Chapter 85

But today, when it was time for school, she still hid under the covers and refused to come out.

Now, whenever she thinks of the word "school," the image of being surrounded by people from yesterday comes to mind.

The large group of people surrounding her looked menacing, and just recalling it terrified her, making the already unlovable school seem even more grotesque.

No, she absolutely refuses to go to school. School is too scary. She's dropping out today.

Falcon said he would take care of her, so she wants to talk to her mother now and get her out of school.

Drop out of school, drop out of school, drop out of school!!

Nothing can stop her; she absolutely refuses to go to school.

"Hitori, you're going to be late for school!"

Her mother's voice came from downstairs, Bocchi sat up, feeling she had to make things clear.

She tidied her bedding, but didn't change her clothes, leaving her pajamas to show her determination not to go to school, and went downstairs.

She walked up to her mother, who looked puzzled, and knelt down solemnly in a dogeza (a traditional Japanese swearing posture).

"Mom, I want to drop out of school."

She shouted as loudly as she could, but her mother's reaction was calm, as if she had been through countless battles.

"Hitori, have you made a decision?"

When Bocchi heard her mother say that, she felt a sense of hope and her heart relaxed. She didn't even look up, showing her determination.

"I've made up my mind. Please let me drop out of school today!"

"There's really nothing we can do," her mother replied in a very gentle voice.

Thinking she had received consent, Bocchi suddenly looked up and gazed hopefully at her mother.

But she saw her mother take out her phone, press a few buttons, and then hold it to her ear.

Then, after the call connected, her mother said happily.

"Hello, is this Hayato-kun? Hitori wants to drop out of school, could you please put in a good word for me?"

"Mother!!"

Feeling betrayed Bocchi screamed in shame and anger, then snatched her mother's phone.

Just as she was about to hang up in a panic, she heard a sound from her phone.

"Bocchi, what's wrong?"

Upon hearing Ishikawa Hayato's voice, Bocchi didn't dare hang up immediately. She held the phone with both hands, looking pitiful yet solemn, and brought it to her ear.

"Falcon..."

Her mother watched this scene, smiled, and went about her own business.

Although she was almost late, Bocchi eventually took her seat.

In the morning, Ishikawa Hayato told her that he would have everything sorted out before lunch break, so she shouldn't worry, and that no one would dare say or do anything to her again.

He then escorted her to her classroom, and after she sat down, he walked to the podium, paused for a couple of seconds, and then left.

Bocchi noticed that the atmosphere in the whole class suddenly turned cold, and the few people who had ambushed her in the bathroom yesterday finally breathed a sigh of relief after a while.

She found it amusing but dared not laugh, so she lay down on the table.

When the first class ended, Bocchi was still not completely at ease, felt several people walking towards her. As she began to feel scared, she reached out and grabbed the note.

But what she heard was...

"Gotou-san, I'm so sorry about yesterday! I did that without understanding the situation."

"Kita explained it to us this morning: we made a mistake, please give us a chance to make amends."

Hearing their sincere apologies, Bocchi removed his hand from the note in his pocket.

She looked down at the two shadows on the table, a happy smile on her face that was completely different from that morning.

He said it carefully and with trembling hands.

"Ah... no... it's okay, don't worry about it."

Hearing Bocchi's uneasy voice, the classmates around him remembered Kita had told them about Bocchi's extreme fear of strangers.

She recalled how, even after being terrified yesterday, Bocchi still held onto Ishikawa Hayato and bravely explained the situation to them.

They were immediately filled with shame.

"Gotou-san, if you ever need any help in the future, please be sure to ask us... no, please let us help you."

Listening to their words, Bocchi smiled and thought.

The school might not be so bad after all.

But it's still terrifying. Being surrounded like I'm about to be wiped out! I... I still want to drop out of school!

Ishikawa Hayato, who had secretly left the Bocchi classroom, returned to his own classroom.

He then met Kita's gaze, Kita was slightly worried about the situation. Kita smiled and winked, indicating that everything was fine.

Kita relieved and turned back to chat with her friend.

But just as she was about to speak, she heard a sound.

"Harem Number Two ~"

Her eyes instantly lost all their light, and she looked coldly at the boy sitting in his seat with his back to the bright blue sky.

But that gaze only lasted a moment before returning to normal, followed by a long sigh and a smile.

Evening, in STARRY's rehearsal room.

When she got a little tired from practicing, Nijika glanced at Ishikawa Hayato Jun, then quickly looked away.

