"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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