"The two VA classes seems to be more motivated than the past years… S2VA is having a 2D and 3D latte art shop approved, and the first years are joining in with the Art Club on holding an exhibit and selling prints.

What strings did you pull this time, Gin?"

After a sip from a cup of warm black tea, Tenth's eyes looked at Gin's nonchalant seat in his personal office.

"Just maximizing what those students could do with what they have on their table."

"You say that, but in the past two years, none of the art-adjacent classes and clubs have sold prints and only held free exhibits in the past three years after they flopped in the second Open Event," Akira added.

"Ahh, that was a landslide…" the principal sighed, "After the unprecedented success TAC had in the first year, the following batch got very motivated but their sales were severely behind from their predecessors. It took until the end of school year to motivate them and I blame it on you and TAC, Gin."

"Yeah… Mato-sen told me that we kind of set the bar too high or something, so I imagine I hold a lot of responsibility from it, especially now that I am a teacher here.

I pretty much told them that I will endorse them in TAC's social media if I personally find that their plan would be feasible before submitting it here to the office.

Well, I think the posts I made got some decent online impressions."

"I hope you finally understand the reach our TAC has."

"Only took five or so years, Akira."

"How did all these happen, though?" Tenth further inquired.

"I didn't really do much for the club, but for the first year class, after they decided that they will sell prints, I gave them freedom to do whatever they want to paint or draw and after assessing that they pass for sale, I turned in their proposal. I'm pretty much one of their precedents, so I went a little easy on them."

"I highly doubt that 'went a little easy on them' part."

"As for the second years, one of the students has a cafe owned by their family, someone who has experience with plaster sculpting, and a bunch of kids that are very dexterous. I contacted the cafe to ask permission if they have spare machines in exchange of promoting their shop so it's kind of a partnership with them and TAC."

"Hmm, that's not something you used to think about in the past."

"I learned a lot after opening my personal illustrator account and a bit of marketing from working with Taiyou Digital. I have to say they came in very handy."

"Hahaha, the you before graduating here pales in comparison to you now, or maybe even from a few months ago when you were a total wreck."

"If I was a normal person, I would have jumped on you and sacked you on the face after you mentioned something that insensitive, Tenth."

"But you aren't," Tenth confidently declared.

"You trust me too much."

"Alright, once you're done with your cup, you should head back to help your students in prep work. Thanks for the written reports."

"I guess I'll be going, then. Call for your lowly subordinate if you two need help."

"Sure, sure. Go away then."

Only a few days left until the fifth Open Event commences.

Because of Gin's encouragement and activeness in aiding the students, the Visual Arts department of the high school has become busier with preparations. Teaching aside, he rotates around checking on the exhibit set that is being built in the Art Room, approving art works that would be sold by the first years and analyzing the data from a survey within the school of what potentially sells more or less from a sample size, and going to the second years borrowing a corner of the kitchen to practice latte art along with his students. And to add to those, he covers for either afternoon or closing shifts in Giotto's, and manages his illustrator account

All of a sudden, Gin's life has become a lot busier.

"You seem to very clingy these days, Gin," Rin asked as she sits with Gin's arms wrapped on her waist as they watched an anime.

"I'm recharging."

"Uh, sure."

"We're living together and all yet we don't have a lot of time to talk outside dinner."

"You're suddenly busy with Open Event, after all. Hang in there."

"Mmmmm.

How's your work, by the way?"

"The short waiter training I did in my WT at Giotto's stuck with me so I graduated from waiting. I'm part of the kitchen now though I mostly prep ingredients for the next day for now."

"Isn't that good. This probably is early to ask, but have you considered going there full-time once you graduate?"

"I haven't thought about it yet, but having a car sure is handy inside and outside of work.

And you know what, Chef Raien let me have a spin on his car."

"I'm honestly uninterested but it's probably something if you're telling me that."

"It's fully electric."

"Now I'm interested. Isn't Orio's charger network still crap, though?"

"Yeah. For now, electric cars are still expensive here in Orio because local production is still very small, but I kind of get its benefits after driving it. First, they're zero emission, and I had the idea of fitting something like your transparent solar cells as a sun roof and charge using that.

Of course that's just an idea."

"That actually sounds cool. But maybe I should test drive one of them and weigh in EVs and gas cars if ever I'll buy my own one…

…

Your shampoo smells nice."

"Sometimes I still wonder how your brain works, but don't try doing anything."

Gin whispered, "As if I'll try anything when I'm at your house with your parents, and after the slip up I did in Kyoto you can count on me that I won't do something you don't like. Just a reminder."

"Who said I didn't like it?" Rin kept to herself.

"Congrats, you're sounding more and more like a man by the day."

"That sounds like an insult more than anything but I'll take it."

"That's the last episode for me so please let go. I'm heading to bed so goodnight."

