The feeling of weightlessness from the braking woke Momoka from her deep sleep.
Wait, deep sleep?
When did I fall asleep?
Sitting in the passenger seat, she rubbed her still somewhat bleary eyes.
It was pitch black outside the window with the night in full force, but to her surprise, familiar buildings had already appeared within her field of vision.
"Arrived at Rabbit House? Did I really sleep for that long..."
Momoka muttered confusedly, her fingertips pressing against her throbbing temples as her vision slowly focused.
The small building wrapped in warm yellow light ahead was precisely the Rabbit House she was all too familiar with.
She subconsciously pulled out her phone to check the time and found that only a little over two hours had passed since the end of the Live.
Yet back when they started out from Rabbit House, it took nearly five hours just to reach the inn over in Sendai...
Could it be that she hadn't woken up from her dream yet?
"Slept quite soundly, huh." At this time, Asakura's deadpan voice came from the driver's seat: "Having the boss drive while snoring over there yourself—this is no longer ordinary insubordination, a heavy punch must be delivered."
"Shut up!" Momoka woke up completely in an instant, the tips of her ears burning slightly as she stole a guilty glance at him, "Wasn't it all because today's Live exhausted so much mental energy..."
Did I really snore?
"It's not like you were performing on stage." Just as Asakura finished speaking, he noticed Momoka's expression dim down. Realizing instantly in his heart that he had seemingly stepped on a minefield, he didn't continue teasing her and unbuckled his seatbelt.
"We're here, let's get off. Everyone is waiting in the back."
Only then did Momoka notice that the few people in the back seat were also waking up one after another.
Hitori curled up by the window, her head nodding up and down until she was startled awake by the vibration of the car stopping. She raised her head abruptly, her bangs messily sticking to her forehead, her eyes still carrying an lingering daze.
"Ugh... A-Arrived..." Nijika stretched with a smile, her fine body curves fully revealed. The Bugles-shaped antenna on her head wiggled incessantly, full of vitality and showing not a single trace of fatigue at all.
"Tummy. Hungry." Having already stepped out of the car, Yamada Ryo leaned beside the car door, maintaining her cold and casual demeanor as usual, dubbing for herself with her mouth: "Dong, dong, dong—"
"Even if Ryo-senpai is hungry, it's already very late right now. I'm afraid there's nowhere to eat except convenience stores and a few izakayas."
Kita Ikuyo said with some concern.
"Midnight Diner," Yamada Ryo rubbed her chin, "Not bad."
"No, no one said they're treating you to a meal." Nijika roasted.
Meanwhile on the far side, Kaname Raana was curled up into a tiny ball like a kitten, her silver hair drooping to cover half her face, her heterochromatic eyes half-open and half-closed, looking as if she could fall asleep again at any moment.
A whole group of people got off from a vintage car that looked extremely cramped from the outside in a manner that could be described as grand and imposing. The night breeze carrying the night's chill blew right against their faces, refreshing everyone's spirits.
Asakura walked at the very front, pulling out the keys to unlock the door.
"Come on in, thank you for your hard work today, everyone. As a celebration, it's my treat—eat whatever you want."
"Ohhh—! Long live the Manager!"
Kita Ikuyo was the first to cheer, hopping and bouncing as she rushed inside the door.
"I am the owner, Kawaragi is the manager." Asakura said.
Nijika led the still somewhat confused Hitori, following behind.
Yamada Ryo strolled in unhurriedly, her eyes casually scanning the familiar decorations inside the shop.
"However, we're already closed and Shiina probably went back too. Is there really still stuff to eat in the shop?"
Momoka asked Asakura as she followed along.
"As long as I'm here, food is the least of the problems." Asakura replied.
"Mm... Matcha Mochi..."
Raana, on the other hand, followed at the very end with light steps like a kitten being led along, looking as if she hadn't woken up yet judging by her dazed eyes.
It shouldn't be that this kid's body is special and has a lower drug tolerance to the Instant Truancy Candy, right?
As the owner, Asakura didn't actually appear in Rabbit House very often, so without him knowing when, the interior decoration style of Rabbit House had begun developing according to Momoka's preferences.
Warm yellow light, wooden tables and chairs, a few small posters of band performances pasted on the walls, and a faint sweet fragrance lingering in the air.
Asakura had everyone sit wherever they liked while he turned around and walked behind the bar counter.
"Wait a short moment, the refreshments will be ready right away."
"Sorry to trouble you, Asakura-kun!"
Nijika spoke politely, pulling Hitori to sit at a window seat. By this time, Hitori had also recovered her strength.
Kita Ikuyo curiously leaned over to the bar counter to watch Asakura busy himself, but was shooed away by the latter on the grounds of "commercial secret" (Kita: I'm a server at Rabbit House, you know?!).
