When it came to magic, he actually didn't need to worry. Even if he taught Yamada Ryou, with her being just an ordinary person, at most she could only use very simple spells. Even invisibility wouldn't last very long.
Besides, with Yamada Ryou's personality, the most she'd do is sneak into his house invisibly when she's broke and steal his food.
"Me? So you actually like my type? No problem."
Looking at Hachiman, who surprisingly said he didn't want her help to chase after Nijika, but instead wanted her to pay a price, Yamada Ryou blinked. Without the slightest hesitation, she agreed. She even directly grabbed Hachiman's hand, her slender legs wrapped in black pantyhose stepping forward toward the recording studio.
"To avoid you eating clean and denying everything, I want Nijika to be a witness."
"Now we'll go back and announce we're a couple. After you teach me magic, I'll fulfill the duties of being your girlfriend."
Though it was sudden, Yamada Ryou didn't hesitate for a second. Dragging Hachiman into the recording studio, she pulled him in front of Ijichi Nijika and the others. Under their surprised and puzzled stares, she spoke out, "Nijika! Just now this guy said if I wanted to learn magic, I had to become his mmph?"
"Nijika, just now Ryou sold you to me. She said as long as I teach her magic, she'll help me chase you."
Before Yamada Ryou could finish her words, Hachiman directly reached out to cover her mouth, cutting her off. As she struggled, he smoothly continued the explanation in her place.
"???"
In the recording studio, Ijichi Nijika was still waiting with Karuizawa Kei, Gotou Hitori, and the others for the two to come back and rehearse. Who knew, when Hachiman and Yamada Ryou did return, they were actually holding hands. She was instantly dumbfounded.
Hachiman was good-tempered and well-liked, sure, but not to the extent of this, right? He went out once and already hooked up with Ryou?
And Ryou wasn't that easy to hook up with either, was she?
But when she heard Hachiman's explanation, Ijichi Nijika, full of question marks, immediately realized what was going on. She put her hands on her hips and glared at her best friend.
"Ryou! You went out once and sold me out?"
"Nijika, if I say I never said that, it's all this guy lying, would you believe me? You have to trust me, I've been your friend since we were little."
Seeing Ijichi Nijika questioning Yamada Ryou, Hachiman naturally let go of her mouth. After stomping on his foot hard, Yamada Ryou looked at Ijichi Nijika sincerely, trying to rely on their friendship to gain trust.
"Nope! Hachiman just met you, he doesn't even know you. How could he make up a lie that sounds so real?"
Ijichi Nijika shook her head without hesitation. Precisely because she and Ryou had been friends since childhood, she didn't trust her.
Selling her out to learn magic was outrageous, but Ryou really was a shameless person.
After Ryou misunderstood her relationship with Hachiman as unusual, it was actually highly possible she'd do something like this.
"...", Seeing her best friend Nijika completely disbelieve her, Yamada Ryou could only fall silent, her eyes dark as she glanced at Hachiman, who was smiling quietly at the side.
She let her guard down.
At first, she just noticed Hachiman had thoughts about her and wanted Nijika to realize how much of a playboy the person she liked was. She didn't want Nijika to be deceived by a scumbag.
But now she had instead trapped herself. Nijika distrusted her so much, if she exposed Hachiman's thoughts about her, Nijika probably wouldn't believe it anyway.
"Don't look at me like that. Weren't these your own words, Ryou?", Hachiman smiled at the disgruntled Yamada Ryou. He hadn't falsely accused her. She was the one who baited him first.
He knew well: Ryou was scummy, yes, she'd set up her best friend without hesitation, had her own quirks in doing things, but she wouldn't outright sell out her best friend.
Nijika could basically be said to be her one and only childhood friend.
Hmm... even if their relationship improved later, if Ryou really was going to help him pursue Nijika, she'd at least charge more. This price was way too low.
"How are you so confident? Aren't you afraid I'll reveal the truth and make Nijika hate you?", Ryou leaned closer, staring at the calm and collected Hachiman, confused.
She herself didn't understand why Hachiman knew her so well. Even if he was wary of her sudden acceptance of the condition, shouldn't he be a bit less unruffled?
"Does the condition just now still count? Or should I get Nijika to help me deal with you first, then teach her magic?", Avoiding Ryou's question, Hachiman's gaze swept up and down her figure, pausing deliberately on her pretty, expressionless face and her slim, rounded legs wrapped in black pantyhose. With a meaningful smile, he spoke.
He had more or less guessed why Ryou did all this. But Nijika already knew he had unusual relationships with many girls. Even if Ryou told Nijika he was a playboy, it wouldn't affect him much.
