She was being favored by Haru?
"Huh? What do you mean I'm being favored?"
Shiina Taki, cheeks flushing red, paused stiffly before snapping back without a shred of courtesy, "Haru and I are dating! Something like this... something like this obviously isn't a problem!"
"But you, Noraneko, absolutely not. It's way too early for you to know about stuff like this!"
Haru turned his stiffened expression toward Taki, which immediately reignited the dissatisfaction that had just barely been suppressed in the Noraneko.
Seriously, why are you taking her so seriously?
Kaname Raana tilted her jellyfish-white head slightly, pursing her lips and continuing in a pouty tone, "If Taki can be boyfriend and girlfriend, then I want to be like that with Haru too."
"No means no! Besides, you don't even understand what that means, do you, Noraneko?!"
"I don't care."
As Taki behind him and the silvery little kitten in front of him began to spiral into a heated argument, Haru had no idea where to intervene first. His head was spinning.
Just as his temples began to throb sharply, a stern, composed voice suddenly cut through the chaos.
"Raana, what are you doing?"
The voice, old yet firm, instantly calmed the restless Noraneko. She blinked and turned her small head around.
"Grandma."
Haru followed Raana's gaze toward the direction of the voice. Standing not far away was an elderly woman with a head of silvery curls, though her bangs were streaked with a bold line of deep crimson.
Though leaning on a cane, her posture was upright and commanding, her presence sharp and almost impossible to put into words.
"Noraneko's grandmother?!"
Taki also snapped her head up at those words. Upon seeing the figure, her eyes widened in shock.
As a staff member of RiNG, Taki recognized the woman thanks to her senior, Matsugi Ririko. This formidable elder, always referred to as "the boss" by her senpai, was once the head of Livehouse SPACE.
Matsugi Ririko had worked under her, and now she had become the manager of RiNG herself.
"Grandma?"
Raana tilted her head in confusion, clearly wondering why her grandmother had suddenly shown up.
Her short, clipped way of speaking often made it difficult for people to understand what she meant. But by some strange twist of fate, all three people present could fully understand her.
The white-haired woman gave her granddaughter a cursory glance, her stern and steady eyes quickly shifting forward. The moment her gaze swept over Taki, the latter immediately stiffened with tension. Yet ultimately, the woman's eyes landed on Haru.
Why me now?
"I just happened to have some time, so I thought I'd stop by RiNG for a bit."
As she said this casually, the elderly woman took a slow, deliberate step forward with her cane, stopping in front of Haru. Though small and clearly advanced in age, her aura was as imposing as ever, her gaze more resolute than most young people's.
"I'm Raana's grandmother, Tsuzuki Shifune."
What a presence.
Tsuzuki Shifune exuded a kind of stern dignity that ordinary elders could never achieve. She clearly had a strong-willed, no-nonsense temperament. And given that she was Raana's elder, Haru, both as a junior and as her so-called "caretaker," naturally straightened up to greet her respectfully.
"Good afternoon, Tsuzuki-senpai. I'm Haru, currently in a band with Raana."
Tsuzuki Shifune's calm eyes settled on Haru's face. But instead of launching into the harsh interrogation he was bracing for, she simply said in an even tone, "I know. I've seen you perform from the audience before. You're quite good as a keyboardist."
Beside him, Taki's mouth fell open in surprise. This was the first time she had ever seen Tsuzuki Shifune compliment someone on their first meeting.
But before Haru could even begin to thank her for the praise, Shifune's sharp eyes narrowed slightly as she continued, "But you haven't been on stage much lately, have you? Why did you choose to stop performing?"
Under her penetrating gaze, Haru slowly took a deep breath.
After a moment's pause, he replied in a calm, steady voice, "Actually, I've been preparing to guide Mygo toward becoming a professional band. That's why I stepped back from performing, to focus on composing and management instead."
Tsuzuki Shifune nodded slightly.
"Whether composing or performing, you're undeniably the core of this band. That means you represent everything the band stands for. But from what I hear… you're also composing and managing for other bands at the same time. Is that what you call being serious about this band?"
"Tsuzuki-senpai—"
Taki couldn't help but try to defend him, but Haru subtly shook his head, stopping her.
"Whether or not 'we' are serious about this band, I believe that's something you can see for yourself."
"But I don't agree with your claim that I'm Mygo's 'everything'. Even without me, this band has already found its own path forward."
If this were before, Haru might not have had the courage to say that.
Back then, Mygo clearly wasn't as solid as he had hoped. The others weren't yet able to stand on their own as a fully functional band.
But now, even without him composing, the diligent Taki was capable of managing and writing music on her own. And though the Noraneko beside him still acted on impulse, she had become a full part of the band.
Tsuzuki Shifune watched him silently, thoughtful. The gradually growing silence made the tension behind him nearly unbearable for Taki.
