Ryo, dressed in pajamas and drying her wet hair with a towel, spoke to the two who were still acting lovey-dovey: "Bocchi-chan, it's your turn to shower."
Hitori Gotoh pushed Jhin away with all her might. Her lips were red and swollen, feeling a bit numb and tingly. The tip of her tongue licked her dry lips, and a faint trace of spring-like desire still lingered in her blue eyes.
Jhin pressed his forehead against hers with a wicked grin. "Bocchi-chan, are you willing to pay attention to me now?"
"You just like bullying me!"
"That's only natural!"
Seeing his triumphant appearance, Hitori Gotoh hammered his chest with her delicate little fists. "I'm going to take a shower. Let me up."
"Aren't we washing together?"
"I-I'm not washing with you."
"Why? We're already married."
"E-Even if we're married, t-this kind of thing isn't something you just do whenever you want! Jhin, you big pervert!"
"Heheh, that's not up to you anymore!" Jhin raised the corners of his mouth. Exerting strength in his arms, he scooped Hitori Gotoh up and carried her into the bathroom in swift strides.
"Waaah! Jhin, put me down quickly!"
"No way. I am definitely showering with you today."
"I-I beg you, let me wash alone, okay? I'll give you a reward tonight."
"Only kids make choices; as an adult, I want it all!"
"Ahhh~~"
Hitori Gotoh's face was flushed with an unnatural redness, and drool was flowing from the corner of her mouth.
Nijika tugged at the hem of Jhin's clothes, asking him with some uncertainty, "Bocchi-chan... has fallen into her own personal world, hasn't she?"
"Probably. I just don't know what she's thinking about... to actually be smiling so... hmm... uniquely." Jhin barely managed to use the word "unique" to describe his girlfriend's current expression. If he had to use a more accurate term, only "pervert" would fit.
"Bocchi-chan! Bocchi-chan! Snap out of it, we're about to go on!"
"Ah, o-okay." Hitori Gotoh was shaken awake by Nijika. As she wiped away her drool, her face gradually turned so red it looked like it was about to bleed, making the others even more curious about what exactly she had been fantasizing about in her personal world.
The five of them arrived at the side passage of the stage, looking toward the brightly lit center. The band currently up there was covering the hottest song of the moment, and the audience's response was very good.
"How can they wave glow sticks at a band performance?" Ryo roasted the outrageous behavior of the audience below. This wasn't an idol concert; jumping and bouncing along with the band performance was the true way!
"Ugh... suddenly I'm so nervous!" Kita Ikuyo shrank her neck back, her hands loosely clasped against her chest as she hugged herself.
"Kita, deep breaths!" Nijika was as steady as a veteran who had experienced countless big scenes. After comforting Kita Ikuyo, she turned to look at Hitori Gotoh. "Bocchi-chan, are you okay?"
"I have no problem!" Hitori Gotoh answered firmly with a rough voice, but unfortunately, the sound of her heartbeat, which was several degrees louder than the drums on stage, had already exposed her nervous inner state.
Ryo crossed her arms, revealing a puzzled expression. "Why did this band's drums suddenly become so loud?"
"B-Bocchi-chan, you hurry up and take a deep breath too!"
"Inhale... exhale... inhale... exhale."
Hitori Gotoh followed Kita Ikuyo's rhythm to take deep breaths, but the effect wasn't very good. At times like this, it was up to Jhin, the boyfriend, to step in.
He was seen gently pulling Hitori Gotoh into his embrace, like a mother coaxing a child. His right hand patted her back rhythmically, and he even hummed a lullaby.
"Why a lullaby?" Ryo questioned whether this was effective, suggesting it would be better to replace the lullaby with the band's new song.
"Shh!" Nijika made a hushing gesture at her. "Bocchi-chan seems to have really fallen asleep."
"Does this set of movements have some special magic?" Kita Ikuyo blinked, curiously observing Jhin's sleep-inducing actions.
A member of the Student Council walked over and shouted to the group, "Everyone from Kessoku Band, it's your turn soon. Please get ready!"
"Ah, did I-I fall asleep?" Hitori Gotoh was startled awake, asking Jhin in a daze.
"It's okay, go back to sleep."
"Mm, goodnight."
Nijika hurriedly pulled Hitori Gotoh out of Jhin, that "top-tier mattress." "Don't actually let Bocchi-chan go back to sleep! What if she sleeps through it and gets confused?"
"Sorry, seeing that you were all quite nervous, I cracked a little joke." Jhin laughed heartily. Seeing that they were about to go on stage, he prepared to leave and head to the audience seats.
"Jhin, wait a minute!" Nijika stopped him. "Everyone, hand over hand, let's do a cheer!"
"Mm, no problem."
"Ijichi-senpai, that's a great idea!"
"Feels so childish..."
"Everyone, put out your left hand!" Nijika didn't care about any of that; cheering each other on was a necessary step at a time like this. After speaking, she extended her left hand into the center of the five of them.
Kita Ikuyo pulled Hitori Gotoh and placed their hands on top. Nijika pulled the somewhat reluctant Ryo to place her hand on top, and finally, it was Jhin.
"Let's do this together! Let's enjoy it together! Ready... 3, 2, 1!"
"Oh!" x5
Behind the red curtain that hung over the stage, the four members of Kessoku Band were doing their final warm-up preparations before the performance. Nijika brandished her drumsticks, casually tapping the drumhead. Her current condition could be described as fiery, with the drumsticks twirling and weaving between her fingers.
Ryo lowered her head and gently plucked her bass. Her condition was the least concerning; after all, she was a tough bassist who had experienced performances as dead silent as a funeral hall, so there was no need to worry about her panicking.
Kita Ikuyo used her palms to massage her cheeks, making "brrr-brrr" sounds with her lips to loosen them up, her eyes staring solemnly at the microphone.
As the lead vocalist, I absolutely cannot sing the wrong lyrics!
Hitori Gotoh hugged her guitar, standing motionless in place like a stone statue. It wasn't until the host announced the act and the white overhead lights turned on that she finally raised her head, her eyes full of determination.
"Next up on stage is—Kessoku Band!"
As the red curtain slowly pulled upward, the wave of sound that seemed to have been isolated by it before now surged onto the stage like a tide.
What entered Hitori Gotoh's view was an audience size far exceeding everyone's imagination, along with a multitude of unfamiliar faces. Her breathing stopped momentarily, then she exhaled heavily, as if trying to spit out the nervousness in her heart along with it.
It's okay. I'm not the me from the beginning anymore. This amount of people is absolutely no problem!
She tightened her grip on the guitar in her hands. The cold touch cooled her overheating nerves like clear spring water. Hitori Gotoh blinked; the sounds of "Kita" being called out from below the stage continuously drifted into her ears, making her a little dejected.
Sure enough, most of them are here to see Kita...
Nijika, who had been paying attention to Hitori Gotoh from the back, finally let down the heart she had been holding in suspense.
That's great. I didn't expect so many people in the audience. Bocchi-chan didn't faint. She really has made so much progress!
____
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