(Transted/Edited/Proofread: Snow)

  Izumi carefully retrieved a bill tucked securely within her coat and handed it gently to Taeil.

  Taeil's eyes widened.

  "This is…"

  Ayane peeked curiously over Taeil's shoulder.

  "Wow! Shin-chan, is that a 2,000 yen note? This is the first time Ayane has ever seen a real one!"

  In Taeil's hands y a pristine 2,000 yen bill. Unlike typical Japanese banknotes bearing the faces of historical figures, this one featured the Shurei Gate of Okinawa's Shuri Castle.

  It was rare enough that most people never encountered one in daily life. Unless someone was a collector or enthusiast, these bills usually remained tucked away or exchanged at banks, rarely circuted.

  If there was anywhere one might casually see a 2,000 yen note, it would be Okinawa. Ironically, even vending machines there were notoriously finicky, often rejecting these bills.

  Ayane tilted her head curiously. "Shin-chan, why exactly are they showing us a 2,000 yen bill?"

  "It's... a bit complicated to expin—"

  "What's so complicated about it?" Yahiro interrupted confidently, his chin held high and eyes glistening nostalgically. "Little dy, that bill represents something very special. It’s the first admission fee we ever earned—paid by the very first audience member who believed in us when no one else would. In short, it's BARD’s official first income."

  "Your first income?" Ayane repeated, awe creeping into her voice.

  "Yes, exactly! Everyone was so deeply moved, they even shed tears," Yahiro said dramatically.

  "That's a lie," Izumi interjected calmly, arms folded. "The only person crying was Yahiro. Actually, he ughed and cried at the same time, compining about why it had to be a 2,000 yen note."

  "Come on, sister!" Yahiro excimed indignantly. "In times like these, can't you just go along with it?"

  Izumi wrinkled her nose pyfully. "Gross."

  At Izumi’s blunt retort, Yahiro turned away with a mock-pained expression, resembling an uncle bickering helplessly with his spirited niece.

  Without thinking, Taeil murmured under his breath, "Somehow… that’s kind of cute."

  Yahiro spun around in shock, eyes bulging comically. "Hey! You can't just say something like that!"

  Emboldened by Taeil’s inadvertent praise, Izumi leaned closer, pressing her index finger pyfully against her own cheek and smiling mischievously.

  "Am I actually cute after all?"

  "What the—!? Has this girl finally lost her mind!?" Yahiro yelped, retreating dramatically.

  Coming to her senses betedly, Ayane quickly stepped in, grabbing Izumi firmly by the shoulders to contain the escating chaos.

  "So that's how it is? Does this mean Shin-chan was Izumi-san's very first audience?"

  "Exactly!" Izumi nodded cheerfully. "Shin-chan, you’re officially our number one fan—the very first supporter from our '0th generation.' We even kept the top spot in the fan club open just for you."

  Ayane let out a gasp at having Taeil’s nickname taken away from her, dramatically clutching her chest. "Are you a thief!?"

  "Is… this theft too?" Izumi tilted her head, genuinely puzzled by Ayane’s desperate outburst.

  "Well, I mean, maybe not theft exactly, but isn’t it unfair to the other fans?" Taeil offered weakly. "It's not like it's official or anything, right?"

  Izumi giggled mischievously. "Pupupu, it’s definitely official."

  To prove her point, she quickly pulled out her phone, proudly dispying the band's official homepage. Clearly dispyed in bold letters was: "0th Generation, Fan No. 1: Anonymous."

  "No way… Why is this real?" Taeil muttered, his face flushing hot with embarrassment as he rubbed a palm nervously over his cheeks.

  Yahiro, who had quietly slipped back into the room unnoticed, leaned against the chair with a rexed air—though maintaining a careful distance from Izumi.

  "You can think of it as our humble way of repaying you," Yahiro expined softly, his voice sincere. "Maybe to you, it wasn't anything special, but that 2,000 yen was priceless to us back then."

  Indeed, they'd been saved by the heartfelt support of a young boy who, despite knowing nothing about music, had given them more than mere encouragement. It was that small act—handing over 2,000 yen, which must have seemed like a fortune to a child—that had provided BARD the strength to press forward.

