So many geniuses in anime! What's wrong with me joining?

"Then I'll trouble you."

Inoseri Nina and Sakurakoji Talent responded separately. Then, Inoseri Nina seemed to remember something, turned back to the kitchen staff, bowed, and said with a smile, holding up her middle finger, "It was delicious! Thank you very much!"

Kawaragi Momoka, standing at the entrance, bowed in stunned silence, feeling like she had done something wrong. Sakurakoji Talent turned his head, unable to suppress a muffled chuckle in his throat.

Well, that feels better.

"Do you want to fight?!" The short server raised a ladle, looking furious and ready to fight, but was held back by the tall girl beside her.

"Thank you for visiting."

"I'm sorry, my friend here just came from the countryside and doesn't understand the meaning of this gesture yet." After laughing, Sakurakoji Talent wrapped his hand around Inoseri Nina's middle finger and turned back to explain to the two staff members.

"Eh?! Doesn't this mean thank you?" Inoseri Nina was greatly surprised, then complained as she looked back at Kawaragi Momoka, who was holding her sides with laughter, "Miss momoka!!"

"So that's how it is," the girl with light brown skin said understandingly, her gaze towards Sakurakoji Talent becoming a little uneasy. "By the way, have you been here before, customer?"

"Ah, yes, I ate here just a few hours ago. I'm impressed you remember."

"Because you were very memorable... Thank you for visiting again!" She suddenly bowed deeply, her head almost touching the ground, her expression anxious.

"Eh? Ah, thank you. Though I didn't order any food this time." Sakurakoji Talent looked at her, puzzled, not understanding the sudden fuss.

"RUPA?" The short girl beside her was also surprised, not understanding why her close friend was reacting so strongly.

"Ah, I'm sorry!!" Realizing her reaction was a bit intense, she apologized again.

"It's alright, then... shall we take our leave?"

"Yes! We welcome you back!"

Pushing the awkward and flustered Inoseri Nina away, the three of them came out onto the street. After feeling the cool breeze, amidst Kawaragi Momoka's unrestrained laughter, Inoseri Nina finally understood.

"How does that gesture mean thanks?! It's completely different!"

"Sorry, sorry!" Kawaragi Momoka wiped away tears of laughter, offering an insincere apology.

"Follow me, I'll take you to where I live."

The shop, quiet once more, saw Ebizuka Tomo patting her friend RUPA, whose expression was off. "RUPA, are you okay?"

"Are you feeling unwell today? Maybe you should go home early?"

"Mmm~ Hmm, I'm fine," the tall girl shook her head.

"Then what was wrong with you just now? You seemed a bit strange today?"

"Uh, it's nothing. Come on, let's get back to work!" The girl, now back to normal, pushed her shoulder and steered away from the topic.

After walking for about ten minutes, passing through a small road with dim streetlights, Kawaragi Momoka stopped in front of an old detached house.

"Is this it?" Inoseri Nina asked cautiously.

"It's quite cold inside, so be careful. The heating here doesn't work." As she said this, Kawaragi Momoka put down her things and struggled to push the door open.

"Your family?"

"Ah, they're not here! Not here!" Gritting her teeth and exerting all her strength, she pushed the old, heavy door open and gestured for the two to enter.

"It'll take me some time to take off my shoes, you two go on inside. The room is at the very back."

"Excuse us..."

"Excuse us."

Inoseri Nina took off her shoes and carefully walked down the dark hallway, stopping in front of the last room and pushing the door open with some force.

"The light switch is on the left."

Kawaragi Momoka's reminder came from behind. She fumbled for the switch and turned it on, and warm light instantly filled the room.

At the same time, something seemed to be rubbing against her feet...

"Meow~"

"You're not afraid of cats, are you?"

Kawaragi Momoka, who followed them in, asked. Both of them shook their heads.

"Then please sit down, I'll make you some coffee." Saying this, she walked behind the kitchenette in the room.

"Thank you." X2

Sakurakoji Talent scanned the small room. It was small but had everything one needed. Although the area wasn't large and there weren't many pieces of furniture, it was perfectly sufficient for one person to live in. In fact, sometimes a place that was too large might feel less secure.

It's a rather cozy little nest, Sakurakoji Talent thought.

Like him, Inoseri Nina was also observing the room, but her gaze was quickly drawn to the guitar Kawaragi Momoka had placed to the side.

"So cool!" Looking at the reflective guitar finish, her eyes mirrored a similar longing.

Image: "RUPA", Location: "Images/1755949571-100446961-113760151.jpg"

Volume 1: The Butterfly-Attracting Daily Life: Chapter 63: Drinking Too Much Coffee Affects Sleep

"What, can you play?" Kawaragi Momoka asked, turning around as she brewed coffee.

"Not at all, but I've always admired it."

"Hmph~ What about Talent?"

"I know a little," Sakurakoji Talent replied, sitting on a yellow bar stool beside her.

"Huh? Mr. Talent, you play guitar too?" Inoseri Nina's eyes widened as she looked at him, envy shining in her eyes.

"That's great, I wish I had learned a musical instrument."

