The members of the other bands who had helped out gathered around Sakurakoji Talent, Yamada Ryo, and the others, their faces full of astonishment and disbelief.
A makeshift team could put on a performance like that—how were they supposed to feel?
"Come on, it was all luck. It doesn't count," Sakurakoji Talent explained, trying to comfort them, though he didn't think so himself.
You guessed right—it was Katsura, and a whole bunch of them.
Image: "A Playing Cat", location: "Images/1754749032-100446961-113703277.jpg"
Author: It's a little late, but I kept my promise and finished both yesterday's and today's updates. Also, thank you, Pure Blue, for the spicy strip support!
The Daily Life of Attracting Bees and Butterflies: Who Told You to Take Off His Mask!
After cleaning up the stage, Sakurakoji Talent returned to the bar and saw the two women waiting for him.
"You two haven't left yet?" Sakurakoji Talent asked in surprise. He had thought they had left directly.
"What kind of thing is that to say!" Yukino Shita Hiyori slapped the table, puffing out her cheeks with obvious displeasure.
"Don't tell me you forgot that you're one of the losers too? We've finished our punishment game performance. Now it's your turn!"
"You're not allowed to weasel out of it!"
"Oh, right, I think there was something like that." Sakurakoji Talent put on an expression of sudden realization. He had been busy preparing for the performance and had nearly forgotten about it.
"You..." Hiratsuka Shizuka looked at him with disgust. "Enough nonsense. Hurry up and fulfill your promise."
She had been dragged completely into this today. Although the result had been fairly good, if she could not win back even a little face, she would probably need alcohol to sleep tonight.
"Yeah, yeah, hurry up! Don't change the subject!" Yukino Shita Hiyori urged him enthusiastically from the side.
"First, tell us why you wear that mask."
Seeing that the two would not give up until they got what they wanted, Sakurakoji Talent knew he could not avoid satisfying them today. He spoke helplessly.
"There's no particular reason. I just thought it would make me seem more mysterious."
"That's it?"
Yukino Shita Hiyori frowned. That answer was far too perfunctory. It could not possibly satisfy her curiosity.
"Eh? Mr. Talent didn't give that reason back then, did he?"
At that moment, Ichiji Nijika, who had returned with them, looked at him and mercilessly exposed him, her face full of innocent confusion.
"I know this one!" Yamada Ryo raised her hand high, clearly not one to fear making a spectacle bigger.
"Hey! Little Yamada! Please, tell us!" Yukino Shita Hiyori immediately pointed at Yamada Ryo, signaling for her to answer.
"Talent said it was because he was afraid people would only look at his face and ignore the musical performance on stage!" Yamada Ryo answered loudly, her voice thunderous in the now-empty hall.
Sakurakoji Talent covered his forehead with a headache. He had just casually said that as a joke back then. Why did she remember such useless things?
"Heeey~" Yukino Shita Hiyori and Hiratsuka Shizuka looked at him with intrigued expressions, their thoughts unreadable.
"I didn't expect you to be that kind of guy, kid. Even I wouldn't dare say something like that. You're pretty confident, huh?" Yukino Shita Hiyori teased, poking him as a gleam flashed in her eyes.
This was it! Her chance to wash away tonight's humiliation!
As long as Sakurakoji Talent performed even slightly poorly later, she could mock him with this for the rest of his life! That would be far more satisfying than the humiliation she had suffered tonight!
This round, she had the advantage!
"Confident doesn't seem quite right, but narcissistic certainly does." Hiratsuka Shizuka joined in, staring at Sakurakoji Talent teasingly.
How shameless did someone have to be to say something like that?
In her memory, only that narcissist at school and the troublesome woman beside her's younger sister had skin that thick.
But to be fair, even she had to admit that the narcissistic young lady's appearance was indeed flawless. Although she was inherently lacking in certain areas, and it would be difficult to make up for it later in life, at least her face was unquestionably adorable.
So it was hard to say whether she was narcissistic or simply confident.
