Chapter 87: Sea and Sky (Part 2)

The wind blowing from the land towards the sea rustled through the grass, passing by the lying young man and the sitting, expectant girl, flying towards the shimmering, sun-drenched sea.

After lying there for a while, Ishikawa Hayato saw Hitori still sitting, and turned his head to her, saying.

"Bocchi, are you enjoying the sun? You haven't melted, have you?"

Although Ishikawa Hayato didn't mean it that way, Hitori still felt he was teasing her.

After all, he had just said she was a bit strange.

She turned her head to look at Ishikawa Hayato, and seeing him still lying down, she slowly and subtly lay down as well.

Lying on the ground, her gaze remained fixed on him.

This was the first time she had seen Ishikawa Hayato from this angle.

Just as she began to feel something was off, she heard him say.

"It feels like we're looking at each other in bed."

'B-B-B-B-Bed!!?'

Hitori's inner self couldn't be controlled.

She almost broke down again, but remembering she had just been called strange, she held back.

Seeing her like this, Hayato Ishikawa sat up straight, placed his hands behind his head, and gazed at the sky.

Hitori watched him for a long time before coming back to her senses, then also turned to look at the blue sky.

Although she understood Hayato's thoughts, one thing remained unresolved.

Hayato had clearly indicated that he wouldn't date her as she was now.

He wanted her to grow a bit first, to become someone who wouldn't lose herself because of him.

But what exactly was this 'growth'?

Hayato, with his words, surely knew.

He was so strong...

After much hesitation, she looked at Ishikawa Hayato and asked.

“Um… Hayato, what exactly does ‘growing up’ feel like?”

Ishikawa Hayato didn't look at her, as if enjoying the sun while casually replying.

"Hmm, it's a very ambiguous concept."

"Being responsible can be growth, gaining life experience and knowledge can also be called growth, and gradually training oneself is also growth."

Hitori lay on her left side, staring intently at him.

Ishikawa Hayato didn't mind her gaze at all and continued.

"However, I believe the two most important things are self-awareness and courage."

"Self-awareness, knowing what you want, how far you can go, understanding yourself, and the courage to act."

"Taking the members of our band for example, Ryo and I should have both, though Ryo is still a bit weaker than me."

Ishikawa Hayato didn't hesitate to praise himself, all while remaining perfectly composed.

"Nijika has some awareness and some courage, but both are superficial. Kita has terrible self-awareness, but her courage is alright."

"Finally, Bocchi, you're the worst; you have neither."

Ishikawa Hayato finished speaking and turned to look at Hitori, but seeing her teary-eyed and looking utterly wronged by the criticism, he immediately stopped talking.

He thought for a moment, then sat up and asked Hitori.

"Bocchi, what is your goal or dream for being in a band? I want to hear the truth."

Hitori's expression quickly became awkward, and her conflicted gaze darted to the side.

"If you lie, I'll never talk to you again, okay?" Ishikawa Hayato added.

Hitori was startled and quickly gesticulated, saying, "I wanted to be praised, that's why I wanted to join a band."

But after saying it, her expression froze, and she hugged her knees, curling into a ball, as if she couldn't face anyone.

"Hmm, that's perfectly normal." Ishikawa Hayato nodded. "Now, Bocchi, stand over there in that pile of grass for a moment."

Hitori slowly lifted her head, revealing her eyes.

Seeing that Ishikawa Hayato didn't seem to be mocking her at all, she relaxed.

Although she didn't know what he was going to do, Hitori obediently listened to him and walked over.

Standing amidst the pile of grass, Hitori looked at Ishikawa Hayato with a faint unease.

"Now, imagine the surrounding grass is all people praising you."

Hitori blinked in confusion, then tried to imagine it.

Since she had been surrounded by classmates speaking to her with admiration just a few days ago, she found it very easy to imagine.

Hitori's imagination was incredibly powerful.

