Although Kaito didn't go to the STARRY studio on Sunday to meet up with Nijika and the others because he had to accompany Soyo, Kita, who got her phone back, immediately contacted the whole band to share the good news of her "release."
The others, upon hearing that Mrs. Kita had finally been persuaded and would no longer stop her daughter from participating in band activities, all let out a sigh of relief, especially Bocchi.
To the little socially anxious girl, every member of the band was important. Losing any one of them would make her very sad.
Thankfully, things didn't turn out for the worst.
And all of that was thanks to the president.
The official live performance was scheduled for this Saturdayonly a few days left.
Time was tight, but still enough.
Now, the Kessoku Band was in intense rehearsals, trying to make up for the time Kita had been absent.
Bocchi-chan hesitated for a while, then looked up with her blue eyes full of anticipation and asked, "On the day of the official live, President will you come watch our performance?"
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Chapter 143: As long as Kita gives the word, Ill immediately support you as the new Shimokitazawa Archangel!
"Of course I'll go," Kaito rubbed Bocchi-chan's fluffy pink-haired little head, "After all, you've invited me like this. As the club president, I can't let a club member down."
"Mmm", The shy little girl's pretty face was tinged with a rosy blush. Being treated like this by the admired president, she couldn't help but show a bit of a silly smile.
'Kaito-kun's attitude towards Gotou-san is just too kind, isn't it?', Chihaya Anon, standing to the side, felt a bit envious seeing this scene.
Although she hadn't transferred in long ago, as a top extrovert, she had already interacted with most of the classmates and from their mouths had heard quite a bit of information about Kaito.
"An aloof prince," "the cold-faced noble," "Prince of Shuka"... Though most of these nicknames were overly exaggerated, they all described the same trait.
Kaito was someone difficult to approach.
Saying hello to him was simple, but trying to have a deeper conversation was quite hard.
After all this time since school started, the girls in class who were relatively close to him seemed to be only Miura and Gotou.
Of course, the two of them were also members of the Supernatural Research Club with Kaito, so it made sense that they were close.
But according to Chihaya Anon's observation, Gotou's position in Kaito's heart didn't seem to be just that of an ordinary club member?
After all, when the latter faced the former, even his tone was gentler than usual and he never seemed impatient.
But Anon quickly shook her head, tossing these small thoughts aside, and instead excitedly asked, "Can I go too? I've never seen a live band performance in person before It must be super fun, right?"
"If, i-if Chihaya-san is interested", When facing the club president, Bocchi could at least manage to say full sentences, but facing this naturally friendly pink-haired girl in front of her, Gotou's social anxiety activated immediately. She stammered for a long while before cautiously saying:
"Y-you can come to the shop to, to watch the performance"
"C'mon now, don't call me 'Chihaya-san' so formally! Just call me Anon directly!", The terrifying strength of social-approach dialogue was clearly something poor Bocchi couldn't resist. Seeing her adorable club member about to be burned to ashes by Anon's dazzling normie radiance, even her blue eyes turning into swirls, Kaito had no choice but to step in and rescue her from this frightening social hell.
"Chihaya-san, let her go for now, she's about to faint."
"Ah sorry, sorry!", Chihaya Anon pressed her palms together, a bit embarrassed as she stuck out her tongue. Just as she was about to say something else, the school bell rang, and then a female teacher wearing a green coat walked in.
Miss Shizuka's intimidation was still quite powerful; the previously noisy classroom instantly quieted down, and today's Shuka lessons officially began.
The setting sun gradually sank, and time moved into the drowsy afternoon.
As soon as class ended, Chihaya Anon rushed over excitedly and extended an invitation, "Hey hey, Kaito-kun, let's go have afternoon tea at RiNG after school? My treat!"
'This girl always seems full of energy, where exactly does that energy come from?'
"I'll pass on the tea. I've got some stuff to take care of," Kaito shook his head and looked toward Bocchi nearby, "By the way, are you working today?"
"Mm", Although the official live was approaching, the part-time job couldn't be avoided. The little socially anxious one pouted, just thinking about having to face a bunch of strangers later made her whole aura start to turn grayscale.
