The pleasant after-school hours passed leisurely as Sato sat comfortably in the Light Music Club, enjoying a cup of black tea.
The club members chatted happily among themselves, and before they knew it, the conversation turned to plans for the upcoming May Day holiday.
"Sato, are you going back home for the holiday?"
Ritsu asked.
The previous May Day, Sato had gone back to the countryside.
After thinking for a moment, Sato shook his head.
Spring break had only ended not long ago, and he had already spent half a month in Asahigaoka during that time, so he wasn't planning to go back there again so soon.
"Then let's go on a training camp together! What do you think?"
Ritsu suddenly slapped the table and jumped to her feet, excitedly looking around at everyone.
It was time once again for the annual... no, semiannual... or was it the third or fourth training camp of the year? At this rate, they might as well rename themselves the Camping Club.
Sato glanced at the envelope she was holding and looked at her speechlessly.
"You've only just gotten paid, and you're already planning to go blow it all?"
"Hmph!"
She snorted proudly and waved her hand.
"What's the point of having money if you don't go out and have fun with it?"
Then she turned to Yui.
"Yui, don't you agree?"
Yui looked at Sato and nodded repeatedly, her big eyes wide and adorable.
"Yeah, yeah!"
That was Ritsu's faithful little sidekick.
"Wah! I want to go too!"
Yuigahama Yui sighed beside them, resting her cheeks in her hands with a troubled expression.
"But I already spent all my allowance shopping with Yumiko and the others."
"What about you, Azusa-nyan?"
Yui (K-on) suddenly looked at Nakano Azusa, who was standing nearby.
"Well..."
Azusa looked a little hesitant.
It wasn't that she couldn't afford it.
She just felt that she'd only recently joined the club, so going on an event like this already felt a little difficult to get used to.
Seeing that, Ritsu and Yui exchanged a glance before grinning and grabbing one of Azusa's arms each.
"S-Senpais!"
Azusa looked at the two of them in confusion.
Holding onto her arms from either side, Ritsu and Yui immediately began pleading with her.
"Azusa, come with us!"
"That's right, Azusa-nyan! Come with us! Training camps are so much fun!"
The two of them enthusiastically began recounting all the interesting stories from the Light Music Club's previous training camps.
Going to the countryside in Asahigaoka, attending the festival in Itomori...
Staying at a hot spring inn, testing their courage at an abandoned shrine...
They were both excellent storytellers, especially Ritsu, whose exaggerated facial expressions and lively acting drew everyone in despite being a little over the top.
As she vividly described everything, a visible look of longing gradually appeared in Azusa's eyes.
"The mountain we climbed was covered in weeds taller than people. At the top was an abandoned shrine. I remember the moon that night was huge and so bright that we could see the path without even using our phones..."
"We still walked carefully with our phones in our hands. Even though we knew it was all fake, we couldn't help feeling scared..."
"The night wind blew through the reeds around us, making them all sway together with a rustling sound..."
Azusa watched Ritsu's animated performance with her little face tense and lips pressed together. Although she was frightened, she continued listening intently. As Ritsu's story unfolded, her expression alternated between nervousness and relief, making her already adorable face look even cuter.
After all, who doesn't like an adorable underclassman?
"Hehe, so, Azusa, are you coming?"
Azusa looked at Ritsu, who was grinning like a scheming big bad wolf, and hesitated for a little longer.
Finally, under the eager gazes of the two girls, she nodded.
"Haha! Excellent!"
Ritsu burst into triumphant laughter as though her plot had succeeded and patted Azusa on the shoulder.
Everyone else smiled happily as well.
Although Sato really didn't want to interrupt...
"Sorry, but I probably can't go."
He suddenly spoke up.
"Huh?"
"What?"
"Eh?"
"...Hmm?"
The girls, who had all been smiling around the table just moments ago, immediately turned to look at Sato in astonishment.
Ritsu's smile froze in an instant, then collapsed just as quickly. Her neck turned stiffly, as though it had rusted, as she slowly looked toward him.
Smack!
She grabbed both of Sato's shoulders and stared at him in utter disbelief before violently shaking him in complete despair.
"Why?!"
She gritted her teeth and glared at him.
I'd finally managed to convince the person I thought would be the hardest to persuade, and now you're the one saying no?!
"Yeah!"
Yui and Kotobuki Tsumugi also hurried over, looking at him pitifully with sparkling eyes.
In the end, Ritsu shoved Sato back into his chair. He stumbled into his seat, and when he looked up, he found the girls looming over him.
The members of the Light Music Club had gathered together so closely that they blocked out the light above him. All he could see were a row of beautiful faces staring down at him unhappily.
"Why aren't you coming?"
"Yeah, come with us!"
"We finally have a long holiday!"
"We're giving you three seconds to reconsider."
Sato looked at the scene with a headache before finally sighing helplessly.
"I really can't make it this May Day."
He genuinely had far too many things to take care of during the holiday.
The release of Yosuga no Sora, starting the next volume of Hero Throne, showing up at the company, spending time with Fujinomiya Konomi...
In short, he'd be extremely busy around the May Day holiday.
"The game's release needs me to help out with a few things. Since it's happening right around May Day, I really can't get away."
If there was one reason that could convince them most easily, it was work.
After all, the girls were all very understanding.
Sure enough, after hearing his explanation, they looked at one another in silence for a long while before exchanging resigned smiles.
"If it's work, then there's nothing we can do."
"What a shame. It's such a rare long holiday."
"Actually, not going during May Day might be better. Office workers are on vacation too, so everywhere will be crowded."
In the end, they could only console themselves.
Among them, the one who had the hardest time accepting it was Nakano Azusa.
She blinked as she looked around at everyone, her face filled with confusion.
Finally, all she could do was wail silently in her heart.
I'd only just worked up the courage to decide to go, so how can it suddenly be canceled just like that?!