Lonely Rock for the Blind.

Goto Ichiri nodded in agreement.

"Come out, don't stay in the trash can."

Nekoyashiki Haru smiled.

"Goto-kun is really unique, but let's save those traits for when the time is right."

"Goto-kun!!! Why isn't it Pochi?!"

Goto Ichiri was greatly alarmed.

"I feel like it's not right to keep calling you by your nickname, it feels too distant. So I'll call you Yili then."

Nekoyashiki Haru smiled.

"Alright, alright, let's go."

"Ah...yes...yes, I understand..."

Chapter Fourteen: Working

pat.

Nekoyashiki Haru's cane tapped gently around him, while Kita Ikuyo and Goto Ichiri watched the scene from behind.

Kita Yukiyo took a small step forward.

If Nekoyashiki Haru is about to bump into something, she can stop him in time.

However, before Kita Ikuyo could use her skills, Nekoyashiki Haru found the location of the beverage machine by touch.

I removed the paper cup that was placed in its usual spot and put it at the beverage dispenser.

drop--

After fumbling for the machine's buttons, hot coffee flowed out. Silently counting the time until the cup was full, Nekoyashiki Haru promptly released her grip.

Haru Nekoyashiki picked up the coffee and handed it to someone who was probably Kita Ikuyo and Goto Ichiri.

Would you like a cup of coffee?

"Ah! I...I...I..."

Goto Ichiri frantically began to organize her thoughts, while Kita Ikuyo stepped forward to take the coffee.

"Thank you, senior."

With a smile, Kita Ikuyo took a sip of her drink.

"It tastes great!"

With a bright smile, Kita Ikuyo praised him.

"Really? Thank you for the compliment."

Nekoyashiki Haru nodded, seemingly a little smug.

"Amazing! Your hands...your craftsmanship is superb!"

Goto Ichiri suddenly stepped forward and said, and Nekoyashiki Haru paused for a moment before nodding.

"Thank you for the compliment, Ichiri."

"Hehehe..."

"So it's from a beverage machine? Your praise of the taste is really weird..."

Watching this scene from the side, Iji Chikatsu Natsumi was speechless, while Yamada Ryo leaned over next to her.

"Jealous?"

"...Liang, you've become even more irritating than before these past two days."

Yamada Ryo paused for a moment, then blushed slightly and covered her cheeks with her hands.

"shy…"

"What are you being shy about! Am I praising you?!"

Ichi Nijika raised her little fist and then gently pressed it on Yamada Ryo's shoulder.

"Xiao Mao and I are just friends. At most, we're closer because we're childhood friends. I won't get jealous if he's close to other people. I'm not a child anymore."

Ichi Nijika explained, while Yamada Ryo, who was standing to the side, narrowed his eyes slightly as he listened to the explanation.

"Yeah…"

On the other side, Haru Nekoyashiki demonstrated other procedures, such as how to catch cocktails, to Ikuyo Kita and Ichiri Goto, which earned them cheers. Of course, it was mainly Ikuyo Kita who cheered, while Ichiri Goto's voice was still hesitant and barely audible.

"You probably know them all, right?"

"I've got it, senior! You taught me very well!"

"...Your endless praise always makes me feel like you're coaxing a child."

...

……

.........

Time flew by, and after everyone had familiarized themselves with the general tasks, it was time for [Starry Sky] to open.

"Hello, may I ask which band you're here to see today?"

Kita Ikuyo, dressed in a maid outfit, smiled as she handed a flyer to the customer in front of her.

"Ah, your drink... please take it."

Goto Ichiri quietly handed the drink to the counter, then quickly shrank under it.

"Alright, come out. There's nothing to be afraid of. It's very impolite of you to treat your guests like this."

Seeing this, Ichika Kyouka helplessly squatted down and pulled Goto Ichiri up.

"I'm so sorry, so sorry, so sorry, so sorry..."

Goto Ichiri, who was pulled up, immediately bowed and apologized to the customer at the counter, and only stopped after receiving a reply that "it's okay, it's okay".

Nijika Iji walked out from behind the bar.

"I have other things to do over there, Kita-kun, keep an eye on Ichiri, don't let her shrink down there again."

"Yes! Leave it to me, Ijichi-senpai."

Ijichi Nijika hummed a little tune as she walked to the other side, and not long after she left, Nekoyashiki Haru came over.

"Nekoyashiki-senpai?"

"Let me stay here for a while..."

Nekoyashiki Haru sighed.

"I'm not familiar enough with the sound mixing, and Yamada is already at the ticket counter. The manager thinks I'm in the way and tells me to find a place to rest."

Nekoyashiki Haru leaned against the wall next to the bar.

"I hope I won't be in the way by staying here?"

"No, it seems most of the guests have already entered."

Kita Ikuyo said with a smile, then took out a cup.

"Nekoyashiki-senpai, would you like something to drink?"

"No... I've already drunk enough today... energy drinks, I'm not sleepy at all now."

Kita Ikuyo blinked.

"By the way, why did you buy so many energy drinks?"

"!"

Goto Ichiri, who was standing next to him, suddenly trembled, and this unusual movement also caught Kita Ikuyo's attention.

"Goto-kun?"

"No, no, no, no, I didn't ask Nijika to buy it! It's definitely not because I wanted Nijika and the others to pretend to be party animals, drinking energy drinks and dancing to lure Kita into the band!"

"...What does energy drinks have to do with parties...?"

Nekoyashiki Haru asked doubtfully.

"Why do you think this attracts me?!"

Kita Yukiyo tilted her head and said.

"Because...because Kita-kun is a 'real life' type...you know...I guess he's like this all the time...Every weekend he goes to dance halls with his friends, and at night he goes to karaoke all night long, buying energy drinks by the case so he can party all day and night until Monday..."

"What a stereotype!"

"Aren't you going to karaoke?"

"Huh? No... I'll still go..."

"Just as I expected..."

"What about the rest?! Why didn't you ask if I was going to the dance hall?! I'm not that kind of party animal! And if I stayed up all day and night like that, I'd probably be dead by now!"

Kita Ikuyo explained to Goto Ichiri.

"Listen up, Goto-kun! I do like going out and posting on Instagram, but I'm definitely not the weird, inhuman creature you're stereotypically imagining!"

"I...I'm not human either..."

"I wasn't talking about you! What are you thinking now!"

"Pfft..."

Nekoyashiki Haru chuckled softly. Kita Ikuyo and Goto Ichiri were both taken aback for a moment before looking at Nekoyashiki Haru.

However, Nekoyashiki Haru didn't feel anyone watching him. Noticing that the two had stopped speaking, he tilted his head in confusion to look at where the two should have been.

"what happened?"

"No, senior, it's alright."