"Shin, are you into music too?"
Since Shin clearly knew Hitori Gotou, and knowing Hitori's strong guitar skills, Ikuyo Kita naturally assumed that Shin might also be involved in music.
She looked Shin up and down, seemingly trying to guess which instrument he might play.
Nearby, Hitori Gotou watched as Ikuyo Kita casually chatted with Shin, her body trembling slightly.
She really wanted to tell Ikuyo that Shin wasn't into music—he was involved with the underworld—but the words wouldn't come out.
"I don't play music. As for how I know Bocchi… it's a bit unique."
Shin stroked his chin. He didn't play any instruments, not before or after his transmigration.
As for how he got to know Hitori, it was mostly because she had the potential to be a "stand-in" and seemed easily controllable.
His original plan was to have Hitori Gotou act as his helper at school, similar to Kiryu's role.
But with Hitori's personality, it seemed unlikely she'd change anytime soon, so Shin was mostly having fun guiding her personality.
He didn't actually expect Hitori Gotou to be much help; her reactions to things were entertaining enough.
"Bocchi? You mean Gotou-san?"
Ikuyo Kita hadn't met up with the rest of the "End Band" since then, so she didn't know Hitori Gotou had a nickname, "Bocchi."
When Shin addressed her like that, Ikuyo's eyes widened as she looked between Hitori and Shin. She then leaned toward Hitori and whispered:
"Gotou-san, are you and Shin on that kind of terms?"
"?"
Hitori Gotou, naturally, had no idea what Ikuyo Kita was getting at, but seeing her slightly blushing face, she had a feeling there was some misunderstanding.
"You're going to the Star Live House, right? You should get going."
Shin could guess what Ikuyo Kita was thinking, but he didn't bother explaining and pointed to the nearby Live House.
The place where Hitori Gotou and Nijika Ijichi were gathering was called the "Star Live House." Shin had gone there the previous night, so he was a familiar face now.
"...The Star?"
However, upon hearing the name, Ikuyo Kita, who had been excited, suddenly froze.
Ikuyo couldn't actually play the guitar. Her experience with a band involved running away right before a performance—a rather embarrassing moment.
And the band she ran away from was none other than the one Hitori Gotou later joined, "End Band."
So, hearing the name of that familiar venue, Ikuyo began to realize—was the band Hitori had mentioned actually "End Band"?
Though she realized the problem and wanted to leave, she soon heard Nijika Ijichi's voice calling out nearby:
"Bocchi! I'm here!"
Nijika came running over to greet Hitori, then noticed Shin standing beside her.
"Oh, Shin's here too. You and Bocchi sure are inseparable."
Though Shin and Hitori didn't hang out all the time, Nijika frequently saw them together, so it wasn't odd for her to think so.
However, Nijika soon noticed Ikuyo Kita standing behind Hitori.
"So, this is the person Bocchi said she'd bring... Ah! Isn't that the runaway guitarist?"
…
A while later, Shin found himself in the Star Live House's lounge with the members of "End Band."
He didn't know how he ended up there. Nijika Ijichi insisted on bringing him along, saying his presence would help Hitori act more "normal."
Shin didn't think his presence would actually normalize Hitori, but since it was a cute girl inviting him, he didn't mind tagging along.
After a whole day dealing with the men in the Kiryu clan, he could use some relaxation among the girls.
This time, he met not only Hitori and Nijika but also the other two members of "End Band"—Ryou Yamada and Ikuyo Kita, who had just arrived.
Ikuyo Kita was clearly nervous, worried that her previous act of running away would upset Ryou and Nijika, though they didn't seem to mind.
When she offered to make up for it, Nijika's older sister, Seika, who owned the venue, suggested she help out by working at the Live House for the day.
So, the scene ended up with Ikuyo Kita working alongside Hitori Gotou.
While Hitori was discussing the work with Ikuyo, Nijika turned to Shin.
"Sorry, Shin, but we'll have to borrow Bocchi for a while. Don't be mad, okay?"
"Why would I be mad…"
Shin felt that eveRyoune had the wrong idea about his relationship with Hitori Gotou.
"I didn't expect Bocchi to have an 'owner' already. I was the one who gave her that name."
Ryou Yamada, pretending to wipe tears away, looked as if her pet had been stolen.
A bit earlier, Nijika had introduced Shin and Ryou to each other, and Ryou seemed rather friendly and interested in him.
She was the one who had given Hitori the nickname "Bocchi," so her comments seemed fitting.
"But really, Bocchi does act more normal when Shin's around," Nijika said with a wry smile, looking at Ryou, then at Hitori and Ikuyo, before turning to Shin. "It's like your presence calms her. Amazing, since we can never seem to manage that."
At this, Shin began to understand why Nijika had this impression.
Looking over at Hitori, he saw her glance at him before immediately looking away, her body no longer shaking.
Apparently, Hitori Gotou still felt a bit fearful of him, so when interacting with others, she would subconsciously compare them to him.
She'd then think, "If I can talk to Shin, there's no need to fear others."
While the result was indeed her becoming less tense, it was hardly the kind of "calming influence" Nijika had imagined.
To be continued…
To all my beloved Christian fellas here, I wish you all a very happy and blessed festive day 🎉🎉🎊🎊. May you all succeed in life, achieve your aims and be successful in your life. Also, make sure to bond with your family and friends because such occasions only comes once a year. Make sure not to regret anything and stay happy and blessed homies.