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V5 Chapter 21: For a Lifetime
🕑 Added 2025-06-18 09:07:48 +0000 UTCThe moment the summer fireworks festival ended, it also marked the complete passing of this year's summer.
In the background, the faint sizzling of barbecue could be heard, an unmistakable crackling that accompanied the rich aroma of high-grade wagyu beef fat, mingling with curling white smoke. The golden drippings that landed on the grill mesh created a triple sensory pleasure: sight, sound, and smell.
Across from him, a blue-haired girl tightly gripped her chopsticks, eyes fixed intently on the sizzling wagyu as if she were a soldier gripping sword and shield on the battlefield.
A petite girl with a golden side ponytail held a pair of tongs, just having flipped the meat to reveal its aromatic side. But before anyone could react, Yamada Ryo launched her assault with lightning speed, chopsticks poised mid-air.
Unfortunately for her, her move was intercepted by a smiling Nijika.
"Nijika, what are you doing?"
"Ryo~ shouldn't you at least thank Haru for the treat first?"
Nijika puffed her cheeks slightly in mock displeasure. But the moment she said that, Yamada Ryo took a deep breath and declared with righteous fury:
"My relationship with Haru isn't something so vulgar it can be measured with money!"
Then how about you pay me back first?
This time, Kazami Haru didn't bother retorting like usual. Sitting next to Ryo, he simply snatched the grilled beef away while she was distracted.
When it came to food, especially something this important, he always upheld the modern belief in gender equality.
"Haru… I wanted that…"
Ryo whimpered, wiping away the tears that welled in her eyes. On another day, Haru might've been swayed by her pitiful look.
But today, he had already embraced his own weakness and become invincible. Under Ryo's stunned gaze, he dipped the meat in sauce and popped it in his mouth without hesitation.
As expected of meat grilled personally by Nijika, so much more satisfying than regular meat!
Nearby, Chihaya Anon, still a bit reserved, quietly observed the blue-haired girl interacting with Haru.
From the first time she met this girl, she'd spouted nothing but provocative nonsense. On edge, Anon had even gone to their mutual partner Kita for intel.
But contrary to her expectations, the eccentric bassist hadn't made any moves on Haru. Not a single real "attack." That left Anon feeling a bit confused.
Could it be that Ryo's just all talk and no guts? Maybe...
Just maybe Ryo never had feelings for her little boyfriend in the first place, and that so-called "threatening" intel was just Kita's smokescreen to mess with her?
"Anon? Anon?"
"Huh?"
Haru's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
She realized the conversation had shifted to performance outfits. As the "design director," she was now being showered with praise and thanks by the other girls, with Kita especially admiring her with sparkling eyes.
Uh oh… this feels kinda nice.
"Aww, it was nothing really~"
Surrounded by the Kessoku band members and her own future boyfriend, the pink-haired girl was clearly starting to float. Her not-so-small ego inflated rapidly, losing her sense of direction with just a bit of flattery.
"No need to thank me! I've always had a slight interest in this sort of thing. I'm just okay at it~ but if you ever need help again, don't hesitate to ask!"
With her head held slightly high, she wore a proud yet deliberately "humble" look.
"This girl…"
Haru, long used to the pink puffball's personality, could only twitch his mouth slightly.
Suddenly, he felt a light tug on his left sleeve. Turning his head, he saw Kita, who had been sitting next to Bocchi, had somehow slipped beside him while grabbing a drink.
Holding a cup of oolong tea, Kita looked as if she had something on her mind. Haru tilted his head and asked, "I just realized, Ikuyo, I haven't seen you eat anything yet. Don't like barbecue?"
"No, that's not it!"
Her cute little head shook like a rattle drum.
Maybe it was because he'd called her "Ikuyo" again, but a few passionate red strands fell across her fair collarbone, and her blushing face made her look incredibly charming.
She used to hate the name "Ikuyo" for being old-fashioned. But now… she was starting to like it.
"I just… I was wondering, is it really okay for you to treat us at a place like this? I remember this place being super expensive. With so many people, it must be a huge burden on you…"
Kita, her tone laced with worry, quietly spoke while clutching her cup of oolong tea. Her overly cautious demeanor made her look even more endearing.
It was actually her first time eating barbecue in such a high-end place like Jojoen. Just seeing the prices on the menu earlier had nearly scared her soul out of her body and now Haru was treating this many people here? She couldn't even imagine how much this seemingly simple celebration would cost.
"U-Um! S-Sorry… maybe I shouldn't have come?"
