Iruma-san wants to win the Akutagawa Prize

The remaining locations -

Needless to say, the rooftop is a holy place for lone wolves and couples, and Ijichi Hongka and Iruma Hibiki can't be considered either of them.

Then there's the corridor.

In fact, most of the people who eat in the corridor are the ones who just have milk and fried noodles and bread for lunch.

This kind of lunch is simple and convenient, so you can eat it quickly in the corridor and continue to do your own things.

Then there is the garden. In fact, Ijichi Hongka and Yamada Ryo always had lunch in the garden before. The properties of the garden are actually similar to those of the courtyard.

The general difference is that there are slightly more people in the atrium and slightly fewer in the garden.

Therefore, most of the people who have lunch in the garden are couples or close friends.

Naturally, Hibiki Iruma and Nikka Ijichi did not reach that level.

Therefore, the bench in the atrium, which was slightly more crowded, became the most suitable place.

Ijichi Hongxia's lunch box is the same color as her hair, a beautiful goose yellow. It is a standard three-portion plastic lunch box. It seems to take the user's nutrition into consideration, so the three compartments are divided into meat, vegetables, and rice in perfect proportions.

However, Iruma Hibiki's lunch box is much more complicated——

His lunch box was a black square box decorated with golden cherry blossom patterns and had a red lacquer lining.

Such square lacquerware is naturally larger, roughly twice the size of Ijichi Hongxia's lunch box. Of course, it is a bit empty inside, and the actual amount of food is far from twice as much, but just slightly more.

His dishes are actually very different from those of Ijichi Hongka.

A few simple rolls of sushi—last night's rice and homemade pickles, two classic plums, then tempura and fried chicken for meat, and finally a small grid of broccoli.

On the other hand, at Ijichi Hongxia's place, the meat was not fried food, but octopus sausage, the vegetable section was filled with cabbage salad, and the rice was sprinkled with a little black sesame seeds as a garnish. The only similarity was probably the pickled plums.

Now that things have come to this, the next step is to exchange dishes.

For example, exchanging fried chicken nuggets for sausages.

As for salads, it is not very convenient to exchange them.

Of course, this was just a joke deep in Hibiki Iruma's heart at the moment. In fact, his relationship with Ijichi Kouka probably hadn't reached the level of exchanging dishes.

"Speaking of -"

Hibiki Miura was silent for a while.

Ijichi Hongxia took out her chopsticks and started talking.

Compared to Iruma Hibiki who was a little reserved at the moment, Ijichi Hongka seemed more relaxed and confident.

"What kind of song are you planning to practice at tonight's rehearsal, Iruma-san?"

"Um……"

Iruma Hibiki was silent for a while.

"Little star?"

Then answered.

Of course, his answer was somewhat of a joke, mocking a certain band that had already been to the Budokan twice and whose first appearance on stage was with a lead singer, castanets, and Little Star on bass.

Of course, that version of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star is a bit too simple for him now.

However, the rock version of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" is a bit difficult for him now.

It's stuck right in the middle.

So actually, any little star is not very suitable.

"Sure, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star is also very good."

And Ijichi Hongxia agreed with a smile, and seemed to have already started thinking about how to adjust the rhythm. The chopsticks in her hand were shaking, but she still maintained her ladylike manner and did not collide with the lunch box to make any noise.

"But you can also try slightly more difficult songs, such as Fade, which is very simple because it only has four chords: Am, F, C, and G."

"Iruma-san is practicing very hard."

Ijichi Nikka looked at Iruma Hibiki's left hand—

For Hibiki Iruma, the fingertips of his left hand have actually completed a transformation during this period. As the skin has fallen off, the fingertips have begun to become slightly hard and have begun to adapt to the force of pressing the strings.

As his wounds healed, his guitar skills, although still not very good, had reached a level where he could switch chords smoothly.

"Actually, I'm already considered slow. The seniors I admire are said to sleep with their guitars in their arms. They practiced like this for less than a month and were already performing at a livehouse."

Iruma Hibiki sighed slightly.

The senior he was referring to was Togawa Kasumi.

Of course, in reality his position should correspond to Hanazono Tae, but in terms of the level of a novice, he is similar to Togawa Kasumi, but obviously, he does not have Togawa Kasumi's talent.

Taking office in less than a month?

Impossible, absolutely impossible.

Iruma Hibiki felt that even if he practiced hard, he would never be able to reach that level.

"No, actually, I've been practicing drums for a long time, and it took me about a year to finally get some good performance. So Iruma-san's progress is actually pretty fast. As for Togawa-senpai—"

Ijichi Nikka directly read out the words "Togawa-senpai".

This surprised Iruma Hibiki a little, after all, he seemed to have never mentioned Togawa Kasumi before.

Worried that she had said something wrong, Ijichi Hongka quickly checked:

"Iruma-san is referring to Togawa-senpai, because I've heard before that Iruma-san met Popipa's seniors in Ikebukuro."

"um, yes."

Iruma Hibiki smiled.

I probably felt happy at this moment.

He felt happy and delighted that someone paid attention to his details and what he liked and pointed it out directly at some point.

"People like Togawa-senpai are rare talents. Even if he only learned it in a month, Togawa-senpai must have practiced guitar very hard in private."

