Chapter 117: Convex
Just then, Ishikawa Hayato suddenly heard the sound of wind from the top of the nearby stairs, followed by numerous footsteps pouring in from outside.
After a brief pause at the front, they rushed to descend from above but suddenly stopped.
Sounds of conversation broke out.
"Excuse me, please move aside. Ah, the stairs here aren't wide. If it's convenient, let's go down together."
"Sorry, sorry."
Subsequently, everyone came down from above.
During Hitori's extremely smooth outro solo, Ishikawa Hayato saw the people who had arrived.
He had seen them once on the day of the street performance. Ryo's fan was the first to come down, he didn't know when she had arrived.
But Ishikawa Hayato hadn't heard any footsteps from above after the performance started, so she must have been listening there from the beginning.
Behind her were Hongo Amane and her friends.
They were all similarly wet, so it seemed they had gathered and come together.
Suddenly, the number of people in the originally quiet store almost doubled.
The audience below became noisy again.
His friends seemed to know the situation and looked at him expectantly.
But Ishikawa Hayato didn't give them any response.
Instead, amidst the lingering guitar notes left by Hitori, he turned to Nijika and asked, "Are you still okay?"
Nijika smiled and glanced at him, her eyes seeming to reply 'I can play all three songs in one go, no problem!'
Their exchange was seen by Ryo, who turned around after the song ended.
Ishikawa Hayato nodded to her, and Nijika also conveyed her meaning with her gaze.
Ryo understood and reminded Kita next to her, and Kita then passed it on to Hitori.
The two Guitarists looked back at the keyboardist and drummer behind them and smiled happily.
Then, as the five formed a circle, the sound of cymbals broke the lingering echoes, and the next song began with booming guitars, drums, constantly vibrating bass, and echoing keyboards.
The audience, who had just relaxed slightly as the song ended, and Ishikawa Hayato's friends, who had just arrived and wanted to say hello, suddenly had their spirits lifted again.
Fans number 1 and 2 watched the stage excitedly.
Seika looked at the five who deliberately didn't follow a normal rhythm, keeping the customers on edge, and said fiercely, "They've all been led astray by that Ishikawa kid."
However, as she spoke, an uncontainable smile was on her face.
"But aren't the customers enjoying it?"
Hiroi Kikuri looked at the audience swaying to the music in front and said with a smile.
Seika tried to hum in response, but the sound she made was more like a chuckle.
She tilted her head and looked at Hiroi Kikuri, who had heard the sound, and saw her smiling expression.
Her face immediately turned cold.
"From now on, no drunkards allowed in the store."
"That's not fair!"
...
This storm was like a trial from the world for them.
The performance hadn't ended, and only thin dark clouds remained in the sky outside.
Miraculously, in the night after the rain, a few stars twinkled in the sky, making it hard to imagine the terrifying downpour that had previously fallen upon this world.
Walking on roads filled with puddles, Ishikawa Hayato, the four girls of the band, along with Seika, PA-san, and Hiroi Kikuri, headed to a nearby izakaya together.
The three adults were lively and boisterous in front, while the five high school students walked quietly behind.
Presenting contrasting attitudes towards life.
Ishikawa Hayato looked beside him.
Hitori was hanging her head completely gray, and floated beside him on auto-follow.
Ryo walked silently, gazing intently at the street after the heavy rain.
Nijika stepped lightly, swinging her hands.
Kita was still checking the photos she had taken today.
None of them were talking.
Ishikawa Hayato knew they were exhausted.
The tension and excitement during the performance made their blood rush, and the boiling and exhilarating emotions drained their energy.
Just a ten-minute performance had completely depleted their stamina.
Butーthe pleasure of playing their own music and the effect of performing at a hundred percent, or even more, made it all worthwhile.
The cool breeze after the rain that extinguished the summer heat, and the puddles reflecting the streetlights and the sky, were probably the best compensation.
...
"Cheers!"
Glasses containing several different drinks clinked gently in the middle of the table.
Inside the izakaya, eight people sat around a table, the atmosphere joyful and harmonious.
As soon as they arrived at the store, Ishikawa Hayato was very 'honored' to be pulled to the adults' side, sitting next to PA-san with her sweet smile.
He looked at Nijika plaintively, and Nijika, across from him, watched him cheerfully, with no intention of offering a helping hand.
Seika, who had already arrived at the store with a smug smile, saw this scene and became even more delighted, glancing at the four girls opposite and saying,
"Today's performance was great. It's my treat, drink as much as you want."
Nijika pulled her gaze away from Ishikawa Hayato and jokingly said to Seika with a smile, "Thank you, big sister, although we can't drink alcohol yet."
