"You guys don't have to whisper, you know? I overheard your conversation last saturday. I'll make sure I get to team up with Daikuhara-san before you will, Natsu and Asa." Basaki thought to herself with an evil look.
"Is something wrong, Basaki-san?" Chuujou asked.
"Oh, it's nothing! I just thought of something." said Basaki. She continued "By any chances, are you guys interested in some competition?"
Asa overheard Basaki's question and then secretly looked at her.
"Yes, especially if it's dancing." said Chuujou.
"What about you, Chihara-san?" Chuujou asked.
"Uhm, eh, I don't really know. I'd love to participate but I don't want to win." said Chihara.
Basaki asked "Eh? Is there any reason why you don't like winning?"
"There's not an exact reason why I don't want to win; it's just that I'm scared that everyone look up on me." said Chihara.
Chuujou asked "Isn't being looked up a good thing?"
"Yeah, I mean, it is. But if they'll expect me something more just because of a single victory, it'll be a lot stress for myself, I guess..." said Chihara.
"If you don't mind me asking, Chihara-san, do you have some emotional trauma that is connected on our topic?" Chuujou asked with a hesitant face.
The wind blew outside the campus. The smile in Chihara's face suddenly disappeared.
"I'm heading to the restroom." said Chihara as she ignored Chuujou's question. She stood up slowly and walked away.
Chuujou looked at Chihara's food and realized that Chihara ate only a single bite. Chuujou and Basaki looked at Chihara as she walked and their faces is painted with worries—worries that they have for what Chihara felt.
"Hey, Basaki-san. Did I say something wrong?" Chuujou asked.
"Not exactly, but I think your question lead Chihara to remember something we don't know yet. I think she's been traumatized by high expectations." said Basaki.
"Is that so?" Chuujou murmured.
"I felt sorry for you, Chihara-san." Chuujou and Basaki thought to themselves.
"Chihara-san, huh?" Asa thought to himself. He then spoke "Hey, Natsu and Joutarou, I'm going back to class."
"Okay." said Natsu
"I'll catch up with you later." said Asa.
Asa walked through the hallway alone in the midst of the crowd. He thought to himself "You're not stealing Jousuke from us. That's right, I'll team up with Jousuke the moment I saw him." Asa continued walking and the moment he entered the classroom's door, he was shocked as he Jousuke.
"Yes, exactly! Your phone number!" said Jousuke.
"Phone number? Is Jousuke up to something?" Asa asked himself as he hid behind the door.
"F-For what though?" Leah asked. She thought to herself "Please stay away a little, Jousuke. Don't act like nothing happened earlier." She remembered the line "Stop checking Boutsuki-san out!" that Natsu have said in the hallway.
"Jusr for our project." saud Jousuke.
Leah blushed and quickly wrote her phone number on a piece of paper and gave it to Jousuke. She quickly looked away from Jousuke as she blushed due to embarrassment.
"Thank you, Boutsuki-san! I'll ask the rest of the members for their phone numbers as well." said Jousuke.
As Asa listened while hiding, Jousuke asked for his members' phone numbers. Asa asked thought to himself "It's for his group, huh. What am I thinking about Jousuke? A romance? Man, that boy's heart is hard as a stone."
Asa entered and showed himself to Jousuke. He then called Jousuke and looked him in the eyes. Both of them nodded as if they talked through telepathy.
Jousuke once again talked to Leah and said "Boutsuki-san, do me a favor please. When you see Basaki-san, Chihara-san, and Chuujou-san, please ask their phone numbers." Leah responded with a nod.
Jousuke then ran to Asa and whispered "What seems to be the hottest issue right now?"
"Well, long story. I'll make it shorter for you, someone's trying to steal you from us." said Asa then he walked to his seat.
"What does he mean by that?" Jousuke asked himself.
Jousuke also went back to his seat and continued writing. Natsu then walked past Jousuke's seat and gave Jousuke a food.
