Kita Ikuyo ε٩(๑＞ ₃ ＜)۶з: "Ah, senpai has this side too. So cute."
After tasting it, Yamada Ryo quickly snatched the spoon from Kita Ikuyo's hand and started scooping and eating rapidly herself.
Kita Ikuyo saw this, gently patted Yamada Ryo's soft head, and said softly: "Eat slowly, senpai."
Ijichi Nijika: "Ah, Ryo ate all the cake!"
Ijichi Seika still kept the same expression and posture behind Saiki. Hearing her little sister's words, her brows furrowed slightly in disappointment.
Ijichi Seika [I haven't even tried it yet. Is it really that good? Sigh, whatever.]
(So you just wanted to eat it. Then why the scary expression?)
Some customers smelled the aroma and saw Yamada Ryo eating the cake—it looked delicious, plus the scent.
They couldn't help walking over and asking:
"Eh! Is that strawberry cake? Is there more? I want one too."
"Why is it different from before?"
[We don't have ingredients left. It's not on the menu. I just used leftover materials to make one portion, and it's gone now.]
"Eh, isn't this the butler guy from the drink counter earlier?"
"Did this handsome guy make it? Too bad it's gone. Otherwise I'd buy a few to take home."
"Really none left?"
[None…]
Before Saiki could finish, Ijichi Seika pressed down on his head.
"There is, there is. How could a dessert cake specialty shop like ours run out?"
[Since when did this become a cake shop?]
Ijichi Seika: "Of course we have it. It just takes a little time to make now. Can you wait?"
"Of course."
"As long as that butler guy makes it, it's fine."
"Then I'll take three."
...
Ijichi Seika: "Hehehehe, Nijika, stop wiping tables for now. Go buy ingredients first. Hurry and get the materials for the cake orders."
"Oh."
Ijichi Nijika set down her tools and ran out the door at her sister's command.
(This laugh, this face.)
Tch!
...
"Saiki-kun, coffee jelly."
[Got it.]
Saiki walked out with the coffee jelly and handed it to Kita Ikuyo. He saw that Kita Ikuyo had already become completely proficient, while Gotoh Hitori stood beside her, only able to watch helplessly, wanting to do something but not knowing what.
[She's completely gotten the hang of it! As expected of Kita-san.]
After handing the coffee jelly to the customer, Kita Ikuyo turned and said: "No way, I'm not that good. It's all thanks to Gotoh-san teaching me, right?"
Gotoh Hitori's eyes gradually lost focus: "I didn't do anything… I even caused trouble. Meanwhile Kita-san helped me a lot…"
(Here we go again.)
"No such thing. Gotoh-san really taught me a ton."
Gotoh Hitori looked up at Kita Ikuyo with a hint of expectation: "R-really?"
"Of course!"
(As expected of Kita-san.)
Kita Ikuyo smiled and said: "For example, for example…"
Kita Ikuyo trailed off suddenly: "Um, let me think about this one."
(Yeah, it's over.)
"It's fine, you don't have to say more."
Gotoh Hitori took heavy damage, squatted down, and started drawing circles on the ground.
(This is worse than saying nothing.)
"Ha, ha… hahaha!"
Kita Ikuyo scratched her head awkwardly, walked over to Saiki, and nudged him with her elbow: "Saiki-kun, comfort failed. Your turn."
Saiki stepped forward and handed Gotoh Hitori a piece of paper.
"Thanks."
Gotoh Hitori took it stiffly and heard Saiki's comforting words.
[It's okay, Hitori. A great man named Zhou Shuren once said that everyone has their useful place. Even a piece of toilet paper has its use, right!]
Kita Ikuyo: "Is that how you comfort someone?"
"R-really?"
Kita Ikuyo ₍•Д•) [It actually worked!]
Gotoh Hitori opened her wise eyes—small head, big doubts. She didn't really understand what Saiki said and even found it a bit weird, but Saiki's words were never wrong, and it seemed like he was saying she was useful, so that was enough.
Saiki kept going.
[Yeah, exactly. Just like how Lu Xun and Zhou Shuren once discussed life's philosophy together and concluded that everyone is equal—heaven opens a window for you but closes a door.]
(For normal people.)
(Even though the saying has flaws—some geniuses get a window opened by heaven but pry open a door themselves. Those are special cases.)
What type is Saiki? Saiki is the type where… heaven hands him an entire luxury seaside villa, complete with keys to every door and window, shoving it right in his face.
Gotoh Hitori suddenly understood: "Oh, I get it."
[Good that you do.]
Saiki smiled in relief.
(I wasn't lying.)
Kita Ikuyo saw Gotoh Hitori back to normal and chimed in: "Gotoh-san, what made you want to form a band?"
Gotoh Hitori paused, looked up in thought.
Gotoh Hitori [It's an indoor hobby, but also flashy and cool, and you can get tons of fans… every motive is more impure than the last. How am I supposed to say this?]
Gotoh Hitori averted her eyes: "Ah! For world peace! I want to express my wish for world peace!"
(What kind of reason is that?)
Kita Ikuyo nodded in agreement: "That's a pretty lofty goal!"
Gotoh Hitori: "Then… what about you, Kita-san? You said you wanted to chase after a certain senpai. Who is that senpai?"
Kita Ikuyo blushed slightly with admiring eyes: "That person is Ryo-senpai!"
Gotoh Hitori [As expected.]
"I'm different from you—my motives aren't pure…"
(No, you're both about the same.)
"I saw senpai perform outdoors once and instantly fell in love!"
Gotoh Hitori: "Ryo-san was in other bands before?"
[She mentioned that before.]
Kita Ikuyo continued with admiration: "Like, she has this slightly otherworldly aura, and that androgynous look—every aspect excites me so much."
"Excites…"
(She's a total fangirl.)
"Most importantly, when she picks up an instrument, it's like a painting—so beautiful and her skills are insane."
Gotoh Hitori: "Mm, I can understand. When I hold an instrument, it feels like it becomes part of me."
"Right? It feels like the instrument becomes your true self. Senpai is even more amazing in that way…"
(What exactly is that feeling?)
Gotoh Hitori and Kita Ikuyo suddenly felt especially relaxed [What's this feeling? I suddenly feel a sense of familiarity.]
(Is this the illusion you get from chatting with a sunny social butterfly?)
A customer who had been standing nearby for a while finally spoke up: "Um, I'd like one bottle of orange juice kir."
Kita Ikuyo instantly switched from chat mode to customer-service mode, flashing a smile: "Sure, please wait a moment."
Gotoh Hitori saw how quickly Kita Ikuyo switched and realized her own usual self-delusion.
Gotoh Hitori (๑˙―˙๑) [Goodbye, sense of familiarity.]
(This is what they call a life illusion.)
...