Chapter 54: Trivial Matters and New Beginnings
During the last two days of the holiday, although Ren wanted to stay by Hitori's side constantly, Hitori still had band activities to attend. He chose not to participate directly, instead taking on the role of chauffeur while spending most of their time chatting via phone.
He seized this opportunity to invite Umiri and the others over for a meal, personally cooking for them with full sincerity. Touched by his gesture, Umiri and the others were so moved they'd have gone to great lengths for him.
Generous and prompt payment, exceptional talent without arrogance, and even willing to cook for them—such charm was hard for anyone to resist.
Fortunately, Ren didn't bring them to his luxury apartment, or they would have admired him even more.
This was also Ren's way of paving the road for the future. These temporary members were all involved in the music scene, and their connections far surpassed his as someone still on the outskirts. If he ever needed to cover songs requiring unconventional instruments, asking them for referrals would be much more effective than recruiting online.
Some eccentric experts might not travel far just for money, but an introduction could change that.
If a single meal could secure such connections, it was a definite win.
Amid the cheerful atmosphere where everyone felt they'd gained something, their temporary band disbanded.
This time, Ren didn't see them off, as it wasn't necessary. After Umiri and the others had left, he returned to his room. With the holiday spent accompanying his girlfriend over, what was next?
Of course, gaming.
Logging in after a long break, Ren noticed that the Japanese girl he'd painstakingly added as a friend was also online and invited her to duo queue.
She had been won over by his skills. When someone's gameplay is truly exceptional, even an ID like "Loli's Feet Are Sweet and Fragrant" starts to seem tolerable.
Having a reliable duo partner with great synergy and consistent ranking potential is a rare treasure for any gamer.
But today, Ren's aim seemed a bit off.
"Your shots have gone soft. Why?"
She pointed it out bluntly.
Ren's accuracy wasn't as sharp as before. Though it was just a matter of dragging his crosshair a few frames slower, it was a serious mistake.
Once or twice was manageable, but if it happened every round, there was definitely a problem.
"What do you mean? Can't it just be that I'm not trying hard?"
What could have caused his aim to weaken over the past few days?
Ren thought about it and realized it might only be Hitori.
Damn, beauty ruins focus! Starting today, no more "drinking"!
Instead of admitting his aim had deteriorated, Ren focused and entered try-hard mode, narrowly avoiding defeat against actual cheaters thanks to his improved concentration.
"Want to try Delta Force? Topping the leaderboards in this game has gotten boring."
After an enjoyable afternoon and before logging off, Ren invited her to switch to another game. This Japanese girl was skilled and synced well with him—he couldn't help but appreciate her talent.
"FPS?"
"Yeah."
"Send me your ID."
Ren then sent his Delta Force ID: "Older Sister's Popliteal Fragrance Is Soft."
"..."
Upon receiving the ID, the Japanese girl said nothing and logged off immediately.
Ren felt no shame. The weirder the ID, the sharper the aim—such is the composure of a veteran artist.
After finishing the game, Ren checked the time and decided to go find Hitori and the others for a meal. He'd heard they'd recently tracked down the guitarist who had run away earlier. It turned out the guitarist had been practicing guitar but had accidentally bought a bass, so no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't play it well. In the end, they thought they had no talent at all and ran off, afraid of disappointing the band.
Quite the character, but the fact that Nijika and the others were willing to forgive them meant their personality couldn't be too bad.
Besides, to help maintain Hitori's friendships, Ren had no problem treating them to a meal. Most importantly, the cost of a meal was nothing to him. Out of the one billion yen dating fund, he had only used about a hundred million so far. If he ever ran short, his bank card would just print more money.
So, he drove to Shimokitazawa, entered the Starlight Exhibition Hall, and met up with Hitori and the lead singer of Kessoku Band.
"So handsome!"
Kita Ikuyo was astonished when she got a clear look at Ren's face. She already knew Hitori was the only one among them with a boyfriend. As unbelievable as it seemed, in this regard, Hitori was ahead of all of them.
