This meeting was very brief - Toyokawa Sakiko probably thought the two just needed to meet once.
However, Hoshino Miru suspected that Toyokawa Sakiko and Wakaba Mutsuki hadn't completely reconciled yet.
Of course, he didn't mean they were fighting, but rather that both still harbored some resentment about certain matters.
Toyokawa Sakiko had been crying loudly on the street - quitting the band must have been an extremely painful decision for her.
But Wakaba Mutsuki had also been standing in the rain behind her, watching helplessly as her childhood friend cried while getting soaked. Wouldn't that be painful for her too?
Either way, the band's dissolution was a source of pain for both girls.
Meeting again now, Hoshino Miru didn't know what kind of feelings Toyokawa Sakiko might have.
But she would rather go back to face her so-called reality than face her own childhood friend.
Watching Toyokawa Sakiko's departing figure, Hoshino Miru sighed.
"Your childhood friend is quite stubborn."
Wakaba Mutsuki didn't respond to him, quietly standing beside him while slightly lifting her head, those beautiful eyes just looking at him.
Hoshino Miru turned his head, and the girl's status panel appeared before his eyes.
[Target: Wakaba Mutsuki] [Intimacy: 8] [Status: ...]
This was the first time Hoshino Miru had seen a target with an empty status. Usually, he could discover the target's current mood from the status.
But today was the first time this effect failed.
Did she not only have no expression on her face, but no thoughts in her heart either?
Hoshino Miru thought for a moment, then smiled slightly and extended his right hand to Wakaba Mutsuki.
"It seems we haven't properly introduced ourselves yet. I'm Hoshino Miru, about to be a second-year student at Toyogasaki. Please take care of me."
Faced with Hoshino Miru's formal behavior, Wakaba Mutsuki only hesitated briefly before offering her small hand.
"Tsuki no Mori, first year, Wakaba Mutsuki."
The moment Wakaba Mutsuki's hand touched his, Hoshino Miru slightly activated [Sensitivity] to see what her reaction would be.
Hoshino Miru grasped the girl's small hand and watched her tremble slightly, confusion seeming to flash in her eyes. She looked at their joined hands, then stared blankly at Hoshino Miru.
This was a very soft, warm little hand - so warm that once you held it, you wouldn't want to let go.
Hoshino Miru suddenly felt guilty for doing something bad. He turned off [Sensitivity] and nonchalantly withdrew his right hand while giving Wakaba Mutsuki a smile.
"Now we can be considered good friends who know each other." Hoshino Miru blinked. "I'll be troubling you from now on, Wakaba-sensei."
Wakaba Mutsuki stared blankly at his withdrawn hand, feeling inexplicably disappointed. But hearing his words sparked her curiosity.
"Why call me sensei?"
"Because you're giving me a guitar - I'm taking advantage of you, and you're troubling yourself to teach me too. I'm embarrassed to call you kohai." Hoshino Miru felt his skin was quite thin and said quietly, "If you mind, pretend I never said it."
Strange emotions arose in Wakaba Mutsuki's heart. If she was the teacher, would this boy in front of her be her student?
"I... I just want to help you." Wakaba Mutsuki spoke up. "You helped me last time too."
Hoshino Miru was stunned, suddenly realizing the girl wasn't emotionless after all.
Because Hoshino Miru had helped deliver the umbrella for her, she agreed to Toyokawa Sakiko's request and actively offered to give her guitar to Hoshino Miru.
This was the girl's way of repaying him.
It's just that the girl didn't seem skilled at expressing such feelings, which made people think she was like a dazed little rabbit.
Hoshino Miru suddenly smiled and asked: "Can I continue calling you Wakaba-sensei?"
Wakaba Mutsuki remained silent, perhaps tacitly accepting this form of address.
"Seems like I got a good deal - one umbrella for a cute teacher." Hoshino Miru clicked his tongue, as if pondering a very serious problem. "If I don't work hard, will sensei give up on me?"
Wakaba Mutsuki didn't know how to answer. She wanted to say it was fine even if he didn't work hard, that she would continue teaching, but if he didn't work hard he wouldn't learn guitar, which was hard to say out loud.
"Probably not. Sensei is so cute, I have no reason not to work hard." Hoshino Miru pondered. "But if I work too hard and graduate quickly, what do I do if I can't see such a cute teacher anymore?"
If Toyokawa Sakiko were here, she would definitely complain about Hoshino Miru, suspecting this guy's skin was too thick.
But Wakaba Mutsuki would only be like a little girl being praised - somewhat shy, somewhat flustered, looking at Hoshino Miru from the side, unable even to interrupt him.
"So having a cute teacher brings such troubling worries. Strange, sensei seems to be blushing a bit. Am I talking too much?"
"Guitar."
Wakaba Mutsuki finally couldn't help it and said one word very quietly but firmly.
Then she saw the corners of Hoshino Miru's mouth start to lift, showing a "you finally deigned to speak" expression. Belatedly realizing that Hoshino Miru was just trying to get her to talk, she immediately lowered her head.
"Should we go to sensei's house to get the guitar now?" Hoshino Miru heard Wakaba Mutsuki hum in agreement, looking somewhat troubled. "It's not really appropriate for me to follow you there. How about you bring it to me next time?"
"They're all not home." Wakaba Mutsuki answered.
Hoshino Miru thought for a moment. Because her parents weren't home, he could go with her?
"That's not what I meant, but never mind." Hoshino Miru didn't dwell on it too much. "I'll go back with you."
Wakaba Mutsuki nodded and walked ahead.
Hoshino Miru followed, taking out his phone to tell Kasugano Sora he might be back late.
Kasugano Sora quickly replied with just an emoji of someone getting punched.
Hoshino Miru put away his phone. He was quite curious about where Wakaba Mutsuki lived. A young lady from Tsuki no Mori would probably live in a big mansion, right?
...
Before long, Hoshino Miru finally saw a luxurious detached villa that matched his stereotypical impression.
Since Wakaba Mutsuki had said her family wasn't home, Hoshino Miru wasn't particularly reserved and curiously followed her into this big villa.
"Your house has such large spaces and looks very luxurious." Hoshino Miru sighed. He was beginning to suspect Toyokawa Sakiko hadn't wanted to come along because she would miss her former life.
"Mm." Wakaba Mutsuki didn't want to say much, as if everything here had nothing to do with her.
The girl walked along, then suddenly stopped hearing Hoshino Miru's voice. Puzzled, she turned back to see Hoshino Miru had stopped not far away.
"That's your private practice room ahead, right?" Seeing her gaze, Hoshino Miru felt he should maintain some distance from the young lady. "I'll just wait outside."
Girls were very sensitive about their private spaces - whether their own rooms or practice rooms, you needed permission before entering or you'd get hit.
Yes, Hoshino Miru had been hit more than once at Sumita Mana's place.
Wakaba Mutsuki looked at Hoshino Miru, seeming particularly surprised, then quickly turned back.
"It's fine. You can come in."