They all have hidden attributes!

The old door paired with a brand-new wooden signboard suggests that the Light Music Club was only recently established.

He knocked on the door, and Uesugi Maya's voice came from inside saying "Come in." Takahashi Makoto pushed the door open and walked in, where he saw an L-shaped classroom.

The spacious classroom was spotless, with a row of bookshelves placed against the wall, free of unnecessary clutter.

Next to the window facing the door, four desks were pushed together. Uesugi Maya sat in a chair, facing him sideways, reading a book and eating her bento.

Makoto Takahashi noticed that the book's title was not "Crime and Punishment," but rather "Building a Band from Scratch."

It seems that Hina Nekoya's desire to join the band should go smoothly, since the light music club looks like it's in dire need of rebuilding.

“I have a friend who also wants to join the band,” he said.

"Nekoya Hina?" Uesugi Maya put down her chopsticks, closed the book in her hand, and looked up with her beautiful caramel-colored eyes.

Makoto Takahashi gave up his seat, and Hina Nekoya, who was hiding behind him, smiled and waved to greet him.

Maya Uesugi carefully examined her, then took out an application form and a black pen from the drawer of her desk and said to Makoto Takahashi, "Fill out the form first."

The two walked over together, and while he was filling out the form, Uesugi Maya asked Nekoya Hina, "Have you ever learned a musical instrument before?"

"No."

Are you left-handed?

"Yes, how did you know?" Nekoya Hina asked in surprise.

"The wristband is on my left hand, and I was also holding the umbrella with my left hand yesterday."

Maya Uesugi took a new application form from her desk drawer, placed it on the table, and said indifferently, "If you're willing to learn the drums, you can join."

"I'll give it a try." Hina Nekoya pulled out a chair and sat down, filling out the club application form with Makoto Takahashi.

After the two finished writing their applications to join the club, Maya Uesugi carefully put them away and said to Makoto Takahashi, "I've already submitted the career path survey guidance for you."

"Thank you."

He glanced at the bento box on the table, then turned to look at Nekoya Hina, trying to find an excuse to send her away: "You said yesterday that you would treat me to lunch, right?"

"Ah, I almost forgot."

Hina Nekoya immediately stood up and walked towards the door: "A life of cream bread and wild vegetables, right? I'll be right back."

To buy lunch, he had to go to the student cafeteria. After she left, Makoto Takahashi took the opportunity to speak with Maya Uesugi alone.

"I didn't expect you to agree to let Hina join the band."

"Left-handed people play drums very elegantly, and she has practiced badminton, so her wrists and ankles are very flexible." Uesugi Maya spoke in a calm tone, as if she were talking about the weather.

It must be admitted that she has a keen eye for detail. Before Nekoya Hina spoke up, Makoto Takahashi had no idea that she was left-handed.

However, that's not the point. The point is what Uesugi Maya said yesterday.

"Now that Hina has joined the band, according to your principles, shouldn't you apologize for talking badly about her behind her back yesterday?" Takahashi asked.

Chapter 5 Persist in Moving Forward Towards Your Dreams

The sound of raindrops hitting the glass window was crisp and almost cracking. Under the warm yellow light of the office, Makoto Takahashi and Maya Uesugi sat facing each other on either side of a makeshift desk.

He rested his elbows on the table, his fingers interlaced in front of his face, his gaze fixed on Uesugi Maya's beautiful face.

“An apology is conditional on me being wrong.” Her beautiful caramel-colored eyes looked at him without flinching, her expression unchanged.

Hearing the indifferent response, Makoto Takahashi's tone became more serious: "Hina has a very straightforward personality, she wouldn't be as despicable as you say."

"Where's the evidence?"

"Friend verified".

He couldn't produce any evidence, but since Uesugi Maya was reflecting on her actions and seemed to know she was going to change, Takahashi Makoto still wanted to persuade her as much as possible.

After all, the three of them are now in the same club.

"I'm not used to having other people around when I eat. I'll get back to you about this later. Come to the club office alone after school." Uesugi Maya gave him a look to see him off and reopened the book "Building a Band from Scratch".

Makoto Takahashi retreated for the time being; he hadn't eaten breakfast that morning.

After leaving the Light Music Club, they ran into Nekoya Hina, who had just bought bread, on their way back to the school building. The two of them decided to enjoy the rain while having lunch in the elevated corridor.

"I never expected her to actually invite you to play in a band."

Hina Nekoya took a bite of red bean bread and said as if waking from a dream, "I thought Hell Girl would be very difficult to approach, but I didn't expect her to be so approachable."

"It was because she was so kind to me that I agreed to play house with her after she gave me a large sum of money as a friend's fee," Takahashi Makoto corrected, leaning against the wall.

"Friendship fee?"

The term was somewhat new to Nekoya Hina, and her brown eyes lit up.

"15 yen, for one month."

"what?"

"I'm not lying to you, I'm planning to quit my part-time job," Makoto Takahashi said earnestly.

