In the recording studio.
Chisato wore monitoring headphones and had a glass of iced fruit juice in front of him.
But since he entered, he hadn't touched it. His eyes were fixed on the members of Kesshoku Band with full concentration.
They were halfway through an ensemble practice piece, and he didn't take a sip.
Beside him, Seika noticed his expression and felt reassured, a subtle smile forming at her lips.
They'd worked together long enough for her to understand what this look from Chisato meant.
This, perhaps, was her way of repaying the trust he had placed in her.
Sure enough, when the girls finished playing, he clapped his hands in genuine delight.
Removing his headphones, he turned to Seika with heartfelt praise.
"I wouldn't call it a complete transformation, but it's definitely a breath of fresh air. For such a short period of time, this is a huge improvement. How'd you pull it off?"
"Obviously because you just told me to stop managing them so strictly."
Seika shrugged and shook her head dismissively.
Facing the mic on the monitoring equipment, she said to the band inside, "Put your instruments away and take a ten-minute break—we'll resume after that."
Then she turned back to Chisato.
"Also, this professional recording studio you provided, far superior to what I had before—it helps. In an environment like this, they realize they're truly walking the professional path. That awareness helps them take things more seriously."
"In any case, thanks for your hard work, Seika-nee."
Chisato offered his sincere thanks.
Seika met his gaze, placed her left hand on her neck, and awkwardly looked away.
"It's nothing worth mentioning. I'm your employee now—doing this is only natural."
She had realized long ago that this guy had one... well, not exactly a bad habit, but perhaps a slightly problematic one.
Chisato, when he spoke seriously, had a tendency to look others straight in the eye.
That wasn't a problem in itself, but the way he looked—it carried a kind of intensity that was hard to handle.
Seika didn't know how others felt when they met his gaze, but for her, it always left her a bit flustered.
Her body would feel slightly hot, her mouth a bit dry...
Just then, the four members of Kesshoku Band pushed open the door and walked over.
Seika took the opportunity to wave her hand and turn away, politely excusing herself to give them some time together.
Leaving the recording studio and heading toward the president's office, she greeted the staff who respectfully nodded at her along the way, returning each greeting with a smile.
Come to think of it, Seika still found it hard to believe how much her life had changed.
She'd been a single woman in her thirties, once just a typical girl who followed a steady academic path, later forming a band as she got older.
But then her mother passed away unexpectedly. From that moment, she took over her mother's responsibilities—quitting the band, opening a shop to support the household, and raising little Nijika.
Time flew by. Nijika had entered high school before she knew it. In all that time, she barely had a chance to think about her own life.
But after Chisato showed up—after seeing the way he often interacted so intimately with Hitori—she started to reflect on something she had never taken seriously before.
She really wasn't that young anymore. Maybe it was time she started thinking about these things.
Before this, she'd never seriously considered it, always laughing at her friend, a certain high school teacher who regularly went to matchmaking parties only to get rejected every time.
Thinking back on it now, they were probably about the same. She didn't really have the right to laugh—after all, she hadn't solved her own problems either.
"You should feel a little urgency too, you know? Nijika's grown up and can take care of herself now. You ought to start thinking about yourself.
You can't put your own life on hold for her forever, right?"
She had heard that kind, well-meaning advice from her friend during a dinner party where she'd had a little too much to drink.
Back then, she had just laughed it off. But now... she was starting to think maybe her friend had a point.
Speaking of which, Shizuka had mentioned a dinner party tonight.
Her friend was organizing it, and there'd be single men around their age. She had been invited too, but hadn't replied yet.
Should she go?
Seika pulled out her phone, hesitating over whether or not to accept the invitation, but for some reason, all she could picture in her mind was Chisato's face.
"What the hell... It's not like I'm into younger guys or anything..."
Murmuring half-jokingly to herself, she opened her friend's profile picture and messaged to ask about the exact time for the dinner.
…
In the recording studio.
Chisato gently stroked Hitori's head as she sat on his lap, and roughly explained the results of his conversation with Seika.
The four members of Kesshoku Band looked somewhat relieved.
Ikuyo exhaled deeply and held her flat chest.
"That's a relief. Chisato-kun, you really have no idea how strict Seika-nee has been with us lately. If you hadn't come to rescue us, I seriously doubt we could've kept going."
Chisato gave a wry smile.
"Surely it wasn't that bad."
"The music and ensemble practice, that part was fine. But she even took away our time to go shopping!
There were so many big sales at malls this winter, and I didn't even get a chance to buy any cute clothes!
We actually saved up quite a bit from those last few gigs, and I didn't even get to spend any of it!"
Ikuyo grumbled with visible frustration.
"Don't worry. I've talked things through with Seika-nee.
From now on, you'll get more personal time to spend as you wish. Just stay safe—that's important. After all, you're semi-celebrities now."
"Thanks, Chisato-kun—ah, no, I mean, President... I guess I should start getting used to calling you that. Otherwise, it might cause problems when we're out."
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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