Shimokitazawa Park.
Gotou Ichiri held her phone tightly as she sat in that familiar spot of hers.
Only there could she feel safe.
She ran! She actually ran.
She left Bai Qiu behind in the classroom and ran.
How dare you do that, Gotou Ichiri!
Even someone as nice as Bai Qiu-kun would definitely get angry!
So…
What kind of posture should she use to apologize later?
Kneeling?
Already forbidden by Bai Qiu-kun.
She'd recently seen online that some people apologize by exposing their stomach.
But… can such a simple punishment really make up for it?
Suddenly, a cool sensation touched the top of Gotou Ichiri's head.
Is it raining?
Instinctively, she lifted her head.
"Ah!"
Gotou Ichiri jumped in fright, flailing her arms.
At some unknown moment—
Bai Qiu had already appeared right in front of her.
And above her head… he was holding a cold drink bottle.
"Didn't make you wait long, right?"
"S-sorry, I suddenly ran off…"
Gotou Ichiri didn't even have time to think—she just went with the plainest, simplest apology possible.
Bai Qiu shook his head.
"It's fine. I was only worried you'd fall from running too fast."
Bai Qiu-kun really is a good person!
Gotou Ichiri looked at him with gratitude.
Bai Qiu added,
"Next time don't run so fast. You'll get used to everything eventually."
"No!"
Gotou Ichiri suddenly shouted.
"S-sorry… for talking so loudly to you…"
Bai Qiu didn't mind.
"Why not?"
"Because… walking together with someone as gloomy as me…"
"It'll definitely hurt your reputation at school, Bai Qiu-kun…"
Gotou Ichiri whispered, sneaking a hidden glance at him.
He was a real normie!
Walking with someone insignificant like her…
Would lower his popularity.
Bai Qiu raised an eyebrow. There was a reason like that?
But then he smirked slightly and said playfully,
"Oh? Really?"
"Could it be you ran because you couldn't stand everyone looking at you?"
"W-waaah!"
Gotou Ichiri's face turned pale, and she made a strange noise.
"T-there's… also that reason…"
"Please don't be mad…"
"Relax, I'm teasing you."
Bai Qiu chuckled.
"Here, drink. Bocchi."
He shoved the ice-cold cola into her arms.
"Th-thank you…"
Gotou Ichiri instinctively reached for her wallet.
Bai Qiu stopped her.
"It's normal for friends to treat each other to a drink, you know?"
"Y-yes…"
Seeing how gloomy she still looked,
Bai Qiu didn't feel any pressure.
Somehow…
Maybe compared to Takamatsu Tomori's level of gloominess…
This was child's play?
Still, Bai Qiu comforted her,
"Everyone means well, Ichiri. You don't have to be so tense."
"…Mm."
"The classmates around you are good people. They won't hurt you."
"As long as you take the initiative to talk to them, you'll definitely make friends."
At the word friends, Gotou Ichiri's eyes brightened.
"Really?"
"Yeah!"
Bai Qiu nodded firmly.
Seeing she seemed to be thinking seriously,
He didn't say anything more.
Everyone needed time to adapt.
And so, the two headed toward STARRY.
...
STARRY.
At the entrance.
"What are you two doing here?"
Ijichi Seika lay lazily in a chair.
Seeing Bai Qiu and Gotou Ichiri, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.
Though both of them had come, obviously she only needed to talk to Bai Qiu.
Seika looked at him.
"If you want to watch the performance, it's not time yet."
She pointed at the sign hanging beside them.
They were currently closed.
Ticket sales started at 5 PM.
And live performances usually began at 6.
…
Seika then looked curiously at Gotou Ichiri, who was hiding behind Bai Qiu.
Was she really that scary?
Since the two had helped find Nijika before, Seika actually had quite a good impression of them.
She believed her attitude was pretty decent.
Yet this cute pink-haired girl looked absolutely terrified of her.
"We're here to see Nijika."
Bai Qiu explained.
"Nijika?"
Seika's expression sharpened slightly.
"What for?"
She looked curious… and a bit wary.
"To discuss band matters."
"Band?"
"Yes. We formed a band with Nijika."
"Oh."
Seika replied flatly.
"What?!"
But the next moment, she sprang up from the chair.