"Come on now, don't look so gloomy Let's go to STARRY together. I'm kind of interested in what your practice sessions look like," Kaito patted her head. Since Kita had returned, he hadn't met up with Nijika and the others yet. He might as well use this chance.
STARRY was the same as always.
Walking down the long stairs filled with posters and graffiti led them to the basement performance hall.
Since it didn't officially open until five, there were almost no customers around now, it felt a bit quiet.
When Kaito entered with Bocchi, he saw Nijika energetically wiping tables, Kita mopping the floor nearby, and as for Ryou she was leaning on a broom with a dead-inside expression, muttering incomprehensible things like "So tired," "I don't wanna work," "Let the world burn."
"Stop complaining and get to work. We've got to clean the floor before the customers come. Don't forget you're still carrying a debt of 50,000 yen."
Knowing her true nature, Nijika showed no mercy and said without turning her head, "If your sister sees you slacking off again, your wages might get docked. Then paying off that debt will be even further away."
Yamada Ryou sighed.
She regretted borrowing money from Nijika. Otherwise, she wouldn't be controlled so tightly now.
Kita still had a "senpai filter" for Gremilin Ryou. Seeing the blue-haired girl looking so dead inside, she couldn't help but feel a little pity, "If Ryou-senpai isn't feeling well, you can rest a bit. I'll take care of the cleaning~"
"Really?", Gremilin Ryou instantly perked up, her golden eyes sparkling, "Kita, as long as you give the word, I'll immediately support you as the new Shimokitazawa Archangel!"
As for that one (pointing to the cold Nijika), not needed.
"Ahaha Archangel is a bit too much, isn't it?"
Kita scratched her cheek a little embarrassedly. Being praised by her senpai made her blush a little. Just as she was about to say more, she was interrupted by Nijika with a helpless tone,n"Kita-chan, you're spoiling this one too much And Ryou, do your own work. Stop relying on others!"
Although the girl was always gentle day-to-day, as the band leader of Kessoku Band, when Nijika got serious, she still had real authority.
This time, even Kita didn't say anything more about helping clean.
Gremilin Ryou, dejected, gloomily grabbed the broom and was just about to start working when she noticed Kaito and Bocchi walking in.
The blue-haired girl's eyes lit up immediately.
Kita might not dare defy Nijika's authority, but that didn't mean everyone had to follow suit.
Just like Animal Shogi: elephant eats tiger, tiger eats wolf, wolf eats mouse, mouse eats elephant the whole idea is that there's always something to counter something else.
Clearly, in front of Boyfriend-kun, Nijika was the one getting countered.
So...
"Taking over, huh?", Gremilin Ryou's golden eyes sparkled as she stared unblinkingly at Kaito and said in a deep voice, "If you secretly work my shift for me, I'll remember this favor!"
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Chapter 144: Gremlin Ryou: Simple. Ill carry the team, wont I?
At this moment, Nijika also noticed the arrival of Kaito and Bocchi.
The girl's pretty face turned slightly red, but unlike usual, she didn't knock Ryou on the head. Instead, she just gave her a threatening glare, forbidding her from saying weird things again.
Then she put on her usual bright sunny smile again, energetically waving her hand, "Kaito-kun, good afternoon!"
"Good afternoon," Kaito also greeted her and looked around, "Why isn't Manager Seika here?"
"The manager's favorite apple juice for kids ran out. She just went to the convenience store next door to restock, she'll be back soon," The one who answered wasn't Nijika, but the PA-san hiding behind the counter.
This gentle, traditional big sister who always liked to wear black looked a bit shifty-eyed. Even though she was answering his question, those emerald green eyes of hers never dared to meet his gaze.
It was clear that her demeanor wasn't out of shyness, rather, it seemed more like a guilty conscience.
Ever since Kaito called out her virtual streamer ID online in one shot last time, although PA-san managed to muddle through it at the time that meaningful look from him afterward still left her with quite a stretch of anxious, heart-pounding days.
Afraid that someday her identity would be exposed, or worse, that she'd end up in a classic doujin plot, ["PA-san, you wouldn't want the manager to find out you secretly stream as a virtual idol in private, right?"]
