I Just Want a Single Ending [50]

"Excuse me."

Nagasaki Soyo, carrying her bass case, politely announced herself as she entered Kamigawa Saku's home.

Before heading to the kitchen, Saku turned back and asked, "What would you like to drink? I have pretty much anything."

A perk of being a review blogger.

"Just some tea is fine," Soyo replied casually.

"Got it."

While he prepared the tea, she took a moment to glance around his place.

It was clean but had a bit of a cold, lonely feel.

Much like her own home—no sense of warmth.

Setting her bass down beside the couch, Soyo noticed a few bass-related books on the coffee table.

There were beginner guides as well as some professional material.

From the way the pages were still crisp and tidy, it looked like only parts had been read.

It seemed to match his status as a bass novice.

Next to the books were various food items—snacks, and even some bread.

Does he usually eat this for meals?

Soyo wondered, a bit concerned.

Then her eyes fell on the bass lying nearby.

A six-string bass.

Unusual, but that wasn't the issue.

What caught her attention was the dried blood on it.

Considering the bandages on his fingers, it wasn't hard to guess that this was from Saku's late-night practice session.

"Sorry about the mess; I didn't get a chance to clean up,"

Saku said, bringing over her tea with an apologetic smile.

After his energy had been completely drained from practice, he hadn't had the strength to tidy up.

"It's fine."

Soyo brushed it off, instead giving him a worried look. "Honestly, I'd really suggest not practicing today. You should give your fingers a chance to heal."

Her original plan had been just to confirm their agreement about bass lessons—she hadn't intended to actually start teaching today.

With all ten fingers injured, asking Saku to practice would be plain cruel.

She'd never force him to do that.

But since he'd insisted on starting today, she'd had no choice but to come.

"Playing an instrument requires commitment. If I let a few small injuries hold me back, I'll never learn."

Saku took a seat across from her, pulling the six-string bass close.

Only then did Soyo notice that he'd taken off the bandages from his fingers, probably in the kitchen.

"Can I see your hands?"

She wanted to assess his injuries—if they weren't too severe, then a lesson could still work.

"Sure."

Saku held out both hands to her.

"…"

Soyo went quiet.

The only way to describe them was painful to look at.

Such a nice pair of hands, now covered in wounds.

It felt like a complete waste.

Guitar players often scraped up their fingers, but how had a bass beginner managed this level of damage?

"Were you trying something way too advanced?"

Soyo could only think of that as the logical explanation.

"Took a shot at it."

Saku didn't deny it.

Last night, in his enlightened state, he'd wanted to soak up as much knowledge as possible.

The Study Boost Card had given him only three hours, but his fingers would heal naturally—there was no question about which to prioritize.

"How long have you even been playing to try something like that?" Soyo gave him a gentle scolding. "Didn't your other bass teacher warn you?"

"It was my decision to try."

Saku wasn't about to pin this on Ryo.

This one was entirely on him.

"With your hands in that state, there's really no way you should keep practicing bass today."

Soyo, reassured by his honesty, tried again to talk him out of it.

"Alright."

Saku didn't argue.

There was no need to rush, after all.

Relieved that he'd finally agreed, Soyo took a sip of tea.

But then a thought struck her.

"You're not planning to sneak in more practice once I leave, are you?"

She set down her cup, giving him a suspicious look that darted between him and the bass.

"How could you think that?"

Saku shook his head, smiling.

He wasn't going to "practice." He'd only planned to play a few songs.

After all, he'd just learned bass; he couldn't let those skills go to waste.

"Fine. I'll teach you, then."

The thought of him injuring his hands even more while practicing alone was too much. Soyo just couldn't leave him like that.

At least if she taught him, she could make sure he didn't make his injuries worse.

"Then I'd appreciate that."

Saku wasn't bothered by her sudden change in attitude.

It simply meant delaying the reveal of his progress a bit.

"…"

Seeing his casual response, Soyo knew she'd guessed right.

He was definitely planning on sneaking more practice once she'd left.

You're so sneaky!

"Well then, tell me how far you've gotten."

With a sigh, Soyo pulled out her own bass and prepared to start the lesson.

"Let me think…"

Saku considered how best to answer.

His bass skills had already far surpassed Soyo's, so he couldn't reveal his true level.

Luckily, he'd only been a novice not too long ago, so putting on an act would be no problem at all.

---

"You're doing great."

Watching Kamigawa Saku skillfully play the bass, Nagasaki Soyo smiled encouragingly.

She had to admit he was exceptionally talented at bass.

It seemed like all it took was one demonstration, and he'd quickly grasp the concept without needing further guidance.

It made teaching him a breeze, and she actually found herself enjoying it.

Saku, meanwhile, felt zero pressure.

Last night, during his moment of enlightenment, he'd already worked out these beginner issues.

Now he just had to go through the motions, playing along as though he were still learning.

It was, in a way, a second-chance experience as a "beginner bassist."

But good things never last, and before they knew it, the clock struck 8 p.m.

Soyo glanced at the time and couldn't help but remind him, "You should take a break now. Don't overdo it."

"Fair enough."

With that, Saku set the bass aside, giving her a grateful nod. "Thank you so much."

"It was no trouble at all. You're an easy student to teach."

"Oh, by the way, you've been teaching me for so long that you must be hungry by now," Saku said, remembering something and seizing the opportunity. "How about dinner as a thank-you for today's lesson? I know a café nearby that has great cake."

---

T/N: Oh a tip! for people who want to translate stuff on their own, you gotta make sure you know if it's traditional chinese or simplified chinese! It actually makes a world of a difference if you figure it out!

Hi, besties! I'm so excited to bring you I Don't Want to Be a Heroic Spirit!—a wild and fun adventure where our MC gets to travel through different anime worlds while becoming a Heroic Spirit! With the help of Chaldea's MVPs (yes, Mash and Da Vinci are here to cheer us on), this story is full of iconic moments, unexpected twists, and all the anime goodness we love.

Oh, and guess what? I've got one more story to share after this, so stay tuned because the fun doesn't stop here! As always, thank you so much for reading and supporting—you're all amazing! Hope you enjoy every moment of this journey!