I_LOVE_RICE+

V6 Chapter 147: What Name Should This Painting Have?

"Mmm…"

A soft murmur like that of a kitten slipped out. The girl's lashes cast delicate shadows against her cheeks, like butterfly wings dampened by spring mist. Warm sunlight filtered through sheer curtains and fell across her pretty face.

Nijika blinked groggily awake. The quilt slid off her fair shoulders, exposing a collarbone so delicate it looked sculpted by an artist. The morning sun's warmth against her skin told her it was already day.

Eh?

When… when did I...

V6 Chapter 146: Why Are You Acting So Respectful, Kid?

Droplets gathered on the milky white tiles, refracting the glow of the warm orange light. The bathtub brimmed with steaming water, submerging the blonde girl's slender body.

The surface just covered her delicate collarbones. Her thin arms and legs, soaking in the heat, were tinged with a soft cherry blossom pink. Her damp golden hair was twisted loosely into a bun and wrapped in a snow-white towel, with a few playful strands dangling over the water, swaying gently with the ripples.

V6 Chapter 145: The Truly Sly One Is You, Isn’t It?

Literally speaking, they were trapped.

It was obvious that neither Haru nor Nijika had locked the door themselves. Which meant the only culprit could be the little cat who had just left with the cookies. Raana must have casually locked the studio door from the outside.

"Looks like we're stuck for now. This is the second floor… I doubt Raana will notice us up here anytime soon."

After a few tries, Haru exhaled in resignation. He never would have guessed that Raana would loc...

V6 Chapter 144: No More Need to Hesitate

Haru popped one of the carefully baked cookies into his mouth, and a flicker of surprise flashed across his dark eyes.

The light blend of butter and sugar melted into a delicate texture. Beneath the layers of sweetness was a warmth and softness that could only come from a girl carefully kneading the low-gluten flour, stirring, and baking with her own hands.

Sitting on the wooden chair, Nijika's jewel-like crimson eyes brimmed with nervous anticipation, sneaking glances at his expr...

V6 Chapter 143: I’ve Been Waiting a Long Time 

Manager-san knew it was not proper to pry into another's privacy, yet the burning curiosity and anticipation inside her could not be suppressed. After wrestling with herself for a while, she finally broke the silence and asked, unable to hold back,

"Could it be that you're preparing… a piece for the Fantasy Exhibition?"

Of course not.

These days, Haru had been steadily working on a new piece. His body had completely adapted to the rhythm of LV5 painting, and in reality he ...

V6 Chapter: 142 Whose Flavor Is Better

The restaurant where they had their last "argument" was still fresh in all three of their memories.

"Your dishes have arrived."

The waitress in uniform, her hair tied into braids, placed the plates on the table without expression. She only gave Haru and the two girls a quick glance, a trace of helplessness flickering in her eyes before she turned away.

Her looks had shifted over time, from the strangeness at first, to astonishment, then gradually changing into worry and even...

V6 Chapter 141: I Don’t Believe It, This Must Be Another Ambush

The two girls stood face to face.

Their strikingly beautiful faces held polite smiles, but behind those smiles lingered something sharper, something layered with unspoken intent.

As Haru's confirmed girlfriends, they were supposed to have equal chances, equal treatment. Yet the barely-followed Girlfriends' Code made it clear enough, there was no such thing as true equality in the war of love.

If you wanted it, you had to fight for it.

No one w...

V6 Chapter 140: Really Playing Favorites, Huh?

He had taken her in, in every sense of the word.

By the time Haru came back to his senses, he had already returned to the gate of the Kazami residence without realizing it. His right hand pulled a small cart carrying his guitar and an effects unit, while his left hand held onto a tiny white-haired cat.

"So in the end, I really did bring her home…"

Haru rubbed his brow, his words laced with a helplessness he could not quite voice. He truly had not expected Tsuzuki grandma t...

V6 Chapter: 139 Stray Cat 

There was no fiery shounen-style huddle before going on stage, nor the trademark "A, A, O" chant of a girl band anime. This nameless band simply walked up the steps and stepped into the stage where the audience's eyes met the glare of the spotlights.

Thud!

The microphone gave a dull burst of noise as it came to life. Holding his electric guitar, Haru stood to the left of the little penguin vocalist. On the right stood the stray cat, whose fingers, with just the li...

V6 Chapter 138: If Haru Needs Anything

The gap in talent between people is, in truth, far greater than the gulf between heaven and earth.

The blonde older woman sitting on the sofa slowly closed her eyes, carefully and with deep emotion placing the painting in her hands down.

The act of creating art had long since become an instinct carved into his bones and foundation. No matter how complex or profound the emotions, he could perfectly fuse them into color and brushstroke, bringing forth into substance the feelings bur...

V6 Chapter 137: Do Your Bassists All Share the Same Face?

