After receiving Kamijou Mutsuki's assurance, Anon couldn't help but feel relieved.
"Alright, you haven't had dinner yet, right?"
After wrapping up those miscellaneous matters, Kamijou Mutsuki said with a smile,
"I've already prepared everything—let's go celebrate this Live together!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Sayaka also stepped forward to congratulate Anon and the others.
Mami-senpai and Madoka took the opportunity to get acquainted with the band girls as well.
"Um…"
At that moment, a somewhat hesitant and timid voice suddenly came from the side.
"…May I leave?"
Kamijou Mutsuki turned his head and realized it was Bocchi—the girl he had accidentally picked up during the music festival.
It had to be said, following Kamijou Mutsuki had really broadened her horizons.
She hadn't expected that the guy who sold her a second-hand ticket would actually have such close ties with the band girls she admired.
But she still felt completely out of place among this group of extroverts. Seeing that they were all about to go celebrate together, the forgotten Bocchi finally couldn't help but timidly ask to leave.
"Why are you still here?"
Kamijou Mutsuki seemed genuinely surprised by her presence.
"..."
Hearing this, Bocchi instantly turned gray and lifeless.
So she really was unnecessary… unwanted…
This time, she didn't even stop at becoming a "tsuchinoko"—she directly devolved into a gloomy slime, with only her Nijika-style floating ahoge and hair accessory proving her identity.
"Kamijou, who is she?"
Watching Bocchi's transformation, Anon couldn't help but click her tongue in amazement.
Certified popular creature from music anime!
"She's Gotō Hitori, a guitarist."
Kamijou Mutsuki directly grabbed the completely deflated Bocchi and pulled her up, smiling as he spoke.
"She'll also be our colleague from now on."
"Gotō Hitori?!"
Hearing this, Anon's expression immediately changed.
This person actually exists?!
Could it be that she had been acting too smug lately, and Kamijou Mutsuki was really planning to replace her—bringing in Gotō Hitori as MyGO!!!!!'s guitarist?
Ano-chan's gaze changed.
And just like that, poor Bocchi ended up trembling under the intense scrutiny of the increasingly anxious Anon.
-----------------------------------
After this music festival, MyGO!!!!!'s popularity skyrocketed exponentially.
After all—who could have imagined that the girls from the anime actually existed?!
Could anyone have pictured Tomori and the others crossing over into reality?
Those fans who hadn't attended the festival and could only watch recordings were filled with regret.
After all, this was a live performance by Tomori and the others themselves!
If they had known earlier, they would have gone no matter what!
Even if it meant beating scalpers to their knees, they would've forced tickets out of them!
Some fans who didn't go because of the distance regretted it even more.
If they had known what the festival was really like, they would've run to Tokyo a day in advance just to attend the concert!
However, due to the girls' real identities being exposed, Haneoka Girls' School, Hanasakigawa Girls' School, and Tsukinomori Girls' Academy were all surrounded by waves of MyGO!!!!! fans. RiNG, in particular, was packed to the brim—the owner was practically grinning ear to ear.
That said, Kamijou Mutsuki had already prepared for this.
Tomori and the others had long been commuting to and from school by private car, so there was no need to worry.
As for the schools, Kamijou Mutsuki had arranged a large number of security personnel in advance. Even around the girls' homes, security was tight—no matter how wild some MyGO!!!!! fans got, they couldn't stir up much trouble.
The only real issue was that RiNG had become completely inaccessible—fans camped there every day waiting for them.
But that wasn't a problem either. Tomori and the others could practice at the company instead.
The practice rooms were even larger than RiNG, with better equipment, and didn't cost anything to use.
Meanwhile, as the anime exploded in popularity, the manager of MyGO!!!!!—and president of the animation studio—naturally attracted media attention.
Some TV stations even sent interview invitations to Kamijou Mutsuki. After considering various factors, he didn't refuse.
And so, one afternoon, Kamijou Mutsuki arrived at a TV station in the program's car.
The girls who were familiar with him were seeing someone they knew being interviewed on TV for the first time. They all secretly watched the program during breaks from class.
On the screen, Kamijou Mutsuki sat in the interviewee's chair, while across from him sat the host of the television program.
She looked quite young, seemingly a newcomer.
But she was even more surprised by Kamijou Mutsuki's age.
She hadn't expected that the manager of MyGO!!!!! and the president of the animation studio would actually be a boy.
After briefly introducing Kamijou Mutsuki to the camera, she began asking questions.
"I didn't expect Mr. Kamijou to achieve so much at such a young age. You must have gone through hardships we don't know about, right?"
"That's right."
"May I ask why you chose a music anime—a genre not widely favored—as the first project for your studio?"
"Salvation."
As in, saving the music anime industry.
"Each member of MyGO!!!!! is a very charming girl. Why did you choose them as the inspiration for the anime?"
"Old matters."
"What's the secret behind Ms. Taki's impressive drumming skills that amaze so many fans?"
"Fast hits, you know~"
As in rapid consecutive strikes.
"Mr. Kamijou, you really are quite… ahem."
Seeing that the host wasn't getting meaningful answers, some senior staff behind the scenes started signaling her with their eyes, and she quickly changed direction.
"Mr. Kamijou, at such a young age you've already achieved such remarkable success. Could you share some of your experience with everyone?"
"As for that, I think we should learn from the girls in the band."
Hearing this, the host looked slightly surprised, clearly not expecting this answer.
"Back then, when I was just starting out, I didn't understand anything,"
Kamijou Mutsuki said with a smile.
"It was precisely by learning the excellent qualities from them that I was able to stand out and achieve my current success."
"If you want to succeed, you need to face things bravely like Anon, have Mutsumi's communication skills and way with words, possess Ms. Taki's high emotional intelligence, and also be considerate of others like Soyo."
"When a person has all of these…"
"…they've basically stepped through the door to success."
"Pfft—"
The host had clearly done her homework before interviewing him. Hearing Kamijou Mutsuki spout such nonsense with a straight face, she couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Sorry,"
Realizing she had broken into laughter, she quickly tried to recover.
"As a host, I've undergone strict training. Normally, I wouldn't laugh."
"Unless I just can't help it!"
...........................