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"No."
Inside the STARRY practice room, Asakura looked at the girls in front of him and slowly shook his head.
There was no more time for the Founders' Festival. His words this time were equivalent to judging that Kessoku Band was not qualified to go on stage.
"It still won't work, huh…"
Ijichi Nijika's magnetic levitation ahoge drooped listlessly. She forced a smile: "Ahahaha, but it's normal, after all, the band hasn't fully gelled yet."
"Nijika, you can lean on my shoulder."
Yamada Ryo patted the drummer's back and said softly.
"Ryo…"
The blonde girl looked at her usually unreliable best friend, sniffed, and stubbornly said, "I'm not trying to cry!"
"It's okay, just treat me to pasta later."
Yamada Ryo gave her friend a thumbs up with an expressionless face: "I want the extra cheese kind."
"Why do you always say things like that when the atmosphere is actually pretty good?!"
Ijichi Nijika pulled hard on the other's cheek in dissatisfaction, complaining softly.
"Because I've been eating too much wild grass lately… I feel like I've ingested too much oxalic acid…"
Yamada Ryo said with difficulty.
"Most people don't ingest oxalic acid at all!"
"A balanced diet is my life philosophy."
"Then don't eat wild grass!"
The two started bickering.
Asakura raised his eyebrows. Although Yamada Ryo's actions seemed a bit nonsensical, after her playful banter, Ijichi Nijika's mood seemed to have lightened considerably. It seemed that her behavior was also a well-thought-out choice.
"Can you lend me some money? Five hundred yen is enough."
Just as Asakura was thinking this, Yamada Ryo, at some point, had stealthily crept up beside him and said, "I'll pay you back immediately once I'm flush with cash…"
Gotō Hitori, standing nearby, showed a surprised expression, as if to say, 'Huh, what about the money she borrowed from me?'
"Don't be fooled by Ryo; that girl only knows how to squander money."
Ijichi Nijika grabbed Ryo's ear. "She needs to suffer a little first to establish a proper financial outlook!"
"Then, Miss Nijika, you've known Miss Yamada for so long; has her financial outlook been established yet?"
Asakura asked curiously.
"Well… because Ryo is always hungry… that pitiful, puppy-dog look she gives you… it's just, sometimes I can't bring myself to be firm…"
Ijichi Nijika stammered.
Excellent, it seems the reason why Yamada Ryo's proper financial outlook cannot be established has been found.
Right, gentle Nijika-mama?
"Nijika, I love you."
Yamada Ryo hugged Ijichi Nijika.
"Even if you say that, the money you borrowed from me still needs to be repaid."
Ijichi Nijika's expression seemed to be quite used to her brazen advances.
"Tsk…"
Yamada Ryo changed her angle, showing a regretful expression of a failed attempt at cuteness.
"As a girl, don't make such rude noises!"
Asakura shifted his gaze from the two of them to Gotō Hitori: she hadn't said a word since the performance ended.
"Hitori, what's wrong?"
"Um… do I really have to wear a bunny suit for the guitar solo…?"
The girl said timidly.
"A regular uniform is fine. I don't have any strange fetishes."
Asakura said.
"Is Bocchi-chan really okay?"
Gentle Nijika-mama said worriedly.
"Sorry, it's Nijika's fault for being such an unreliable senior."
Yamada Ryo, while pretending to wipe away non-existent tears, said to Gotō Hitori, "If you're not having fun over there, remember to come back."
"Ryo, your self-centeredness is also to blame for the messy performance! Don't casually try to distance yourself!"
Ijichi Nijika said indignantly.
"N-no problem! I will definitely represent Kessoku Band… and d-defeat the audience!"
Gotō Hitori nervously waved her guitar, trying to cheer herself up.
"No, no, no, don't treat the audience as enemies! That would lead to a major tragedy, wouldn't it?"
Ijichi Nijika retorted, "Why don't you say something, Asakura!"
Asakura struck a pose: "Bring it on, Hitori!"
"Oh, right, you're an audience member too…"
Ijichi Nijika massaged her forehead in exasperation: "Why am I the only one making retorts…?"
"Because the most serious person is always the most tired—"
Asakura cheerfully patted the girl's shoulder: "Nice retort, Er!"
"Instead of being the retorter, I'd rather be praised as a drummer…"
Ijichi Nijika was on the verge of tears.
"I think Nijika is great though~. Kid, you're too serious, even though they've already worked so hard."
"Huh, Hiroi-san? When did you arrive?"
Ijichi Nijika asked in surprise when she saw the purple-haired woman who had appeared in the practice room at some unknown time.
"Just now~ Didn't Seika-senpai tell you I was coming here today. Hehehe, the new band members lately are really good~"
The purple-haired woman with braids, looking slightly plain, staggered towards Asakura, hooked her arm around his neck, and asked, "Kid, are you a talent scout?"
"No, and I'm not interested in an auntie reeking of alcohol. Please have some self-respect."
Asakura expressionlessly pushed her away.
The woman was wearing a grass-green dress with a loosely draped jacket over it. Although her figure wasn't thin, he could feel a subtle softness when she leaned in, but Asakura really had no liking for alcoholics.
"A-auntie…?!"
Even in her drunken state, the woman was clearly greatly offended by Asakura's address.
The purple-haired woman had just passed the age of being called a 'girl,' but it was clear she hadn't yet reached the point of being called an auntie.
"Then 'obasan.'"
"The degree of offense has deepened?!"
The woman collapsed to the ground, crying: "Just a few years ago, I was a fresh and legal high school girl… Damn it, why can life only move forward? I want to go back to the past… gulp gulp gulp…"
"Don't start drinking as you speak!"
Ijichi Nijika snatched the boxed sake, which the other party had pulled out from who knows where, with a displeased expression: "Act normal! That's why you're disliked by so many people, Hiroi-san!"
"W-Wahhh… Nijika-chan is still the best…"
"Don't cling to me! Don't wipe your snot on me! Ryo, why are you just watching? Come help!"
Nijika dodged the other party's attempts to snatch back the sake while trying to push away the heavily alcohol-scented face that was pressing against her.
"That's rock and roll."
Yamada Ryo said, unmoving, in admiration.
"Ryo, you idiot!!!"
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