Let's set aside that bald uncle with the nice voice—Rinto and the others didn't pay him much mind.
Sure, he was a politician whose heart they'd changed once before. But since Rinto had already made him repent, he'd fulfilled his moral duty.
Whether that politician's past crimes were made public was no longer within Rinto's responsibility.
Still, to be safe, Rinto took out his phone and opened the Navigation App:
"Target for navigation: Shido Masayoshi."
[Target registered: Shido Masayoshi—No target found.]
Ahh… Rinto's Phantom Thieves buddies finally relaxed.
Shido Masayoshi no longer had a Palace.
This fact was confirmed by the mysterious Navigation App, so it had to be true.
Though Rinto had always found this app suspicious and wasn't fully willing to trust it… well, whatever.
"Alright, everyone, let's call it a day."
After arriving back at Tokyo's luxurious Hi●ton hotel, Rinto bid farewell to his teammates:
"We've got school tomorrow, don't be late. There's no rush to decide our next target either. Remember, we stick to unanimous decisions—don't go using the app to enter the Metaverse on your own."
Takamaki Ann: "Roger (o'ω`o)ノ. Rinto-kun's so thoughtful. Thanks, Dad?~"
The playful, pretty half-foreigner gal buddy laughed heartily, saying she'd promised Shiho to go shopping, and ran off first.
Ryuji also mentioned needing to get home before dark so his mom wouldn't worry, then took his leave.
And then, well…
Rinto originally planned to walk the Yoshizawa sisters home as usual, then return by himself.
"…(cling)"
"…(hug)"
Yet for some unknown reason, as if it were planned from the start, the twins clung tightly to his arms, refusing to let go.
This puzzled Rinto:
"What's up? Still something else to do?"
Kasumi Yoshizawa's eyes turned alluring: "Rinto-nii~ Don't you think it's a waste to leave right after having dinner at Hilton?"
"That's right, that's right!"
Sumire, the younger twin, added fuel to the fire: "Even though our family occasionally comes here for meals, I've never actually stayed in the rooms here before. They say it's super luxurious—staying here is a must for anyone visiting Tokyo, right?"
Kasumi chimed in again: "Besides… we happened to book a luxury suite for tonight~?"
The adolescent girl, barely hiding her mischievous grin, took out her phone to show Rinto the reserved room number.
Rinto was genuinely shocked:
"When did you even arrange this? Planned ahead? And how much did this cost…?"
Sumire Yoshizawa: "Mom sponsored us~ She's always been supportive. She said girls need to take initiative to capture a guy's heart… Senpai, have we caught yours yet? (=*ω*=)"
…It'd be weird if he could reply with a "no." Rinto was entirely wrapped around these sisters' fingers.
And to be fair, Rinto inwardly rationalized:
He and Momoka could be intimate every day, but the twins had school and gymnastics practice; they barely had any time together.
Occasional, rare, intermittent, random… a small bonus once in a while should be reasonable, right?
"…I still have work tonight."
Even as Rinto voiced this excuse, he was already reaching out to wrap his arms around their astonishingly slender waists.
He continued:
"I really can't stay too long because of work… Two hours tops, okay?"
"Okay (<ゝω·)~☆"
The twins buried their giggles in Rinto's embrace, their voices sweet enough to melt bones.
Being athletes sure gave them advantages in certain aspects… Rinto realized he'd better keep up with his own training!
...
And thus, two hours and thirteen minutes later…
"—Sorry I'm late!"
With no time to even fix his hair, Rinto rushed into the live house STARRY, his damp, rock-style hair still dripping wet.
The angelic Nijika, busy preparing to open shop, waved at him:
"Good evening, Rinto-kun~ No worries, you're not officially late yet."
"But why are you all wet? It wasn't raining today, was it?"
Rinto: "…Got splashed with water from above, don't mind it."
The man who didn't dry his hair after a hurried shower blatantly lied with open eyes and quickly shifted into work mode.
He'd only recently started working at STARRY and was apprenticed under Yamada Ryo—he didn't want to be seen as some irresponsible guy messing around.
Fortunately, Yamada Ryo seemed even later than he was, prompting Seika-san to cross her arms and threaten wage cuts.
