Tokyo: To reiterate, this is not a dating system.

"Smack."

When the last piece of equipment was powered off by Genji Aoyama, the empty concert hall fell silent.

Unlike the tension that had gripped them upon arrival, the air was now filled with the faint sounds of laughter and chatter coming from backstage, accompanied by the rustling of fabrics.

The pretty girls were changing clothes, and even before they went in, they cheerfully invited him, "Want to watch the pretty girls change?"

Genji Aoyama solemnly declared that he was not that interested in the idea of ​​beautiful girls changing clothes.

"Genji-kun, you have great leadership skills!"

Haruka Minatsuki walked over, her voice interrupting his random thoughts.

"Unfortunately, I have no interest in being a leader," he smiled, looking at Haruka Minatsuki who had walked up to him. "As Haruka-san said, it's like a father leading a bunch of good-for-nothing children; all I feel is responsibility."

"But you completely ignore me." Haruka Minatsuki smiled gently, her tone wistful, and her eyes filled with even more resentment.

"Perhaps they believe in Haruka-san's abilities?"

Genji Aoyama was unsure of her meaning.

"Then I'll just be a timid, submissive girl too~"

Haruka Minatsuki's voice went from resentful to girlish coquettishness, and then back to normal in a very short time. Before Genji Aoyama could frown, she added, "Just kidding."

A brief silence fell over the air as Haruka Minatsuki simply looked at him, her eyes seemingly shimmering with an unreadable light.

"Feel sorry."

"Aoyama Genji suddenly said."

"Hmm?" Haruka Minatsuki tilted her head slightly, a gentle smile as usual on her face. "Why is Genji apologizing to me?"

"..."

Genji Aoyama found it even harder to speak—the woman was giving him an expression that said, "I know, but I want you to say it yourself."

"Last night, there was a misunderstanding with Ms. Haruka regarding the assistance you mentioned."

After thinking about it, he readily admitted it.

"Oh—" Haruka Minatsuki's eyes turned resentful. "So in Genji's eyes, I'm just a wicked woman who uses tricks. I'm not happy."

"Miss Haruka is quite resourceful now."

"Is that so~"

Haruka Minatsuki chuckled and walked up to Genji Aoyama.

She took out a small pack of wet wipes from the inside pocket of her pleated skirt, pulled out one, and then gently lifted Genji Aoyama's right hand.

With her slender, soft palms slightly cool, Minatsuki Haruka held Aoyama Genji's wrist in one hand and began to gently wipe his palms with a wet wipe in the other.

"I can do it myself," Genji Aoyama said with a smile, reaching out his other hand to grasp Haruka Minatsuki's hand. "Miss Haruka, it doesn't look like you're wiping something; it looks more like you're marking ownership?"

"Miss Haruka doesn't understand."

Haruka Minatsuki raised her head, her smile still on her face, but there was almost no smile in her eyes. "All I know is that Genji-kun just bumped into something else, and if he tries to deal with it himself... he'll only make it worse."

Genji Aoyama didn't use much force, and Haruka Minatsuki even continued to wipe him with her hand, using exceptionally gentle force and wiping very carefully, wiping every area repeatedly from the base of his palm to between his fingers.

"I only operated the mixing console and turned the power off and on. It doesn't seem like that's the case."

Who knows?

Haruka Minatsuki's smile seemed to carry a hint of contempt. After speaking, she walked to the trash can in the corner and threw the used wet wipes, along with their packaging, into it.

When she returned, she didn't say a word to Genji Aoyama. She just stood not far from him, seemingly waiting with him for the band members to come out.

"Saki's outfit is so super super super cute, I want to wear that style too!"

"Hey, Rena, you're supposed to be a 'gyaru' (gal) type, right?!"

"Rena's stage outfit is so cute! And Yui and Hina too, everyone is so adorable!"

"……Thanks."

Before the backstage curtain was even opened, voices could be heard first. Aoyama Genji knew that Saki and the others had returned.

"Hello hello~" The curtain was drawn back, and Izumo Saki, now cheerful again, greeted Aoyama Genji with a bright smile, "Sorry to keep you waiting, Aoyama-kun!"

"Yes, thank you for your hard work, Saki, and everyone else." Genji Aoyama smiled.

"Aoyama-kun, just between you and me, Saki is wearing something super sexy today..."

"There's no need to talk about that."

Aoyama Genji interrupted Shibuya with a smile—because he knew that Izumo Saki's lingerie was very daring.

"What are we going to do in a bit?" He then looked at the band members, who seemed much more relaxed.

"Hmm... a break?" Suzuki looked at Genji Aoyama uncertainly. "In previous performances, the band would give everyone half a day off the day before, so they wouldn't touch their instruments or music, and try to relax as much as possible."

"What should we eat? I told my family I wouldn't be coming home all day, and it's almost lunchtime anyway," Shibuya said.

"...I'm fine with anything." Sugiura remained very timid.

"Let me think..." Izumo Saki looked thoughtful, then smiled a little shyly, "I haven't had much of an appetite these past two days, but now I suddenly feel a bit hungry and want to eat something."

"Let's go eat together then," Aoyama Genji said, raising both hands. "Today's bill is on me, young master Aoyama!"

"puff--"

"I always feel that Aoyama-kun has a strange sense of humor. Is it something I can say?"

"Ahem," Genji Aoyama noticed Haruka Minatsuki looking at him with a subtle expression, then withdrew his hands, resuming his peaceful smile, "Would you like to come along, Haruka-san?"

"That's right."

Everyone seemed to have overlooked Haruka Minatsuki's presence, and then looked at Haruka Minatsuki in response to Genji Aoyama's words.

"I don't need to. I have some student council matters to attend to."