  "'The Birth of the Millennium,'" Izumi said, her voice filled with nostalgia. "Doesn't it feel fitting that the song we made came from the money you gave us?"

  "That’s also why the lyrics specifically mention the 2,000 yen note," Yahiro added with a bright, genuine smile.

  Hearing the hidden story behind the famous song, Taeil’s expression grew complicated. After a long moment of thoughtful silence, he finally nodded, determination shining in his eyes.

  "I’ll definitely join the fan club as soon as I get home."

  Izumi cpped her hands excitedly. "Finally! The mysterious Fan No. 1 has emerged. I’ll have to announce it on social media soon."

  "Akitora and NA.IN will be delighted to hear this too," Yahiro said warmly.

  While the two happily discussed their newfound revetion, Taeil’s gaze lingered quietly on the neatly minated 2,000 yen bill.

  Artists often sought attention from others, and from that initial interest came a deep hunger for recognition. Taeil knew this feeling intimately. He was just an ordinary person, after all—a wolf starved for acknowledgment, longing to be validated through his music.

  "This… really had some power behind it.”

  "Absolutely," Izumi said warmly. "That's exactly why I've always kept it close to my heart. Actually, I invited you today just so I could properly thank you, Shin-chan."

  "I told you not to call him Shin-chan!" Ayane suddenly interjected, pouting. "That's my exclusive nickname for him!"

  Izumi tilted her head innocently. "Why?"

  "Well, that's… uh…"

  "Haha, forgive her, little miss," Yahiro chuckled softly. "Our Izumi can be pretty clueless. She doesn't mean any harm."

  "I know that already!" Ayane protested, though her voice cked any real anger.

  Gradually, their lively voices and pyful banter faded into the gentle warmth of the moment.

  When Taeil finally regained his senses, Yahiro, Izumi, and Ayane had vanished. He stood alone, enveloped in an oppressive darkness that completely swallowed his vision.

  Unable to see even his own hands, Taeil anxiously reached out, desperately searching for Ayane.

  "■■■? ■■?"

  No sound escaped his lips.

  Suddenly, emerging from the depths of the darkness, a figure appeared—his older self from his previous life. Without any preamble or hesitation, the older Taeil asked bluntly:

  "Are you still scared?"

  "Am I… scared?"

  His voice finally broke through the silence. Surprised, Taeil touched his throat, but his attention quickly shifted to the object still clutched in his hand: the minated 2,000 yen note.

  "Don't worry too much," the older Taeil reassured him gently. "After all, this is just an anime-like world. No matter how seriously you take it, you'll only end up looking like you're trying too hard to be cool."

  The figure approached him, pcing a comforting hand on his shoulder and offering a bittersweet smile.

  "Remember this clearly—they’re the main characters, and now you've joined them. You're part of a group where miracles come to those who put in the effort."

  "It was a stroke of luck…" Taeil whispered bitterly.

  "Don’t deny it. Your presence here is already a miracle."

  "…"

  "Stop ignoring the truth. You're already the protagonist, and you secretly wanted this, didn't you? You wished for a world centered around yourself. You dreamed of taking Ayane's pce, becoming a star shining brilliantly in the sky. Isn’t that exactly what you wanted?"

  His older self’s words pierced deeply, hammering mercilessly at his hidden conscience. Taeil felt the pain sharply, a remnant of morality that had not yet been fully eroded.

  Suddenly, the ground beneath him seemed to flip, shattering the silent illusion. Sounds, previously distant and muted, returned vividly.

  Ayane was indignantly protesting to Izumi, Yahiro was desperately mediating between the two, and Izumi simply tilted her head in confusion, oblivious to their dispute.

  A protagonist.

  The fantasy he had consistently dismissed as childish, mere adolescent delusion, now began to hold him captive.

  In truth, who wouldn't succumb to such temptation? After experiencing something as extraordinary as reincarnation into another world, there was really only one conclusion that naturally arose:

  'I am this world's new protagonist.'

  Yet Taeil had fiercely rejected that notion, dismissing it as ridiculous and clinging desperately to skepticism. The reason he'd worked so hard to rationalize his reincarnation was precisely because he'd been searching—painstakingly—for an excuse to deny the reality that he had become the main character.

  'In most stories from an objective standpoint, the main character is a piece of shit. No matter how you look at it, they're just overly selfish.’

