Invite! Invite! Invite!

"I should ask everyone's opinion." Kotori's heart fluttered with excitement. After all, what Homura said made a lot of sense.

The bonding trip, getting to know each other, and calling each other by their first name... All of these could help Muse!

"No problem! Let me know once you've made a decision, and get ready if you decide to go. I'll send someone to pick you up this afternoon."

He remembered something and added, "Also, don't worry about the video. I'll release it soon."

"Okay, Homura-kun. I understand. I'll go ask everyone first."

"Alright, I'll wait for your message."

"Bye."

Kotori let out a sigh of relief but then felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Kotori-chan... What did Homura-kun say?" Honoka's head peeked out from beside her.

"Homura-kun's circle and his friends are going out for a trip. He invited us to join."

"Really?!" Honoka, Rin, and Nico had expressions of joy.

"No, you can't go!" Umi frowned. "Don't you understand what time it is? We're about to have a concert! We need to use our time for practice!"

"Devil..." Honoka muttered quietly.

"Hmm? What did you say, Honoka?"

"I didn't say anything!" The strong survival instinct made her utter those words instantly!

"Doesn't Homura-kun know about our situation? Why would he ask us?" Eli stepped forward and asked.

Kotori expressed her joy, saying, "Right! Just now, Homura-kun's few words earlier made me feel like the lyrics have a direction!"

"What?!" Nico, who hadn't interacted with him before, was shocked.

"He's really something..." Maki sighed. "How much does he know about us? Just a few words and it sparked some inspiration for Senpai."

"It's not just inspiration!" Kotori recalled the conversation. "Homura-kun asked about my feelings while working, and when I told him, he thought it could be turned into lyrics that capture the true essence of Akihabara."

Umi, who was also in charge of writing lyrics, nodded continuously. "That's right! That's right! Feelings are the most important!"

"Why didn't you tell me if you understood, Umi-chan? Instead, it was Homura-kun who reminded me," Kotori said, furrowing her brow and staring at Umi.

Umi looked embarrassed. "I... I just didn't think of it at the moment..."

Kotori: "..."

"And... What does this have to do with this trip?" Nozomi asked next.

"Homura-kun said it could be treated as a recreation or training, a chance for everyone to get to know each other better, to bond... and..." Kotori glanced at the third-year senpai. "Call each other by first name, and things like that."

The idea of bonding excited everyone, and the idea of calling each other by their first name surprised Eli and Nozomi.

They exchanged glances. These were the thoughts they had just discussed. And Homura had figured out the solution before they could?

It seems Maki was right... He understands them to such an extent. He's truly extraordinary... and abnormal...

"This will indeed be quite helpful for us..." Umi pondered, weighing the gains and losses of going or not.

"But it's Homura-kun, you know! It's Minamiya-sensei! It's Another Dimension! Isn't anyone curious about them?" Honoka energetically tried to stir up the others.

"Oh, right!" Kotori suddenly spoke up. "Homura-kun said the location is a hot spring villa. If we go, someone will come to pick us up in the afternoon."

"A hot spring villa?!!!" (x4)

Honoka, Rin, Nico, and this time even Hanayo exclaimed in surprise and were excited to go.

"There's nothing strange about it, right?" Maki played with the ends of her hair. "With the power of his Minamiya Family, what's so unusual about a hot spring villa?"

Everyone else seemed speechless, which was understandable considering that only wealthy families like the Nishikino Family, accustomed to villas and luxury, remained unfazed.

"Wait a minute! The Minamiya Family? Homura-kun is from that wealthy conglomerate, the Minamiya Family?" It finally dawned on Umi that Maki had revealed some information.

"Yeah! I didn't know either at first, but I asked my mom when I got home, and she told me that the eldest son of the current head of Minamiya Family is Minamiya Homura." Maki answered.

Honoka couldn't calm down. "Homura-kun's identity is actually so incredible? But since he's Minamiya Family's young master, why does he draw manga then?"

"Could it be that he was framed by someone with ill intentions?" Hanayo looked serious. "So, he was forced to draw manga to make a living after being expelled from the family, and then he realized his talent in that field?"

Everyone: "..."

"Koizumi-san, what on earth are you talking about?! That's totally not the case, okay? He wasn't framed by anyone, nor was he expelled from his family!" Maki was also surprised, looking at them. This level of imagination was enough! Too dramatic!

She continued, "Stop making wild guesses. And by the way, didn't you all know his identity before?"

"I knew, you know~" Nozomi said with a mischievous smile.

This time, no one was surprised. It wasn't strange at all for Nozomi to know everything!

Nozomi: "..."

What exactly is this unsatisfied feeling? Where are the surprise reactions?

"Everyone... should we go or not?" Kotori asked again. "I need to give a response. If we go, someone will come to pick us up in the afternoon, so we need to make some preparations from now."

"But, living in a villa with boys..." Umi was still pondering over this.

Suddenly, Honoka exclaimed, "But it's Homura-kun we're talking about! The one who saved the three of us without hesitation before, remember?"

The remaining people looked at each other... Honoka's longing gaze was too irresistible, and they nodded in agreement.

"Yatta!" Honoka cheered and turned to Kotori. "We go!"

===

On the other side, Homura received a reply from Tsumugi, "We going!"

Then Kotori called him too, "Homura-kun, we just discussed it, and all of us accept your invitation."

He smiled and said, "Great! I got it. You guys get ready. I'll have someone come to pick you up at Otonokizaka this afternoon."

"Then we'll prepare first. See you in the afternoon, Homura-kun."

"Yeah, see you in the afternoon."

He checked the time, it was 8:10.

"It's time!" He uploaded the video that Eli had sent him yesterday to his blog.

Minamiya: (Video)

He didn't say a word, just posted the video and waited for everyone's reactions online.

"Who should I contact next?" Homura rubbed his chin. "Maybe... Saori? If she comes, she can bring Kuroneko and Kirino too. After all, Kirino and Honoka are cousins, right?"

He started calling her.

"Saori, are you busy?"

"Homura-shi? I'm not busy. I'm with Kiririn-shi and Kuroneko-shi right now de gozaru~"

Homura got straight to the point, "Our circle is going to go on a trip this afternoon, and my other friends are coming too. Will you guys join?"

Saori seemed a bit troubled, "Hmm, I don't have a problem. Kiririn-shi doesn't have anything else going on either, but it's hard to say for Kuroneko-shi."

"What's wrong with Kuroneko?" Homura asked curiously.