Nijika: [Material-gathering session? What kind of session?]
Nijika: [Is it for the game? Speaking of which, what kind of game are you making?]
Eiri: [A GALGAME. Have you played one?]
In the group chat, Rin Ito had added Nijika and her band members besides Eiri's group, but they hadn't dared to interrupt while Eiri and Utaha were bickering. When Eiri mentioned a "material-gathering session," they immediately spoke up.
Nijika: [I haven't played one. What kind of game is it?]
Eiri: [A visual novel with voice acting and illustrations where you can choose routes.]
Utaha: [It's an 18+ game.]
Nijika: [Ehhhhh!!!!!????]
Nijika: [An 18+ game!???]
Behind the screen, the little angel's hand holding her phone trembled... She had thought it was a regular game, but it was an erotic game!?
Nijika: [Waaaah!!! I-Is it too late to quit now?]
Ryo Yamada: [What does it matter if it's an erotic game?]
Ryo Yamada: [We're just in charge of the music. What does the type of game have to do with us?]
Ryo Yamada: [Does Nijika not want the profit share anymore?]
Seeing Nijika hesitating, Ryo Yamada immediately started persuading her... That was a 10% profit share! That was money! So what if the money came from an erotic game? Wasn't it still money!?
Ryo was convinced. More money meant they could afford the performance fees to play on stage more often. Although the fact that it was an erotic game bothered Nijika a little, the money was substantial. For the sake of money, an erotic game was fine!
Nijika: [Alright, so should we attend the material-gathering session?]
Eiri: [You can come if you want, but it's not necessary if you don't.]
Nijika: [Then let's go together.]
Nijika: [Little Bocchi, you're watching, right? Let's go together~]
Nijika knew that they were only in charge of the BGM, and the plot details were none of their business, so they didn't need to gather material. But a material-gathering session was a group activity! It would be greatly beneficial for curing Little Bocchi's social anxiety, and maybe it would even help Little Bocchi make more friends.
Nijika: [Little Bocchi~ Speak up~ You're secretly watching, aren't you~ Don't make excuses not to come.]
At home, Little Bocchi, hiding in her closet, trembled. Even though they had only met today, Nijika had perfectly predicted Little Bocchi's plan.
Nijika: [As bandmates, we advance and retreat together, right Ryo?]
Ryo Yamada: [That's right.]
Although the material-gathering session wouldn't earn money, she was so poor lately she was practically eating grass. Attending the session would probably mean there would be food to fill her stomach, right? Ryo's family owned a wealthy private hospital, and her parents had spoiled her when she was young, but she felt her parents interfered too much. So, Ryo, in her rebellious phase, chose rock music, which her parents disliked, to make them think she had become a delinquent, thereby reducing their interference. Her parents no longer gave her extra money beyond her basic allowance. The money for her instruments came from part-time jobs or by saving on food expenses. When hungry, give her a bottle of sauce, and she could eat an entire hedge!
Free lunch at the material-gathering session during the day, and working at Starry at night to earn performance fees...
Oh, right, I'll ask Little Bocchi to work with us, too. One more person to split the performance fees, and we can save money to buy instruments or pay the performance fees! Maybe if I eat enough at lunch, I can even skip dinner! Perfect!
Little Bocchi: [C-Can I really come?]
Rin Ito: [Of course, no problem.]
Seeing everyone agree, Little Bocchi finally accepted. Little Bocchi, who habitually hid in the closet even at home, staggered out, so excited that she was waving her arms.
Material-gathering session, material-gathering session, material-gathering session!!!! Although she didn't know the specifics, she was finally going to become popular (Jyuujitsu)! Joining a band, making many friends, and doing activities with them... Ugh, finally!! She was finally going to enjoy the school life she'd dreamed of! Going out with friends and participating in activities... Little Bocchi had been looking forward to this since kindergarten.
Ten years!!! A whole ten years!!!
Today, I, Little Bocchi, shall perform a ten-year-long song of joy for you all!