  Yet, once the fme was ignited, there was no extinguishing it.

  An unprecedented thirst rose within Taeil.

  I want to be like that too.

  I want to be famous.

  I want people to recognize my music.

  Like a true protagonist, I want my talent to reach others—to move hearts and inspire countless people.

  He wanted to inspire.

  One day, when he stood at the pinnacle of fame, he yearned to shout out to his cousin, the one who, even now in this life had made the same painful choices as in Taeil’s previous life:

  “Brother, the path you chose wasn't wrong.”

  “There was never any reason for you to feel so desperate.”

  “Let’s start over, right here, right now.”

  Once again, the gears of his conscience shifted, this time decisively out of alignment.

  "Eh?"

  Izumi hesitated awkwardly as she tried to recim the 2,000 yen bill, but Taeil’s grip on it was firm, unwilling to let go.

  "Shin-chan…?" Ayane asked uncertainty.

  "Please promise me one thing," Taeil said suddenly, his voice earnest.

  "Hey, kid," Yahiro interrupted lightly, sensing the serious shift. "Even considering our connection, asking for personal favors—"

  "Promise me you’ll keep shining," Taeil interrupted, his voice stronger now, unwavering.

  "Shining?" Izumi echoed softly.

  Gently, Taeil returned the bill, pressing it firmly back into Izumi's palm and csping her hands tightly around it.

  "Oh…" Izumi murmured softly, startled.

  "Don’t ever let yourselves be forgotten by the public," Taeil urged passionately. "Never hand your stardom to anyone else. Keep shining brilliantly as BARD—not just across Japan, but throughout Asia and even the entire world."

  Yahiro chuckled incredulously, joining the conversation with a teasing shake of his head. "The world? Kid, are you trying to turn us into the Beatles or something?"

  "I hope so," Taeil replied without hesitation.

  Yahiro burst into ughter at this audacious decration. "Kid, you clearly don’t understand how this works yet—"

  "Because I'll be following behind," Taeil interrupted again, his tone firm and clear.

  "What…?" Yahiro fell silent, momentarily stunned, staring bnkly at Taeil in disbelief.

  "You can do it," Taeil affirmed resolutely, his eyes filled with unwavering conviction.

  Yahiro felt a powerful determination surging within Taeil.

  He was not a star yet—he wasn’t even close to becoming one. Even within a nebu composed of countless shining points, it would be nearly impossible to pick him out.

  But just like a Bok globule quietly gathering strength, absorbing various energies from dense clouds of cosmic dust and gas, he was steadily amassing power. This hidden force, silently stored, would someday erupt into a storm fierce enough to ignite nuclear fusion.

  And when that day arrived, he would emerge proudly as a newborn star, radiating brilliantly upon the Earth.

  His eyes glittered fiercely, reflecting starlight itself.

  Five seconds passed.

  Yahiro maintained eye contact with Taeil for just those few seconds before finally pulling down his hat, hiding his expression in defeat.

  "Hey, Izumi," Yahiro murmured quietly.

  "What?"

  "I've lost."

  Izumi chuckled softly, unsurprised. "Of course you have."

  Their hearts pounded heavily, stirred by the fearless provocation of this audacious kid whose potential was still unrealized, whose youthful ambition dared challenge their own seasoned fame. And yet, beneath their initial amusement was something deeper—a subtle tremor of exhiration at the thought that someone like him was determinedly chasing their footsteps.

  He had a low presence?

  It was foolish to think so.

  "So, are you pnning to form your own band?" Izumi asked.

  "Yes, definitely," Taeil answered firmly. "It's always been my dream to be part of a band—a band I truly belong to."

  A band that wasn’t merely "his own," but a band "where he belonged."

  "I see," Izumi murmured thoughtfully, a profound empathy shining in her eyes.

  ‘What I had in my past life was closer to a club than a real band,’ Taeil recalled.

  In his previous life, a band had simply meant friends sharing the same musical interests, gathering regurly to rehearse, occasionally performing in small venues, and then washing away both triumph and embarrassment alike with alcohol afterward.

  Back then, that was enough for him.

  The idea of venturing beyond a hobby, stepping toward a professional stage, had terrified him.

