Kita understood that not everything could be done well just by thinking about it.
Although she had diligently practiced the Guitar on a bass, carefully following online tutorials.
The two instruments, which looked not too dissimilar, were ultimately not the same.
Moreover, this was the first Guitar she had ever held.
After barely playing a short passage that she often practiced, she nervously looked up at the others, asking tentatively in a low voice.
"...How was it?"
Facing her unease, Nijika looked at her and said in surprise.
"For a beginner, that's really impressive!"
"Really?!" Kita's face lit up with a smile.
"Ah... mm."
Bocchi-chan also nodded weakly.
Indeed, she could tell Kita had practiced diligently, and for a beginner, being able to play an entire passage was already very impressive.
But after she spoke, she quickly glanced at Ryo-senpai and Hayato beside her.
Hayato-kun was fine... although his kindness was always roundabout, he would never make anyone sad.
But Ryo-senpai would be very strict... and contrary to what she expected.
Ryo-senpai said very objectively.
"It's still a long way from performance level, but..."
She paused, then showed a slight smile, as if satisfied.
"Not bad."
"Senpai! I will definitely practice hard and never let the Guitar you lent me be shamed!"
Kita radiated brilliance!
Hayato glanced at Bocchi-chan, who was letting out a silent wail. Seeing that everyone else was satisfied with Kita, he chimed in with a contrary opinion.
"Ryo-senpai said it's still a long way from being able to perform on stage."
But it seemed this level of cold water couldn't extinguish Kita's enthusiasm, or rather, it ignited it even further.
Coupled with Ryo-senpai's affirmation just now, she was already halfway into an invincible state!
She pointed at Hayato and told him.
"Hayato-kun, I will definitely catch up to you quickly."
Hayato was startled, then narrowed his eyes like a fox. "Oh, do you want to bet on something?"
"Kita-chan! Absolutely not!"
Nijika, knowing how much of a Pervert Hayato was, desperately tried to stop her... Afterward, the five of them simply continued to occupy the rehearsal room, pulling over some chairs from the side to sit together and discuss their future plans.
"Eh... Bocchi-chan teaching Kita-chan Guitar, that's great."
Nijika's gaze shifted from the smiling Kita to Bocchi-chan, who was looking down a bit gloomily.
She saw that even Bocchi-chan nodded slightly in acceptance, then asked Bocchi-chan.
"Bocchi-chan, won't it be too much to juggle all this? Should we let Hayato-kun write the lyrics?"
Lyrics!
Bocchi-chan was startled. She had forgotten. She had completely put that matter out of her mind yesterday when she heard about the date.
Wh... what to do? Was she found out? Was she going to be executed?
Hayato-kun, help!
"Bocchi-chan?"
Nijika looked at Bocchi-chan, who suddenly broke out in a cold sweat, and asked in confusion.
But at this moment, Hayato suddenly hummed a song.
"Pure anticipation is right before my eyes, I pursue it uninhibitedly~"
"Growing into a Pervert~~ It's so..."
Hearing the lyrics Hayato hummed earlier, which were also unfamiliar tunes, Nijika was a bit surprised by his creative ability, that he could improvise like that.
But as soon as the latter phrase came out, her eyes glazed over.
The style of the entire lyrics changed abruptly.
It was like a flower covered in pollutants, no longer enjoyable.
Nijika covered her face in sorrow, a look of realizing she had chosen the wrong person.
"I get it! Hayato-kun, shut your mouth."
Hayato smiled, stopped singing, and then asked Bocchi-chan.
"Bocchi-chan, what have you decided?"
Everyone's gaze returned to the calmer Bocchi-chan. She secretly looked up, glancing at them through her bangs, and said.
"Ah... it's... it's fine."
Hearing Bocchi-chan's reply and noticing the slight change in her expression.
Nijika looked at Hayato, who was sitting casually, and sighed inwardly.
Somehow, she admired him a little. Whether it was Kita or Bocchi-chan.
He seemed to see through their hearts, easily controlling the situation.
It felt easy and pleasant to communicate with him.
Hayato-kun is really amazing. He hasn't known Kita and Bocchi-chan for very long, has he?
As she was thinking, she suddenly saw Hayato give her a sparkling thumbs-up with a smile.
Nijika:!!!
Could it be!
No, no, no, impossible.
Hayato looked at Nijika's stunned expression, then unceremoniously guided the conversation.
"Then, the next step is to create our own songs. As for the performance afterward, should we wait until Kita practices the Guitar to a stage-ready level?"
He asked Nijika.
Nijika quickly recovered from her distraction. She glanced at Kita, and her voice cheerful, she told him.
"Of course, we are Kessoku Band after all."
"I will work hard!" Kita nodded seriously.
Hayato then teased Nijika.
"You were so reluctant about that Band name before."
"Shut up!"
Nijika's face turned red. As she spoke, she looked at the culprit who made their Band name this way.
Ryo-senpai was seen with her mouth curved, and sparkling stars in the corners of her eyes.
She looked like she was waiting for praise.
"I wasn't planning to praise you!"
Nijika shouted in exasperation at this combination of teasing and coolness... Having reconfirmed their goal, they didn't do the aimless practice they had before today. Instead, they gave the rehearsal room space to the two Guitarists in the Band.
Letting Bocchi-chan focus on teaching Kita.
Nijika, Ryo-senpai, and Hayato walked out of the rehearsal room.
Hayato followed behind Ryo-senpai, watching Nijika's footsteps in front of them, which seemed a little slower than usual.
He tentatively, with a ethereal voice, guessed her inner thoughts.
"I'm so worried about Bocchi-chan..."
As soon as he finished speaking, the cowlick on Nijika's head suddenly stood up straight. She stiffly turned around and looked at the two behind her.
Ryo-senpai, expressionless, pointed at Hayato, who was hiding behind her, unceremoniously betraying her mischievous friend.
And seeing Ryo-senpai's reaction, knowing that the voice just now came from Hayato, Nijika shouted in embarrassment and anger.
"Hayato-kun!"
After shouting, she puffed out her cheeks, her bright red eyes glaring at Hayato with a mix of shyness and annoyance.
"Sorry, sorry."
Hayato smiled and repeatedly bowed in apology.
At the same time, he also silently made a mental note that Nijika couldn't be teased like this.
He had to find another way... Finally, only Ryo-senpai and Hayato remained.
The two looked at each other in silence.
As for Nijika, after being teased by Hayato, she declared that since Bocchi-chan and Kita were practicing individually, she would also go practice herself, and today would be self-practice.
Then she quickly ran away.
She ran very fast and very urgently.
"Nijika ran away," Ryo calmly explained to Hayato.
Hayato couldn't tell if Ryo's tone was one of displeasure or simply a statement.
He casually asked, "What about you, Ryo?"
Ryo looked at Hayato and said,
"I just got an idea from your song. Come to my place."
"Alright," Hayato nodded.
At the same time, he began to wonder how Nijika would react once the song was actually finished.
"Then let's go." Ryo turned around and led the way out.
The calm conversation between the two made Seika, who had been eavesdropping at the bar, widen her eyes and turn her head in horror to look at them.
But the two completely ignored her and walked out of STARRY, one after the other.
Seika paused, then quickly sent a message to Nijika.