"So, that's how it is."
After listening to Kamigawa Saku's explanation, Nagasaki Soyo forced a smile.
How should she put this?
Even though the rumor sounded exaggerated and was ultimately baseless, she still couldn't help but feel irritated.
After all, he was her younger brother.
To hear him tangled in such gossip with other girls—it wasn't something she, as his sister, could simply brush off.
"Aren't you planning to clarify things at this point?"
As Nagasaki Soyo pondered solutions, Shiina Taki couldn't help but interject.
"At this point, even if we wanted to clear things up, it wouldn't make any difference," Kamigawa Saku sighed. "Rumors spread like wildfire, but clearing them up? That's a whole other story."
"That... does seem true," Shiina Taki admitted after giving it some thought.
"Anyway, the rumor doesn't include our names, so it's not a big deal."
Chihaya Anon had initially felt a twinge of nervousness when she realized how far the rumor had spread.
But she quickly adjusted her mindset and accepted reality.
There wasn't much else she could do. As Saku said, it was too late to fix it.
In fact, it was better to embrace the situation.
Besides, her goal in joining a band was to get famous. This was just a sneak peek of what that felt like.
"So, Saku and Anon-chan, you're really not going to do anything about it?" Nagasaki Soyo interjected. "I still think clearing the air as soon as possible would be better. This kind of rumor isn't going to fade overnight."
"If it keeps spreading, it might even make it to the news."
"If that happens, it'll be a real mess to clean up."
"No way this kind of rumor would make the news," Kamigawa Saku said, waving off the concern. "To anyone who doesn't know the truth, it's just a high schooler supposedly dating two girlfriends at once."
"The only reason it's spreading so quickly now is because it feels personal to those nearby."
"But on a national level? It wouldn't even register."
"We're not celebrities. No one cares about something this trivial."
"Especially since we're in a band."
"Even if it did show up on some obscure news segment, people wouldn't bat an eye. At most, they'd think, Oh, that's just how band people are."
"That's one of the perks of being in a band," Saku concluded with a shrug. "No matter how weird the situation, it just seems... fitting."
"Sometimes, stereotypes are oddly useful," Chihaya Anon said, scratching her cheek sheepishly.
Still, she felt a little guilty. Their band hadn't even performed live yet, and they were already dragging down its reputation.
Thankfully, the public's opinion of bands wasn't exactly stellar to begin with. A little more bad press wouldn't make much of a difference.
"Actually, I can help clear the rumor," Nagasaki Soyo finally said, cutting to the chase.
"At least within our school."
[Ask her to help clear the rumor.]
[Refuse her help to clear the rumor.]
As soon as she finished her sentence, the system presented Kamigawa Saku with two choices.
Without hesitation, he clasped his hands together and pleaded, "Please don't try to clear the rumor. That would probably just make things worse."
"I'm sure it'll blow over in a few days. There's no need to worry about us."
Saku could already predict what would happen if Soyo got involved.
Instead of resolving anything, it would backfire and escalate the situation.
It was a simple, logical conclusion.
If the three people involved in the rumor weren't denying it, but someone from another school—Nagasaki Soyo, no less—tried to step in, how would that look?
He didn't need to spell it out.
After all, people who thrive on gossip love stirring the pot.
The result? His "harem" would gain a new member, and the situation would draw even more attention.
Especially since it involved Tsukinokai Academy, a prestigious all-girls school.
[Stamina +1]
"Fine."
Although Nagasaki Soyo wasn't entirely satisfied, she relented after hearing his plea.
"Are we done talking about rumors now? I finished the arrangement for Ichishizuku Sora, so let's practice it today," Shiina Taki said, pulling out her phone and sending the sheet music to everyone present.
Once the song was finalized, arranging it had been a breeze for her.
It was done quickly and without any issues.
"Ah, finally, a new song to practice!"
Chihaya Anon's face lit up. She abandoned the topic of rumors entirely, eagerly pulling her guitar out of its case and connecting it to the amp.
She'd been diligently practicing guitar these past weeks. It was time to show off her skills.
After all, she wasn't just the girl who could only play Haruhikage anymore.
"Yeah."
Nagasaki Soyo glanced at Anon, who was adjusting her guitar, then at Kamigawa Saku, who was casually walking toward the door.
Finally, she pulled out her phone.
A rumor—it was just a rumor.
Just a silly, meaningless rumor.
Which meant she didn't need to care about it.
Kamigawa Saku was still single. He hadn't gotten himself a girlfriend.
Thinking this, she felt her frustration gradually subside.
---
Kaname Raana paused her snacking, picked up her guitar, and moved closer to Shiina Taki to look at the sheet music on her tablet.
Meanwhile, Takamatsu Tomori grabbed the microphone, ready to sing at any moment.
Once everyone was prepared, the first run-through of Ichishizuku Sora began.
As always, Kamigawa Saku, in his role as the band's manager, acted as the audience, enjoying their performance.
He found himself pleasantly surprised.
The results were excellent.
Even Chihaya Anon, who had occasionally stumbled before, played without a single mistake and even delivered a few standout moments.
It seemed she really had been practicing hard.
No wonder she'd been bold enough to ask for a reward under the guise of "dedicated practice."
Still, when did she plan to share this with the rest of the band?
Recalling their earlier conversation, Kamigawa Saku couldn't help but wonder.
"How was it?"
After they finished playing, Chihaya Anon turned her head toward Kamigawa Saku with a proud smile.