Yamada Ryo found a seat in the outermost corner and sat down, just intending to close her eyes and rest, but was pulled by a suddenly enthusiastic Momoka, who asked if she wanted her to brew a cup of refreshing coffee.
Upon hearing this, Kita Ikuyo's gaze immediately shifted away from Asakura, frantically winking at Yamada Ryo to make her refuse.
"It's free." Momoka said.
"Really?" The word "free" seemed to hold magic for Yamada Ryo, causing her, who was originally somewhat hesitant due to Kita Ikuyo's winks, to immediately compromise under Momoka's goodwill: "Then I'll trouble you."
Uhh... it should be goodwill, right?
Raana chose a spot closest to the warm lamp, quietly curling up on the chair like a cat that had found a heater.
Before long, Asakura (or rather, the house-elves notified by Asakura to work overtime) finished the preparations and stood behind the bar counter:
"Preparations are complete. Order whatever you want to eat, I can pretty much make anything."
"Anything is fine, just see whatever is convenient for Asakura-kun to make." The considerate Nijika said.
"Nonono." Asakura shook his head: "Nijika, you really don't understand the human heart."
"Nijika, he's saying your chest is small." Yamada Ryo took the opportunity to stoke the flames.
"Ryo, what are you saying!" Nijika looked at her best friend with a bit of embarrassment and annoyance.
Asakura also glanced at Yamada Ryo, deciding not to remind her that the coffee brewed by Momoka and the muddy water used for rinsing mouths were stuff on the exact same tier.
"Words like 'anything', 'whatever works', and 'up to you', while sounding very humble and casual, are actually the hardest demands to satisfy." Asakura shook his head and said: "Before someone can make a food universally recognized under the name 'Whatever', its difficulty level remains five-star."
"C-Can't it be made..." Hitori, who originally also wanted to say anything was fine, looked at Asakura and spoke with a bit of disappointment.
"Of course it's no problem, my sweetheart."
Asakura smiled slightly and took out a plate from under the bar counter.
The plate was filled with freshly made refreshments: round and cute Rabbit Dango, matcha daifuku full of cream, soft and fluffy small cakes, as well as a few steaming cups of vanilla tea.
"Here, feel free to eat."
"...What's with this temperature difference," Nijika couldn't help but roast: "Why is it a completely different attitude toward Bocchi-chan..."
"Woah—it looks so delicious!"
Kita Ikuyo's eyes lit up, and she immediately reached out to grab a Rabbit Dango: "I'm subtly a bit moved... I clearly came to work here in the first place just for the Rabbit Dango, but none were ever left unsold while working, and yet I actually get to eat it at the victory banquet..."
Seeing Asakura with a polite smile on his face, Nijika knew she likely wouldn't get any good words out of this guy's mouth, so she simply helped Hitori grab a not-too-sweet cream Mochi first, softly instructing: "Bocchi-chan, eat slowly."
Hitori nodded timidly, holding the Mochi with both hands, nibbling it in small bites with her cheeks bulging, looking like a little hamster hoarding food.
Only then did Nijika get herself a piece of cheesecake, using a fork to gently poke off a piece and put it into her mouth.
The soft, tender, and sweet texture instantly dissolved a lot of the resentment in the girl's belly.
Damn it, why is it so delicious? Doesn't this mean I don't even have a reason to sulk anymore?
Yamada Ryo was somewhat covetous of the vanilla tea, but since she had already agreed to drink Momoka's coffee, she would still abide by a promise of this level for now.
She stared at Asakura with a condescending, scrutinizing gaze: "Can I order anything?"
"Of course I can't make atomic bombs and the like," Asakura said.
"Please don't tell these kinds of dark jokes," Nijika roasted.
"Then I want a roasted Angus black-haired beef belly double-layer thick-cut secret cheese lava burst Japanese teriyaki-flavored Big Mac burger paired with smoked maple bacon and crispy caramelized onions."
Yamada Ryo rapped at a speed as if she were doing a verse.
"No, no, no, no matter how you think about it, you can't make that, right?! This is a dessert shop!" Nijika continued to roast.
"Dear guest, your roasted Angus black-haired beef belly double-layer thick-cut secret cheese lava burst Japanese teriyaki-flavored Big Mac burger paired with smoked maple bacon and crispy caramelized onions is ready."
Then Asakura pulled out a roasted (omitted) burger from under the bar counter and placed it in front of Yamada Ryo.
"You can actually make it?!" Nijika was shocked.
Yamada Ryo picked up a napkin paper on the side and placed it on her chest, probably pretending it was a napkin in Western dining, then picked up a knife and fork, cutting off a piece from that burger—which was large enough to approach the size of a washbasin—and putting it into her mouth.
