I am Hitori Gotoh, 16 years old, a second-year high school student.
Three years...
Three years piled upon three years...
Why, because of one moment of hesitation in kindergarten, have I been lonely for a full ten years!?!?
When forming teams in kindergarten, because of my hesitation and indecisiveness, I missed the chance to team up with my classmates and became the lonely kid. During the elementary school picnic, I was alone, and only the kind teacher would come and eat with me. In middle school, I didn't join any clubs and went straight home after school. Besides my parents, my phone only received telemarketing calls.
Then I saw a TV show where a band member, who had also been lonely, made friends and became popular (Jyuujitsu) after taking up an instrument. Since then, I've practiced the guitar for six hours every day!
But... where is the promised popularity!???? The result of practicing the guitar for six hours every day is three years of loneliness!
No... Hitori Gotoh has no friends. No one made that promise to Hitori Gotoh.
Sigh ε=(?ο｀∗)))Ah... When will someone ever approach me?
Dressed in a strange combination of a pink tracksuit and a pleated skirt, carrying a cloth bag covered in band merchandise, and shouldering a heavy guitar case, Hitori Gotoh walked with her head down, hunched over, and chest sunken on the way to school. Her slightly messy pink hair reached her waist, and her bangs, uncut for who knows how long, covered her eyes, making her face hard to see.
Today was another day of Hitori Gotoh scurrying and creeping around in dark corners.
Sighing, Hitori Gotoh continued her walk to school. The internet said that carrying a guitar case would attract musicians to strike up a conversation, but she'd been carrying this guitar case for a month, and no one had approached her.
As she got closer to school, more students walking together appeared, but she was still alone.
"Hey, hey, hey... Marin, that's the girl Mr. Ito was talking about, right? Excuse me, student up ahead, could you wait a moment?"
Ugh... someone's about to be approached. Which lucky person is getting approached by a girl? But it's definitely not me. Even with a guitar case, no one approaches me.
"Hey~~~ Student, wait up~"
The sound of footsteps behind her grew closer. Don't look back! That voice is definitely not calling you! If you turn around, you'll only awkwardly watch them greeting a friend!!!! It's a trap! It's a trap to lure a sewer creature like me out of the darkness and let me die under the sunrays!!!!!
"Student in the pink tracksuit, please wait a moment."
Hitori Gotoh trembled when she heard the voice coming from behind her.
Pink tracksuit!? That's me, isn't it!? It must be me!? After carrying the guitar case for a month, is today finally the day I get approached!? Will I finally make a friend!?
No!!!!! Hitori Gotoh shook her head hard. This must be a trap...
"Ah..."
The moment her shoulder was tapped, Hitori Gotoh let out a happy groan.
I was approached...
I, Hitori Gotoh, am finally going to end my friendless school life!!!!!
Hitori Gotoh excitedly turned around, only to see that the person who stopped her was a tall girl with a tanned complexion.
"Eh?"
Messy blonde hair, healthy tanned skin, the buttons of her uniform were not properly fastened, vaguely showing a hint of cleavage, and she wore loose bubble socks that gave off a delinquent vibe... A Gal (Gyaru) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Eeeek!!!!!!!!"
Hitori Gotoh, who was already hunched and slouched, shrunk further, like melting slime.
It's a Gal!!! It's a Gal, the pinnacle of popular school life!!!!!!!!!!
How could a Gal approach an earthworm like me, who crawls in the darkness? She must be here to crush me completely!!!!
Hitori Gotoh held her head down tight. No! Don't make eye contact with the Gal! If I make eye contact, I'll be severely bullied!!!!!
Carrying a guitar case, I didn't get a friend, but instead met a Gal who wants to bully me... From now on, my school life will be spent in the restroom!!!!
"Misaki, why are you running so fast..."
Another unfamiliar voice came. Hitori Gotoh, with her head down, couldn't see the person's face, only noticing that the person had their uniform jacket tied around their waist.
Another Gal!!!!!!
It's over, I'm surrounded by Gals!!! Ugh, yikes!!!!
Hitori Gotoh's legs felt weak. She felt like she might have leaked a drop of pee.
"Um... student."
"Eeeeek!! I'm sorry!!! Please don't hit me!!!!"
Hitori Gotoh shamefully squatted down and hugged her head. It's over!!! Being bullied into a head-tucked squat defense on the way to school and seen by so many people, my school career is completely ruined!!!
"Never mind... student, we'll find you after school."