Even though, in that kind of story, she would usually end up being rewarded but that's not the point.
The point is, if Seika found out that she had actually been secretly doing virtual streams for sponsorship deals, she'd definitely be laughed at.
And it wouldn't even take deliberate mockery, just Seika looking at her with those weird eyes like "so this is the real PA", would be enough to make PA-san curl her toes in embarrassment.
Now this big-sister sound engineer really regretted it. Why did she try so hard to cover up the truth back then, lying about spending her nights in online salons with international friends discussing new era topics?
As expected, once you tell one lie, you need even more lies to keep it going.
PA had thought about talking to Kaito privately, hoping he would help keep her secret.
But first, she never found a chance to be alone with him, and second she was just too timid.
So for now, she could only build up some goodwill on such small trivial matters, hoping the other party might take the hint and not casually out her.
"I see," Kaito nodded, skipping over that topic, then turned to look at Nijika, "I heard from Bocchi that Kessoku Band's first official live has been set for this Saturday. How is it, do you feel confident?"
Nijika was a little confused just now as to why PA-san was suddenly so enthusiastic, but she didn't think much of it. She clenched her little fist and said confidently, "To be honest, the time is a bit tight but it's fine. Kessoku Band won't fall at a place like this!"
"And we also have to thank Kaito-kun, for bringing Kita back in time. You must've put in a lot of effort, right?"
'Hmm'
'It isn't that exaggerated, really.'
Kaito recalled the scene of visiting Kita's home. Mrs. Kita wasn't as unapproachable as expected. After he promised to "take care of Kita," she simply let her go.
However
Thinking of what happened afterward, he instinctively looked over at Ikuyo next to him, his gaze slightly complex.
Being stared at like that, the red-haired girl couldn't help but have her fair cheeks flush like she was drunk.
Confessing feels good for a moment, then comes the death.
If that ambush kiss back in Hoori Town could barely be explained away as a gesture of gratitude, then the words she said last Saturday were an undeniable confession.
("My mom really likes you.")
("And so does her daughter.")
'AHHHHHH!!! If I'd known earlier, I wouldn't have been so impulsive!'
Just thinking about that scene made Kita want to scream, twist herself into a knot, and crawl into a dark corner. That night, she even locked herself in her bedroom alone, rolling around for several hours before she finally calmed down.
But what she regretted the most was why she didn't have the courage to stay and wait for Kaito's answer back then, instead, she ran off in a panic.
If he accepted, that would've been the best outcome.
Even if rejected, she could let it go for the time being, continue being friends, slowly develop feelings, and prepare for the next confession opportunity.
But by confessing and fleeing, things just got super awkward.
She didn't end up as Kaito's girlfriend as hoped, and she couldn't just act like nothing happened. She really wanted to know his answer.
The result: she was stuck in a limbo.
'Ugh Now I have no idea how to face Kaito-kun'
Even Bocchi, who was the slowest on the uptake, noticed that something weird was going on between those two. Let alone the ever-observant Nijika?
She couldn't help but feel, 'Something has happened between Kaito-kun and Kita that I don't know about?'
That kind of "if it's her, then not me" sense of crisis made Nijika suddenly alert.
Off to the side, Gremlin Ryou stroked her chin. Unlike Nijika, who was pure like a blank sheet of paper, Ryou knew more, and considered things more broadly.
'I had thought I would be the one to take the lead first, but who would've thought little Kita actually made a move ahead of time?'
'As expected, you can't underestimate the heroes of the world.'
But Ryou didn't feel regret, nor did she feel jealous or envious.
Although she had to live off grass for about a dozen days each month, if you really mistook her for a harmless herbivore, you'd be dead wrong.
Ryou actually had a highly aggressive personality, especially when facing someone she was interested in.
The reason she hadn't made much progress so far was purely because the band's first live was approaching, and she'd temporarily focused all her energy on training.
But these days wouldn't last much longer.
The official live show was set for Saturday. If it ended in a huge success, then based on a certain tsun-tsun-tsun-tsundere manager's siscon personality, a celebration party would definitely follow.
And parties like those were undoubtedly one of the fastest ways for young men and women to build romantic tension.