"The outer bread is crispy, fragrant, and pliable, with pure wheat aroma; the very first bite strikes the tastebuds directly. The double-layer thick-cut Angus beef belly is roasted at high temperature, its meat juices firmly locked within the muscle fibers. The moment you chew, the meat aroma gushes forth while the fat is warm, moist, and non-greasy, fully displaying the premium quality of black-haired beef.
"The salty-sweet interplay of smoked maple bacon, the caramelized onion crisps cleverly cutting through the richness, the secret lava cheese surging while hot with a rich, dense dairy fragrance, paired with the gentle, sweet aftertaste of Japanese teriyaki sauce—multiple layers advance step-by-step, not stealing the spotlight from each other yet fusing together perfectly.
"Every bite is the ultimate collision of meat, dairy, and sauce aromas. The mouthfeel is rich without being sluggish, the flavor balanced to an impeccable degree; falling in love with a single bite is enough to make one forget words, leaving only pure gustatory emotion—this is what a top-tier burger ought to be like!
"In short, it's delicious! Extremely delicious!"
Yamada Ryo praised like a critic out of an American comic, using an incomparably shocked tone (the reason it was only in her tone was that her expression still remained without much change).
"I'll take it as truth," Asakura nodded.
"What I said is the truth," Yamada Ryo said earnestly.
"I don't believe it," Asakura said. "Then why didn't your clothes burst off?"
"Different worldviews," Yamada Ryo said deadpan: "We are not a gourmet manga world."
Fair enough.
"Matcha sundae," Kaname Raana placed an order with Asakura.
"Didn't you say you wanted to eat matcha Rabbit Dango?" Asakura asked curiously.
"If ordering is free-form," Raana said with a cat-like mouth, "compared to Mochi, a sundae is better."
"You really are a picky eater."
Even though Asakura said so, he still brought out a matcha sundae from under the bar counter.
The cat didn't rush to eat, but instead stared at Asakura.
"What's wrong?" Asakura asked.
"Two cups." The girl made a "Yeah" victory gesture toward Asakura.
"You naturally greedy Raana brat."
Asakura shook his head helplessly and brought her another cup.
Only then did the little kid scoop a spoonful of cream into her mouth with full satisfaction, a happy expression showing on her small face.
That cute appearance made even Asakura feel like his soul was being purified by a cute beam, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously slumped down.
Yet at this exact moment.
His body froze abruptly.
A certain evil aura barged into his perception, making him brace as if facing a formidable enemy.
Th-This feeling... Could it be...
Asakura tried hard to move his somewhat stiff neck, looking in the direction where that evil aura—full of threat—was coming from.
Then he saw it.
A high-spirited Momoka was carrying a cup of latte, happily walking over toward this direction.
"Oh, is it finally here? Perfect, I happen to be thirsty," Yamada Ryo, who had gobbled up most of the burger in no time, said happily.
Kita Ikuyo hesitated to speak.
Hitori hesitated to speak again.
Nijika had a face full of confusion.
Asakura smiled without saying a word.
The cat was eating her sundae.
"Smells quite good," Yamada Ryo narrowed her eyes and took a sniff, then took a small sip of muddy water... Ah wait, I mean coffee—
"—Rich and bitter, salty and gamey amidst sweetness, the tastes of sourness and metal all at once from the root of the tongue... Gugwah-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh—"
"Ryo-senpai!" "Ryo?!" "Ah-wah-wah-wah... As expected, we should have warned her..."
Asakura drank a sip of the vanilla tea he brewed himself with full satisfaction.
☆1
"Hard work today at the Live, everyone." After the chaos, Nijika began conducting a wrap-up for this performance.
"The one who worked hardest was Ijichi-senpai, right!" Kita Ikuyo raised her hand immediately, "She's the leader, has to move gear, and even has to go on stage to accept the award!"
Though there wasn't an award ceremony segment, to be fair.
"Not at all~" Nijika waved her hand with a smile, "It's because everyone worked hard together. Plus, Bocchi-chan played super wonderfully today."
Hitori, who was called on, froze abruptly, her cheeks flushing red in an instant as she lowered her head, softly stammering: "N-No... I-I just..."
"Very impressive."
The resurrected Yamada Ryo suddenly spoke, her tone flat yet extremely sincere.
"No mistakes, and the emotions were delivered... Or rather delivered a bit too much; we almost became Bocchi's dowry as a whole band."
Hitori raised her head abruptly, her eyes warming up slightly as she nodded forcefully.
"T-Thank you, Ryo-senpai..."
