Chapter 262

By the way, let me mention the plan. The school festival part should still have about 70,000 to 80,000 words left to finish (of course, I can't be sure...).

That would mark the end of the main storyline (although there wasn't a party yet, and Nijika probably hasn't been officially introduced yet). The rest of the story will focus on harem slice-of-life (partying) and band development, padding out to around one million words before officially ending. I've already drafted the ending.

At my pace, it should finish in December, which should be enough to wrap up before the movie's release...

It's perfectly fine for everyone to keep one...

191. Early signs

This is the problem that has been bothering Hitori lately.

Ishikawa Hayato knew this the moment she opened her mouth.

He was quite impressed by this, saying that whether in the past or now, Hitori always puts others first and tries to lend a helping hand when he sees someone in need.

And now, Hitori shouldn't hesitate for so long because she's struggling with how to bring it up.

Hitori was probably worried that her words might displease him.

Having understood Hitori's thoughts, Ishikawa Hayato turned back to confirm how to answer her.

He had always been aware of his condition, and he had noticed Hitori's concerns long ago, he sighed.

"I didn't expect you could sense even Hitori."

Ishikawa Hayato made no attempt to conceal his current state; if even he were to hide his thoughts, Hitori would likely retreat even further.

"Ah, then..."

Hitori seemed a little anxious, as if he wanted to help Ishikawa Hayato resolve the issue.

But at this point, realizing that she herself might also be the cause of the trouble, she hesitated and asked in a weak voice.

"Falcon, how can I help you?"

"Um..."

In stark contrast to the tension in the Hitori, Ishikawa Hayato, despite it being his own business, acted as if it were none of his concern, washing the dishes with a relaxed and thoughtful expression.

As he was thinking, he noticed that Hitori had stopped moving and reminded him.

"Hitori, let's finish washing first. It's not good to keep your hands soaking in water."

"Ah! Hmm."

After responding anxiously, Hitori sped up her washing of the dishes while keeping an eye on his expression.

Ishikawa Hayato didn't ignore Hitori's gaze, and he casually chatted as he washed the dishes.

"Actually, I'm not the only one with this problem; everyone has it."

Ikuyo goes out with friends less often now, and has even run away from home. Ryo isn't as independent as before. As for Nijika... she doesn't seem to have changed much; she's always been cooperative.

But do you think everyone is unhappy?

Ishikawa Hayato asked Hitori.

Hitori understood what Ishikawa Hayato was saying. She herself changed into clothes she didn't particularly like, but she didn't find them unpleasant.

It wasn't until Ishikawa Hayato reminded Hitori that she realized she had overlooked the others. She felt a little guilty, but at the same time, she began to recall what he had said.

The laughter we shared while playing games last night, the playful banter during practice, and the joy we felt while talking this morning.

The accumulated joys of daily life had made Hitori realize how insignificant and meaningless the things she cared about were.

She began to feel lost and discouraged.

"I'm sorry... I said some impressive things without permission."

Ishikawa Hayato was naturally unwilling to retreat so Hitori, and he smiled as he tried to persuade him.

"No, I'm actually very happy. The fact that Hitori is worried about me and thinking about me makes me incredibly happy."

I wasn't just Hitori simple comfort; there was a genuine joy that complemented the happiness mentioned above, a joy that was similar yet even greater.

He seemed to want to stop washing the dishes slowly, subtly speeding up the process and taking over the rinsing work from the Hitori.

The pervert quickly and seemingly slowly cleared away the bowls and chopsticks of the five people in just a couple of seconds.

He washed his hands and then picked up a hand towel to dry them.

Because of his words, Hitori was both happy and hesitant. Only after he left the sink did I realize that he had already finished washing.

Seeing this, Hitori became a little anxious. Hearing that Ishikawa Hayato would be happy, she felt a sense of anticipation for the plans she had been working on, which she didn't know when they would be implemented, and asked eagerly.

"Falcon, would you be happy if I did something for you?"

"As long as Hitori don't force yourself or hurt yourself, I'll definitely be happy to see your good intentions."

After wiping his hands, Ishikawa Hayato smiled and hugged the clumsy girl who had been holding a bowl in her hands for ages without finishing washing it.

He tenderly pressed against her soft, smooth cheek, which he felt quickly heat up, and asked.

"What do we need to do?"

"... Well, for now..."

A lover's embrace always brings joy, but even so, Hitori's thoughts were still just a budding idea; she didn't know how to bring that idea to the surface, let alone say it directly.

"A surprise, huh... well, I forgive you then."

After a moment's thought, Ishikawa Hayato smiled and said...

Hitori chuckled softly, suppressing a happy smile, then belatedly realized what was happening and hurriedly started making a bowl.

He didn't let go of her, but instead held her close without disturbing her, and spoke softly.

"No matter how graceful the flight, it will be lonely if you don't see your companions. Even a pervert needs someone to be perverted for him to be considered a pervert."

In the classroom, on the street, no one responded to his perversion, but now...

