The performance ended, and the audience slowly dispersed.
The four members of the band also went their separate ways.
Of course, this didn't mean the band had broken up.
It was just that Yamada Ryo's grandmother had suddenly fallen ill, and she needed to go home immediately to take care of her.
And Goto Ichiri had spoken so much today that his energy was completely drained. His legs felt like they had been fitted with wind-fire wheels as he ran off.
That left only Shiraki and Ichika standing there, dumbfounded.
Ichika forced a smile. "It's fine, Shiraki-kun. Even if it's just the two of us…"
Shiraki glanced at Ichika Hoshika, who was glaring at him like a predator.
"Uh… my neighbor is sick. I should go back and take care of her too."
With that, Shiraki ran off as well.
Sorry, Nagasaki-san.
"Eh!! Wait… Shiraki-kun!"
Ichika Hoshika stood frozen, wanting to cry but without tears.
The celebration and reflection meeting she had just proposed had now turned into her cleaning up with her sister alone.
...
Shiraki reached the outskirts of the city.
Goto Ichiri and Yamada Ryo had already vanished without a trace.
He looked up at the sky; darkness had fully settled in.
But the neon lights of every building along the streets blazed brilliantly, illuminating everything.
The light pollution in a big city was severe—seeing the stars in the sky was nearly impossible!
Shiraki thought this, entirely out of context.
But it didn't affect his mood.
He was currently riding high, filled with a sense of triumph, because today had been so fruitful.
First, he successfully joined the End Band with Goto Ichiri, then encouraged Yamada Ryo to join as well. He performed a piano piece in front of the three of them, supervised their practice, and now had just watched their live performance…
As a result, Shiraki had earned a massive amount of note rewards, and his note balance was now overflowing.
In a happy mood, he bought some food on the way home and headed back.
At his doorstep, he glanced at the clean and orderly house of Nagasaki Suzu next door, feeling a twinge of guilt, then entered his own home.
That night, Ichika Hoshika set up a LINE chat group for the four of them.
The group name doubled as the band name for now.
...
The next day, school proceeded as usual.
Walking across campus, Shiraki saw many clubs recruiting new members.
The Art Club, Literature Club, Choir, Wind Ensemble, Far East Magic & Nap Combination Club…
Though strangely, he didn't see the Light Music Club anywhere.
This led to Shiraki being gently approached by numerous upperclasswomen asking if he wanted to join their clubs.
Shiraki thought, "Club activities here are really developed. In Tianchao, you'd only get this treatment at university."
The upperclasswomen were tempting, but Shiraki politely declined them all.
By the time he returned to the classroom, he had accumulated a stack of club recruitment flyers.
"Slap."
Shiraki set the flyers down on his desk.
Yui Hirasawa, sitting on his left, immediately perked up.
"What's this?"
Yui's curiosity was piqued.
"Club flyers. Haven't you been paying attention?"
Shiraki sighed lightly. Judging by her expression, Yui Hirasawa hadn't joined the Light Music Club yet.
It seemed he would have to personally step in and escort Yui there.
"Souga!"
Yui's face lit up in sudden realization. She picked up the flyer and eagerly admired the pictures on it.
Seeing her interest, Shiraki asked,
"Yui, aren't you planning to join a club?"
He looked like a mischievous uncle trying to coax candy from a little girl.
"But Akira, you haven't joined a club either," Yui countered.
"Ahem, we're different."
Yui puffed out her cheeks. "Different how?"
"I told you—I'm starting a band."
Shiraki declared firmly.
"But I've never seen you bring any instruments to school."
Yui gave him a look that clearly said she didn't believe him.
Shiraki hesitated for a moment. Could he really not convince a mere Yui Hirasawa?
"Weren't you always complaining that afternoons are boring?"
"That's because you never play with me after school, Akira! And you always have student council stuff."
Yui's voice carried a hint of grievance.
"If you join a club, someone will play with you. And maybe there'll even be sweets and snacks every day."
"Really?! Clubs give out free food?!"
Yui lit up with excitement. If that were true, she had been missing out on so much deliciousness!
"That's right. There's something called club activity funds—they can be used to buy food for the members."
Shiraki continued his little persuasion.
"Then I'll join a club!"
