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V5 Chapter 5: How Dare You Use My Magic Against Me?!
🕑 Added 2025-06-10 09:13:52 +0000 UTCA new day dawned once again.
Kazami Haru had already submitted the entry form for the Summer Fireworks Festival, and to his surprise, it was approved in less than a day. Not only that, they'd successfully secured a performance slot on the main stage.
Even more astonishing, the Kessoku Band had been assigned the 9 PM time slot.
Sure, it wasn't the prime 7 PM golden hour, but for a newcomer band like theirs, 9 PM was practically a dream come true.
Haru had expected they'd get accepted. But being handed that time slot? Was this really a schedule reserved for new bands?
Maybe one of the staff members had come across their band photo and secretly bumped them up after getting smitten by their devilishly handsome keyboardist.
Ahem...
"First things first, let's celebrate, our Live application got approved!"
"We've been given the 9 PM slot! Big round of applause—!"
As the leader, Nijika Ijichi raised her right hand in a dramatic pose, like a speaker rallying a crowd. She held a flyer with Summer Fireworks Festival written across it, and in the corner was a section introducing the band Live acts.
Their name hadn't been printed yet, but it was only a matter of days before it appeared.
"Ehh~ That's wonderful news~"
The other girls clapped politely and chimed in. Even the usually bubbly Ikuyo Kita only gave a bright but composed smile. As for Bocchi and Ryo, deadpan expressions while clapping like robots.
"Wait, that's all the reaction I get?!"
Nijika looked around, stunned by their lukewarm response. She turned to Haru, clearly confused.
Had he already told them in advance? Otherwise, how could such a big deal get such a mild reaction?!
"No, I think they're just really shocked."
Haru pointed wordlessly at Bocchi.
Nijika blinked and looked closer. Sure enough—
That pink-furred desert monitor was in a soul-departed state, eyes vacant and glassy. Kita's forehead was covered in sweat. Even Ryo's usually steady hand was visibly trembling as she gripped her energy drink.
Yeah, they were shocked, alright.
"S-So what do we do now?"
"Are we debuting for real? Are we going straight to Budokan?"
Kita's smile twitched with tension as she spoke. Her high-pitched voice cracked with nervous energy. She was starting to spout nonsense.
"Skip ahead to the part where we all storm Budokan in a rage and Haru becomes a billion-yen keyboardist."
"Haru-sama, please entrust all your keyboard-earned profits to me for safekeeping."
The cool, elegant voice came from Ryo, who casually leaned closer to Haru and even reached for his hand, putting on a surprisingly serious expression.
That comment made everyone else flinch, especially Kita, whose already-stiff smile somehow got even more frozen.
"Before we talk about that, Ryo-san, please return the money you owe me."
Haru grinned as he took Ryo's delicate hand in his, then gently pried it away.
After going through so many "trials," he'd developed near-immunity to beautiful girls. A mere ex-wife like Yamada Ryo wasn't going to phase him. Just because she was good-looking didn't mean she could get away with everything.
Money owed is money owed. Not a single yen less!
"Can't we make up for some of it... another way?"
Ryo's golden eyes flashed as she noticed Haru wasn't biting.
She quickly shifted back to her playful act, rubbing her eye with one pale, snow-white hand. In the next moment, a misty layer of tears began forming. That tiny beauty mark by the corner of her eye, now framed in glistening moisture, added a dangerously enchanting charm.
Alright, I see how it is...
If you've got guts, head out the door and take a left, we'll settle this in bed!
Kazami Haru, muttering threats only in his head, knew full well that without Nijika around to keep her in check, he didn't stand a chance against Ryo-san. So, he quickly switched to his blank expression and awkwardly changed the subject.
Mimicking a certain straight-haired, tear-mole girl's tone, he spoke coldly:
"Let's not celebrate just yet. The real challenge starts now."
Kessoku Band didn't have Shiina Taki and he couldn't exactly count on Nijika-mama to lay down the pressure either.
A little pressure helps people grow and for this band, that pressure gremlin had to be him.
"You're right~ Let's get today's training started!"
"Everyone, let's do our best!"
Seeing Haru take on the role of the strict one, Nijika naturally stepped up as the good cop, the two working in perfect unison.
"Yeah!"
The mood shifted almost instantly as the girls rallied themselves.
Rehearsals were about to start. Only Ryo remained seated, casually observing Haru's earlier reactions with a thoughtful expression.
She couldn't help but notice that Haru's tolerance threshold seemed to have gone up.
Had someone done something without her knowing? Was this her chance? During training, she had a completely legitimate reason to—
...
After wrapping up afternoon practice at STARRY, Haru checked Line as he left the studio. Once he confirmed there were no urgent messages, he finally relaxed a bit.
After being swamped for so long, he was enjoying this brief sliver of free time.
The sky was darkening. Tokyo's neon glow shimmered across the city. Towering buildings drowned out the stars, replacing the night with a dazzling artificial brilliance.
"Time to stock up on ingredients. Running low on cooking wine and seasonings. Better use this downtime to prep..."
He had told Sakiko she'd buy the groceries next time, but he wasn't planning to dump the whole bill on her.
Besides, this wasn't just a "candlelit dinner" for two with Miss Sakiko. There was also a certain cucumber-munching airhead coming, so he needed to prepare for at least three people.
Tokyo, being a neon-lit economic hub, was bustling even in the backstreets. To avoid the crowd, Haru chose a quiet supermarket near his apartment.
