The next day
In the cold winter of December, the day unexpectedly welcomed a bright, clear sky. The morning sun, carrying a faint touch of warmth, pierced through the thick glass of the train and shone directly on the boy's shoulder-length black hair, casting a silvery sheen across it.
The roar of the train rushing over the tracks faintly echoed in his ears, mingling with the chatter of several girls nearby. But Haru, who had rushed to the station early in the morning without a wink of sleep, felt too sluggish to move.
The reason for his sleepless night went without saying.
Still, thanks to his strong body and excellent recovery, even an all-nighter practicing the keyboard left him without much fatigue. If anything, he felt light-headed, as if drifting, since even he had never gone so far recklessly before.
Buzz...
The faint vibration of his phone pulled Haru back to reality. Without thinking, he instinctively opened the Line message screen.
[Yahata Umiri: Image.JPG]
[Wanna Be Fertilizer?: ?]
Haru froze when he opened the picture. It seemed Umiri had deliberately chosen the angle. Wrapped under a pure white blanket, she had purposefully pulled it aside just enough to reveal a delicate line.
So early in the morning, and his so-called brother was already pulling stunts like this.
Damn, testing a fellow comrade with something like this?
Scolding her endlessly in his mind, Haru still saved the photo to his phone. Such incriminating evidence had to be kept. Once the band's performance in Suwa was over, he would hold a proper trial for her.
[Yahata Umiri: Compared to Mutsu, how is it?]
If he had to say, Muuku's body temperature was warmer...
The thought flashed across Haru's mind, making him shake his head sharply. He rubbed at his temples to regain focus, then fired off several messages of reproach. On the other end, Umiri immediately left him on read.
He did not need to think too hard. She was definitely laughing to herself.
"Haru-san?"
The gentle voice at his side pulled him back from his inner world. When he turned, he found the girls from the Kessoku Band all staring at him. He coughed a few times before giving an explanation.
"Sorry, I was a little distracted... Where were we again?"
"It's fine! We had just started explaining the plan for this trip!"
Nijika gave him a playful wink. Her golden hair, tied into a side ponytail, shimmered with radiance, while the "horns" on her headband swayed slightly as she gestured with her finger.
"Once we arrive in Suwa, we'll head to the inn we reserved, drop off our luggage, and settle in. After that, we'll have free time. The public performance will be at noon three days later."
"Senpai, so that means we can spend the next three days however we want!?"
"...Well, technically yes, but practice is still necessary. If we go on stage of that level without rehearsing properly, what will we do if something goes wrong?"
Perhaps because this was Kessoku Band's first full-group training trip, or maybe because everyone was excited about their upcoming concert, or perhaps it was some other reason...
In any case, the girls sitting beside him were not exactly well-behaved.
In more ways than one.
"So, why is it only Bocchi who gets to sit next to Haru?"
Today, Ryo spoke with narrowed golden eyes and a subtle tone. Her seemingly casual remark carried a strange kind of weight, immediately silencing the two girls who had been chatting about Suwa.
The seats on the train were the usual "face-to-face" layout. By the window sat Haru, with Hitori right beside him. Across from them sat Ryo and Ikuyo, while Nijika had taken the aisle seat.
The two sides faced each other, with a small wooden table wedged in between, already filled with snacks and travel magazines. The whole setup looked more like a restaurant booth than a train carriage.
"Eh? I… I don't know either, it just sort of happened naturally..."
Suddenly called out so directly, Hitori blushed. When they got on the train, she had simply slipped into the seat beside Haru without much thought. But thinking about it, Kita across the table was also his girlfriend. By logic, they should have been sitting one on each side.
"I protest. The seats should be divided fairly."
Ryo frowned deeply, a glint of coldness flashing in her eyes.
"Rock-paper-scissors, Bocchi. Only the strong deserve everything."
"What are you even saying?! Bocchi-chan is Haru's girlfriend, isn't it only natural for her to sit next to him?!"
Unable to hold back, Nijika raised her voice at Ryo. But that girl showed no sign of guilt. Instead, with her icy golden eyes narrowed, she calmly replied as if it were obvious.
"So what if she's his girlfriend?"
"Who says a girlfriend has to sit beside him?"
Ikuyo's lips parted in shock, and for a moment she was lost for words.
That sounded exactly like saying, "Who says you can't fall for a boy who already has a girlfriend?"
It actually made sense!
"Haru, what do you think?"
Ryo turned her gaze toward him. Haru, leaning against the window, furrowed his brows, thought for a moment, and then answered seriously. "Now that you mention it, that does make some sense. In that case… why don't all of you sit next to me?"
