Gotoh Hitori [What should I do? If this keeps going, there's no way I can refuse. What do I do…]
Gotoh Hitori leaned back and bumped right into Saiki. She instantly grabbed his hand and said: "Um, I… I need to ask Saiki first, get his permission and opinion!"
...
(What kind of phrasing is that? It sounds like she's asking a guardian. You don't need to ask me about this kind of thing.)
"Saiki-kun?"
Kita Ikuyo looked at Saiki in confusion, then asked: "Is it okay? Saiki-kun, can you let Gotoh-san teach me?"
Saiki looked at Gotoh Hitori, who was gripping his hand tightly.
Gotoh Hitori's face was screaming "I can't do it" [No no no, he won't help me refuse.]
Then he looked at Kita Ikuyo, who was full of anticipation.
"Sigh～"
The kind-hearted Saiki knew what to do.
Saiki gave Gotoh Hitori a reassuring look. Her tension instantly dropped by more than half.
The kind-hearted Saiki looked at Kita Ikuyo and said considerately
[Of course that's fine.]
Gotoh Hitori (ﾟдﾟ) [Saiki!!!]
Gotoh Hitori mustered her courage, pushed Saiki forward, and introduced him: "Um, then you should ask Saiki. Saiki's guitar skills are really good too, even better than mine. He's great at teaching, and he can even do it hand-over-hand…"
[I won't.]
"Eh, really? Saiki-kun, you play guitar too?"
Kita Ikuyo's eyes sparkled. To find two amazing guitarists in one day was such a surprise.
"It's true, really! If you don't believe me, listen."
Gotoh Hitori suddenly pulled out a recording device, turned it on, and officially began playing the audition recording from when they went to the rock club to perform.
[Why do you have a recording?]
Gotoh Hitori explained to Saiki: "This… I secretly recorded it."
Saiki: ...
[She's here for you, don't you get it? She's been paying attention to you for a long time already.]
"A long time ago?"
Kita Ikuyo: "So Saiki-kun already knew."
Gotoh Hitori was still dazed: "What do you mean by a long time ago?"
[Back when you were carrying your guitar to school. She secretly followed behind you and watched.]
Kita Ikuyo: "No way, you even knew about something from that long ago."
(Of course. That gaze was way too obvious. It was especially noticeable when Hitori came to the class looking for you.)
"I see."
For the first time, Gotoh Hitori felt genuine inner joy at being secretly followed and watched.
Gotoh Hitori [So someone has actually been paying attention to me…]
Kita Ikuyo: "Mm, what Saiki-kun said is right. And I think it'd be better to learn from a girl, because learning from a boy still makes me feel a bit nervous and shy."
"Nervous and shy?"
(No matter if what she said is right or wrong, teaching people really isn't my thing.)
(I wasn't even good at guitar to begin with. Why can I play? I just sort of… kept playing and ended up being able to. For me it's like how people use chopsticks or run—watching others do it, then doing it yourself over and over until it becomes natural.)
[But if Hitori teaches you guitar, would you join her band?]
Gotoh Hitori looked at Kita Ikuyo with a hint of expectation in her eyes.
"I can't."
Kita Ikuyo lowered her head: "I already told you, didn't I? I ran away once. I don't have the right to join a band. The last band I was in, I don't even know what happened after I left. I haven't gone to apologize yet. If they don't forgive me, I might never want to play guitar again in my life."
Gotoh Hitori bit her lip tightly, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't bring herself to speak.
[Running away is normal. Everyone makes mistakes, everyone has those kinds of feelings, everyone avoids things at some point. But as long as you regret it in time and make up for it, that's enough.]
"But…" Kita Ikuyo wanted to say more, but Saiki cut her off directly.
[So do you want to give up on guitar?]
Kita Ikuyo didn't answer.
[As long as the people from your previous band forgive you, then you can properly learn guitar and join, right!]
Kita Ikuyo: "I…"
(She's starting to waver.)
"Clap!"
Saiki clapped his hands together loudly.
[Alright, then it's decided. Start with the first thing: you and Hitori pick a time first. We can talk about the rest later.]
Kita Ikuyo was stunned and nodded slightly: "Oh… okay."
Gotoh Hitori let out a sigh of relief. The tension and nervousness faded, and she subconsciously nodded too before realizing something.
Gotoh Hitori [Wait, does that still mean I have to teach her?]
(Of course.)
[Then after school today, you two can go ahead.]
Gotoh Hitori [Today!!… Oh no, I have to text Nijika something to pretend I'm a party animal!]
(You probably don't need to do that.)
Gotoh Hitori quickly pulled out her phone and sent a short message to Ijichi Nijika.
Saiki sneaked a glance. The message read:
Sorry, please play a ton of EDM in the store, and with Ryo-san hold drinks in one hand, sing and dance while working.
(What are you even sending! Do you actually want to throw a party?)
...
As they walked north, Kita Ikuyo's expression grew more and more tense.
Kita Ikuyo: "Your part-time job with Saiki-kun is in Shimokitazawa, Gotoh-san!"
[I only worked there once as a temp.]
Gotoh Hitori: "Mm, Kita-san, have you been there before?"
"The band I was in before was active in Shimokitazawa."
Kita Ikuyo looked around left and right, as if afraid of something.
Gotoh Hitori, unusually making a joke: "Maybe we're from the same band after all!"
(Stop, don't say any more.)
Kita Ikuyo subconsciously stopped walking, then comforted herself: "No way, how could it be that much of a coincidence!"
[Yeah, exactly, it couldn't possibly be that coincidental. Let's just get there first.]
"Yeah, the place I work is called STARRY. The members there are Nijika and Ryo…"
...
Kita Ikuyo suddenly stopped in her tracks: "Sorry, I think I can't go after all."
|ʘᗝʘ|
Gotoh Hitori: "Why?"
"Sorry, I can't say, but there's a special reason. Anyway, please don't tell them I was here."
With that, Kita Ikuyo turned and ran back the way they came.
"Kita-san!"
[Hey, wait!]
Kita Ikuyo heard Saiki and Gotoh Hitori's voices but didn't stop. Instead, she sped up.
[Yare yare daze, your turn to step up, Hitori.]
"Me?"
Gotoh Hitori was still in a daze. Why did the person suddenly run away?
[Then you better catch her properly.]
Saiki grabbed Gotoh Hitori from behind him and yeeted her toward the fleeing Kita Ikuyo with a casual toss.
"Ah!!"
Kita Ikuyo heard the noise, turned her head, and saw Gotoh Hitori flying toward her with a panicked face.
"Ah… Yamete!"
"Thud!!"
The two crashed to the ground.
Saiki walked toward them.
[Hold on tight. It hurts, don't let the person you finally found get away.]
"Gotoh-san, c-could you let go first?"
Kita Ikuyo came to her senses and tried to stand, but Gotoh Hitori wrapped around her waist like an octopus, clinging tightly.
[No need to rush～ We're almost there～]
Saiki's smile looked extremely terrifying in Kita Ikuyo's eyes.
What made her even more despairing was a familiar voice suddenly coming from behind.
Ijichi Nijika was walking over holding drinks and waving: "Bocchi-chan, Kusuo-kun, you're here! I didn't really understand the message, but I bought drinks anyway."
(She actually prepared them.)
Kita Ikuyo's expression gradually twisted into something complicated.
Ijichi Nijika took one look and subconsciously said to the person who had been tackled by Gotoh Hitori
"This… this is the guitarist who ran away."