Entering the practice room, the instruments were already neatly arranged.
Tsuchigumo Hotaru looked around.
Was someone missing?
Where did Yamada Ryo go to slack off?
Ijichi Nijika, however, seemed unconcerned, already taking out sheet music for Gotou Hitori to look over.
"How is it? Can you play this?"
Gotou Hitori: "Ah, okay."
So, Tsuchigumo Hotaru asked, "Um, where's the bassist?"
Nijika blinked, "The bassist? We don't have one yet."
None?!
Tsuchigumo Hotaru's expression changed.
What's going on?
Did Yamada Ryo not join Nijika's band?
Did her original band not break up? Or what?
If it hasn't broken up, then break up already!
"Then, what about the bass part?"
Tsuchigumo Hotaru asked tentatively.
Generally, to play a complete song, the guitar and bass are indispensable.
Although people might not clearly hear the bass, a bassist is still needed to make it look complete.
"Tsuchigumo-jun, can you play it?"
Nijika looked at Tsuchigumo Hotaru expectantly, hoping for another miracle.
Tsuchigumo Hotaru shook his head.
Nijika's eyes dimmed.
"Hmm... how about using a pre-recorded bass track?"
Ijichi Nijika pulled out a recorder from somewhere.
Tsuchigumo Hotaru paused: "..."
Don't ask me in a questioning tone!
"This, isn't this deceiving the audience?"
Gotou Hitori rarely spoke, but she did now.
At this, Nijika also looked troubled.
"Actually, I originally had a candidate for a bassist."
"But, Ryo isn't playing music anymore..."
Nijika said with a dejected expression.
Tsuchigumo Hotaru was shocked.
Not playing anymore?
Then his beloved End Band, wouldn't it truly be over?
Yamada Ryo, what in the world are you doing?!
"If that's the case, I won't let such a half-baked band perform on stage."
A faint voice drifted over.
Ijichi Seika, at some point, was leaning against the doorframe, one hand on her hip, the other holding a bottle of apple juice, taking a sip.
The three turned their heads.
Aside from their equally flat chests, she was practically a larger version of Nijika.
The same magnetic levitation triangular ahoge.
However, don't be fooled by her cute appearance.
Their personalities were vastly different!
One was an angel.
The other was a tsundere, tsundere, tsundere, tsundere, tsundere, tsundere!
At the same time, Ijichi Seika subtly scrutinized Tsuchigumo Hotaru.
She had heard that Nijika actually brought a man back.
This startled her; it had never happened before.
He looks quite deceptive, Ijichi Seika thought, but he'd only fool little schoolgirls.
However, her words just now also made Ijichi Nijika's face fall.
Nijika angrily said, "Sister, what did you say! Didn't we already discuss this?!"
Ijichi Seika pouted, completely unconcerned, saying, "I thought you had already formed a band, but it's just like that..."
Ijichi Seika didn't say anything further, but her meaning was clear.
"But..."
"You can't play in a band with such childish ideas."
Ijichi Seika waved her hand, a bit disdainfully.
Nijika froze.
"Sister, you big idiot!"
With that, Nijika threw down her drumsticks, pushed past her sister, and ran out.
In the air, faint drops of water fell.
"Oh my, they're fighting again!"
Miss Pa suddenly appeared, covering her mouth with her wide sleeve and laughing.
She looked a bit gleeful, but in reality, she was just used to it.
"So annoying, if you laugh at me again, I'll dock your pay!"
Ijichi Seika grumbled.
"Eh, how can you do that..."
Miss Pa's expression changed slightly, then she disappeared; it was not a good time to provoke the Golden Retriever Lioness, the manager.
"Ah! Damn it!"
Ijichi Seika scratched her long hair in frustration, then looked at the remaining Tsuchigumo Hotaru and Gotou Hitori.
Ijichi Seika sighed inwardly; why did her words and thoughts always contradict each other?!
Tsuchigumo Hotaru blinked, a little bewildered.
This situation was a bit awkward now.
In that situation just now, Gotou Hitori had fainted directly.
The fainted Gotou Hitori was actually pretending.
What she was thinking now was that she didn't have to perform on stage!
Yay! So happy!
No, how could she build her happiness on someone else's pain?
She was so despicable!
But, she really didn't want to perform on stage.
On stage, scary!
...
And Tsuchigumo Hotaru, he was about to confront Ijichi Seika.
"Hello, Manager."
Ijichi Seika gave a haughty snort, but she was still reasonable, understanding that Tsuchigumo Hotaru had done nothing wrong.
She glanced at the pink goo slumped on the floor, Ijichi Seika muttered to herself, what is this thing?
"Anyway, your performance is scheduled for last, so it doesn't matter if you don't have a bassist. If... if a team suddenly drops out, I'd have to come up with an excuse to explain to the customers, it's such a hassle."
Tsuchigumo Hotaru suppressed a smile, "Okay, Manager, I'll go get Nijika back right away."
At the same time, he thought to himself, tsunderes are so troublesome.
Especially this level of tsundere.
Ijichi Seika's eyes lit up; this kid was quite smart, he understood her meaning.
"Kid, here... take these."
Ijichi Seika tossed the remaining three bottles of apple juice to Tsuchigumo Hotaru, then quickly turned away to hide her expression.
Tsuchigumo Hotaru skillfully caught them.
"Thank you, Manager."
Ijichi Seika nodded.
Tsuchigumo Hotaru leaned into Gotou Hitori's ear and whispered, "If you don't solidify into a solid soon, you'll be left here alone."
"Ah, no... don't leave me."
Gotou Hitori's body trembled, and she came to life.
Dragging Gotou Hitori by the collar of her tracksuit, Tsuchigumo Hotaru ran out of Starry.
After the two left.
"Hehehe..." Miss Pa burst out laughing.
Walking out of Starry.
The two stood at the entrance.
"What should we do?"
Gotou Hitori asked, completely lacking initiative.
Perhaps we should just go home and find our mothers.
Tsuchigumo Hotaru was also thinking about where to find Nijika.
Shimokitazawa Park, or the vending machine?
"Sorry, I suddenly ran out and left you two there."
Nijika had already walked back herself.
Although she had impulsively run off earlier, Nijika remembered the two people she had brought were still in the store.
It would be too rude to just leave them there.
So she quickly composed herself and returned.
However, if one looked closely, one could see that the corners of her eyes were a little red.
She had clearly been crying.
Tsuchigumo Hotaru was a bit bewildered; as expected of Nijika.
She was so kind, always thinking of others.
"It's okay."
Tsuchigumo Hotaru said it was fine, and Hitori nodded.
"Thank you two, and Hitori, I'm sorry, you don't have to perform anymore."
Nijika's expression was dejected.
Losing the band's first performance like this was a big blow to her.
If it weren't for the two of them still being there, she might have cried a little longer.
Gotou Hitori, this time, couldn't feel happy.
Tsuchigumo Hotaru quickly said, "The Manager said we can perform. Look, the drinks the Manager gave us."
Then he gestured with the apple juice in his hand.
"Eh! Really?"
"Really, after all, the Manager is a tsundere!"
Tsuchigumo Hotaru said with a smile.
"Ah!"
Nijika suddenly understood, regaining her spirit. How could she have forgotten that!
"Then, Hitori..."
Nijika looked at Hitori apologetically again.
Hitori, drinking her juice, instinctively replied, "Ah, okay."
"Then let's go back quickly."
Nijika wiped her eyes.
But Tsuchigumo Hotaru didn't move.
"What's wrong?"
"We have plenty of time, let's go find the bassist!"