I_LOVE_RICE+
patreon
V2 Chapter 37: You Even Thought of the Kid’s Name?
🕑 Added 2025-05-12 01:12:41 +0000 UTCBefore they knew it, evening had already arrived.
The Kessoku Band's meeting for the day had wrapped up. Assigning roles and choosing a band name were just the minor details, what really mattered now was preparing for their very first live show. Each member had to sell five concert tickets as part of their quota.
Since Kazami Haru planned to teach that troublesome pink-hair guitar on Friday, the promotional shoot for the band was scheduled for Saturday. Kita would also start joining in the guitar training from then on.
The members had also practiced ensemble play in the recording studio.
But as a freshly formed band, Kessoku Band had absolutely no coordination to speak of.
Everyone had their own individual issues, all of which would need a lot of practice to work through.
After the training session, the five of them headed to WcDonalds for dinner, cheap and beloved junk food made it the go-to spot for group meals.
"To put it bluntly, we've got quite a few problems…"
Haru rested his chin in one hand, softly biting down on a bendy plastic straw and taking a deep sip of ice-cold Coca-Cola.
The chill and fizzy bubbles washed away a good bit of the fatigue from the day's simulation.
He casually popped a golden, slightly overcooked fry into his mouth and spoke calmly. "Nijika's tempo dropped because of nerves. Ryo's bass is too deep into slap mode and going way too fast."
"As for Kita, she's still a beginner and needs more practice. Bocchi can't look anyone in the eye, so she can't sync with us properly."
"Looks like we need to ramp up our practice before the first live show. Otherwise, we'll have to rely on the bassist breakdancing onstage to save the performance."
Just from that short training session, he could already tell, Kessoku Band was still a newbie group. They had a long, long way to go before they could truly come together.
Seeing the awkward smiles forming on all the girls' faces, except Ryo's, he kept chewing his fries without a care.
Oh well. They were all cute, after all.
Right now, the top priority was getting through that first live show.
"Okay! Looks like I can't slack off either. I'll start practicing the moment I get back!"
"For our first live, let's give it everything we've got!"
As the band leader, Nijika knew she still had a lot to work on. She didn't deflect or deny it, instead, she met the challenge head-on, responding with energy and sincerity.
"Yeah! Let's go!"
Ever-cheerful Kita raised a little fist in encouragement too. Even Bocchi mustered up her courage and joined in. She had to find a way to fix her own issues as well.
Only Ryo kept snacking from Haru's tray, her mouth full of fries as she mumbled out a half-hearted, "Mmhm."
"Oh yeah~ Anyone wanna go to karaoke later?"
Ikuyo Kita glanced toward Haru from the corner of her eye, the stars in them practically sparkling.
This was a rare golden opportunity!
But after glancing around, she realized… no one else seemed free for another round.
Ryo, always sharp, had a sense something fishy was going on with Kita's proposal, and she wasn't about to play along. Bocchi remembered she had to head home and take care of her little sister.
And Nijika, being the good girl she was, had to get home early, unless she wanted to get scolded by her older sister.
"Wh-Why… noooo~"
Kita looked utterly defeated, eyes welling up with tears. She just wanted to take Haru to karaoke and see if maybe... just maybe... he'd confess to her again like before.
But her "flawless" plan had fallen apart before it even got off the ground.
...
5:30 a.m., pre-dawn
Beyond the snow-white curtains, a faint sliver of morning light crept into the room. Birds chirped clearly through the walls, and the ticking hands of the bedside clock echoed softly. The still dawn light spilled gently over the wooden floor.
From within the clean, wood-toned bedroom came a soft, stirring sound that could set anyone's heart racing.
A girl with lovely cherry-pink hair lay sprawled across a large bed. Dressed in white pajamas, her eyes were tightly shut, brows twitching, her delicate body starting to twist and writhe slightly. A blush like the first streaks of dawn bloomed across her fair, tender face.
"Nnngh…"
Chihaya Anon slowly opened her sleepy, gray eyes as consciousness began to return.
Her whole body felt like jelly, lacking any real strength. It was like she was pinned under a mountain of cotton, she couldn't move at all. She tried to lift herself up, but couldn't muster any energy, so she just lay there, staring blankly at the white wall.
Then suddenly, realization dawned on her.
