Nijika Ijichi noticed that Yamada Ryo was acting strangely today.
She was always distracted in class, distracted when chatting, and even when eating—there were no signs of improvement.
During the lunch break.
"Yamada, are you okay?" asked the little angel Nijika with concern.
Why does she look like the heroine of a TV drama whose lover has died? And it's the kind of plot where the lover has been in love for over ten years, only for them to finally get run over and killed by a car.
"I'm fine."
Yamada Ryo snapped back to her senses and chewed her food in small bites, her tone as calm as ever.
"But you've been distracted all day today." Nijika Ijichi recalled Bocchi-chan's speech from yesterday and joked, "Could it be that Ryo is like Bocchi-chan and has someone she likes?"
Yamada Ryo was silent for a few seconds, then took a piece of vegetable from Nijika's bento box and put it in her mouth, chewing as she slowly replied, "No."
Since she was too poor, she always ate from Little Angel Nijika's lunch at school… without paying anything, of course.
Nijika Ijichi was worried she would starve, so she put extra vegetables in the bento every day.
"If Ryo has someone she likes, tell me."
"... Mmm."
Yamada Ryo hadn't slept well all night. That villain Kitahara Toru wrote every detail of their relationship in his apology letter. He also said he regretted not being able to grow old with her, regretted not being able to help her wear a wedding dress. And that after he was gone, she should eat well.
Ryo couldn't take it—when she read it, she burst into tears. Her eyes shed small tears. After all, it had been so hard to hold back and not cry.
She cried continuously until late at night.
She did her best to play the song "Ryo" that Kitahara Toru gave her as a gift, and then shed tears while playing the bass. Damn it! His music was too good!
After all that, Miss Yamada felt like she was seriously ill. She had actually fallen in love with a fictional character.
What is this, cyber-widowhood? This is too rock 'n' roll!
What's even worse is that now she knows the person Hitori Gotoh likes is Kitahara Toru… This could be the beginning of a depression for her.
"There will be more training for Kessoku Band next time. By the way, have you made any progress on the song you wanted to write last time?"
"Yeah, I already have some ideas."
Yamada Ryo heard Nijika's voice and felt healed.
As expected, Nijika was the best. Yamada Ryo thought to herself how great Nijika was and took another piece of her favorite fried chicken.
"Ah! My fried chicken nuggets! Put them down right now!" The little angel Nijika's eyes turned red because all her nuggets had been eaten!
"Nijika, I love you."
Yamada Ryo swallowed the fried nuggets in one gulp, expressionless, without the slightest regret.
After all, Nijika was her best friend and would never betray her over trivial matters.
"So mean! I won't forgive you! Even if you say you love me, I won't give in!"
The little angel Nijika directly picked up the lunchbox from the desk.
Yamada Ryo blinked and said sweetly, "I'm sorry."
"I won't forgive you~"
Nijika Ijichi made a cute face and turned her head away to avoid looking at the puppy-like, pitiful eyes of the other party—otherwise, she would soften.
———
A few days later.
At Live House STARRY, everyone in Kessoku Band was worried about one thing.
Hitori Gotoh was so shy that even after her first live session, she still couldn't bring herself to play the guitar in front of strangers.
"Bocchi-chan… My sister and PA-san aren't strangers."
Nijika pushed a box in front of her labeled "Ripe Mango."
"You guys still haven't thrown away this box?" Seika Ijichi took a sip of an apple-flavored drink and complained.
The personal assistant with long black hair and a fashionable dress on the side said, "Ah, that's so interesting."
"Interesting? Isn't it embarrassing for a guitarist to be afraid of an audience?"
Seika Ijichi, who was sitting on a chair, tossed her empty drink container into the trash can and stood up.
"Do you have your songs ready?" Seika asked somewhat awkwardly.
She was very concerned about Kessoku Band's songwriting progress but was too embarrassed to say it directly.
"Of course, it's already done."
"Well, I have an audition in a week. I hope you can impress me."
Seika Ijichi shook her head and left the practice area arrogantly.
PA also smiled at the Kessoku Band members before following Seika.
After they left—
Hitori Gotoh climbed out of the box and collapsed on the floor, gasping for air.
"Ryo, we have to make Bocchi-chan braver!"
"Yeah." Yamada Ryo nodded.
"Senpai, as far as I know, this might be difficult to fix in a short time. Is there really a good way?" Kita Ikuyo asked worriedly.
The practice room fell silent.
They thought for a few minutes.
"...How about playing outdoors?" suggested Yamada Ryo.
Street performances were good practice and allowed them to interact closely with the audience.
But one thing worth noting was that Hitori Gotoh couldn't play alone—she needed a partner.
"Today is Friday, and there's no class tomorrow. Ryo, your idea sounds good." Nijika looked at Hitori Gotoh, who was gradually turning black and white, seemingly about to turn to ashes.
"Bocchi-chan, you can't, you can't run away."
"B-but…"
In Hitori Gotoh's eyes, there were now two devil horns on the little angel Nijika's head.
Ahhh! The angel has turned into a demon… and she's going to be devoured~
"Bocchi-chan, is this the extent of your determination?"
"..."
If it were a normal person, the spark of determination might have ignited.
But Hitori Gotoh, the timid pink snake, simply shrank back into the mango box and didn't dare come out.
She! Hitori Gotoh! Is a coward!
Private red bean paste from Marseille!
"Bocchi." Yamada Ryo approached the box.
"Ah… what."
I don't hear anything, I don't hear anything, I'm not going out to perform, I'm going to die! I'm really going to die! Today, Hitori Gotoh starves to death! I won't take a single step outside the concert house, even if I die in this box!
"Your guitar skills have improved a lot recently. If you play on the street, a lot of people will surely praise you…"
Before Yamada Ryo could finish, Hitori Gotoh was already lost in a fantasy, touching her neck and smiling foolishly in the box.
"Yeah, she's not as powerful as the Rock Queen… but she's amazing."
Nijika Ijichi: "O ▽ O"
Bocchi-chan, aren't you a little too easy to persuade?
———
A moment later—
Bocchi-chan, fallen in battle!
Died at the age of 15.