A-After school!? If it's at school, the worst that happens is weird drawings on my desk and chair. If it's outside of school...
I'll be taken to a love hotel, sold to an old man, and then filled with weird drugs, with tally marks written all over my body as I earn money for them, until my stomach swells up with a baby and I'm kicked out because I'm no longer useful!
My life is ruined just like that!!!!!
Ding-dong...
Ah, class is starting...
Snapping back to reality, Hitori Gotoh immediately stood up and ran toward the school. With her guitar case, she barely made it back to the classroom, breathless, just in time.
But... the relief she felt vanished immediately as she remembered what the Gal had said.
Meet me after school!!!! Isn't that the standard line in school dramas!?
Meet me after school, and then after school, a group of delinquents will surround her at the gate, and then... she'll be taken away, and her body will be used as their money-making tool.
Until she gets pregnant and her classmates find out, looking at her with strange eyes.
It's over! My life is going to be ruined before I even make a friend!!!
Thump, thump, thump!!! Imagining her bleak future, Hitori Gotoh hammered her head with her hands.
In a TV drama, when the protagonist encounters Gals blocking the gate, they usually walk out of the school gate with their friends with dignity, then have a decisive battle with the delinquent gang at sunset, and finally, after overcoming numerous hardships, successfully defeat them.
But... I don't have any friends!!!!
What do I do, what do I do, what do I do!!!!!
While Hitori Gotoh was beating herself up, Misaki and Marin were secretly chatting on their phones during class.
Marin: [There really is a girl in school wearing a pink tracksuit and carrying a guitar case... And she's wearing a skirt over her sweatpants? What a weird outfit. So strange.]
Misaki: [And she's in the same year as us... So shy, so tiny and so cute.]
Marin: [She definitely thought we were going to bully her... Why would Mr. Ito ask for a girl like that? Does Mr. Ito like the type who's timid like a small animal? Does that mean Misaki has no chance anymore?]
Misaki: [I wasn't planning on having a chance with Mr. Ito anyway. Since Kaede is so generous, I'll just play manga games with Mr. Ito.]
Misaki: [But... she looks so fun to bully, so soft and cuuuute. I wonder what kind of adorable expression she'll make in bed?]
Misaki: [Hehe, he definitely noticed her last time when he came to pick us up.]
Marin: [Mr. Ito wouldn't be like that. Didn't you see her carrying a guitar case? Maybe Mr. Ito is interested in her musical skills?]
Clap, clap, clap. Just as the two were chatting excitedly, the teacher's clapping sound against the blackboard arrived.
"Marin Kitagawa-san, what are you doing with your head down? Do you have a book in your desk?"
"!!!!" Marin quickly threw her phone into the desk and sat up straight. The teacher didn't say much and continued the lecture. Marin took the opportunity to stick out her tongue at Misaki when the teacher turned his back, but she didn't pick up her phone to chat with Misaki again and looked up to listen. Although Marin's grades weren't excellent, she needed to maintain at least an average score, or her father would be furious when he came home.
...
Time quickly came to the end of school in the afternoon. They had clarified during lunch break that Rin Ito was interested in the oddly dressed girl's guitar skills and just wanted her to create background music (BGM) for Eiri's GALGAME. They hadn't had a chance to explain earlier, and it would be troublesome if she misunderstood. To prevent Hitori Gotoh from escaping, Misaki and Marin immediately rushed out after the last class.
Even with the crowded hallways after class, Hitori Gotoh's pink tracksuit and black guitar case made her stand out despite her small stature. Misaki and Marin quickly approached, each placing a hand on Hitori Gotoh's shoulders to hold her in place.
"Gotoh-san~"
"Eeeek!!!!" Hitori Gotoh, with her head down, trembled all over... The only thing she was grateful for was that she had used the restroom during the last break. Otherwise, she would have leaked right there in the hallway.
"Don't be nervous, Gotoh-san, we're not here to bully you." The outgoing Misaki put her arm around Hitori Gotoh's shoulder and gently patted her guitar case. "You play the guitar, right? We have something related to music we'd like to ask you about."
"Eh... ask... ask me?" Hitori Gotoh, who had been completely gloomy, seemed to sparkle at that moment.
"Ask... me?" Could it be... has this spineless creature, who can only crawl in the dark corners, finally found her spring!? Not only can she make friends, but she can make friends with Gals, the pinnacle of popularity!?
"Mhm~ Her name is Marin, and I'm Misaki. Let's talk as we walk."
