I Just Want a Single Ending [53] [30 PS]
Bonus Chapter!
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The next morning..."Good morning," Kamigawa Saku greeted as he stood up from the couch in the apartment lobby. He spotted Nagasaki Soyo stepping out of the elevator with her bass case over her shoulder.
Since they were both headed to the rehearsal studio today, they'd decided to go together as neighbors.
"Good morning. Sorry to keep you waiting," Soyo said, quickening her steps to meet him.
"I didn't wait long," Saku replied, not at all bothered by the short wait.
"Shall we head out, then?"
"Sounds good."
They left the apartment side by side, making their way toward RiNG.
"So, you seem to be getting along well with the Kessoku Band girls," Soyo remarked after a short silence, recalling the interactions she'd seen yesterday. Her tone held a hint of curiosity.
"I'd say we're on good terms," Saku replied with a lighthearted smile. "But, just friends. Nothing more."
"Is that so?" Soyo asked, glancing ahead.
"Of course."
Keeping it strictly as friendships was a necessity for him if he wanted to stay single. As long as he kept that boundary clear, things would remain uncomplicated.
"I almost thought you might like Gotoh-san," Soyo added, her tone teasing but with an unreadable hint beneath.
[Like][Don't Like]
"You've definitely misunderstood. I only help her because she's a friend," Saku replied immediately, brushing off the notion with ease.
He wasn't one to catch feelings easily, and he preferred to avoid others catching feelings for him, either. Based on how things were going, he felt confident that no one liked him romantically.
[Strength +10]
"Friends…" Soyo repeated the word thoughtfully.
"Yes, I'm always happy to lend a hand, especially for friends."
This was, of course, a slight twist of the truth—Saku was happy to help those who could be romantic interests in his life. For anyone else, basic courtesy was sufficient.
"I see," Soyo replied, nodding as if considering his words.
"So, if you ever need anything, you can always come to me for help," Saku offered.
"Huh?" Soyo looked surprised.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing," Soyo replied with a slight shake of her head.
Saku chuckled. "You weren't planning on considering me a friend? If that's the case, maybe I overstepped."
"No, I'm just surprised to hear you say it," she replied, somewhat caught off guard. If she'd had any label for him, it was probably "little brother," and his words had taken her by surprise.
"My apologies if I assumed too much," Saku said.
"No, no, it makes me happy to hear that," Soyo assured him quickly.
Relieved, Saku fell back into stride beside her, and they chatted easily as they walked toward RiNG.
Outside the studio, they noticed Ijichi Nijika waiting for Gotoh Hitori. Standing beside her was Ijichi's friend Chihaya Anon, who had her guitar slung over her shoulder, chatting casually with Nijika.
"Hmm? Are you two…?" Anon's eyes darted between Saku and Soyo as they approached together.
Just yesterday, he and Gotoh had seemed close, but today, it was Soyo?
"Morning! We're neighbors, so we just walked over together," Saku explained with a smile.
Anon shifted her gaze to Soyo, skeptical. "Is that right?"
"Yes," Soyo replied, unfazed.
"Alright, then," Anon said, satisfied. After all, if they'd been lying, it would have been easy enough to verify. Claiming they were neighbors left no room for deceit.
Saku moved to stand beside Nijika. "You two go on ahead. Nijika and I will wait here for Hitori to arrive."
"Sure."
Soyo and Anon exchanged glances and agreed, heading inside together like friends catching up.
Once they were out of earshot, Nijika turned to Saku. "By the way, Kita's coming over today, too."
Saku raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Is she here to watch Hitori practice, too?"
"No, actually, she's looking for you." Nijika seemed a bit bashful. "She needs some help from you."
"Oh? What does she need help with?" Saku asked, curious.
"It's about managing our account."
"Are you saying you want me to be Kessoku Band's manager?"
Saku hesitated. He was already managing one band, so taking on another group might be a little much.
"No, no! She just wants advice on how to run an account," Nijika explained, bringing Saku back from the decision he'd already been imagining.
"What's the situation?" Saku asked.
"Well, since the band's together now, we want to start promoting ourselves," Nijika began. "So we thought of setting up a social media account. And since Kita's used to posting on Insta, she's managing it. But posting selfies and running an account are pretty different, so we thought maybe you could give her some tips."
[Sure thing]
[No way]
"Of course! I'd be happy to help with any questions she has," Saku replied without hesitation.
It was an ideal opportunity to connect with Kita.
[Strength +5]
"Thank you so much!" Nijika's tone was full of gratitude.
"When should I expect her?" Saku asked.
"She should be here any minute now."
"Got it."
He began mentally preparing his ideas for explaining social media management.
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Upstairs at the RiNG café, Kita Ikuyo sat across from Saku, her hands folded in a polite plea. "Thank you so much for helping me today, Kamigawa-senpai!"
"'Senpai'? Aren't we classmates?" Saku raised an eyebrow at the title.
"Well, in terms of account management, you're definitely my senpai," Kita clarified.
"If that's the case, then I'll take it."
Saku found himself oddly pleased by the honorific.
"What's going on here?" Watching from the next table over, Soyo and Anon exchanged puzzled looks.
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Translator's Note
Hi, trainers! I'm so excited to finally bring you Team Rocket's Second-in-Command! After translating over 300 chapters of this absolute gem, I can tell you it's everything—action, drama, and just the right amount of chaos. Luo Yuan isn't just a trainer; he's the trainer, slaying battles, running the underworld, and making us all swoon with his brilliance.
This is the last story I'll be posting this month, so let's go out with a bang! Thank you so much for all your love and support—you've made this journey so much fun to share. Now, let's dive in and cheer for our boy as he takes the Pokémon world by storm!
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
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