Thus Gin immediately let go and ruffled her partner's hair.

"Goodnight."

Oxymoronic, but Gin charged enough energy to get a good sleep afterwards.

▪ ▪ ▪

"Blue Ink High School's fifth Open Event is has now commenced…! Welcome everyone, and we hope you enjoy your stay!"

‹Gin›

Aaahhh, this all feels extremely different.

Looking back to it now, I feel like I was so much busier as a student in Open Event than I am as a teacher now. Back in 2019, we were juggling with a full-on restaurant environment, selling prints, doing a tiny bit of crowd control on Yuuga's signing event, and managing our social media. Then do that for five days.

Now I basically have no teaching duties for the entire week. My job now is to routinely monitor the school premises, go and check with the classes I co-advise and help if I have the time, and make sure that no major trouble happens as per Tenth's orders.

I would be lying if I said that I don't miss the days when I was on the position that the students are at right now. I only had one go at an Open Event, then the following years I was a guest, and now a teacher. Meanwhile, most of the students would be able to experience the event for six years at most if they have been here since the start of junior high school.

Well, the fact is none of them would have experienced it for six years since this is only the fifth year of the event, duh.

Regardless, there is still a nostalgic vibe to it as I am once again involved with this festival rather than just someone who stuffs my mouth with food here every year. If anything, I'm still doing that and the only difference is that I am making rounds rather than just being an outsider.

But then, I bumped into Shiro with a camera around her neck.

"Hey there."

"Whusshup, Hin."

"At least swallow your food first.

You came here with Nagi?"

"Nope, he's streaming right now. I stopped by your house."

With a little bit of a free time, I decided to walk around with her for a little while, and that is when I realized that the food on her hand is a curry bread.

"You went to S2CA, I see."

"How did you know?"

"At this point I'm basically the only one that advises four classes and the VA and CA department so of course I know what they're up to."

"My condolences. That sounds like a lot of work."

"Don't say it like that."

After she finished the bread on her hand, we continued to walk around while it seems like there is growing unease coming from Shiro.

"Is this alright?"

"Is what alright?"

"Some students are looking at us. You know how fussy high schoolers can be with things like this."

"Yeah, most of them are my students, I think. But they've seen me with Rin back then. It would be funny if they suddenly tell me that I'm cheating. That would be a first for me.

Let them be. I think it's harmless for the most part.

Are you going with Nagi anyway?"

"Tomorrow, but I'm basically going to be here for three days. And I heard that there's a band performing after lunch at the gymnasium so I don't want to miss it."

"Ahh, right, that's happening today. I think I'll have a break so I can watch them at that time."

"I'll text you then."

"Sure. I'm going to my post at the front gate so have fun."

"Catch you later, Gin-sensei."

"Stop calling me that. It's weird."

~ ~ ~

Twenty minutes before the performance, the gymnasium opened in public with the sound of tuning and instrument testing heard from the speakers. One by one, the windows got covered with blackout curtains and the natural light gradually disappeared leaving only the warm dim lights fitted into the gymnasium's fixtures.

Eventually, I found Shiro that chose to stand at the back after a voluntary check in the vicinity as part of the job even at a break. Then three minutes before the performance, the downlights dimmed further and the spotlights turned off.

"You didn't strike me as someone to watch bands, Shiro."

"I accompanied friends from college in underground concerts, and I kind of understand the appeal. I like singing too so there's that."

"Right, you're pretty much the most competent in terms of vocals in our group."

"Say that for yourself-"

"Yeah, I heard from Nagi what you told me about my voice, but no way I'm doing that outside my shower."

"What about you, though? I could totally see you going to Yololive's expo and concerts next year."

"Y-You might be right about that…"

As we were at the back of the audience area, I noticed a slight spill of light coming from further back and I briefly saw the gymnasium door closed. Even at this dark environment, I was able to see Gaku at the very back, huffing just a few seconds before the spotlights turn back on.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"So he likes this kind of stuff too, huh."

"Woah, that's not something you see everyday," Shiro gasped in awe.

"The what?"

"Look on your left side of the stage."

It was just a regular music band with a guitarist, bassist, drummer, and a keyboardist/vocalist in the middle… or not, as I see a saxophone player with them.

"So they have a sexy saxophone with them. That's one way to catch people's attention."

"Did I just hear you say that, Gin?"

"What? You're making me sound like I'm some kind of an alien. I just find the sound of saxophones sexy, and I think others too."

"That's true."

Thus, the drummer clapped his drumsticks to signal the start of the performance.

To reiterate, Orio has a very vague culture. While the country was never occupied in the past centuries or decades, it has become very multicultural and the population does not mind it. As such, it isn't really unusual to hear music from a different language everywhere here, but most of them would be Japanese, and it is no surprise that city pop, vocaloid, and modern J-pop would be popular, while enka did not really make it here.

