On the way back to STARRY, Nijika kept thinking about where the mysterious place was, pestering Jhin incessantly: "Jhin, can't you really tell us in advance where we're going?"
"I can't, because there are still some things that haven't been finalized, and other preparations are still underway."
"Uwah, hearing you speak so formally makes me want to know even more..."
"You should rein in your focus and practice properly."
"That's true too. We must bring out our best condition tomorrow!"
Back in the recording studio, everyone played a song in excellent condition. Jhin sat honestly on the side today without causing trouble. He suddenly remembered that he had asked Hitori Gotoh to check her guitar earlier, and he didn't know if she had done it.
"Bocchi-chan, I asked you to check your guitar before. Did you check it properly?"
"Ah, I've only been focused on practicing recently, and f-forgot..."
"Speaking of guitars, there's something I've been curious about for a long time." Nijika looked at the guitar in Hitori Gotoh's hands, which looked somewhat aged, and asked, "Bocchi-chan, you've used your guitar for a long time, right?"
Ryo's eyes turned into "¥" symbols, and she leaned in front of Hitori Gotoh with dancing eyebrows:
"I'm also very curious. The frets are rusty, and there are cracks too. It must be an antique that has been used for a long time, right? Selling it would definitely make a large sum of money!"
Nijika lowered her eyebrows and stared at Ryo with disdain: "Hey, don't immediately think about selling it for money, you money-grubber!"
"Um... this is the guitar I borrowed that my dad used when he was young, so it should be very old."
"So it belongs to your dad. Speaking of which, your family will all come tomorrow, right?"
"Yes. Because of the typhoon, they didn't come for the last performance, so Dad is very excited this time. Ah, it seems he's also going to bring the video camera Jhin gave him." Hitori Gotoh recalled the scene of seeing her father at home holding the video camera to record her sister dancing, feeling a little bit uneasy.
Dad will definitely record the performance tomorrow, right?
"That sounds very picturesque." Kita Ikuyo was very envious of the atmosphere in Hitori Gotoh's family. "My friend also just sent me a message saying she's really looking forward to tomorrow's performance."
"Then we have to check the guitar even more thoroughly."
"T-That's true." Hitori Gotoh also didn't want any unexpected factors to affect tomorrow's performance, so she took off her guitar and checked it seriously.
It was fine if she didn't check, but once she did, she really found quite a few problems. The most serious ones were the guitar strings and the tuning pegs. Because of the high-intensity practice during this period, many tiny cracks had appeared on the metal surface of the guitar strings, and their fate of snapping could already be foreseen. The tuning pegs were directly jammed, making it completely impossible to calibrate the tone.
Hitori Gotoh wiped the nonexistent sweat from her forehead with lingering fear: "It's a good thing I checked the guitar."
"Then I'll go out and buy replacement parts." Jhin stood up and walked toward the door.
"Wait!" Ryo called out to him. "Jhin, I'll go with you."
"Mm, if you're there, I won't have to worry about buying the wrong thing."
The cool night breeze blew past carrying a trace of autumn chill. Jhin and Ryo walked on the street pieced together by lights and shadows.
Turns out boys can walk so far in one step?
Ryo silently quickened her pace to keep up with Jhin. Then she noticed that Jhin slowed down his pace, seemingly accommodating her usual walking habits. The footsteps, one fast and one slow, finally reached a consistent rhythm.
"Jhin." Ryo pointed to a convenience store. "I'm going to buy a popsicle. Wait for me here a bit."
"Oh, okay."
Before long, Ryo walked out of the convenience store holding a black-and-white dual-colored popsicle that could be split into two. She broke the popsicle apart from the middle without hesitation and handed the white stick to Jhin: "Here."
"I didn't expect a day when I would be treated by Ryo. Then I'll accept it with gratitude." Jhin smiled and took the popsicle, teasing her in passing.
Ryo took a small bite of the popsicle and chewed twice, then frowned: "This one isn't tasty..."
"Haven't you eaten it before?"
Ryo shook her head: "First time buying it."
"Although I really want to trade with you, this one has already been licked by me."
The black popsicle emitting cold air was extended in front of Jhin. Ryo's yellow pupils gazed at him calmly as she opened her left palm: "Exchange."
"Ryo, did you develop a habit during the Cultural Festival of shoving anything that tastes bad to me?" Jhin moved the popsicle in front of him away helplessly.
"I'm not your garbage recycling station."
Ryo stubbornly held up the popsicle, maintaining an attitude of insisting on exchanging popsicles with him. Jhin distressingly wanted to say something more, but a question suddenly popped up in his heart.
Ryo can even gnaw on tree leaves; is there really food she doesn't like to eat?
Recalling her actions at the Cultural Festival today, Jhin's gaze toward her instantly became peculiar.
In the Haunted House, clearly, Ryo was the type who wasn't much afraid of ghosts, just like Hitori Gotoh. Yet she unexpectedly hid behind him together with Nijika and the others, and even tirelessly hugged him from four directions along with them.
"What's wrong? Unwilling?" Ryo's voice was as cold and emotionless as usual. The popsicle in her hand was thrust forward a bit more, almost poking Jhin in the face.
"It's not that I'm unwilling..." Jhin gave a wry smile and took the popsicle.
"It's just too sudden, I didn't expect it."
Ryo snatched the white popsicle from his hand, stuck out the tip of her pink tongue to lick it, and then held it in her mouth with satisfaction.
"Then get used to it slowly."
"Does the habit you're talking about refer to the matter of me becoming your ATM or becoming a garbage recycling station in the future?"
The milky-flavored popsicle melted in her mouth. The delicate texture made Ryo unable to resist taking a large bite. The sweetness seemed to be magnified dozens of times, flowing from the tip of her tongue into the tip of her heart. She walked in front, her ears dyed with a touch of crimson.
"Get used to... indirect kissing, right?"
Jhin put the black popsicle into his mouth. Just as he expected, this popsicle wasn't hard to eat at all. It looked dark black like coffee flavor, but it was actually chocolate flavor, and the texture was very good.
After buying the replacement parts for the guitar under Ryo's suggestion, Jhin silently watched Ryo, who was walking ahead with brisk steps. On the way back, the two did not communicate again, returning to STARRY as if nothing had happened.
Walking to the door of the recording studio, Ryo returned to stand behind Jhin, maintaining the same front-and-back order as before they went out.
"We're back."
"Thanks for your hard work. Hurry up and help Bocchi-chan fix the guitar."
Everyone present except Jhin had experience in how to maintain and repair the instruments in their hands. He could only sit on the side watching the girls repair the guitar; he was only asked to go over and help when strength was needed.
"Phew~ It's fixed. Let's continue training!"
"Mm-hm." Hitori Gotoh nodded repeatedly while holding the brand-new looking guitar.
I can feel that the guitar is saying thank you! Now my coordination with it will definitely be better!
____
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