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After making sure Yuigahama Yui and Asagumo Chihaya were on the train, Asakura went to an accessory shop near the station to buy some things, then headed straight for STARRY.
STARRY today must have a popular band performing, as the number of customers was much higher than usual. As soon as he walked in, a stuffy and noisy feeling hit him.
"Ticket 1500 yen… Ah, it's you, kid."
Ijichi Seika, the manager of STARRY, standing behind the cash register, showed a bored, dead-fish look in her eyes: "What made you decide to come here again today?"
"Of course, I'm still looking for Nijika and the others."
Asakura said as he took out his wallet to pay.
"Are you really planning to let Nijika and the others participate in your so-called school festival?"
Seika asked casually while ringing the cash register loudly to give Asakura his change.
"It's not a school festival, it's the Founders' Festival."
"It's pretty much the same."
"I've also been assigned the title of Executive Committee Member and Temporary Disciplinary Officer. Do you need me to analyze it for you, starting from the origin of the Founders' Festival and its cultural background as recorded in 'The Founders' Festival, A School History'?"
"No thanks, I'm the type who yawns even at speech titles when I'm at school."
Ijichi Seika waved her hand.
"A wise choice indeed."
Asakura bowed slightly in admiration: "As expected of Seika-san~"
"Don't get off topic. Do you really think Kessoku Band is qualified to perform live?"
Ijichi Seika was completely unfazed by Asakura's flattery and continued to ask.
"The specific situation will depend on today's practice."
Asakura said some official pleasantries, but seeing Ijichi Seika squinting at him, clearly dissatisfied with his statement, he could only helplessly spread his hands: "But I estimate the results won't be optimistic."
"I thought so too."
Ijichi Seika also sighed, her face full of an 'I knew it' expression.
"Huh, I thought Seika-san would angrily grab my collar and shout something like 'Don't look down on Nijika!'"
Asakura said in surprise.
"What kind of image do you have of me in your mind…?"
"A sister-complex tsundere."
Asakura replied quickly: "The ratio of tsundere is probably seven to three."
"You really dare to speak your mind, kid…"
Seika's forehead veins throbbed.
"After all, didn't Seika-san let Nijika and the others perform live before? I thought you had a high opinion of their abilities."
Asakura decisively brought the topic back on track.
"That was just like fulfilling Nijika's wish to perform on stage, nothing more. It doesn't mean they truly reached the qualifying standard for a performance. In fact, they haven't been able to perform again since then."
Ijichi Seika finished speaking and saw Asakura winking and making a teasing face, as if to say, 'Still saying you're not a sister-complex?
So she said loudly, "Guest, if your eyes are uncomfortable, it's better to go to the hospital. I can call you an ambulance."
After speaking, she made to call for emergency services.
"You're wasting the hospital ambulance's capacity."
Asakura sternly retorted, "Besides, Kessoku Band isn't as bad as you say…"
"No, as far as the current stage is concerned, their performance only managed to be terrible in terms of melody, rhythm, and individuality, which are the three essential elements."
"Don't look down on Nijika!"
"Why are you the one getting angry?!"
"Oh, from my perspective, I should say 'Don't look down on Hitori' instead."
"What perspective? There's essentially no difference, is there?"
Ijichi Seika seemed a bit annoyed, waving her hand at Asakura as if shooing away a fly: "Forget it, go listen to your song, stop hovering in front of me…"
After saying that, she even threw Asakura a small plastic pick-like object, which was a drink coupon from STARRY. With it, he could exchange for a drink at the bar.
Asakura walked into STARRY holding the plastic pick.
Perhaps due to getting used to the noise, the ear pain he felt when he first entered had greatly subsided, and his eyes had also adapted to the darkness, allowing him to see the interior clearly.
After a few steps, he ran into Yamada Ryo, who was sweeping the floor.
However, seeing her listless, slow movements, as if she were Flash from Zootopia, Asakura felt that she was probably just slacking off.
"It's Asakura…"
The girl saw Asakura's feet, then looked up along them, and then said with an indifferent expression, "Why do you keep staring at me like that?"
"It's not a maid outfit… Bad review."
Asakura commented.
He remembered that STARRY had a maid outfit, though he didn't know if it was the manager's interest or some other reason.
"Because it felt interesting, I gave it to Hitori to wear."
Yamada Ryo gave a thumbs up: "She's at the bar now."
"Oh~"
Asakura couldn't help but show a surprised expression upon hearing this.
It wasn't that he had a particularly sadistic nature; the key was Hitori's timid, helpless appearance, which was both pitiful and very cute… How to put it, it just inexplicably made one want to tease her.
Yamada Ryo was probably one of the few people who could appreciate this kind of fun like Asakura, so as long as it didn't turn into bullying, she would occasionally tease Hitori to see her interesting reactions.
After saying goodbye to Yamada Ryo, Asakura went to the bar.
But at first glance from the outside, it seemed like there was no one at the bar.
Only when looking closely could one discover that there seemed to be a pink slime moving inside the bar.
So Asakura, feeling playful, tapped the bar counter with his knuckles: "Give me a hazelnut Duoduo passion fruit pastel lava chocolate chip strawberry syrup deluxe extra-large sundae."
Immediately, a chaotic sound of clanging, banging, and jingling came from inside the bar.
A moment later, the pink slime barely poked out its head, revealing the antennae-like ahoge tied to the side of her head, trembling slightly like a cockroach's feelers. However, the girl still seemed very afraid of others' gazes, not revealing her eyes or anything below them: "So so so sorry, we don't have that here…"
"It's okay, if you don't have it, I do."
Asakura finally laughed, placing the sundae he had packed from Wagnaria on the bar.
Hearing Asakura's voice, Gotō Hitori floated up a bit more, revealing her somewhat gloomy big eyes. After confirming that the person was Asakura, the girl stammered, "Asa-Asa-Asakura, why did you suddenly come here?"
"Of course, because Hitori is here."
"Am I a mountain?"
Hitori's voice sounded like it was about to become an onomatopoeia.
"At least among the people I know, Hitori is the closest to a mountain…"
Asakura first mumbled softly, then chuckled, pushing the sundae towards the girl: "Just kidding, I'm here to check on Kessoku Band's performance. But it's best to eat the sundae quickly. Although Wagnaria's sundaes don't use ice cream so you don't have to worry about melting, they will lose their flavor if left out too long."
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