While Orion songs are still the most popular in the nation, it's always very nice to hear the cheers when a Japanese song is played, and the band that was formed in this school is doing a decent job with it.

I always reserve my honest comments to myself since I don't really practice singing or music aside from the piano, and I can't even read sheet music and I'm very reliant on the reverb of my bathroom to make my voice better, but I have to say that the vocalist is doing just an okay job at singing an ambitious song. Or perhaps, their voice doesn't work with the song or the original singer's vocals.

If I had to say truthfully, the first song of the band was carried by the saxophone solo…

But my judgment is not even my concern.

I could faintly hear a very weak, husky voice singing along with the song, but I could not pinpoint where it was coming from. Most of my attention deviated from it, and all I could think in that moment of listening from it was that it was a wonderful voice.

But following that, the three additional songs on their setlist were also familiar to me, and it appeared that the band has picked themselves back up with those. Afterwards, natural light emerged back into the gymnasium and the performance ended while the Open Event still continues.

That said, I still hold that saxophones are sexy.

"Were you singing along on the first song, Shiro?"

"No? But there's something I noticed, though."

"That you heard someone singing along too?" somehow, it got me excited.

"What, no? I mean the performance. The vocalist can sing well, but I don't think they're a match to the song."

"Ah, I also noticed that. I've heard other covers of that song in YouCube where I had the same reaction. I suppose it's a hard song to sing.

Can you sing that, Shiro?"

"I don't have that much of a range.

Anyway, I think I'll probably go now so good luck for the rest of the day, Gin."

"Alright, catch you tomorrow."

After a few more hours, the first day of the event was successfully concluded without any issues. It seems that my students at the VA department went home on high spirits as they got more eyes towards them perhaps partially because I kind of went a little aggressive with my online promotions. That being said, I think it was a good idea that I screened the potential illustrations for the prints as it drove them to produce maybe the best works they have made since the beginning of the academic year.

Perhaps I'm getting old or I've gotten attached to them, but there's a part of me that just wants to support them as much as I can.

If I had a council of my selves in my cognitive space, my past selves would probably be seething at what they have seen from the me now.

▪ ▪ ▪

The second day of Open Event.

An hour after the school gates opened, Gin quickly saw a head peeking on the door of the Art Room as there are currently no guests inside the exhibit.

"Excuse meeee…"

Upon Rin's entrance, Gin immediately approached her.

"I thought you were coming later?"

"I had nothing to do at the house so I thought I might as well just visit."

Even before Rin got to step further inside the room, all that Gin could see from her was a stray bed hair, a sweater that is most definitely his, and a pair of sweatpants… which in his eyes still counts as a perfect outfit as though he has been charmed.

"You really didn't bother dressing up, huh?"

"Ehh… it's easier to move around with them."

"Yeah, sure, but why are you wearing my sweater?"

"I couldn't bother picking something from my room and I think you forgot to hang this and it was lying around so I just took it…" she said, with a hint of a playful tone.

Unprompted, Gin's hands that was in his pocket came out and plopped on Rin's cheeks.

"You should've at least worn a scarf, you know?"

"Ah… that's so warm…

But you know," Rin suddenly whispered, "Your students might be watching behind you so you should let go."

Immediately, Gin turned his head about, and indeed, the students managing the exhibit had their eyes on the door while some of the girls are looking away with an apparent fawning on their body language.

"My bad. That was on me," thus, Gin let go and stepped back. "I hope you like what the current club has right now."

"Then don't mind me~"

With Rin starting to look around, Gin went back to sit on a desk at the back and he was quickly approached by students that are free on that time, bombarded with questions.

"Who was that, Sir Gin?!"

"You guess."

"We couldn't help but hear earlier… are you living together with your girlfriend?!"

"I live next door."

"Which is half a lie."

"Don't tell me… you're cheating, Sir Gin?!"

"The one from yesterday was my and her friend if you saw us walking around."

"Should you really be walking around like that at work?"

"See for yourself Mato-sen and Nana-sen yesterday."

"You say you aren't cheating, but didn't you leave the school with a woman with white hair back then?! She was so cute and stylish I couldn't help but scream when I saw her!"

"Right? She was really cute that day, right?

Wait, no. She's the same person as that slob currently looking around our exhibit right now."

All at the same time, the students turned to the woman with black hair lazily looking at the painting with an oversized shirt, completely removed from the previous image of the lady with a white hair and a pair of glasses sitting finesse with a carefully picked outfit under the sway of the shadows of the school's oldest tree.

The students then turned back, with disbelief clearly seen from their eyes.

"Anyway, she is your senior too, you know. She's part of the TAC so it goes without saying that this very Art Room is also her home years ago.

She might be a student at CCI right now, but she's more than qualified to answer your questions in terms of art. If I were to guess, some other TAC alumni on my batch will visit too so prepare for that."

