Chapter 128: Swimsuits
The date for the beach trip was quickly decided.
Speaking of which, Nijika's reaction back then was quite amusing.
That day, near the end of their shift, she held a mop, looking at Kita lost in her own fantasies inside the venue, and Ryo who had already entered vacation mode was slacking already off.
And there was also Ishikawa Hayato with a dreamy, blissful look on his face.
Seeing none of them had their minds focused on work, she shouted fiercely,
"It's decided! We're going to the beach the day after tomorrow!"
She felt that in the shop right now, only Hitori was working seriously.
The others were either spacing out or lost in thought, and one was even worse, shamelessly slacking off.
This was too unfair to Hitori, who was the least suited to the job.
This couldn't go on.
They needed to have the training camp as soon as possible.
She made the decision on the spot, acting as the sole decision-maker.
But it seemed everyone was happy with that.
"Really?"
"Great!"
After practicing, working, and being busy all day, the four instantly regained their energy, jumping and cheering.
Nijika, seeing everyone cheering, sighed with a smile.
And that night, after the matter was settled.
Kita received a LINE message from Ishikawa Hayato.
[ "Are you free to go on a date tomorrow?" ]
...
Kita stood by the station, looked around, then took out her compact mirror to check herself.
'Outfit OK, makeup OK.'
To be honest, she didn't really understand why Ishikawa Hayato had asked her out the day before their beach training camp.
But she really didn't have anything else to do, so she agreed.
After all, their time to date wasn't plentiful, and she also looked forward to a solo date with Ishikawa Hayato.
Today, to avoid repeating past mistakes—making Hitori wait for her, and also making Ishikawa Hayato wait for her before—so today, she purposely arrived over ten minutes early.
But as she watched the passengers in the train Ishikawa Hayato might take emerge from, and even continued to watch as the crowd dispersed from the station, she still didn't see Ishikawa Hayato.
She knew he probably wouldn't come this early.
After brushing off someone trying to hit on her, she leaned against the station wall, took out her phone and scrolled through her friends’ updates, but her mind couldn't help but recall back to a conversation after their swimsuit shopping ended yesterday.
She privately asked Hitori if she wanted to buy some clothes as well.
They had just left the mall and were walking under the sun.
...
Ishikawa Hayato, Nijika, and Ryo were walking ahead.
Hitori followed half a step behind, her eyes fixed on the three chatting.
Seeing her like that, Kita quietly fell back to walk alongside Hitori and asked her,
"Gotou-san, are you going to buy some clothes next?"
She slowed her pace, speaking softly, trying not to attract the attention of the three ahead.
Hearing her, Hitori, who had been happily listening to their conversation, also slowed down.
She glanced at Ishikawa Hayato and said with a smile,
"No, if I wear clothes I'm not comfortable with, Hayato will probably scold me..."
She finished with a soft smile, speaking quite assertively, but then immediately deflated, lowering her head and hesitantly adding, "Probably..."
Where did the confidence she had just moments ago with Ishikawa Hayato go?!
Kita mentally made her complaints while also smiling in relief.
She remembered how happily Hitori had been choosing swimsuits earlier.
It seemed there was nothing she could help her with anymore.
"I see. Sorry for pushing you."
"No, it's not like that at all. I'm just happy Kita-chan asked me out."
And I even ran into Hayato.
Hitori kept the latter half of the sentence in her mouth.
"Then, let's hang out often from now on?" Kita continued to invite her.
"O... Okay." Hitori said with an extremely reluctant expression.
Seeing her like this, Kita opened her mouth, wanting to say something but stopped.
She felt a bit unsure of what she could do for Hitori anymore.
At that moment, Hitori raised her gaze. Her bright eyes looked through her pink bangs as she asked timidly,
"Kita-chan, why did you invite me out like this..."
"Eh, ah, shouldn't band friends hang out more often? I also want to hang out more with Gotou-san."
Kita hurriedly explained.
Hitori smiled slightly, looking somewhat relieved as she said,
"Thank you. Kita-chan really is a very kind person."
"I..."
Kita was too embarrassed to accept her praise.
But Hitori didn't look at her expression. Her gaze fell on the heels of the three people ahead, watching them step on the sun-bleached, shining concrete pavement, and said,
"So, don't worry about me. Feel free to date Hayato as you like."
"Huh?"
For a moment, Kita felt her blood freeze, her body stiffening in place.