The two walked out of the school with Hitori Gotoh.
"Wh-Wh-Where are we going?" Hitori Gotoh asked cautiously.
"Hm? To meet Mr. Ito..." Marin stopped mid-sentence. "Mr. Ito" was a title used in the manga world, and Gotoh-san might not read manga. While Marin was struggling with what title to use, Hitori Gotoh's internal monologue started up again.
Did she just say... Boss Ito!?
Gulp... Hitori Gotoh nervously swallowed. The sound of wicked laughter seemed to echo in her mind.
They really are Gals!!! They're taking me to meet their boss... It's over, it's over, it's over. Could they be a yakuza gang?
Seeing Hitori Gotoh getting nervous again, Misaki gently reassured her. "Don't be scared. Our club just needs some music."
"Club!?" This wasn't a school club. In society, the word "club" could mean... a gang!
Ugh, yikes!!!
To my father, mother, and sister: I... I'm going to become a member of the yakuza! Hitori Gotoh's mind flashed with images of herself smashing people with her guitar case.
Misaki and Marin had no idea Hitori Gotoh's internal drama was so intense. They simply led Hitori Gotoh to the agreed meeting place. The only thing that confused them was... why didn't Mr. Ito come to pick her up personally? And the walk was nearly an hour long, and he didn't even let them take a taxi. Strange... so strange.
However... even though they didn't know what was going on, they would follow Mr. Ito's instructions first and ask questions later.
In reality... Rin Ito simply wanted them to make friends with Bocchi-chan. Although Rin Ito couldn't recall the specific plot, he had a general impression that Little Bocchi had been friendless her whole life, which is why Rin Ito had asked Marin and Misaki, who were in the same school and year, to find her instead of going himself.
However... it seemed to have had the opposite effect, making Hitori Gotoh increasingly frightened. With every step, her pace slowed, and her body trembled more.
"Ah!!!!!!!!!!"
A sudden scream startled all three of them. Instinctively looking in the direction of the scream, a blonde-haired girl with a side ponytail and a yellow backpack came into view. The girl had clearly just finished school like them, still wearing a student uniform from an unknown school, but she had a light green windbreaker draped over it with a red hair ribbon tied at the collar... She looks like an angel! If only she had been the one to approach me first instead of these two Gals... Ugh!!!
Running quickly, the blonde girl reached Hitori Gotoh and stared at her with expectant eyes, making Hitori Gotoh instinctively want to retreat into Marin's shadow.
"You're carrying a guitar on your back, right? Can you play?"
"!!!!" Hitori Gotoh's lips opened and closed rapidly like a suffocating fish. She was too nervous to speak a complete word!
Facing the panicked Hitori Gotoh and the confused Marin and Misaki, the angelic girl smiled gently. "I apologize for suddenly interrupting you. My name is Nijika Ijichi."
"H-Hitori Gotoh." Head down, Little Bocchi didn't dare to look at the little angel and said her name in a very fast voice.
"While I'm at it, how good are your guitar skills, Hitori-san? Um... I'm in a bit of trouble right now. Could you possibly help me out? If it's inconvenient, that's fine. I'll find someone else..."
"Is something the matter, Nijika-san? Gotoh-san is busy right now."
"Um... um..." Nijika lowered her face, her slender fingers twisting together in embarrassment and shyness, but she finally plucked up the courage. "The guitarist in my band quit, but our performance is tonight. Can you be a temporary guitarist for my band for one day!?"
Guitarist! Band! Youth!
But... It's over. I've already been kidnapped by the yakuza Gals. All that awaits me is a desperate future of playing death metal for thugs for the rest of my life.
"Please!! The songs are simple; you can play them with just a little skill! Please!!!"
"Ah... ah... ah..." Hitori Gotoh was like a broken robot, only making short "ah" sounds and unable to form a complete sentence.
Marin, on the other hand, looked troubled when she heard this. "I'll make a phone call." Marin took out her phone and called Rin Ito. "Mr. Ito, on the way to your place with Gotoh-san and Misaki, we ran into a girl who wants to borrow Gotoh-san. She says her band's guitarist quit."
"Then you all go with her. Send me your location when you arrive."
"Thank you very much!!! I'll take you to the venue!" With that, as if to prevent Hitori Gotoh from escaping, Nijika firmly grasped Hitori Gotoh's wrist, while her other hand grabbed Marin's wrist. "Let's go! Quickly~"
...