As Ijichi Hongxia said this, she picked up an octopus sausage and stuffed it into her mouth, then ate it happily.

"You can't rush things in music, so don't get discouraged, Iruma-san. Take it slow, and let's improve together. One day, we'll shine on stage!"

Hibiki Iruma smiled faintly as he looked at Ijichi Nikka who was cheering him up.

In fact, he had no so-called jealousy or anxiety towards geniuses.

But it didn't work.

Iruma Hibiki truly received the encouragement and concern from Ijichi Hongka.

It’s great to be in a band.

Iruma Hibiki sighed softly in his heart.

I couldn't help but sigh at the twists and turns of my fate in the past.

69 Chihaya Aine, who is both naturally present and naturally absent

After lunch, it’s time for afternoon classes——

Glick's novels are filled with the breath of winter, like fresh snow melting quietly on the tip of your tongue. The interweaving feeling of coldness and illusion cleanses the soul, leaving it clear and pure. Such beauty is also tinged with a touch of sadness.

Hibiki Iruma left a message on the paper.

Then he stared at the manuscript paper for his class composition for a while.

Of course, this moment of daze is actually completely at ease——

After all, for an author who often writes 100,000 words, an essay of 100 words is nothing, especially an essay that tests grammar and the use of metaphors.

In Hibiki Iruma's mind, the writer who makes the best use of simile is Mitsuki Nomura. Her descriptions always make people feel as if they are there and are beautiful beyond words. Coupled with the interesting and complex plots, she is still the white moonlight in Hibiki Iruma's mind.

So in today's lesson on [Favorite Literary Works], Iruma Hibiki quoted the words of Nomura Mitsuki at the beginning.

Compared to his ease, Ijichi Hongxia, who was sitting in the seat in front of him, was a representative of ordinary high school students. She was having a hard time, but she was still moving forward bit by bit and writing down one beautiful character after another.

During this time, when the teacher left the classroom and some whispers were heard from the window at the back left of the classroom, Ichichi Hongxia secretly looked back.

Then she saw that Iruma Hibiki had already written on the third sheet of manuscript paper.

Although the requirement was 300 words, Hibiki Iruma wrote about 500 words with great care.

After all, both Grik and Nomura Mitsuki are people who cannot be let down.

Perhaps, seeing Iruma Hibiki's seriousness and achievements, Ijichi Hongka put away her distractions and focused on the composition.

Hibiki Iruma was not among the first to hand in his paper.

Although he was indeed the first to finish, he did not rush to hand in the paper and walk down the corridor.

Although the noise coming from outside is definitely better than the depressing atmosphere in the classroom.

But for a guy like him——

Hibiki Iruma looked at Ijichi Kouka's back.

After all, Shimokitazawa is not his home ground. There is no seaside park or Chinese restaurant here, and he has no club classroom to go to - not even an extremely small club classroom like the one where a pink-haired boy who looks a lot like Goto Ichiri is.

As for friends from other classes...

Go find Yamada Ryo?

The two of them are not familiar with each other to that extent.

So, even though he could no longer bear the depressing atmosphere in the classroom, Hibiki Iruma still sat in his seat and waited.

When Yidi Zhihongxia handed in her paper, he also handed in his.

Then let’s go out together.

Then school was over, and then—

Hibiki Iruma's left hand touched the guitar placed beside his desk.

Just like in junior high school, he sat in the last row, not the main seat, nor by the window, but in the second column on the right.

Of course he has no complaints about this position.

Even though the students on the left and right are not familiar with each other.

But being able to see the reverse-sitting Ijichi Hongka every day is a beautiful sight that is worth cherishing.

About 15 minutes before the exam was due, Ijichi Hongka put down her pen, and the sound of her soft, deep breathing reached Iruma Hibiki's ears. Then he saw Ijichi Hongka's shoulders tremble slightly.

Then she stood up, took the test paper, and walked towards the podium.

Following closely, Iruma Hibiki also handed in his simply bound manuscript paper and left the classroom.

The ones left in the classroom were those who were struggling and trying hard to make up the word count.

There is a high probability that their pain will continue until the last second.

In the corridor, the time for school to end had actually arrived.

Now that you have finished your exams, you can just leave.

However, Ijichi Hongxia didn't seem to have any intention of going to Fanxing at the moment. Instead, she sat down on the bench and looked at Iruma Hibiki.

"Iruma-san is amazing! I took a look at your composition midway through, and you finished it super fast."

"It's my job after all."

Iruma Hibiki was modest for a moment.

Of course, at this stage, it is a bit pretentious for a guy like him to call himself an author. To be honest, he is just an ordinary writer.

If I can be called the author, I must solve the current crisis and survive the summer successfully.

"Let's go to the stars together later!"

Ijichi Hongxia said with a smile, and although there was fatigue on her face, it was obvious that she was excited.

As for Hibiki Iruma, what he was thinking about was actually a little more complicated.

Indeed, he was looking forward to today's rehearsal.

He couldn't wait to pick up his handsome piano, which he had become more and more familiar with recently, and play with Ijichi Hongxia and Nagasaki Motoyo.

However, if we talk about regrets, there are probably some today.