"Oh my, what's with 'Haruka-san'? I'm old enough to be your mother, twice over."
Uchiha Ryo shook his head. "No, Haruka-san looks very young. Don't you agree, Hiratsuka-sensei?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka: "...."
"Wait a minute, why do you call me 'Sensei' and her 'san'!"
As everyone knows, 'Sensei' is for an elder, while 'san' can be for a peer. So Hiratsuka Shizuka was a bit miffed! Even if Shirosaki Haruka looked young, wasn't she young too! In terms of both real age and appearance!
Ijichi Seika's eyes lit up. "Call me Seika-neechan, young man, and I'll give you another drink on the house."
Uchiha Ryo: "Seika-neechan, you actually look about the same age as Ijichi-san."
Flattery gets you free drinks. Uchiha Ryo naturally wouldn't miss such a bargain.
Ijichi Seika held her head high, then glanced at Hiratsuka Shizuka.
"Ohoho, is that so. I'll treat you to a large craft cola. Don't be shy!"
Hiratsuka Shizuka gritted her teeth, then looked at Uchiha Ryo.
"Um... Uchiha, this isn't school~ We don't need to address each other as teacher and student. In terms of age, it's not a loss for you to call me 'neechan', right?"
Uchiha Ryo didn't speak, but just took out his phone again.
[What did you say?! Even outside, I am still your teacher! Remember that. It's only natural for a teacher to discipline a student.]
Hiratsuka Shizuka: "....When did you record that, you brat!"
Uchiha Ryo smiled, then deleted the recording in front of Hiratsuka Shizuka. "Just kidding, Hiratsuka... neechan."
[Hiratsuka Shizuka's affinity has increased—G-Points +50]
"Hmph, that's more like it."
Just then, STARRY suddenly went dark, and then the stage lights came on, drawing everyone's attention.
Ijichi Seika propped up her chin with interest. "It looks like they're finally ready. I just don't know how their first time on stage will... turn out."
Hiratsuka Shizuka crossed her legs. "Mhm, your sister's skills are pretty good. No need to worry, right?"
Ijichi Seika: "Individual skill is useless. They're a band, a single unit. If they don't know how to coordinate, it'll just be a chaotic mess."
Shirosaki Haruka scanned the room. "But most of the people here today are young people."
Ijichi Seika nodded. "Because today is Nijika and her band's first time on stage. To keep them from being embarrassed, STARRY isn't open to the public today. These people are probably all their classmates from school."
Suddenly, Ijichi Seika noticed Uchiha Ryo drinking cola in the corner.
"Wait... then how did you, a Shuchiin student, get in?"
Uchiha Ryo: "Same as them. Your sister invited me."
Hiratsuka Shizuka slapped Uchiha Ryo's shoulder. "Pretty impressive. I remember you just started your first day of class at Toyogasaki, right? You've already blended in?"
Ijichi Seika's gaze, for some reason, became a little sharp.
Uchiha Ryo: "Don't overthink it, 'neechan'. I'm not interested in your sister."
Shirosaki Haruka seemed to have thought of something and also chimed in. "Mhm, don't worry, Seika. Young Master Ryo would never like Nijika."
Ijichi Seika looked at Shirosaki Haruka with a complicated expression. "Haruka-san, don't tell me you think Nijika isn't good enough for a young master from Shuchiin."
Shirosaki Haruka quickly shook her head. "That's not it! It's just that Young Master Ryo likes... uh, he probably already has someone he likes?"
I have someone I like? How would Haruka-san know... I've only met her once.
That's right. Uchiha Ryo nodded to himself. It must be because I appeared at Shinomiya Kaguya's residence. She thinks the person I like is Shinomiya Kaguya.
Well, that's not wrong. Just as a bird cherishes every one of its feathers, I will also cherish every one of my capture targets.
Shirosaki Haruka, on the other hand, was thinking of the scene where she had walked in on Young Master Ryo and the butler Herthaka that day.... It's fine, Seika. Your sister is not Young Master Ryo's type at all. In fact, her gender doesn't even meet the requirements.
