Yamada Ryo looked utterly cool and aloof, sitting with her long legs crossed, her sharp gaze casually sweeping over Gotoh Shin as he stood before her.
Of course, that was only the surface impression.
Shin knew very well that she was actually quite easy to get along with.
She looked like an ice sculpture, but inside she was half goofball. Right now, she was just putting on a cool act—because she thought it was stylish. And fun.
Ijichi Nijika, on the other hand, was a one-hundred-percent "sunshine type," a presence as gentle and warm as an angel.
The shop manager led Shin here, then turned and left without lingering, handing everything over to the girls.
"I'm Gotoh Shin. I have a friend who wants to join a band, so I came to check out the situation for her," he said, getting straight to the point.
"She's a guitarist. Her skill level is pretty solid."
"I'm Ijichi Nijika. And that one over there pretending to look cool is Yamada Ryo," Nijika said cheerfully. "As you can see, our band only has two members right now."
"It was supposed to be three, but our guitarist suddenly went no-contact," she continued."We have a performance coming up, and now we're missing a member. Things are… pretty bad."
Nijika's voice was pleasant and lively. As she spoke, she poured Shin a drink, smiling the entire time.
When she smiled, it felt like sunlight bursting into the room. Her large, expressive eyes carefully examined Shin as she looked him over.
Nijika did most of the talking. Ryo continued striking poses, casually flashing Shin a hand sign as a greeting.
"Ryo, say something too," Nijika said helplessly, smiling wryly.
"We're short on people. Just have your friend come over," Ryo said, slightly adjusting her posture—clearly believing this angle made her look cooler.
"It'd help us get through the performance," Nijika added, clapping her hands together decisively."If we get along, we can talk about officially joining afterward."
"Please," she said earnestly. "Tell your friend to come."
Their band was genuinely in trouble, and Bocchi showing up now would be a perfect save.
"Sure. I'll tell her when I get back," Shin nodded.
This felt like the story was finally snapping back onto its proper track.
Honestly, leaving Hitori alone in a park and hoping Nijika would somehow stumble upon her always felt unreliable.
"I have a question," Yamada Ryo said, narrowing her eyes. The suddenness of it made it stand out."You and that friend of yours… you're a couple, right?"
"We're childhood friends," Shin replied calmly, without the slightest hesitation."If nothing unexpected happens, we'll probably get married in the future."
"..."
Ryo stared at him in silence.
What a shame.
She was deeply obsessed with music and instruments—once she had money, she'd immediately spend it on whatever gear caught her eye.
But today, she'd developed a certain interest in a particular boy.
There was something about him—an unmistakable aura that radiated from his presence.
It sounded strange even to herself, but Yamada Ryo… wanted to treat him like an instrument.
The most captivating part of him was his hands.
Slender, pale fingers—perfect for playing music. If she could just lick them a little, help him press the strings properly—
Ryo shook her head hard, forcibly clearing those chaotic, inexplicable thoughts.
"You're still in high school, right? And you're already planning marriage?""Wow, you two must be really close," Nijika said easily.
Since everything had been settled, they exchanged contact information.
After that, Shin said his goodbyes.
As he reached the door, his phone buzzed. On the messaging app, a friend request notification popped up clearly on the screen.
It was from the writer senpai.
Shin enthusiastically sent a greeting, along with a cute sticker.
"No reply yet? Must be busy," he muttered to himself.
It was about time to head home.
But suddenly, his steps came to a halt.
There was something he absolutely had to do.
"I need to buy a guitar."
Now that he had guitar skills, he needed to equip himself with a proper "signature weapon."
And it was easy to predict that he'd have plenty of close contact with Hitori going forward—his guitar skill level would rise quickly.
Now he even had "Music Knowledge," which included composition and arrangement techniques.
Having his own guitar would make composing much easier. He couldn't keep borrowing Hitori's forever.
"Getting ripped off would suck. I should find someone who knows the ropes to come with me."
A suitable candidate immediately came to mind.
"Ryo-senpai, are you free? Could you come with me to buy an instrument? I'm at the entrance," Shin texted her directly.
On the screen, the words Typing… appeared.
They stayed there for a long time.
Finally, a single punctuation mark arrived.
"."
"What does a period even mean…?" Shin muttered, finding Ryo's personality increasingly fascinating—and impossible to read.
"Why don't you look behind you?" Ryo's voice suddenly sounded.
She patted Shin on the shoulder and stood boldly in front of him.
"Come on. There's a shop nearby I'm familiar with."
Her voice was flat as ever. Shin quickly followed.
Inside the store, the owner recommended several guitars. With Yamada Ryo—a regular—along for the ride, the price was pushed down to its absolute limit.
Shin chose a blue guitar and tried playing it.
He picked a melody at random from his mind, his fingers dancing effortlessly across the strings.
The music was beautiful.
Ryo's eyes lit up instantly—and then locked onto Shin's fingers as they moved.
"Your fundamentals are really solid," she said, unconsciously swallowing.
"But… something's strange."
As she spoke, Ryo stepped forward and grabbed Shin's wrist.
She examined his hand at close range.
Beautiful. Truly beautiful.
The size of his palm was just right. The length of his fingers was perfectly proportioned.
Even the texture was ideal—soft, smooth, with a faint elasticity.
Once she touched him, she found it hard to let go.
Her breathing gradually quickened, warm air brushing against the back of Shin's hand.
"Ryo-senpai…?" Shin blinked.
He could clearly feel the heat transmitted through her palm, sending a faint itch across his skin.
At this close distance, he could also smell the subtle fragrance drifting from her.
"There are no calluses on your hands," she murmured, gently pinching his fingers."They're incredibly soft."
The gesture was already far too intimate.
In fact, she'd almost pressed his hand against her face to rub against it.
"Sorry," she said belatedly. "It just feels… odd."
Judging by his playing, Shin had clearly trained hard—but there were no traces of training on his hands. It was unbelievable.
"It's fine," Shin shook his head.
Because he'd heard the system's familiar voice again.
Once more, his constitution increased—and this time, he copied a skill from Yamada Ryo herself.
[Bass Technique acquired.]
"I'll take this one," Shin said.
The guitar was expensive. After paying, he felt a sharp pang of pain in his wallet.
Even though he now had bass skills too, he decided to leave that purchase for another time.
Necessary expenses were necessary expenses. It was fine.
He'd just find a way to make money later.
What was money for, if not to be spent? Saving was satisfying—but spending had its own kind of joy.
"Ryo-senpai, let me treat you to a meal," Shin said, the guitar slung across his back.
"Deal."
Her eyes practically sparkled.
"Shin, you're a good kid. A really, really good kid."
Yamada Ryo nodded at him solemnly, wearing the expression of someone who'd found a promising disciple.