The glow of dusk streamed slantwise through the window, staining the wooden floor with a warm amber sheen. Anon's curled-up figure stretched long across the floor, her cherry-pink hair spilling out in a messy cascade, the tips still dotted with fine beads of sweat.

"I-I-I was wrong! S-sor… ry…"

"I won't dare again…"

The once-proud and stubborn Anon could no longer string words together. Her strength drained, all she could do was gasp out apologies between ragged breath...

V6 Chapter: 136 A Plot Full of Affection

As the band's guitarist, Anon seemed a little different today.

During the break after practice, she wasn't chattering away about fashion trends as usual, nor was she teasing Taki or Soyo, and she wasn't whining about her fingers hurting or her shoulders being sore either.

She simply sat properly in her own seat, savoring the warmth of black tea with a faint smile on her lips. It felt less like the lively, noisy pink-haired brat sitting there and more like Togawa Sakiko had borrowe...

V6 Chapter 135: Was All That Previous Economy for Nothing?

The warm orange light in the entryway gradually flickered on, and the echo of the iron door closing rang in their ears.

Haru, having returned home, gently shut the door behind him. Looking ahead, he saw Mutsumi, who, as if it were second nature, took a pair of cucumber slippers from the shoe cabinet, slipped them on, and then unhurriedly pressed the button for the heater.

The hum of the heater starting up blended with the sudden glow of warm light that filled the house, and the co...

V6 Chapter 134: Masquerade Ball

Meow-ru?!

Standing on stage with a smug smile, Nyamu suddenly shuddered. She stared in disbelief at the figure not far away. A black-haired boy in a gothic-style suit stood there, one hand lightly pressing down on the dark-patterned mask over his face.

The collar and cuffs were embroidered with thorny designs in dark silver thread, as if the night flowing across the stage curtain had been draped over his body. This completely different appearance drew startled cries from the audie...

V6 Chapter 133: A Perfect Smile

The next day, in the backstage prep room.

The blue-haired girl drew a deep breath, then slowly slid on the black mask patterned with bewitching designs. She carefully checked her gothic crimson skirt for wrinkles, then tugged nervously at the thin black stockings on her legs.

At last her heartbeat steadied. She exhaled, arranging her face into a serious expression, ready to speak, when Haru suddenly reached over and tickled her neck. Her hard-won composure crumbled in an instant.<...

V6 Chapter 132: The Cat Only Wants to Eat a Matcha Parfait

Haru's train ride back to Tokyo was delayed by about two days compared to the original plan.

The band's first live show had ended in perfect success, but the so-called afterparty that followed took a turn so strange it could hardly be called anything but bizarre.

The return train sped along the steel tracks, and Haru, stepping out of the restroom, rubbed his temples with a weary hand.

He truly had not expected that what was supposed to be a simple band training camp would tu...

V6 Chapter 131: No one in the world could stay calm 

"Cheers!"

The crisp sound of clinking glasses rang in their ears. A few girls sat around a low rectangular wooden table, raising glasses of juice or cola at the same time, their faces glowing with joy and excitement.

On the table lay a spread of takeout pizza, sushi, and other dishes. Premium tuna sushi sat side by side with a grandpa-style burger and fries, creating a strange harmony between elegance and simplicity.

Haru looked at the girls smiling so brightly in front of h...

V6 Chapter 130: Kessoku Band 

The next day

The long hours of practice quickly slipped away, and before anyone realized it, the time for the third day's live performance had arrived.

Even though they had only practiced with full focus for about a day, Kessoku Band no longer needed endless repetition. Their coordination and skill had already been honed to a remarkable level.

Now, practice served only to reinforce their performance state.

"…"

Wrapped in a knit sweater, Haru wa...

V6 Chapter 129: What Wish Did You Just Make? 

The atmosphere had a strange, indescribable weight to it.

Calm and collected, Haru glanced sideways at the girls beside him. He had long since guessed that they were plotting something behind his back. For various reasons, he chose not to expose them directly. Instead, he played along, pretending not to notice.

"..."

On one side, Ryo's expression remained unchanged. From beginning to end, she wore the same unruffled, cold look, as though even running into a vampire in broad ...

V6 Chapter 128: Miss Ikuyo’s Skills Need Improvement

As expected, things turned out more or less the way Haru had imagined.

Kita Ikuyo, who was always the first to lean forward, now quietly lowered her head. Unlike her usual self, she was not showing much energy today, and of course, there was a reason for that. In Haru's eyes, it was probably because of the live show just now.

Any band that could perform at Moriya naturally had a certain level of skill, and what made this particular live even more intimidating was ...