The little penguin sitting next to Haru must have overheard their conversation too. She already didn't have much of an appetite to begin with, and now she trembled slightly, her usually low voice rising just a touch.
"I'm sorry, Tomori-chan! That's not what I meant!"
"…Sorry, it's my fault."
"No, no! I shouldn't have said it like that, it's my fault!"
The two band "vocalists" started apologizing to each other out of nowhere. Haru, who had been quietly watching the whole thing, could only sigh and step forward, extending both hands.
Snap!
He flicked Kita lightly on the forehead and used his other hand to gently pat Takamatsu Tomori's head.
This dual-action "attack" finally brought the two of them back to their senses.
Taking advantage of the calm, Haru narrowed his black eyes and softened his voice, "Don't worry. I always plan ahead."
"If I say I'm going to treat you all to a nice meal, then of course I've already prepared for it. A dinner like this isn't really a problem for me."
"So just relax and enjoy yourselves. Overthinking it will only ruin the celebration, right?"
Though his words were calm, they carried undeniable confidence. Kita and Tomori exchanged glances, their expressions mixed. After a moment, Kita's cheeks flushed as she asked:
"Then… why did you flick me on the head, but patted Tomori-chan instead?"
Caught off guard by the question, Haru froze for a moment.
Crap, that was muscle memory—
Kita's lively and passionate nature often made her impulsive, and a little "punishment" helped her cool down. Meanwhile, Tomori, prone to self-doubt and gloom, needed reassurance. Over time, Haru found that a head pat worked best for comforting her.
"Sorry… want me to make it up to you?"
"N-No, it's fine. I actually don't mind…"
Kita's pretty face flushed crimson, and she covered her forehead while speaking as if it didn't bother her.
Haru: "?"
Something about Kita's personality was definitely getting… weirder lately.
…
Maybe it was because they'd rushed from their Live straight to the fireworks festival, but they'd all missed their usual dinner time. Now, at the celebration, everyone was ravenous, devouring the food with gusto.
Aside from the smaller-stomached Anon and Kita, even the petite Bocchi and the little penguin girl ate a surprising amount, their bellies round with satisfaction.
As for Ryo, the primary powerhouse of the feast, she didn't hold back at all, devouring food like a storm. At this rate, if no one stopped her, she might eat straight through to tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile, "Nijika-mama" worked hard to take care of everyone. She grilled meat for Haru while watching over the rest, and even made sure Haru had enough to eat by secretly slipping some wagyu into his bowl when no one was looking.
Petite, sweet, and full of gentle kindness—her nurturing spirit was impossible to resist. At least for Haru, it was a losing battle. He found himself again and again wanting to grab Nijika's hand and propose right there, only to be reined in by reason every time.
No matter how lively, a celebration eventually comes to an end.
"My dream… is fulfilled," Ryo muttered, finally full and content after gorging herself.
The sudden comment made Kita blink curiously. Before Nijika could stop her, the impulsive girl blurted out, "Ryo-senpai's dream?"
"To eat my fill at Jojoen without paying a yen. That's one of my Top 100 Dreams."
Haru looked up at the dark sky, his tone wistful. "My dream is to find a bankbook with a trillion yen in it."
"Your dreams are way too ridiculous!" Nijika snapped, unable to hold back. She adjusted the little yellow bag on her shoulder, her energetic side ponytail bouncing as she took a deep breath and said:
"It's already late. Everyone should start heading home! You all worked so hard for the Summer Festival Live… really, thank you so much! Let's take a little break before we start training again."
"She's right! Let's relax a bit for the rest of summer!" Kita quickly agreed, catching on to Nijika's intent.
Haru, who had spent the past two months bouncing between jobs and band duties, definitely needed the rest. Even though everyone had contributed, it was clear that Haru had done the most for this Live.
From part-time jobs to support himself, to coordinating with staff, arranging the venue, rehearsals, equipment… he had handled nearly everything. Nijika, unwilling to let him carry it all alone, had tried to ease his burden however she could.
That's also why they didn't debut a new original song this time. Nijika had been determined not to add any more pressure on him.
"Well then, Kita-chan and I will head off first~ See you later, Haru!"
Chihaya Anon stole a glance at the radiant Kita beside her, thoughts swirling.
She'd wanted a chance to talk to Haru during dinner, but Kita kept pulling her into conversations, leaving her no room to speak with him directly.
That kind of behavior… couldn't be a coincidence.
[You should keep a closer eye on that red-haired girl, you know?]
Soyorin's words from the festival echoed in Anon's mind. She had dismissed it as the scheming of a sly fox with a fake smile, meant to sow distrust between her and her "ally."
