After school.
Bai Qiu followed Takamatsu Akari up to the fifth floor.
As the Astronomy Club, of course, it was located on the top floor of the school.
The room was equipped with telescopes, perfect for stargazing.
It wasn't too big or too small, but with only Bai Qiu and Takamatsu Akari there, it felt incredibly spacious.
Bai Qiu carefully filled out the club application form and handed it to Takamatsu Akari.
"Thank you, Bai Qiu. The Astronomy Club is really laid-back. Just submit your activity reports to me, and that's all,"
Takamatsu Akari said, visibly happy, then earnestly promised.
Bai Qiu smiled and shook his head. Akari really is reliable.
Where else could you find such a relaxed club?
"By the way… can I call you Akari, just like Yui does?"
Bai Qiu asked suddenly.
After all, they'd be in the same club from now on, and he was already familiar with Takamatsu Akari. Calling her Akari shouldn't be a problem, right?
Always saying "Takamatsu-senpai" or "Takamatsu-senpai" was too cumbersome.
Takamatsu Akari blinked in slight surprise, her cheeks reddening. "Uh… okay. Then I'll call you… Qiu…"
"I'll head off first then, Akari. Bye!"
Bai Qiu practiced saying her name once. Akari—it really did sound nice.
"Bye, Qiu."
It seemed Akari adapted to it quickly as well.
…
After waving goodbye to Takamatsu Akari, Bai Qiu returned to the classroom.
Hirazawa Yui was still waiting there.
Bai Qiu had promised to take her to find a club suitable for her.
If he delayed any longer, he feared the club recruitment would end, and Yui would still remain in the "homebody" club.
Back in the classroom, he called for Hirazawa Yui, and then they climbed up to the fourth floor.
Bai Qiu suddenly wondered why he hadn't just called Yui up earlier—
It would have saved climbing the stairs again.
Ah, whatever. He just wanted some alone time with Akari. What was wrong with that?
Even climbing the stairs, Hirazawa Yui was full of excitement, hopping and bouncing.
At the stair landing, Bai Qiu casually touched the ears of a rabbit statue at the corner.
Seeing this, Hirazawa Yui happily patted the shell of a turtle statue nearby.
First Music Room.
Bai Qiu knocked on the door.
Inside, faint sounds of girls' chatter could be heard—words like "Wait!" and "Come in!" floated through.
Hirazawa Yui, unable to wait any longer, pushed the door.
The door wasn't locked and opened gently.
What he saw made Bai Qiu slightly shocked.
"What are you doing?"
Tanaka Ritsu had one foot on a chair, the other on a desk, in a very awkward pose, hands poised like she was charging forward.
And… you're a cute girl too!
Beside her, Akiyama Mio had her arms wrapped around Tanaka Ritsu's waist, her head resting on Ritsu's back.
"Get down already, Ritsu!"
On the other side was a girl with long, naturally wavy, light brown hair reaching her waist—Koezuki Tsumugi.
Tsumugi smiled warmly, her deep teal eyes wide, studying Mio and Ritsu clinging to each other.
Her half-circle eyebrows above her eyes looked a little thick, like "pickled radishes."
The sudden intrusion of the two newcomers made the classroom instantly fall silent.
Three pairs of different eyes looked simultaneously.
The first to react was Akiyama Mio, shouting anxiously, "Ritsu, get down! You'll expose—"
She couldn't finish her sentence.
Blushing, Mio shut her eyes.
"Huh? What?"
Tanaka Ritsu was confused.
Mio was really… speaking in halves again. It's just a boy—what's there to be shy about?
But… this guy looks kind of familiar!
"I see it—panties! Hahaha."
Hirazawa Yui pointed without a hint of embarrassment.
"Ah?"
Tanaka Ritsu looked down and screamed sharply.
"Ah—!"
Akiyama Mio, frightened by the scream, curled up in the corner of the classroom, hands on her head.
Koezuki Tsumugi, Hirazawa Yui, and Bai Qiu quickly covered their ears, waiting for the scream to end.
…
Scene shift.
Four girls and one boy sat around a round table.
Except for Hirazawa Yui, the others exchanged glances.
Yui looked here and there, searching for food.
"Meeting again, Tanaka-senpai, Akiyama-senpai, and this… adorable senpai,"
Bai Qiu greeted politely, acting as if nothing had happened, but his gaze lingered curiously on Koezuki Tsumugi, who had been staring at him.
Is there something on my face?
Or did he disturb the girls' moment earlier and upset the young lady?
No, that shouldn't be it.
Akiyama Mio looked slightly embarrassed. "Hello, Bai Qiu… senpai."
After Mio spoke, Tsumugi smiled gently. "Hello, Bai Qiu-senpai. I'm Koezuki Tsumugi."
Then, Tsumugi's eyes sparkled with curiosity toward Bai Qiu.
The boy seemed like an interesting subject to observe too!
"Wait! My surname is Taichu, not Tanaka!"
Tanaka Ritsu shouted in protest.
"Ah, really?"
Bai Qiu looked genuinely surprised.
"Of course. I'm Taichu Ritsu—surname Taichu, given name Ritsu,"
Ritsu introduced herself, hands on her hips.
Bai Qiu finally realized and awkwardly scratched his chin.
Honestly, he didn't mean it.
He just thought "Tanaka" rolled off the tongue easier than "Taichu"!
And normally, the surname Tanaka seemed more common.
For instance, he once watched a daily life anime called Lazy Tanaka-kun, which left a deep impression.
Recalling watching K-On!, when the subtitles showed "Taichu Ritsu," his brain automatically processed it as Tanaka.
Yes, it must have been these reasons that caused him to make the mistake.
"Sorry, I really didn't mean it,"
Bai Qiu apologized sincerely.
"Really… calling a girl by the wrong name can lower her impression of you."
Seeing Bai Qiu's earnest expression, which didn't seem fake, and considering he was from China,
Tanaka Ritsu forgave him.
Even if he had teased her on purpose, she wouldn't have gotten angry.
"To avoid you calling me wrong again, just call me Ritsu,"
Ritsu patted her seemingly nonexistent chest confidently.
At the same time, she started plotting a little—someone had just walked right into her hands.
Ritsu discreetly glanced at Mio and Tsumugi.
They seemed to understand immediately.
"Alright, Team Ritsu,"
Bai Qiu said directly. Who said Ritsu was careless? She's meticulous in her own way.
In just a few words, the gap between them narrowed.
"Why Team Ritsu?"
Ritsu asked curiously, while Mio and Tsumugi looked on with interest.
"Aren't you the club president? That makes you the leader here!"
Bai Qiu praised.
"Ah, really? Ahahaha…"
Team Ritsu's face shone with happiness.
"You're too flattering… I'll get embarrassed,"
"Bai Qiu-kun, I have high hopes for you."
-------------------------
Fully Completed English PDF of this fan-fic on my Patreon shop if you want to support and own the full fan-fic in one go. Just grab the PDF and binge the entire story from start to finish!
Patreon.com/Ramzane