Nijika led the three to a street lined with various trendy shops. The trendier and more bustling the area was, the more Hitori Gotoh shrunk away, not daring to make eye contact with anyone, only secretly observing the girls beside her. Nijika's clothes were so trendy, and the Gals, Misaki and Marin... they must frequent places like this, right? Only I am wearing a tracksuit and hunching over, looking completely unfashionable... Trendy people like Nijika are the real band girls.
No wonder, no wonder no one has approached me even though I've carried my guitar case for so long. They could instantly tell I'm not a real band girl. I must have dark circles under my eyes from staying up late yesterday, and maybe I even smell like mildew, no, no, perhaps like the insecticide from my closet.
They smell so good... The scent emanating from them is lovely. They are the sweet and soft girls; this is what high school girls should smell like. People like me should stay in the corners and crawl in the darkness.
Unaware of Hitori Gotoh's low mood behind her, Nijika introduced things to the three. "The venue for today's performance is called Starry. My sister is the manager there, and I work part-time..."
"Part-time? Are the wages high there? Good fabrics are expensive."
"Eh? Fabrics? Why are you buying fabrics, Marin-san?" Nijika asked curiously.
"To make cosplay outfits, of course." Although Orihime could make various cute cosplay outfits for Marin for free, Marin had to pay for the materials herself... it was like buying a Gundam and hiring someone to assemble it. Marin loved the feeling of cosplaying, and Orihime enjoyed the feeling of creating cute clothes. Marin and Orihime complemented each other... perfect!
Completely unlike the socially anxious Hitori Gotoh, the outgoing Nijika happily chatted with Misaki and Marin. Hitori Gotoh shivered, listening to talk of bands and cosplay. Walking down the street in a cosplay outfit... I can't do it! That's not something a human can do! Is Marin the Greek goddess of Cosplay!?
Before long, Nijika led them to a staircase leading to a basement. All the wild thoughts on the way had paradoxically made her less nervous.
"Downstairs is Starry~ Let's go."
Although walking down the stairs into the basement made Hitori Gotoh feel like she was returning to the safety of her closet at home, she didn't feel that way once inside Starry. In the small venue, a few people, who were either guests or members of other bands, gathered in small groups. The spotlights on the ceiling shone oppressively on the stage. The thought of playing the guitar on a stage like that made Hitori Gotoh's knees wobble.
I'm going to die!!!! I, a creature of darkness, will be melted by the spotlights!!!!
Just then, a blue-haired, cool-faced girl walked out from behind the stage. The energetic Nijika raised her hand to greet her.
"This is Ryo~ She's the bassist and composer for the band... Oh, right~ I forgot to introduce us. Our band is called Kessoku Band."
"It's called Kessoku Band (Unity Band), but someone quit? Ah... sorry, sorry." Misaki quickly stopped talking when she realized her blunder.
"Ahaha..." Nijika gave an awkward laugh, then introduced them to the bassist, Ryo Yamada. "This is a wild guitarist who respawned on the street, and these are her friends, Marin and Misaki." The two, who had already sent their location to Rin Ito, smiled and greeted Ryo Yamada.
Nijika and Ryo's small talk didn't last long before they got to the point. Hitori Gotoh, as a lonely guitarist, had never performed with anyone else. Performing in a band wasn't a solo performance; besides playing your own part well, you had to harmonize with the other members. There wasn't much time before the official performance, so the three had to quickly practice and get in sync!
...
While the three were practicing backstage, Rin Ito also arrived at the venue. However, it wasn't time for guests to enter yet, so Rin Ito had to wait outside as a guest. After Rin Ito arrived, Marin and Misaki, who had been brought in by Nijika, came rushing out of the venue.
"Mr. Ito~" Marin jogged up to Rin Ito. "How do you know Gotoh-san? Even we, who go to the same school, didn't know she existed."
"Hehe." Misaki poked Rin Ito's side with her elbow. "You had your eye on her last time you came to pick us up, didn't you? Gotoh-san is timid and cute, like a small animal."
"Cough, cough, cough..." Rin Ito cleared his throat and feigned seriousness. "I did see her last time when I came to pick you up. I noticed her immediately because she was carrying such a large guitar case."
"Hmm...?" Marin stared at Rin Ito suspiciously. "But... she was just carrying a guitar case. How did you know her skill level, Mr. Ito?"