Little Bocchi glanced at the time... Eh? Tomorrow? Why is it tomorrow? Oh... wait, it's past 12 a.m. It's Friday now.
That night, Little Bocchi smiled in her sleep. And the next day, Little Bocchi's smile didn't fade.
During breakfast, Little Bocchi's sister, Futari Gotoh, blinked, looking confusedly at her sister.
What's going on!? What's wrong with my sister today!? She was so happy first thing in the morning? And last night, when she opened the door for her sister, she saw a man outside. Her sister was brought home by a man.
Could it be, could it be, could it be... that a ghost possessed my sister!?
"Who is it! Get out of my sister's body!"
"Huh?" Little Bocchi stared blankly at her sister.
"Mom, Sis must be possessed by a ghost!"
"She's not~" Their mother tried to suppress her laughter and rubbed her younger daughter's head. "Your sister is just in love... Who was that person who brought you home last night? Oh my, my daughter's spring has arrived."
"I never thought it would happen. She didn't have a single friend since kindergarten and still wears clothes boys don't like, like that tracksuit."
"That's right. She never wears the clothes I bought her and never puts on makeup, but a boy still likes her. That's wonderful..." The mother even wiped her moist eyes. "What kind of person is he? Did he confess to you? Who confessed?"
Because Little Bocchi had run straight to her room last night, they were all curious but hadn't asked. Now was the perfect time at breakfast.
Her parents and sister all looked at Little Bocchi. Little Bocchi's hands, resting on her lap, tightly gripped her tracksuit pants.
"He... he confessed! He confessed to me!" Little Bocchi lowered her head guiltily, seeing her mother's delighted expression.
Little Bocchi originally wanted to explain to her parents that Rin Ito wasn't her boyfriend and had only brought her home out of concern, but with her mother looking so moved that she was about to cry, Little Bocchi couldn't bring herself to explain.
In reality, Little Bocchi was a repeat offender when it came to bragging. In real life, she was lonely, but online, she was extremely popular (Jyuujitsu)! Little Bocchi, under the username "Guitar Hero," posted recordings of her playing and even had nearly 100,000 followers.
When you're out and about, you define your own identity. Online, her persona wasn't the friendless Little Bocchi but a popular band player!
"I see. Oh dear, why didn't you invite him in last night? By the way, you're old enough, right... Dear, when should we have our daughter bring him over?"
"Whenever. The sooner the better. What if he changes his mind? And she's old enough to register the marriage now. Let's just register it directly so he won't change his mind."
"That's right, hurry up and get married."
"I thought she'd be lonely forever."
"Can I see Sis in a wedding dress? That's great~"
Little Bocchi's mouth twitched at her parents' outrageous remarks... Did they have so little faith in me!? And... They're talking about me marrying him without even knowing his name!? That was too much.
"I... I'm full. I'm going to school now!!!!"
Little Bocchi dropped her chopsticks, ran back to her room, and quickly grabbed her school bag and guitar case before dashing out of the house.
What do I do, what do I do, what do I do... The confession was something I just blurted out. But now, Mom and Dad are thinking about me marrying him. How can I bring him home? And... how do I explain it to him?
If I told him the truth... Little Bocchi's mind conjured an image of Rin Ito.
[Hahahaha, a lover? You? And I confessed? Hahahahahaha, you can't dress, you can't do your makeup, and you're that ugly, and you think you can marry me? Even if you kneel down, it won't work. How could I possibly marry an ugly girl in a tracksuit like you? I wouldn't marry you even if you gave me 10 million yen!]
Imagining the scene of being rejected by Rin Ito, Little Bocchi's eyes were already moist.
No! Don't do this kind of thing!!!!
But if I told Mom and Dad that I was lying before...
[Sigh... I knew it. Why would anyone like you?]
[I thought there was a sugar daddy for a moment.]
[Sister... don't worry. Even if you don't have a man and are lonely forever, I'll take care of you in the future!]
The figures of Rin Ito and her family alternated in Little Bocchi's mind.
What do I do, what do I do, what do I do... My brain is trembling!!!!!