V6 Chapter 127: A True Pitiful Girl Always Comes Prepared 

Soaking in a hot spring for too long could cause the blood vessels to dilate, and if overdone, even lead to dizziness from lack of circulation to the brain. Which was why, while the girls were still making a ruckus in the neighboring bath, Haru quickly rose and stepped out of the misty pool.

If he stayed any longer, he couldn't guarantee he would still be able to hold himself back.

Haru slipped into the dark gray yukata provided by the inn, the loose garment wrapping around him en...

V6 Chapter 126: Could There Be Something Wrong With This Hot Spring?

"What?! Nijika-senpai is missing?"

Holding her guitar in her arms, Hitori lifted her head in surprise, staring at Ikuyo, who stood before her looking flustered.

"Yeah! Nijika-senpai only said she was going out to buy snacks and drinks for tonight's party… The convenience store isn't even that far from the inn, but it's already been more than an hour, and she still hasn't come back!"

"Th-th-then… what do we do?!"

Bocchi panicked and jumped to her feet, but standing ...

V6 Chapter 125: Shoujo Manga Is Bullying Me

The pure white moonlight draped over the world like a gossamer bridal veil. Its silver glow spilled across the girl's silky golden hair as she widened her red eyes, staring blankly at the dark-haired boy not far away who wore a mischievous grin.

Ah, so that's how it is...

The thought rose unbidden in her mind. With her hands clasped behind her back, Nijika lightly pressed her cherry blossom lips together, her fingers rubbing at her flushed cheeks. Her face grew hotter and hotter, ...

V6 Chapter 124: This is a Miracle from the Gods

After packing up their luggage, it was free time. The detailed arrangements for the concert had already been discussed in advance between Haru and the manager, and most of the concrete preparations had been handed over to the LiveHouse. His own work was more or less finished.

From this point on, it could already be considered his holiday.

Now that Kessoku Band had gradually grown, even without Haru's constant supervision as their manager, Nijika, as the leader, would still guide e...

V6 Chapter 123: Ryo-senpai Really Lives Up to Her Name

After a short while, the group got out of the van.

Perhaps for the sake of convenience, the manager of Moriya had arranged their lodging close to the LiveHouse. The inn not only offered excellent living conditions, but from its windows they could also gaze out at the scenery of Lake Suwa.

The inn's wooden floors were paired with geta-style slippers made from bamboo or wood. The courtyard paths were paved with stone, and just a little farther ahead one could see bamboo water spouts...

V6 Chapter 122: Becoming a Useless Person Isn’t So Bad 

The next day

In the cold winter of December, the day unexpectedly welcomed a bright, clear sky. The morning sun, carrying a faint touch of warmth, pierced through the thick glass of the train and shone directly on the boy's shoulder-length black hair, casting a silvery sheen across it.

The roar of the train rushing over the tracks faintly echoed in his ears, mingling with the chatter of several girls nearby. But Haru, who had rushed to the station early in the mor...

V6 Chapter 121: Yahata Umiri Does, In Fact, Have Work

Shinjuku LiveHouse — [FOLT]

This live venue in the Shinjuku district was no stranger to Haru.

As a regular partner in his role as a "bass mercenary," Haru often came here to support other bands. After so many performances, he was practically a fixture at the place, and today was no exception.

Bzzz…

From the speakers came a deep, throbbing wave of sound. A rough but highly rhythmic bass slap shook the air, while a black-haired girl ...

V6 Chapter 120: I, Kita, I Chose This Willingly

The one who stood up with a glass of juice in hand was none other than Ijichi Nijika, her golden side ponytail swaying as she suddenly made her announcement. At once, she drew everyone's attention, and the first to react was Shiina Taki, who was sitting beside her.

"A concert? In Shimokitazawa?"

"Nope~ We've already played in Shimokitazawa many times. This time, we were invited to perform at another LiveHouse. It's going to be a proper solo show!"

Scratching her head, Nijika...

V6 Chapter 119: The Girls Who Noticed Something Strange

Normally, Mutsumi could face anything with an unshaken calm, but today she had abruptly walked off just because Yahata Umiri muttered a few cryptic words. To all the other "girlfriends," her reaction seemed unusually out of character.

Even the usually carefree and giggly Chihaya Anon sensed that something was off.

"Ah~"

"Come to think of it, I've been meaning to ask… Doesn't everyone have their own pair of slippers here? But I'm pretty sure Mutsumi already had a pair last ...

V6 Chapter 118: Do Not Stay on a Vegetarian Diet for Too Long

By the time they returned home, the sky had already darkened.

"Huh? My slippers?"

Takamatsu Tomori, with her short light gray hair, looked surprised at the slippers pushed into her hands. They were a pair of fluffy penguin slippers in bright blue and white. Just from the delighted look in the girl's eyes, it was obvious how much she loved this little gift.

"I got special slippers for everyone. After all, we can't keep wearing those disposable ones for guests, right?"

S...