Chapter 328

"No, that's great. Turning 30 simply means the end of your naive self; it's time to embrace a new chapter in your life."

Despite the stares of numerous women, Ishikawa Hayato remained completely unfazed and silently walked inside.

Reaching a secluded corner inside the room, he glanced at Ryo, who was kneeling on a chair, and sat down next to her.

Speaking of which, do Japanese people have any grudges about wearing shoes? They even have to take off their shoes when they are seated at the table. Ishikawa Hayato just came over and noticed that their feet were either small or narrow because they were kneeling.

Thankfully, I didn't smell anything. --Ishikawa Hayato confirms.

Hitori followed behind him and sat on his other side.

Deeply moved by his words, Hiroi Kikuri raised her glass, her eyes brimming with tears, as if toasting everyone.

"What you said is right, bro. From today onwards, I am the new Hiroi Kikuri. Let's call off all the debts I owe everyone."

Alcoholics really know how to think fast when it comes to trivial matters.

Liang's eyes lit up as she listened, as if she had learned something.

After saying that, Hiroi Kikuri started pouring sake into her mouth.

Ishikawa Hayato sat there, pointing at her very calmly and asking Nijika a question.

Is it her birthday tonight?

Nijika looked at Seika and shook her head. "No."

Finally, Seika couldn't hold back any longer and clenched her fists, shouting at Hiroi Kikuri, "So you really are here to cause trouble!"

Iwashita Shima next to him, took a sip of his drink, slowly put down his glass, and said expressionlessly.

"Don't worry about me, just beat me up."

Hiroi Kikuri looked at Iwashita Shima in disbelief.

"How could this happen?! Shima! It hurts! It hurts so much, senpai, please let me go!"

After the commotion, the atmosphere among the older women's group calmed down considerably, and they drank together while jointly condemning Hiroi Kikuri.

Iwashita Shima and Seika quickly formed a victim alliance with Hiroi Kikuri.

Seika noticed that Ishikawa Hayato and Hitori, who were sitting down, didn't have any drinks in front of them, so she handed them the menus across Nijika.

"Bocchi-chan, pick whatever you want to eat."

"Ah, um." Hitori took the menu.

Ishikawa Hayato wasn't in a hurry. He looked around and noticed that fewer people had arrived than expected, so he asked Seika.

"Manager, is anyone else coming?"

Tonight's party was organized by Nijika and Seika, mainly to celebrate her birthday.

Seika shifted her gaze to him.

"That's all. PA and Snow Cat Love are still working, Shimizu..."

She looked uncertainly at Iwashita Shima, Iwashita Shima continued her sentence.

"She said the deadline for her doujinshi was approaching and she had to go back to finish it."

Do those who didn't come have a SICK HACK guitar and PA?

"It's quite tiring to hold multiple positions," Ishikawa Hayato said, then lowered his head as if deep in thought.

"Huh? PA-san didn't come, so today's banquet is all mine."

Seika narrowed his eyes as if he had seen a second target to be eliminated.

Ishikawa Hayato immediately smiled and looked away, taking the menu as soon as Hitori handed it to him, as if he were a prophet, and began to order.

Nijika breathed a slight sigh of relief upon seeing this scene.

Without much hesitation, Ishikawa Hayato ordered some snacks, including Tamako rolled omelet) and chicken meatballs.

He just ate at home, so he can just order some snacks to eat and chat with.

After watching the waiter leave, Ishikawa Hayato turned to the group and asked.

"With so many people today, why don't we go to a karaoke bar or something? We could sing Christmas songs and birthday songs, and all that."

When musicians "play around," they certainly don't just sing honestly; they have to do something fun.

Even if Ikuyo isn't here, there are still two lead singers. As for the others, although not everyone in a band can sing, they're generally not too bad.

Hiroi Kikuri: "Tsk tsk tsk, you can't just get something for free, little brother. You have to pay to hear me sing."

Ishikawa Hayato stroked his chin, seemingly ignoring her completely, and said thoughtfully.

"I've never heard the shop manager sing before."

While still talking to Iwashita Shima Hiroi Kikuri suddenly paused, clearly Seika.

Beside her, Nijika lowered her head as if she didn't want anyone to see her expression, and her shoulders trembled slightly.

Hiroi Kikuri suddenly burst into laughter.

"The senior is completely tone-deaf when it comes to singing. He knows exactly what sounds he should make, but the sounds he sings are all wrong, except for the trilled 'r' part, which is perfectly standard."

"A born delinquent?" Ishikawa Hayato chuckled.

Seika glanced at him quietly.

Just then, the waiter who had taken our order came over with our drinks, seemingly having made a quick round.

After receiving the drinks, Ishikawa Hayato spoke before Hiroi Kikuri and Nijika could.

"Now that everyone's here, let's have a toast! Merry Christmas everyone, and happy birthday to Seika!"

Seika felt like he had taken advantage of her again. What did it mean to call her "sister"? But she still raised her glass without hesitation.

Cheers!

When it was time for a toast, even the Otsuki Yuyuko raised her drink and said a toast in a moderate voice.

However, everyone present was used to her being like this, since she always looked like this at gatherings.

The party officially began, and only then did it start to feel lively.

