After getting Nijika's consent, Hayato also started calling Nijika by her first name directly.
No, it shouldn't count as asking for consent, should it?
"Oh, you're so mean, I'm already calling Hayato-kun directly."
Nijika had said that.
At this moment, the two of them were helping Hayato search for textbooks among the messy piles of books in a used bookstore in Shimokitazawa.
It was then that Hayato had a chance to pay a little attention to the two of them.
The girl crouching, shifting the spines of the books in the box and checking the titles, was Nijika.
Her long golden hair was tied to one side, with light, airy bangs in front, and she had gentle, lively red eyes.
Around 1.5 meters tall, she appeared extremely petite when crouching, with a perpetually confident and gentle smile, making her seem small yet giving a reassuring sense of reliability.
She looked like a very lovely and gentle beautiful girl, and Hayato's actual interactions with her confirmed this feeling.
Beside her, casually pulling out books and shoving them back in, was Ryo, a cool, detached girl with deep blue hair, her bangs half-covering one eye, exuding an air of indifferent disdain for everything.
She was slightly taller than Nijika, and this small height difference combined with their differing temperaments created a feeling almost at opposite ends of the spectrum from Nijika.
Even wearing the same school uniform, her white shirt and black pleated skirt seemed weighed down by her rationality and silence.
This was a neutral beautiful girl with a firm self-perception of things, very much marching to the beat of her own drum.
"Guitar… bass… electronic keyboard… electric piano… they're all mixed together."
Nijika said with a slight complaint.
"Found it."
Ryo's calm tone carried a hint of joy.
The other two quickly gathered around.
"That's great…"
Nijika's happy voice got stuck halfway, and she stared at Ryo with dead-fish eyes.
Ryo was holding a magazine and happily said,
"An interview with the Ishikawa Band after their debut, someone is collecting it online…"
A moment later, Hayato looked at Ryo, who had a small bump on her head and was calmly searching for books, feeling a mix of emotions.
Was this the CP vibe between a drummer and a bassist?
He inexplicably wanted to offer blessings for a hundred years of happiness.
Hayato felt uncomfortably quiet, his hands didn't stop, his gaze lingering on each book.
But at the same time, he spoke.
"By the way, Nijika and Ryo are both very friendly people. Even though it's our first meeting and I haven't officially joined the Band yet, you've helped me so much."
"Because Hayato-kun doesn't seem like he's just playing around; you're serious about learning, right?"
Nijika's gaze shifted from the book spines, and she smiled brightly as she spoke.
Pervert outburst value 20%.
Hayato silently nodded.
"Band." From behind Nijika, Ryo's unperturbed voice sounded.
Nijika looked back, then tilted her head slightly in thought. When something occurred to her, she instantly showed a dazed expression.
"Did I not say that Hayato-kun could join the Band?!"
"Not at all."
A little further away, Ryo's voice chimed in.
"Oh, I really am something, ahahaha…"
Watching Nijika laugh awkwardly and foolishly, Hayato mentally added a trait to her: Clumsy Girl.
But just as he thought this, Nijika's gaze sharpened, scrutinizing Hayato, but she didn't react much.
"Then Hayato-kun, welcome to the Band."
She smiled and extended her hand.
Hayato smiled and clasped her slightly rough small hand.
"It's an honor."
Just as the atmosphere was excellent, a calm voice suddenly shattered it all.
"Found it."
Ryo stretched out her hand, distantly handing over a book… He had become a member of the Kessoku Band!
Hayato wanted to play some background music to enhance the atmosphere.
La, la la la, la la la la~
Something like that, but then he thought it might be better to be a bit more normal at the moment.
The three of them then headed to the station.
Hayato didn't notice as he walked straight ahead when they reached the station, but Nijika reminded him.
"Hayato-kun, over here."
He turned his head, stared at the station for a moment, then asked the two waiting in front of the station,
"Doesn't Shimokitazawa have a specialty store?"
"Hmm, we need to take the train."
Ryo said, looking at her phone without raising her head.
Hayato had a bad feeling. Although Japan isn't large and has many towns, it feels easy to go from one city to another.
But precisely because of this, places that don't seem far can take a long time for a round trip.
"Where is it?"
He walked towards Ryo and asked.
"Shinjuku."
Ryo lifted her phone to show him the map.
Hayato estimated that accompanying him to buy things would take nearly an hour and a half from start to finish.
He found it hard to imagine that someone would spend so much time for a newly joined Band member.
Hayato took a deep breath, completely disregarding the public setting, and bowed deeply, saying loudly,
"I will remember this kindness for the rest of my life!"
Ryo put away her phone, silent.
"Hmm, I know, I'll make you pay me back."
Nijika was already used to Ryo's personality and merely sighed helplessly at this.
"We're going to miss the train."
…In the evening, Hayato returned home, carrying a meter-long instrument bag in his left hand and a box in his right.
Protecting his brand-new equipment, which cost nearly a million yen, he pushed open the front door and walked inside.
As he reached the genkan, Hibiki, hearing the movement at the door, came out.
"Big Brother, you're back too late..."
But when she noticed what Hayato was holding, she blinked blankly, then stomped her white-socked foot in anger.
"Don't bring a corpse into the house!"
Here, Hayato himself would confirm that his family was very ordinary, not some assassin dynasty.
What was this stupid sister thinking?
After his sister's voice faded, there was a commotion in the kitchen.
"Eh eh eh eh eh!"
Accompanied by clattering sounds and hurried footsteps, their mother rushed out, looking at Hayato worriedly.
She nervously scrutinized the item in Hayato's hand.
"I believe Hayato is definitely not a bad child."
Mom, when you say you believe him, can you not be so nervous?
Hayato was a little curious about what kind of image he had in his mother's heart.
"It's an instrument, you idiot."
Hayato took off his shoes, changed into his house slippers, walked over to his sister who was still staring at the item in his hand, and gave the foolish sister a headbutt.
His mother also breathed a sigh of relief, looked back at the kitchen, let out a gasp, and hurried back.
Hayato also poked his head into the kitchen, and seeing that there was nothing that needed help, he completed the words he hadn't said when he returned.
"Good evening, Mom."
He turned to look at his sister, who was clutching her head and preparing to go back to the living room to watch TV.
"And my foolish sister."
"Hmph."
He received a cold snort from his sister, and a welcome from his mother.
Just as Hayato was about to carry the synthesizer and speakers back to his room, he looked at his sister, who was lazily watching TV in the living room with her legs tucked up, and felt it was his duty to give this idle person something to do, so he walked in.
"Hmm?"
Hibiki watched as her Big Brother approached, carrying a person's head (an amplifier) and a headless corpse (a keyboard), and immediately showed a wary expression, shrinking into the sofa, her small feet pressed together.
"What are you going to do?!"
Hayato completely disregarded the increased weight, directly put his arm around his sister's head, and pulled her out.
"Eh eh eh eh, Mom, help me! Big Brother is going to kill me! If you keep cooking, there'll be one less person to eat tonight!"