Bai Qiu shook his head,
"It's fine. I was just worried you'd run too fast and fall."
Bai Qiu-kun really is a good person!
Goto Hitori looked at Bai Qiu gratefully.
"Try not to run so fast next time. You'll get used to it."
Goto Hitori suddenly shouted,
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to speak so loudly to you."
Bai Qiu didn't mind.
"Why not?"
"Because if you walk around with a gloomy girl like me..."
"It'll definitely hurt your image at school, Bai Qiu-kun."
Goto Hitori said softly, then glanced discreetly at Bai Qiu.
He was one of the popular kids, after all!
Walking around with a nobody like her
would lower his popularity.
Bai Qiu was a little surprised. So that was another reason?
But he simply raised the corners of his mouth and said teasingly,
"Oh? Is that so?"
"Wasn't it because you couldn't stand everyone looking at you?"
Goto Hitori's face went pale, and she let out a strange noise.
"I... I couldn't stand that, either..."
"Don't be mad..."
"Relax, I was just teasing you."
"Have a drink, Bocchi."
Bai Qiu pressed the ice-cold Coke into Goto Hitori's arms.
"Thanks..."
Goto Hitori reflexively reached for her wallet.
Bai Qiu turned her down.
"It's perfectly normal for friends to buy each other drinks."
Seeing that Goto Hitori still seemed a little down,
Bai Qiu, on the other hand, didn't feel much pressure.
For some reason,
maybe compared with Takamatsu Tomo's gloominess,
this seemed like child's play?
Still, Bai Qiu tried to reassure her.
"Everyone means well, Hitori. You don't need to be nervous."
"Your classmates are good people, too. They won't hurt you."
"If you just talk to them first, you're sure to make friends."
At the mention of friends, Goto Hitori's eyes lit up a little.
Bai Qiu nodded firmly.
Seeing that Goto Hitori seemed to be thinking it over,
Bai Qiu didn't say anything more.
She'd need time to adjust.
So the two of them set off for Starry.
"What brings you two here?"
Ijichi Hoshino was lounging in a chair.
She looked a little surprised when she saw Bai Qiu and Goto Hitori.
Though there were two of them, it was obvious that she only needed to talk to Bai Qiu.
Ijichi Hoshino looked at Bai Qiu.
"If you're here to watch a show, it won't start for a while."
As she spoke, she pointed to the business sign hanging nearby.
The venue was closed for now.
Ticket sales began at 5 p.m.
As for the live show, it usually started at 6 p.m.
Ijichi Hoshino looked curiously at Goto Hitori, who was hiding behind Bai Qiu.
Was she really that scary?
Since the two of them had helped find Nijika last time, Ijichi Hoshino had a pretty good impression of them.
She thought she'd treated them quite nicely.
Yet this rather cute pink-haired girl seemed terrified of her.
"We came to see Nijika," Bai Qiu explained.
Ijichi Hoshino perked up a little.
"What for?"
She seemed curious, but also a little wary.
"To talk about the band."
"That's right. Nijika and I formed a band."
Ijichi Hoshino's tone was flat.
"What?!"
But a moment later, she could no longer stay seated and stood up.
"What did you say? You and Nijika formed a band?"
Ijichi Hoshino stared at Bai Qiu, completely serious.
What about me? Goto Hitori grumbled inwardly.
But she understood that staying quiet was the best way to survive this moment.
Bai Qiu met Ijichi Hoshino's gaze and spoke calmly.
He knew about Ijichi Hoshino's sister complex, so he'd been prepared for this moment.
There was no hiding it, after all.
Nijika would sort everything out!
And sure enough, Bai Qiu spotted a yellow figure appearing.
Ijichi Hoshino looked at Bai Qiu in disbelief.
After their last performance,
Nijika had been busy with exams and hadn't had a chance to tell Ijichi Hoshino
that she'd formed a band with Bai Qiu, Hitori, and Ryo.
Oh, and there was also the vocalist who'd run away.
Nijika still hadn't given up on her.
Besides, over the next few days,
Kessoku Band hadn't done anything together.
So Ijichi Hoshino had no idea about any of it.
She'd even thought for a while that after the last live show,
Nijika had been discouraged and accepted reality.
After all, the last live show had been a complete failure.
She'd assumed Nijika had already given up on the idea of being in a band.
Truth be told,
Ijichi Hoshino had felt a little disappointed and regretful about it.
Would she really give up so easily?
But to hear that Nijika had actually formed a band with a boy!
How could a girl band have a boy in it?!
Clutching her aching chest, Ijichi Hoshino would rather have stayed disappointed and regretful!
Anything but see this happen.
Suppressing the pain in her chest, Ijichi Hoshino whipped around to face Bai Qiu.
Any good impression she'd had of him last time had completely vanished.
Ijichi Hoshino stepped in front of Bai Qiu.
Her lovely eyebrows shot up.
"You brat!"
"You'd better explain yourself."
"Or I won't let you off so easily—"
Before Hoshino could finish,
Nijika popped out.
"Big sis, what are you doing?"
"Bai Qiu-kun, Hitori, you're here!"
"Why don't you come in?"
Nijika was just as warm and welcoming as ever. Then she gave Ijichi Hoshino a suspicious look.
Goto Hitori breathed a sigh of relief.
Bai Qiu watched Hoshino with an amused smile.
"Um... Nijika, I heard... you formed a band with this guy?"
Ijichi Hoshino asked, hoping it wasn't true.
"Oops, sorry! I forgot to tell you, Big Sis."
"Not this guy—Bai Qiu-kun."
"Bai Qiu-kun is amazing at piano!"
Nijika beamed at Bai Qiu.
Bai Qiu smiled and gestured toward his guitar case.
Before you continue