"This is a Pervert's kiss goodbye, so I'm off."
Hayato, as always, expressed his feelings directly to his family, then picked up his bag, ready to leave home.
"Wait, Big Brother."
Hibiki came trotting over in her slippers, holding out a piece of paper. From the look of the paper, it was one Hayato had given her before.
"I found a dessert shop. Treat me after school."
She tucked the note into Hayato's hand.
Hayato looked at his sister silently clenching her fist, knowing he couldn't just brush it off.
He took out his wallet, checked the amount inside, then swallowed, and with tears in his eyes, tucked the note inside.
To reiterate, he was the most failed transmigrator; he even had to calculate when to treat his sister to snacks.
"I still have Band practice today. How about the weekend?"
Hibiki only remembered that her brother had spent all his savings on musical instruments when she saw him reach for his wallet. Her anticipation immediately dropped, and she held out her hand.
"Never mind, give it back to me."
"No, there are no regrets in the choices made before a Pervert. When do you plan to go?"
Hayato, completely disregarding his almost empty wallet, said righteously,
"As a Pervert, there's no retreat!"
Hibiki's tone perked up, and she said lightly, "Then tomorrow ~"
"OK."
Hayato made a gesture and walked out of the house coolly... He walked onto the main road near the school, and Hayato casually looked around, searching for a very conspicuous pink figure.
As someone with social anxiety, daring to act differently was what he found interesting about Bocchi.
It should be said that this girl was clumsily trying to change but couldn't find the key point, or she went too far, which made her even more withdrawn.
She had great value for teasing.
This Pervert thought so.
And today was very lucky; he successfully spotted a particularly striking pink amidst a crowd of people in beige school uniforms.
Today was his lucky day.
Hayato didn't call out to her directly but quickened his pace to approach Bocchi, only speaking when he was close.
"Gotou-san."
Hearing someone call her surname, Bocchi didn't realize it was for her.
Her first reaction was to curiously glance around to see the person with the same surname as her.
However, when she secretly turned her head and saw a cheerful, handsome guy behind her, who had left a deep impression on her, looking at her with the curious gaze of someone observing a small animal...
Ah ah ah ah ah!!!!
Startled, Bocchi let out a silent shriek, covering her face and trembling as if she had been stretched straight.
A moment later, she came to her senses, ignoring the frequent flow of students around her, and desperately bowed her head in apology.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't notice, I'm really sorry!"
Hmm... if it were anyone else, being apologized to so exaggeratedly on the street, especially in such a crowded place, they would probably be a bit embarrassed.
But who is our protagonist?
Hayato!
Let alone this extent, even if someone were to do a samba dance here, he could keep up.
"Alright, alright."
He waved his hand to indicate it was fine and said with a smile,
"Let's go to school together."
"Ah, yes."
The words hadn't even gone through Bocchi's brain before they leaped out of her mouth.
And by the time she reacted, she was already walking to school with a man she had only met yesterday.
She secretly glanced at Hayato beside her; his delicate yet not effeminate face glowed in the sunlight, and he effortlessly carried his schoolbag with one hand, his steps slowing as if to match her pace.
It's a human! Too close!
Realizing this, she blinked blankly, the expression in her eyes disappearing as her thoughts rapidly sank into the depths of her consciousness.
When Hayato accompanied Bocchi to school, he didn't speak; rather, he didn't even have an opportunity to converse.
Because... he watched Bocchi beside him with interest, looking like a zombie, with a broken expression, mumbling "Ah.. ah ah.. ah..." as she walked.
He finally understood why such a fair-skinned and beautiful girl didn't have a boyfriend.
Never mind her habit of hiding from people without a word; just her current appearance was enough for him to use as a meme for the intellectually challenged.
At the stairwell entrance inside the school building, Hayato stopped.
The zombie-like Bocchi walked two more steps before suddenly snapping back to reality and stopping.
"Well then, let's part ways here. I hope everyone has a pleasant day."
Hayato smiled gently, then walked towards his classroom.
He wasn't in a hurry to build a relationship with Bocchi; communicating with someone with social anxiety required the patience of navigating a maze, and besides, his interaction with Bocchi was merely out of curiosity.
"Ah, thank you."
Watching Hayato turn and leave, Bocchi's bright eyes were full of confusion.
Why would he interact with someone like her?
He was so handsome and seemed so gentle and refined, existing on a completely different level from someone like her.
Even for the Band, there would be more choices, right?
Bocchi's expression was conflicted as she began to let her imagination run wild.
Hmm, could it be a game of truth or dare? Was he threatened by the mafia? An actor hired by her dad with money?
She couldn't figure it out... Maybe... maybe keep a little distance.
Thinking this, Bocchi turned around and walked towards her classroom.
However, as soon as she turned, her delicate little face, which had still held a hint of worry, instantly melted.
"Hehehe..."
"Hehe... a friend to go to school with... today is a good day... hehe."
Although she had no memory of walking together and had decided to maintain a safe distance, it didn't affect her giddiness at all. With a voice that startled passing students, she floated into the classroom... Hayato pulled open the classroom door.
Students chatting loudly, after an inadvertent glance, saw Hayato enter, and their voices quieted considerably.
A few people made faces, as if to say, it's all because of you that we can't have fun, showing expressions of rejection.
The atmosphere in the classroom suddenly cooled quite a bit.
But Hayato walked to his seat as if oblivious, took out a book from his schoolbag, and sat leisurely with a refreshing smile, crossing his legs and reading.
The strange atmosphere, ignored for a few seconds, dissipated on its own.
But Hayato's actions certainly made some people even more displeased.
"Oh ha~"
Not long after, Kita also opened the classroom door, greeting her classmates with a sunny smile.
She looked a bit more listless today, but her smile was even more radiant. Behind her, she carried a white and orange instrument bag.
Hayato looked up from his book, glanced, then withdrew his gaze.
Oh~ as expected of a social butterfly, her initiative is strong.
But she's still far from him; a social terrorist can join a Band without an instrument! And even have the Band pay for the instrument.
Noticing Hayato's fleeting glance, Kita's expression became slightly serious. She stared directly at Hayato, an expression as if challenging him.
But that expression was fleeting; except for Hayato, who was being stared at, others only felt that Kita's smile had disappeared for a moment.
Kita greeted her friends, and amidst their surprised exclamations, she pretended to be a guitarist who had learned Guitar long ago but had never revealed it.
Hmph hmph, although I don't know Ishikawa-kun's true skill level, not being able to join the street performance certainly means he didn't get Ryo-senpai's approval.
And I, not only am I the crucial Guitarist, but I also have super strong skills from six years of uninterrupted practice, rain or shine.
Kita was already dreaming of overtaking Ryo-senpai on the path to winning her over.
However, she had already forgotten that she had only touched a Guitar yesterday, and whether it was even a Guitar was another matter entirely.
The superb linguistic ability of a social butterfly could even deceive herself.