01x02 - See You Tomorrow

[bunniefuu]

20 minutes… Another 20 minutes…

I liked dark, cramped spaces

So I'd bury my face deep in my hood

My eyes resented the heartless world

But yearned for love

I liked being soaked by the rain

Because my face looked better clouded over

I pretended to be afraid of the storm

While waiting for the sky to burst

Strum through the light's distortion

I want to make thunder roar

Drum beyond the pain

What can I do?

This fierce pounding is out of control

Strum in a harmonizing quartet

I want to cause a revolution

Drum in a lamenting forte

What can I do?

My savage nature is beyond wild

A FEW DAYS AGO

Nijika texted me yesterday.

Let's talk about about

our future as a band!

See you at Starry tomorrow!

The joy of getting a text

from someone who isn't family

was enough to carry me this far, but…

I can already picture

the disapproving glares

a Blandy McBlanderson like me

will get when I walk through the door.

I was fine going in the other day

since Nijika-chan was with me.

Someone, please come so I can get in.

I want to tag along with another person.

Five minutes.

Five more minutes and I'll enter.

Make it ten.

15. I'll do it in 15 minutes, for sure.

What's she doing?

Wait.

I want to see what she does next.

Put the popcorn away.

Alright!

Let's get on with our very first

Kessoku Band Member's Meeting!

And applause! Clap, clap, clappity clap.

So, uh…

Come to think of it, we aren't exactly

close, so I don't know where to start!

How brutally honest!

I expected this to happen

so I had this prepared.

Nice!

I see something extreme on it.

Round and round it goes,

where it stops nobody knows.

SAY SOMETHING ABOUT SCHOOL

Say something about school!

In other words, school talk!

-After you.

-Huh!?

Well, um…

are you both from the same school?

Yeah, we go to Shimo High.

We go there since we live nearby.

Oh, you both live in Shimokitazawa.

Don't you go to Shuka High?

Don't you live in the area?

No, I live outside the prefecture.

It's two hours per trip.

-Two hours?

-But why?

I wanted to be far away

where no one knew my past.

Okay, that's enough school talk!

Sorry for being such a loner at school

that I don't have any

fun stories to share.

Don't sweat it, really!

Ryo here doesn't have

a long list of friends either!

Yup. It's Nijika and no one else.

Eh? Badump.

Ryo-san.

She's just like me.

She spends her free time

exploring abandoned buildings

or visiting second-hand clothing stores.

I take that back!

Being alone is a way of life to her!

The socially inept struggle of

going into clothing stores alone!

The gap between us is so huge and deep,

there's no way to reach the other side!

I almost fell into my habit of

making assumptions.

Bocchi-chan,

let's talk about something fun!

Next up are our favourite tunes!

A.K.A.

Music talk.

Mu-Music talk.

For me, it'd be melocore

and Japanese punk rock.

I like techno ballads.

I'm also into whatever

charts in Saudi Arabia--

Try again without lying.

-I did not.

-How about you?

Me, I…

I like anything that doesn't

trigger my adolescence complex.

Adolescence complex?

Allow me to explain!

Songs that fall into this category

are about summer, the blue sea,

fireworks, fleeting love, and the like.

Dazzling, invigorating tunes

about subjects

sorely missing from Hitori's school life.

-Lyrics like that only depress me.

-Hello?

-Meanwhile, she loves bands whose songs…

-Bocchi-chan?

…reflect her resentment towards her youth.

Sure do.

Then I found out my favorite band had

been part of their school's popular crowd

and suddenly I didn't know them anymore.

Please don't go off to

your own little world.

Rock is relatable because

it's performed by underdogs.

Songs by those with

fulfilling lives aren't rock.

We're falling apart here!

Have you tried using a cable tie?

Sooo…

Our first gig was instrumental,

but I'd like to have a vocalist next.

Is that so?

The guitarist who bailed

was meant to sing too.

Where could she have gone?

That runaway guitarist.

Did she have people problems like me?

No way!

She wouldn't even have

the guts to run if she did!

The search for a vocalist continues.

I can't carry a tune.

Perhaps Bocchi-chan could?

Didn't think so.

What about Ryo-san?

Make me the frontman

and I'll stand out so much

the band will end once I go solo.

Where does all that confidence come from?

How I envy her. I could use some of that.

I know! Let's make a song

once we find a vocalist!

Ryo can compose, and you can write

lyrics that'll run foul of the censors.

Who, me?

Pretty good idea, don't you think?

Are all those years of lunch breaks

spent at the library paying off here?

And what will you do?

Let's discuss our quota.

Could you be any more obvious?

Umm, what quota?

Our last gig was done through a door deal.

The venue demands a minimum attendance

by imposing a ticket quota on the band.

Sell ten tickets!

