"I think something's been really off with Ijichi-senpai lately!" Kita Ikuyo secretly
whispered to Hitori Gotoh.
Hitori Gotoh tilted her head in confusion. "But Nijika hasn't been making any mistakes during practice lately."
"It's not about that!"
Kita Ikuyo turned her head slightly and stole a glance at Nijika. She was standing behind the counter, staring into space with her chin in her hands, her ahoge completely still. She was so lost in thought that she didn't even notice Kita Ikuyo watching her.
What was that dream all about?
I actually dreamed about marrying Jhin...
They say that when you wake up from a dream, the memories of it get blurrier and blurrier, so why do I remember it so clearly? I can even recall the feeling of holding his hand.
Nijika recalled the moment in the dream when the wedding ring was placed on her finger, and an uncontrollable shyness bloomed within her. Her ahoge started spinning like a helicopter rotor.
N-No way! He's Bocchi-chan's boyfriend!
Viciously slapping her cheeks with her small hands, Nijika tried to wake herself up from the dream's fantasy. Her gaze inadvertently fell upon the ring finger of her left hand, and for a fleeting moment, she thought she saw a red ribbon and a silver wedding band tied around it.
"Whoa!" Nijika frantically hid her hands behind her back, whipping her head left and right. She found herself standing behind the counter—there was no priest, no white doves, no wedding march, and no Jhin in a pure white suit.
Nijika, calm down. Don't let a mere dream throw you off.
I have to stay calm. I just had a weird dream because I've been seeing Jhin and Bocchi-chan being all lovey-dovey too much.
I don't have the slightest intention of stealing him away.
Nijika ran into the restroom, tucking the strands of hair at her temples behind her ears. She repeatedly splashed cold tap water on her face, washing away the burning heat from her cheeks. She straightened up, panting softly, and gazed into the mirror. It was as if she were back in the dream's dressing room, her reflection in a wedding dress staring back at her.
Seeing Nijika staring blankly, then suddenly slap her own face and bolt into the restroom in a fluster, Kita Ikuyo watched the slightly ajar door with concern. "Ijichi-senpai... is she okay?"
"She does seem... a little strange," Hitori Gotoh finally realized that something was off with Nijika.
"She's been like this for a few days now."
"Ryo-senpai, is Ijichi-senpai like this at school too?"
Ryo thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Not all the time. It seems to happen whenever she has a free moment."
"Ijichi-senpai, what on earth is wrong..."
"That's not important," Ryo held up her right hand, rubbing her thumb against her forefinger and middle finger, her eyes turning into money signs. "Thanks to her being like this, I managed to get an advance on next month's salary."
"Of course Ijichi-senpai's well-being is more important!"
"No!" Ryo stared at Kita Ikuyo with unprecedented seriousness, placing both hands on her shoulders, which made Kita Ikuyo's heart race.
Eh? Eh! Ryo-senpai is being so forward?!
I-I-I'm ready for anything! Whether you want to borrow money or ask me out, bring it on!
Ryo said slowly and seriously, enunciating each word, "If I couldn't get an advance on next month's salary, my life would be in danger this month."
"In danger?!" x2
Hitori Gotoh and Kita Ikuyo exclaimed in unison, starting to wonder what on earth Ryo had done.
Did Ryo-senpai fail at an investment and rack up a huge debt? This was Kita Ikuyo's guess.
Did Ryo-senpai get stuck in one of those rooms you can't leave without paying? This was Hitori Gotoh's thought.
"Because I've already eaten all the edible grass in the area this month." Ryo pulled out an "Edible Plant Encyclopedia" and waved it in front of them. "Only a small portion of the edible plants in here can be found in the country, and there are even fewer types around Shimokitazawa."
"Oh, so that's what it was about." Sad tears streamed from Kita Ikuyo's eyes as her impression of Ryo as a weed-eater deepened.
Hitori Gotoh was full of admiration for Ryo. "To think she ate all the edible plants in the area."
She, too, had once imagined how she would survive if she hadn't joined the band and couldn't find a job after graduation. She had even been envious of plants that could survive just by sunbathing and drinking water.
In a bright studio, the female deity who had granted Hitori Gotoh's wish back then realized her blessing seemed to have been given to the wrong person.
"Oh my, it's a good thing my blessings only have their full effect on the correct target, otherwise my star employee would be in big trouble."
"Now that I know the specific target, I definitely won't mess up this time!"
"Hey! Stop slacking off over there, we've got a new project!"
Just as the female deity was about to bestow the real blessing on Hitori Gotoh to help fulfill her wish, she was called away by a colleague. She had no choice but to delay the blessing for a little while. As for when, well, that would depend on when she remembered to do it.
"What are you guys talking about?" Nijika came out of the restroom, back to her usual energetic self. With her hands behind her back, she skipped over to the Kessoku Band members, who were huddled together chatting about something.
"Um..." Kita Ikuyo looked at the fully recovered Nijika and asked cautiously, "Ijichi-senpai, have you been feeling unwell lately?"
"Hm? Not at all. I actually rarely get sick!"
"You were acting really strange."
"Where? Where?" Hearing this, Nijika immediately looked down to check herself all over.
Clothes are fine, the ribbon is tied at my collar... everything below the neck is okay.
Nijika reached up to feel the top and back of her head, but there were no dead leaves or trash stuck there. She looked completely baffled. "Doesn't seem like anything's wrong."
"J-Just now, Nijika, you were slapping your face and gasping..."
"Ah, that..." Nijika gave an awkward laugh, twisting her fingers together behind her back. She lifted a leg and tapped her toe on the hard floor.
I can't possibly tell them I dreamed about marrying Jhin, can I?
Thinking quickly, Nijika came up with a great excuse. "I was actually thinking about what Jhin said, about setting up a dedicated record label for us."
"Oh, so that's what it was. No wonder Ijichi-senpai has been spacing out so much lately."
"Oh, was it that obvious?"
Kita Ikuyo nodded vigorously. She spent most of her time paying attention to the other members' conditions, so she could say with certainty that Nijika had been spacing out very frequently lately.
Hitori Gotoh, after all, wanted to become a rock guitarist who drove people wild. She also knew how important having a dedicated record label was, not to mention that Nijika's dream was to make Kessoku Band famous and, in turn, make STARRY's name known. "If it were me, my head would probably have been filled with nothing but thoughts of the record label long ago."
"Is that really okay, though? It's your boyfriend's personal asset, but he's using it to start a company for the band."
"Nijika, you said it yourself—Jhin is a member of Kessoku Band too."
"You're right. Thank you, Bocchi-chan!" Nijika happily hugged Hitori Gotoh, while secretly making a vow in her heart.
I definitely won't let this weird dream affect me!
___
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