She had not expected to meet another one here today. She just did not know which side he belonged to.
"I'm alright. So-so." Sakurakoji Talent answered dully.
As a professional troublemaker, he already knew what kind of entertainment those two were planning in their hearts.
"Then take off your mask and let us appreciate exactly what breathtaking beauty is hiding underneath~" Yukino Shita Hiyori's voice was full of mockery, her gaze brimming with amusement.
Right now, she only wanted to see Sakurakoji Talent make a fool of himself, then thoroughly put him down to avenge herself for tonight. As for anything else, she could not be bothered to think about it anymore.
"Wouldn't that be inappropriate?"
"What's inappropriate about it? It would be wonderful!"
"But I still think it's not quite right, because..."
"Well, there's nothing to be done about that. You lost, so you have to accept the consequences!"
"But..." Sakurakoji Talent hesitated.
"But what? Take it off when we tell you to take it off!"
"We already completed the punishment game exactly as you requested. Are you only thinking of backing out now?"
"I really misjudged you. I never thought you were this kind of person!"
Yukino Shita Hiyori turned sideways and mimed wiping away tears as she denounced his immorality and lack of integrity. Judging by her posture, if he refused again, she would definitely keep talking until the ends of the earth and pin every possible stain on him.
"Fine." Sakurakoji Talent agreed helplessly. "But I'd feel a little embarrassed taking it off myself. How about you help me take it off?"
"You're embarrassed about taking off a mask? What kind of little girl are you?" Yukino Shita Hiyori could not understand his words, but in order to continue thoroughly "humiliating" him, she could only play along.
She walked up to him in small steps and raised her head slightly. His flawless skin and jewel-like eyes beneath long, slender lashes immediately entered her view. Those ruby eyes quietly watched her face, devoid of emotion.
Yukino Shita Hiyori's heart instantly skipped a beat. Something felt ninety percent wrong.
She seemed to have overlooked something...
But her arm had already instinctively reached for his face. After grasping the thin mask, she quickly pulled it off.
Yamada Ryo and Ichiji Nijika exchanged helpless looks. They wanted to stop her and explain, but it was already too late.
Oh no, he had really gotten her.
They could already foresee what would happen next... Why was this Talent/Mr. Talent so mean?
The mask moved away inch by inch. For every centimeter it revealed, another centimeter of exquisite, perfect features filled the space. In less than a second, an overwhelmingly striking, androgynous aesthetic form crashed into Yukino Shita Hiyori's eyes from extremely close range.
Yukino Shita Hiyori's pupils instantly dilated and contracted. Her entire body froze, the removed mask still suspended in midair in her hand as she forgot to breathe for a moment.
"How is it? I'm not too ugly, am I?" The teasing expression did not disappear; it simply shifted to Sakurakoji Talent's face as he smiled and asked her.
Awakened by his voice, Yukino Shita Hiyori hurriedly stepped back twice and nearly fell. Fortunately, Hiratsuka Shizuka caught her, sparing her from disaster. When she raised her head to look at his delicate face again, she was utterly flustered, two red clouds blooming on her cheeks as none of her previous composure remained.
At this point, how could she not realize that he had played her? This hateful guy!
But... he really was beautiful. Staring at Sakurakoji Talent's face, her throat moved unconsciously. His looks were enough to make even a woman who considered herself beautiful feel a little jealous.
Hiratsuka Shizuka also looked surprised upon seeing Sakurakoji Talent's true face after he removed the mask. She had not expected him to genuinely have the goods, with even more natural advantages than that little brat at school. A question arose in her mind.
Could extreme confidence really turn into narcissism?
Image: "Ryo Playing", location: "Images/1754749105-100446961-113703281.jpg"
The Daily Life of Attracting Bees and Butterflies: What About Bocchi and MyGO?
"So you're not a young man, but a young lady?"
That was the first thing Yukino Shita Hiyori said after remaining silent for a long time.
She could not help it. His overwhelmingly striking face could only make her think that way.