Work at STARRY mostly involved cleaning and setting up beforehand, plus checking the drink machine inventory.
Once guests arrived, it was just ticketing and pouring drinks.
This job was simpler than regular cafés—no complicated cocktails, just ready-made juice and beer.
Considering the labor, Seika-san's low pay wasn't really exploitative.
Still, Rinto had something to say:
"Charging 500 yen per drink is faster than robbery. Can't we add some extra products? Parfaits or something?"
Yamada Ryo: "We could if we had the budget, but that's not happening. Seika-san's way too stingy to agree."
Once the show started, most guests focused entirely on the bands, leaving the counter quiet.
Thoughtful Nijika took over the front desk, allowing Ryo and Rinto to practice bass in the staff room.
Rinto pointed out several issues he'd encountered while self-learning, asking Ryo to demonstrate.
To clearly see her fingering, the two sat shoulder-to-shoulder on the cramped, shabby sofa—literal zero distance between them.
But Ryo wasn't like a typical delicate girl.
She had no resistance toward sitting next to Rinto, a guy her own age, remaining cool as always.
After demonstrating, Ryo nodded approvingly at Rinto's somewhat unpolished but remarkably solid technique:
"Your talent is impressive, Rinto. Is it because you've been living with Momoka-san, a professional musician, and absorbed something? You're clearly a beginner but you pick things up incredibly fast."
Rinto laughed: "Thanks for the praise—I'm a bit embarrassed now."
Truthfully, Rinto was confident in his learning ability.
Beginner-level instrument practice was mostly just memorizing techniques, nothing too challenging.
Especially since officially dating the twins and Momoka, Rinto felt not only his stamina but even his senses had sharpened—eyesight, hearing, and coordination all improved.
Perhaps this was the benefit of love… perhaps?
He only hoped future indulgences wouldn't cause trouble—maybe he and Momoka should start moderating things a bit.
"Stare…"
As Rinto practiced scales, feeling Ryo's gaze growing increasingly peculiar, he eventually couldn't hold back:
"Um, great Yamada-shishou? Just say it directly if my posture needs correcting."
"No, nothing like that," Ryo said, resting her chin in her hand.
Having come directly after school, she still wore her uniform—surprisingly neat, skirt properly knee-length, even longer than fashion-conscious Nijika's.
With her opaque stockings, Ryo appeared almost prim—a cool, elegant beauty until she spoke:
"I was just wondering if using your fingers to play around with rock girls also increases musical experience. How else do you explain your talent? Did you learn that by fingering Momoka-san…?"
Rinto: "Watch your language! If Seika-san or PA-san hears this, they'll kick me right out!"
Even the experienced Rinto choked at Ryo's sudden deadpan vulgarity.
Yet the girl herself blinked innocently:
"Why embarrassed? You and Momoka-san are probably gods by now, right? Everyday sex must feel great?"
"When you mention rock, it's smoking, drinking, and women. Especially as Momoka-san's fan, she must demand all sorts of extreme plays daily, right? …I heard steel wool was popular years ago. Don't worry, I won't spread rumors, just tell me honestly—have you…?"
"Shishou, let's keep studying."
Rinto coolly pressed onward, firmly ignoring Ryo's dirty uncle-style banter and sticking to business.
Ryo pouted boredly.
But soon she smiled again.
Watching Rinto practice scales, she suddenly asked:
"Rinto, want to join our band?"
"With me and Nijika, performing live here at STARRY."
…This caught Rinto off guard; he'd never anticipated such an invitation.
He muted the bass strings' faint hum and answered cautiously:
"Me, with you guys? Isn't that overestimating me?"
"I'm just a beginner, just started bass a few days ago. Plus, male members aren't really trendy right now. And we both play bass—bands rarely have two bassists, right?"
"All minor issues," Ryo answered swiftly and calmly.
"I can switch to guitar, handle vocals, even compose songs. I'm basically a mini Momoka-san—just younger."
That definitely wasn't something Momoka should overhear; she'd cry loudly.
Indeed, Ryo really was a miniature Momoka, just wealthier and less anxious.
"Anyway, just consider it."
"…Okay, I'll definitely consider it."
Rinto fist-bumped cool Yamada-shishou, enjoying the perfect vibe.