Not that he was going to tell Ryou that.
He really wanted to see what face she'd make when she went to such lengths to expose him as a player, only to discover Nijika already knew.
"...", Ryou's eyes darkened as she glared at Hachiman, who was deliberately staring back at her.
'Using my own trick against me? What a troublesome guy.'
"What are you two whispering about? Are you plotting to sell me again? Ryou, get over here and pay back the money you borrowed!"
Seeing Ryou ignoring her and whispering with Hachiman, Ijichi Nijika felt they were once again making some shady deal about her. Her pale cheeks flushed, and she quickly dragged Ryou over for a scolding.
"My living expenses haven't come yet, I'll pay you back in a few days."
"And you still sold me out?"
"Nijika, I'm the one standing on your side. Don't you think the way he was staring at my thighs just now was off? He came here not just with one girl, but he's also so close to Bocchi-chan. Nijika, you better be careful not to be deceived by him."
"Uh, what's wrong with that? Ryou, you're just misunderstanding. Hachiman is a really good person. Just to avoid you two making shady deals again, from now on don't meet him alone. Whatever it is, just tell me first."
Hearing Ryou's "excuse," Nijika immediately felt a little guilty and hurriedly shifted the subject.
"Alright, alright, let's practice! Even if Hachiman can go invisible on stage to help us, we still need to be familiar with each other's rhythm and coordination!"
She knew very well about Hachiman's peculiar preferences. She and Marin were dragged into that pit by Yumiko.
Her childhood friend Ryou, meanwhile, preferred solitude, lied without batting an eye, had no shame, and often liked being an eccentric weirdo.
But one had to admit, when Ryou wasn't speaking, she looked really good. Though her figure wasn't outstanding, by Hachiman's gaze alone, her long legs in black stockings must have been very tempting.
Hmm... to avoid Ryou ending up like her, Nijika decided not to let Ryou and Hachiman be together. Even if she had to sacrifice herself to satisfy Hachiman's preferences, she wouldn't let Ryou get dragged in.
She wasn't like Ryou, the shameless type, who could actually sell her out just to learn invisibility magic.
"....", Ryou silently stared at Nijika, who was helping Hachiman.
'Nijika is being way too biased, isn't she? Or is it that now she is blinded by love, unable to hear reason?'
She didn't believe her best friend's explanation, and even though Hachiman was blatantly staring at her thighs, Nijika still felt nothing was wrong.
'Isn't Nijika supposed to like Hachiman? How could she not get jealous seeing him look at me like that?'
Ryou thought as she quietly walked back to her spot, picked up her bass, and began rehearsing with Nijika and the now comforted Gotou Hitori.
Still, her gaze lingered constantly between Nijika and Hachiman.
Gotou Hitori was still playing guitar inside her cardboard box, just like before. Only now she was sitting in Hachiman's lap while he held her, strumming away.
With her super-best-friend Hachiman beside her, even in this unfamiliar environment, Gotou Hitori felt a strong sense of security. Barely, through the two holes poked in the cardboard box, she could exchange a tiny bit of eye contact with Nijika and Ryou.
Well, one-sidedly.
She could see Nijika and Ryou's eyes, but they couldn't see hers hidden inside the box.
Still, even without smooth communication, with Hachiman's support, their coordination was much better than before.
Whenever Gotou Hitori's rhythm went too fast, Hachiman would gently press her, and she'd slow down.
If she went too slow, he'd press a little harder to remind her to speed up.
Gotou Hitori had been practicing guitar in isolation since middle school for three years, without socializing, not even showing her face, and yet still had thirty thousand followers just from posting videos. Her guitar skills were truly great. At a professional level. She could even improvise a solo that was amazing.
But now wasn't a time for solos. She had absolutely no experience working with others, so she needed Hachiman's guidance. Once she got used to it and had more practice with Nijika and Ryou, she wouldn't need Hachiman's help anymore.
During a break, when she finally removed the cardboard box, Nijika glanced at the increasingly close and affectionate behavior between Gotou Hitori and Hachiman, her expression subtle.
Hard to say. Yumiko couldn't compare with the elf princesses, sure. But compared to Bocchi-chan, it was obvious Yumiko fell short, right? So why Hachiman with Bocchi-chan.
It wasn't that she judged by appearances or thought Bocchi-chan wasn't worthy. It was just, Hachiman had so many beautiful girls around him. Why was he being so good to Bocchi-chan? Taking time out to practice with them just to help her overcome her lack of confidence and social anxiety?
Extreme shyness, gloomy aura, hunched back, double chin, practically about to be warned by the discipline committee, bangs covering half her eyes.