She had heard about the legendary strictness of Manager Tsuzuki Shifune. In her youth, Shifune had toured the country as a professional guitarist and belonged to the well-known band MiraculouScarlet. Many bands she had encountered had been swiftly dismissed as unworthy by her exacting standards.
With someone this strict, how could she possibly not care about her granddaughter's band?
If it were just about being on stage, Taki was confident she had what it took. But Mygo was no ordinary band. Out of five girls, four were dating Haru, and the last one had just asked for a kiss.
With such a chaotic and "improper" situation, could someone like Tsuzuki Shifune ever truly approve?
Raana, standing nearby, quickly picked up on the growing tension in the air. She narrowed her eyes slightly and stepped in front of Haru, saying nothing as she tilted her head back to gaze up at her grandmother, Tsuzuki Shifune. Her soft, round, pale cheeks puffed up adorably like a little dumpling.
Tsuzuki Shifune's calm and serious expression wavered ever so slightly, though she kept her thoughts well hidden.
"Did something happen?"
"Umiri? What are you doing here all of a sudden…"
The sudden question startled Taki so much that she nearly jumped. She turned to see Yahata Umiri had arrived at some point without anyone noticing.
That was when she finally remembered why Haru had come to RiNG today. It was to support the band Yahata Umiri would soon be performing with.
Noticing Umiri's appearance, Tsuzuki Shifune paused briefly, then continued, "You're performing today, aren't you? Then don't waste any more time here."
Seeing that Shifune wasn't going to interrogate Haru further, Taki, who had felt her heart creeping up her throat, finally let out a small sigh of relief. She had been bracing for the worst, but surprisingly, Tsuzuki Shifune had just let the matter slide as if it were nothing.
Haru, too, seemed momentarily caught off guard, but then he nodded seriously and replied, "You're right. Then, I'll be taking my leave."
"Live, I want to play too."
The Noraneko turned her gleaming eyes toward Haru. Her silver-white hair swayed gently with the slight motion, and the playful tilt at the corner of her lips showed her excitement had been sparked.
"No, this Live isn't for you to play at."
"Why not?"
"Because this is Haru and Umiri's job. It's not a Live for just our band."
Taki patiently explained, but it didn't seem to quell the Noraneko's restlessness. She stubbornly raised her bright, mismatched eyes to look at Haru, silently asking for his opinion. Haru noticed her expression and gave a small smile.
Seeing that, he gently responded, "Not this time. But how about I get you some matcha parfait afterward?"
"…Haru, feed me."
When the cat narrowed her eyes and made her usual spoiled request, Haru was momentarily speechless. Instinctively, he glanced toward Tsuzuki Shifune.
To most people, she might look like a simple, free-spirited "mascot," but in her grandmother's eyes, she was still a regular young girl. And since Tsuzuki Shifune was clearly aware of Haru's role in the band, she must also know about the complicated relationships he had with the other girls.
If he acted overly familiar with Raana in front of her, who knew what this stern old woman might think?
So many thoughts flashed through Haru's mind in an instant, stirring up a mess of emotions. But after weighing it all, he made his decision.
Come on, what's the point of hesitating now?
He had already agreed, even tacitly accepted Raana's affection and closeness. So Haru wasn't about to start distancing himself now.
With that thought, he simply reached out and gently patted Raana's soft silver hair. The silky smooth strands were soothing to the touch, like petting a cat's fur. Feeling his familiar hand, the cat squinted in satisfaction, even rubbing her head lightly against his palm.
"I'll feed you, fine. But only if you behave, alright?"
"Okay!"
Seeing her nod obediently, Haru finally breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He picked up his instrument case, gave Tsuzuki Shifune a polite nod, and then quickly followed after Umiri, striding away. Only the silver-haired elder remained, standing there calmly.
Tsuzuki Shifune seemed to be thinking about something. She turned her head and said gently to Raana:
"Come, Raana."
"Um, Manager Tsuzuki, are you planning to…?"
The moment those quiet words fell, they stirred an immediate wave. Taki, standing behind Raana, stepped forward without hesitation.
Even though facing this woman always made her nerves go taut, even though this elder held status and reputation within the Tokyo Livehouse Association, as a fellow band member, Taki pushed down her anxiety and boldly blocked her path.
Her tense but determined eyes made Tsuzuki Shifune raise an eyebrow in slight surprise.
"Is this so important to you?"
"Yes! Because Stray… I mean, Raana, is part of Mygo too."
Taki, anxious but resolute, met Tsuzuki Shifune's gaze. The older woman gave her a long, thoughtful look, then replied at a measured pace, "I was just going to take Raana to watch the performance. She wants to see it too."
"In that case, I'd like to go as well..."
