Chapter 257

After hearing her words, Ikuyo's restless heart gradually calmed down.

She remembered what Liang had said to her that morning.

Hayabusa is always a slowpoke... That doesn't quite seem right. Hayato-kun only slows down and acts patiently when doing something important.

Normally, he does things on a whim.

It's true that it's not right for him to keep enduring it...

But she felt that Hitori was overthinking it, because she had received help from Hitori when she was dating Ishikawa Hayato before, and she also planned to repay him.

She asked.

"So, it was only in the evening that Gotou-san suddenly decided to participate in the school festival?"

"Um... well, but actually I don't know what to do either."

Hitori said with distress.

"I had considered having Hayabusa perform on stage with me, and I also wanted to give him more opportunities to perform... but it felt like I was forcing him."

But this is all I can do for him...

"Then... tell him these thoughts, let him know he's already made a decision... how about that?"

Ikuyo smiled and offered guidance.

189. Melancholy

I've thought about it Hitori, what the best version of her would be like.

A master guitarist, with no social anxiety, a rock queen?

Even listing each one individually seems like a difficult task, let alone putting them all together.

If I had to say... master-level guitarists would be easier for her.

She felt that her guitar skills had improved rapidly recently, and perhaps because of the change to a more formal recording venue, the number of followers on the Guitar Hero account had also increased significantly.

This resulted in a significant influx of performance and show invitations into her private messages.

Of course, she ignored it as before.

If we consider it from another perspective, it's not based on her own opinion, but on how Hayabusa would want to see her.

This seems obvious; the falcon has already said it.

He just wanted to see her become the person she wanted to be, and to maintain some ambition, nothing more.

His request was simple.

Hitori now very clear about what kind of person she wants to become.

Although she felt very sorry for Hayabusa, what she wanted to become most right now was Ishikawa Hitori.

Other ideas pale in comparison to this ultimate goal.

Unable to find a short-term goal, she could only continue along the existing path, practicing guitar and trying to improve her social skills.

But as she did this, she noticed something.

Falcon has changed recently. He's not as carefree as before, and he considers the others' affairs more than his own.

For example, yesterday, if it were the old Hayabusa, she would have happily shouted in the street that she wanted to see everyone in maid outfits, and she would have also said directly that she didn't want her to wear a maid outfit for others to see.

They even toned down their pranks.

She neither disliked nor liked Falcon's change, because Falcon was her favorite person no matter what.

She was just worried that he might be under too much pressure trying to maintain the family.

She— Gotou Hitori— wanted to do something for him.

In the morning, after greeting her classmates, Hitori sat down in her seat.

She now has some friends in her class whom she can greet, but of course, she still can't really chat with them.

When she meets someone's gaze, she still doesn't know what to say, just like before.

After putting down her backpack and guitar, she hesitated for a moment before standing up and walking towards the podium.

After taking a couple of steps, she could feel the increasing gazes directed at her from all around, and she unconsciously hunched her back and pulled her hands back.

But realizing she was acting the same way as before, she took a deep breath and straightened her posture.

Now that she looks like this, even her most unusual movements are easily noticed.

After taking a performance application form from the box on the podium, Hitori quickened her pace back to her seat to fill out the form.

This was the task assigned to her by everyone.

But as soon as she sat down and picked up her pen, the student in front of her turned around with surprise and looked at the application form on her desk.

"Is Gotou-san going to give a performance?"

Hitori awkward silence because the other person's words were so abrupt.

"Ah... ah, that..."

"Take your time."

Her classmate sitting in front of her said this with a smile.

Since the incident last semester when she was cornered in the bathroom, her classmates have become much more respectful towards her. This semester, after she changed her image, some classmates have been even more gentle towards her.

Hitori nodded and lowered his head in response.

"Um... our band is planning a performance."

"Really?! I've been interested in Gotou-san's band for a long time, are they really coming to perform?"

"Ah... well... it's decided."

Hitori hesitant response.

Ugh, I wish Hayabusa were here with me. It's so hard to talk to someone when I'm all alone...

"That's great, I'll definitely go see it."

The other party seemed to sense Hitori's predicament, and after finishing speaking, they left quickly to discuss the matter with others.

