Chapter 34: The Chain (Part 1)

When Ishikawa Hayato had pulled her along, Bocchi was happy but also a little scared, because it was the first time Ishikawa Hayato had been so forceful with her.

But when she heard his usual tone, "Let's go."

She relaxed a little.

Although she felt even more conspicuous now, after all, it was a sunny, handsome guy holding a gloomy girl's hand while chatting with another girl.

But it wouldn't take too long to get from here to the station.

An estimated 8 minutes, 8 minutes is 480 seconds. She just needed to count to 480.

1, 2, 3, 4... But suddenly, a sentence interrupted her mental counting.

"Kita, aren't you still not good at the Guitar? You could learn from Bocchi."

'Huh?'

'Wait.'

'No, no, no, absolutely not!'

'If he said that...'

The next moment, with excited footsteps, Kita quickly appeared before her, staring at her with sparkling eyes.

"Gotou-san, as a senior in death metal, please guide me rigorously!"

"I beg you!"

'Refuse! Hurry and refuse!'

She didn't want to see Kita's sunny smile every day. She would be purified!

Just like a slug sprinkled with salt!

But after a long struggle... "Ah... okay."

She finally agreed.

At the same time, she realized that her social anxiety was beyond saving.

"That's great."

Kita Ikuyo smiled happily, then casually walked to Bocchi's other side.

Bocchi: ???

...

Ishikawa Hayato gradually felt Bocchi continuously leaning towards him. He glanced at the girl beside him, who was a head shorter than him.

Beside him, Bocchi's facial features were already starting to distort. It was clear she felt fear towards Kita, who had suddenly moved closer.

However, she probably hadn't noticed that she was almost leaning entirely on Ishikawa Hayato.

Ishikawa Hayato looked helplessly at the awkward Kita beside Bocchi. He decided not to call Bocchi back to her senses.

He always felt that if he called Bocchi back to her senses at that moment, there would be a terrifying reaction.

The three continued on in this strange state for a while.

At a fork in the road, Kita walked in a different direction, facing the two and waving with a smile.

"Ishikawa-kun, Gotou-san, see you tomorrow."

Ishikawa Hayato nodded, then, with a mischievous smile, reminded Kita.

"Oh, by the way, don't try to cram tonight and injure your hand. Kita's level of foolishness is already high enough. Don't increase it any further."

At that moment, hearing Ishikawa Hayato's voice, Bocchi dazedly turned her head and saw Ishikawa Hayato incredibly close beside her.

"Ah ah ah ah!!"

As soon as she shrieked and jumped up, Ishikawa Hayato pressed her shoulders to make her stand straight.

Then, while she was flustered, Ishikawa Hayato patted her shoulder and gestured towards Kita, who was about to leave.

Long-standing social habits still made her bow slightly to Kita and say goodbye properly.

"Ah, see you tomorrow..."

"Mhm," Kita responded with a smile, then complained to Ishikawa Hayato.

"Don't call me an idiot!"

After she finished speaking, as if leaving no room for argument, she quickly turned around, her small feet in her swaying short skirt stepping lightly on the ground, gracefully disappearing from sight.

Only Bocchi and Ishikawa Hayato, who were going the same way, remained.

The two continued walking towards the station.

However, gradually, Bocchi kept stealing glances at Ishikawa Hayato, and the frequency of these glances steadily increased.

"Bocchi, are you going to the station?"

Ishikawa Hayato noticed and asked casually.

"Mhm," Bocchi nodded slightly, a little awkwardly.

"So, is there something Bocchi is concerned about?"

Ishikawa Hayato posed the question.

Bocchi was surprised for a moment, then asked, "Um, is Ishikawa-kun also going to the station?"

She herself wondered why she could ask her question so easily, secretly tilting her head to look at Ishikawa Hayato.

"Yes, my home isn't actually very close."

Ishikawa Hayato said to Bocchi with a smile in his voice, with a hint of playful teasing, as if to say, 'You didn't expect that, did you?'

'Eh?'

