"It's here."
Following Takamatsu Tomori, Kazama Haru entered a club room.
It was a room of just over twenty square meters, the air thick with the scent of old paper and faint traces of dust. Bookshelves piled high with various books lined the walls, adorned with simple drawings of celestial bodies and several posters of a girl band.
"This is… a club room?"
Takamatsu Tomori looked in the direction of Kazama Haru's gaze and explained, "This is the Astronomy Club. The previous president and I knew each other for a long time. Before the school year started, she specifically entrusted me with inheriting this place and gave me the key."
"I purposely came an hour early today to move all my things here…"
"Sou ka." *I see/ Is that so?
Kazama Haru nodded thoughtfully.
In the original story, this was the Astronomy Club that Takamatsu Tomori inherited from the former student council president, Hikawa Hina.
According to the plot, Takamatsu Tomori would naturally become the president and sole member here.
Kazama Haru walked to the sofa against the wall and sat down, the worn cushions sighing beneath his weight.
Takamatsu Tomori took a notebook from the bookshelf and handed it to him.
Most of what was written were reflections on observing celestial phenomena.
However, judging by the writing style, many of them seemed to have been recorded by the previous president.
"Takamatsu-san, do you like celestial phenomena and astronomy?"
"Yes, I have an interest in them."
Takamatsu Tomori's voice was extremely soft, and then, as if suddenly remembering something, she leaned closer to Kazama Haru, her tone rising a few notches.
"Do you want to join?"
"Currently, the Astronomy Club only has me. Although it won't be disbanded if we submit activity reports properly, I would be very happy if you were willing to join."
Is this what a fushigi-chan is like?
*eccentric-type
Seeing the sudden expectation light up in Takamatsu Tomori's pink eyes, Kazama Haru couldn't find a reason to refuse: "Okay, if it makes Takamatsu-san happy, I'm willing to join."
"Really? That's great! Arigatou, Kazama-san."
*Thank you
A blush of excitement spread across Takamatsu Tomori's fair, pretty face.
Seeing her so happy, Kazama Haru's mood also improved considerably. He left the sofa and stopped in front of a long-barrel astronomical telescope.
Kazama Haru, who had never touched such high-end equipment, became interested.
Although he knew that galaxies could only be observed at specific times and under specific conditions, he still curiously fiddled with it a few times.
Watching Kazama Haru's clumsy posture, Takamatsu Tomori's lips unconsciously curved into a faint smile.
"Kazama-san… you can't press your eye directly against it, it will hurt."
Takamatsu Tomori naturally stepped closer, her right hand reaching over Kazama Haru's shoulder to grasp the adjustment knob of the finderscope.
Her warm breath swept across Kazama Haru's ear, carrying the faint scent of lavender shampoo.
"In this small classroom, it can't do much, and you certainly can't point it directly at the sun."
"However, if Kazama-san is interested in operating this equipment, you can do it like this…"
A few strands of silky hair brushed against Kazama Haru's cheek, making him involuntarily hold his breath.
"If you use it as a regular telescope, this is as far as it goes."
Takamatsu Tomori shifted her gaze from the prism, looked at Kazama Haru's profile, and said, "Kazama-san, if we're going to do activities together later, I know an excellent observation spot…"
"Okay, I'm also looking forward to stargazing with Takamatsu-san."
Kazama Haru sighed in relief and stood up. Takamatsu Tomori suddenly leaning in had truly startled him.
"Oh, and I also have this hobby!"
Takamatsu Tomori seemed to get more and more excited, pulling out a pile of band-aids printed with cute penguins from a drawer.
Gugu gaga.
Kazama Haru suppressed the urge to make such a sound and took one of them.
"Ah, this one, it's a Chinstrap Penguin, right?"
Kazama Haru had done his homework beforehand, so he easily named the penguin in the design.
A sparkle flashed in Takamatsu Tomori's eyes, and she pushed the band-aids in her hand more enthusiastically towards Kazama Haru.
"I have many other series!"
"This is an Adélie Penguin, and this one, it's a Southern Rockhopper Penguin, a subspecies of the crested penguin…"
Seeing Takamatsu Tomori get more and more excited, as if she wanted to show all the penguin band-aids in her hand, Kazama Haru quickly waved his hand with a smile:
"Takamatsu-san, I understand your hobby."
"Penguins are very cute creatures, and I like them too, but I don't need so many band-aids."
Takamatsu Tomori also realized her earlier gaffe, and her tone suddenly lowered: "Mmm… they are indeed very cute, which is why I keep collecting new types."
The sudden change in tone made Kazama Haru feel a little guilty.