His goal is to become the strongest creature on Earth, a true all-rounder. After joining the Light Music Club, his archery practice time will take up more of his part-time job time.

Maya Uesugi gives more money to her friends than she does at a part-time job, and it's much easier, so why not?

"Damn it, why didn't I have it?"

Nekoya Hina jealously took a bite of red bean bread, chewed it vigorously, swallowed it, and then glanced at Takahashi Makoto: "Makoto, she doesn't actually like you, does she? To be honest, she's quite pretty."

"It doesn't seem like it, but I'm also very curious about why she's so persistent."

Makoto Takahashi shook his head, skipping the topic. What Maya Uesugi was really thinking was probably only known to herself.

"Aren't you afraid of losing your social value by playing in a band with her?"

No way.

After finishing the last bite of bread and swallowing it with the help of wild vegetables, Hina Nekoya smiled brightly: "That's just my personality. I can get along with everyone, otherwise it would be quite boring."

"Are you really going to learn to play the drums?" Makoto Takahashi asked.

"There's no harm in giving it a try."

"Too."

After lunch, there was an English class and a long class meeting in the afternoon, both of which were supervised by Chihaya.

Perhaps because of the conflict with Uesugi Maya that morning, Supervisor Chihaya looked rather unwell, and even glared at Takahashi Makoto a few times before class.

With her youthful, chubby face, even when she's angry, she's still adorable.

Makoto Takahashi didn't take it to heart at all. It was clearly the supervisor's fault, and even Maya Uesugi knew that one should respect other people's dreams.

The second half of the long class meeting was a boring self-study period. After Supervisor Chihaya left, Makoto Takahashi began to consider how to move towards his dream.

Now that you've joined the Light Music Club, you should definitely make good use of your support cards. Uesugi Maya's support card has good attributes; as long as you train her intelligence, she'll likely get a synchronized boost to her physique.

Both literary and martial arts?

This attribute is probably more than just being active in physical education class; it likely means they have a sport they are very good at.

The simplest way to train your intelligence is to attend classes, followed by doing practice problems. With the final exams in July not far away, why not go to the club office to study?

After club activities are over, I'll go to the archery club with Hina Nekoya to train my resilience.

As for Kashima Reiko, the badminton club obviously doesn't welcome boys. If she's with Uesugi Maya, there will always be opportunities in the future.

It doesn't matter if we don't have it; let's focus on doing the things in front of us well first.

After the bell rang, the classroom instantly became noisy.

"Cheng, there's a party tonight, wanna come along? It's a karaoke place, all the girls from our class," Nekoya Hina asked, leaning closer.

"Not interested."

"As the only boy, I don't need to split the bill."

“I’m not going.” Makoto Takahashi shook his head, took out a math problem set from his desk, and walked towards the back door of the classroom.

He just wants to go to the community center to learn and experience the new assistance card.

"Are you going to the light music club? Or the archery club?" Hina Nekoya asked, chasing after him.

"If you have plans with your friends, just come find me at the archery club later," Takahashi Makoto said considerately, as he was looking for a reason to get rid of her.

Judging from Hina Nekoya's behavior this morning, she definitely wouldn't feel at ease if she were to go to the Light Music Club.

"Okay, let me know if the Light Music Club sends any notifications. I've made plans with a friend to go to the new cafe across from the academy."

The two parted ways at the stairs. Nekoya Hina naturally joined a group of girls chatting in the corridor, while Takahashi Makoto walked alone through the elevated corridor to the light music club on the 5th floor of the special building.

After knocking and receiving no response, he pushed the door open and went inside. The L-shaped classroom was empty, and the sound of rain outside the window was exceptionally clear.

Makoto Takahashi placed the problem set on his desk. Through the window, he could see students going to club activities in the courtyard, and several girls chasing and playing around.

When no more umbrellas appeared in the courtyard, a very slight "click" sound came from behind me—the sound of a door opening.

Makoto Takahashi turned around and saw Maya Uesugi walking lightly into the club office, her delicate face showing a hint of coldness, indicating that she was not in a good mood.

"good afternoon."

She greeted Makoto Takahashi, pulled out a chair, held down her skirt with both hands, and sat down in the spot where she usually ate her lunch. Then she took out a thick envelope from the pocket of her black pleated skirt.

"Here is 20 yen, which is the fund for club activities."

"So many?"

Makoto Takahashi sat down opposite her, opened his workbook, and casually asked, "I heard you and the student council president don't get along very well?"

The archery club's activity fund is a paltry 3 yen, and they have to be frugal even when buying supplies. To participate in competitions or training camps, they have to apply for additional funds from the student council.

"Oh."

Uesugi Maya sneered, her tone slightly lowering, and the atmosphere in the clubroom seemed to cool down as well: "I don't even consider her a threat."

The way she crossed her arms over her chest looked very convincing.

Makoto Takahashi nodded, marking the end of the topic, and then focused on his workbook. He hadn't made any intellectual progress in the past few classes, so he needed to make the most of the time he spent with Maya Uesugi.

Chapter 6 The Lone Ranger