The moment she tried to simulate it, she felt as if countless giants had materialized around her, instantly overshadowing the sky and looking down at her, then saying eerily.

'Bocchi is amazing, her guitar skills are fantastic.'

'So cool on stage, you're a hero!'

"Nooooooo!!!"

Hitori's high-pitched shriek startled all the seabirds in the area, sending them flying.

They heard the fear the other party was experiencing in her voice, and fearing that fear would descend upon them, they fled towards the sea.

"Hayato, Hayato, Hayato~"

Ishikawa Hayato calmly watched Hitori, who had pulled out the note he gave her, holding her head, eyes closed, and mournfully calling his name.

'Oh no, she's too cute, I really want to tease her.'

But he gave up on the idea, walking over with a helpless smile and taking Hitori's arm.

"I'm here."

Hitori weakly looked up, her large, bright azure eyes tearfully gazing at Ishikawa Hayato.

"Just imagining it can turn out like this, huh."

He reached out and stroked Hitori's head.

Hitori looked around with lingering fear, then stood up.

Ishikawa Hayato held her hand and walked towards the waterproof sheet he had spread out.

"You understand now, right? You need to know what you truly need, what you can achieve, and then gather the courage to do it."

"By the way, Bocchi was so cute just now, I really wanted to pull her into my arms and pet her vigorously."

Hitori looked at the young man in front of her, holding her hand, and her heart stirred.

She really wanted to say, 'Please feel free to pet me, it's okay,' but she was too shy to say it.

Back on the waterproof sheet, Hitori increasingly felt that the young man beside her had no flaws whatsoever.

'He was too strong, too free, too happy.'

“Bocchi, if there’s anything you want to ask me, just go ahead. You can ask anything right now—I might not feel like answering later.”

'He's reading my mind again.'

'He probably knew everything all along and was just pretending not to.'

Hitori thought, yet felt no resentment, because she also felt that this was indeed the best place to talk.

Spacious, yet incredibly small.

And, she was leaning right next to Hayato.

"Hayato, is there anything you're not good at?"

"Not good at, huh... Lots of things. I can't cook because I've never learned, and there are so many other things I'm too lazy to learn."

Why does it sound like he'd be good at them if he just learned... "But, Bocchi, you should be asking about my flaws, right? Hmm, I... used to be very irresponsible. Other people's business had nothing to do with me. Then some things happened at home, and I changed. Afterward, I set a few rules for myself, but deep down, I’m still the same.”

"Hayato's rules..."

"You seem very curious... Hm, don't tell anyone, okay? Just five: care for those around you, don't lie, fulfill promises, and, don't help people who don't want to be helped, and finally, prioritize happiness."

"Don't help..."

Hitori inexplicably felt this rule was a bit scary.

"Hmm... For example, back then, I knew Kita bought the wrong bass, but I didn't tell her. She didn't want my help at the time, so I didn't bother her."

"I only intervene if the outcome of her actions makes me unhappy."

Hitori suddenly remembered when Ishikawa Hayato invited her to join the band.

If she’d turned him down back then...

Thank goodness.

“Never mind, this isn’t exactly an interesting topic. Let's go back. We’ve got to give it our all at today’s audition.”

Ishikawa Hayato said, standing up, but he saw Hitori sitting on the ground, unmoving.

After freezing for a long moment, she suddenly shrieked.

"Audition!!?"

Ishikawa Hayato's mouth twitched as he watched Hitori begin to melt.

"You didn't forget, did you?"

Hitori naturally wouldn't say that she had been so preoccupied with thoughts of confessing lately that she had completely forgotten about the audition.

She timidly avoided Ishikawa Hayato's gaze.

"Never mind, it's okay. I believe in Bocchi's ability. Bocchi isn't someone who needs preparation, but the type who shines when the moment calls for it.”

Ishikawa Hayato reached out to her.

Hitori, who quickly returned to normal, took his hand and slowly stood up.