Wasn't Kazami Haru supposed to be in the band "Kessoku Band" in Shimokitazawa?
Why on earth is he suddenly forming a band with Tomori? This is an entirely different timeline. It's gotten to the point where Ikuyo Kita is beginning to doubt her own "dreams."
This is bad, this "intel" was false!
Chihaya Anon's eyes immediately lit up with excitement when she heard that.
So, they really are planning to form a band, and right now, it's just the two of them? That's perfect for starting a band together with her!
YA?DA?ZE?!
Is the world really this coincidental?
"We haven't officially started yet… but I've already made a promise with Haru."
"I want to form a band with him for life… As long as he's with me, I'll never be alone… Even if the path ahead is full of uncertainty, I'll keep moving forward, lost as I may be."
General MacArthur once said: When Tomori Takamatsu's emotions overflow into a gravitational field, no matter how vibrant or cheerful the surroundings are, they'll be silenced in an instant, even Kazami Haru can't stop it.
Now airing: "The Gravity Field of Tomori" — a full-length documentary.
Both girls turned to Kazami Haru at the same time, seemingly trying to read his expression.
Unfortunately, he was already used to Tomori's dramatic declarations. While nodding along, he casually snuck some food from her lunchbox, his calm demeanor nearly pushing Kita over the edge.
"Eh? F-For life?"
Chihaya Anon had been about to ask if she could join their band, but Tomori's sudden statement completely derailed her train of thought, swallowing the words back down.
This girl… Something seems a little off about her…
She understood all the words individually, so why didn't they make any sense when put together?
"Ahaha? 'For life' is a bit…"
Chihaya Anon could still muster an awkward smile, but the red-haired girl sitting beside them had completely lost the light in her eyes. She was now aggressively eating plain rice from her lunchbox to cover up her inner turmoil.
Kita-san's mental state is… concerning.
…
By the time lunch break ended, Ikuyo Kita still hadn't accomplished her goal.
What the heck is she doing?! She was completely thrown off by one of Tomori's lines!
She didn't manage to get anything done!
Thinking back, Tomori does have a bit of an airheaded personality—maybe she didn't mean it the way Kita interpreted it.
There's still hope!
Though this lunch break wasn't a complete waste, at the very least, Kita learned that Kazami Haru wasn't only forming a band with Tomori. He was also a supporting member in "Kessoku Band" band, handling the keyboard and composition.
That matched the scene from her dream. Before this, Haru had never mentioned being able to play the keyboard.
So… the intel from her "dream" might actually be highly accurate?
"There… There must be another way…"
Damn it! If that's how it is—
Then she'd just go with the most straightforward solution!
"If this is too hard, I'll just go apologize to Ryo-senpai and Nijika-senpai directly!"
"I'll throw myself on the ground, full-on prostrate style! No matter how humiliating, as long as they'll forgive me…"
But no, she couldn't. She was scared.
Just imagining Ryo-senpai's face when she apologized made her tremble!
Wait, why was she scared of Ryo-senpai?
She used to admire and adore her the most. Back then, she wished she could cling to her every day. But now, even though she still felt admiration, there was also… a trace of fear?
She didn't really understand why. All she knew was that she was scared!
"What do I do… If I can't even bring myself to apologize, I'm doomed!"
Kita Ikuyo was completely falling apart, banging her head against the desk repeatedly, unable to hear her friends' voices calling to her.
Unlike the mentally fragile Kita, Kazami Haru was now focused on more pressing survival matters.
After school, as usual, he said goodbye to the adorable Tomori and left the classroom with his backpack.
His part-time job at the café Rabbit House wasn't far from school, so it didn't take him long to arrive—and he immediately ran into Togawa Sakiko.
"Good afternoon, Kazami-senpai."
The cool, blue-haired sensei Togawa Sakiko gave a flat greeting while carrying her shoulder bag. Despite their previous lunchbox interaction, it didn't seem to have brought them any closer.
Still, they were colleagues. A polite greeting was expected.
"No need to call me 'senpai'—we're classmates, aren't we?"
"I think keeping it formal is better."
Togawa Sakiko frowned slightly as she headed to the back to prepare fresh coffee beans.
Her role was managing inventory and brewing in the kitchen—checking coffee beans, handling products, brewing and mixing drinks.
It wasn't an easy job, but she'd already mastered it in just a day or two.
Kazami Haru watched her deliberately cold and distant demeanor, remembering how girlish and shy she'd seemed in the dating sim, each expression full of beauty and its own charm.
Why is the gap so huge?
Just you wait till I'm acting manager. I'll dock your pay so hard.
"You've been gone the past few days, busy with something?"
Her sudden question surprised Haru, but he quickly realized what she was thinking.
She must've misunderstood, thinking that after accidentally showing a vulnerable side the other night, she had scared him off, and now she was trying to push him away with cold words to protect herself.
So after that incident, he didn't show up for a few days, which probably confirmed her fears.
Even black-armored hedgehog Togawa Sakiko felt guilty after unintentionally hurting someone, wanting to stay distant but also wanting to apologize.
Kind of cute.
"Nothing much, just busy with band stuff."
"Band?"
A flicker of emotion showed on Sakiko's face.
"That's why I haven't been working, I'm almost too broke to eat."
"Geez, can't the manager just pay me for not showing up?"
While straightening his black butler uniform, Haru sighed with mock grievance.
His deadpan complaint made Sakiko stifle a laugh, though she quickly masked it, returning to her cool expression.
She sighed, reached into her bag, and handed him something familiar.
That seashell-like shape—it was a chocolate croissant?
"Here."
Togawa Sakiko's expression remained indifferent, silently repeating to herself that this was just an apology, a token between coworkers.
Nothing more.
"Sakiko, how did you know I like these?"
"It was just leftover."
Little hedgehog Sakiko clearly didn't want to say more, but how could she possibly hide her feelings?
There weren't many people who knew about his love for chocolate croissants. Aside from Tomori and Bocchi, only the café manager knew.
Did Sakiko ask the manager just to find out?
Tsk tsk… She's totally in love with me.