It was small, but had everything he needed.
"Soy sauce, cooking wine... One bottle. White chocolate only, the milkier the better. Cucumber-flavored chips? Nope."
He expertly began selecting vegetables, eggs, and even pricier meats. He tossed a bag of chips into the cart for good measure.
His eyes then landed on the drink fridge, there, at the most prominent shelf, sat a newly launched drink: Cream Puff Flavored Oolong Tea.
Compared to that, Coke and Sprite looked like relics.
"What kind of cursed flavor is this? Gotta try it..."
Just as he reached for the bottle, his hand bumped into another, cool and jade-like. Surprised, he turned his head.
And locked eyes with a blonde girl in a baseball cap and sunglasses.
In the middle of August, that outfit stood out. But the familiar shoulder-length golden hair made Haru's face immediately twist in disbelief.
"Misumi-san?"
The name slipped out instinctively, causing the blonde to freeze for a moment.
But Uika Misumi quickly regained her composure. Her amethyst eyes, hidden behind sunglasses, glanced at Haru's face, then at his cart.
"Didn't expect to run into you here, Kazami-kun..."
He could say the same.
He'd come to this obscure supermarket to avoid people, and still managed to bump into someone he knew.
Counting the time she'd "tailed" him before, this was their fourth encounter in Tokyo. Was this coincidence or was he some kind of magnet for idol encounters?
Why couldn't he bump into B-Komachi's purple-haired starry-eyed one? [1]
"Shopping too, Misumi-san?"
"Yes~ Just picking up some essentials..."
Her sweet smile gave nothing away. But Haru's suspicion only grew.
That one time she followed him had already raised red flags and now they kept meeting by chance?
Still, his passive skill, Recon and Counter-Recon Lv. 3, hadn't triggered, which meant this probably was a coincidence... right?
Then again, it hadn't triggered with Soyo either...
As Haru pondered, Uika subtly adjusted her cap, her eyes twinkling beneath the sunglasses.
She hadn't expected to run into Haru either.
But maybe... it was an opportunity.
"I heard from Sakiko~"
"You're joining Ave Mujica as composer, right? I'm on vocals and lyrics, so we'll be working together a lot. Let's get along, okay?"
At some point, she'd removed her sunglasses, revealing those bewitching amethyst eyes and a breathtaking, gentle smile.
Her golden hair shimmered slightly as she moved, a visual so ethereal it barely felt real.
"...Oh boy."
"Hm?"
Haru, snapping out of her charm, casually took her sunglasses and put them back over her eyes.
"This place might be quiet, but as an idol, you should still be more careful. If someone recognizes you as Sumimi, no amount of milk will wash off that charmed debuff."
"...Thanks. I'll be more careful next time."
She softly touched the edge of her glasses, slightly flustered.
As an idol, the last thing she could afford was scandal.
In Tokyo, Uika had no family or close friends, just herself. Even her few social outings were with Sakiko or fellow idol Sumita Mana.
Getting caught alone with a boy like Haru could spell the end of her career.
"But Kazami-kun, you don't have to be so formal with 'Misumi-san.' We're in the same band now... and friends with Sakiko. So that makes us friends too, right?"
Her gentle voice paired with that charming smile, lethal.
"Then... Uika-san?"
"Then I'll call you Haru-kun, okay?"
She pulled out her phone with a glimmer in her eyes, naturally exchanging Line IDs with him.
As composer and lyricist, it made sense to connect for better collaboration. Nothing out of line.
Haru didn't mind, it was just Line, after all.
Though Uika's feelings for Sakiko were intense, she was always graceful and kept a respectful distance with others. Being her friend actually felt... easy.
"But Uika-san, were you really about to grab this?"
Haru eyed the pink bottle of Cream Puff Oolong Tea in his hand.
Just the name alone was a red flag. Anyone brave enough to grab it was definitely not ordinary.
He only reached for it out of sheer curiosity, hoping some culinary chaos might help him unwind.
"I just thought the flavor sounded interesting. When work gets tiring, I like to try strange new snacks or drinks from the supermarket. Tasting something weird can actually help relieve stress."
She fiddled with her glasses shyly, embarrassed by the small confession.
"I get that."
Haru genuinely did. He often watched streamers try bizarre foods just for the laugh. It helped with stress.
And honestly... Uika did seem tired.
He first met her at the planetarium, where she'd bumped into him, clearly out of sorts.
It was easy to imagine how overwhelming her idol workload was.
Yet, she always maintained that perfect idol composure, adjusting herself at a moment's notice to deliver a flawless smile.
And for her childhood friend Sakiko, she even ran back and forth between projects.
Poor Uika, pitiful in more ways than one.
"I think you like the planetarium too, right?"
"Mm-hmm! I love stargazing. I go there often after work to relax..."
Their conversation wandered from constellations to shared interests, eventually touching on how they met Sakiko.
Somewhere along the way, Uika forgot she was "gathering information" and just got caught up in the moment.
Maybe since becoming an idol, she hadn't had a normal conversation with someone in ages. All she had were coworkers, producers, and managers.
But today, she was just a girl chatting with a black-haired boy.
"By the way, Uika-san have you had dinner?"
It was a casual, thoughtless question. But her response came with a beaming smile:
"Not yet. Want to eat together, Haru-kun?"
Haru: ?
Wait a minute...
How dare you use my magic against me?!
---
[1]: B-Komachi, Ai Hoshino from Oshi no no Ko.