"It was decent."
Shiina Taki, busy analyzing the score and pondering further tweaks, answered without missing a beat.
She could clearly see Anon's improvement and decided to be honest.
Chihaya Anon frowned, looking displeased. "Rikki, you really don't know how to read the room, huh?"
Her question had been for Kamigawa Saku, not the band's drummer, who didn't even have a notable role in the song.
"What do you mean?"
Shiina Taki lifted her gaze from the tablet, genuinely puzzled.
Had she done something to ruin the mood?
All she'd done was answer a question.
"Never mind, forget it."
Chihaya Anon shook her head, deciding not to argue.
Some things just weren't worth explaining in detail—it would ruin the fun.
"So strange."
With a dismissive comment, Shiina Taki glanced at everyone else. "Let's run it again. Is that okay?"
"Sure!"
No one objected.
The second rendition of Ichishizuku Sora soon filled the room.
Midway through, Chihaya Anon suddenly felt a piercing gaze.
Following the source of the stare, she saw Kamigawa Saku standing near the door, giving her a thumbs-up—a clear response to her earlier question.
Flashing him a radiant smile, Chihaya Anon refocused on her guitar with renewed enthusiasm.
Compared to Shiina Taki, Kamigawa Saku really knew how to set the mood.
---
Time flew by, and soon it was break time.
"Rikki, earlier you said my performance was decent, right?"
Setting down her guitar, Chihaya Anon approached Shiina Taki with a smile, confirming what she'd said earlier.
"Yes, I did. Why?"
After capping her water bottle, Shiina Taki grew even more confused.
Why bring this up now, after dropping the topic earlier?
"It's just that I think everyone's been working really hard. It's time we take a proper break!"
Satisfied with the answer, Chihaya Anon turned to address the group.
"A proper break?"
Nagasaki Soyo, who had been about to strike up a conversation with Kamigawa Saku, paused mid-step.
Takamatsu Tomori also looked at her, puzzled.
Meanwhile, Kaname Raana remained indifferent, resuming her snack raid on Kamigawa Saku's bag.
"Are you saying you want a vacation?"
Shiina Taki, processing Anon's suggestion, immediately thought of this possibility.
"If that's the case, we'll need to wait until Ichishizuku Sora is fully rehearsed. We're not there yet."
"No, no, I'm not talking about a vacation!" Anon replied in a chipper tone. "I'm suggesting the band goes on an outing together."
"I've already discussed this with Saku, and he's on board. I just need to know if you're all okay with it too."
"Is that true?"
Nagasaki Soyo turned to Kamigawa Saku for confirmation.
"Yes, we did talk about it," he replied with a nod. "Anon feels everyone's been giving their all for the band and deserves a reward. A group outing seemed like the perfect way to relax."
"I thought it made sense, so I agreed."
"A group outing sounds great!"
Takamatsu Tomori immediately voiced her approval.
"I'm fine with it too," Nagasaki Soyo added quickly.
The chance to go out with Kamigawa Saku—and the rest of the band—was too good to pass up.
"...Alright."
Seeing how quickly Tomori agreed, Shiina Taki gave in without much resistance.
After everyone had shared their opinions, Kamigawa Saku approached the one person who hadn't spoken—Kaname Raana.
"Did you hear what we were talking about just now?"
"Mmm... going out~," Raana mumbled through a mouthful of snacks.
"Well, that settles it. Everyone's on board with the outing," Kamigawa Saku concluded. "Now we just need to figure out when and where to go."
"Let's hear everyone's suggestions."
After a moment of silence, Shiina Taki pointed at the tablet and was the first to speak.
"I think we should wait a bit before going. I just finished arranging Ichishizuku Sora, and we need to practice it more."
"Once we've nailed the song, we can head out."
Nagasaki Soyo chimed in, "In that case, how about scheduling it for summer break?"
"With a month left until summer, we should have enough time to perfect Ichishizuku Sora."
"Sounds good."
No one disagreed, and the outing was officially set for summer break.
"Now, where should we go?" Nagasaki Soyo asked, pulling out her phone to start searching. "There are six of us, so it should be a place everyone can enjoy."
"Tomori, do you have any ideas?" Shiina Taki asked kindly.
"...No."
Takamatsu Tomori shook her head slightly.
As long as the band was together, she didn't mind where they went.
"You all can decide."
"How about the beach…"
Shiina Taki, encouraged by Tomori's answer, thought hard and suggested a suitable option.
But before she could finish, Chihaya Anon interrupted her.
"Actually, I don't really want to go to the beach or a water park. Let's rule those out."
"Huh?!"
Shiina Taki glared at her, visibly annoyed that her suggestion was shot down so quickly.
Curious, Nagasaki Soyo looked up. "Anon-chan, can you tell us why you don't want to go to those places?"
"No particular reason. I just don't feel like it."
While speaking, Anon's gaze swept over Soyo's chest, then lingered on Tomori, Taki, and finally Raana.
The difference between me and everyone else is way too obvious.
"That's not a real reason!" Shiina Taki protested.
"Well, I just don't want to go!"
Unable to explain further, Anon stuck to her stance.
"What about you, Saku? Any place you'd like to go?"
Ignoring the brewing argument, Nagasaki Soyo turned to Kamigawa Saku and asked in an unusually gentle tone.
---
T/N: no more chapters for a bit :((( will post new chapters when I have them! but now its time to wait... and wait... and wait... check out my other translations! (still no available chaps - 02/10/2025)
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