Bocchi's eyes widened slightly in surprise.

Then she began to ponder why Ishikawa Hayato would go to a high school far from home.

But after thinking for a moment, she suddenly realized the conversation had stopped.

She looked up at Ishikawa Hayato, but the words she had wanted to ask wouldn't come out.

She then lowered her head, falling silent.

The two continued to stroll along the road, which was bathed in the orange-red glow of the setting sun.

However, it wasn't long before Ishikawa Hayato asked, "Bocchi, isn't commuting four hours every day very hard? Aren't you planning to move closer nearby?"

Live closer nearby?

Bocchi felt terrified just thinking about it and frantically refused repeatedly.

"No, no, no, I can't do it. Living alone is too difficult."

Ishikawa Hayato didn't mind her panicked appearance. Instead, his eyes were full of amusement as he said, "Well, I've asked Bocchi two questions, so Bocchi can also ask me any questions you like."

'Ah, he's treating me like a child, isn't he?'

Bocchi thought.

But still... "Ishikawa-kun... why did you come to this high school?"

She asked curiously.

"To achieve my harem ambitions, of course."

Ishikawa Hayato clenched his fist, looked into the distance, his tone serious, his face earnest, but halfway through, he couldn't help but laugh.

Bocchi paused, then the corners of her mouth curved slightly.

But she didn't continue to ask, only grew a little more curious in her heart.

As the station drew nearer, it was time for the two to part ways.

At this moment, Ishikawa Hayato stopped. Bocchi walked two more steps, then paused, turning back in confusion.

Ishikawa Hayato looked at the girl wearing a cute tracksuit the same color as her hair, carrying a guitar with clear, emerald eyes under her bangs, showing a hint of bewilderment.

Her pink long hair was tinged yellow by the setting sun, and her body was slightly hunched from a long habit of trying to hide herself, even showing a slight panic due to a small, unexpected situation.

Ishikawa-kun asked her, "Bocchi, how about we go on a date tomorrow morning?"

Bocchi paused, then replied as if thinking, "Ah... okay... Eh, eh, eh!?"

But then she became flustered and panicked again.

However, Ishikawa Hayato didn't give her time to recover and directly said, "Then for now, that's a 'yes.' It's not really a date. It's just accompanying me to a place I often go."

"If you're going, meet at Ike-Tora Station at 9 AM tomorrow. If not, just send me a message before then."

After he finished speaking, he asked Bocchi, "Did you remember clearly?"

Seeing Bocchi nod, Ishikawa Hayato smiled, quickly passed her, and walked towards the station.

"Well, whether it's morning or afternoon, see you tomorrow."

Bocchi felt the situation was too unexpected. Her whole being was about to explode.

She stood bewildered in place for a long time, then took out her phone to make a note of it.

She stood there thinking for a good while longer before finally walking hesitantly towards the station.

...

At the same time inside the train, Ishikawa Hayato watched the people around him, who seemed frozen in place.

Playing on their phones, spacing out, reading books, chatting quietly, looking out the window, and some, like him, looking around.

Each person’s perspective was holding in different emotions, emotions that needed time to sink in but still differ by pace for each person. 

Here, everything was frozen in time.

Outside the window, the passing scenery was alive.

He took out his phone from his pocket and checked it. Almost 10 minutes had passed.

His attempt to ask Bocchi out earlier wasn't a sudden impulse. It was when he saw Bocchi's reaction after he said, "Good luck with your part-time job."

A look of disappointment indeed appeared on her face.

He felt he should find an opportunity to explain himself clearly, to seriously explain his intentions.

Therefore, it wouldn't work in front of the rest of the band, nor on the way to the train station.

There was only one place left then: his sanctuary, where he could enjoy some time alone.

However, it seemed like it'll be a long walk. Could Bocchi, being a shut-in, walk that far?

He immediately picked up his phone to look up some information.

Silently planning his schedule for tomorrow, he opened Line, scrolled casually, and a smile appeared on his face when he saw Kita Ikuyo's profile picture.