"Haru-san, don't follow Ryo's weird logic so seriously! And even if everyone did sit next to you, how would that even work? Should we stack up one on top of the other?!"
Flustered, Nijika threw her arms up. She had thought she was the only sane one here, but as soon as she said it, everyone else including Haru himself turned to stare at her.
"Nijika-senpai, what are you saying? There's no way that's possible."
"Nijika, I didn't expect you to be so daring."
Both Kita and Ryo gave her strange looks, leaving Nijika frozen stiff in her seat. To be seen as a weirdo by the actual weirdos… there were no words for that kind of feeling.
Why was it turning out like this!?
"Stack up? Then why not just sit on my lap instead?"
"W-wait, something that good is actually an option?!"
Haru's quip made Kita's eyes sparkle with excitement. Just as the debate over seating was getting heated, Hitori timidly raised her small hand.
Her snow-white face flushed with pink, and her trembling finger looked like a grade-schooler answering a question.
"Um… what if we just take turns… sitting?"
The air went still for several seconds.
Expressionless, Ryo let out a long sigh, then slowly lifted a thumbs-up in Hitori's direction.
"Bocchi, you're a genius."
"Eh-hehe? R-really?"
The pink-haired girlfriend instantly began scratching the back of her head in pride. Seeing this, Haru's mouth twitched, and after a small cough, he put on a serious face and spoke calmly.
"This live is important for all of us. It will decide whether Kessoku Band can step beyond the comfort zone of Shimokitazawa. The LiveHouse is giving us a big stage, so we need to treat this public performance properly."
"Like Nijika just said, practice is essential."
Haru's shift to a serious tone made the girls, who had been overly relaxed, straighten up a little. Deep down, they all knew how important this performance was, especially since Haru had spent a long time negotiating to get them this chance.
But just as the mood began to grow serious, Haru broke it at once.
"Well, no need to get too nervous though. As long as everyone plays like usual, there won't be any problems with this live."
"Besides, the LiveHouse owner is a nice guy. The inn we booked has a famous hot spring, and the rooms are high-class. Basically, this trip is like a free vacation for us."
Hot spring.
That single, ordinary word was enough to light a spark in the girls' eyes. Even Nijika could not hide her excitement. There were few girls in the world who disliked hot springs.
"Ahh, I heard the hot springs in Suwa are amazing. Soaking in them makes your skin soft and smooth."
"And I think the inn serves high-class set meals too, with food we never get to eat normally… like tuna sushi or salmon sashimi. We might never get another experience like this in our lives."
"No, that sounds a little exaggerated…"
Watching the girls grow more and more expectant, Haru raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his seat again. Beside him, Hitori blinked her clear blue eyes, her gaze sparkling like crystal as she sneaked a look at him.
"…Haru, you said all that on purpose, didn't you?"
"Hmm? Did I?"
Her cautious question made Haru chuckle.
In truth, he had only wanted to give everyone a little warning in advance. He could not let them play around so much that they lost focus. After all, the real purpose of coming to Suwa was still the important live show.
Of course, it was also a rare chance. He wanted them to enjoy these few days too.
"Ehehe~"
A faint smile flickered in Bocchi's eyes as she simply lifted the corners of her lips, saying nothing.
Seeing that look of hers, as if she understood something but was deliberately pretending to be wise and aloof, Haru could not help but find it amusing. A mischievous impulse rose in his heart, and he quietly reached his hand toward her.
"Mm!"
Bocchi's face flushed red, her expression caught somewhere between panic and confusion as she glanced at him.
But clearly, the "Shimokitazawa Pit Viper" had an incredible level of endurance. Even as her shoulders trembled, she kept her head bowed, her bangs hiding nearly all of her face, and made no sound whatsoever.
Just as Haru thought he had teased her enough, a subtle expression crept onto his face.
"…?"
He suddenly lifted his head and looked directly across the table.
The blue-haired girl leaned her chin in one hand, her pale-golden eyes narrowing with a playful gleam. A smile that was neither serious nor unserious curved on her beautiful face, and the tiny mole beneath her eye was enough to make his heart skip a beat.
So this was mantis stalking cicada, only for the oriole to wait behind?
Haru's gaze dropped instinctively beneath the table, where he immediately spotted the line of a black-stockinged leg. He cursed inwardly at her lack of decency, convinced she had no manners at all.
"..."
Chastising her silently in his mind, Haru retaliated without the slightest mercy.