"I could tell from her hands. The hands of someone who practices the guitar regularly are different from yours." Rin Ito bluffed confidently. "With that much practice, her skill level must be good. So, when I thought about needing BGM for Eiri's game, she came to mind."
In reality, Rin Ito hadn't actually looked at her hands. Last time he was here, he only saw the pink-haired girl in a pink tracksuit walk past him with a guitar case on her back. Rin Ito had only guessed because she looked like Bocchi-chan and wasn't entirely sure, so he had sent them to test the waters... Although Rin Ito thought that no one else would wear a skirt over pink sweatpants except for Little Bocchi.
And she really was Little Bocchi.
Although Marin and Misaki were still somewhat suspicious, Rin Ito's explanation was barely plausible, and they didn't press him further.
Rin Ito chatted casually with the two girls, and the number of waiting audience members gradually increased. When the doors opened, they lined up to buy tickets and drink vouchers. Starry's venue was quite simple. Aside from the ticket office and the bar counter, there was only the stage under the spotlights. There were no chairs; all guests watched standing. Fortunately, the number of guests wasn't too large, so it wasn't too crowded, and even shorter girls could see the stage without being blocked.
Kessoku Band, with Little Bocchi as a temporary member, was tasked with warming up the crowd. The little angel Nijika was already sitting behind the drums, the bassist Ryo was holding her bass, and as for Little Bocchi... she was hiding in a large cardboard box. The audience below was curiously staring at the box. Fortunately, the box shielded her from the audience's gaze, or Little Bocchi would have instantly melted.
"Hello everyone~ We are Kessoku Band~ Today we're going to play a few familiar songs~"
The two girls and one cardboard box began their warm-up performance. However, their skill level... perhaps because Little Bocchi hadn't successfully synchronized with them, or for some other reason, even Rin Ito could hear slight disharmonious notes occasionally throughout their songs, and the audience's reaction was lukewarm. There was applause, but it was mostly polite applause.
After the warm-up performance ended, the three returned backstage. After just a few minutes, the energetic little angel Nijika rushed over to Marin and Misaki, while curiously examining Rin Ito.
"Who is this older brother...?"
"My name is Rin Ito, and I'm the president of the club [Baumkuchen]. You are Kessoku Band, right?" Rin Ito smiled and extended his hand. Nijika carefully shook it back.
"President...?" Nijika's gaze shifted past Rin Ito. Rin Ito turned his head and followed her line of sight to the blonde woman sitting at the bar counter, drinking from a boxed beverage. Rin Ito only remembered that she was Nijika's sister and didn't recall her name. The sister, frowning, stood up and walked over to Rin Ito.
"Sis... ah, Manager~" Nijika started to call her sister but quickly changed it to Manager.
"I'm her sister, Seika Ijichi. Is there something you need from my sister?" Seika said in a cool tone while sizing up Rin Ito.
"Hello, I'm the president of [Baumkuchen]. I originally intended to invite Hitori Gotoh-san to handle the BGM for a game, but now Hitori Gotoh-san has joined your sister's band, so... if your sister agrees, the BGM can be handled by their band."
"..." Seika frowned deeply. The more she listened, the more suspicious it sounded. She didn't know what kind of club [Baumkuchen] was, but going to great lengths to hire a student to handle the BGM for a game? It sounded suspicious no matter how she looked at it.
The older sister Seika was wary of Rin Ito, but the younger sister's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"Then what is the compensation?" Seika asked tentatively.
"10% of the net profit after the game is released." Seika hadn't dealt with GALGAMEs and didn't know if 10% was a lot or a little, but she didn't want her sister to participate in such a suspicious project. However, Nijika's eyes lit up when she heard the 10% share. She... needed money. It wasn't that she wanted to buy anything... performing here cost money! Normally, the venue and the band split the ticket revenue, but if too few guests came to see the band, the band would have to make up the difference before the split. A non-popular band like Nijika's would definitely have to pay up... even if she was the manager's sister.
Ryo Yamada, who had unknowingly walked up beside Nijika, also looked expectant. Although Ryo Yamada was from a wealthy family, all her allowance went to buying expensive instruments; she often even borrowed money from Nijika. Seeing Ryo Yamada and her own sister looking so eager for money, Seika knew she couldn't stop them. Even if she tried, they would definitely participate in secret. However... writing some BGM shouldn't be too big of a deal. I'll have to secretly keep a close watch.
"Suit yourselves," Seika said coolly. "If you want to participate, then participate."