She instinctively wanted to brush it off, but immediately realized that if she said that, Hitori would quickly deny her own statement, but that didn't mean Hitori would deny her own thoughts.
'Could it be that Ishikawa Hayato told Hitori?'
Kita, feeling guilty, glanced at Ishikawa Hayato ahead and asked Hitori,
"Gotou-san, how did you find out..."
Although Kita's words basically confirmed what Hitori had said, Hitori still used a weak tone, her gaze flickering as she said,
“The day before the holiday at school, when Kita-chan and Hayato came out, I felt like something was up…”
'Didn't she figure it out immediately!?'
Kita's mind was instantly frantic.
But the franticness disappeared in an instant, replaced by a surge of guilt.
“Yes…”
“Ah, then…”
Their voices rang out at the same time, and they simultaneously cut each other off.
They looked at each other, flustered, one from a guilty conscience, the other afraid of interrupting.
They quickly spoke again.
"“Please go ahead…”"
This time, their voices overlapped with each other.
Hitori looked at Kita in a panic, while Kita looked at Hitori, who still seemed timid even now.
She felt like she didn't even have the right to apologize, nor the face to express herself before Hitori.
She said, “Gotou-san, you speak first.”
“Ah, mm.” Hitori seemed very uncomfortable, but she still chose to speak.
“When Hayato said he would have a harem, I was very worried.”
Hitori spoke softly and slowly, filled with anticipation and hope for the future.
“What if someone very strong came along? But if it’s Kita-chan, then it’s fine, as long as it’s within the band, it’s okay…”
“Because… everyone is very kind.”
“Gotou-san…” Kita looked at Hitori, who was smiling with relief, with mixed feelings.
...
At that time, Kita didn't know why she never said that she only intended to date Ishikawa Hayato for a while.
With her thoughts in a jumbled mess, she felt a bit vexed, turned off her phone, and looked straight ahead.
At the entrance-exit of the station, there were many people leaning against the wall, waiting.
Their expressions varied but were similar, and she must be the same.
And what kind of feelings and reasons did they have as they waited for the future to arrive?
As Kita gradually lost herself in thought, her shoulder was suddenly tapped.
She instantly snapped back to attention and looked towards the source, vigilant.
“Miss, you look quite free. How about going on a date with me?”
Beside her, Ishikawa Hayato looked at her playfully.
Kita looked at Ishikawa Hayato, who was acting like he was hitting on her, and smiled, playing along.
“I’m very busy, extremely busy. I’m waiting for a strange guy who’s late for a date.”
Her words drew the attention of the person who had originally tried to hit on her.
That person looked at Kita, who gave a different answer and reaction, in surprise, while also observing the situation here.
“Late for a date!? That’s terrible. You shouldn’t date a guy like that.”
Ishikawa Hayato put on a serious expression, as if to say, ‘Is that so?’ He said this while taking out his phone and glancing at it. He nodded and continued.
“Hmm, it’s 8:53 AM now. According to the on-the-hour date time, I’m not late. So please, Miss, forget about that late person and go on a date with me.”
Ishikawa Hayato finished speaking and extended his hand, palm up, with a smiling expression that seemed to ask, ‘May I have the honor of enjoying myself with you?’
She was no match for him at all.
Kita sighed inwardly, but she had long been accustomed to never winning against Ishikawa Hayato.
“Alright, but if it’s not fun, there won’t be a next time, okay?”
She smiled and raised her hand, her slender and delicate fingers lightly touching Ishikawa Hayato’s palm.
Ishikawa Hayato gently squeezed her hand.
Her hand was fair but without visible veins, her fingers slender and cute, her palm slightly thin, but soft and fleshy to the touch.
He smiled and leaned in slightly, as if to kiss the back of her hand.
Kita hadn’t expected him to escalate the game, especially in such a crowded place.
She was so shy that she became exasperated, pulling her hand away instantly.
“Alright, let’s go on our date!”
She called out, quickly turning and walking out of the station.
Ishikawa Hayato also followed with a smile, catching up to her side.
Left behind at the station was the guy who’d tried to hit on Kita, staring blankly as the two walked away.
Only after they’d left the station did he belatedly clasp his fists in a bow toward Shunya Ishikawa, then set out once again to find his next target inside the station.
Following Ishikawa Hayato’s playbook, he tried striking up a conversation with a young woman—only to receive a reply of 'You're crazy'.
In the end, he clutched his wounded heart in confusion and gazed up at the sky, feeling utterly alone.
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