Yui declared happily. Shiraki nodded, satisfied.
"Honestly, Akira, you should've told me this sooner… hmm… okay, this one it is."
Yui picked up a flyer.
Huh? Shiraki was momentarily stunned. Was it really that easy for her to decide? He took the flyer.
"Far East Magic & Nap Combination Club?"
What a strange club—just the name alone sounded weird. But somehow, it also felt familiar.
Yui giggled. "Hehe, I think this is perfect for me. I can sleep and eat good food at the same time!"
"No way."
Shiraki immediately opposed.
"Why not?"
Yui pouted in anger, glaring at Shiraki.
You're the one who made me want to join, and now you're stopping me. Even Akira can make me mad!
Shiraki awkwardly cleared his throat. "The people in that club all have chuunibyou—they're not really suitable for you."
"Chuunibyou? What's that?"
Yui's puzzled face drew the attention of Kotobuki Tsumugi on her right, who had never heard the term before and turned her head.
Shiraki thought for a moment, feigning mystery:
"It's a condition that starts in second year of middle school… blah blah… referring to teenagers with certain delusions of grandeur or self-consciousness."
"Anyway, there's no food in that club," he added for emphasis.
Yui had been listening attentively, but her face fell in disappointment, and she plopped her head onto the desk.
"I see…"
Shiraki smiled slightly. Now, all he had to do was guide Yui, tell her he knew a club with good food, and bring her to the Light Music Club. Perfect.
Yui noticed Kotobuki Tsumugi looking over, curious. "Tsumugi-chan, haven't you joined a club either?"
Shiraki looked at Tsumugi and thought the same thing. After all, she usually tinkered with her gadgets and only talked to others occasionally.
Tsumugi shook her head, a little embarrassed. "I actually joined the Astronomy Club."
"But the previous seniors graduated, so now it's basically a hobby group."
Shiraki and Yui exchanged a look of surprise.
They hadn't expected quiet Tsumugi to be one step ahead and already out of the After School Club.
Yui got back up. "Astronomy Club, huh? Sounds fun."
And with Tsumugi in it, joining might not be bad.
Shiraki felt a slight twitch in his eyelid. Things were starting to head in an unpredictable direction.
Tsumugi's eyes lit up. "Yui and Shiraki want to join? It's just me now. If you two join, I'd be really happy."
Oh no!
Those penguin-like, fragile eyes could get hurt easily.
Shiraki couldn't bring himself to refuse. Just as he thought Yui would go along with it…
"Is there food?"
Yui asked.
"N… no."
Tsumugi shook her head. The Astronomy Club, now demoted to a hobby group, no longer had funds to buy food.
"Then I won't join."
Yui giggled. She still wanted a club with good food and fun activities. Astronomy was too highbrow for her.
Tsumugi looked a little disappointed but smiled anyway. "It's fine…"
"What about you, Shiraki?"
The pressure shifted to him.
Golden eyes stared unblinking at him. Shiraki could even see the patterns in them, and a reflection of himself.
Those eyes looked pitiful, more so than before.
Yui, tell me… how can you refuse Tsumugi so decisively, so mercilessly?
No! Yui, you can't refuse Tsumugi!
"Actually… I'm pretty interested in astronomy."
"Really! Then will you join?"
Tsumugi suddenly leaned closer, hands clasped at her chest.
"Please let me join."
"Okay!"
From then on, Shiraki and Tsumugi naturally started chatting about constellations.
Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Cetus…
And Shiraki wasn't entirely clueless either.
Vega, Altair—he knew a little about them.
Tsumugi's smile was radiant. She was genuinely happy.
Of course, if it's Shiraki, she could understand him!
Seeing Tsumugi so excited, Shiraki felt that his intervention had been worthwhile.
Her cheerful and lively chatter quickly drew the attention of nearby classmates.
It was one of the class pets, Kotobuki Tsumugi.
They didn't expect Tsumugi to be like this.
Normally, talking to her felt distant and awkward, hard to get on the same wavelength.
But Shiraki had broken that barrier effortlessly.
Seeing the two so close, Yui felt a bit left out.
Sure enough, for a topic as complex as constellations, she couldn't join in at all.
A strange sense of sadness filled her heart.
Could this… be what it feels like to be isolated?