"Ah! Right! And Little Bocchi~"
"Is Little Bocchi backstage?" Rin Ito asked. Nijika had already given Hitori Gotoh the nickname Little Bocchi on their first meeting, and Rin Ito naturally started calling her Little Bocchi too; it rolled off the tongue better than Hitori Gotoh's name.
"Let's go, we'll go backstage!" Nijika and Ryo Yamada, with money in their eyes, urged Rin Ito to go backstage. Although they didn't know about GALGAMEs, the number 10% sounded substantial!
Arriving backstage, Rin Ito saw... Little Bocchi, merged with a box. Hearing the voices of the crowd, Little Bocchi, who was curled up in the box, twisted her body like a zombie and stood up.
"Little Bocchi~ This is Ito..." Marin was about to introduce Rin Ito to Little Bocchi, but the moment she heard the name "Ito," Little Bocchi ducked back into the box, trembling.
"You can do anything to me, just don't kill me!!!!"
"...Hitori Gotoh-san, I think there's been a misunderstanding."
"That's right, he's here to give us money, Little Bocchi." Ryo Yamada squatted down and lifted Bocchi's cardboard box, revealing Little Bocchi, trembling inside.
Little Bocchi cautiously raised her face. "Boss... Ito?"
"Pfft..." Misaki burst out laughing. "It's Mr. Ito, the manga artist."
After clearing up the misunderstanding about "Boss Ito," the usually quiet Ryo Yamada explained Rin Ito's intentions on his behalf. "Little Bocchi! It's 10%! Let's do it together!"
"Ugh... Er..." Faced with Ryo Yamada's intense gaze, Little Bocchi agreed. It wasn't that she wanted the money; she just wanted to be with companions, with friends. Never mind composing music; doing anything else was fine, too!
But... "C-Can I... really? Tonight... my performance... dragged the others down..."
"It's okay~" The energetic little angel comforted her. "Little Bocchi, you used to play alone, right? This is your first time on stage and your first time playing with others. Being able to do this much is already great. You just need to overcome your social anxiety before the next time you go on stage."
"Ugh... No, no, no. I can only play if I'm in a dark corner..."
"It's alright! We'll help you with special training to overcome your social anxiety!" Nijika patted Bocchi's shoulder reassuringly. "Next time, Little Bocchi will definitely be fine!"
"Sp-Special training? H-How will we do the special training?" Little Bocchi cautiously looked at Nijika.
"Uh..." Nijika was speechless for a moment. Although she had promised to help cure Little Bocchi's social anxiety to comfort her, where did she get experience curing social anxiety? How was she supposed to know what kind of special training to do?
As Nijika was deliberating, Rin Ito cleared his throat, drawing their attention.
"Ahem, actually... I have quite a bit of experience in overcoming social anxiety." Seeing their curious stares, Rin Ito continued. "Actually, Little Bocchi, your social anxiety isn't that severe; you can at least go to school. Initially, there was someone in [Baumkuchen] whose social anxiety was so severe that she couldn't leave the house. Forget classmates; she only saw her older brother, who lived in the same house, once a year."
Little Bocchi's eyes lit up when she heard Rin Ito's words. There's another creature of darkness in the club, just like me!? And she's even worse than me!? This gave Little Bocchi a strange sense of confidence.
"And... and now?" Little Bocchi swallowed.
"Now? After my treatment, although she still doesn't dare to go to school, she can leave the house, go to anime conventions with friends, stay over at friends' houses, and host parties. So... I believe Little Bocchi, you can definitely overcome your social anxiety."
Rin Ito paused after saying this, then added, "Overcome your social anxiety and make lots and lots and lots of friends!"
"Ehehe..." Imagining the scene Rin Ito described, Little Bocchi's face showed a dreamy, idiotic smile, until a line of drool slipped from the corner of her mouth, bringing Little Bocchi back to reality.
"I'm... I'm sorry..." After saying this, Little Bocchi took a deep breath. "I... I'll leave my social anxiety to you!!!!"
...
By the time the live performance at Starry ended, it was already evening.
"Misaki and I can take a taxi home. Mr. Ito, you can take Little Bocchi home. Bye-bye~"
After saying goodbye to everyone, Marin and Misaki left together. Nijika lived in the apartment above the venue with her sister, and Ryo Yamada, a classmate of Nijika's, seemed planning to sleep there for the night. After everyone left, only Rin Ito and Little Bocchi remained.