"It's yours." said Natsu
"Oh, thank you." said Jousuke and then stopped writing then he ate.
A few hours later, the school bell rang as a sign of dismissal for that day. Leah looked at Jousuke. She saw that Jousuke's still writing.
She thought to herself "You don't have to take it so seriously, Daikuhara-san."
She left her seat and asked the rest of the members' phone number.
"We're going home, are you coming with us?" said Natsu as he tapped Jousuke's arm.
"Yeah, let's go." said Jousuke and then stopped writing.
On the way home, the three of them bought a takoyaki from a food truck.
"That'll be ¥900 please." said the takoyaki seller.
"It's on me." said Natsu.
"Thank you!" said the three of them to the seller.
The three of them continued walking while eating.
"By the way, what do you mean earlier, Asa?" Jousuke asked.
"What do you mean?" Asa asked.
Jousuke replied "What do you mean by 'Someone's trying to steal you from us' I don't quite get it."
"Oh yeah, about that. You two, be quiet about this. I think Basaki-san's planning something." said Asa.
"I knew it!" said Natsu.
"Let me fini-Huh? What do you mean you knew it?" Asa asked.
"Well, I mean I already have suspicions and you just confirmed it. Last saturday, when we were hanging out and we called Jousuke, I think I saw someone hiding from a corner that day. That's the reason why I repeatedly yelled at Jousuke—so he would hung up on us while trying to look not suspicious. Clever, right?"
"I hate to admit it, but you actually helped this time, Natsu." said Asa and Natsu smiled like he was the main character at that moment.
Asa continued speaking "I think Basaki-san wants to compete in that upcoming music competition so bad. But the thing is each class can only have 15 students, I guess. I'm not sure though. If Basaki-san and her friends wants to team up with you, Jousuke, that means either one of us, Natsu, can't participate in that competition."
"Are you kidding me? I won't be competing if you two weren't there. You're the first two person to about this." said Jousuke.
"No, I've actually made up my mind. And before you comment, I have a valid reason to give. As you can see, I have two little sisters. I can't just let them be home alone while our parents our working. Sorry in advanced if you expected something from me." said Natsu
"Well if that's your reason, I suppose Asa can still join me." said Jousuke.
"Yeah, my spot's now secured." said Asa.
"Do your best!" said Natsu.
-AT LEAH'S HOUSE-
"I'm home!" said Leah.
"Welcome home!" said Litsuko—Leah's mom.
Leah went straight to her room and changed. After that, she laid down. She suddenly remembered what happened in the hallway and the line "Stop checking Boutsuki-san out" that's said by Natsu.
"Why was he looking at me anyways?" Leah thought to herself as she blushed.
She quickly opened her phone and accidentally opened the gallery app. She scrolled for an hour with a lot of thoughts in her head.
"What? I did this pose?"
"How embarrassing!"
"Pikari-chan looks too cute!"
"Aww, it's whitey hugging orange!"
"I miss playing my guitar!"
While scrolling through her photos, she saw a familiar face.
"Daikuhara-san? From fifth grade? Really? I knew it. I knew he was familiar! Is it really him though? Yes, it's him! I wonder if he still remembers me."
In all of a sudden, her stomach growled. She went to their kitchen to find some food. She checked the fridge, the table, and the cabinets. She checked everywhere in the kitchen but didn't find anything delicious to eat. While finding, she had a lot of thoughts in her head.
"Nope, I'm not in the mood for veggies."
"Who even eats this?"
"Meat? No! I want something cold."
"Mom, is there something to eat here?" Leah asked.
"Check the freezer, eat that chocolate ice cream there." said Litsuko.
Leah drooled as she looks at the ice cream. While eating, she checked her phone. She suddenly spat the food in her mouth. She's surprised to see a message from someone.
She quickly blushed as she saw "Good evening, Boutsuki-san!" from Jousuke.