Chapter 125: “Bochi comes to visit part 2”.

...

Then, both girls went to chat with the peculiar Hitori.

Not long after, Yamai approached with some scratches on her face.

Tadano: "You know? You really shouldn't fight so much with Nakanaka-San..." the boy said while licking his thumb and rubbing the girl's scratches.

Yamai: "She just drives me crazy..." she replied with a pout.

Tadano: "Come on, you have to remember she's our lead programmer and head of the Game Development Department. You two will spend a lot of time together, so it's not good to have so much bad blood between you..." he said as he pulled his hand away.

The scratch on the girl's face had disappeared.

Tadano had discovered he could heal minor injuries by infusing some of his chakra into the affected area. Naturally, Yamai had been the primary test subject, so this didn't surprise her.

Yamai caught his retreating hand.

Tadano looked at her in confusion.

Yamai: "I'll try, in exchange for you spoiling me..." she said playfully.

Tadano: "..."

Yamai brought his hand closer to her face, and Tadano moved his hand to gently rub the girl's cherry-colored lips, finally letting out a sigh of resignation.

Tadano: "Alright... but we won't take too long, I need to help Ai-Chan prepare for her next concert."

Yamai smiled, filled with joy.

She had succeeded.

Even though she couldn't force him, she could suggest things to Tadano, and 3 out of 10 times he would agree. One might think that success rate was miserable, but considering Yamai's original standing in Tadano's heart, this was already a huge achievement.

She was happy because today, she got lucky. If she couldn't win him over the traditional way, then she'd carve her path through physical closeness.

It might be low, but she was desperate, and any progress was good, no matter the method.

"Maybe this way, I can solidify my position enough to confess before it's too late..." she thought to herself.

…

When Tadano refocused on the girl, he saw Hitori and Shouko having a non-verbal conversation.

At least, that's what Tadano perceived thanks to his ability, but to everyone else, it looked like a terrifying staring contest between the two quiet girls.

This amused him, so he approached.

Tadano: "Hey... hey... Gotou-San, a little birdie told me you play the guitar, is that true?" he asked from the side.

Hitori froze for a moment but quickly reacted, finally seeing her chance.

Hitori: "Y-Yes! I-I play the g-guitar..." she said, a little excited as she reached for her back.

However, she only grasped at air.

She moved her hand a bit more before turning her head in horror, realizing she had forgotten her guitar in her classroom.

The pink-haired girl's rising spirits visibly plummeted, and a dark, depressive aura surrounded her.

Najimi, who was nearby and about to tease Hitori, suddenly felt deflated and overcome with lethargy.

A cold sweat broke out on Tadano's forehead as he watched Najimi melt into a blue puddle of depression.

Tadano: "..."

Shinomiya: "Oh crap... this is some X-Files stuff, is this girl one of the legendary Youkai?"

Nagisa: "Tomoya-kun, I'm scared..." Nagisa said, trembling.

Tomoya: "No way... no way... you've got to be kidding me," the man said, his face as blue as his hair.

Knowing he couldn't delay any longer unless he wanted Najimi to stay a blue blob for the rest of her life, Tadano stepped forward to calm the girl.

Tadano: "Come on, Po... Gotou-San, there's no need to get so down. I have a guitar. How about I play you a song?" the boy suggested.

Hitori witnessed something incredible: with a wave of his hands, Tadano made a guitar appear from his side.

After taking a seat, Hitori experienced something otherworldly, just like the rest of the class as they listened to the boy play.

[BGM - Blue Bird (Guitar Cover)]

The sound of the guitar filled the classroom, and a magical feeling enveloped the listeners.

Many of them recognized the song—it was the one Ai-Chan had performed on TV and also the theme song for the Naruto manga.

Many of those present had read the manga and were eagerly waiting for the next chapter, so hearing this guitar version in their classroom was nothing short of amazing.

The most surprised of all was Hitori, who stood at the center of it all.

Her eyes sparkled as she watched, fascinated by the skilled, expert movements of the boy in front of her.

She was a complete guitar enthusiast, and seeing someone so talented play right in front of her made her heart race like a wild deer.

Interestingly, Hitori's attention was more focused on the boy's hands than on his face or any other part of him.

…

When Tadano finished playing, he smiled at the blue-eyed girl and asked,

Tadano: "Did you like it?" he said with a smile.

Still a bit dazed, the girl nodded.

Tadano: "That's great. So, when you have time, how about we share some of our guitar experiences?"

Hitori nodded again.

In Hitori's eyes, Tadano's impression had improved even more than before.

…

After spending the first break with Hitori and her leaving with the promise to return for the second break, Tadano's group dispersed to their seats once the teacher arrived.

Today was exam day, so everyone rushed to Tadano's seat to ask for a quick lesson before the tests were handed out.

The teacher saw this but felt powerless. This had become common whenever he tried to surprise the students with exams or pop quizzes—they always turned to that tall boy. Sometimes, the teacher wondered who the real teacher in this class was.

Thanks to Tadano's efforts, everyone was able to pass successfully.

When the second break arrived, a somewhat more energetic Hitori came back, a guitar slung over her shoulder.

After a few chats, both she and Tadano compared notes while the rest of the class watched eagerly.

Hitori felt like she was living a dream; she was getting everything she had ever wanted.

Though this didn't last long.

When she finished playing and realized she was surrounded by the rest of the class, she panicked.

Just as she began to tremble, she felt something cover her vision. It felt snug but also comforting, the darkness oddly soothing.

…

Tadano: "I didn't think this would actually work..." the boy murmured.

Unbeknownst to Hitori, in the moment she started panicking, Tadano had covered her face with a kind of black cloth.

Only Tadano laughed as he remembered what he had used this item for before.

[YorHa Tactical Visor – Semi Sealed]: A visor worn by all androids deployed by YorHa on Earth. It boasts high defensive properties and includes functions for Analysis, Hacking, Information Gathering, and Mapping. Due to the lack of the YorHa Network in this reality, the visor is partially sealed, leaving only the Analysis function available.

…

Tadano never thought he'd use this item again, but he figured it might be helpful for Pochi.

For now, it was turned off and only served as a blindfold.

Tadano: "Feeling better?"

Hitori: "Yes, t-thank you, Tadano-San," she said shyly.

Najimi: "Oh! Unexpectedly, it looks good on you... you look really cool, Hitori-Chan!" Najimi called from the side.

Hitori flinched a bit but didn't completely panic; not having to face the other person directly provided some mental relief.

…

After spending some time with Hitori, who surprisingly became more communicative while wearing the visor, she returned to her class.

However, she had agreed to meet with Agari later to visit Strawberry Productions.

…

Author's Note: "Well, here's another chapter. If I can, I'll bring another one tomorrow. Remember to drink lots of water, and I love you all. Sincerely, your favorite depressed author."

----------------------- nwnr