Alex Shima didn't notice the intense stares from the two girls.
Sure, he often admired how cute the heroines were, but it's not like he spent every second of the day thinking about that.
Right now, he had to focus on studying.
Not because he was some orphaned Tokyo boy surviving against all odds, like the usual tragic anime protagonist.
On the contrary—his parents in this world were alive, well, and loaded.
Both were high-ranking executives at major corporations, and they had exactly one expectation for their son:
"Do well in school!"
And if he did? More allowance. More spending money.
(Note: allowance and daily living expenses are counted separately.)
Alex had no intention of getting a part-time job—he was going to need plenty of cash in the future to attend all the live performances of these adorable girls.
So, for the rest of the class period, he stopped daydreaming completely.
As a result, the inner voice in the heads of the two heroines also went completely silent.
Which left them both extremely confused.
Was Alex Shima really the one projecting those thoughts?
Hitori Gotoh still wanted to figure it out, but once she did… then what?She had crippling social anxiety and zero communication skills—what could she even say to him?
"Um… Please stop calling me cute"?No… Actually, she was kind of getting used to it.
After all, hardly anyone ever complimented her outside of her parents and her YouTube guitar channel fans.
Then, suddenly, a light bulb went off in Hitori's head.
That's right—I could become friends with him!
If Alex's inner thoughts were always so full of affection for her, then surely they could be good friends, right?
Hitori started getting excited.
Despite her introverted nature, she had made efforts to connect with others—bringing her guitar to school, covering her bag in band pins and CD stickers...
She made up her mind.
Next break, I'm going to talk to Alex Shima!
...Maybe.
Setting a goal and immediately getting cold feet afterward—that's very much Hitori Gotoh.
Meanwhile, Tomori Takamatsu didn't have the same kind of hesitation.
She wasn't socially anxious. She just didn't know how to express emotions to others—so she came off as withdrawn.
But when it mattered, her ability to take action was rock-solid.
If she suspected something, she acted.
Especially since she had heard something critical in that inner voice:
The disbanding of Crychic.
Tomori had always felt guilty about that. She blamed herself for the band's collapse and had never held it against Sakiko.
But what was that Alex had said about some legendary kneel…?
And how did he even know about Crychic in the first place? Was he a fan?
Could he somehow—maybe—help bring Crychic back together?
A whirlwind of questions spun through Tomori's mind.
So, when class ended, she stood up and walked straight toward Alex.
She'd never really paid attention before, but now that she looked…
Alex Shima was actually a pretty striking guy—refined and handsome, with sharp features, deep eyes, and soft bangs that gave him a gentle, intellectual vibe.
Why hadn't she noticed him until now?
As she approached, Alex's inner thoughts flared up again.
[Hm? Why is Tomori walking over here?]
[She doesn't seem to have any real close friends in class, but she's definitely seen as the class mascot…]
"Shima-kun."
Tomori stopped beside his desk and looked at him with those wide, clear eyes of hers—staring at him like a lost kitten.
Wait, she's really talking to me?!
Alex stiffened.
This was like being at a fan meet-and-greet with your idol.
But outwardly, he kept his cool. After all, in his previous life, he had been an adult.
Wearing a mask of calm was a skill every adult possessed!
(Sunglasses → takes off sunglasses → clown face underneath.)
"Can I help you?" he asked politely.
Tomori blinked. She wasn't good with words, and being stared at by Alex made her eyes dart away nervously.
What do I say?
What was I going to ask again?
I…
[Up close, Tomori really is adorable… But what could she want with me? We've never even talked.]
[Wait a sec… Don't tell me she caught me sneaking around to see Reki yesterday?!]
[Yeah… that's totally possible…]
Tomori snapped back to her senses.
Wait—he went to see Reki?!
Just who was this guy?
"D-Do you know Reki…?"
She placed a clenched fist lightly against her chest as she asked in a soft voice.
Alex's eyes widened at the question.
[So she really did see me over there yesterday… No wonder she came over to talk.]
But he couldn't admit that.
He didn't want to disrupt the story's natural flow, so he feigned confusion.
"Reki? Who's that?"
Tomori hesitated. "Th-Then… do you know about Crychic…?"
"Crychic?" Alex tilted his head. "Takamatsu-san, are you sure you've got the right person?"
That reply completely threw her off.
She couldn't exactly say, "Well, I can hear your thoughts."
She may have trouble expressing herself, but she wasn't an idiot.
How could she prove something that completely defied common sense?
And what if she was just imagining it all?
"S-Sorry. I must've mistaken you for someone else."
"Oh, no worries," Alex replied as he watched her retreat, clearly disappointed.
He sighed internally.
[Man, what are the odds? I specifically waited until after school to go there…]
[Though honestly, I didn't really have to deny it. Saying I'm a Crychic fan wouldn't have been a big deal…]
[No, better to avoid affecting the story too much. Let's just quietly wait for Aine to show up.]
Huh?
Following right behind the homeroom teacher, Chihaya Anon was just about to walk into the classroom when a male voice suddenly echoed in her mind.
She nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Chihaya-san? Are you alright?" the teacher asked, turning to look at her.
Aine quickly forced a cute smile. "I'm fine…"
Who just said my name?
Was that… a hallucination?
But just as she tried to shake it off, the voice came again.
[Tomori talking to me was unexpected, but now that Chihaya Anon transferring in, all I have to do is approach her to form the band. Then the story should get back on track.]
The moment she took that first step into the classroom, Aine's entire expression froze.
Something's wrong.
Who is it?
Who the hell is it?!
She had intentionally enrolled in this high school far away from her old middle school to get a fresh start.
None of her old classmates should be here.
No one should know who she is.
So how does someone here… already know my name?!
Chihaya Anon felt a powerful wave of existential crisis wash over her.