Tsuzuki Shifune's sharp eyebrows suddenly knit together. Her tone turned slightly stricter as she said, "Don't you still have work to do? Do you really have time to go watch a Live?"
That left Taki completely speechless. It suddenly hit her that she was still wearing her RiNG work uniform. The only reason she'd gotten a short break was thanks to Matsugi Ririko's tacit approval. There was no way she could slack off now and run off to watch Haru's performance.
"..."
Taki stood frozen as the stern old woman turned and calmly made her way toward the live hall. Taki rubbed her temples with a headache creeping in.
What now? She couldn't exactly follow them by force, could she?
Seeing Taki so flustered and panicked, Matsugi Ririko couldn't help but chuckle from a short distance away. She quietly walked up behind her and patted her on the shoulder, speaking in a relaxed tone:
"Relax, little Taki. The boss doesn't lie."
"Besides, the way she praised Kazami-kun and even asked him questions just now, that was actually pretty gentle by her standards, don't you think?"
"Huh? That was considered 'gentle'?"
Taki stared in astonishment at the direction Tsuzuki Shifune had walked off in, her expression twisting into something rather indescribable.
If that counted as gentle, what on earth did this hard-nosed old lady look like when she was actually angry?
…
"Huh? It's really a guitar?"
"Kazami-kun is already so amazing at keyboards, and now you're telling me he can play guitar too?"
The moment Haru pulled the guitar out of its case, he felt a sudden rush of stares. A few of the girls in the band he was supporting widened their eyes and rushed over, their faces full of curiosity as they peered at the instrument in his hands.
Having worked with Yahata Umiri for a while now, Haru had always appeared as the keyboardist. Today, the band happened to have a keyboardist already, but they were missing both a guitarist and a bassist. Everyone had been mentally preparing to go onstage without a guitar at all.
Who could have guessed that the keyboardist himself had more tricks up his sleeve?
Haru gave a small cough, then responded modestly, "I can play a little. It's enough to fill in."
As for his guitar skills, they actually came from simulating Bocchi.
After that simulation, he'd acquired a level 5 Guitar Hero skills from her, but he hadn't yet used it seriously, so he still wasn't sure how far that skill could take him.
Yahata Umiri, standing nearby with her usual deadpan expression, plucked the strings to test the sound. But when she glanced at the old, worn-looking guitar in his hands, her eyes flickered with a hint of emotion.
The surface of the instrument was clearly scratched and worn from use, the body faded after years of playing. Yet despite its weathered appearance, the guitar carried a quiet dignity. Even the gleaming silver strings spoke of the owner's care.
"This guitar looks pretty old."
"Don't worry, Umiri," Haru said with a wink, "It might look a bit beat-up, but it plays just fine. You won't be seeing any tuning pegs locking up or strings snapping mid-performance."
It was clear he had more faith in this guitar than in his own playing.
Even though Umiri didn't know why he was so confident about this particular guitar, she trusted him completely as his girlfriend.
Still, for Haru, the support gig wasn't the only thing on his mind right now.
That's why Umiri leaned in close and whispered in his ear:
"Haru, what do you think of Tsuzuki-senpai?"
"…What do I think?"
"You're planning to date Raana too, aren't you? If you're really going to run a harem in Mygo, someone as strict as Tsuzuki-senpai is going to be a problem."
Haru's lips twitched at Umiri's completely matter-of-fact tone. He rubbed his brow and replied with a hint of resignation, "So that's the image you have of me now?"
"Then you're not interested in her?"
That wasn't quite true either.
Ever since their training camp, Haru had noticed a change in Raana.
She was no longer just a clueless little girl. Even if she was simply acting on instinct when she showed affection or clung to him, it was clear those feelings were genuine.
"If Tsuzuki-senpai found out how messy things really are between me and the others, she'd definitely be furious. With how strict she is, she might even try to stop Raana from being in the band at all…"
"But if it ever came to that, I'd do everything I could to convince her."
"Then do your best."
Umiri gave him a flat, expressionless nod, like none of this fazed her in the slightest.
Her cool, indifferent attitude made Haru chuckle despite himself. He teased her lightly, " Umiri, aren't you being a bit too cold with me?"
"Hm? Then what else did you want me to do?"
The black-haired girl casually brushed her long hair behind her ear and tilted her lips in a subtle, alluring smile that was both elegant and striking.
Perhaps something playful had crossed her mind, because she narrowed her emerald eyes slightly and leaned in close, her words tinged with a teasing hint of intimacy:
"As your girlfriend, I suppose the most I can do right now is… warm your bed?"
"Just warm the bed?"
"And what else do you think you're bold enough to try?"
Haru glanced helplessly at the bold, ice-cool beauty in front of him and swore to himself that he would absolutely get even with her later.
But for now, his focus had to stay on the upcoming performance.