"Well... that was what I said."
Seeing everyone conversing normally, Nijika joined the conversation as well.
"People who say they can listen to anything are usually the picky ones. They can accept any kind of music, which means they only listen to their absolute favorites, so they're the hardest to deal with."
"I see..." Kita nodded in realization.
As if reminding everyone, Nijika smiled and raised one finger.
"By the way, I like Nuclear Spin, which is what people usually call Japanese punk."
Ryo picked up the conversation too.
"I like techno kayō. Recently, the Saudi Arabian charts..."
Nijika, who knew Ryo's habits all too well, could not help but call her out.
"Don't let that smooth-talking nonsense fool you..."
"It's true..." Ryo's expression remained calm, though there was a hint of grievance in her voice.
Ishikawa Hayato did not think Ryo was lying, so he tentatively asked.
"Are you planning to handle the arrangements, Ryo?"
Ryo nodded.
"Yeah. Nijika knows absolutely nothing about that."
She did not mention the others, but it was obvious enough.
Kita knew nothing about music, Ishikawa Hayato had only started learning music after joining, and Bocchi's actual skill level was still unknown.
She was the only one in the entire band they could rely on.
"Ryo..."
Realizing her mistake, Nijika looked at Ryo in surprise. At the same time, she recognized Ryo's quiet contributions and bowed deeply.
"I'm sorry!"
Seeing her apologize, Ryo said without the slightest politeness.
"There's a bass I've been wanting lately..."
"No." Nijika's gaze immediately turned cold.
After the two finished speaking, Ishikawa Hayato said to Ryo,
"Call me if you need help. I'm somewhat interested in arranging too."
He was a keyboardist himself. If Ryo needed any embellishing notes added to a song, he would have to adjust his keyboard playing accordingly.
He also needed to find an arrangement that satisfied both the arranger and himself.
During the arranging process, the two of them could even try out various keyboard sounds together, making it easier to find the right feel.
The moment he finished speaking—
Nijika, Kita, and Bocchi all froze.
"Huh?"
Ryo picked up the drink in front of her and took a sip through the straw.
After setting down the cup with a soft clink, she said as though it did not matter at all,
"I'll make full use of you."
Conversation
"Ryo-senpai! Absolutely not!"
Kita Ikuyo stood up immediately.
She was thinking of every aspect of her idol's safety! Even in front of Ishikawa Hayato, she did not hesitate to voice her opposition.
"Why?"
Ryo tilted her head at her in confusion.
Her calm eyes seemed to see through everything as she quietly watched Kita Ikuyo.
Faced with Ryo's composed demeanor, Kita Ikuyo felt as though all the little thoughts she had hidden inside had been seen through. For a moment, she could not say anything.
"Um... a man and a woman being alone together is just not okay..."
She spoke weakly.
It was rather surprising that Kita Ikuyo had not used words like "Ishikawa Hayato is a pervert" to stop her.
Nijika quickly joined in to dissuade Ryo, though her words were much more tactful.
"Ryo, Hayato-kun is a boy too. No matter what, that's not okay, right?"
"So everyone thinks I'm that kind of person..."
As soon as the two finished trying to stop them, Ishikawa Hayato, who was seated beside them, suddenly spoke.
The dejected tone of his voice made the two girls freeze mid-intervention.
The two mechanically turned around and looked at Ishikawa Hayato.
Openly badmouthing someone right in front of them was evidently a little difficult for these two kind-hearted girls.
Just as they fell into a dilemma—
Ishikawa Hayato generously admitted,
"There's no need to worry. Bocchi and I are often alone together too."
"Huh?!"
Nijika and Kita looked as if they were about to jump up in shock, staring at Bocchi with utter disbelief.
Though they had only spent a day or two together, anyone could tell that Bocchi was timid and afraid of interacting with people.
Bocchi actually dared to be around Ishikawa Hayato alone?
Under their gazes, Bocchi drew her hands close to her chest and nodded at their vacant-eyed questioning.
"Ishikawa... is a good person..."
Oof.
Ishikawa Hayato clutched his chest.
As the situation began to descend into chaos again, he put on the look of someone wounded by Bocchi's good-person card and continued the conversation.
"Let's... talk about that... later. Kita, what kind of music do you like?"
Because something else was weighing on her mind, Kita reacted a little slowly. She blanked out for a moment.
"Hm?"
Ishikawa Hayato asked again at a normal pace.
Kita blinked blankly. Just as she was about to say, "I don't really know much about music genres. Anything that sounds good is fine,"—
She remembered Ryo-senpai's assessment of the similar answer she and Hayato-kun had given.
This is bad!
She absolutely did not want Ryo-senpai to call her a very troublesome person.
For a moment, she froze in place, cold sweat covering her face under the gazes of the other four.
But then, someone who lived for amusement noticed her predicament and unleashed unfathomable strength and speed.
In two swift motions, he held up a slip of paper in front of his chest.
Ishikawa Hayato wore a gentle smile, his eyes curved into crescents as he looked at Kita Ikuyo.
Kita Ikuyo immediately noticed this lifeline and hesitated.
Ishikawa... he probably... probably wouldn't trick me, right?
No, that wasn't right!
She had just tried to stop him from doing something. That sly guy would definitely mess with her!
But...
She had no other options left.
She weighed the consequences of the two answers on the scales in her heart.
One was Ryo-senpai coolly calling her a "troublesome person."
The other...
Kita Ikuyo chose the other one without hesitation.
Her smile bloomed brilliantly like a flower as she said in a cute, sweet voice,
"I like death metal. Blackened deathcore is the best."
No matter what the consequences were, they would be a hundred thousand times better than having Ryo-senpai call her a "troublesome person"!
Kita Ikuyo was certain of that.
The moment her words came out, the entire scene froze.
"Ah..."
As if struck by a shockwave, Nijika's mind buzzed.
Kita? Death metal?
She did not dislike that genre. If anything, that style was closer to what ordinary people imagined rock to be.
But seeing sweet, radiant, smiling Kita say that she liked it frightened her so much that she froze up.
It was like seeing the gentle Little Red Riding Hood next door casually smoke, drink, and chop up the Big Bad Wolf.
Hearing Kita's words, Ryo quickly followed Kita's gaze and caught Ishikawa Hayato putting away the slip of paper. She understood immediately.
"Pfft, that's amazing."
She covered her mouth and laughed softly. After holding it in for a while, she collapsed onto the table, her shoulders trembling nonstop.
"Ah... Kita likes it too?"
Bocchi's eyes brightened, and she leaned toward Kita in delight.
As for Kita Ikuyo...
Ryo-senpai laughed!
From now on, this genre of music would be the path she walked!
With a sunny smile, she gave an immediate and decisive answer.
"Yes!"
"Pfft."
Ryo nearly burst out laughing when she heard that.
She desperately held back her laughter and exchanged a look with Ishikawa Hayato, frantically signaling for him to leave the truth for Kita to uncover herself.
Seeing that the topic had ended, Nijika picked up the die again, though her movements were slightly hesitant this time.
She clearly had not recovered from the shock just now.
She began to worry what other explosive revelations she might hear next.
She hesitantly threw the die.
When she saw the result, she let out a sigh of relief.
Before you continue