Chapter 84: Escape (Part 1)

The birthday party ended happily.

Although there were some minor incidents, such as Nijika’s friend coming over to ask Ishikawa Hayato if he had a girlfriend. She seemed to find Ishikawa Hayato interesting and asked as if she wanted to try dating him.

Ishikawa Hayato, with great magnanimity, spread his hands and placed them on Hitori's and Kita's shoulders, who was watching the show nearby,

“These are my harem.”

Kita, who was caught in the crossfire, didn't argue, but stared at him with an angry expression.

Nijika’s friend looked at Hitori, her expression momentarily stunned, but then she smiled when she saw Kita and left discreetly.

After everyone had a good time, Nijika saw her friends off, their laughing voices still lingering in her ears, saying that today's birthday was the most fun they had.

She looked at the cold, nocturnal street, exhaled, thought of a certain boisterous person and smiled, then turned and walked down the stairs.

Returning to the shop, she casually closed the door and, rolling up her sleeves as she walked down, prepared to work hard to restore the shop to its original state.

But as she descended the stairs, she was stunned to see the shop already spotless and restored.

As if everything before had been a fairy's trick.

Ishikawa Hayato, Ryo, Hitori, and Kita were sitting at the table.

Ishikawa Hayato asked the three, “Should we practice a rock version of the birthday song tonight?”

Kita sighed, “If it weren't for Ishikawa-kun, I'd agree.”

Ryo, uncharacteristically serious, said, “There are only four nights left until the audition; there's no time.”

Hitori said nothing.

At this moment, Nijika walked over and greeted them.

“Everyone, let's start practicing! We must pass the audition!”

The four had no objections to her proposal and unanimously raised their hands in response.

“Oh~”

...

After the five of them practiced for a considerable time, Ishikawa Hayato and Hitori prepared to go home.

This time, Kita chose not to return. She stated that her home was not far from here and wanted to stay with Nijika and Ryo for intensive practice.

Nijika naturally agreed.

Once decided, the three of them saw Ishikawa Hayato and Hitori off.

However, Kita watched the two walking towards the dazzling, illusory streetlights, her expression peculiar, as if she had recalled something that made her both shy and angry.

...

Ishikawa Hayato and Hitori walked on the bustling street, the lights around them like countless dots, various fleeting colors lingering and sweeping over their bodies.

In two more days, it would be June.

At this time, the night brought a cool breeze, carrying away the last vestiges of the day's heat.

The two walked almost shoulder to shoulder. Ishikawa Hayato felt Hitori's hand very close to his, almost touching.

He glanced at the girl beside him.

She was carrying her guitar, head bowed, her long pink bangs hanging down.

From this angle, she looked strangely cool.

However, if he thought about her usual eccentric behavior, or looked at her expression at that moment, that fleetingly beautiful image would completely collapse.

Ishikawa Hayato felt the atmosphere was a bit heavy.

Clearly, this wasn't the time for small talk, but he still opened his mouth to ask.

“Bocchi, when is your birthday?”

Hitori's head moved slightly, as if she wanted to look at him, but then stopped.

“February 21st...”

“Then let's celebrate it together next time?”

“Ah, um, when is Hayato's birthday?”

“March 14th.”

“White Day!?”

“That's right. Speaking of which, Bocchi actually remembers when White Day was, I thought it was one of the dates Bocchi would block out.”

Talking with him, Hitori quickly forgot her previous thoughts and engaged seriously in their conversation.

However, upon hearing that, Hitori's expression became a bit strange, and her steps faltered.

Indeed, she had previously written long curses as poems for Valentine's Day, White Day, Tanabata, Christmas, and other holidays.

Now, being with Ishikawa Hayato, recalling those things suddenly made her past even darker.

Why did she do such idiotic things back then? She couldn't understand her own thoughts at that time.

And once she started, memories seemed to haunt her, constantly resurfacing, making her feel completely unwell.

'I want to forget it all!!'

She thought and acted, walking directly to a nearby shop, and just as her head was about to hit the wall, a hand pressed against her head.

She acted on impulse walking straight to the wall of a nearby shop. But just as she was about to slam her head against the wall, a hand grabbed her head.

