Sunday 1 November 2000.
Zaboru was now inside the studio with the Zaraki members, and they had just finished their rehearsal for the newest album, which was being prepared for the next Guitar Hero release. The room still carried the lingering energy of their performance—faint echoes of guitar riffs, drum beats, and vocals that had just filled the space moments ago.
Zaboru let out a small chuckle, stretching his shoulders slightly. "Well… we did it. This could turn out really good." His tone was relaxed, but there was clear confidence behind it.
Meanwhile, the drummer, Kingo, looked visibly emotional. "Umm… Boss… I don't even know what to say. You actually made a song for me…" His voice trembled a little, as if he was trying to hold himself together.
Zaboru glanced at him with a faint smirk. "Of course I did. You think I'd let that situation go without turning it into something meaningful?"
Kingo scratched the back of his head, clearly overwhelmed. "Still… I didn't expect this. Not like this…" His eyes were slightly watery now.
On the side, Kana Mizuno chuckled softly. She had already become part of Zaraki, and at this point, she fit in naturally, like she had always been there. "Kingo-san, you're really lucky, you know. Not everyone gets a song made for them like this," she teased lightly.
Kingo groaned, embarrassed. "Don't say it like that… it makes it sound even worse."
Zaboru laughed quietly, leaning back against the equipment. "He's right though. You better make it count. This isn't just a song—it's your chance to fix your mess."
Kingo nodded slowly, his expression becoming more serious. "Yeah… I know. I won't waste it."
Kana crossed her arms lightly, smiling. "Then don't mess it up this time, okay? You already used up all your chances."
"Hey… that hurts," Kingo replied, but there was no real resistance in his voice, only acceptance.
Masashi and Bradley burst into laughter, the tension easing a little as Masashi shook his head and said, "That's exactly why you should learn to control yourself, Kingo, and just marry Mina already. Marriage is good, you know. It gives you stability… and someone who keeps you from doing stupid things like this." Bradley let out a long sigh and leaned back slightly. "Come on, Masashi-san… you're making it sound way too good. Marriage isn't all sunshine, you know…"
Masashi glanced at him with a knowing look and replied, "That's because you're still young. You only see the restriction, not the value. Look at our boss—he's married, and you can tell he's doing just fine." Zaboru chuckled lightly at being dragged into the conversation, then said, "If you find the right wife… someone who understands you, supports you, and keeps you grounded… then every day really can feel like heaven. It's not about losing freedom—it's about finding something worth more than it."
Then Mina chuckled softly, her expression warm but teasing. "Heheh… I want to get married someday too, you know. But seriously, Kingo-san… you really messed up. How could you cheat when you already had someone as wonderful as Mina-san?" she said, shaking her head slightly.
Kingo sighed deeply, running his hand through his hair, clearly frustrated with himself. "…Yeah, you're right, Kana-chan. I was an idiot… a complete fool. I already regret it more than anything," he admitted, his voice heavy with sincerity.
Zaboru chuckled lightly, but his eyes carried a sharper tone. "Make sure you get her back, alright, Kingo. But seriously… you're a bastard. I still can't believe you actually cheated on her," he said bluntly, not sugarcoating his words.
Kingo groaned, lowering his head slightly. "Yes, boss… it's my fault. Completely. I shouldn't have played with someone's heart like that. And Mina… she's way too good for someone like me." He clenched his fist slightly, determination forming on his face. "But I'll fix it. No matter what it takes… I'll win her back."
Zaboru smiled, clearly amused. "Then you should sing it yourself then…?" he said casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Kingo's face immediately turned pale. "Boss… you're joking, right?" he said quickly, almost panicking. "I can't even sing! And you want me to sing something with those insane high notes? I'll sound like a dying rat!"
The entire room burst into laughter, the tension completely breaking as even Kana had to cover her mouth to stop herself from laughing too loudly. Masashi shook his head while grinning. "He's not wrong though…"
Zaboru raised his hands slightly. "Alright, alright… I was just messing with you." He smirked, then added in a calmer tone, "Anyway, let's get ready. We're going live soon. It's rare for us to perform like this… but this one's for your girl, Kingo."
Kingo took a deep breath and nodded slowly, his earlier embarrassment turning into determination again. "Yeah… I know. I won't mess this up."
And yes, Kingo Hashi—the drummer—had a serious problem when it came to women. He had cheated on Mina, and although at the time he treated it lightly, the weight of that mistake slowly came crashing down on him. Now, regret lingered heavily in his chest. Mina had always been kind, patient, and genuine with him, far better than he deserved, and that only made his actions feel worse.
Because of that, he wanted to do something—anything—to make it up to her, even if it wouldn't fully fix what he had broken. The idea of a song came naturally, something sincere, something public, something that showed he was truly sorry. So he reached out to her, asking her to watch TV Tokyo, telling her that his band would be performing a song meant for her.
Mina didn't respond with excitement or warmth, but she didn't reject it either. She simply agreed to watch. That alone was enough for Kingo to hold onto hope.
Knowing this, Zaboru decided to use a song from his previous life. In this world, the song would be presented as his own creation—"She's Gone" by Steelheart. It was a piece filled with regret, longing, and desperation, the kind of song that could carry emotions too heavy to be expressed through simple words alone.