"Ah—"
Anon shot up in bed and looked down at her pajamas. Her face instantly turned as red as a summer cherry, flushed with embarrassment.
She immediately covered her face with her hands, those pretty eyes starting to tremble uncontrollably.
"Uwaaaaaaah!!!"
Moments later~
Her pajamas, along with the bedsheets, were all stuffed into the washing machine. Meanwhile, Anon soaked herself in the warmth of the bathtub, surrounded by fluffy white bubbles. The light above reflected off her soft, fair skin, blending with the foam.
The sound of the washer tumbling endlessly in the background echoed like her unsettled emotions.
Gurgle gurgle gurgle…
Half of Anon's little head was buried under the hot water as she blew bubbles. Her delicate face, warmed and soothed by the bath, glistened with a soft, almost hypnotic sheen.
A rich pink, like red wine, had crept up her neck and cheeks. Her eyes had gone dreamy and unfocused.
"…Am I really that kind of pervy girl?"
It felt like she'd just had the longest dream in the world.
Illusory, yet real.
It felt like she had walked through another life of her own, in first-person. Even if the fragmented dream kept flashing by like fleeting illusions, it carried emotions too vivid, too sincere to be ignored.
Especially...
Chihaya Anon blushed and glanced at the direction of the washing machine. Instantly overcome with embarrassment, she grabbed her head with both arms and buried her burning face in her snowy white knees. Her eyes still trembled slightly.
So embarrassing!!
Why—why would she even do something so embarrassing?!
She'd even tried… that kind of play!?
Until now, Chihaya Anon had never experienced this kind of deep, flustered shame. No matter the situation, she had always been a bit narcissistic.
She believed that even if she ever fell in love, she'd be the one firmly in control, but now, after this dream, she realized... she was so weak!
Ridiculously weak. A single sweet line from the other party would have her grabbing her pillow and rolling around on the bed.
"This dream was way too real! And that dummy Haru… he was way too handsome!"
"I can't deal with this!!"
Thump, thump, thump…
Just remembering those vivid scenes from the dream made her heartbeat speed up again. She didn't even need a mirror to know how red her cheeks were, her fingers could feel the burning heat just by touching her face.
"No, wait, maybe I've just got too much imagination? Maybe I liked him this whole time and didn't realize it?"
"But still, even having a name picked out for our future child is a bit much…"
And those intimate interactions in the dream, so real they felt lived. If she could imagine that much detail, didn't that just make her sound like a hopeless perv?
Acting aloof on the outside, but dreaming of steamy things in the dead of night?
She even named the kid already?!
"No doubt about it—this wasn't just some random fantasy!"
"I really… I really love Haru…"
After thinking it over deeply, Chihaya Anon finally admitted it to herself. That dream, which flowed so vividly and naturally in her mind, it wasn't just a dream. It was a glimpse into her future.
Which meant… all those things were destined to happen.
They were going to happen someday.
"Hehehe, guhehehe…"
Just imagining how happy she'd be in the future made her giggle out loud.
"Of course it's me~"
"Even a tsundere like Haru will eventually fall head-over-heels for the super-gorgeous A↑non↓-sama. All I have to do is work just a little harder, and he'll be mine, easy!"
Just thinking about those warm memories from the future made her want to dash over to Kazami Haru and get all cuddly right now. Her heart felt like it couldn't wait any longer.
She wanted to call and see if he was awake, just to hear his voice…
But no, not yet.
She had to follow the plan. Just like in the dream, she needed to lure Haru into confessing to her!
And once he did, she could hold him tight and breathe in his scent, ask for kisses and cuddles whenever she wanted… Just imagining that scene had her covering her face in embarrassment again.
She really was greedy.
"And another thing!"
"It's not just me. There's also Tomori and Rikki-chan!"
(TL Note: Canon Taki Nickname=Rikki)
"They probably have feelings for Haru too. I need to be on guard."
Thinking back to how the other band members acted in her dream, Anon straightened her back with resolve.
Her possessiveness was nothing to scoff at. She wanted to claim all of Haru's love for herself.
"But, well, I don't need to worry too much~"
After all, the rest of them were too weak, weren't they?
Right now, Chihaya Anon was completely intoxicated by her own confidence.
In that dream, she had crushed the competition and become the undisputed final winner!