Profits from exceeding the quota

are split between the band and venue.

However, any unmet sales

come out of the band's pocket.

In other words, it costs

moolah until we make it big.

Nice and precise!

I called on a lot of my friends

yesterday, so we broke even.

It doesn't look like we can

count on it happening again.

Figures.

Ryo has no friends to ask.

Bocchi-chan…

Sorry! We're not holding it against you.

Please bring some life

back into those eyes!

I have lots of imaginary

friends if they count.

Hitori-chan rocks!

You're a national treasure!

We'll need tens of thousands

of yen for our gigs,

so we should each be getting

jobs to cover all our fees!

Okay.

Get a job?

That's the loudest you've been all day.

Hell no. I refuse to work.

I'm frightened. Society is scary!

A piggy bank?

My mother saved this for my wedding.

Please take this and spare me

from the horrors of employment.

-What are we, monsters?

-Thanks. We'll make good use of--

We will not!

Those are your important savings!

Ah, but…

I don't want to work! Not when…

Um, ah… Welcome.

-This will happen…

-Do you want it warmed uh, up?

THIS CASHIER'S SO AWKWARD LMAO

Welcome… do you…

Then this…

On account of appalling customer service,

the prosecution pleads

for the death sentence!

Well, I guess it's the death

penalty for you.

This is absolutely how it'll turn out!

-Hey Bocchi-chan? Bocchi-chan!

-What?

You weren't listening, were you?

I'm sorry… what was it?

You'll be working here.

Work… here?

Ryo and I will be around too.

You have nothing to fear!

It's a comfy and friendly workplace.

You'll see many bands while working

-I don't want to work, ever!

-the drinks counter and stuff.

How about it?

Say no! Say it! You have to decline!

I'm all yours…

Really? Thanks!

-Sorry, me…

-Work will be

-I would've declined

-even more fun now!

if I weren't such a hot mess.

I'll be in charge of our band's budget.

Wouldn't Ryo-san be better for that?

What're you implying?

Listen up, Bocchi-chan.

Ryo actually spends money like water!

She's well off and gets a big allowance,

but she splurges it all on instruments

so she's always broke!

Blush.

What part of that was a compliment?

Let's do our best to hold our next gig!

We'll have our major debut

while we're still students!

Work starts next week.

Come here straight after school!

See you Bocchi.

R-Right.

Which brings me to

the day before my first job.

It's been 30 minutes now,

surely I'll catch a cold.

Forgive me, I promise to put

effort into everything but work.

Mum, she's reenacting the Titanic!

Catch that cold!

Catch that cold! Catch that cold!

Catch that damn coooold!

Curse my healthy body.

I'll have to fake it then.

Oh, it's Nijika-chan.

Morning! Today's the day.

You're probably nervous

but we've got your back.

We'll get through this together!

She's so kind to me

even when I'm trying to play hooky!

I have seen the error of my ways.

You opened my eyes and are leading me on

the road to being a respectable person.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Excuse me, what?

Here I am.

You can do this, Bocchi. You will do this!

Come on girl, you can do it!

Tickets aren't up for sale until 5:00.

We're not open yet.

Does she work here?

I-I must look so suspicious!

I have to explain myself!

Ah, um, let's not be… too hasty.

Practice what you preach.

So you're the new part-timer.

Should've just said so.

P-Pardon me.

I'm the manager. Good to have you.

I-It's a pleasure to be here.

She's a little scary.

I can't handle her kind.

Save me, Nijika-chan!

Wait a sec,

you're the guitarist in the box!

What was your name… Masked Mango?

A new nickname, for me!? I love her!

Masked M-M-Mango, at your service!

Like hell it is!

Come on Sis, don't give out

nicknames willy-nilly!

Sis! You're Nijika's sister?

I told you before when I

first brought you here.

Huh?

The live house we're

playing at today is called Starry.

My sister runs the place.

We actually live in

the apartment above it.

I couldn't hear her over

the sound of my beating heart.

Y-Y-Yes, you did.

Well, there you have it.

No need to be on your toes.

Right, Sis?

You will call me manager here.

And keep our personal affairs out of work.

Can't you see you're scaring her?

Let's start with clearing the tables.

After that we can mop…

Hold on, where's Bocchi-chan?

Sorry for crawling into a dark,

cramped place for a break.

A bit soon for that!

You can learn about the drinks over here.

Here's the tonic water.

Beer is in this dispenser.

c*ck are on the back shelf.

She's too fast, I can't take this all in!

I-I'll have to memorize

everything through a song!

Where did that come from?

Y-you're scaring me!

-Someone's having fun.

-I'm glad you're trying to learn

but put the guitar aside for now.

Hold on.

-You listening? No?

-She was terrible the other day.

She's good.

Nijika's too busy

trying to stop her to notice.