Sure, Bocchi-chan's skin was fair, but that couldn't be Hachiman's reason, right?
Hmm... could it be because Bocchi-chan was obedient?
Hachiman wasn't the type to judge only by looks, but he did have his own special preferences. With how much Bocchi-chan depended on him, she'd probably agree to any embarrassing request.
Honestly... Hachiman's preferences were too outrageous... she didn't even know how to comment anymore... no wonder Yumiko never wanted to talk about their relationship. If it were her, she'd be embarrassed to say it too.
Nijika thought and thought, piecing everything together in her mind, growing more and more convinced of her own guess, and also increasingly helpless.
No chance, no chance. Yumiko was fine in many ways, but compared to her rivals, she had no advantage. Not as prestigious as the student council president, a politician's daughter, or the elf princess. And her personality wasn't as lovable as obedient, docile Bocchi-chan.
Ryou noticed this scene too, even catching Nijika's conflicted, helpless expression in her eyes. Her doubts only deepened.
Not jealous of her, but jealous of Bocchi-chan?
Why?
———
"How's practice going? Come out, drink some water, and rest."
After running through the set again and again, the door to the recording studio suddenly opened from the outside. A golden ahoge peeked in from atop Ijichi Seika's head.
If it were just three girls practicing, she wouldn't worry. But since there was a boy who seemed interested in her sister, she had no choice but to check.
"Got it, sis! We were just about done! We'll be out in a second!"
Noticing her sister coming to check in, Nijika's heart jumped. She quickly stood up, blocking Hachiman, who was still holding Gotou Hitori.
Though her sister ran a Livehouse and often hosted underground bands or idols, she disliked those bands with messy relationships between boys and girls. She never casually lent out the recording studio.
But maybe because she didn't welcome those groups with bad reputations, their family's store, though small, actually had pretty good business.
Now with no customers around, Nijika could freely use the studio to rehearse. But if her sister misunderstood Bocchi-chan and Hachiman and forbade them from coming again, it'd be a problem.
"Mm, it's getting late. If you've practiced enough, go home early. The performance is tomorrow night, you still have time."
Ijichi Seika glanced around casually. Seeing they were genuinely rehearsing and not just using the band as an excuse to unleash chaotic teenage impulses, she nodded and left.
"Phew... Hachiman, I forgot to tell you, but you and Bocchi-chan need to avoid being too affectionate in front of my sister. If she misunderstands, it'll be troublesome."
Breathing a huge sigh of relief after her sister left, Nijika quickly turned to warn Hachiman.
She knew Bocchi-chan was an extreme social phobic, and Hachiman was hugging her as a friend, giving her courage. But her sister didn't know that.
"Don't worry. I can use magic. If I don't want your sister to see, she'll never see."
Letting go of Bocchi-chan so she could stand, Hachiman smiled at her reluctant expression.
"Bocchi-chan, how do you feel? Do you think you can maintain this tomorrow?"
Bocchi-chan's guitar skills were excellent. A skilled guitarist could greatly raise a band's overall level. As long as she played stably, tomorrow's performance wouldn't be bad. And as for bassist Ryou, her skill wasn't low either.
The only real newbie in the band was the one who put it together—Nijika the little angel. Well, not "little angel little newbie."
"Mm... with you by my side, I think I can...", Hugging her guitar, Gotou Hitori looked wistfully at Hachiman's arms, then nodded softly.
Because of her extreme shyness and timid personality, she preferred staying in dark, enclosed spaces. When nervous, she'd hide in closets, under tables, under beds, even in concrete pipes or trash cans.
But now, sitting in Hachiman's arms, she was confused. The feeling was even safer than her familiar dark closet at home.
It was her first time feeling this.
Was it because Hachiman was her only real friend?
"Hachiman, you won't ditch us tomorrow, right?", Hearing her words, Nijika instinctively looked at Hachiman.
Bocchi-chan's words weren't setting up a flag, were they?
They'd finally found a guitarist, gotten some results from practice, and tomorrow was the live performance. She really didn't want things to collapse at the last minute.
"How could I ditch you? Am I that kind of person? Besides, I haven't received my reward yet," Hachiman chuckled at the overly sensitive Nijika.
Getting her to take the initiative wasn't easy. How could he not fulfill this request and claim his reward properly?
"Reward?"
Ryou glanced at Nijika curiously, 'What reward? Why don't I know about this?'
"...Kita-san said the same thing before, but now she won't even reply to my messages."
Being stared at by Ryou, Nijika's heart skipped a beat. She didn't dare explain the reward, so she quickly changed the topic to their absent vocalist.
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