Nyamu had clearly overestimated her stamina.
Since she wanted to film the scenery along the way, she naturally chose the much harder route—climbing the stairs.
As for the escalator, she planned to film that on the way back down.
She climbed alone for what felt like an eternity.
Is there seriously not a single person on this mountain?
Did everyone take the escalator?!
Why are young people these days so lazy?
Then...
Through sheer bad luck, she accidentally spilled her only bottle of water.
Now she was exhausted, overheated, and parched.
Finally...
When she spotted two living souls—Bai Qiu and Kita—she used the last of her strength to call out for help.
The moment she finished shouting, she collapsed onto the stone steps.
Bai Qiu and Kita quickly made their way over.
Looking a little surprised, Bai Qiu said to Kita,
"It's the girl who was filming videos at the foot of the mountain."
Kita nodded.
"I recognized her too."
She leaned in for a closer look before her eyes lit up.
"It really is Nyamu!"
"The blogger you mentioned?"
"Yeah! I watch her makeup tutorials all the time to learn new techniques..."
Kita excitedly rambled on.
Bai Qiu simply nodded along.
"...Could you two save me before continuing your conversation...?"
Nyamu said weakly.
Although she was delighted to hear that one of them was her fan, she felt like she was about to die of thirst.
"Ahaha... Sorry."
Kita laughed awkwardly.
"Water..."
Bai Qiu opened an unopened bottle of mineral water, and Kita held it to Nyamu's lips.
Gulp... Gulp... Gulp...
After drinking several mouthfuls, Nyamu finally recovered a little.
"Ah... I feel alive again."
"Thank you both so much!"
"Otherwise tomorrow's headline would've been..."
'Popular Influencer Nyamu Dies of Exhaustion on Enoshima.'
Bai Qiu and Kita couldn't help laughing.
Then Nyamu glanced at Bai Qiu and pouted.
"So... it was you of all people who ended up saving me..."
"Not 'that guy.'"
Bai Qiu corrected her.
"I'm your lifesaver now."
Kita added,
"Miss Nyamu, even though I really like your videos, secretly filming us without permission wasn't the right thing to do."
Being lectured by two people younger than herself was certainly embarrassing.
Unfortunately...
Nyamu's skin was far too thick to feel much shame.
Still, she put on a pitiful expression that looked as though she were about to cry.
"Uuu... I know I was wrong..."
Whether she actually meant it...
...was another matter entirely.
After receiving Bai Qiu and Kita's forgiveness and seeing that they wouldn't pursue the matter further, Nyamu decided to climb the rest of the mountain with them.
If she stayed by herself, she was genuinely afraid something might happen.
After all...
Nyamu treasured her life.
During the climb, Kita and Nyamu quickly hit it off.
They chatted happily while taking pictures and recording videos together.
Nyamu shared plenty of makeup tips and even signed an autograph for Kita.
After a while, her curiosity got the better of her.
She quietly pulled Kita aside and whispered,
"Kita-chan... tell me secretly."
"What exactly is the relationship between you two?"
Kita instinctively glanced toward Bai Qiu.
A faint blush flashed across her cheeks.
"W-We're just friends in the same band."
"Really?"
Nyamu looked unconvinced.
What a shame...
She hadn't managed to dig up any juicy gossip.
"Then where are your other three bandmates?"
"They took the escalator."
Kita explained.
The moment Nyamu heard that, she cried out in regret.
"I knew it! I should've taken the escalator too!"
"I didn't expect your stamina to be this bad either, Miss Nyamu."
Kita remarked.
"I'm a college student."
"That's perfectly normal."
Bai Qiu nodded in agreement.
"You're absolutely right."
Kita blinked in confusion.
Is... that really normal?
By dusk...
Bai Qiu and Kita were each supporting one side of the utterly exhausted Nyamu as they finally reached the summit.
Nijika, Bocchi, and Ryo had already been waiting at the observation deck for quite some time.
Seeing an extra person with them, all three looked puzzled.
So Bai Qiu briefly explained what had happened.
Afterward, the group's final stop was the shrine.
Facing the camera on her phone, Nyamu enthusiastically narrated,
"After an incredibly difficult climb, Nyamu has finally reached the top of Enoshima!"
"I'm now standing at Enoshima Shrine."
"The deity worshipped here is the goddess Benzaiten."
"She's the goddess of music and the arts."
Having clearly done her homework beforehand, she explained everything fluently.
"Anyway..."
"I worked way too hard to get here."
"So I'm going to line up and make a wish!"
With that, she hurried off to join the queue.
After hearing her explanation, Ryo Yamada sighed regretfully.
"I thought it was the God of Wealth."
Nijika immediately scolded her.
"Don't think about money all the time."
Soon afterward, the members of Kessoku Band each tossed a coin into the offering box and made their wishes.
With that...
Their day trip to Enoshima officially came to an end.
"So..."
"What did everyone wish for?"
Nijika asked curiously.
"My wish was for our upcoming live show to go smoothly... and for our band to become more and more successful."
After she finished speaking...
Bai Qiu and the others awkwardly turned their heads away without saying a word.
Apparently...
Everyone except Nijika had wished for something personal.
Bocchi transferred trains at Fujisawa.
Nijika and Ryo headed straight back toward Shimokitazawa.
Bai Qiu and Kita got off at different stations along the way.
After getting off the train, Bai Qiu was walking along the sidewalk when he unexpectedly noticed that Miss Nyamu seemed to be heading in the same direction.
She gave him a professional smile before falling behind, busily fiddling with her phone.
She's really dedicated to her work...
Stopping at a traffic light, Bai Qiu suddenly heard someone talking on the phone beside him.
Out of habit, he glanced over.
It was the cool-looking girl dressed in a punk style whom he had met once before.
If he remembered correctly...
Her name was Yahata Umiri.
Well, with the surname Yahata, it's only natural I'd remember her name.
Although he wasn't intentionally eavesdropping, part of her conversation inevitably reached his ears.
"You need a keyboardist and a drummer?"
"Yes! Yes!"
"The two idiots accidentally ate poisonous mushrooms and got food poisoning. They've just been rushed to the hospital."
"I see..."
Umiri's lips parted slightly, quietly expressing her surprise.
"So, Umiri... can you find some session musicians to help us out?"
The caller knew that Yahata Umiri worked as a professional support musician and figured she probably knew plenty of freelancers.
"I probably can't."
Umiri gently shook her head.
She had always been a lone wolf.
Besides...
At this hour, finding replacements was nearly impossible.
"You can't say that, Umiri!"
"Tonight's pay is really good! If we lose this gig, I'll be living on instant noodles!"
"Please! Think of something!"
Just as Umiri was about to reply, a burst of static interrupted the call.
After the interference faded, the other person's hurried voice returned.
"The manager's here to rush us!"
"I've got to stall him!"
"I'll hang up now!"
"Just see if you can find anyone."
"If all else fails..."
"The two of us will perform by ourselves!"
Beep... Beep... Beep...
The call ended.
"Wait..."
Umiri looked helplessly at the disconnected screen before lowering her head in thought.
At that moment, Bai Qiu walked over and asked,
"Need a hand?"
Caught off guard by the sudden voice, Yahata Umiri raised her head in surprise.