Chapter 92: Sweat

With everyone lost in their own thoughts, the atmosphere became awkward for a while, and just as Nijika didn't know how to regain the rhythm, Ishikawa Hayato spoke as if completely oblivious to the atmosphere, "Let's start today's agenda!"

"Ah, that's right."

Nijika, as if completely moving past what had just happened, smiled and naturally shifted the topic.

"Next, we need to prepare for our next performance. Our goal is to make Kessoku Band a well-known band!"

"Oh~"

After the four responded, the atmosphere changed, and everyone seemed to have switched gears and started thinking about the band.

"First, regarding the performance quota we discussed before, our quota is 20 tickets."

Nijika said, looking at Kita. She seemed reluctant to assign all the quota tasks to Kita as previously planned, but then she glanced at Hitori.

She hesitated and said, "That means each person needs to sell 4 tickets."

Kita, upon hearing this, did not object at all.

However, Hitori's happy expression, which had been present since the band topic began, suddenly turned into a dazed stare at Nijika, and finally, she seemed to break, her entire body stretching out like a noodle.

"Regarding this, I have a suggestion."

At this moment, Ishikawa Hayato raised his hand to speak.

"Okay, Hayato-kun, please speak."

Nijika said to Ishikawa Hayato with a relieved smile.

"Let's sell tickets through street performances. This will feel more like a band, and everyone also needs to get used to performing in front of others."

Reminded by Ishikawa Hayato, Nijika quickly realized that, apart from her and Ryo, the others in the band had only performed once in a rushed, impromptu way, and had no other experience.

"Hmm."

She thought seriously, "Indeed, if more people come to see our performance, the band's deficit might be reversed faster."

"What about the songs for the performance?" Ryo asked.

After all, it was no longer just her and Nijika's street performances.

For an impromptu performance with all members, not to mention coordination, Kita would be completely frozen and not know what to do.

And as a composer, she naturally wanted her own compositions to be the first to be broadcasted during more significant occasions.

"We can be flexible with the tracklist. Covering any songs is fine—The main purpose is practice and to let everyone know about our Band," Ishikawa Hayato replied.

"That's a great idea! Ever since I first saw Ryo-senpai's street performance, I've wanted to stand by Ryo-senpai and perform together!"

Kita's eyes sparkled as she spoke happily.

However, at this moment, Hitori was not only stretched vertically but also distorted horizontally, like a mysterious, eerie blob, constantly twisting and elongating in place.

Because her terrifying image was so attention-grabbing, the four couldn't help but look at her, and then the three girls looked at Ishikawa Hayato.

They clearly expected him to solve it.

However, Ishikawa Hayato did not take any action. He merely called out, "Bocchi."

"Yes."

Hitori instantly returned to normal. She sat on the chair, obediently lowering her head, hunching her back, and placing her hands on the table, looking utterly well-behaved.

It had actually progressed to the point where he could make Hitori return to normal from a distance!?

The three girls were inwardly startled.

This man had incredibly evolved again within this short week. Would his progress never stop!?

Nijika had actually been a bit hesitant seeing Hitori like that, but thinking it was Ishikawa Hayato's suggestion, she trusted that he could handle Hitori's situation and left it to him with relief.

"Then I'll go apply for the street performance permit! The remaining quota will be divided among everyone."

Nijika exclaimed happily.

"Next is..." she continued, but as she spoke, an expectant expression appeared on her face.

"Let's design T-shirts for the performance."

"Eh..." Ryo sighed in distaste.

“Hey, you there, you have something to say?”

Nijika stared blankly at Ryo.

Compared to the others, she showed no politeness to Ryo at all.

"Our own clothes should be fine."

Ryo seemed to dislike others interfering with her attire.

But Nijika, with a smile full of anticipation, completely ignored her, paying attention to the others' expressions as she said, "But compared to everyone wearing different clothes, having matching ones give a greater sense of unity?—it'll give us a band vibe, that kind of atmosphere.”

As she spoke, seeing Kita and Hitori nod slightly in agreement, she happily continued, "And... if we wear our own clothes, my sister will definitely say, 'There's no sense of unity at all.'"

After speaking, she happily looked at everyone except Ryo agreeing.

It was also a form of revenge for the time they decided the band's name.

Kita glanced at Ryo, but seeing Nijika still pushing the topic, she agreed, "Should we start designing now?"

Hitori also looked full of anticipation. S

he seemed to have thought of something, with cute flowers in her eyes, and her body leaned slightly towards Nijika.

"Ah... this..." Nijika seemed to have some concerns.

While the others were wondering what Nijika was about to say, Seika happened to walk down the stairs.

The four looked at her, then at Nijika, and immediately understood the reason.

"We need to find a quiet place."

Nijika explained in due course.

Seika suddenly felt as if she was being targeted by something and glanced over.

"A quiet place..." Kita repeated Nijika's words, thinking.

"How about my place?"

Ishikawa Hayato suddenly offered at this moment, and before the girls could react, he suddenly stood up again, leaning forward with his hands on the table.

"No, please definitely come to my place!"

Seika, who was paying attention to the situation here—no, in this situation, she didn't even need to pay attention to hear it.

She was stunned for a moment, ran over faster than the girls, and immediately denied, "Absolutely not!"

...

June.

The sun was baking the world, and its high temperature distorted the air. 

The scorching heat permeated everything on Earth.

On the platform, a thick canopy used its body to offer shade to the two island platforms below.

But even so, those hiding in that corner could not escape the fate of being roasted by the high temperature.

The two railway tracks extending from under the canopy, gleaming and hot from the sun, shining brightly, captivating to the eye.

Ishikawa Hayato, though filled with anticipation, did not shed a single drop of sweat from eagerness.

The surrounding cries of “It’s hot!” mingled with the flapping of fans, and the intermittent cries of cicadas in the distance, made this noon restless.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of a distant train rapidly approaching with the screech of brakes.

He turned his head and gazed into the distance.

In the undulating air, the train, like a tiny silkworm, rapidly approached on the distant tracks.

The suited man next to him noticed his gaze, stopped his troubled sweat-wiping, and looked in the same direction.

After watching for a while, he finally saw the train, then showed a relieved smile.

The suited man looked admiringly at the young man beside him which seemed to hold excellent eyesight.

The train approached amidst the expectant expressions of the two.

Soon, a long tram lay on the empty tracks.

Following the principle of letting people off before getting on, neither of them moved, waiting for the people inside to come out, and along with them came the cool air conditioning, and people who sighed, returning to reality.

After the sparse crowd emerged, the suited man did not see the young man, who had been eagerly looking at the train, get on.

He looked back.

The young man, with outstretched hands, walked towards four girls who had emerged together.

What was he going to do?

Sell something?

Kidnap?

Hit on them?

The suited man stopped curiously, watching them.

But he saw the young man naturally put his hand on a blonde girl's shoulder, then walked into the station while talking to the others.

Those girls didn't show any rejection either.

They interacted with him naturally, laughing and playfully scolding him.

They seemed quite familiar with him.

Only when the man in the suit looked closer did he realize that, apart from the one in sportswear, all the other girls were exceptionally beautiful.

“Popular brats these days!” he cursed under his breath.

He had long accepted this unequal reality, but seeing others like this made him feel incredibly sour.

He had long since accepted this unequal reality, but seeing other fellow men popular with a group of beauties made him feel incredibly envious.

He watched the group as he walked, almost bumping into the train door.