Under Yoruna's puzzled gaze.
Bai Qiu hurried over and picked up the paper airplane.
"Why did you pick it up?"
Looking at the petite girl,
Bai Qiu didn't feel angry.
He simply taught her,
"Listen, little gi— little one, that's not something you should do."
"Why?"
"Third-year student."
Slightly surprised,
Bai Qiu smiled.
If you put it that way, I don't have to feel bad about it.
"Want to go inside and have a look?"
"It's really fun."
Bai Qiu pointed at the flyer, then at Starry behind him.
Yoruna looked curiously toward the underground passage.
Then her eyes lit up.
The long staircase and somewhat dim surroundings immediately caught her interest.
"They even give you a drink."
Bai Qiu tempted her.
Actually, Starry's tickets cost 1,500 yen, including 500 yen for a drink.
That was more expensive than a convenience store or a vending machine.
"Do they have matcha parfait?"
Yoruna looked up at Bai Qiu, gazing at him with her beautiful mismatched eyes.
"Matcha parfait..."
Bai Qiu rubbed his chin and thought it over.
Starry had quite a variety of drinks.
But they seemed to be mostly soda, energy drinks, juice, beer, and the like.
As for matcha parfait, that was hard to say.
But hey, he was trying to attract customers.
"They probably do. Go inside and see for yourself. You won't be disappointed."
I'm just handing out flyers, anyway.
Whether they had matcha parfait inside was something the manager could worry about.
Yoruna picked up her case and started to walk past Bai Qiu.
"Wait, you haven't bought a ticket yet."
Bai Qiu took out a ticket and held it out to Yoruna.
Yoruna took the ticket,
but Bai Qiu blocked her again.
"You haven't paid yet."
Yoruna looked up at Bai Qiu in confusion.
She remembered that she didn't have to pay to get into RiNG.
She only had to pay when she got matcha parfait.
Bai Qiu held out his palm and smiled. "That'll be 1,500 yen."
Yoruna rummaged around in her pocket. Once she found her money, she opened her small hands and held it out to Bai Qiu.
Did she expect me to take it myself?
Bai Qiu paused, looking at the crumpled yen bills.
After taking 1,500 yen,
Bai Qiu cheerfully waved her in. He'd finally made a sale.
"Go on in."
Yoruna walked up to the stairs.
"I can't get down."
She turned and looked at Bai Qiu.
"Sorry, I should've thought of that."
Bai Qiu carried Yoruna's case downstairs for her, and returned the paper airplane he'd picked up earlier too.
Back outside in the shade, Bai Qiu was in high spirits.
He hoped the few flyers he had left would attract another customer or two.
Goto Hitori faced the biggest challenge of her day.
Nijika had gone to the restroom.
So Goto Hitori was alone at the drinks counter.
"I-I-I'm sorry, it looks like we don't have any matcha... p-parfait."
Facing the white-haired girl who was a head shorter than her,
Goto Hitori looked down at her, but trembled all over.
Yoruna parted her little lips.
"Th-there's none."
"There is. The man outside said there was."
Yoruna stepped forward, braced both hands on the counter, and stared intently at the rows of drink machines behind it.
Meanwhile, Goto Hitori felt like the girl might eat her at any moment. Terrified, Hitori ducked beneath the counter and curled up, muttering to herself.
"Don't eat me, don't eat me..."
"What an interesting woman."
Yoruna turned her gaze to Goto Hitori.
Nijika had just come out of the restroom and happened to see the scene.
She hurried over.
Surprised to see that it was a little girl,
Nijika remembered that Starry had no age restrictions.
But beer was definitely out of the question.
"Sorry, can I help you with anything?"
"Matcha parfait."
Nijika paused. "Huh? You want matcha parfait?"
Yoruna looked at the drink machines, unable to wait any longer.
"Sorry, we don't have matcha parfait here."
Nijika said apologetically.
Yoruna froze, then visibly slumped with disappointment.
"Lying man."
Yoruna muttered.
Nijika hadn't quite caught that, and asked again,
"Would juice be okay?"
Yoruna answered listlessly.
Seeing her like that, Nijika remembered that there had been some snacks left over after Kessoku Band's meeting yesterday.
"Oh, I can give you some snacks too, if you like."
Yoruna perked up. "Yeah!"
"Nijika, I'm starving too."
Yamada Ryo suddenly appeared, leaning both hands on a broom.
"I know, I know. You can have some too."
Nijika decided to get everyone something to eat.
Before long, Bai Qiu finished handing out flyers.
Maybe his luck had turned after that first sale; he managed to sell two more tickets afterward.
As Ijichi Hoshino watched in surprise, Bai Qiu came over with a broad smile.
He saw Yamada Ryo and the others gathered around the drinks counter.
They were waiting for the performance to begin.
"I'm back, everyone."
"Good work, Aki-kun."
Nijika said with a smile as she handed him a drink.
Yoruna spotted Bai Qiu.
"Lying man!"
Ijichi Nijika, Goto Hitori, and Yamada Ryo all turned to look at Bai Qiu, each with a different expression.
Bai Qiu's expression changed. Why are you here too?
Yoruna stared at Bai Qiu with puffed-out cheeks.
This was the man who'd told her they had matcha parfait here.
That was why she'd come in.
She'd spent 1,500 yen.
Yoruna didn't understand money very well, but she knew
that at RiNG, that much could buy two matcha parfaits!
In the end, Nijika was the first to ask,
"Yoruna, are you friends with Aki-kun?"
They'd made friends so quickly?
That was Nijika for you.
Bai Qiu answered guiltily. "Ahem. I brought her in as a customer."
Nijika more or less understood what had happened, and said with a slightly stern expression,
"Aki-kun, you shouldn't lie."
Otherwise, you'll end up like Ryo.
Before you continue