Green plums cannot become lovers.

"Don't you really find me annoying?"

"will not."

"Really?"

"real."

Eriri finally turned her head and looked at him.

Sunlight fell on the boy's face, outlining his soft features. Her image was reflected in his deep brown eyes.

She suddenly felt like she was dreaming.

"Birds".

"Ok?"

Pinch me.

"why?"

"I want to see if I'm dreaming."

An and Asuka smiled.

He reached out and gently pinched her cheek.

Soft and warm.

"It's not a dream."

Eriri paused for a moment, then slapped his hand away.

"Who told you to pinch my face!"

"Didn't you tell me to pinch it?"

"That's a metaphor!"

"Oh."

Eriri glared at him, but couldn't help laughing.

The two looked at each other and smiled.

The sunlight shone on them, warm and bright.

-

In a distant building, Kasumigaoka Utaha stood by the window, looking in the direction of the café.

Although she couldn't see the specific people, she knew there were two people sitting there.

She smiled, turned around, and went back to her computer.

Fingertips landed on the keyboard.

Keep writing.

-

In the evening, An and Feiniao returned home.

As soon as I opened the door, Marina came to greet me.

"Flying Bird's back! Did you have a good date today?"

An and Asuka looked at her smiling face without saying a word.

He put down his bag and stretched his wrists.

"Marina."

"Ok?"

"Let's settle the score for what happened last night."

Marina's expression froze.

"Wait, wait! Asuka, calm down!"

"I am very calm."

"No, you're not calm at all!"

An and the flying bird walked over.

Marina's screams and pleas for mercy came from inside the room.

Ai and Shizuka watched from the side, one chuckling to herself, the other shaking her head helplessly.

Outside the window, the setting sun was at its brightest.

Volume 1: Chapter 232 Roadside Concert

After exchanging feelings with the girls, An and Asuka's relationship with them improved dramatically.

Although they haven't officially become lovers yet, it's only a matter of time.

After all, not to mention Kasumigaoka Utaha—who had already shown her feelings through her actions—even the most stubborn Eriri spoke her true feelings at the coffee shop that day.

"like."

He'll probably remember Eriri's expression when he said those two words for a long time.

Her face turned as red as a boiled shrimp, her eyes widened, and her mouth opened and closed repeatedly before she finally managed to stammer out, "Why are you so direct?"

She was the one who asked first.

However, although the relationship has improved, some issues remain unresolved.

For example, Eriri doesn't yet have the face to face those three girls.

"I...I feel that what I did that day," she said awkwardly, "was completely like poaching my best friends' girlfriends!"

An and Asuka really wanted to say, "Actually, they wouldn't care," but seeing Eriri's conflicted expression, they swallowed their words.

"So!" Eriri held up one finger, looking at him seriously, "You're not allowed to tell them! I'll tell them myself after I've mentally prepared myself!"

“Okay.” An and Asuka nodded.

Although he didn't think it was a big deal, Eriri's "stealing" behavior was still somewhat novel to him.

Despite being so arrogant and stubborn usually, she is surprisingly principled when it comes to this kind of thing.

However, he knew perfectly well that this matter could not be kept from the three girls.

With Marina's intuition, Ai's observation skills, and Shizuka's insight, they'll probably figure it out soon.

And once they find out, they certainly won't say anything.

After all, they never considered him their "own property" from the very beginning.

-

In mid-July, after everyone finished their busy work, they all got together again.

Summer vacation is a great time to complete club activities.

The band's practice progress needs to be monitored, and the development of the game "Small Town Family" also needs to be continued.

An and Asuka made a promise with the girls to practice at STARRY today.

At 2 p.m., when the sun was at its strongest, they arrived at their destination.

As I walked down the stairs and pushed open that familiar soundproof door, a blast of cool air hit me. The air conditioning in the STARRY was on full blast, instantly dispelling the heat outside.

An and Asuka walked at the front, followed by Marina, Ai, Shizuka, Kasumigaoka Utaha, and Eriri.

As soon as he entered the rest area, he saw several familiar figures.

The four girls who had just finished their band practice were sitting around a sofa with several bottles of drinks in front of them, looking like they had just finished practicing and were taking a break.

Upon hearing the door open, they all turned around in unison.

"Anhe-kun?!"

Ichi Nijika was the first to react, jumping up from the sofa with her eyes wide open.

"Why are you here!"

Her voice was filled with surprise, and a hint of disbelief.

It had been almost two weeks since they last saw each other after attending the Toyosaki school festival. Although they would occasionally chat on LINE, it had been a long time since they had met face-to-face like this.

“Of course I’m here to practice.” An and Asuka walked over with a smile.

"Huh?" Hongxia blinked. "But I didn't hear my sister mention any appointments today?"

"I forgot to make an appointment," An and Asuka admitted frankly. "It was a last-minute decision, so we just came straight here."

He paused, then looked at Hongxia.

"I wonder if I've caused you any trouble?"

"No, no!" Hongxia waved her hands hurriedly, shaking her head like a rattle-drum. "Absolutely not! We just finished practicing and are resting! You've come at the perfect time!"

An and Asuka smiled.

"That's good."

Kita Ikuyo also came over, her amber eyes sparkling.

"Anhe! Long time no see!"

Her voice was still full of energy, and she seemed to radiate light.

Yamada Ryo stood behind her, intending to take a picture with his phone, but Ijichi Nijika quickly pressed the button down, so she could only nod slightly as a greeting.

Then, An and Asuka's gaze fell on the last person.

Goto Ichiri.

The pink-haired girl huddled in the corner of the sofa, hugging her knees and trying to shrink herself into the smallest possible ball. Noticing his gaze, she visibly stiffened for a moment, then buried her face in her knees.

It's completely an ostrich-like attitude of "I can't see you, I can't see you".

An and Asuka couldn't help but laugh when they saw her like that.

Instead of looking away as usual, he walked over to them.

"Goto-kun."

Goto Ichiri's shoulder twitched.

no respond.

"Goto Ichiri-kun."

It shook again.

An and Asuka crouched down in front of her, bringing their eyes level.

"haven't seen you for a long time."

Goto Ichiri, whose face was buried in his knees, quietly lifted his head slightly.

She revealed a pair of blue eyes, looking at him cautiously.

In those eyes, there was tension, fear, and a hint of... anticipation?

"How have you been lately?" she asked in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz.

"Yeah, it's going well." An and Asuka nodded. "And you? How's your guitar practice going?"

Goto Ichiri's eyes lit up.

"Practicing...a new piece..."

What piece of music?

"Yes, yes..." Her voice trailed off, "It's Anwa's... 'Play'..."

An and Asuka were taken aback.

"Play"?

That was a new song he wrote for the band Praise, which had just been performed at the school festival. I didn't expect that Goto Ichiri was also practicing it.