At the STARRY entrance, a pink creature staggered out. Uchiha Ryo also happened to hang up the phone.
"How was it? Your first time performing on stage as a band. Did you see your own shining moment?"
Gotou Hitori—Bocchi-chan—lowered her head and stood in front of Uchiha Ryo.
"I was completely overthinking it.... This might be the most miserable day of my life!"
Even though the audience was all scarecrows, which gave Bocchi-chan the courage to show her face and play, she still couldn't match Nijika's and Ryo's style at all.
Bocchi-chan crouched down. She felt it was entirely her fault that the performance just now was so bad. Everyone was trying to coordinate with each other, but the result was that the whole song became even more chaotic.
"Well, maybe it was their problem. You're just too self-deprecating, Gotou-san."
Bocchi-chan: "But on stage, I was the one who couldn't match them.... I'm really not good at playing such light-hearted, cheerful songs that sing praises of youth...."
Uchiha Ryo nodded. "So, you still need to practice and continue learning. How about this? Come out with me tomorrow. I've found a teacher for you."
"Study?! A teacher! No no no...."
Bocchi-chan hated studying. Tomorrow was the weekend. It was supposed to be a time to stay at home and enjoy her solitude! Why did she have to go out and study on the weekend?!
"Um... tomorrow morning, Nijika-san and Ryo-san said we're having a review meeting for this performance, so...."
Uchiha Ryo: "That's great. You'll be with them in the morning, and I'll come find you in the afternoon."
It's... a full day! My weekend schedule is completely filled by other classmates. Isn't this something only the normies at school can do?
Bocchi-chan's eyes widened. Could it be that, in a sense, she was also a normie!
"Don't space out. It's getting late. I'll take you home."
Walking along the street with Gotou Hitori, under the moonlight, the girl felt like she was being illuminated by the sun for the first time.
And this ray of sunlight was the boy in front of her. Bocchi-chan, who liked to hide in the shadows, actually longed for a life in the sun.
Whether it was Ijichi Nijika's invitation or Uchiha Ryo's desire to help her, Gotou Hitori was very grateful to them. She also wanted to change... but after getting used to the darkness, the sudden light was incredibly dazzling.
So Gotou Hitori's heart now always thought of the worst-case scenario. What if Nijika and the others kick me out of the band because of today's terrible performance? What if Uchiha Ryo loses confidence in me and doesn't want to help me anymore?
"Uchiha-kun..."
"Hmm?"
Gotou Hitori took a deep breath. "I... I will at least work hard to the point where I dare to greet my classmates!"
After making this little loner declaration, Gotou Hitori lowered her head again, not daring to look at Uchiha Ryo.
"Uh, that's really great progress. Good luck. I believe in you."
In front of a convenience store, a certain girl with blonde twin-tails walked out carrying a bag. But as soon as she stepped out, she saw a couple flirting on the roadside.
Damn it! What's so great about having a partner! I'm going to go see your faces, and then go home and secretly draw a doujinshi to entertain myself!
Although I won't publish the doujinshi, as that would infringe on their portrait rights, but if it's just for me to draw and look at, it's definitely fine, right! Hmph...
Eriri, who was already in a bad mood today, slowly approached the black and pink couple.
Uchiha Ryo turned his head. "It's so late. Is there something you need, Sawamura-san?"
The tiptoeing Eriri was stunned. "I didn't make a sound at all. How did you notice me?!"
"Wait! Aren't you that Kasumigaoka's boyfriend? Ohoho, looks like I've found out something juicy."
Looking at Eriri's gloating face, Uchiha Ryo said casually.
"First of all, I'm not Kasumigaoka-senpai's boyfriend. It's just that my manga editor is very familiar with Kasumi Utako's editor, so we just got to know each other."
Uchiha Ryo: "Secondly... this person is not my girlfriend either, but my private maid."
Eriri raised an eyebrow. "Hmph, as expected of a young master from Shuchiin. Even your maid is so young."
Gotou Hitori: "...."
She really wanted to explain that she wasn't a maid! But she didn't dare to speak up. The blonde, twin-tailed student in front of her seemed to be her classmate.... Ah, she was a popular figure at school, an existence she had to look up to.
Eriri: "So, what are you and your maid doing out so late at night?"
As a famous doujinshi artist, Eriri instantly thought of many scenarios. Then she looked at Gotou Hitori, who was hiding behind Uchiha Ryo.
Why is she hiding? Looking at her, she seems completely drained of all her energy. Could it be... they were just doing it outside!
Uchiha Ryo: "Does Sawamura-san live nearby too?"
Eriri gave the two a meaningful look. "Well, just up ahead."
Uchiha Ryo: "What a coincidence. Gotou-san lives over there too."
"Gotou... You're Gotou Hitori from our class?"
Eriri curiously walked up and got close to Bocchi-chan, who immediately bowed. "Um... Sawamura-san, hello."
Eriri: "Eh, she's your maid? I see her in class being all silent and reclusive. Taking a closer look... is she another hidden beauty like Katou Megumi!"
Being suddenly praised as a beauty, Gotou Hitori was also a little secretly pleased. But the next moment, Eriri was about to leave.
"Well, it has nothing to do with me anyway. See ya~"
Eriri turned around, held her head high, and walked out of the intersection... then ran back quickly less than five seconds later.
Uchiha Ryo simply chose to ignore the inexplicable Eriri.
"Wait, don't go out yet!"
Uchiha Ryo: "Why? Did you see something bad?"
Eriri stomped her foot. "Just don't go out yet, and be quiet! Why are those two back...."
At the street corner not far from the three of them, a man and a woman were chatting about something. Uchiha Ryo didn't understand why Eriri had suddenly run back. Did she not want them to see her? Then who were those two?
Man: "Are you really thinking of inviting Aki Tomoya to join our project? My idea was to just invite Eriri. That way, having two artists like you would be a royal flush."
Woman: "Iori-nii, let's invite both of them. It was Tomoya-senpai who brought me into the 2D world! I still remember... it was when I was in elementary school, Senpai recommended an otome game to me. It was Senpai! Who brought the once-ignorant me into a new world!"
Eriri gritted her teeth.
"That guy Aki Tomoya... actually gave an innocent elementary school student a female-oriented dating sim? What was he thinking!"
Man: "Well, it's up to you. But your art has really gotten better and better. In my opinion, it might already be no less than, or even better than, Eriri's."
Eriri clenched her fists.
"Hashima Iori... that guy really knows what to say. Just for that, it's impossible for you to invite me!"
Uchiha Ryo said helplessly.
"Why don't you go out and tell them to their faces?"
Eriri snorted coldly. "I'm not doing that. I'm taking a detour home. Bye!"
With that, Eriri walked away in another direction. Uchiha Ryo, on the other hand, led Gotou Hitori out of the intersection, glanced at the red-haired siblings, and then paid them no more mind.