The conversations between adults, the conversations between teenage girls, and even Hitori sneaking in to eavesdrop among the teenage girls, along with a pair of stoic twin-tailed beauties and a slightly androgynous blue-haired girl.

Ishikawa Hayato slowly sipped his drink, observing everything, until he saw Nijika smiling at him from beside him. He smiled back and said something.

"By the way, the New Year is just around the corner after Christmas, so we can start making plans for next year now."

Nijika blinked thoughtfully, glanced at Otsuki Yuyuko, and then quickly looked away.

"Hayato-kun, are you referring to the Uncertain Riot?"

"Yes, although the performance schedule is very full now, there are still fewer opportunities for large-scale exposure."

Nijika didn't answer immediately, but instead pondered as her gaze swept over the members of their band who had come today.

Liang suddenly interjected, "Shouldn't we say it while Ikuyo is here?"

Her attitude silenced Otsuki Yuyuko had initially opened her mouth.

"Let's just chat first."

Ishikawa Hayato asked with a smile.

Hitori also pulled away from his conversation with SIDEROS to observe the scene, and after a couple of seconds, he timidly took out his phone and asked.

"Let me ask Ikuyo-chan Line."

Ishikawa Hayato also took out his phone, but he first checked Ikuyo's posts on Instagram before showing the phone to the girls around him.

"Forget it, if I talk to her now she'll just come running over."

Nijika and Ishikawa Hayato, who were about a Hitori apart from Ishikawa Nijika, curiously came over.

The image on Ishikawa Hayato's phone screen showed Ikuyo sitting sullenly next to her mother, a not-so-happy smile on her face.

Judging from the context, the fact that she is still at home is the most serious thing.

The girls immediately understood the situation.

He chuckled and sat back down, as if he had seen something interesting, and asked with a grin.

Is it really a good idea not to save her?

"Let's go tomorrow."

After Ishikawa Hayato finished speaking, he quickly commented below in front of the others, typing as he read.

"Take a few more pictures."

As soon as he sent it, Ikuyo replied instantly.

"Hayato-kun, take some pictures of that area too!"

"Okay, but I'll show it to you tomorrow."

"No, I want to see it now!"

Ishikawa Hayato sighed and showed his phone to the others again.

They seemed helpless against Ikuyo and nodded in agreement.

Then Ishikawa Hayato turned to the side and stretched out his hand in the direction he had originally been behind, and the girls also turned to the side and posed in response.

Nijika flashed a small peace sign, Hitori glanced at her and followed suit, but her smile wasn't as bright. Liang casually glanced at the camera while drinking her beverage.

The phone beeped to indicate that a photo had been taken.

The sound of camera shutters attracted the attention of other women, but seeing that Ishikawa Hayato was taking pictures of his own people, and that they seemed very cooperative, they didn't say anything.

Hiroi Kikuri glanced at the four people looking at the photos together, then at Otsuki Yuyuko, whose expression was somewhat complicated after seeing their conversation.

She saw Ishikawa Hayato taking photos on his phone and saying to the girls around him, "I feel like someone is rolling around on the ground like me," before she spoke up in admiration.

"This guy is really amazing; he manages to keep everyone harmonious."

Ishikawa Hayato didn't respond immediately, but quickly sent a message to Ikuyo: "This is all for the hot spring trip, Ikuyo, just bear with it."

Ikuyo replied instantly, "No! Everyone's leaving me behind to go to a party, that's too much!"

After glancing at Ikuyo's message, Ishikawa Hayato didn't reply immediately. He smiled, looked up, and said proudly.

"I have a secret weapon: I just need to kneel down and apologize faster than my girlfriend can get angry."

When Hiroi Kikuri Ishikawa Hayato proudly say that he was henpecked, she was taken aback and sobered up a bit. Seika and Otsuki Yuyuko had even stranger expressions.

Nijika turned her head to look at Ishikawa Yoru, her face showing deep disgust as she turned her back to the others.

However, if she hadn't pointed it out, Liang would have immediately exposed it.

When have you ever knelt down to apologize?

"That's because it's not time to use it yet..." Ishikawa Hayato said with a smile, but then his eyes widened, his face tightened, and he stopped talking.

Before any of the women could realize what was happening, he quickly changed his tune. "You definitely won't need it, don't worry!"

Many people present couldn't help but laugh.

That's an incredibly strong survival instinct.

Everyone present knew about the Kessoku Band, since none of them intended to hide it; in fact, several people knew they were already living together.

Iwashita Shima smiled and took a sip of her drink.

"Ishikawa is too smart. The smarter a man is, the more likely he is to cheat, because he is confident that he won't be caught."

Ishikawa Hayato immediately retaliated.

"That's just cleverness. A truly intelligent man wouldn't let himself be unable to control his instincts, and he would know that once feelings change, there's no going back."

Iwashita Shima looked at him, puzzled.

Ishikawa Hayato continued, "At least I've never lied to anyone about feelings."

"Yes, I still trust Hayato-kun." Nijika offered her unwavering support.

Liang put down his drink and said, "Actually, we've already got him completely under our control."

When Ishikawa Hayato heard Ryo say that, he didn't know what to say, and just chuckled.

Indeed, inside and out, there's Hitori at home, Nijika accompanies her on official business, and Ikuyo is definitely brought along when going out to play. Ryo is responsible for monitoring and assisting Hitori.