"Wow, great! The four of us have never gone out for a gathering together before!"
Hearing about the Manga Research Club's weekend gathering, Sayuri, who was sitting to the side, shouted happily.
"It's a study session, not a playdate for you, Sayuri."
Machida Sonoko, who had proposed the idea, looked sternly at Sayuri. "I recall that your Math and English scores last time didn't even reach the deviation score."
"That's right. In the end, you had to stay back for remedial classes during the break just to pass," Kosaka Akane added, following Machida Sonoko's lead.
"Honestly! Why do Sonoko-senpai and Akane-senpai always team up to bully people!"
"I'm working hard too, you know!"
Sayuri looked at the two of them, her cheeks puffed out in anger.
"Oh? Then what was your score on the midterms this time?"
Machida Sonoko raised an eyebrow and looked at the unconvinced Sayuri.
"Umm..."
"Ahaha..."
"It was just a tiny bit short of the deviation score." Sayuri, feeling a bit guilty, used her index finger and thumb to make a gesture indicating 'a tiny bit'.
"I knew it."
Machida Sonoko put her hands on her hips and looked at Sayuri. "You can't drop the ball this time. After all, this is the last summer vacation for Akane and me."
"You don't want to miss the Senpais' last high school doujin convention, do you?"
"Oh my, I... I will work hard."
Hearing Machida Sonoko say this, Sayuri finally realized that after the summer vacation ended, Machida Sonoko and Kosaka Akane would begin preparing for their entrance exams. They would likely rarely visit the Manga Research Club until their exams were over.
Moreover, once the two Senpais graduated, the Manga Research Club would be left with just herself and Kagami-kun.
Sayuri's mood momentarily dipped.
"Sonoko, you don't have to put it that way. It's fine, Sayuri. Even if we move on to higher education, can't we still do club activities together during the summer vacation?" Kosaka Akane smiled and comforted the somewhat dispirited Sayuri.
"But... but just thinking about the Senpais graduating makes me feel so lonely."
"What silly things are you saying? Won't you still have Kagami-kun with you?"
"Besides, we will come back to visit you often, Sayuri."
Listening to Kosaka Akane's comfort, Sayuri suddenly looked up, narrowing her eyes as she scrutinized Machida Sonoko and Kosaka Akane.
"You two aren't going to form a new club in university and then forget about me, are you?"
"Ahaha~"
Machida Sonoko and Kosaka Akane suddenly exchanged a glance, then both looked away, laughing awkwardly.
Seeing this, Sayuri stood up abruptly, shoving aside Tsushima Kagami—who had taken out the bento Ijichi Seika had delivered at noon and was eating while watching the drama—and marched quickly to Machida Sonoko's side, leaning in close to look at her.
"o_0 Is it true?"
"Oh my, Sayuri, you're overthinking it."
Machida Sonoko hurriedly turned her head to the other side.
Sayuri then quickly walked over to Kosaka Akane, pressing her whole body almost against Kosaka Akane's face.
"O_o Is it true?"
"Oh my, Sayuri really worries blindly."
"As the President, how could I leave Sayuri behind!"
Kosaka Akane picked up a manuscript from the table to block her face from Sayuri.
Sayuri snatched the manuscript and threw it aside.
"Hmph, President, I know you best! On the surface, you look like a wealthy, well-behaved Yamato Nadeshiko, but in reality, you have the most wicked thoughts!"
Sayuri pointed her finger at Kosaka Akane, scolding her incessantly.
Tsushima Kagami, who was eating tempura on the side, hurriedly shoveled a few more mouthfuls of rice.
"Honestly, for Sayuri to say that about me, it's too much."
"That's why we're saying you need to take your studies seriously, Sayuri."
"As long as you get into the same university as us, won't we be able to be together again?" Machida Sonoko sighed and said at this point.
Hearing Machida Sonoko's words, Sayuri seemed to deflate again, speaking aggrievedly.
"I know, I'll work hard."
"And... and didn't we agree back then? We would be 'rouge en rouge' for a lifetime?"
Machida Sonoko also walked over to Sayuri and Kosaka Akane, patting Sayuri on the shoulder.
"Of course we agreed. That's why we're pushing you to study right now, isn't it?"
Kosaka Akane also took Sayuri's hand and said with a smile, "I feel that drawing doujinshi is only fun when done with like-minded friends."
"So, Sayuri is irreplaceable."
"Sonoko-senpai, Akane-senpai."
"Wuwuwuwu~"
After hearing their words, Sayuri let out a wail and threw herself at the two of them, crying.
Together forever, huh? Interesting.
Tsushima Kagami packed up his bento box on the side, wiped the corner of his mouth, and applauded, witnessing the friendship of the three girls.
To avoid disturbing their private girl talk, Tsushima Kagami left the Manga Research Club first.
Just as he was wondering whether he should simply go to the convenience store where Yukinoshita Shizuku worked part-time, he faintly heard what sounded like guitars and bass being tuned.
Tsushima Kagami recalled that the school didn't seem to have a band club; at least, he had never heard of one.
So, Tsushima Kagami followed the sound to the top floor, walked down a long corridor, and finally arrived at the very last classroom around the corner, where the sound was coming from.
Tsushima Kagami looked through the glass window on the door into the classroom.
What he saw was Ijichi Seika, Hiroi Kikuri, and a sound engineer.
At the same time, the sound engineer lady inside the classroom was the first to spot Tsushima Kagami at the door. She signaled the other two to stop and pointed toward the entrance.
The other two also saw Tsushima Kagami standing there.
Ijichi Seika then walked over and opened the door.
Hiroi Kikuri and the sound engineer followed behind, asking in surprise, "Why is Senpai here?"
"I heard the sound of instruments tuning. I thought the school didn't have a band club, so I got curious and came to look."
Tsushima Kagami walked right in without standing on ceremony, looking at the two of them.
"It's great that you two juniors have returned to school as well."
"Senpai, just call me PA-san. I like being called that."
"Umm... Hello, Senpai. I am Hiroi Kikuri."
After the two introduced themselves, the sound engineer smiled and said, "After all, Seika-senpai said she was returning to school."
"If it were just me and Kikuri left behind, it would be boring."
"Compared to a boring life later on, it's better for the three of us to be together, even if it means returning to school."
"So we decided to return to school together."
"Besides, what you said last time really made sense. I feel like this place is actually pretty nice now."
Tsushima Kagami looked around the classroom. It looked like it used to be a small auditorium.
Not only was it fully equipped with sound equipment, but there were also tables, chairs, and tea sets. In the very center stood a YAMAHA drum kit.
At this moment, Ijichi Seika spoke up. "It's thanks to the teachers petitioning the school last time that this classroom was cleared out for us to use."
"I heard it's a classroom that used to be used by former seniors."
"That's really great."
"Although our practice time has decreased, at least we can still play in a band together."
"Yeah. As long as I can be with PA-san and Seika-senpai, I feel like I'm not afraid of anything."
Hiroi Kikuri, shedding her usual introverted demeanor, smiled as she looked at the other two.
The three of them looked at each other, and finally exchanged a smile.
Tsushima Kagami looked at the three of them with a smile.
Are you guys doing the 'together forever' thing too?
____
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