Social phobia and lonely rock!

Ryo and Nijika weren't stupid — they naturally noticed the conflicted expression on Kita Ikuyo's face.

But the way she responded immediately made them rule out the idea that she didn't want to perform.

Seeing her glance stealthily at Ryo, they assumed she was worried about coordinating with her or maybe something as trivial as her playing style.

"It's okay. Let's practice together before going on stage and cover a popular song, right, Ryo?"

After Nijika finished speaking, she turned to Ryo for confirmation.

Though Ryo could be a bit dismissive at times, she still cared about her bandmates.

"Yeah, easy gig."

"Ye—"

Before Kita Ikuyo could finish, the voice of Seika, the shop manager, called out beside her.

"The guests have arrived."

"Okay~!"

Nijika responded cheerfully and then turned to the others.

"Let's talk more about it tomorrow. Thanks for your hard work today."

"Mm."

Ishikawa Hayabusa nodded and stood up.

"I'll head out too."

"Bye." Ryo waved.

"Me too."

Kita Ikuyo looked resolute, slung her guitar over her back, and followed Ishikawa Hayabusa out of the venue.

"Kita-chan, be careful on the way home!"

Nijika stood behind the counter and called out to Kita, who had paused on the stairs.

But Ishikawa Hayabusa, walking a few steps ahead of her, was surprised by the comment and filled with questions.

He understood that Nijika was reminding Kita not to overthink or get distracted on her way home—but why did it still feel a little off?

---

Coming down the recessed stairs of STARRY into the street, the bustle of the city and the wind of solitude brushed against Ishikawa Hayabusa's school uniform, but he stood still like a steel tower.

He looked up at the blue-orange sky.

Another beautiful day.

But not without its flaws.

He turned and looked at Kita Ikuyo, who was walking with her head down, and stopped to wait for her.

During that moment, one or two guests on their way to the venue passed by, chatting and laughing excitedly.

With her head low, Kita Ikuyo climbed the last step. She noticed someone beside her and looked up.

Ishikawa Hayabusa stood there silently, as if he had been waiting just for her.

Kita Ikuyo forced a smile onto her face and asked him:

"Ishikawa-san, is something wrong?"

"When you're faced with a problem, you should cut it off cleanly. Running away isn't always a bad option."

Ishikawa Hayabusa's words carried weight.

Kita Ikuyo was stunned. Did he find out?

Can he tell that I don't know how to play guitar?

"Um… Ishikawa-san…"

She tried to explain nervously, but he interrupted her in a calm tone — different from his usual upbeat voice.

"We're in the same band now, so just call me by my name. Also… I'm looking forward to seeing you perform at the show."

What… does that mean?

Kita Ikuyo was confused.

First, he told her it's okay to run away. Then he said he was looking forward to seeing her perform. She was completely thrown off.

But sensing the concern in Hayabusa's words, Kita Ikuyo still nodded with a smile.

"Alright, I'll do my best."

---

The next day, Ishikawa Hayabusa was sitting on a train, manual for his synthesizer in hand, leaning back in his seat, lazily skimming through the tutorial.

Since he didn't need to go to school that day, he wore a three-quarter sleeve blazer, a white shirt underneath, and dark dress pants. His crossbody bag sat next to his wallet.

His simple, clean outfit, paired with his gentle and handsome face, perfectly reflected his youth.

Two high school girls (JKs) sitting not far from him kept glancing over.

Clearly, appearances can be deceiving.

For those who knew him, his strange personality far outweighed any superficial charm.

After arriving at the station, Ishikawa Hayabusa tucked the manual into his bag, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and headed straight to STARRY.

He reached the shop door and pushed it open—it wasn't locked.

He had arrived way before the scheduled time, but Nijika was already there.

Entering the dim underground venue lit by soft lights, Ishikawa Hayabusa spotted Nijika sitting in a chair, smiling expectantly as she looked his way.

"Good morning~"

As soon as he walked in, Nijika cheerfully waved her hand, a red ribbon tied around her wrist.

"Morning, Nijika."

Ishikawa Hayabusa looked around. It didn't seem like anyone else was there.

"The others aren't here yet?"

"Ryo's never on time," Nijika said with a grin.

After saying that, she looked ready to wait for a while. She rested her chin in her hands and stared at Hayabusa with her lovely red eyes.

Wait… is it just the two of us right now?

Oh no. My thoughts are turning greedy again.

Hayabusa came down the stairs and sat across from her.

"You're early, Hayabusa-kun. Oh, right." Nijika stood and went to the bar. "What would you like to drink?"

"Orange juice is fine."

Hayabusa wasn't trying to be polite—he couldn't afford to be.

Since Ryo was always late, Nijika had likely opened up early just for him and Kita.

Who knows how long she'd been waiting?

His eyes followed her as she prepared drinks at the bar. In seconds, she had poured two glasses of juice and scribbled something on the counter. Then, she returned and placed one in front of him.

"You know, Hayabusa-kun's amazing. You learned to play the keyboard so quickly."

She leaned back in her chair with admiration.

Then he responded in a teasing voice and playful gaze:

"Actually, I already knew how to play piano."

Hearing his coy tone, Ishikawa Hayabusa couldn't help but smile.

"Not gonna lie. That's the power of a pervert."

The unexpected words caught Nijika off guard. After a pause, she asked with interest:

"Why do you consider yourself a pervert, Hayabusa-kun?"

Nijika didn't think Hayabusa was the kind of guy who did shameful or indecent things.

She believed that from the moment he performed on the street.

Hayabusa, who never lied, answered honestly:

"There are many reasons, but at its core, it's about giving myself courage. Because if you're abnormal, you can…"

Before he could finish, the door opened.

Kita Ikuyo entered and saw the two already inside, then greeted them, a bit embarrassed.

"Sorry I'm late."

"No, it's not even time yet. Come on, Kita-chan. No need to treat this like a formal date."

Nijika called to her as she stood up.

"What would you like to drink, Kita-chan?"

"Do you have yogurt?"

Kita Ikuyo walked curiously toward the bar.

"Yup!" Nijika replied proudly.

Kita Ikuyo watched as she brought out the yogurt. She glanced at the price list and took out money to pay.

When Nijika returned with the drinks, she saw the money on the counter and immediately began arguing with her.

Meanwhile, Ishikawa Hayabusa's gaze stayed on Kita Ikuyo's left hand, which was slightly curled.

After watching for a while, he confirmed that three of her slender fingers were wrapped in Band-Aids.

What a shame. She didn't give up.

Is this girl an idiot too?

---