Chapter 602

Good evening, Asahi!

He placed the umbrella by the door, then put the cake he was carrying on the table, and handed two gift boxes, one long and one short, to Yamabuki Saya: "This is Rikki's gift, and this is mine... Happy Birthday, Saya-senpai!"

"Thank you!" she said gratefully as she accepted the gift.

"Can I open it and take a look?" Toyama Kasumi curiously, leaning closer.

"Hey! Come back here!" Ichigaya Arisa coldly pulled her back to her original position.

"Ahaha~ Kasumi is still Kasumi." Yamabuki Saya chuckled familiarly.

"Hmm~"

"I wasn't complimenting you!" Ichigaya Arisa couldn't help but retort, then looked at the table with a troubled expression. "By the way, you even prepared a cake..."

"What's wrong?"

"No, it's just... we're planning to go to Saaya's house later. Her parents have prepared a cake there."

"Ah, right...!" Toyama Kasumi, then clasped her Hands apologetically. "Sorry, Asahi-chan! I didn't make it clear beforehand!"

"No, it's not a big deal..." Ogura Asahi looked at the cake box on the table, resting her chin on her hand and pondering, "Then what should we do with this? Should we put it in the refrigerator and eat it later?"

Toyama Kasumi raised her hand. "This is quite big, why don't we eat some first?"

"Let's do it this way, how about we send some to Lock and the others too?" Ichigaya Arisa suggested, then remembered, "Ah, you don't know Lock yet, do you? She's a fan of ours, currently the guitarist for RAS, and also works part-time in the shopping district."

"She's a second-year student~ in the same class as A-chan in Haneoka!" Toyama Kasumi added, then further added, "A-chan (pronounced: Akane) is my little sister~"

Her younger sister, Toyama Asuka, who is a year younger than her, was originally a student at Hanasakigawa Junior High Division. After she entered high school, Asuka resolutely abandoned her and chose Haneoka instead, which dealt a great blow to her.

"And Ako- chan is in the same class as them, she's Roselia's drummer..." Yamabuki Saya paused, then smiled wryly and reflected, "Why does it seem like more and more people are talking about this? Asahi must be confused too, right?"

To their surprise, Ogura Asahi denied it. "No, I know them."

"Um?"

"Huh?"

"Ah?"

Hey~

After a few different onomatopoeic words, he was the focus of everyone's attention.

"Although I've never met Kasumi-senpai sister, I know the other two."

They're not just acquaintances, they're now all my employees.

However, he only had a preliminary discussion with RAS about signing the contract yesterday, and after showing them around the company, he didn't follow up. Strictly speaking, they can't even be considered his employees yet?

I'll find some time in the next couple of days to sign the contract with them.

"Real?!"

"You really have a wide network of connections..."

Have you explored other schools as well?

"Wow, that's amazing! How did you two meet?"

"Can we start eating bread now?"

After Hana-dono Tae finished her outrageous remarks, everyone's attention shifted from him to her bewildered face.

"What's wrong?" she asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"Otae is still otae..." Ichigaya Arisa chuckled.

Really?

"Huh?" Hana-dono Tae asked, puzzled. "I am who I am, aren't I?"

"Hey~ hey~" Ichigaya Arisa sighed, then reminded the others, "Don't forget what we need to do before we eat, okay?"

"Ah..." X 2

"You've all forgotten, haven't you, Kasumi? Otae!"

"I... I... I haven't forgotten!" X 2

The two quickly waved their hands and shook their heads.

"You guys..." Ichigaya Arisa felt a headache coming on, so she simply got up and walked towards the Keyboard inside the room.

Besides Yamabuki Saya's PPP, the other three members also went to their respective instruments—each picked up a guitar or Bass.

They gathered here because they were going to sing for Yamabuki Saya's birthday; otherwise, they would have gone straight to her house.

"Then I'll join too~" Ogura Asahi excitedly approached the Drum Kit that originally belonged to Yamabuki Saya. This was a new instrument she bought after deciding to play in the band again.

"Huh?!" X 5

The group looked at him in surprise again.

"Is Asahi-chan coming too? Great! Great!" Toyama Kasumi clapped her hands in delight.

"You can play the drums too... aren't you too versatile?" Ichigaya Arisa suddenly felt very frustrated.

I thought his performance at the live show a few days ago was already impressive, but it turns out that was only part of it.

She, a professional musician ranked among the top two in the PPP, felt like a complete rookie.

"Compared to the Piano, I only know a little bit." He weighed the drumsticks of the Yamabuki Saya in his hand, got a feel for it, and then quickly and meticulously played a series of notes on the drums and cymbals in front of him, listening to their characteristics.

"You majored in Piano? That's amazing! Just like Arisa!"

"It's different!"

"..."

A minute later, the group looked at each other.

What songs should I sing?

"There's no suitable song..."

"I should have written one earlier."

"Hey~ Hey~ Do you really think you can only write a few birthday songs a year?"

"But there should at least be one!"

