Chapter 329

Thinking about it this way is truly terrifying.

Ishikawa Hayato glanced at the most docile Hitori again, noticing her constantly turning her head in a panic due to the incessant conversation around her, her long hair swaying as she looked at the speakers, and remembered something.

He had previously seen a notebook in Hitori room that recorded his daily outing times, with each outing time accurate to the second, and the blank spaces filled with the words "love falcon".

The densely packed words overlapping were truly terrifying; he dared not let anyone else know.

Otherwise, the other three would have fled his house overnight.

Seeing this, Iwashita Shima realized she had been meddling and smiled as she took a sip of her drink.

Seeing this, Otsuki Yuyuko's expression grew even more somber.

After Hiroi Kikuri noticed this, while she was still thinking about it, she saw Ishikawa Hayato glance at Nijika.

She immediately realized.

"Oh, by the way, the organizers of Uncertain Riot, asked me if I would be willing to perform as a guest at the opening of the music festival. If you guys are going too, I'll say yes..."

Before she could finish speaking, both Nijika and Ishikawa Hayato showed disgust on their faces, and there was also the "what, it's you again with your bad luck" look.

"Only at times like this do I feel like Hiroi is the lead singer of a popular band."

"Ishikawa Hayato said helplessly."

At that moment, Nijika and Seika nodded in perfect unison, their ahoge (cowlicks) bobbing in similar motion.

"Hey, how could this happen?!"

Hiroi Kikuri said mournfully.

At that moment, Otsuki Yuyuko suddenly stood up and said...

"Kessoku Band and have a contest on the Uncertain Riot. If you win, I'll approve of your way of interacting!"

Whether the rest of the team approved or not was of little concern to Ishikawa Hayato. He glanced at the others, conveying with his eyes, "He's just being a tsundere."

Nijika responded with her gaze, "Yeah, it's tsundere."

Ryo: "A very typical tsundere."

Even Hitori nodded in agreement.

Ishikawa Hayato wasn't going to hold a grudge against Otsuki Yuyuko, and besides, he had just used his gaze to confirm what the others were thinking, so he decided to play along with her.

"Alright, we accept the challenge, but we'll need to discuss whether we'll actually go later internally."

He completely treated Otsuki Yuyuko like a child.

However, the other party didn't notice and sat back down with a sigh of relief. To her, this was already a success.

After all, she just wanted to take back the hurtful things she said that day.

Across from her, Seika looked at her with expectation and encouragement, an expectation like the desperate longing in the eyes of a victim witnessing a hero's miraculous dragon-slaying.

If Nijika hadn't been there, she probably would have taken Otsuki Yuyuko to special training.

228. Snow-white

"Things are starting to get interesting."

Hiroi Kikuri watched with a smile as Otsuki Yuyuko issued the challenge, and happily took a sip of her drink.

Then, having made up her mind, she said, "Okay, then I'll accept the organizer's invitation."

"Now I understand why Ishikawa is so popular."

Iwashita Shima sighed, then reached out and patted Hiroi Kikuri on the shoulder, causing Hiroi Kikuri to shudder.

Iwashita Shima said in a deep voice, "We should at least ask Eliza."

Even from several seats away, Ishikawa Hayato could tell how much force was in the slapping and grasping.

It's no wonder he's the drummer of a popular band; the strength in his fingers and arms is truly terrifying.

He looked down at Nijika's small hands again; it seemed she hadn't reached that point yet.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" Hiroi Kikuri apologized repeatedly, looking like she knew she was wrong.

However, everyone present knew that she was incorrigible, and no amount of punishment would be of any use; her brain, which was practically soaked in alcohol, couldn't remember anything anyway.

Ishikawa Hayato looked towards another circle of people exchanging glances.

Because of Otsuki Yuyuko's attitude just now, the other girls knew that she was no longer angry, so they also pulled her into the group to chat.

They were talking about fashion stuff that had absolutely nothing to do with music, which made her, someone who only focuses intently on her goal once she sees it, open her mouth several times, but she couldn't find a place to interject.

Because of their earlier arrogance, they were now too embarrassed to forcefully change the subject and could only lower their heads more and more pitifully.

Across from her, Hitori looked at her with great pity, trying to steer her into the conversation.

However, she looked around for a while before coming to her senses and suddenly realized that she hadn't been able to join the conversation either, and they both started to withdraw into themselves.

Ishikawa Hayato was watching from the sidelines, thoroughly amused.

As time passed, one after another, exquisite dishes that could be considered works of art were served. Long strips of fried chicken were arranged diagonally on the plate, salmon sushi of a size that would please even obsessive-compulsive disorder, and slices of saury that looked almost identical.

But the portions of these side dishes were small and they were quickly devoured. Then they continued to order more food and chat while drinking.

The food at the izakaya is served very quickly, so you can basically order and eat as you go.

After ordering another drink, Ishikawa Hayato reached into the fries he had Hitori, took a fry, dipped it in ketchup, and put it in his mouth.

Salted fries with ketchup offer a myriad of flavors.

While eating his fries, he continued his conversation with the members of the band Otsuki Yuyuko.

"Didn't you find a suitable record company either?"

"Yeah, we talked a lot, but none of it felt quite right," Hasegawa Manami said, taking a sip of her drink.

"But it seems like you guys have no intention of contacting a record company at all Kessoku Band. You haven't made a sound on social media. After rejecting all the record companies at the music festival last time, no one dares to contact you."

"I'm talking to myself while chewing on a skewer," said Uchida Yuyu.