Her playing sounds awfully familiar.

Less goofing more working.

Why me?

All you have to do at the drinks

counter is to pour whatever's ordered.

Uh, okay.

Paying another 500 yen on top of

the entry fee gets you a drink ticket.

That's 500 per drink.

Why do they only get one?

Stop looking like we're

committing highway robbery.

For what it's worth, we count as

an eating and drinking establishment.

-What?

-I don't quite get it,

but it seems to be harder to get

a business license solely

as a live music venue.

I-I see.

So we offer beverages to meet

the food and drink requirement.

You listening?

I, I unknowingly passed the hurdle of

working for a food and drink business.

Is this… progress?

Oh hey, the customers are here.

Things are about to get busy, Bocchi-chan.

Eh?

No way, am I being thrown

to the wolves already?

What do I say?

Thank you for your continued patronizing…

That's not it!

A-At least give me some time

to rehearse. Wait, no, stop!

THANK YOU FOR COMING

She closed shop!

Excuse me, one soda please.

Coming up! Bocchi-chan, the soda.

Ah, sure!

-I'll have a ginger ale.

-Right here!

You're being rude to our customers!

I-I'm not ready to greet them!

This place is losing its dark atmosphere.

Here's your oolong tea and highball.

Where's the bathroom?

Go right and turn left at the end.

The progress was all in my head.

Bocchi-chan, look!

Hey, look. They're here.

Hey everyone, we're Alexanderism.

That band's pretty cool.

You can relax now that

the performance is starting.

Good job.

You too. What about the reception desk?

The manager took over.

She said todays bands are popular

and worth learning from.

My sister's kind of like…

Full of thorns, thorns, and more thorns

with a soft spot somewhere.

You make her seem prickly.

S-Sorry I wasn't any help and

couldn't even look people in the eye.

Want to get in this?

It's not a mango box, though.

No, she won't.

Don't worry!

It's only your first day.

You'll get used to it!

W-Why are you so nice to someone

who ranks lower than a water flea?

The thing is,

I love this place.

The only spaces for staff to interact with

customers are here and the reception.

I want everyone who drops

by to have a great time.

S-Sorry for ruining it

with my crappy hospitality.

Please, no!

That's not what I meant. When I say

everyone, it includes you.

I'd like us to have fun as work

colleagues and bandmates.

It would help if you could greet

customers with a smile someday too.

Here we go!

Check it out, they're about to play!

The floor is united.

Both the audience and

performers are having a blast.

Nothing like when I was on stage.

People pay 2000 yen to be here.

All I can offer them is the same

lame experience unless I change.

I'll have to improve, step by step,

so we can all have a good time.

Excuse me.

I'd like an orange juice.

C-Coming up!

Look her in the eye and smile.

Be friendly.

Look her in the eye. Smile. Be friendly.

H-Here you go.

Bocchi-chan, your eyes!

Thank you.

You had me worried there.

That's great! You managed to

serve someone face-to-face!

I-I gave it my all.

I'm sure you made today's gig

that much more memorable!

You took a step forward!

A step…

One step.

Only one?

It sure felt like a lot more to me!

CLOSED - TICKETS CAN BE BOUGHT FROM 5 PM

Nice work today.

Be careful on your way home.

-Bye bye.

-Thanks for today.

Ryo, aren't you going?

-I'll stay a little longer.

-Bocchi-chan!

Y-Yes?

See you later.

Y-Yeah. S-See you tomorrow!

It's over! I made it through the day!

This job isn't so bad!

I'm fired up for tomorrow!

Bocchi did her best.

She sure did.

She even said she'll see us tomorrow.

Yep.

Forming the band was worth it.

I know, I'll send her a text and tell her

we can't wait to see her tomorrow.

YOU HAVE A NEW MESSAGE

Her fever's terrible.

Get the ice bag, dear.

Should we go to the hospital?

W-Why does it have to be now?

Now that we have Bocchi-chan,

all we need is…

A new vocalist!

Who's next?

Me, I am!

The tune that plays when my loneliness

And the pedal are stepped on

Tracks down my cheeks over and over again

The pounding of my loneliness

Is joined by the rhythm of the snare drum

To create a solid pulse

Someone, please remove

The distortion on my heart

And take a look inside me

Nobody can get inside my heart

But it's the kind of night

When I hope someone will

Distortion it's Motion

Once it starts, there's no stopping it

Limits can be overwritten with experience

Isn't that right?

Distortion is always like that

My heart takes off

Outpacing my left brain

Toward where you are

An escort to the next note

Distortion on my day-to-day anguish

The chord I play when I'm alone at night

Is it the same for you?

I spent all those days

Chasing my ideal image

Play an F chord with distortion

So loud that

The needle swings off the scale

Tune in next week!