After all, if someone told her that face belonged to a man, wouldn't that be too disgusting? What did a man need to be that pretty for, to have yuri with women?
Although his chest armor did not look feminine either, considering her sister's case... it was not impossible, was it?
"How could that be?" Sakurakoji Talent frowned and sighed. Was this label really impossible to get rid of?
Why did so many people think that after seeing his face?
"No, Miss Yukinoshita, Mr. Talent really is male, though we thought the same thing at first." Ichiji Nijika stepped in to smooth things over. As she spoke, her tone gradually sank, remembering that they had reacted exactly the same way before.
During the earlier rehearsal, they had exchanged names for convenience, which was why Yukino Shita Hiyori had been able to call Yamada Ryo by name.
"Isn't that even more disgusting..." Yukino Shita Hiyori muttered, feeling that she needed some time to process it.
"Sakurakoji, it looks like you might have trouble finding a partner in the future." Hiratsuka Shizuka examined his face with a cruel smile.
With looks of that level, if he did not want to lower his standards, it would obviously be very difficult to find a significant other who satisfied him. Then Hiratsuka Shizuka seemed to think of something else, and the light gradually vanished from her eyes.
"You needn't worry about that. I don't have any plans for it right now anyway."
Since they had not seen what they expected to excite them, the topic quickly came to an end. They were both smart women and knew that continuing to press the issue would only humiliate themselves.
"Come to think of it, Rakuna can play guitar? And at such a high level? I had no idea!"
Seemingly remembering Kanau's outstanding performance earlier, Ichiji Nijika looked excitedly at Kanau, who was sitting to the side looking bored and preparing to leave, and spoke with enthusiasm.
Hm?
This topic immediately triggered Sakurakoji Talent's sensitive alarm bells, and he turned his gaze toward them. Given what he knew about Ichiji Nijika, was her next move going to be...
"Ryo and I are forming a band, and the guitarist position is still vacant. Rakuna, would you like to join?"
Just as expected!
Sakurakoji Talent wore a complicated expression, filled with unease about the future.
No, why had the storyline changed? If she did this, what would Bocchi do later?
Poor Bocchi—would she enter high school unable to find even a single band, spending her high school years alone as well?
And what about MyGO? Without Kanau's guitar holding down the foundation, would they have to rely on that useless beginner?
But... perhaps there was no need for a band of maniacs like MyGO to form at all. If they really did not form, perhaps it would actually be a good thing for everyone? Sakurakoji Talent was confused. Should he correct this accident or not?
While he hesitated, Kanau spoke.
"Talent joining too?"
"Eh, me?" Sakurakoji Talent raised his head and met Kanau's eyes as she looked at him, but he remained firm in his original decision.
"No, I won't be joining. Today was just an accident."
"Why?"
"Because I'm very busy. I don't have time to join a band. Do you want to join?"
"Mm..." Kanau frowned and fell into thought.
"I kind of want to, but not that much."
"Why?!" Ichiji Nijika cried out. Had she done something wrong and made her angry?
"But the reason you suggested going on stage together today was because you were interested in this, wasn't it?" Sakurakoji Talent cut straight to the point, exposing the meaning behind Kanau's actions today.
If she were not genuinely interested, Kanau would never have voluntarily asked to join with her personality.
"Really?" Hope rose in Ichiji Nijika's heart again, and she looked at her expectantly.
If she could recruit Kanau, whose guitar skills were incredibly high, her dream of forming a popular band would definitely take another step forward!
"Mm. Because Talent and everyone seemed interesting, but Talent and those two aren't joining." Kanau nodded and voiced her thoughts.
"Ryo and I alone aren't enough?" Ichiji Nijika covered her chest sadly, feeling as though her entire life had been rejected.
"Nijika and Ryo... are interesting women too!" Kanau thought for a while before giving her approval.
"But your band only has two people. It's not interesting enough."
"It's fine! As long as Rakuna joins, Kessoku Band will have three people!" Hearing her answer, Ichiji Nijika became energized once more.
Before you continue