarify what exactly you mean?"
"Obviously, I mean composing music!" Seika blinked in surprise.
Then realization dawned on her face.
"Waitdid Shizuka not explain this to you?"
"Do you think I'd be this clueless if she had?" Akifumi shrugged.
Seika let out a helpless sigh.
"That woman set me up again, huh?"
She didn't seem particularly angry, though.
"Honestly, I'm not sure what arrangements you made with her, but she just told me to come here, sit back, and watch the show."
"Wait, Hiratsuka-sensei? She is your teacher?" Seika's eyes widened.
"Yeah."
Curious, Akifumi asked, "Could you fill me in on the details? I'm completely in the dark right now."
Seika hesitated, then relented with a wry smile.
"Well, it's not exactly a secret."
"Back in college, Shizuka and I were in a band together."
Waitwhat?!
Not just a school club, but an actual band?
Shizuka-sensei was into rock?!
Though it was unexpected, Akifumi found this intriguing.
"Because of the band, I often neglected my mother and Nijika," Seika continued after a pause.
"Nijika is my younger sister."
"Later, my mother was diagnosed with a serious illness and passed away shortly afterward."
A nostalgic look flickered across her face.
"After that, Nijika stopped wanting to go to school."
"One day, I styled her hair in place of our mother and took her to one of my performances."
"That experience sparked her admiration for bands and inspired her to learn the drums."
"As her sister, I had to support her dreams, right?"
Akifumi nodded thoughtfully.
"So you left the band?"
"Yes."
Seika smiled bitterly.
"Shizuka played guitar and handled compositions for the band."
So Shizuka-sensei was asked to help with composing music and then sent him over instead?
Which meant...
"Looks like Shizuka still hasn't forgiven me," Seika murmured wistfully.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have sent a random student in her place.
"Ijichi-san, what happened to the band after you left?"
"It disbanded," Seika said with a hint of melancholy.
"It was a band Shizuka and I built together. Without either of us, it couldn't be complete."
"Disbanding was inevitable."
Akifumi nodded, "I see."
"You see?"
"Hiratsuka-sensei actually forgave you long ago."
"Huh?"
"If there's a family crisis and a younger sibling who needs care, even if you wanted to keep playing rock, Hiratsuka-sensei would have found a way to end the band herself."
"Waitwhat?!" Seika was stunned by the possibility she had never considered.
Akifumi smiled, "At least, that's how the Hiratsuka-sensei I know would handle it."
"Then why...?"
"Why didn't she help with the composition and instead sent me?"
"Because she trusts that I'd understand her intentions. Even if it means owing a favor, I was the only choice to handle this."
"It's been years since the band disbanded, right?"
"Having focused solely on being a teacher, do you think Hiratsuka-sensei can still compose music?"
Seika froze.
Even as someone who now managed a Live House and interacted with countless professionals, she knew that returning to rock wouldn't be easy.
Realizing this, Seika smiled bitterly.
"So that's it."
"I misunderstood Shizuka all along."
Her gaze softened as she looked at Akifumi.
"It seems she's done an excellent job as a teacher."
Akifumi smiled. "Actually, I can help with the composition if that's what you need."
[077] The Final Piece of the Puzzle in Anohana!
"You, can you help!?"
Ijichi Seika froze for a moment, then couldn't hold back a chuckle.
"Is what I said really that funny?" Akifumi sighed, feeling a bit like he was being underestimated.
"Sorry, sorry."
Ijichi Seika covered her stomach, waving her hand.
"It's not that I'm laughing at you."
"It's just... you might not fully understand how good that person is."
"Oh?"
Does this mean... Hiratsuka-sensei's arrangements are really that impressive!?
Akifumi's mind wandered back to the day school startedthe image of Hiratsuka-sensei in the corner of the school yard.
Her beautiful figure leaned against the wall, smoking, the nicotine filling her emptiness, but it couldn't cure her inner void.
