The atmosphere froze solid.
Aka hugged Bocchi tightly, like a little dog guarding its food.
Bocchi glanced around until she finally found something to say."Um… Aka, if you don't eat your ice cream soon, it's going to melt."
"True enough," Aka nodded in agreement.
But she showed no intention of letting go, as if it didn't matter even if the ice cream turned into a puddle.
Bocchi swallowed hard. She knew this couldn't go on, so she reached out and picked up the ice cream from the table.
It was like how she never got social anxiety when facing a devil.
When it came to Aka, Bocchi somehow had no trouble speaking.
"Aka… open your mouth, okay?"
"Eh?" Aka blinked, then nodded. "Alright."
The moment she parted her lips, the entire ice cream was shoved in.
"Ahh! Cold!"
Aka reflexively let go, quickly grabbing the ice cream and pulling it from her mouth.
"You bully me, Bocchi-chan," she said in mock complaint.
Who would have thought that someone like her would ever be accused of bullying someone else?
"My mom always told me that wasting food makes you a bad kid. Eat it before it melts," Bocchi said.
"Oh," Aka replied, "my mom never cared about stuff like that."
"...Sorry."
"Eh? Why are you apologizing, Bocchi-chan?"
"It's nothing."
She just felt bad for her, that was all.
Bocchi sighed inwardly. Her sympathy for this girl who had never known warmth from her family grew a little stronger.
Then she heard a quiet giggle.
"Hehe… if only Bocchi-chan were my mom."
"..."
Bocchi didn't know how to respond.
Fortunately, Aka didn't continue, just quietly licked her ice cream.
Bocchi turned back toward Kita and immediately tensed up again.
She took ten whole seconds to work up the courage."So, um… Kita-san, about the… the band…"
"Mhm," Kita smiled awkwardly. "I'm listening."
How could she speak so naturally with Aka just now, yet get all awkward the moment she talked to me?
Socializing really is a mysterious thing…
For the first time, the super extrovert Kita felt this odd sense of wonder.
"After school today… would you come with me to the rehearsal room to meet the other band members?" Bocchi asked carefully.
The War Devil whispered in Kita's ear, "Say yes."
"Sure, no problem," Kita replied with a warm smile. "I'm curious about your band too."
Neither of them expected Aka to suddenly cut in.
"Bocchi-chan, I want to go too!"
"…"
This is going to be trouble, Bocchi thought.
She used to envy people with lots of friends, but suddenly, she realized that having many friends might come with its own problems.
"Do you like rock music, Aka?" Bocchi asked.
"Rock?" Aka tilted her head. "Not really. I don't know much about it."
"I see… It's just, today I'm taking Kita to meet the band members, and it'll be kind of a formal thing. If you're not into rock, then maybe."
Bocchi realized she was surprisingly good at being tactful with Aka.
"I understand," Aka lowered her head. "Then I won't go today."
Clap!
Suddenly, Aka jumped to her feet and shouted, "Starting today, I'm going to listen to rock music!"
"Every rock song in history, every band that's ever existed, I'm going to learn about them all!"
"Eh? That's… not really necessary…" Bocchi said, startled.
"No, it is necessary. From today on, learning what Bocchi-chan likes is my mission in life!"
With a look of newfound purpose, Aka ran off excitedly.
Bocchi and Kita were left standing there, still a bit dazed.
She's weird… but she seemed happy.
So maybe… it's not such a bad thing?
"Kita-san…" Bocchi turned toward her.
"I get it. I'll go with you after school," Kita said smoothly. "Let's meet at the school gate?"
"Yeah!"
…
After school, on the streets of Shimokitazawa.
"So… you're the one leading the way, Bocchi-san. Why are you walking behind me?" Kita asked.
Bocchi was pushing her from behind. "I'm… not used to the atmosphere here yet…"
"Well, then I'm even less used to it," Kita said.
"It's fine… We're almost there. Nijika and Ryo should already be waiting, and then... mmph!"
Bocchi stopped mid-sentence because she bumped into Kita's back.
Kita had suddenly frozen in place.
"Kita-san?" Bocchi asked in confusion.
"Um, Bocchi-san… I'm really sorry, but I can't go with you after all!"
"Eh?"
The War Devil's figure appeared in Kita's vision, scolding her. "What are you doing? I told you to go with her!"
"I'm sorry, but I really can't!" Kita said, looking troubled.
"What's going on?" Bocchi asked.
Tap, tap, tap.
From down the street came the sound of approaching footsteps.
It was Nijika, running toward them. "Oh, Bocchi-chan, you're already here!"
"I went out to buy something, and… wait, this girl with you is… eh?!"
Kita froze, then turned, locking eyes with her.
"The runaway guitarist!" Nijika shouted.
They ended up talking a lot.
It turned out that Kita had once pretended to know how to play guitar and joined the End Band, only to run away on the day of the performance.
That same day, Nijika had found Bocchi to fill in, which was how Bocchi ended up joining the band.
Although there had been many misunderstandings, everyone now understood the truth: Kita couldn't play guitar.
In the end, the vocalist position still went to Kita.
Bocchi was now responsible for teaching her guitar, and the two of them were practicing in STARRY's back room.
"Kita-san, you…" Bocchi hesitated.
"Ugh, I know I have no talent. You don't need to say it, Bocchi-chan," Kita said with a sigh.
Bocchi stayed quiet for a moment, then stood. "I'm going to the bathroom. Let's continue after I get back."
"Alright…" Kita replied.
As soon as Bocchi left, the War Devil appeared and said, "Let me use your body."
"What for all of a sudden?" Kita asked.
"To play guitar."
"Huh?"
"If your body remembers the motions, you'll learn faster."
"Wait… you're saying you can play guitar?"
"What? Is that a problem?" The War Devil frowned.
"N-no, it's just…"
But… you're the War Devil. What does guitar have to do with war?
Kita couldn't help but wonder.