On stage, one yellow, one blue, one pink, three colors appeared at the same time.
It seemed that because of his psychological suggestion, the "Mango Mask" had disappeared. Good luck, Bocchi-chan. This is your first step to overcoming your social anxiety, and also to becoming my maid.
"Hello everyone, we are the Kessoku Band!"
As Ijichi Nijika's voice rang out, Gotou Hitori finally opened her eyes... The large, nerve-wracking audience wasn't there. Because in Gotou Hitori's eyes, everyone in the audience, except for Uchiha Ryo, was a scarecrow.
What... what's going on?!
Uchiha Ryo smiled, then stood up and walked towards the exit.
Hiratsuka Shizuka turned her head. "What, you're not going to listen to your classmate's performance?"
Uchiha Ryo waved his hand. "Even if I'm the only one in the audience, a certain someone would still be very nervous. Besides, I already heard them once in the practice room."
Walking out of STARRY, Uchiha Ryo leaned against the wall and took out his phone to call his true maid.
"Hayasaka, tomorrow is Saturday. Are you free?"
The other end of the line was silent for a moment.
In Shinomiya Kaguya's room, Hayasaka Ai's phone had been put on speaker by someone and placed on the desk.
Hayasaka Ai looked at Shinomiya Kaguya. Shinomiya Kaguya gritted her teeth and looked at the phone.
"What right does he have to call you for no reason... He has my contact information too. Does he think Hayasaka is better than me!"
Hayasaka Ai said helplessly.
"So, can I talk now?"
Shinomiya Kaguya: "Go on, ask him what he wants."
Hayasaka Ai came to the phone. "What can I do for you, Ryo-kun? As for tomorrow, you know I'm Lady Kaguya's personal maid. I have to get my master's permission if I want to go out."
Uchiha Ryo: "Mhm! Come out and help me with something. I have a classmate over here who really likes maids, to the point of dreaming of becoming one. So I'm asking you to come over and teach her how to be a maid."
Hayasaka Ai: "Well... I'll have to ask Lady Kaguya later to decide if I can go out tomorrow."
Shinomiya Kaguya sneered. "Hayasaka, tell him to call me. As long as he can beg me to let you go, I'll let you go."
Uchiha Ryo: "Huh? Don't you owe me two days as a maid? I'm using one day tomorrow. As your master, I'm ordering you to come out."
Hayasaka Ai frowned. "I thought... it was one day?"
"One day is what you owed me. The other day is the interest that has accrued because you haven't paid me back for so long."
Hayasaka Ai looked at Shinomiya Kaguya helplessly.
Shinomiya Kaguya: "Ehh!!!"
"Damn it... Hayasaka! Then tomorrow, you go and capture him with all your might, and then dump him. I really want to mock that guy's heartbroken look."
Hayasaka Ai nodded. She first told Uchiha Ryo that she would go, then hung up the phone.
"Lady Kaguya, have you forgotten that you were going to try and capture him too?"
Shinomiya Kaguya puffed out her chest. "What are you talking about? I, a Shinomiya, am the heart of the nation. Capturing a man... I was just joking."
Hayasaka Ai: "You failed."
Shinomiya Kaguya gritted her teeth. "That's because I don't like him at all! What's so great about this man? His looks are just a little better, his eyes are to my liking, his studies are a little better than mine, and he seems to be one of Brother Un'yo's men, so his status shouldn't be bad.... But! Is he worthy of me, Shinomiya Kaguya?!"
Hayasaka Ai: "You failed to capture him."
Shinomiya Kaguya stomped her foot forcefully. "How could a month be enough! If I had prepared seriously, he wouldn't have been able to escape my grasp!"
Hayasaka Ai: "You've been trying to capture him for a month and have made no progress."
Shinomiya Kaguya glared at her personal maid.
"What about you! You've known him for more than two months, right? Is your progress any better than mine!"
Hayasaka Ai smiled. "He just asked me to go out with him tomorrow~"
Shinomiya Kaguya: "....."