Blue-and-White Bowl

A message popped up in the Kessoku Band group chat on Bai Qiu's phone.

Goto Hitori: I have a fever, so I took sick leave from school. I was thinking... about taking a few days off from my part-time job at Starry.

Nijika: Bocchi, good kids don't lie!

Bai Qiu: Bocchi, just rest at home without worrying!

At that moment, Goto Hitori was lying in bed, her face looking a little pale and a damp towel draped over her forehead. After seeing everyone's replies, she couldn't help coughing violently.

Goto Hitori couldn't hold back her tears of gratitude.

In the end, Bai Qiu was still the only one willing to believe her.

And when she thought about how she'd brought this state upon herself, she could only think... I really deserve to die, waaah...

"Cough... cough, cough!"

Goto Hitori coughed a few more times, then reached out and started typing on the screen again.

Goto Hitori: It's true... Aki-kun, thank you! I'll repay you for believing me.

Bai Qiu: I believe you. Ryo, want to make a bet?

Bai Qiu: Let's bet on whether Bocchi really has a fever.

Ryo: What's the stake?

Bai Qiu: How about a week's wages?

Ryo: Heh! Deal.

Meanwhile, Yamada Ryo was slacking off with her head on her desk in the classroom. When she saw the messages, the corners of her mouth curled up.

As for Bocchi being sick, she didn't believe it one bit.

Bocchi had been full of energy just two days ago. How could she suddenly have fallen ill?

So, based on her analysis, Bocchi was definitely pretending to be sick to get out of work.

She'd done that herself before, and the result was that the manager docked her entire paycheck.

While Bai Qiu and Yamada Ryo were discussing their bet, Ijichi Nijika had already invited Goto Hitori to a video call.

Although Nijika also suspected that Hitori might be pretending to be sick to avoid work, she still had to make sure.

But she hadn't expected Hitori to really be sick?!

Nijika felt a little guilty.

Hitori, meanwhile, felt even more guilty and uneasy.

After ending the call and looking back at the group chat, Nijika's face darkened slightly.

Nijika: You two idiots! Don't bet on something like this! Also, Hitori really is sick.

Bai Qiu and Yamada Ryo were surprisingly in sync this time, sending apology stickers.

Then the two of them switched to a private chat.

Ryo: Since Nijika said so, we'll have to cancel the bet. There's nothing I can do about it.

Bai Qiu couldn't help laughing. "...Fine."

He didn't mind. He'd only been joking around with Yamada Ryo.

On the other end, Yamada Ryo was a little stunned when she saw how easily Bai Qiu agreed. Could this be a trick?

In the end, Goto Hitori's part-time job was temporarily canceled, and Kessoku Band's practice was postponed a little, too.

"Cough... hehehe... cough, cough, hehehehe..."

Goto Hitori coughed and laughed.

She'd made up her mind to take the whole week off. That way, she wouldn't have to work, and she could avoid the monthly exam, too.

"Sis, you're broken again!" Nili couldn't help saying from beside her.

"Woof!" That was Jimihen.

Meanwhile, at Sakuragaoka Academy, Bai Qiu had just arrived in the classroom when he couldn't help feeling a little annoyed.

For some reason, Takamatsu Tomo seemed to be surrounded by a gloomy aura.

Melancholy, dejection, and isolation...

He wasn't too fond of this kind of atmosphere...

Bai Qiu couldn't help feeling that Takamatsu-san's mood didn't fit the light and cheerful vibe of Houbun World.

It had only taken one short weekend.

Had cute Tomo turned into Little Closed Tomo?!

After letting out a quiet sigh, Bai Qiu walked over to Little Tomo and asked softly:

"Tomo, what's wrong?"

Seeing Bai Qiu, Takamatsu Tomo managed to summon a little energy and shook her head faintly. "...N-no, nothing."

She certainly didn't look like nothing was wrong.

And when Takamatsu Tomo saw Bai Qiu's guitar case, her gaze dimmed again.