She simply shook her head slightly, her face still bearing a polite smile: "Everyone's performance today was wonderful. I was very pleased after watching it, and I sincerely wish you all a successful performance."

After saying that, Haruka Minatsuki glanced at Genji Aoyama.

"Goodbye," she said. "I look forward to seeing you all at the official performance tomorrow."

After saying goodbye, Haruka Minatsuki left the stage, walking calmly across the audience seats, as if every step was carefully planned. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, she walked out of the concert hall.

"Okay."

Suzuki clapped his hands. "Let's pack up our instruments and think about what to eat later."

"Yes, what do you want to eat?"

Even after they left the concert hall, the group was still discussing this issue.

"Saki, is there anything you'd like to eat?" Genji Aoyama pursed his lips and looked at Saki Izumo, who was smiling beside him.

"Hmm... I don't know!" She tilted her head slightly, blinking as she looked at Genji Aoyama.

"Gentlemen," Shibuya said, shaking his head and glancing at the band members beside him, "I have a good suggestion, how about teppanyaki?"

"Won't it be too greasy?" Suzuki glanced at Izumo Saki.

"Let's eat something simple, after all, we have a performance tomorrow," Genji Aoyama said with a smile.

"That's true." Shibuya nodded.

"Hmm... let me see." Genji Aoyama picked up his phone and opened the review app.

After quickly glancing through the list, his gaze finally settled on a few keywords. Then, Aoyama Genji looked at the band members and said, "I saw a soba noodle shop with good reviews. Shall we go?"

The five of them followed the directions on the review app and arrived at Dogenzaka in Shibuya Ward.

The shop we were going to looked like a renovated old-style detached house, with vines climbing all over the wooden exterior walls and a small, semi-open courtyard planted with various plants.

The environment looked exceptionally quiet, and there weren't many customers in the store. The air was filled with the unique aroma of cooked buckwheat noodles.

The group sat down by the window, and then the staff brought them the menu.

After ordering, the group started chatting.

"This is great..." Suzuki rested his chin on his hands, watching the occasional pedestrians walking by on the tree-lined path outside. "To be able to come to such a nice shop after rock and roll."

"Today..." Izumo Saki took a sip of warm water, a smile on her face, but her voice sounded unusually serious, "Thank you very much, everyone."

"..."

A brief silence fell over the scene, and one could almost hear the bubbling sound of the noodle soup boiling backstage.

"Huh? Saki's so serious! We're all in the same band, it feels a bit formal to say something like that, and besides, we haven't even done anything~"

"If you want to thank someone, thank me," Genji Aoyama said with a smile. "I completely accept it."

Izumo Saki turned her gaze to Aoyama Genji beside her, but was interrupted by him before she could speak: "It was just a joke. Saki got back into shape on her own. If anyone should thank someone, it's themselves."

He wanted to pat Izumo Saki's hand, and the scene in the music hall before couldn't help but come to mind, where Minatsuki Haruka was holding a wet wipe, wiping something as if she wanted to wipe it away.

His hand paused in mid-air for a moment, and then Genji Aoyama gently patted down, the warm and soft touch coming from his palm.

"Anyway... well, I should probably change my habit of bringing up values ​​after only three sentences," Genji Aoyama said with a smile, looking around. "Everyone in the band loves Saki."

After saying that, he withdrew his hand, picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip of water—Minatsuki Haruka was right, it was just like a father with his daughter, and even some of the things he said had the feel of an old father.

The buckwheat noodles were served quickly, presented in a bamboo steamer, looking quite refreshing, and came with dipping sauce.

"I'm starting!"

"So delicious!" someone exclaimed, chewing their food with a slightly exaggerated sound.

Genji Aoyama picked up his chopsticks, grabbed some noodles, dipped them in the sauce, and ate them in one bite.

The sauce is savory, slightly sweet, and complements the aroma of the grains without overpowering them; the taste is indeed quite good.

Refreshing and chewy, it whets the appetite and makes you want to take another bite.

"How is it?" he asked Yun Shaxi.

"Delicious!" Seemingly more acceptable than expected, Izumo Saki took another bite after saying that. "Would you like to try some, Aoyama-kun?"

Her eyes blinked.

"Then I won't be polite." Genji Aoyama smiled, picked up a chopstick from Saki Izumo's bamboo drawer, dipped it in the sauce, and ate it.

"Why does it feel... exactly the same?" He looked at Izumo Saki.

"Huh—" The others either looked shocked or disgusted.

"Exactly the same food..."

"Are we redundant? Don't you feel that way?"

Saki Izumo then realized what was happening, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

◇

On his way home, Genji Aoyama took out his phone.

The band's chat group was buzzing with activity again, and he scrolled up with a flick of his finger.

[Kanna: Sorry I couldn't be there this morning, *crying emoji*]

[Kanna: But I'll definitely be there for the official performance tomorrow!]

[Kanna: Ah, does anyone have any extra invitations? I might need to bring someone along.]

[yui: Invitations are completely unnecessary, they're just to make it look more formal. The concert hall can hold 800 seats, so please bring as many friends as possible, Takahashi-senpai!]

[Rena: My friends will be there too!]

[Saki: Yeah, I invited them too!]

[Hina: ...So everyone has friends?]

[Saki: We're Hina's friends!]

[yui: Oh right, Minazuki said today that she'll apply for a recommendation spot for us at Tokyo University of the Arts!]

[Saki: Someone's spying on pretty girls chatting! @Aoyama]

[yui: Aoyama-kun said he's a beautiful girl today too www]

[Aoyama: That's not true.]

[saki: Should I change my nickname to genji? @青山]

[Qingshan: My phone's out of gas, bye-bye]