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"So, what's next..."
After Nijika submitted her application to perform and settled her emotions, she returned to continue the band meeting.
"Practice is probably out of the question... What about the other bands..."
"Disband."
Ryo interrupted.
"Ryo, don't say that!"
Nijika still seemed bitter about the terrible name they'd just chosen for the band.
But after speaking, she glanced at the other two again and relaxed slightly when she saw they didn't agree with Ryo's remark.
They usually didn't have much time to spend together, so she wanted to use this opportunity to get to know them better.
What to do...
"How about we take a group photo of the band?"
While she was still thinking, she suddenly heard the suggestion from Ishikawa Hayabusa.
"That's a great idea!"
Kita's expression lit up again, his eyes fixed on Ryo as he was suddenly immersed in a happy fantasy.
Everyone knew exactly what Kita was thinking.
Nijika sighed, but then smiled. Even though she was the only "normal" one in the band, she still felt that this kind of eccentricity was what defined a true musician.
She raised her hand, and the red ribbon on her wrist fluttered.
"Okay, let's do it."
"Ah~"
...
As the group walked along the main street, the special combo of three girls and one boy made Ishikawa Hayabusa feel like the dazzling king of a harem.
He could even sense a few real people looking at him with eyes that said, "Die, die."
"Kita-chan is in the same school and class as Hayabusa-kun, right?"
"Yeah, what a coincidence."
Nijika and Kita walked ahead, chatting, while he and Ryo walked behind.
Seeing the two in front chatting excitedly, Ishikawa Hayabusa glanced at Ryo beside him.
She still looked composed, her eyes partly hidden by her bangs, staring straight ahead.
Wearing a neutral black shirt and carrot-cut black pants, she gave off a strong sense of independence while also appearing tall and elegant.
Hayabusa thought for a moment. Even though they were both a little odd, it felt like there was nothing they could really talk about.
He picked a random topic.
"Where does Ryo usually go to hang out?"
Up front, Kita's body suddenly stiffened.
He directly asked the girl where she hangs out? What a frivolous man!
Then again, she was a bit curious too. Ishikawa Hayabusa didn't seem very familiar with them. How long had he been in the band?
So she asked Nijika.
"Ijichi-senpai, how did you meet Ishikawa-kun?"
Since it had just happened two days ago, Nijika remembered clearly.
"On Wednesday, Hayabusa suddenly came up to us and said he wanted to join the band."
"Wednesday... of this week?"
Kita Ikuyo was stunned.
"Mhm."
Nijika nodded confidently.
Seeing her nod, Kita felt even more ridiculous. She had started calling him by name after only knowing him for a couple of days—without even adding "senpai"!
That guy definitely has ulterior motives!
Then Ishikawa Hayabusa's voice came from behind.
"A thrift store? I've never been there. I usually like quiet, deserted places. Kinda like Ryo."
Ryo-senpai is in danger!!
You can't deal with people this flippant!
"Really? Where do you usually go?" Ryo asked.
"Open places, like a coastal landfill, flat fields, stuff like that," Hayabusa replied.
"Isn't it boring?"
"It's really relaxing to be in a spacious place."
Then, as if it were the most natural thing, Ishikawa Hayabusa invited her: "Wanna try it sometime?"
What are you... What are you even talking about!? This guy!
That escalated way too quickly!!
Kita's eyes glazed over, chaos swirling in them.
Going somewhere quiet, relaxing, experiencing... What even is that supposed to mean!? No way!!
She will protect Ryo-senpai!
She was afraid Ryo might be tricked by that guy and agree, and if she agreed—it would already be too late.
In a flash, Kita scanned the surroundings—shops, streets, mesh walls, tall buildings, and oddly styled houses.
Got it.
"Hey, there's a nice wall over there."
She quickly interrupted the conversation between Hayabusa and Ryo, pointing toward a small house decorated in a summery style not far away.
Hayabusa was stunned.
That invitation really slipped out. Close call.
He had taken so many people to those kinds of places that it had become second nature.
...
The four turned their attention to the shop.
Ryo, Kita, and Ishikawa Hayabusa leaned against the side wall while Nijika stood a few steps away, checking the scene.
She made a rectangle with her thumbs and index fingers and framed the view in front of the three.
"Kita-chan is amazing. You really match the vibe."
"No, no, I just spotted it by chance..."
Kita hadn't expected the random place she picked to work so well. She hoped Nijika wasn't just saying that to match the mood—otherwise she'd feel even more guilty.
"Alright, I'll go ask if we can take pictures here."
Saying that, Nijika darted into the shop like a gust of wind, her golden ponytail fluttering behind her.
"I'll go t—"
Before Kita could finish her sentence, she remembered Ishikawa Hayabusa standing beside Ryo.
The two were talking about performance setups.
Even that kind of normal conversation felt threatening.
She couldn't leave...
Kita Ikuyo cried inside.
