A Lifetime Is Too Long. What About Three Years...

This week, any of the few remaining items in the System Mall could be redeemed.

But the only really useful ones were [Eidetic Memory] and [Absolute Pitch].

[Eidetic Memory] wasn't something I needed just yet.

Considering how rare [Absolute Pitch] was, even though it was overpriced right now,

Bai Qiu steeled himself and spent 20,000 Notes to get [Absolute Pitch].

And just like that, he was down to a mere few hundred Notes again.

Now Kessoku Band had joined, and the Light Music Club had joined.

It might be a while before he earned such a large number of Notes again.

But Bai Qiu wasn't worried.

All right, Yui, now we're on an even footing.

Three thirty. School was out.

Bai Qiu had noticed that Tomo was acting strange today.

During class, as usual, Tomo had been looking at her little stones, Band-aids, or diary.

But she hadn't turned a single page of her diary.

She also looked very downcast, as if she had something on her mind.

She might as well have had "something's bothering me" written all over her face.

During break, Bai Qiu had gone out of his way to chat with her about things she was interested in, but Takamatsu Tomo hadn't seemed interested.

And she seemed to be avoiding him a little, too.

That left Bai Qiu worried and confused, and even a little dejected.

Had he done something without realizing it that upset Tomo?

Or was it just that time of the month?

Bai Qiu hoped it was the latter.

But his instincts told him otherwise.

Looking toward Tomo's seat, Bai Qiu decided to wait until the classroom had mostly emptied before trying to find out what was going on.

But all he saw was an empty seat, followed by Takamatsu Tomo's retreating figure at the classroom's back door.

Bai Qiu followed her, guessing she was probably headed to the Astronomy Club.

Clutching her diary, Takamatsu Tomo wandered into the Astronomy Club room, feeling lost.

Her heart was filled with uncertainty and dejection.

That morning, she'd been about to greet Qiu and Yui.

But she'd happened to hear that Bai Qiu had joined the Light Music Club.

She remembered that the night before, as she was leaving, she'd seemed to glimpse Bai Qiu saying goodbye to a few girls carrying instruments in the distance.

Those girls must have been from the Light Music Club.

At the thought, Takamatsu Tomo felt a pang of dejection.

It wasn't that she resented Bai Qiu joining the Light Music Club.

She just thought that, as expected, there was nothing good about the Astronomy Club. It only had someone like her in it.

Bai Qiu-kun didn't like the Astronomy Club anymore, did he?

As expected, Qiu had only joined the Astronomy Club because he'd been too embarrassed to turn her down.

Without realizing it, Takamatsu Tomo remembered a rainy night from a few months ago.

"I'm here today to leave CRYCHIC..."

The voice that had once warmed her heart had turned cold and piercing.

Maybe in a few days, the Astronomy Club would disband, just like CRYCHIC had...

"I'm here today to leave the Astronomy Club..."

"Did something happen, Tomo?"

Bai Qiu looked at Takamatsu Tomo in confusion. She stood alone in front of a chair.

No matter how he called to her, she didn't respond.

It was just like the last time he'd seen Goto Hitori lost in one of her fantasy moments.

He gently shook Tomo by the shoulders.

Takamatsu Tomo came back to herself and looked up, only to jump in fright.

The face and voice that had just appeared in her mind were suddenly right in front of her.

"Qiu, why are you here..."

Takamatsu Tomo lowered her head again, her voice subdued.

"Sorry, I startled you."

"This is the Astronomy Club room. I'm a member. Is it strange for me to be here?"

Bai Qiu asked, puzzled.

"Qiu, are you here to leave the Astronomy Club..."

Takamatsu Tomo asked the question she didn't want to face.

When did I ever say I was leaving the Astronomy Club?

"Because... the Light Music Club..."

Bai Qiu's brow relaxed as he felt he understood the situation.

Tomo probably thought that because he'd joined the Light Music Club, he was giving up on the Astronomy Club.

Come to think of it, he should've told Tomo about it.

So Bai Qiu smiled and said, "Even though I joined the Light Music Club, I'm not going to leave the Astronomy Club."

"Besides, I still want you to teach me how to use the Astronomical Telescope, Tomo!"

Bai Qiu pointed to the tripod beside them.

"Really?"

Takamatsu Tomo glanced at Bai Qiu, a little hope kindling in her heart.

"Of course."

Bai Qiu smiled brightly.

Takamatsu Tomo suddenly lifted her head, her gaze burning bright.

"Then, Qiu, would you stay with me in the Astronomy Club for the rest of your life?"

P.S.: Characters who haven't appeared yet will show up during the band-forming process...

Chapter 25: A Lifetime Is Too Long. What About Three Years...

"Uh... the rest of my life?"

Bai Qiu froze, then slowly looked into Takamatsu Tomo's amber eyes.

He blinked again, as if checking whether he'd heard her correctly.

Then Bai Qiu couldn't help letting out a quiet laugh.

She had to be joking!

So Tomo could joke around, too!

A club? How could anyone stay in one for their whole life?

Bai Qiu's reaction told Takamatsu Tomo everything.

As expected, he couldn't...

Why couldn't everyone stay together forever?

She didn't want to experience the pain of parting!

"Sorry. I said something weird."

Before she'd even finished speaking, Takamatsu Tomo had already dashed out of the Astronomy Club room.

Staring at the door, Bai Qiu called out in astonishment,

"Wait..."

What was going on?!

Alone in the Astronomy Club room, Bai Qiu stood frozen, feeling lost.

Who am I... Where am I... What am I doing...

Was that a confession?

The thought had barely crossed Bai Qiu's mind before he pushed it away.

He didn't think Takamatsu Tomo liked him that much yet. They hadn't known each other for very long.

And that moment just now hadn't felt like that at all.

Come to think of it, there'd seemed to be an invisible pressure in the air.

But Bai Qiu had been too surprised to pay attention to it.

So if she wasn't joking, and it wasn't a confession, what on earth did she mean by "the rest of your life"?

Once every impossible explanation had been ruled out, only one answer remained.

Bai Qiu kept thinking.

Could it be... that Tomo had meant it seriously?

And had she mistaken his laughter for mockery?

Bai Qiu swore he hadn't been making fun of her at all.

With years of experience watching domestic idol romance dramas, Bai Qiu immediately realized:

There was no time to think about it now.

When you're talking to a girl and she suddenly runs off,

you have to hurry and catch up with her.

Otherwise, something might happen that can't be undone.

Of course, you might catch up just in time to see the accident happen.

And then it still can't be undone.

There was no time to lock the door. With a bang,

Bai Qiu quickly—and quite naturally—pulled the classroom door shut behind him.

Takamatsu Tomo was already out of sight in the hallway, so Bai Qiu chased after her toward the stairs.

Sure enough, as he approached the stairs, he seemed to hear hurried footsteps running down them.

Bai Qiu was both surprised and delighted. Absolute Pitch really was something.

Then Bai Qiu hurried down the stairs as well. Through the gaps in the banister, he could indeed see Takamatsu Tomo running downward.

"Ah! Little Qiu!"

A delighted voice called out.

She was just about to meet up with the girls from the Light Music Club.

Could Little Qiu have changed his mind?