…
The train cut through fields of green. A sky of deep blue brushed with white filled their view, and clouds seemed close enough to touch the peaks of the distant mountains. The lakeside horizon carried a cool breeze toward them.
Suwa City
This was the filming location for the lake in "Your Name." The real Lake Suwa stretched at the edge of the city, pressed against the mountains and water. Its broad, winding streets ran along the shoreline, and the whole town was wrapped in a rural calm and serenity.
"Ahh, we're finally here!"
No sooner had they stepped off the train than the group stood on tiptoe, stretching out their hands as if to cup the glowing lake in their palms. Kita, dressed in her cute outfit, could not resist pulling out her phone.
"Haru, hurry, come here!"
"Alright, alright."
Haru shrugged as if he had seen it coming. As her boyfriend, he naturally had to play the role of her assistant. But Kita wasn't satisfied with a simple snapshot. She wrapped her arms around his and rose onto her toes.
Chu~
Pressing a soft kiss against his cheek, she snapped the photo. The intimacy of the act made Nijika blush and quickly turn away. She understood this was normal for a couple, but still…
Did they really have to do that in front of everyone?!
"Okay~ I'm sending this to Anon-chan."
"No, no, no. If you do that, she's definitely going to be mad."
Rolling his eyes, Haru waved his hand. Knowing Anon's personality, he could easily imagine how the pink-haired troublemaker would react. She was probably sulking in Tokyo already, and if she saw that photo, her jealousy would overflow.
If they made her too upset, she might just hop on a train and rush straight to Suwa tonight.
"Hehe~ you're right…"
Ikuyo blinked her big, sparkling eyes, then obediently gave up the idea.
She stuck her little tongue out with a sunny smile, clearly doing it on purpose to look cute. And despite the lakeside chill of winter, she had insisted on wearing a pleated skirt, lace-trimmed white socks, and leather shoes.
Her intentions were plain for all to see.
Expressionless, Ryo stared down the endless street. A wave of laziness washed over her, and she leaned gently against Haru's side. "I'm tired. Aren't we at the inn yet?" she muttered.
"…Ryo, we literally just got off the train!"
Nijika shot back without thinking, already used to Ryo's personality by now. She slapped her cheeks lightly to perk herself up, ready to ask Haru where the inn was.
But before she could, he simply raised his hand and waved. A van big enough to fit seven or eight people pulled up right in front of them.
The girls exchanged wide-eyed glances.
"This van belongs to the LiveHouse. I already arranged the time with the manager, so they came to pick us up. Anyway, let's head to the inn first and drop off our luggage."
Haru calmly opened the door, then hauled all of the band's luggage on board himself. The girls stood frozen in place, staring at each other in surprise.
"Eh? Why… why does it feel like Haru-san's kind of amazing?"
"It's not just the performance arrangements with the LiveHouse, or even the CD sales with the record company… Now even something like this is all taken care of by him. If this keeps up, we'll end up useless without him!"
Kita raised her finger like a signal connecting their thoughts, speaking with a very serious face about the dangers of being spoiled too much. But once she finished, her cheeks turned faintly red.
"B-but… becoming useless doesn't sound so bad either~"
"I don't mind."
Ryo nodded calmly, agreeing with her without a shred of hesitation.
"Hey! Kita, snap out of it!"
"We can't just accept this like it's normal! Come on, wake up already!"
Nijika, the most level-headed of them, grabbed Kita and shook her. They could not simply fall into the comfort of his help. As band leader, she had a duty to carry her own share of responsibility.
"What are you all waiting for? Get in."
Haru called out, exasperated, to the girls still whispering among themselves. It took a bit of effort, but eventually he got them all seated. Just then, Nijika noticed the driver, and the blonde girl in the passenger seat.
"Um, excuse me, are you…"
"This is the manager of LiveHouse 'Moriya,' Mr. Suwako."
At Haru's words, Nijika blinked, then quickly bowed politely to the driver. "Nice to meet you, Manager Suwako. I'm Ijichi Nijika, drummer of Kessoku Band. Thank you so much for inviting us to perform!"
Haru blinked, caught off guard for two full seconds.
"Eh? Did I say something wrong?"
Flustered, Nijika frantically reviewed her greeting in her mind.
"Nijika, the manager is actually this one here."
Haru leaned closer to whisper, making her snap her head toward the passenger seat.
There, sitting with arms folded, was a tiny blonde girl. Even with the tall "frog hat" on her head, her short stature and childish looks made her seem nothing like an adult.
For a moment, both Kita and Hitori froze in astonishment.
"…Eh?"