But now…
Maybe, just maybe, there was something to it after all.
"Tomori, Bocchi, do you want me to walk you home?"
Haru turned to the still-dazed Tomori and Bocchi, who hadn't quite come down from the post-party haze.
Unlike Nijika and Ryo who lived in Shimokitazawa, these two "doom-gloom-shrooms" girls lived farther away, and Haru couldn't help feeling a bit concerned for them.
"Mm…"
Takamatsu Tomori slowly came back to her senses, her gaze still lingering on Kita Ikuyo. She nodded quickly, the sound of her wooden sandals clicking softly on the ground.
Still… no progress?
As they walked, Tomori felt a twinge of disappointment. She had been trying to find an opening to ask Kita about "Haru," but Kita, so lively and good at keeping conversations going, was always chatting with the others. Tomori just couldn't find the right moment.
No, she couldn't give up now.
As she strolled along the road, Tomori glanced at Gotoh Hitori walking beside her. Bocchi, timid and quiet like herself, was someone she felt she could relate to. Though she was closer to Anon from their band, Bocchi was also one of her few precious friends.
Strictly speaking, Bocchi was the first friend she made after meeting Haru.
If it was Bocchi… maybe she'd listen?
"Hm?"
Haru seemed to notice that Tomori was still a little distracted. It looked like she was troubled by something.
But whatever it was didn't seem like something heartbreaking or overwhelming, so he didn't plan to step in too much.
With both MyGO and the Kessoku Band, Haru simply did what he could. Whether the band would carry on "for a lifetime" would ultimately depend on the other girls and the choices they made.
After all, he couldn't solve everything.
Success or failure, both were part of a band's growth.
Tomori, sensitive and once prone to pessimism, had grown a lot. Maybe now she was like a wisteria bird, spreading her wings and soaring on her own, ready one day to leave the wisteria that once sheltered her.
"Um…!!!"
The sudden shout from the usually quiet social-phobic girl caught Haru off guard, just as he'd been considering how to gently nudge her along.
"Haru-san, it's fine to drop us off at the station. I'll go home with Tomori-chan from here… Besides, you're probably tired, right? I hope you'll rest well tonight!"
Bocchi, who had still been dazed from the party, seemed to finally snap out of it. Her sudden burst of courage caught Haru by surprise but also made him a little proud, like a father watching his daughter grow up.
I give up, you win
"Bocchi."
"Y-Yes!!"
Thinking he was about to scold her, Hitori stiffened and stood at attention, peeking nervously at Haru's face through her bangs. But he didn't say anything for a while.
Just as she was about to raise her head in confusion, Haru finally spoke:
"Then I'll sleep like the dead for the next few days. I'm counting on you."
"Ah… okay."
Bocchi stared blankly as Haru smiled slightly.
Before she could react, he casually waved and turned toward the street illuminated by the lamps, his figure slowly fading from view.
It kind of felt like Haru had just entrusted the band to her.
Oh no, did she just accept something huge without meaning to?
"Um, Bocchi-chan…"
After a short pause, Tomori hesitated. She had a feeling that what Bocchi just said to Haru might've been at least partially because of her.
"Ah! No, I just… I thought you wanted to talk to me about something. And I wanted Haru-san to go home and rest early, so I…"
"Sorry. I did have something I wanted to ask you."
Tomori finally found her chance. Clenching her small fists, she looked up, her amber eyes filled with determination. Her sudden seriousness made Bocchi tremble.
Her social anxiety instincts were screaming danger!
"Before I ask what I really want to say, can I ask you a question first?"
"P-Please go ahead."
Bocchi, too nervous to even swallow, straightened up and responded with a formal tone.
"Do you like Haru?"
BOOM!
It was as if thunder had exploded in Bocchi's ears.
She hadn't expected Tomori to ask that kind of question at all. Frozen in place, her wide, pale blue eyes shook violently, sweat beginning to form on her forehead under her bangs.
Her brain was now firing at full capacity trying to figure out how to respond!
"W-Why are you asking this?"
"Because… it's important."
Bocchi sucked in a breath. Looking at Tomori, she knew immediately this wasn't a joke. A girl like Tomori, with that heavy, solemn air around her, didn't joke like this.
She was 200% serious!
Considering how Tomori made everything feel like walking through a gravity chamber, Bocchi felt like even one wrong word could lead to disaster.
"N-No, I don't."
Uwahh, there's no way I could say it out loud!
If she admitted she "liked" him, she could already imagine what would happen next.