"I don't think that person was praising you, though," Raana said while licking her sundae cup.
Momoka looked at this scene, the corners of her mouth curling into a small arc unconsciously.
This is it! The kind of girl band I want to see is precisely this feeling! Rather than going down the heretical path of idolization purely for the sake of popularity!
The tension, cheers, lights, and shouts on the stage during the day all settled into a quiet and grounding happiness in this moment.
Everyone was casually chatting while eating their refreshments.
Kita Ikuyo was the first to start a topic.
"By the way, school is starting really soon!"
Nijika froze for a moment, then let out a bitter smile.
"Now that you mention it... it feels like the vacation just ended in a flash."
"Sigh—I don't want school to start." Kita Ikuyo's face fell, "Once school starts, there'll be classes, exams, club activities... We won't be able to practice guitar every day like we do now."
"No, Ikuyo, you weren't coming to practice guitar every day either, were you?" Yamada Ryo corrected her.
"After school starts, what about band practice?" Hitori worried in a low voice, "W-Will the time... not be enough..."
"Don't worry." Nijika immediately puffed out her chest and showed a reliable smile, "Even if school starts, we'll still practice at set times! I've already thought of a plan in advance!"
"As expected of the leader." Kita Ikuyo had starry eyes.
Yamada Ryo spoke faintly: "As long as it doesn't delay my foraging, it's fine."
"Honestly, Ryo!" Nijika smiled helplessly: "I'll prepare emergency provisions."
"...It feels like Nijika's survival metric for me has suddenly dropped to the level of 'as long as I'm alive'." Yamada Ryo muttered.
"After school starts, Rabbit House will also revert to its usual state. Once there are more students, it'll get even busier." Momoka lamented: "Kita and Shiina both have to attend school, so the burden on an old timer like me is about to get heavy again."
"Regrettably, relying solely on our current profits, we temporarily can't afford to hire new staff members, you know?" Asakura said.
"Aren't you going to roast the 'old timer' part first?"
"Ha↗ Ha↘." Asakura let out a polite, ostrich-like laugh.
In truth, he could afford to hire a few more, considering Rabbit House was essentially making pure profit out of thin air, but Asakura didn't want a crowd of people in his shop.
Who knows when someone might notice something amiss, and he'd have to go burn their memories—too much hassle.
Hitori held her milk tea cup and spoke softly.
"A-After school starts... C-Can our band... s-still keep performing..."
Her voice was tiny, yet it hid a trace of anxiety.
Nijika immediately reached out, gently pressing a hand on her shoulder with a firm smile.
"Of course we can. As long as the two of us are still around, Kessoku Band won't break up. Whether school is in session or it's vacation, we'll keep playing forever."
"Mm!" Kita Ikuyo nodded forcefully, "I'll definitely work hard to coordinate my time! I absolutely won't lag behind!"
Yamada Ryo looked at the three of them and let out a soft "Mm."
You could at least say something like 'me too', you know.
"Don't worry, no matter when, Rabbit House welcomes you," Asakura said. "If you're tired from practice, in a bad mood, or want to play the guitar, you can drop by anytime."
"Manager—!" Kita Ikuyo looked at him, deeply moved.
"Call me the owner," Asakura said. "It's good to boost my revenue a bit, too. Plus, being able to listen to a live band performance without spending money could probably count as a selling point."
"What kind of capitalist thinking is that?!" Kita Ikuyo was shocked by her own boss's greed.
Kaname Raana, who had been quietly eating her matcha Rabbit Dango all this time, suddenly raised her head, looking at everyone with her heterochromatic eyes, and spoke unhurriedly.
"...Band, nice."
A simple phrase, yet it left everyone stunned before breaking into laughter.
Even Yamada Ryo, who was usually cold and distant, had the corners of her mouth curve up into a subtle arc.
Time trickled away as the night sky outside grew deeper.
Having eaten and drunk their fill, the lively atmosphere gradually faded, and drowsiness crept in bit by bit.
Two consecutive days of patch updates and preparation for the Live, along with the final stage performance and the impromptu encore—all of it had consumed far too much energy from everyone (except Asakura).
Nijika glanced at the time and stood up immediately.
"It's about time to head back. If it gets too late, my family will worry."
The others began making chaotic preparations to head home.
"I'll leave the tidying up to you," Asakura said to Momoka, who waved her hand impatiently in response.
Asakura smiled and was the first to walk out of the shop. After all, he was the only guy and the driver, and since it was really getting late, he had to make sure everyone got home safely.
After everyone had left, Rabbit House returned to tranquility once more.
Momoka wiped the last glass clean, placed it back on the shelf, and looked up at the dark night sky outside the window.
"...Good night."
She said in a soft voice.