The choice wasn't random. Zaboru understood that some feelings couldn't be explained directly, especially for someone like Kingo, who struggled to properly convey his guilt. This song would become his voice.
The performance itself wouldn't just air on TV Tokyo, but also across ZAGE's subscription channels such as YaDo and Nickelodeon, ensuring it reached a wide audience. What began as a personal apology was now turning into something far larger—something exposed to the public eye, something that could not be taken back once shown.
For Kingo, this was no longer just a performance. It was his only chance to express everything he couldn't say directly, his way of facing his mistake without hiding behind excuses.
Not long after, the broadcast transitioned smoothly into the studio. The lights dimmed slightly, cameras repositioned, and the atmosphere shifted into something more serious. Zaboru stepped forward toward the microphone, adjusting it calmly before speaking. "Well… this is the first time our band is performing live. Zaraki… not Z&Z anymore."
The host standing to the side looked visibly excited, quickly stepping in to hype the moment. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is a special performance tonight! Please enjoy!"
The crowd quieted almost instantly, anticipation filling the room.
Without further delay, the instruments began. A soft guitar intro echoed through the studio, followed by the steady rhythm of drums. The melody built slowly, carrying a heavy emotional tone that immediately captured attention. Even before the vocals started, the mood of the song was already clear—this wasn't just a performance, it was something personal.
Zaboru closed his eyes for a brief second, taking a breath as he felt the flow of the music.
Then, finally, he began to sing.
"She's gone… out of my life… I was wrong…" Zaboru's voice started low, almost fragile, carrying a raw sincerity that immediately silenced even the faintest whisper in the studio. The way he delivered the line didn't feel like performance—it felt like confession.
The melody swelled, instruments rising behind him, and just as the tension reached its peak, the chorus exploded.
"FORGIVE ME GIRL!! GIRL… AAAAA!!"
The note shot upward—clean, powerful, and impossibly high—cutting through the air with shocking clarity. It wasn't just loud, it was controlled, sustained, and filled with emotion that hit like a wave.
"LADY, WON'T YOU SAVE ME! MY HEART BELONGS TO YOU!"
Every word carried weight, his voice climbing and bending with intensity that felt almost unreal for a live performance.
"LADY, CAN YOU FORGIVE ME!"
"FOR ALL I'VE DONE TO YOU!"
"LADY! OH LADY!"
The final stretch of the chorus pushed even higher, and for a moment, it felt like the entire room froze.
The audience in the studio—and everyone watching from home—were completely stunned. Some people's mouths were slightly open, others instinctively leaned forward, unable to believe what they were hearing. The power, the range, the control… it was beyond what they expected, even from someone like Zaboru.
"…No way…" someone whispered under their breath.
"That's live…? That's actually live?" another muttered, eyes wide.
Even the host at the side looked frozen, clearly caught off guard by just how insane the performance was.
This wasn't just good.
It was overwhelming.
And in that moment, everyone understood—Zaboru's voice wasn't just strong.
It was on another level entirely.
Zaboru could mimic voices exceptionally well, and with his reincarnation abilities, replicating emotion was just as natural. That was why this performance felt so sincere and top-notch—every note, every breath, and every expression carried a level of authenticity that was difficult to distinguish from genuine lived emotion.
Then the live continued, and Zaboru along with the Zaraki members stepped forward and bowed together, acknowledging the overwhelming reaction from the audience. The camera slowly panned across the stage before settling on Kingo, who lowered his head slightly deeper than the others, his expression serious and filled with emotion, as if this moment carried more weight for him than anyone else.
For a brief second, the studio was quiet… and then it erupted.
"More! More!"
The chant grew louder, spreading from the audience in the studio to the viewers at home, the energy refusing to die down after such a powerful performance. Some people were already on their feet, clapping, others shouting, completely immersed in the moment.
Zaboru looked around, a faint smile forming on his face as he exchanged a glance with the band members. The atmosphere was electric, something you couldn't replicate through recordings alone.
"Heh… seems like they're not done with us yet," he muttered lightly.
Without hesitation, he adjusted his guitar and gave a small nod. The band understood immediately.
"Alright… let's give them another one."
The instruments started again, this time with a more familiar rhythm as Zaboru began to play one of their older songs, transitioning smoothly from emotional intensity into something more energetic, keeping the audience fully engaged.
Meanwhile, in a house somewhere in Japan, Mina let out a quiet sigh as she watched the broadcast. "Really, Kingo… you want me to hear this?" she muttered, her eyes fixed on the screen. "Then why aren't you the one singing? …Heh, you really can't sing, huh… not to mention pulling off something insane like Zaboru-san."
She let out a small chuckle, shaking her head slightly, but the humor didn't fully reach her eyes. The moment lingered, and her expression softened into something more complicated.
"…Kingo, you afro idiot," she whispered under her breath.
Despite everything—despite the betrayal, despite knowing exactly what he had done—she couldn't bring herself to truly hate him. That only made things more frustrating. Her fingers tightened slightly around the remote as she watched the performance continue, the emotion in the song reaching her more than she expected.
"…You really are serious about this, huh…" she murmured quietly.
She exhaled slowly, closing her eyes for a brief moment before opening them again.
"…Fine. I'll meet you tomorrow."
Meanwhile in Renkonan House Ayumi's face is pale watching the live.
To be continue
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