“What are you doing?” Ishikawa Hayato said, exasperated.

“Um, I wanted to forget some things.”

As if impacted by her dark past, Hitori's expression began to turn strange.

“My birthday?” Ishikawa Hayato teased intentionally.

“No, no, not that!” Hitori denied strenuously.

“Then let's go. Also, Bocchi, try not to do that again. It really worries me.”

Ishikawa Hayato said, taking Hitori's hand and holding it.

Hitori looked at her hand being held, and a feeling of joy welled up.

Amidst her happiness, she began to feel uneasy again.

She noticed that Hayato only held her hand when she was feeling anxious and flustered.

And before, she had tried to test him for a while, but he showed no intention of holding her hand.

Hitori's gaze even lingered for a moment on a nearby hotel.

She knew Ishikawa Hayato must have noticed, but he said nothing.

Hitori happily walked hand-in-hand with Ishikawa Hayato to the station, and it wasn't until she saw the platform that usually separated them that her heart felt reluctant, but she was also ready to let go.

However, Ishikawa Hayato did not let go. Instead, he pulled her to the ticket counter.

“Hayato?”

Hitori looked at Ishikawa Hayato, who was buying tickets, in confusion.

Ishikawa Hayato finished buying the tickets, returned to her side, and asked.

“Why the confused look? Didn't we agree this afternoon that I'd see you home?”

Although Hitori didn't know where Ishikawa Hayato's home was, she knew from the train he took that their two homes were in different directions.

She didn't want to waste Ishikawa Hayato's time and quickly said.

“Our homes are in opposite directions.”

“A promise made must be kept. That’s my rule.”

He said with a smile, and then gently squeezed Hitori's hand.

“Let's go, don't overthink it. Besides, if I let Bocchi go home alone like this today, I'd be so nervous on the way back that I'd want to jump off the train.”

Hitori said nothing more.

Sitting on a chair on the train, Ishikawa Hayato felt that Hitori had been a bit dazed since a while ago, as if she were deep in thought.

He generally knew what she was thinking, and he knew her speculations would lead nowhere.

He deliberately took out his phone, opened YouTube, found the Guitar Hero account, clicked on a video Hitori had posted before, and looking at the video description, said.

“Oh, Bocchi used to be so popular? That's amazing.”

Hitori gradually came back to her senses when Ishikawa Hayato took out his phone. 

Hearing him say that and seeing the description she’d written in the past to save face, her eyes widened.

She let out a sharp shriek, bounced up from the chair, and then collapsed directly back onto it.

Under the surprised gaze of those around her, she was in a state of almost melting away, retreating into her own world, and began to babble.

“It’s the monster’s fault… I was being controlled—I didn't want to live that kind of life... Is it okay to just think about it? Isn't this how high school are supposed to live?”

Ishikawa Hayato listened to her with a smile, yet asked curiously.

"Is that right?”

Hitori abruptly sat up. She said in a panic.

“It's a misunderstanding!”

“Alright then. Oh, Bocchi, do you remember the date? Don't forget it's three mornings from now.”

Ishikawa Hayato returned to the main topic, reminding Hitori.

Suddenly, Hitori's chaotic emotions quickly reined in and became calm.

Her expression grew a little solemn, and she nodded.

As if leaving no retreat for herself, she spoke with a sense of intense unease and a determination to risk everything.

“I, I also have something I want to say.”

...

After leaving the station, Ishikawa Hayato accompanied Hitori all the way home.

He stopped at a place where Hitori's front door was visible.

“Then I'll head back.”

Hitori's heart sank, feeling as if something was missing.

She looked at the dark road behind them and said to Ishikawa Hayato.

“It's so late, Hayato... do you want to stay at my place?”

After opening her mouth,she realized how shy she was getting as she spoke, clearly imagining a rather unusual scenario.

Ishikawa Hayato smiled and shook his head, saying.

“It's not good to suddenly show up and stay overnight at this hour.”

After refusing, he turned around briskly, waved his hand, and walked back.

Hitori remained rooted to the spot, watching his figure disappear into the darkness before heading in herself.

...