"Hitori, I've never hidden my feelings for you, so don't keep them to yourself either."

After washing the dishes, the girl wiped her hands and nodded obediently.

"Um."

Ishikawa Hayato smiled, and hearing footsteps approaching from the other end of the corridor, he walked towards it while speaking loudly.

"Is everyone ready?! Let's go on a crazy trip to the music store!"

His cheers drew criticism from the girls who hadn't yet emerged from the aisle.

"What are you going to do to the musical instrument?!"

"Why is Hayato-kun suddenly so excited today..."

"Don't even think about escaping your debts."

It's the weekend, so the five of them naturally wore their own clothes when they went out.

As Ishikawa Hayato closed the door to his house, he turned around and saw the girls dressed in their everyday clothes, whom he hadn't seen in a long time. He looked them over carefully.

Both Nijika and Ikuyo were wearing long dresses, but the different styles and temperaments of the dresses gave them completely different feelings.

One seemed like a glamorous girlfriend, the other seemed like a well-behaved and adorable girl next door.

Strangely enough, the older ones look like teenage girls, while the younger ones look like girlfriends.

Come to think of it, Nijika wasn't much shorter than the others, but she looked particularly young. Standing next to the tall and proud Hitori, she even looked like Hitori's younger sister.

Hitori, dressed in a shirt and a belted skirt, stood obediently to one side with her hands clasped in front of her.

The classic and elegant combination of a white shirt and a dark blue belted skirt truly shines when it comes to style.

Hitori stunning beauty could completely overshadow any woman dressed similarly, and fortunately, no one here wore a similar style.

Liang was still wearing a shirt and pants made from a second-hand clothing store, with long sleeves draped over the shirt, and her hands and legs were not exposed at all.

Even so, the fusion of her unique clothing style and temperament still makes her stand out.

The four of them standing together look like a girl group.

Faced with Ishikawa Hayato's gaze, only Nijika glanced at him, Hitori kept an eye on him, while Ryo and Ikuyo didn't react.

Ikuyo had been searching for something on her phone since earlier, and she looked up to ask.

Are we going to Ochanomizu to buy musical instruments?

"Of course! When it comes to music stores, Ochanomizu."

The response Nijika was hoping for.

While the two were talking, Liang had already left the others behind, walked leisurely to the elevator, pressed the down button, and called back in their direction.

"Hurry up."

"Honestly... it's only at times like this that things get so urgent."

When Ishikawa Hayato saw Nijika complaining, as if she didn't want to follow Ryo's orders and was deliberately walking slowly, he smiled and stepped forward to gently push her.

"Upgrading equipment is always the most fun, Nijika, hurry up!"

Like a stuck locomotive being pushed by Ishikawa Hayato, Nijika began to move with a helpless expression, while Ishikawa Hayato cheerfully called out to the Hitori behind her.

"Hitori, follow too."

Hitori happily quickened her pace to catch up with him, while Ikuyo, needless to say, followed beside him with a light laugh, carrying her bag.

The Ishikawa Hayato family lived not far from the station, and the five of them quickly boarded the train and sat in the same row.

The five people, with their exceptionally high looks, were extremely eye-catching in the carriage.

"Ugh... what kind of guitar should I buy..."

With the moment approaching, Ikuyo started anxiously scrolling through various guitar introductions on her phone.

Some of the people nearby gave her straightforward "advice".

"Just find one you like from the expensive ones, and one that feels comfortable to hold."

"Eh..."

Ryo's suggestion sounded plausible, but Ikuyo couldn't easily accept it after hearing that it involved buying something expensive.

Ishikawa Hayato, observing the situation, also offered his opinion.

"Unless you're buying an autographed collectible, you can't go wrong with an expensive one. A good guitar is outstanding in both tone and durability, and you can keep it as a collectible even if you don't use it anymore."

He then started to get a little frivolous. "Besides, as the first band of the new era, the future trendsetter in music, when we change guitars in the future, if we sell this one, we can get dozens of times more money. We'll just choose the expensive one!"

"Hayato-kun is saying strange things again..."

While Ikuyo was confident in their music, Ishikawa Hayato's claim that they were leading a musical trend was clearly an exaggeration.

She smiled, not thinking about the distant future, but responding to the point in Ishikawa Hayato's words that she most disagreed with.

"Besides, I would never sell the gift Hayato-kun gave me."

Hitori reacted quickly at this moment, eagerly following Ikuyo's words and expressing his opinion.

"Me too... I will use it carefully."

The competition for the lowest-ranking women suddenly began, and these two women took the lead with a catapulting start.

With Ishikawa Hayato's Ishikawa Hayato, they were able to naturally show affection for each other even when other people were present.

Liang paused for a moment, then spoke up.

"I'll keep this first bass safe."

Although all three had received gifts from Ishikawa Hayato before, this was the first time they had received one in such a formal manner.

Of those present, only one had received a gift from Ishikawa Hayato before, and this time she didn't even receive a musical instrument.

Who is it?