Moreover, the more Ikuyo looked, the more familiar Ren seemed.
Wasn't this the handsome guy her classmate had shown her? It turned out she and Ren attended the same school.
"Hello, I'm Watanabe Ren."
Another beautiful girl, Ren thought, raising an eyebrow slightly. He finally understood why people said the era of all-girl bands had arrived. Even if their skills weren't top-notch, just looking at these lovely girls was a treat.
"Hello~ I'm Kita Ikuyo! Please, call me Kita if you can! By the way, you're Watanabe Ren from Class A, right?"
Ikuyo cheerfully introduced herself and then asked Ren a question.
"Yes, and you? Which class are you in?"
To think they were schoolmates. With Hitori included, that made three of them from the same school.
"Class C, first year~"
Ikuyo was also an energetic, cheerful extrovert. Learning that Hitori went to the same school made her even happier.
She knew about Ren because of his looks. Though he kept a low profile at school, that didn't stop some girls from secretly taking photos of him.
As for Hitori, she simply went unnoticed because she hunched over, wore tracksuits all the time, and kept to herself. If no one had mentioned it, Ikuyo would never have guessed they were schoolmates.
Now, with the added connection of being in the same band, her bond with Hitori instantly grew stronger.
That made this meal even more worth treating them to. They didn't need to go to a fancy restaurant—a hot pot place with a private room would do, just like a Kessoku Band team-building event.
Everyone enjoyed the meal, though not entirely without mixed feelings. Since Ren and Hitori were a couple, and even though Hitori wasn't the type to take initiative, Ren certainly was.
He prepared dipping sauce for Hitori, picked out dishes for her, cooked the food, and even fed her once it was ready. If Hitori didn't like something, he'd eat it himself.
Watching this, Nijika and the others couldn't help but glance at Hitori with a hint of envy. A boyfriend who was both handsome and considerate—and on top of that, he'd written songs dedicated to her—was truly hard not to admire.
So, after the meal, they dragged Hitori away for what they called a "trial," demanding to know how she had managed to win over Ren.
After playing around for a while, when they noticed Hitori's flushed face carried an extra touch of mature charm and allure, Nijika and the others understood.
They simultaneously rose to their feet, looking down at their own toes, feeling even more envious—even jealous—of Hitori. Not only did she have such an outstanding boyfriend, but how could Hitori also have such a great figure!
Under her friends' seemingly complaining envy, Hitori felt somewhat shy, which masked the unease in her heart. It wasn't until the holiday ended and she returned to school that she had to face reality and defend her happiness.
"Ren~ Why didn't you unblock me during the May Day holiday? I missed you so much~~"
After seven days apart, Satou's longing for Ren had reached its peak. Ignoring the surprised looks from her classmates, she threw herself onto Ren as soon as she saw him, nuzzling against him to express how much she had missed him.
"Sa-Satou-san, this isn't appropriate..."
Hitori stepped forward to remind Satou, a small step for her but a significant sign of growth.
"Sorry, did I cause trouble for you? But I really like Ren so much—I almost went crazy not being able to see him these past few days."
Satou let go of Ren before he could become displeased, her face flushed as she openly confessed her feelings for him. Meanwhile, the tracker she had bought was already discreetly attached to the inside of his clothes.
"..."
Hitori was nowhere near as bold; at the very least, she truly didn't dare to loudly declare her affection for Ren in public.
And with Satou added to the mix, there were now two people around her who liked Ren—maybe Anon was one too.
"Please be more careful in the future."
Satou had hugged him quickly and let go just as fast, even adding a bit of a "chest bump" in the process. The briefness of the moment left Ren caught between feeling displeased and unable to fully summon that displeasure, so he could only remind her.
"Mm, I'll be careful~"
Having achieved her goal, Satou didn't cling to Ren any further. This was something she had learned from Yuno—sometimes being too clingy would only annoy Ren, so she needed to maintain a balance.
Frequent surprise attacks would do, until Ren had no choice but to get used to it.
----------
For advance chapters join my Patreon.
[email protected]/Aarvan