In the afternoon sports festival, Uchiha Ryo chose to slack off and found an excuse to leave Shuchiin.
And two girls left with him.
A happy Hayasaka Ai, and a relieved Bocchi-chan who felt like she had survived a disaster.
That's right, after learning that Uchiha Ryo wanted to skip out, Hayasaka Ai also found an excuse to follow him.
Lady Kaguya's personal attendant? Please, the Hayasaka family has already been given to Uchiha Ryo by Shinomiya Oko. I'm just an employee. What's wrong with skipping work for a day?!
And what danger could Lady Kaguya possibly be in at school? I believe my dear young lady wouldn't stand in the way of my pursuit of happiness~
As for Bocchi-chan, she simply didn't want to participate in the afternoon's scavenger hunt race, and after Uchiha Ryo found out, he took her straight out.
Bocchi-chan: "Um, thank you, Ling-kun, and Hayasaka-san. If I participated in the scavenger hunt race, I would definitely die!"
In Gotou Hitori's inner fantasy, no matter what item she drew, if it was in the hands of a stranger, she would be completely too embarrassed to borrow it, which would lead to her being the only one left on the field who hadn't completed the task.
No! I don't want that to happen!
But... Bocchi-chan saw an angel! That's right, it was the gentle and kind Uchiha Ryo. He saw Bocchi-chan's resistance to the sports festival, so he took the initiative to take her away.
Bocchi-chan felt very lucky to have met someone as gentle as Ling-kun, and lucky to have made friends in the Kessoku Band.
Uchiha Ryo: "Bocchi-chan, you really never leave your guitar, do you? Won't you get tired carrying it all the time? I'll carry it for you."
Gotou Hitori: "No need. Um... I'm used to carrying my guitar around."
Uchiha Ryo ignored Bocchi-chan's refusal and directly took the guitar from her back and put it on his own.
"Even if the guitar isn't heavy, it's not good to always be hunched over, is it? Face yourself, face forward, face the future. Even if you comb your bangs very long, people can't walk with their heads down forever, right?"
Hayasaka Ai walked up to Bocchi-chan and hooked her finger under her chin.
"Bocchi-chan is obviously very cute. You can't be so unconfident. You won't become an excellent maid like this."
Bocchi-chan nodded. "I... I'll do my best... Eh? Maid!"
Hayasaka Ai's tone suddenly changed. "Gotou-san! Straighten your back, head up, chest out, and look forward!"
Bocchi-chan: "Woof!"
Regarding carrying the guitar, Bocchi-chan actually wasn't lying. she really was used to carrying it, so she didn't feel tired.
But she always needed a suitable excuse to allow herself to walk with her back bent and head down. The guitar on her back and the bangs that almost blocked her vision were all excuses for Bocchi-chan not daring to look people in the eye.
Uchiha Ryo suddenly thought of Takashi, who was still at Shuchiin keeping Aunt Touko company.
"By the way, aren't your parents here for the sports festival?"
Hayasaka Ai pouted. "My mom is now the head butler under Young Master Un'yo in the main Shinomiya family. Her workload is killing her, so she won't be coming."
Bocchi-chan turned her head and sighed. "If my mom and dad appeared in the spectator seats at the sports festival, I'd probably be even more embarrassed, too embarrassed to do anything..."
So the parents who understood their daughter didn't come to cheer for her. What considerate parents....
Uchiha Ryo: "So Bocchi-chan's parents are both at home now?"
Bocchi-chan shook her head. "There's a sports festival at the elementary school today too. Mom and Dad probably went to cheer for Futari."
Uchiha Ryo thought for a moment. "In that case, let's go to the elementary school too. I remember Futari and little Hana go to the same elementary school."
Hayasaka Ai: "Little Hana... is she Ms. Shirosaki's daughter? Mhm, she has the day off today too, so she should be there."
Bocchi-chan nodded. "As long as I don't have to participate, going to see Futari and little Hana as a spectator is fine."
The three left Shuchiin and headed to the elementary school where little Hana and the others were. Because Shirosaki Haruka often came to the STARRY bar to chat with the manager, Bocchi-chan knew little Hana.
And Bocchi-chan seemed to have a good relationship with little Hana.
Although Gotou Hitori found it difficult to talk to strangers, Shirosaki Hana's appearance really made it hard to feel nervous, especially when she was eating cutely.
Little Hana had also told Bocchi-chan that her classmate's older sister was also socially anxious. Apart from going to school, she stayed at home and didn't even dare to buy things or talk to strangers.
In this regard, Bocchi-chan felt like she was seeing another version of herself in the world.
Hoshino Miyako was a university student, and she was a high school student. Hoshino Miyako had a cheerful younger sister at home, and she also had a cheerful younger sister!
Little Hana: "But Miyako-oneechan's grades are pretty good. She seems to be studying fashion design in college. It really suits her. It seems she can just design clothes at home in the future."
Gotou Hitori: "....."
That's right. The other person had excellent grades and a college major that didn't require much interaction with people. But what about herself? She was afraid to work part-time, afraid to work, and her grades were among the bottom of the class.
If she couldn't support herself with her guitar....
——Gotou Hitori's Fantasy Time——
A dark room filled with empty cup noodle cups, wrappers, and empty drink cans. An adult Bocchi-chan curled up in the closet looking at her phone.
Mom has given up on telling me to go to work. Even little Futari has found a suitable job and is working hard to move up. But I can only stay at home and surf the internet.
In the corner sat a guitar that had been gathering dust for a long time. That was a distant dream from her student days. Now she could only lament.... I'm so useless.
Bocchi-chan's fantasy ended....
No!!! Bocchi-chan even had nightmares about this. It couldn't go on like this. She couldn't accept a future like that!
"Ling-kun, tomorrow.... I will definitely be mentally prepared for tomorrow's open-air performance."
Uchiha Ryo looked at Bocchi-chan, who suddenly mustered up her confidence, in confusion. What was wrong with her? Did she have an epiphany after zoning out for a while?
Hayasaka Ai: "Good luck. I'll go and support you tomorrow. If Bocchi-chan becomes a rock star in the future, remember to give me an autograph in advance."
Gotou Hitori giggled, "Hehe. Rock star... ehehe, I'm a rock star!"
Uchiha Ryo suddenly knocked on Bocchi-chan's head.
"Don't just immerse yourself in your fantasy world. Whether you become a rock star or an obscure worker in the future depends on how hard you work now."
Gotou Hitori clenched her fists. "Mhm! I will work hard. I will definitely grasp my own future! (I won't become a useless person like in my imagination!)"
Uchiha Ryo chuckled. "Then good luck, because this is Bocchi-chan's future."
Bocchi-chan: "Future?"
Uchiha Ryo picked up Bocchi-chan's guitar and held it in his hand.
"Choose. Will you seize the future with your own hands, or give up and be a salted fish without dreams?"
Bocchi-chan took a deep breath. "I want to find an audience on my own. I want to make the Kessoku Band better. I want to get rid of my socially anxious personality!"
"So, I want to seize the future!"