Even in the end, Haru hadn't developed feelings for anyone else, he even said something as cheesy and heart-melting as, "I only have eyes for you."
It's settled. This time, she'd take the lead and make Haru hers in two weeks flat!
"Anon~ Stop soaking! You're gonna faint if you stay in the tub any longer!"
Her mother's voice called from outside the door, snapping Anon out of her reverie. She scrambled out of the bathtub in a panic and, in her haste, slipped and landed with a loud thump.
The crashing and clattering sounds from the bathroom made her mom tilt her head in confusion.
What in the world was going on with her daughter today?
"Hmm-hmm-hmm~ Morning, everyone!"
In high spirits, Chihaya Anon hummed a happy little tune as she arrived at the classroom, her guitar bag slung over her shoulder. The moment she walked in, she flashed a bright and bubbly smile at her classmates.
"Morning, Anon! You look like you're in a great mood today?"
"Yeah, yeah~ Something good happen?"
The questions from her friends made Anon's smile deepen a little, but she wasn't about to tell them anything about her "boyfriend." She wanted to keep this little joy all to herself.
Still, it was a bit thrilling.
"Really~? Was it that obvious~?"
She brushed their questions aside with vague responses and made her way back to her seat, that satisfied grin still playing on her lips.
Now wasn't the time to show off just yet.
Once she fully won over Kazami Haru with her overwhelming super-gorgeous-girl charm, she'd casually drop the bomb that he had confessed to her, then throw in the follow-up that they were dating now.
She couldn't even imagine how big a stir that would cause at school.
"Tomori~ Good morning!"
"Morning, Anon-chan."
Like always, she exchanged greetings with the adorable Takamatsu Tomori, then quietly sat down. Her eyes, however, kept sneaking glances toward the classroom's sliding door, filled with nothing but excitement and affection.
When would Haru get here?
Suddenly, Anon realized she had left the house in such a rush that her beautiful cherry-pink hair was a little messy.
Showing up looking like this in front of Haru would be a disaster!
Before he arrived, she dashed off to the nearest bathroom. Standing in front of the mirror, she quickly fixed her hair and applied a bit of foundation and a soft touch of makeup.
"Perfect! Now I'm ready!"
Actually, she was also kind of curious… Had Haru experienced the same kind of dream?
Today, she was planning to observe him closely. If he really had dreamed something similar, they could skip months of back-and-forth and fast-forward right to the lovey-dovey couple stage, leaving all the losers in the dust.
"Ah!"
Still lost in thought as she exited the bathroom, Anon collided head-on with someone coming in.
Caught off guard, she stumbled and fell to the floor, wincing as she grabbed her rear. A pale, slender hand suddenly reached out toward her, and she instinctively grabbed it to pull herself up.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine! It was my fault, I wasn't watching where I was going!"
Anon quickly waved her hands. She was the one who bumped into the other girl, after all.
The girl who helped her up had soft blue hair tied into braids on both sides, secured with a black ribbon that gave off a refined and composed vibe. Her sharp, clear eyes made Anon pause for a moment.
The tie color marked her as being in the same grade. Anon had heard of her during lunch conversations with friends, everyone said she was beautiful, with a noble, lady-like air. So she had a bit of an impression.
She was probably… Togawa Sakiko?
But this was their first proper encounter. Up close, the girl's appearance and presence were even more impressive. She had this faint, pleasant fragrance that made Anon feel oddly comfortable.
Wait… that scent felt familiar?
Where had she smelled it before…?
"I'm glad you're okay."
"Well then, I'll be going."
Sakiko Togawa gave a polite, elegant smile and nodded before walking past Anon.
Still deep in thought, Anon stood frozen, her expression dazed.
That scent really was familiar… Where had she smelled it?
"Ah! I've gotta hurry back!"
Never mind that now!
With Haru filling her every thought, Anon didn't care about anything else.
She just wanted to get back to class and see him, confirm whether he'd had the same dream. Even if he hadn't, he definitely liked her. He was just too tsundere to say it out loud.
Anon broke into a small run toward her classroom.
What she didn't know was that Togawa Sakiko hadn't actually left. She stood nearby, her gaze calm as she watched Anon's retreating figure.
"That girl… is she Chihaya Anon from Class A?"
Sakiko's brows furrowed slightly, as if recalling something important.
