Probably noticing Asakura and the others' gaze, the white-haired girl stopped in her tracks. Her delicate little face had no expression, only tilting her head toward Asakura as a greeting.
"I've come to play with you." After saying this, she intentionally added: "Interesting man."
Sensing that the gaze of the newly promoted employee, Ms. Come-and-Go (Kita Ikuyo), was beginning to shift from the respect one has for a boss toward the disdain one has for a scoundrel who lures little girls, Asakura immediately let out a dry cough and asked righteously: "Raana, what kind of 'play' are you talking about?"
"Guitar." The girl's mouth turned into a ω shape as she said happily: "To have a blast playing."
Just... just that?
Though no one spoke up, Asakura could feel that both women beside him had developed such a thought.
"My house doesn't have the kind of expensive equipment a live house has." Asakura reminded her kindly.
"I brought it."
Kaname's lips curled up slightly as she patted the small cart she was pulling, which likely held speakers or similar equipment: "Anywhere is fine as long as I can play the guitar freely."
"That's not a problem then..."
Before Asakura could finish, Kawaragi Momoka cut him off with a light cough.
She knew her boss had a somewhat careless, do-gooder mindset, but even if it were just for the sake of her own paycheck, she wouldn't easily let a mysterious person play guitar in the shop—as a professional in the music industry, no one knew better than her how much a beginner's guitar could disturb the public. Letting such a person perform in the shop, was he tired of business being too good and trying to drive away customers?
"Not just anyone of any level can perform in our shop." She stared at Kaname and said.
Kaname was not only unfazed by Kawaragi Momoka's serious demeanor but instead tilted her cat-like mouth, took out her guitar, and looked at the other party provocatively: "Are you coming—want to go for a round?"
Kawaragi Momoka crossed her arms, nodding solemnly like some kind of judge: "Bring it on!"
"Aren't they playing anyway..." Ms. Come-and-Go on the side muttered in a low voice.
Asakura: "Shut up, Meg!"
Kita: "Who is that!"
——Five minutes later——
"This child..."
Kawaragi Momoka looked at Kaname, who was sprawled on the bar counter with a face that said 'I had a blast,' and said with a complex expression: "Her guitar skills are not below mine!"
"Where did you come from, you nameless person?" Asakura complained.
Moreover, he felt that Kawaragi Momoka's words were somewhat self-deprecating or even humble. If he were to judge based on having heard her play, Kawaragi Momoka's level was still clearly a bit higher than Kaname's.
It was just a pity that the blow of leaving the band, as well as the frustrations during the period after leaving, had made her lose a few points of confidence in her own level.
"Kids these days are so formidable..." Kawaragi Momoka sighed. "Not just this cat-girl, but also that Goto from before. Even though they're so young, their guitar levels are far beyond the average. Wanting to become a professional guitarist would be a natural progression for them."
"Well, Hitori's guitar is indeed quite good." Asakura could only agree with this.
Although it was said that Hitori's level wasn't fully unleashed in Kessoku Band because she needed to coordinate with others, leading to her often being misjudged by others, Asakura knew that his official girlfriend's guitar skills were indeed among the very best of the new generation. If her stable performance could be guaranteed, she could turn professional immediately without any issues.
"Talent, it really is unreasonable..."
Kawaragi Momoka let out a sigh.
Probably because of the trends of the era, a large number of girl bands and various idols have emerged recently, many of whom are talent monsters and stat monsters.
Kawaragi Momoka once thought she had some talent in music, but after officially debuting and struggling in the professional circle for a while, she truly experienced how powerless she felt when facing those existences. The talent she once took pride in was merely the threshold to enter this circle; the harder she worked, the more she felt the gap that could only be filled by talent, and the more she felt despair.
Perhaps her former teammates chose to transform the band and give up their past persistence because of this.
While Kawaragi Momoka was still lamenting the passing of time, Kita Ikuyo, who had absolutely no concept of this, had eyes that were glowing.
"So wonderful! You're so small, but you play the guitar so well!" She leaned excitedly toward Kaname's side: "Can you teach me?"
"No."
Kaname flatly refused in a concise manner.
"Ugh..." Kita Ikuyo took a huge blow, and even the ahoge on top of her head drooped down.
"Matcha Parfait!" Kaname ignored her and instead requested from Asakura.
"I've told you our house doesn't have such trendy things..." Asakura replied as if it were a routine, but then he immediately showed a smile: "But today is an exception. I happen to have a snack that suits you very well. Wait a moment."
Saying this, Asakura walked into the kitchen. A moment later, he walked out carrying something resembling a parfait.
The tall black glass was filled with a mixture of cream and ice cream, and various diced fruits were perfectly filled within, dividing it into nearly creative mountain shapes, with two chocolate Pocky sticks inserted on top as decoration.
"Wow, looks so good! Is this for sale in our shop too?" Kita Ikuyo became energetic again, instinctively wanting to pull out her phone to take a photo.
"No, this is a special for Kaname, only this one." Asakura made a 'no filming' gesture toward her: "Consider it a thank you for her performance."
He could feel that after the girl's performance, some people seemed to be attracted by her guitar and were lingering around, but because the ritual to ward off idle people from the pre-opening hadn't worn off yet, they temporarily hadn't found the shop.
When it officially opens, quite a few customers will probably come because of this.
That's why Asakura made this snack for Kaname.
The white-haired girl picked up a spoonful of ice cream with cream and stuffed it into her mouth. After chewing for a bit, she furrowed her brows.
"Where is the matcha element?" she asked Asakura.
"You'll know once you finish eating." Asakura replied with a profound look.
Kaname tilted her head and began to eat the parfait seriously.
In the end, even when the cup was hollowed out, she still hadn't tasted any matcha-flavored ice cream.
With milky white cream sticking to the corner of the girl's mouth, she looked at Asakura doubtfully: "No matcha."
"Haven't you not finished yet?" Asakura pointed at the cup.
"Isn't it already finished?" Kita Ikuyo asked curiously, looking at the empty cup.
Instead, Kaname seemed to realize something.
So she picked up the tall black glass and took a bite out of it.
"Wait, wait, wait? Can that be eaten?!" Kita Ikuyo was frightened by her action, especially after seeing a piece of the cup actually being bitten off by her. The red-haired girl was even more shaken: "She actually really ate it!"
"So that's how it is..." Kawaragi Momoka saw through something and said realized: "That thing is chocolate."
Asakura nodded proudly.
Correct, it was the Matcha Chocolate Holy Grail he had given to Amakusa Shino, which she had returned to him.
"Matcha..." a happy expression appeared on Kaname's small face: "Delicious."