"Hey, Little Qiu, did you bully Akari-chan?"

Yui Hirasawa walked into the classroom with her guitar bag on her back. Seeing the scene, she couldn't help asking.

Looking closely, there were even marks from guitar strings on Yui's face. It seemed she'd slept with her guitar again last night.

Bai Qiu shook his head at Yui. "I didn't."

But Tomo really had seemed even more dejected after seeing him just now. What was that about?

"Yui, Aki didn't bully me."

Hearing Yui Hirasawa, Takamatsu Tomo hurriedly explained, afraid Yui would misunderstand Bai Qiu.

"Eh... then why does Akari-chan look so sad?"

"D-do I?"

Takamatsu Tomo timidly lifted her head a little and glanced at Bai Qiu and Yui Hirasawa.

Bai Qiu and Yui Hirasawa nodded in unison.

Takamatsu Tomo's eyes lowered slightly.

Seeing this, Yui Hirasawa looked at Bai Qiu. "What should we do, Little Qiu?"

"I don't know, either."

Bai Qiu spread his hands, looking a little helpless.

Even if he didn't know what to do, he still had to try to think of something.

[Stimulated Takamatsu Tomo's memories of the band. Notes +100]

The system's notification that he'd gained Notes suddenly sounded, giving Bai Qiu some inspiration.

So Takamatsu Tomo's sadness was probably related to the band.

Then, why not just have her join the Light Music Club?

He could bring up music and see if he could find out what was going on.

So Bai Qiu asked:

"Tomo, can you play the electronic keyboard?"

Takamatsu Tomo shook her head.

"How about guitar?"

This time, Yui Hirasawa asked.

Takamatsu Tomo shook her head again and said quietly:

"...I-I can't play any instruments."

Then the light in her amber eyes faded completely.

Maybe it was because she couldn't play an instrument, couldn't sing well, and couldn't do anything right.

That was why, back then...

Sako had left Crychic...

When she met Sako, she hadn't even had the courage to go up and apologize.

Bai Qiu and Yui Hirasawa exchanged a glance.

Things seemed to have gotten worse.

They'd wanted to say something else to comfort Takamatsu Tomo.

But the bell rang before they could.

Kessoku Band didn't need to practice lately, so Bai Qiu went to the Light Music Club.

Naturally, the girls in the Light Music Club welcomed him warmly.

However, the Light Music Club didn't look like it had any plans to practice, either.

With such a comfortable atmosphere, and Kotobuki Ojou-sama bringing out cup after cup of hot black tea and what looked like very high-end Matcha Cake, everyone found themselves relaxing.

"Ah! This feels so nice!"

Tainaka Ritsu leaned back in her chair, resting the back of her head on her hands as she leisurely enjoyed the air conditioning.

The school had merged with another school, and the classrooms had been renovated and fitted with air conditioning.

So, even when summer came around next year, they probably wouldn't end up in the same situation as in the original story, where everyone got so hot they changed into swimsuits right in the classroom.

"Part-time jobs are such a pain."

Everyone nodded in agreement, except Kotsumugi.

"I really admire people who work part-time every day," Bai Qiu remarked. After all, writing light novels at home was still the best!

"Speaking of which, have we still not gotten our club funding, Ritsu?" Akiyama Mio asked Tainaka Ritsu in confusion. She'd heard that the other clubs had already received theirs.

The Light Music Club should have gotten its funding by now, too.

Not having received it yet was one of the reasons the Light Music Club members had decided to take part-time jobs.

"Ah, that! Maybe we have so much funding that it's taking longer to process."

Captain Ritsu waved her hand casually, though there was a hint of pride in her voice.

After all, she'd invited Bai Qiu to join the club, which meant they'd gotten more funding.

"But I heard the Wind Instrument Club already got theirs," Akiyama Mio explained, raising her index finger to her chin. The Wind Instrument Club clearly had more members.

"Eh? Really?"

Captain Ritsu paused in surprise.

"So you should go ask, Ritsu."