  Witnessing the despair and ultimate colpse of the musician he’d admired most had traumatized Taeil deeply, shackling him with hesitation.

  But now, it was finally time to cast those fears aside.

  "Shin-chan, what’s that?" Ayane asked, noticing Taeil pulling something from his pocket, almost as though making a promise to himself.

  He revealed a notebook, worn around the edges but carefully treasured.

  "I’ve been writing songs all this time," Taeil confessed, his voice steady yet vulnerable. "I've poured my heart into each piece, believing I’d use them someday—when I finally had my own band."

  Yet, despite his aspirations, the chance had never truly appeared—not in his past life, nor in this one.

  No. To be precise, he had never been brave enough to seize it.

  "I've spent more than ten years editing, rewriting, and refining these songs."

  Now, whenever Taeil closed his eyes, the chords and melodies he'd composed came effortlessly to mind, as natural as breathing.

  "But I never shared them with anyone."

  "That’s…" Izumi murmured softly, her eyes gentle and sympathetic.

  That’s why you've never moved forward. Her gaze seemed to silently convey her thoughts.

  Taeil drew a deep breath, painfully aware that he was still just a frog trapped inside a well. Even following BARD's footsteps felt impossibly far away. The only silver lining was that he clearly recognized his own limitations.

  "I'm going to fully flesh out these songs," he decred with quiet determination, "and upload them on ptforms like Sound Sky."

  He would finally reveal to the world the songs he’d been too scared to share, risking judgment and criticism from others. It was a natural decision for any serious musician—but for Taeil, it felt like leaping off a cliff.

  His jaw clenched tightly. "I'm not just going to talk about it anymore. I'll actually do it—I’ll create a band."

  Taeil’s pupils trembled violently, like waves crashing amidst a storm. His fists tightened against his knees, trembling slightly under the strain, as if they might give out at any moment.

  Though his gaze was fixed firmly on Izumi and Yahiro, this was, in truth, a decration of war against himself—a powerful warning to his timid soul, commanding him never to run away again.

  "So… please, keep shining brightly until I can reach you."

  Shine brighter, and become someone worthy to compete against.

  Taeil finished speaking with a voice thick with tension and lowered his head, unable to meet their eyes. A cold sweat trickled down the back of his neck.

  ‘They probably think I'm being presumptuous…’

  He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for rejection.

  But Izumi simply smiled faintly, charmed by the audacious decration from a boy who couldn’t yet escape his amateur status.

  "Good."

  Taeil's eyes flew open wide as he lifted his head abruptly, stunned. "Excuse me?"

  "Yahiro?" Izumi turned calmly toward her bandmate.

  "Well…" Yahiro scratched his chin thoughtfully. "It won't be easy, but it's not impossible. We were already considering making changes to our style anyway."

  They couldn't remain tied exclusively to soft rock forever.

  Though they'd gained recognition by showcasing Izumi’s vocal strengths, the time had come for BARD to expand their musical spectrum—to evolve beyond familiar boundaries.

  The boy standing before them had effortlessly drawn out the words they'd long kept hidden—the dreams and ambitions they'd been too hesitant to voice openly.

  'He's a real monster… a genuine monster.'

  Perhaps Izumi wasn't the only one utterly captivated by him.

  The corners of Yahiro’s lips slowly curled upward into a mischievous smile.

  "But—"

  "Whoa!"

  Before Taeil could finish, Yahiro swiftly took off his hat and shoved it onto Taeil's head, pyfully yet firmly forcing it down over his eyes. As Taeil instinctively struggled to pull away, Yahiro’s strength easily kept him in pce.

  "We’ll be just fine cruising along at our pace. But what about you, kid?" Yahiro challenged softly.

  Taeil stopped struggling, recognizing the subtle edge in Yahiro's voice.

  A sly, provocative smirk formed on Yahiro’s face, clearly broadcasting his unspoken meaning:

  ‘We've already succeeded. What about you? Can you even make it to the starting line?’

  Yet Taeil was unmoved by the thinly veiled provocation.

  "I—" he started firmly, gripping the brim of the fedora forced onto him with both hands and pulling it down decisively, shadows dancing beneath the dark brim.

  His eyes, shining intensely in the shadowy darkness, decred his resolve louder than any words.

  "I will! I'll definitely make it!"