Moments later, Nijika came running back out of the shop with a smile.
"They said we can take as many photos as we want."
"Then let's take one quickly!"
Kita frantically interrupted the ongoing conversation.
No matter how guilty she felt, Kita Ikuyo had no regrets. Ishikawa-san was definitely not worthy of Ryo-senpai!
Even if she dies from a kick to the face, she must stop this from happening!
Ishikawa Hayabusa, amused by Kita's desperation, found it all hilarious. Watching her try to block him from talking to Ryo was oddly entertaining.
He even thought he saw that same feeling reflected in Ryo.
The two schemers silently and tacitly teased her. While chatting casually, they kept glancing at Kita's ever-shifting expressions.
But when it came time to get to work, Hayabusa got serious.
He walked up, unfolded the tripod he'd brought earlier, and set it in the open space.
"How's this spot?"
He asked the others.
Nijika set up the camera and checked the screen.
"A little to the left... okay."
Once the position was set, they started the timer, posed, took a few shots, and checked the results.
But when things started to get a little dull, Ishikawa Hayabusa got mischievous.
Just as they were about to pose, a sudden gust of wind passed beside Nijika.
She instinctively turned and met Ishikawa Hayabusa's gaze—but his eyes were pointed elsewhere.
Before she could figure out what was happening, her heart raced.
Click.
No one looked at the freshly taken photo. Instead, the three girls all stared at Ishikawa Hayabusa, who had returned to the ground.
He struck a scissor pose, grinning smugly, then walked over to the tripod and grabbed the camera.
The three girls followed him, filled with questions.
Then, they saw it.
They themselves were all looking away from the camera in the photo.
"This one's unusable..." they thought simultaneously.
But the most shocking part—
Beside the girl posing cutely, a boy appeared in the picture as if hanging upside down.
It looked like he'd been edited in later—standing, back turned, from above.
And his gaze met Nijika's directly.
The image was absurd and surreal.
"Ishikawa-kun..."
Nijika pretended to be angry and called his name.
"Normal photos are boring. Wouldn't this be more fun?"
He grinned like a clown.
His look made Nijika both annoyed and amused, but she kept a strict face.
After getting to know him better these past few days, she realized Ishikawa Hayabusa often did weird things. If no one stopped him, he'd just keep getting worse.
At the same time, Hayabusa was carefree and didn't care at all about being scolded by girls.
So she didn't hold back.
"It's kind of creepy... but also kind of unique."
Kita commented while looking at the photo, then turned to Ryo.
Ryo seemed pleased at first, but after thinking it over, she shook her head.
"The photo's interesting, but it doesn't match the band's style."
"Guuh..."
After getting rejected again, Ishikawa Hayabusa collapsed to the ground with a defeated expression.
The three girls looked at him with both amusement and helplessness.
"Next one. Don't lie down."
Nijika put her hands on her hips and urged him on.
...
After taking several more photos, they felt satisfied.
Ishikawa Hayabusa's phone rang. He glanced at the three girls reviewing the pictures, stepped back, and answered.
"Bro... you remember?"
Hayabusa pulled the phone away to check the time.
Then, in a calm voice, he said:
"I've been waiting for you forever, and now you're here."
"Liar..." Xiang sighed on the other end. "I'll send you my location."
Hayabusa didn't even look at it. He hung up and walked back to the girls, who were still choosing a good shot for the band's artistic profile.
"Sorry, I have to head out. There's something I need to take care of in my life."
Nijika stared blankly at him after hearing such an odd sentence.
"Are you okay...?"
She asked with concern, sensing he wasn't joking for once.
"No problem. I'm off."
Hayabusa nodded solemnly, double-checked the address on his phone, and took a running pose.
Under the confused stares of the three girls—
Whoosh.
He turned into a whirlwind and disappeared into the distance at incredible speed.
A few minutes later, since Hayabusa had left, the other three had nothing else to do, so they got ready to return to STARRY before parting ways.
At that moment, Kita Ikuyo's phone buzzed. Someone she followed on Instagram sent a post. She took out her phone, puzzled.
Who posted on Instagram?
She only followed a few people, and none of them had plans today.
She turned on the screen.
Ishikawa Hayabusa.
I didn't block his account earlier when we followed each other just now...
Kita sighed silently.
But she was curious why he ran off so fast.
She opened Instagram.
In the photo, Ishikawa Hayabusa and a girl were sitting inside a dessert shop—the same new shop she had visited with friends earlier that day.
The girl holding the camera must have used a selfie stick. She had a big smile, almost bursting with happiness.
In front of her was Ishikawa Hayabusa, resting his chin on one hand, staring at her with a helpless expression.
Ishikawa Hayabusa has a girlfriend!?
Kita's heart filled with joy—until she looked closer at the caption.
"Having dessert with my sister at the new sweets shop."
Kita, who was just about to excitedly show the picture to Ryo-senpai, suddenly dropped her head in disappointment.
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