Hitori Gotoh still couldn't quite understand Ikuyo Kita's thought process.
As a full-blown extrovert, shouldn't Kita-san be the type to just go up and ask someone directly without hesitation?
"I actually did try talking to Kazami-kun once, but... I get so nervous around him I can't speak at all... it's hopeless..."
The idea of the ultra-normie Kita Ikuyo being too shy to talk felt completely out of place in Hitori's mind.
"I used to be in a band, but I ran away right before our first live show."
So that runaway guitarist... was YOU?!
Hitori's expression froze. She'd always wondered what kind of person would ditch a performance at the last minute, only to discover it was this cheerful, radiant red-haired normie girl the whole time!
Japan is way too small!
"W-why did you run away, Kita-san?"
"Because... I didn't know how to play guitar at all. I only joined the band with impure motives..."
Kita hugged her knees, voice low and shame-filled, like she was confessing a deep, embarrassing secret.
"It was after I randomly saw Ryo-senpai performing an outdoor set. She looked so cool... I fell for her on the spot. So I impulsively spent money on a guitar, and when I heard Nijika-senpai was recruiting, I jumped in without thinking..."
"It's honestly embarrassing... back then, I couldn't see anything but Ryo-senpai in my head."
So you joined the band because of Ryo-senpai... and now you suddenly like Kazami? Isn't that a little fast?!
Seeing the uncertain look on Hitori's face, Kita quickly waved her hands in denial.
"N-no! It's not like that! I'm not that flaky!"
"It's just... it's just..."
Kita couldn't explain. She lowered her head, completely embarrassed.
She couldn't possibly tell Hitori that she saw a future timeline in a dream, one where memories and feelings overwhelmed her and made her fall for Kazami Haru. If she said something that bizarre, Bocchi would 100% think she was nuts!
Seeing Kita so lost for words somehow made Hitori feel a bit more at ease.
"I did try practicing really hard before the live, but I couldn't learn in time... and it turns out the instrument I bought wasn't even a guitar—it was a multi-string bass..."
Kita's voice trembled, eyes glistening with tears.
If she hadn't seen that dream, she probably would've taken that secret to her grave.
Buying a bass instead of a guitar... that's just straight-up dumb...
"I swear I'll practice guitar for real this time! I'll apologize to the senpai properly, and if they forgive me, I want to rejoin and do what little I can to contribute."
"So please... please help me."
Kita-san really is trying her best.
Hitori remembered when Kita grabbed her hand earlier, she had felt the roughness and calluses on Kita's fingertips. The kind that only came from pressing and sliding on steel strings over and over.
She'd been practicing. A lot.
...Even though it was on a bass.
"Really? Thank you so much, Hitori-chan!"
Kita looked like she was about to cry from joy. In the end, only Bocchi could save her.
Her emotions got the better of her, and she threw her arms around Hitori's shy, stiff form.
In the dream, most of Kita's guitar skills had come from Hitori's careful instruction. And she remembered clearly—Bocchi never had romantic feelings for Haru.
Having Bocchi around felt safe.
"So this is the vocalist-guitarist you found?"
Kazami Haru looked at the two girls, Hitori and the visibly anxious Ikuyo Kita, with a complicated expression.
He hadn't expected it would be Bocchi-chan who brought Kita in. He had actually been thinking of asking her to drop by STARRY later that day himself.
"P-please take care of me, Kazami-kun!"
Kita gripped her sleeves tightly, heart pounding. Every time she saw Haru, her chest would tighten—and on top of that, she still had so many secrets she couldn't tell him. Of course she'd be nervous.
Haru wasn't the same person she remembered from before. What if he hated her now?
If her dream memories were real, then it was totally possible Haru had them too. What if he just didn't say anything and was secretly disgusted by her?
Nooo! I don't want Haru-kun to hate me!
"If Bocchi's okay with it, then fine by me. Let's head to STARRY."
Haru had no idea what was going on in Kita's head during those few seconds. He just slung his synth keyboard onto his back.
Behind him, both Kita and Hitori let out a huge breath of relief.
Shimokitazawa wasn't far from Haneoka High. It didn't take long to reach STARRY.
Kita Ikuyo swallowed hard. Even though she'd rehearsed this moment countless times in her head over the past few days, being back here still made her knees weak.
Even knowing Nijika-senpai was a gentle person didn't stop the dread from creeping in.
She had once bailed right before a live performance and now she was shamelessly coming back to apologize and rejoin, all while hiding her complicated feelings.
What if they don't accept her apology?
And worst of all—what if she ran into Ryo-senpai face-to-face?
Just the thought made her dizzy.
"It's okay. Let's go."
"Just stay behind me. The atmosphere here is a little heavy."
As long as she didn't stand in front, she might not be as scared.
Kazami Haru gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder. It was such a small gesture, just walking ahead, but it made her feel a lot better. The pressure eased, even if just a bit.
Yup... no matter what, Haru's still Haru.
Kita felt so touched she almost cried.
A calm, cool voice rang out behind her.
Kita stiffened like a jammed machine, slowly turning around like a rusted gear.
A blue-haired girl stood at the top of the stairs, her expression blank and emotionless. She held a white bottle of fruity-flavored Monster, eyes cold and unreadable as they locked onto her.