As Ishikawa Hayato listened, he noticed his hands were covered in oil and salt from the fries. He then took another fries and held it to Ryou's lips, who was engrossed in her phone. Ryou stared intently at her phone and ate the fries without hesitation.

Hitori glanced at him briefly, then quickly looked away.

Ishikawa Hayato continued taking fries, "Back then, we were actually holding out for a higher price; we always planned to work with a record company."

As he spoke, under the disdainful looks of the SIDEROS band members across the street, he ate another fries and gave it to Hitori.

Seeing this scene, they paused their conversation and turned their gaze to Nijika.

Nijika paused, immediately averting her gaze from Ishikawa Hayato, and quickly grabbed a skewer and stuffed it into her mouth.

Seeing this, Ishikawa Hayato smiled, took two more fries and ate them himself, then wiped his hands and took out his phone to check it.

"Nijika, isn't it almost time?"

Nijika glanced at the phone screen he showed her; the time was already 10:37 PM.

She glanced to the side again; the three adults were already getting drunk, while her sister seemed to have a better tolerance for alcohol, her voice still relatively slurred.

"That's true, everyone, please wait a moment."

She straightened her upper body, stepped back a little, turned around, and walked out.

At this moment, Ishikawa Hayato clearly saw Seika looking towards the door with great anticipation. It seemed that she was deliberately drinking less, waiting for tonight's most important birthday celebration.

Before long, Nijika returned to the door, where Ishikawa Hayato was already standing and opened it wide for her.

After smiling at Ishikawa Hayato, Nijika walked in carrying a large birthday cake and said to Seika as soon as she entered.

"Happy birthday, sister! This is a cake we prepared especially for you. Please have a taste."

As she spoke, she placed the cake on Hitori table that had been carefully cleared.

Everyone then noticed the specially made cake, which featured white buttercream lace, a Christmas tree made of light green buttercream and chocolate, little figures shaped like the five members of the Kessoku Band offering hearts, and a large circle of strawberries.

It was also covered with small, iridescent colored candies.

Ishikawa Hayato knew that Nijika had made it herself; she had been practicing how to shape the cream a couple of days ago.

"That's quite impressive," exclaimed Iwashita Shima.

"Ugh, why don't I have a younger sister like Nijika? Senpai, please give Nijika to me!"

Hiroi Kikuri has once again entered a state where she dares to say anything.

"I won't give it to you."

Seika stared at the cake and spoke without thinking.

However, at this moment, Ishikawa Hayato suddenly laughed, but quickly suppressed it. When Seika noticed him, he casually took out his phone and took a picture of the cake.

Meanwhile, the girls on the other side of the table also expressed their amazement at the cake's exquisite design and meticulous craftsmanship.

Nijika wasn't puzzled as to why Ishikawa Hayato would take photos; she knew he was taking them on behalf of Ikuyo.

Seeing everyone's amazement at how beautiful the cake was, she felt very proud and happily gestured to Seika.

"Sister, have a taste."

Seika's gaze remained almost entirely fixed on the cake.

Hearing Nijika say this, she looked at Nijika, then at the exquisite and emotionally charged cake, her hand holding the fork trembling as if she couldn't bring herself to eat it.

As Nijika called out in confusion, "Sister?", she suddenly made up her mind, stabbed the knife and fork into the little figure on the cake that looked just like Ishikawa Hayato, and then swallowed it in one bite.

"Huh?" Hiroi Kikuri suddenly opened her dazed eyes.

Iwashita Shima was slightly stunned.

Hitori blinked slowly.

Liang glanced over, then looked away.

SIDEROS and his group stared in disbelief as they looked Seika and Ishikawa Hayato up and down.

Seika chewed twice and swallowed before realizing the awkward atmosphere in the private room. She looked around and then at the only part of the cake she had eaten.

I suddenly realized.

"Ah... this is..."

"Manager, there's no need to tear me to pieces right now," Ishikawa Hayato said with a weak smile, his movements calm and unhurried as he returned to his seat.

Nijika, looking helpless, followed him back to sit down.

The others immediately realized they had misunderstood and breathed a sigh of relief.

Hiroi Kikuri laughed and said, "You dare to steal your senior's sister? You'd better watch out tonight, young man."

"I'll hide behind Nijika tonight," Ishikawa Hayato said with a strange sense of pride.

Then came the process of cutting and eating the cake.

Fortunately, the cake ordered by Nijika was big enough that everyone present could eat quite a bit, and what pleased the girls the most was that each of them could eat a plump, large strawberry.

Ishikawa Hayato doesn't really understand girls' preferences; he doesn't know why they like strawberries so much.

After casually eating the strawberries, he noticed Liang next to him using a knife and fork to cut off the cream layer on the cake.

He glanced at Liang's expression again.

Seeing the mischievous glint in Ryo's eyes, Ishikawa Hayato patiently waited for her to finish cutting the cream, then swiftly grabbed her hand, leaned forward, and bit off the piece of cream she had cut.

Liang pouted, clearly dissatisfied.

Ishikawa Hayato then burst into laughter.

Last time, when Liang celebrated her birthday, he threw cream at her until her hair turned completely white. He tried to hide for a long time, but in the end, he was grabbed by a group of girls who had no sense of martial arts and they took turns throwing cream at him.

She clearly intends to continue this time as well.

However, this time it's a more expensive cream, different from the cheap vegetable cream from last time, so we can't waste it like that.

Ishikawa Hayato gradually stopped laughing and swapped the cake he had only eaten strawberries with the cold cake.

"Let's not play this time. We'll play properly next time, either on my Hitori."

"Um."

She had been keeping an eye on Ishikawa Hayato the Hitori, and only asked after the conversation here ended.