To change the subject, his gaze shifted to the table behind them.
He immediately saw the colorful notebook.
A key item.
"I used to use this kind when I was in elementary school. It's quite nostalgic."
Kazama Haru walked to the table and casually flipped through it.
A passage that looked like lyrics appeared in Kazama Haru's eyes.
Harukage.
It was titled like that.
"It's really well written, like lyrics." Kazama Haru looked at the girl band posters on the wall: "Takamatsu-san, are you in a band?"
"Band…"
Takamatsu Tomori murmured the two words, her mood seeming even lower: "I'm… not in a band anymore."
"Really?"
To trigger the bond mission set by the system, Kazama Haru turned and said with a smile, "Then, do you want to play with me?"
"As for instruments, I know a little about each. Which position do you prefer, Takamatsu-san?"
Takamatsu Tomori uncharacteristically turned her face away and flatly rejected Kazama Haru's invitation: "I won't participate."
An expected outcome.
"Because… even if I play in a band… it will definitely fail again."
Watching Takamatsu Tomori's clenched fists hanging down, Kazama Haru fell silent.
He confirmed that the timeline on Takamatsu Tomori's side seemed to have not changed.
The trauma from the last band formation made this delicate girl unable to easily accept another band invitation.
Because of Togawa Sakiko's words before disbanding the band in the rain: "Tomori, you are the one who needs the most practice, but what have you been doing until now?"
Tomori misunderstood these words as Togawa Sakiko's criticism of her poor singing, and even the direct reason for Togawa Sakiko's departure, which caused a considerable blow.
Since then, the word "band" became shaky in Takamatsu Tomori's mind, beginning to be associated with "instability."
If he wanted to help her rekindle her shattered wish, and rediscover the original intention and joy of playing in a band, he had to give her enough sense of security.
"Then, if I say I can guarantee the band will never disband, Takamatsu-san, would you be willing to reconsider playing in a band?"
Kazama Haru decided to fight gravity with gravity.
"Never disband, you mean…"
"Forever?"
A deeper gravitational vortex began to condense, but Kazama Haru wasn't going to back down: "Yes, forever."
"As long as the band members can still play instruments, the band will never disband. A band where everyone sings happily together. If it's like that, would Tomori be willing to join?"
"Tomori…" Takamatsu Tomori didn't expect Kazama Haru to call her by her first name, and a blush unconsciously spread across her pretty face.
"Ah, gomen, I might have been too emotional, which is why I accidentally called out your name…" Kazama Haru quickly put his hands together and apologized.
*SORRY
He inwardly blamed himself for making such a mistake in address at such a crucial moment. What if it made Takamatsu Tomori dislike him?
It was all because the pronunciation of "Tomori" was too catchy.
"If Kazama-san doesn't mind… you can call me that."
To Kazama Haru's surprise, after a brief silence, Takamatsu Tomori softly and slowly spoke: "If… it's really a band like that, I'm willing to join."
Huh, did accidentally using the wrong address actually have a good effect?
Kazama Haru stopped dwelling on the reason; as long as Takamatsu Tomori was willing to form a band again, it was a good thing for both of them.
"Really? Tomori, that's great!" Kazama Haru excitedly extended a hand to her: "Yoroshiku onegaishimasu. This is my first time forming a band. From now on, please guide me."
As for the address, since he had her permission, Kazama Haru planned to continue calling her that in the future.
"Mmm… yoroshiku."
Takamatsu Tomori returned Kazama Haru's handshake, and the warmth transmitted from his palm made her body and mind relax simultaneously.
Time seemed to stand still.
It wasn't until a bell rang that the subtle atmosphere in the Astronomy Club room was broken.
"Ah, yabai, the class bell rang."
*oh no!
The two rushed towards their classroom.
"Ugh… Kazama-san, don't run so fast."
After only a few steps, Takamatsu Tomori stopped, panting heavily, her palms resting on her knees.
Although Kazama Haru's stamina was a shameful 5 points, Tomori, who was even less athletic, still couldn't keep up with him.
"Ah, gomen."
Kazama Haru awkwardly scratched his head. Although he couldn't leave Takamatsu Tomori behind alone, he also didn't want to be late.
So, he decisively extended his hand to Takamatsu Tomori: "Tomori, hold my hand. It will be much easier this way."
"Eh… okay." After a slight hesitation, Takamatsu Tomori tightly grasped Kazama Haru's large hand.
Broad, reassuring.
If he wasn't lying, this band, maybe… it really could…
"Ding."
A system notification sounded in Kazama Haru's ear.
[Successfully established a Band opportunity with Takamatsu Tomori, rewarded 3000 wish points]