"I only learned a bit because of family reasons, and then I got slightly interested. I don't practice guitar much," Sakurakoji Talent explained, then comforted her, "Miss Nina, you don't need to envy others. I think if your voice were used for singing, it would be amazing. The lead singer wouldn't need to envy the instrumentalists at all."

"Huh? Really?"

"Really, I never lie. You definitely have a talent for singing," Sakurakoji Talent affirmed confidently.

"I think so too. Nina, if you sing, your voice will definitely be great," Kawaragi Momoka said, bringing over two cups of coffee and agreeing.

"Thank you," she said, taking the steaming mug. "But I've never tried it before, and I don't know if I can..."

"Everyone has a first time, you'll find out eventually," Sakurakoji Talent took a sip of the cheap instant coffee.

Speaking of which, he sometimes really wondered what Miss Momoka was thinking. Giving them coffee late at night, what kind of thought process led to such an action?

"Yes, that's true. You seem very interested in the guitar, want to hold it and try?" Kawaragi Momoka suggested.

"Can I?"

"Yes." She walked over, picked up the electric guitar, and put it on Inoseri Nina.

"Wow! It's heavier than I imagined!" Inoseri Nina exclaimed.

"It doesn't suit you."

"Uh, I guess so." Inoseri Nina gave a wry smile.

"Just kidding, just kidding! Anyone can hold a guitar!" Kawaragi Momoka explained with a laugh. "You're still in high school, right?"

"Yes, I'm 17. If I were still in school, I'd be in my third year of high school this year."

Kawara Momoka's eyes fell into a memory as she returned to the kitchen. "Do you want sugar?"

"Ah, yes."

"I was also 17 when my friends and I dropped out of high school and came here. Has it been three years already?" she mused nostalgically.

"Huh? That means you're only 20?" Inoseri Nina pointed out the loophole, her expression shocked.

"...I feel inexplicably stung."

Sakurakoji Talent watched the two women reveal personal details, his gaze sweeping between them as he quietly drank his coffee.

Yeah, if they didn't say it, who would have guessed that one was 17 and the other was 20?

One looked too young, the other looked too mature.

If you didn't know, you might think one was a middle schooler and the other was an office lady around 25.

Of course, compared to that high school girl who looked like a wife at such a young age, this was nothing!

"But I guess it really is fate," Kawaragi Momoka continued.

"Yes, it's fate! Um..." Inoseri Nina tried to pull a ticket stub from her pocket. It was a Diamond Dust concert ticket, but Kawaragi Momoka didn't have a pen earlier when they were outside, so there was no autograph.

"Weren't you coming here today?"

"Yes, um, if it's okay..."

"Actually, I'm going back tomorrow, back to Asahikawa."

"Going back...?" Inoseri Nina's movements paused as she looked up and asked.

"Moving away, leaving this place," Kawaragi Momoka pulled over a bar stool and sat on it. "Going back home, giving up on music."

"Why? You can sing such amazing songs..."

"Thank you, your coffee is getting cold," she said, tactically taking a sip of her coffee.

"Miss Momoka!"

"There's nothing I can do, it's not taking off," Kawaragi Momoka continued to explain. "It's too hard to live on income from concerts and music alone."

"I still have to work, work, work..."

"But you wrote this song, right? It has so many plays," Inoseri Nina looked at the Empty Box page on her phone, unwilling to accept it.

"I gave it away!" Kawaragi Momoka stretched her fingers and relaxed her brows, feigning ease. "The copyright for that song isn't mine anymore."

"Huh?" Inoseri Nina looked up in surprise, then suddenly stood up from the sofa, pulled over another bar stool, and knelt on it. "Please tell me in detail!"

There should be background music here, Sakurakoji Talent thought, watching the dramatic live performance unfold.

Although he had been listening, he hadn't offered any opinion. He felt it wasn't the right time for him to intervene yet. He'd wait a little longer, watching the drama with relish—speaking of which, this coffee is truly terrible.

"You don't have to listen if you don't want to!" Kawaragi Momoka turned her head.

"I want to listen!" Inoseri Nina's tone was resolute. "Because you created that song, Miss Momoka, right? Then you shouldn't have given it away!"

"I can!"

"You can't!"

"Ahem! I can!"

"No, you can't!"

"I can!"

"No…"

"…"

Watching the two of them bicker like children, Sakurakoji Talent propped his chin on his hand and yawned. He was starting to feel sleepy. Could you two be any more childish?

I paid money to see something else!

Damn it! Give me my money back!

Finally, Kawaragi Momoka gave up and picked up her guitar. "You're so stubborn, just like a true Kumamoto native!"

"Of course!" Inoseri Nina retorted, unwilling to back down. Hearing Momoka strumming her guitar haphazardly, Nina reached out to stop her. "Don't do that!"

"Don't touch it!" Kawaragi Momoka warned verbally, reluctantly placing the guitar by her feet. "Seriously, what's wrong with you? You were so timid just a moment ago. You're such a weirdo."

At this, a sense of alarm flared within Sakurakoji Talent. As if sensing something, he was suddenly startled and quickly pulled out the sunglasses he had put away. He put them on and covered his face tightly with his scarf.

His actions naturally drew the attention of the other two, who looked at him in confusion.