Being alone with a male... as an extreme introvert, Little Bocchi was trembling all over.
"Where do you live? I'll take you home."
"Ah... ah... er..." Extremely nervous, Little Bocchi couldn't say a single word to Rin Ito. Sagiri just couldn't leave the house, but Little Bocchi could leave, yet her social anxiety seemed much more severe than Sagiri's.
"If you don't give me the address, I'll take you back to my house."
"Eeeeek!!!!" Little Bocchi, the master of delusions, immediately imagined the scene of being taken home by Rin Ito... Maybe he'll lock me in his basement and take away all my clothes so I can never leave his house.
But... spending the rest of my life in a basement without having to see other people doesn't sound bad, either. Wait... No, no, no. I still want to see my father, mother, and sister. Ugh!!! Maybe he'll use me as a hostage to threaten my father, mother, and sister... Eating my sister, eating my mother, and finally not sparing my father.
"Ugh, yikes!!!!" Imagining the grotesque scene, Little Bocchi's cheeks flushed. To prevent this scene from becoming reality, Little Bocchi plucked up the courage to tell Rin Ito the address.
"That's better." Rin Ito didn't rush to call a taxi but reached out and patted Little Bocchi's head. Her body, after a moment of tension, gradually relaxed. Then, Rin Ito naturally took Little Bocchi's hand.
"Eeeek!!!!" Little Bocchi trembled, trying to pull her hand away from Rin Ito's grip, but with her strength, there was no way she could escape Rin Ito's grasp. Her trembling body swayed, as if she might collapse at any moment.
"See, nothing bad is happening, right?" Rin Ito gently stroked Little Bocchi's palm.
"Eh..." Little Bocchi stared blankly at the hand Rin Ito was holding. The moment Rin Ito took her hand, Little Bocchi thought of many things, such as whether her hand had calluses from playing guitar, whether it was soft enough compared to other girls', and whether he would dislike it.
At school, she would want to talk to classmates, but the moment she was about to speak, countless images of rejection and mockery would flash through her mind, so she would close her mouth before it even opened.
"Little Bocchi's hand... is very soft."
"R-Really...? Ehehe..." Praised by Rin Ito, Little Bocchi's face showed a dazed, blissful expression, and she could even respond to his words, completely different from her earlier fearful state.
She looks very easy to manipulate. If Kaede hadn't provided the anti-harassment charm, Rin Ito felt he could have gotten her pregnant with a soccer team's worth of kids.
"Your face is also very cute. You must look lovely when you smile."
"I-Is that so? Guhehe...!!!" Wait... Is he perhaps lying? Waiting for me to become smug, and then he'll say something like, 'You actually believed that?' or 'Don't you know what you look like?'
Subtly observing the changes in Little Bocchi's expression, combined with some vague memories from his previous life, Rin Ito gained a general understanding of Little Bocchi. When praised, she genuinely showed a happy expression, but she would quickly become horrified, constantly shaking her head as if to shake out strange thoughts, probably imagining something that made her suddenly scared.
She suffered from extreme low self-esteem, terrified that others would dislike her for something bad about herself. When talking to people, she worried about saying the wrong thing, so she just didn't speak, isolating herself so no one could dislike her. Although she desperately wanted to be the most dazzling person on stage, her extreme self-doubt made her fear being disliked if she stood on stage... What a complicated personality.
However, the root cause was still excessive low self-esteem and caring too much about what others thought. By focusing heavily on these two points, while he couldn't completely cure Little Bocchi's self-doubt, getting her to communicate normally shouldn't be too difficult.
Rin Ito looked Little Bocchi up and down, then let his gaze rest on her chest. Although her figure wasn't obvious because she wore a loose tracksuit and frequently slouched, she had bountiful breasts underneath that tracksuit, which was certainly something she could be confident about. To make her confident, he would need to compare her to someone with a flat chest, but comparing them might also lead Little Bocchi to think, "Will people dislike me because I have large breasts?"
Little Bocchi, who excelled at overthinking, could always find a reason to feel self-conscious. Rin Ito couldn't control the pessimistic thoughts she had developed throughout her life. Even when he praised her just now, she could have immediately reverted to self-doubt.
How exactly can I show her she doesn't need to feel inferior? Telling her would always allow her to conjure up another meaning; only through action could she be truly convinced. What kind of action should I take?
Rin Ito subconsciously frowned while thinking, but the action of frowning seemed to make Little Bocchi overthink again... Never mind, this can't be rushed. Little Bocchi definitely didn't behave this way with her family. He needed to get to know her better first.
