Apart from the same fair chest, she was practically a larger version of Nijika.
The same kind of levitating triangular ahoge.
But don't let her cute appearance fool you.
Their personalities were worlds apart!
One was an angel.
The other was a tsundere, tsundere, tsundere, tsundere, tsundere, tsundere, tsundere!
Meanwhile, Ijichi Hoshino discreetly looked Bai Qiu up and down.
She'd heard that Nijika had actually brought a man home.
That had given her quite a shock. It had never happened before.
He did have a very deceptive appearance, Ijichi Hoshino thought, but it would only fool some little girls at school.
However, Ijichi Nijika was also taken aback by what she'd just said.
Nijika said angrily, "Sis, what are you saying?! Didn't we already talk about this?!"
Ijichi Hoshino pursed her lips and said, completely unconcerned, "I thought you'd already put a band together, but it turned out like that..."
Ijichi Hoshino didn't continue, but her meaning was clear.
"But..."
"You can't play in a band with that kind of make-believe attitude."
Ijichi Hoshino waved a hand, looking disdainful.
"You big idiot!"
With that, Nijika dropped the drumsticks in her hand, shoved past her sister, and ran out.
A few drops of water seemed to fall through the air.
"Oh, my, you're arguing again!"
PA Miss suddenly appeared, covering her mouth with her oversized sleeve as she laughed.
She looked rather gleeful, but really, she'd just grown used to this by now.
"You're so annoying. Keep laughing and I'll dock your pay!"
Ijichi Hoshino muttered.
"Hey, how can you do that..."
Miss Pa's expression changed slightly before she vanished. This wasn't the time to rile up the shopkeeper, that Golden Lion.
"Ah! Damn it!"
Ijichi Hoshino raked her fingers through her long hair in frustration, then looked at the remaining two, Bai Qiu and Goto Hitori.
Ijichi Hoshino sighed inwardly. Why did she always say the opposite of what she meant?!
Bai Qiu blinked in confusion.
This situation was kind of awkward.
Just now, Goto Hitori had fainted on the spot.
In truth, Goto Hitori was pretending to be unconscious.
All she could think was that she wouldn't have to perform onstage now!
Yes! This was great!
No, how could she base her happiness on someone else's pain?
She was so despicable!
But she really didn't want to perform onstage.
Going onstage was terrifying!
As for Bai Qiu, he was about to go head-to-head with Ijichi Hoshino.
"Hello, Shopkeeper."
Ijichi Hoshino gave an arrogant little snort, but she was still reasonable enough to know Bai Qiu hadn't done anything wrong.
Glancing at the pink goo sprawled on the floor, Ijichi Hoshino wondered what on earth it was.
"Anyway, your performance is scheduled for last, so it doesn't matter if you don't have a bassist. If... if one band suddenly dropped out, I'd have to come up with an excuse to explain it to the customers. What a pain."
Bai Qiu held back a laugh. "All right, Shopkeeper. I'll go find Nijika."
At the same time, he thought to himself, Tsunderes are such a pain.
And she's this tsundere, too.
Ijichi Hoshino's eyes lit up. This kid was pretty smart; he'd understood what she meant.
"Hey, kid. Here... take these."
Ijichi Hoshino tossed Bai Qiu the three bottles of apple juice that were left, then quickly turned around to hide her expression.
Bai Qiu caught them deftly.
"Thanks, Shopkeeper."
Ijichi Hoshino nodded.
Bai Qiu leaned close to Goto Hitori's ear and whispered, "If you don't solidify soon, you'll be left here all by yourself."
"Ah, no... don't leave me behind."
Goto Hitori's body trembled. She came back to life.
Grabbing Goto Hitori by the collar of her tracksuit, Bai Qiu ran out of Starry.
"Gigglegiggle..." Miss Pa burst out laughing.
The two stood at the entrance.
"What should we do?"
Goto Hitori asked helplessly.
Maybe they should just go home and each find their own mom.
Bai Qiu was also thinking about where to look for Nijika.
Shimokitazawa Park, or the Vending Machine?
"Sorry, I suddenly ran out and left you both in there."
Nijika had already walked back on her own.
She'd run out on impulse, but then remembered the two people she'd brought along were still inside the shop.
It would be so rude to leave them there.
So she'd quickly composed herself and come back.
But if you looked closely, the corners of her eyes were a little red.
She'd clearly been crying.
Bai Qiu was a little bewildered. Nijika really was something else.
She was so kind, always thinking of everyone else.
"It's okay."
Bai Qiu said it was fine, and Hitori nodded.
"Thank you both. And, Hitori, I'm sorry. You don't have to perform after all."
Nijika looked dejected.
Losing their first performance as a band hit her pretty hard.
If the two of them hadn't been there, she might have cried a little longer.
This time, Goto Hitori couldn't even bring herself to be happy.
Bai Qiu hurriedly said, "The shopkeeper said we can perform. Look, she gave us drinks."
He gestured to the apple juice in his hands.
"Really?"
"Really. The shopkeeper's just a tsundere!"
Bai Qiu said with a smile.
Nijika suddenly understood and perked up. How had she forgotten that?!
"Then, Hitori..."
Nijika looked at Hitori again, feeling embarrassed.
Hitori, drinking her juice, answered instinctively, "Ah, okay."
"Then let's hurry back."
Nijika wiped her eyes.
But Bai Qiu didn't move.
"What is it?"
"We've got plenty of time. Let's go find a bassist!"
### Chapter 14: Yamada Ryo's Past
Actually, they were still inside Starry just moments ago.
When Nijika mentioned that they didn't have a bassist, a few ways to salvage the situation came to Bai Qiu's mind.
For example, perhaps they could ask Akiyama Mio, whom they'd run into not long ago, to fill in as a temporary bassist.
Come to think of it, Hiratsuka Shizuka could play bass too.
But they might not be able to reach either of them anytime soon, and they might not agree anyway.
Besides, Bai Qiu had heard that there was a professional-level bassist around who played as a temporary bassist for over thirty different bands.
That was terrifying!
But this option seemed reliable.
Bai Qiu couldn't help thinking.
Anyway, how could he let Nijika's first performance come to nothing?!
Nijika hesitated for a moment, looking a little troubled.
"But finding Hitori was already incredibly lucky."
Could they really find another bassist just like that?
Hearing this, Goto Hitori looked a little smug.
Bai Qiu shook his head and smiled. "We can go find the bassist you originally wanted, Nijika."
The so-called solutions he'd thought up earlier had been nothing but wild speculation on Bai Qiu's part—and an excuse for the author to pad out the word count.
Kessoku Band couldn't be without Yamada Ryo!
"Even if she's quit music, playing one performance should still be no problem."
"Besides, anyone who's played music would be tempted by the chance to perform. Isn't that right, Goto?"
Goto Hitori hadn't expected to be called on out of the blue. "Ah, yes!"
Nijika lowered her head, hesitating.
To be honest, when Ryo told her she was done with music,
Nijika had thought Ryo was just joking.
Before you continue