"What did you say? You formed a band with Nijika?!"
Seika stared at Bai Qiu with a deadly serious look.
And me too… Gotou Ichiri grumbled silently.
But she knew very well that keeping quiet was the key to survival right now.
"That's right!"
Meeting Seika's gaze head-on, Bai Qiu answered calmly.
Knowing she had intense little-sister complex tendencies, he was already prepared for this moment.
Because hiding this was impossible.
And unnecessary.
He believed—
Nijika would handle everything!
Sure enough, Bai Qiu spotted a yellow-haired figure approaching.
Seika looked at Bai Qiu in disbelief.
After the last performance,
Nijika had been busy preparing for exams, so she never had the chance to tell Seika
that she had already formed a band with Bai Qiu, Ichiri, and Ryou.
Oh, right—there was also the runaway vocalist.
And because the band hadn't done any activities afterward,
Seika had no idea what was going on.
She even thought Nijika, after the disastrous live,
had been struck by reality
and given up on the idea of being in a band.
To be honest,
Seika had felt a bit disappointed and sad about that.
Giving up so easily?
But now—
Nijika formed a band… with a boy?!
How can a girl band have a boy?!
Clutching her faintly aching chest, Seika decided she preferred the disappointment!
Anything but this!
Enduring the pain in her chest, Seika snapped her gaze at Bai Qiu.
Any goodwill she once had toward him had long evaporated.
She blocked his path.
Her beautiful brows arched sharply.
"You brat!"
"You'd better explain everything clearly."
"Or else I won't—"
Before she finished,
Nijika popped out.
"Big sis, what are you doing?"
"Aki-kun, Ichiri, you're here!"
"Hurry and come in!"
Nijika was as bright and enthusiastic as always, then shot a suspicious look at Seika.
Gotou Ichiri finally exhaled.
Bai Qiu looked at Seika with a half-smile.
"That… Nijika, I heard… you formed a band with this guy?"
Seika asked, praying it wasn't true.
"Ahh, sorry! I forgot to tell you, sis!"
"Not 'this guy,' it's Bai Qiu-kun!"
"Aki-kun's piano is amazing!"
Nijika beamed and looked at Bai Qiu.
Bai Qiu lifted his keyboard bag slightly with a smile.
Seika wedged herself between them.
Her fists tightened.
They were already calling each other by name?!
"But—but he's a boy!"
"So what?"
Nijika looked genuinely puzzled.
Seika blinked.
"But… a girl band can't have a boy!"
"Eh?"
Nijika stared at her strangely.
"I never said I wanted to form a girl band."
"Besides, Kikuiri-san's old band had guys too!"
"But…"
"No buts."
Seika ran out of words. She couldn't refute it.
And arguing wasn't really her specialty.
Damn that drunkard!
Always messing things up!
Just then, Seika noticed Yamada Ryou quietly emerging behind them.
Like spotting a lifeline, she pointed urgently.
"Right! Ryou—what about Yamada Ryou?!"
Seika recalled Ryou's eccentric personality.
And the fact she had experienced a band breakup.
Surely she wouldn't agree to forming a band with a boy… right?
"Ryou agreed too."
Nijika looked toward Ryou.
And immediately narrowed her eyes.
"Ryou. What are you doing?!"
Everyone turned.
They saw Yamada Ryou secretly extending a sinful hand toward the cola in Gotou Ichiri's hands.
Ryou raised her hand regretfully.
"I just wanted to help Bocchi hold it."
"Then help Bocchi hold her guitar."
Nijika said.
Ryou froze.
Gotou Ichiri dared not move.
Bai Qiu took her guitar and hung it onto Ryou.
"Leaving it to you, Ryou."
Seika was completely ignored.
But she could tell—Bai Qiu seemed to get along surprisingly well with everyone.
"We're going in, sis."
Nijika said.
"W-wait!"
"That's enough, sis. Don't make trouble."
Nijika scolded helplessly.
"Or I'll get angry!"
She placed her hands on her hips.
Seika's eye twitched.
Nijika instantly switched back to her angelic smile, giving Bai Qiu and Gotou Ichiri a small apologetic look.
"Let's head in."
"Oh, and Ryou."
Bai Qiu looked at Seika and winked.
"Manager, we'll be in your care from now on."