Tomori, devastated, would drag her to court for "liking a friend's crush," and witness Kita Ikuyo would testify against her with righteous indignation. Their lawyer, Ryo-senpai, would abandon her mid-trial, and judge Nijika would deliver the final blow with a cold expression.
["The defendant, Gotoh Hitori … is sentenced to death!"]
No way! She hadn't even been in love yet!
"…I see."
Tomori looked a little surprised at the answer. Seeing how shaken Bocchi was, she hesitated, but no matter what, she had to keep moving forward.
Even if the future was foggy and uncertain, nothing would change just by standing still.
Her usually sorrowful amber eyes now carried firm resolve, free of confusion.
"I like Haru."
"But… Anon-chan, Soyo-chan, Taki-chan… maybe even Raana-chan… they're all important too. If Haru ends up choosing one of us, someone will get hurt. If even one of us is gone, the band won't be the same…"
Her voice trembled as she spoke. The emotions inside her were raw and real.
"Losing someone hurts. It's sad. I don't want to be separated from the people who matter anymore."
"I want us all to stay together forever but I don't know how…"
Gotoh Hitori : ???
Just moments ago, Gotoh Hitori had been trembling with nerves, but now she stood frozen. Her small mouth hung open slightly, eyes blank as she stared at Takamatsu Tomori in front of her. Her pale, delicate face wore the expression of someone who had finally started to understand everything.
Such a shocking topic had rendered her completely speechless.
"Bocchi-chan?"
"Ah, well…"
Cold sweat ran down her back. How was she supposed to answer such a question so suddenly?
She had no idea someone from MyGO liked Haru too. Although, thinking about it, it wasn't that surprising they'd fall for him… but now that she really considered it, wasn't this getting to be a bit much?
If you counted the girls from the Kessoku Band too, wasn't it close to ten already?
What, was he assembling a knights of the round table?
"I want to hear what you think, Bocchi."
Tomori lightly pressed her fists to her chest. Right now, Bocchi was the only person she could turn to. If even she couldn't help, then she'd have no choice but to go it alone.
"What Tomori means is, if Haru ends up marrying one of us, everyone else would be hurt, and that could lead to the band breaking up, right? …I never thought about it like that before."
"…Really?"
Tomori seemed disappointed at her answer, her lips pressing into a thin line as she stood there awkwardly. The wave of helplessness that washed over her felt like cold water dousing the fire of her resolve.
Suddenly, the guitar slung across Bocchi's back felt ten times heavier. She'd carried her big black Gibson for years, yet now it felt foreign. The feeling made her want to run away.
"Ahh… that's not what I meant! There's definitely… definitely a way!"
"Yes, there must be."
Tomori nodded seriously, instantly regaining her courage. Bocchi, whose brain had been working overtime, took a deep breath and flailed a little as she spoke in panic:
"Haru-san's a serious guy, there's no way he'd marry everyone, right? So we have to think of another solution…"
"?"
Tomori blinked at that, then furrowed her brows slightly and tilted her head in thought. After a brief pause, she looked up again, a faint glimmer of delight lighting up her usually sorrowful face.
"Bocchi! Thank you for helping me!"
Gotoh Hitori : ??
Wait, what did I do?
Before she could make sense of anything, Tomori grabbed her hand. Confused, Bocchi tilted her head. She didn't know what had just happened, but Tomori seemed to have calmed down…
"But how am I supposed to do this alone?"
Tomori looked up again, the goal seeming more distant than ever. Doing something like this by herself might be too hard… but it was all for the sake of keeping everyone together forever.
"…Bocchi-chan, I want to ask for your help."
"Eh?"
Bocchi blinked again, mouth slightly open. She had no idea how to respond.
Wait, did Tomori want her help to win Haru over? No way! Being a wingwoman was too painful! Besides, hadn't she already promised to be Kita's "ally"!?
No, she had to refuse!
"Um… I think—"
Come on, Bocchi! You're a "Guitar Hero," aren't you?!
It's just saying "no" seriously. She had just managed to work up the courage to send Haru home earlier, hadn't she? She wasn't the same old her anymore. She'd grown!
"…S-Sorry."
"Ah, I must've pushed you too hard…"
Tomori's eyes began to glisten with tears. But just a second later, Bocchi took a deep breath and, her voice trembling, forced the words out:
"I think… it should be fine."
I'm such a massive idiot!!
Overwhelmed by the emotional blow and the crushing burden suddenly dropped on her shoulders, Bocchi's stomach flipped. The next second, she began frothing at the mouth and collapsed as if her soul had left her body.
Gotoh Hitori, age 16.
R.I.P.