"How about 'Happy Happy Party'?" Hana-dono Tae suggested, as it was one of the songs they performed at their live show a few days ago.

"Oh! This is good!"

"I think it's good too..."

"It's quite fun, and it suits us quite well, doesn't it?"

Toyama Kasumi looked at Ogura Asahi expectantly. "How's it going, Asahi-chan? Can you play an instrument?"

"Okay! No problem!" He gave an OK sign.

As long as she didn't mention the little star, he would...

"Let's begin! Asahi-chan will announce the start!"

"Understood."

He tapped the drumsticks twice on his head in time with the beat, chanting, "One, two!"

The upbeat guitar strings, so catchy they make you want to tap your foot, start the song, followed by a short interlude of two guitars playing together, before other instruments join in.

"Monday Hikari no Uta (Monday, singing the hope of the light returning~)"

"Tuesday is a good thing today (Tuesday, I also have a feeling that something good will happen today~)"

"..."

As the song ended, the five of them shouted in unison, "Saaya (senpai)! Happy Birthday!"

"Everyone... thank you!" Yamabuki Saya felt a warmth in her heart, and her eyes unconsciously moistened slightly.

It's so great to be able to form a band together and meet more and more friends!

Holding the ESP RANDOM STAR red guitar, which Hana-dono Tae had once described as something only a pervert would use, and standing at the front as the lead vocalist Toyama Kasumi grinned and looked back at the others, raising an eyebrow. "Kirakira (sparkling)?"

"Doki doki (My heart is fluttering!)!" Ogura Asahi and Hana-dono Tae nodded in agreement with serious expressions.

The other two were speechless, and one hadn't even realized what was happening yet.

"What's the next piece?" Toyama Kasumi, still full of energy, jumped up and down, then swept the pick across the sixth string with a flourish.

Ichigaya Arisa, resting her chin on her hand, asked, "Do you still want to play?"

"Yes!"

"Ha..." She nodded, used to it, and, though reluctant, thought for her, "... Speaking of RAS, how about their 'Beautiful Birthday'? Although the lyrics aren't quite right."

"Hmm?" Toyama Kasumi tilted her head to the right. "But we don't have any DJ equipment here?"

"Idiot~ This is a song that PAEO and the others wrote for Chuchu, right? There wasn't a DJ part in it to begin with."

"Ah, yes!" she exclaimed in realization.

"Asahi-chan!"

I have no objection.

After a short preparation time, the sound of "Beautiful Birthday," which he had just listened to yesterday, suddenly rang out in this basement, which, though limited in size, was warm, comfortable, and brimming with boundless dreams.

"Beautiful Birthday~~"

I'm glad I met you.

"..."

This is what Girl Band should be like!

As he beat the drums like a mad dog, keeping up with the rhythm, Ogura Asahi thought to himself.

When we get back, we must properly train Chihaya Aine and Toyokawa Shoko so that they can keep up with their seniors!

That said, while RAS's songs are enjoyable to listen to, they are indeed quite difficult to understand...

After Toyama Kasumi finished enjoying herself, the group opened the cake box, took out the bread that Yamabuki Saya had brought from her family's bakery, and began their first feast of the night.

"Shall I go and call Grandma over too?" Toyama Kasumi asked Ichigaya Arisa.

"I'll go."

Ichigaya Arisa Hanasakigawa towards the stairs, her skirt fluttering as she stepped onto the wooden steps, her long Black Stockings with their absolute territory making a dull thud.

"..." Ogura Asahi withdrew his gaze.

To be clear, he didn't intend to look; he just happened to be a little close.

Speaking of which, Eriri, you're both blonde tsundere characters, can't you learn from them?

A short while later, Ichigaya Arisa brought in an elderly man with short, white hair.

"Grandma! Come and have some cake!" Toyama Kasumi called out energetically.

"Thank you! Today is Saaya's birthday, happy birthday!" The old man smiled kindly at them, feeling happy in his heart as well.

Over the past two years, the group has been coming here almost every day for extracurricular activities, and she not only doesn't find it annoying, but feels gratified instead.

If Toyama Kasumi hadn't been so "overly enthusiastic" in following Ichigaya Arisa around every day, dragging her out of her house, she might still be holed up at home, unwilling to leave school.

In her eyes, it was as if she had gained several adorable granddaughters, adding much liveliness and energy to this overly spacious and quiet house.

"Oh my, who is this?"

She froze when her gaze fell on the only white-haired figure she had never seen before.

This is the first time I've seen this child... What a beautiful child!

The other person's outstanding temperament and appearance amazed even the elderly woman.

She considered herself to have seen quite a few outstanding and special children over the years following PPP, but this was the first time she had seen one like this. How should she put it...

"Nice to meet you, Arisa- senpai's grandmother. I am Ogura Asahi, a junior of Kasumi-senpai!" Ogura Asahi bowed and introduced herself.

"Oh, oh, welcome." She quickly grasped the situation.

Okay, anyway, they're just new friends that Arisa and Kasumi are dating, right? I'm used to it.