She has now confirmed that Ishikawa Hayato's playful and teasing behavior was actually his way of making those around him happy.

Moreover, he is very careful about his words and actions, and he won't really anger anyone.

In this respect, Hayato-kun is reassuring, but now she's starting to worry about other things.

At his birthday party yesterday, he put his arms around Kita and Bocchi's shoulders and said that they were his harem.

Neither of them objected.

She didn't intend to interfere in their love lives, but she noticed that Bocchi seemed restless today. She also observed Kita and saw that Kita's expression was calm and indifferent.

She was a little confused about what was going on.

She had no choice but to take out her phone and send a message to Ishikawa Hayato while they were resting.

Ishikawa Hayato heard his phone ring and picked it up to look at it.

"Hayato-kun, can we talk for a bit?" Nijika.

He put his phone in his pocket and said to the others, "I'm going to the restroom."

After they responded, Ishikawa slowly walked out of the rehearsal room and waited for a while in the quiet space.

Inside the STARRY, all the lights except the essential headlights were turned off.

PA-san went home after the performance, and Seika had already gone home as well.

Recently, Seika has become too lazy to wait for them. Perhaps she has some confidence in Ishikawa Hayato, or maybe she feels she can't control him.

Not long after, Nijika also came out. When she saw Ishikawa Hayato waiting beside her, she maintained a relaxed smile and said...

"Then, let's go outside."

After saying that, she swayed her ponytail and walked to the front.

Ishikawa Hayato realized she wanted to get to the point, so he stopped joking and followed her outside.

As they walked out of the shop and up the stairs, Nijika spoke up.

"Hayato-kun, you've been dating Bocchi-chan -Kita chan lately, haven't you?"

Ishikawa Hayato glanced at Nijika, who seemed to be in a good mood as she walked ahead, and after thinking about it, he rejected the idea.

"Hmm... I don't think so."

Nijika stopped and turned around, a hint of displeasure on her face.

"Hayato-kun, I want to talk to you because I believe you wouldn't lie to me."

Ishikawa Hayato, feeling helpless, began to explain to her.

"It's true, Bocchi likes me now, but we haven't started dating yet, and Kita is just my girlfriend in name only."

After listening to his seemingly serious explanation, Nijika stared at him dumbfounded, her eyes filled with a helpless expression of "your relationship is really complicated."

Ishikawa Hayato then told her about what had happened recently.

"Is that so?" Nijika listened to his words, and from tension to relaxation, she took another step forward.

"As expected, Hayato-kun is a good person."

Ishikawa Hayato followed her up the sunken staircase from the shop entrance.

She brought up something that had been bothering her before.

"So, what's Bocchi-chan's condition today...?"

She had clearly guessed it, but didn't want to say it directly.

Ishikawa Hayato was outspoken.

"Hmm, maybe she's troubled by things like my relationship with her."

"You should treat Bocchi-chan better, don't flirt with other girls."

Nijika walked ahead, giving instructions without turning her head. Her petite figure spoke such steady words, yet it didn't seem strange at all.

After she finished speaking, she looked at the vending machine that was half-hidden in the shadows in front of her and asked.

"Is mineral water all you need, Hayato-kun?"

Ishikawa Hayato smiled.

"Nijika is so thoughtful. But there's no need to buy anything. Just being around Nijika makes me feel my energy, stamina, hunger, and hydration levels all increase rapidly."

Nijika stopped walking towards the vending machine. She looked at Ishikawa Hayato with a smile, but her voice carried a hint of anger.

"I just told you not to flirt around, and you're breaking that agreement."

Ishikawa Hayato said in a flippant tone, as if he were being unreasonable.

"No, I didn't agree."

Nijika, unusually, looked at him with a disgusted expression as if he were scum. After a long pause, she asked helplessly.

Is it true that Hayato-kun wants to build a harem?

A few moths fluttered in the orange-yellow light, and the two stood silently facing each other in the light.

This was the first time Ishikawa Hayato had ever heard someone seriously ask him this question, and he looked at Nijika with surprise.

The dim, yellowish light, barely enough to illuminate this small area, shone on Nijika's head.

Beneath her golden hair, she lowered her head slightly, forcing a smile, but her eyes held a thoughtful melancholy.

Ishikawa Hayato said.

"I'm thinking about it, but I might not actually do it."

Nijika slowly looked up at Ishikawa Hayato. She was still not at ease, but she still spoke.

"Hayato-kun, thank you for telling me the truth."

Ishikawa Hayato shrugged, seemingly unconcerned.