When Pochita popped out from under the blanket, Hitori could no longer fool herself.
"So it really wasn't a dream..."
"Woof!"
"H-hey, don't bark like that. You already tore up my blanket. Mom's definitely gonna scold me now."
Hitori accepted reality faster than expected.
After all, she had accidentally taken a trip to Hell last night. And used a chainsaw to hack a devil to death.
Anyone who survived something that absurd would probably end up with nerves of steel.
She sighed and got out of bed.
No matter what she had been through, she still had school to attend.
And if things went as planned after class, she was supposed to meet up with her bandmates at the live house.
She sluggishly got dressed.
Pink tracksuit. Completely ordinary.
The only redeeming feature was how well it matched her long, pink hair.
"Woof woof!"
Pochita barked again, and Hitori winced.
Was it really okay to just leave him at home?
If her family saw him, they'd definitely freak out.
But taking him out like that would only cause more problems.
Maybe... there was another way?
She dug out her old school backpack and unzipped it.
"Pochita, think you can fit in here?"
"Woof!"
With two little hops, Pochita jumped in. His body fit snugly inside, but the big chainsaw on his head was still sticking out.
Hitori frowned. "Ugh... what now?"
Just then, the chainsaw blade on Pochita's head retracted slightly.
Not completely, but enough that she could zip the bag shut.
Still, she couldn't help but wonder.
What was he made of? That blade just slid into his body like that... wouldn't it mess up his insides?
Then again, maybe you weren't supposed to judge Hell creatures by human biology.
Did she even see any guts spill out when he was fighting the Gun Devil? She couldn't really remember...
Shaking her head to stop spiraling, Hitori headed downstairs to brush her teeth and wash up.
In the mirror, her delicate face and bright blue eyes stared back at her.
Not that she ever saw herself as beautiful.
To her, someone who spent every day holed up in tiny rooms must look grubby and smell like mothballs.
She told her mom about the torn blanket, ate breakfast, and then slung on her guitar and bag to head off to school.
…
Shuuwa High School, located in Shimokitazawa.
Nothing particularly noteworthy happened during Hitori's day.
She still lived in that awkward limbo of wanting to talk to people but never daring to.
The only thing that brought her comfort was the occasional shuffle from her bag, reminding her that Pochita was still there.
It made her feel a little less alone.
Also, shoutout to her old backpack. That thing held up well.
Not a single slash or tear from the chainsaw. Truly a miracle.
After class, Hitori headed to the live house known as STARRY.
But just as she reached the staircase to the entrance, she froze.
"Wait... is it really okay to just walk in like this?"
"I mean, I only just met the senpai yesterday. Sure, they said we could perform together again, but going in alone still feels a little..."
Her social anxiety was flaring up again.
"Woof woof!"
Pochita let out a muffled bark from inside her bag.
"Huh? You're saying... they already see me as a friend?"
"Doubt it. We only played together once. Isn't it kinda clingy to assume we're friends already...?"
"Woof~"
Another bark. This time, more encouraging.
Hitori took a deep breath and raised her hand.
"You're right. Since you're cheering me on, I'll give knocking a try."
"Bocchi-chan, who are you talking to?"
A girl's voice called from behind her.
"Whaaa?!"
Hitori jumped in fright and spun around.
Two girls stood at the top of the stairs. One had blonde hair tied in a ponytail, the other had short blue hair.
The voice came from the blonde.
That was Nijika Ijichi. The band's leader and drummer.
"I, uh, I was just... talking to myself," Hitori replied awkwardly.
"Bocchi-chan's gone from overthinking to full-on split personality mode," the blue-haired girl said flatly. "Is the condition getting worse?"
That was Ryo Yamada. Always expressionless and blunt. The band's bassist.
She was also the one who gave Hitori the nickname "Bocchi-chan."
"Haha, don't say that," Nijika laughed. "But seriously, Bocchi-chan, you came! And so early too. Come on, let's head in together."
"Okay!"
With her two senpai beside her, Hitori no longer had to suffer in silence.
Although... she still felt a bit shy around them.
The band didn't have a live performance today. They were just helping with some behind-the-scenes tasks.
After all, STARRY was owned by Nijika's family.
While working, Hitori occasionally glanced at the posters on the wall and found herself spacing out.
"The legends of rock... Kessoku Band. Cool, right?" Nijika said beside her.
Hitori nodded.
"My dream is for our band to become like them someday!" Nijika said with a big smile.
Hitori stared at the figure in the poster.
A tall woman with curves, strumming her guitar with wild energy. Pink hair, blue eyes.
That was Joanie, lead singer of Kessoku Band.
She often performed in white stockings, which earned her the nickname Joanie Whitelegs.
The only thing Hitori had in common with her was the hair color and eye color.
Even her guitar skills, which she had always taken pride in, probably didn't come close to someone that legendary.
She sighed.
After several hours, she headed home.
Now that she had Pochita, she needed to feed him.
Her family already had a dog named Jimi-Hen, but it wouldn't be right to steal his food.
So she made up her mind.
She'd go buy dog food.
She took a different route than usual, looping around the long way home.
But as she passed by a narrow alleyway, a group of boys suddenly blocked her path.
"Well, well, look what we've got here," said the one in front, a blonde with a smirk. "We're kinda broke right now. Mind sparing us some cash?"
"Or, y'know, if you don't have money, I wouldn't mind copping a feel or two," he added with a wink.
"Heh, boss, what exactly are you gonna feel?" one of the lackeys asked.
"Whaddya think?"
"Ohhh, I get it~"
"Obviously, her gorgeous pink hair."
"…Huh?"
"What, you thought I meant something else?" the blonde snapped. "Just because we didn't go to school doesn't mean we're trash. Show some class, man."
"Right, right! You're amazing, Denji-san!" the lackey said, sucking up instantly.
The boy named Denji turned back to Hitori.
"So? Little lady. You got any cash?"
Hitori's face went pale as she instinctively took a step back.