With that thought, Rin Ito took out his phone, opened a taxi app, and handed the phone to Little Bocchi to input the address. After she finished, Rin Ito glanced at the address.
"You go to school nearby, so why do you live so far away?"
"B-Because by going to a distant school, no one would know I was gloomy in middle school..."
"Fair enough. But... you seem to be able to talk normally now?"
"Eh? Ah... ah... ah..."
"..." Rin Ito suppressed a curse. Did she revert back just because I mentioned it? Never mind, he'd deal with it later.
...
After taking Little Bocchi home, with her sister's loud shout of, "Mom, a big brother brought my sister home!" Rin Ito had the driver start the car.
It was already 11 p.m. by the time Rin Ito got home. Today had been relatively successful; he successfully secured Little Bocchi and her band's agreement to produce the BGM. Now, Kessoku Band would handle the BGM, Eiri the original art, Utaha Kasumigaoka the script, Nanami the voice acting for the all-ages heroine, and Rin Ito himself would handle the coordination, trying to participate in every part to gain experience.
Now only the programming was left. GALGAME production had standardized software. By following the instructions step-by-step and inserting the script and original art, the most basic functions could be implemented. However, mastering it would take considerable time, and only Megumi Kato was currently free.
"Hello, Kato-san?"
"Why are you calling so late?"
"You don't sound like I woke you up." Rin Ito paused, then got to the point. "Now we have the original art, script, voice acting, and BGM; only the programming is missing... How about you handle the programming part, Kato-san?"
"Programming..." Megumi Kato's voice carried a hint of trouble. "I haven't done anything like that before."
"It's alright. I'll send you the standardized software, manuals, and tutorials. If it's really impossible, let me know. Utaha Kasumigaoka and Eiri won't be finished anytime soon."
"Mhm, I'll try."
After hanging up, Rin Ito sent the software, manual, and tutorials he found to Megumi Kato. He would let her look at them first. More important than Megumi Kato right now were Utaha Kasumigaoka and Eiri. They were the soul of the GALGAME, and many processes depended on them completing their work first. However, a good script takes time to polish; it couldn't be rushed.
Rin Ito wasn't in a hurry, but someone else was.
Eiri: [I've finished five versions of the character designs. Where is your script, Utaha Kasumigaoka? Don't tell me, don't tell me, don't tell me, Utaha Kasumigaoka, you can't write a script.]
Utaha: [Don't contaminate my script with your crudely produced character designs.]
Utaha: [It doesn't matter how many drawings you make if my script isn't ready.]
To facilitate communication, Rin Ito created a group chat. The messages in the group were mostly their arguments... Is there really that much to argue about? However, Utaha Kasumigaoka always seemed to have the upper hand. Since Utaha Kasumigaoka wrote novels and Eiri drew doujinshi, it was normal for Eiri to lose arguments to Utaha Kasumigaoka.
The outcome of their arguments didn't matter to Rin Ito at all, but Eiri didn't think so. On the other side of the screen, Eiri was already furious. After taking a shower and lying in bed, Eiri clenched her teeth, completely unable to sleep.
Darn it (〃＞皿＜)!!!! That Utaha Kasumigaoka. Losing their private arguments was one thing, but now they were arguing in a group chat where everyone was watching! She couldn't beat her in looks, couldn't beat her in arguments, couldn't beat her in grades... Eiri felt the only thing she could beat her in was the number of times she masturbated.
Wait... The number of times I masturbate? How could I forget about such a huge advantage I have over her?
18+! Utaha Kasumigaoka, who wrote all-ages novels, definitely wouldn't be able to compete with her in 18+ content. Moreover... although the 18+ content would be in the form of DLC, the 18+ content was still part of the script, so Utaha Kasumigaoka naturally had to write it.
Eiri: [Let's have a material-gathering session this weekend. The direction of the script needs to be discussed by everyone; we can't let that Utaha Kasumigaoka write it alone! Otherwise, she'll definitely write me into the script as a villain!]
Utaha: [Not a villain, a pet.]
Eiri: [A pet is even worse! So the script outline must be decided by everyone together!]
Although the official reason was to prevent Utaha Kasumigaoka from going rogue, the reality was... Hehehe... Hehehe... Hahaha...
After sending the message, Eiri couldn't stop smiling. It didn't matter what Utaha said now. When the material-gathering session came... Hehehe.