Next to Seika, PA-san looked at Ishikawa Hayato, who was sitting properly beside her, and couldn't help but tease him, "Ishikawa-kun, your performance today was very cool. Was stopping there in the first song intentional?"
"What are you talking about? This pervert doesn't know anything."
Ishikawa Hayato began to feign ignorance.
His act was immediately noticed by Hiroi Kikuri.
After only two drinks, her face turned completely red, and she began to act drunk.
"It must have been intentional! Come on, kid, have a drink! Tell the truth!"
"Oh? I'm right here. Do you dare to serve me alcohol?"
Hearing such arrogant words, Ishikawa Hayato immediately dropped the act, turning sideways with a swagger, arms crossed, looking at Hiroi Kikuri.
As Nijika said, they were not yet adults and could not drink alcohol. In Japan, legal drinking age is 20 and above.
Of course, tasting it privately at home without anyone reporting it was fine, but drinking in a store like this would lead to reports.
But Hiroi Kikuri was not to be outdone and shouted,
"Boss, bring me some alcohol!"
Seika, who was watching the show, seeing that one is daring to attempt to drink and the other is daring to order the drink, clamped Hiroi Kikuri's neck with her elbow.
"He's still a minor!"
"Ugh... Se-Senior, I'm dying, I'm dying!"
Hiroi Kikuri, almost suffocating from the chokehold, reached out for help, causing a commotion filled with laughter.
While they were making a ruckus, Ishikawa Hayato handed the menu to Hitori's side.
Nijika, who had turned her gaze back from her sister, saw this scene, looked at Ishikawa Hayato, and after their eyes met, Nijika, looking like a parent, put her hands on her hips and nodded with satisfaction.
Seeing her expression, Ishikawa Hayato smiled and mouthed silently,
"So cute."
Nijika immediately understood.
She paused, then sighed and looked at Hitori, who was pretending to look at the menu next to her, and immediately started discussing what to order with her.
While they were ordering, on the other side, Hiroi Kikuri, who had survived Seika's clutches, nonchalantly took another sip of her drink with a smile.
"Hah~"
She made the classic contented sigh of an alcoholic enjoying a beer.
After putting down her glass, said, "It was great that the atmosphere of the performance remained lively until the end today."
"Haha, yes, it was really fun to the end."
Kita noticed Hiroi Kikuri watching her and responded in agreement.
Hiroi Kikuri, as if sensing Kita's inner turmoil, raised her glass and pointed at Kita, saying, "Kita-chan, that 'Listen to me!' today was really exhilarating! The venue was on fire."
"That was..."
Kita couldn't keep it up.
It was fine when she didn't think about it, but now that she recalled it, she wondered if she had been too overbearing, yelling at the audience like that.
Hiroi Kikuri looked at Kita, who still hadn't relaxed, and, with a tipsy slur, advised her, "Hey, Kita-chan, let me tell you, next time the venue isn't getting hyped, just..."
Kita listened to Hiroi Kikuri and looked at her intently.
She knew that the awkward silence before the performance had put a lot of pressure on them.
She had thought about this problem after getting off stage but couldn't find an answer.
At this moment, with someone offering guidance, she naturally hoped to learn some methods from an experienced person.
But what she saw was Hiroi Kikuri, smiling, resting her elbow on the table, with her other four fingers curled into her palm, leaving only her middle finger standing straight up.
Kita was stunned for a moment, instantly filled with question marks.
Hiroi Kikuri continued, "Ah, Kita-chan, when you sang that line, I actually wanted to see you make this gesture."
As she spoke, she didn't notice a terrifying dark shadow approaching beside her.
Only when her outstretched finger was grabbed did she react and look to her side.
Seika had just turned her head back from watching Hitori and her sister order food.
She expressionlessly gripped Hiroi Kikuri's raised middle finger.
Instantly, Hiroi Kikuri broke out in a cold sweat.
"Wait, wait, wait... Senior, this is my meal... Ow, ow, ow!!"
"Kita, don't learn anything this person teaches. She's already rotten to the core."
Seika said to Kita, still gripping Hiroi Kikuri's constantly wailing finger.
But just as Kita sighed in relief, Ryo, who was beside her, patted her shoulder and, with a surprised expression, said to her, "This person's performance style is quite good."
Although Ryo didn't say it directly, her gaze clearly conveyed the words 'you can learn from her'.
"Eh..." Kita let out a long sigh.
When Ryo talked about something she was interested in, she became very talkative.
"Spraying alcohol on guests, performing while drunk, stepping on the audience's faces while cursing them..."
Kita was completely dumbfounded, her eyes spinning.
"Ryo! Ryo! Stop talking, stop talking! Senior, my hand, my hand is going to break!!"
Hiroi Kikuri beside her let out a piercing shriek.
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