Hitori breathed a slight sigh of relief.

But seeing how happy her classmate was, she quickly started daydreaming again.

Could this be the starting point for her becoming a rock queen?

Hehehe...

The girl was lost in a beautiful dream.

During lunch break.

She took her lunchbox and left the classroom, heading towards Ishikawa Hayato and Ikuyo's classroom.

As she walked, she turned a corner and, because of the light, saw herself in the mirror ahead.

Her delicate figure was upright, her long pink hair flowed gracefully, her bangs fell perfectly in front of her eyebrows, her eyes were bright, and she wore a short-sleeved school uniform with a pleated skirt that reached her knees, making her look very proper.

She doesn't really care about her current appearance; she just feels uncomfortable, or rather, doesn't like wearing school uniforms.

It's not just school uniforms; she doesn't really like clothes that are troublesome to wear but look cute.

But if Hayabusa wants it, she thinks it's fine.

When she arrived at Ishikawa Hayato's classroom, she looked inside from the doorway.

Ishikawa Hayato, having already noticed, looked at her, raised his hand, and greeted her with a smile. She happily raised her hand and waved back.

"Then I'll be going now."

As Ishikawa Hayato walked towards her, he patted Ikuyo on the shoulder.

Ikuyo turned her head and complained softly.

"You don't need to tell me every day."

Ishikawa Hayato smiled and walked towards Hitori without saying a word.

You can tell from Hitori.

Just now, Falcon actually wanted to say something, but he didn't speak.

It might be... teasing Kita about being jealous. Hayabusa is a very direct person; he'll probably point that out directly.

However, because Ikuyo had friends in the class, he didn't say anything.

Hitori was thinking, Ishikawa Hayato walked up to her, noticed her thoughtful expression, and patted her head.

"Hitori, what's wrong?"

"Ah... it's nothing..."

Hitori remembered what Ikuyo had told her last night and told Hayabusa her thoughts directly.

But for someone like her to tell Falcon that she hopes he can relax is a bit too arrogant.

Ishikawa Hayato breathed a sigh of relief, smiled, and put his arm around her waist.

Feeling her lover's embrace, she temporarily put aside her thoughts and happily snuggled into his arms.

The weather wasn't very good today; the sky was a bit overcast. She and Ishikawa Hayato didn't go to the rooftop for lunch, but instead ate lunch in the classroom where they had their last tutoring session.

Sitting in the classroom where no one else was around, facing only Hayabusa, Hitori felt completely relaxed.

"What's in my bento box today...?"

"Ishikawa Hayato said expectantly."

Hitori smiled happily and began to explain without any hesitation.

"That one has tempura, broccoli, omelet, braised pork..."

Both the egg rolls and braised pork were sweet, so she and Nijika had to estimate Ishikawa Hayato's sugar intake every day.

It's been so great to have Nijika help me in the mornings lately. When she's alone, she doesn't know what the right amount to take, but she feels much more at ease when the two of them discuss it.

"Very good!"

Ishikawa Hayato smiled and opened the bento box.

Hitori happily opened the same bento box as him.

Speaking of which, it seems that Ryo-senpai doesn't really like sweet things.

Meanwhile, at another school, Ryo opened her bento box, looked at the food inside, and then glanced at Nijika's food across from her.

"Why don't I have braised pork or egg rolls here...?"

"Would you like something sweet instead of cold?"

"Why..."

Back at the Shuhua High School clubhouse.

"Hitori likes <The Moon Over Mount Liang>..." Ishikawa Hayato said after taking a bite of rice, chewing and swallowing.

"I like this line: 'True success lies in finding joy in life, not in high office and generous salary.'"

"Ah..."

Hitori, then hesitated to speak.

Her favorite sentence is:

"I fear that I am not a beautiful jade, so I deliberately avoid working hard to polish myself; yet I still have a sliver of hope that I will become a beautiful jade, so I cannot live a mediocre life among the rubble."

But those words were too heavy for her to say.

The two chatted casually while eating.

Thanks to Hitori's considerable reading, even without any particularly interesting daily activities, the two could still chat happily about books, music, and family life.