Still unconvinced, the students dispersed and Rin went to the desk a few minutes later with a haul on her hand.

"Do we still have the paper bags we left here, Sir Gin?"

"I beg you, don't call me that, Rin. But here, paper bag."

As the room was generally quiet with no guests yet, a normal voice can be heard from corner to corner of the room, which means that even a few giggles were heard from the students that is seeing their teacher being teased for once.

Then, Rin's gaze was directed to the centerpiece of the room, which is a large illustration done in graphite.

"Wow… I used to always look at Piano of Tragedy all amazed, but now… it kind of just looks like mid?" she uttered in all smiles and confidence.

Simultaneously, all of the students in the room looked at her, some of them with a glare, and all Gin could do was facepalm as he immediately realized that her significant other is doing a bit… in which he did not take very well but kept it to himself.

"Rin-chan… you'll make my students furious, you know?"

"Oh, I didn't mean that it was bad. Sorry, I guess that's just how the word is interpreted these days.

But what I really mean is that it just looks OK now, like a 6/10. The you in the club and the first years, this piece may look impressive, but I've seen it almost everyday for a few years now, but what I also saw everyday is what you teacher makes now.

Sure, your Sir Gin has transitioned to a digital medium now so he hasn't really touched traditional methods much, but this pales in comparison to what he can do now.

Don't get me wrong, I still really love this piece in an emotional manner, but I think it has shown its age."

"Go easy on them, madame."

Based on the students' reactions, it would seem that from what Rin and Gin saw from them, the art work is still acts like a flagship in the school's art department, known to be a basis of inspiration.

But for Rin, it appears that she does not agree with the consensus. While the sour impression may have died down, the presence of the dense air has not yet disappeared.

"Think about it: maybe some of you looks back at an old drawing and think, 'Wow, this doesn't look good at all,' because you know to yourself that you can do better now. You get a better sense of things which in turn translates what you make.

I know it's hard to say that you want to surpass the works of those you look up to because they feel like a really tall wall, but I'm sure you guys can do it. Who knows, maybe you'll replace this drawing of your teacher with yours as the centerpiece next time?"

All of a sudden, the mood inside the exhibit shifted away towards a somewhat favorable one.

From Gin's eyes, the way her partner carried herself at that moment was a far cry to how she was. She was once reserved in front of people, but what he sees now is an outspoken and charismatic demeanor that swayed the students with her smile.

While she may not have reached everyone, those that saw into it suddenly had the looks of appreciation to someone they had just met a few minutes ago.

"Guests are starting to pick up, so I'll be going now. Thanks for the prints! I hope I can buy them again next year!"

"What's gotten into her, I wonder?"

~ ~ ~

In times when the volume of customers is low, Gin would take pictures of the exhibit and the prints booth to post in social media to give updates of their stocks.

"Like I've always told you, the framing lines have their uses."

All of a sudden, Nagi's voice sounded from Gin's back.

"Just got here?"

"Yeah… Shiro's visiting other rooms so she'll be here later. Let her do the pictures then you can just post them."

"I guess that's for the best. Go have a look around then."

As Gin went back to his desk and watched over, Nagi became very interactive with the works on display and occasionally asking for the students that made the paintings and asked for their personal interpretations.

With his hand lazily on his chin, it became clear to Gin that he is not someone that can consciously make illustrations with meanings that lie within the piece, unless he pours his emotions to them, which most of the time embodies something negative.

He then came to a conclusion that the illustrator job that he has now suits his way of art best as he can't have the perception of his other friends. He shines brightest on paintings that tell a clear story and add abstract contexts secondly.

Gin rejoiced, for he realized once more that learning is an eternal process.

But as he daydreamed, he could see from his periphery Nagi carrying a chair to the desk, and sat beside him with his head plopping to the table.

"Now that I looked at you, your face is a mess. Did you stream late at night again?" Gin whispered.

"Nah… I finished early at 9 last night… but I only had four hours of sleep."

"Don't tell me it's insomnia? You recently got melatonin gummies, right?"

"No, not that… It's just that I lose sleep falling down a rabbit hole."

"Now what did you get yourself into?"

"See… one of my female genmates introduced me to a genre of manga… and I've been reading them all of midnight these past few days."

"Oh? Do tell?"

"You sure? It's yuri, you know?"

At that very moment, it felt as though Gin had seen the entirety of universe in the span of five seconds.

"Huh."

"She's really amazing. I guess that's the reason why she got herself a girlfriend."

"Should you really be telling me that?"

"If anything, she's very open about it. As for her viewers… Taiyou is sometimes called the agency that's the most severed from the idol culture, but she has no plans on telling her viewers."

"Ah… I vaguely recall watching one of your senpai suddenly talking about his boyfriend or something. The chat got heated because of opposing sides but it was generally chill when the viewers that just wants to have fun drowned them out. I don't think there were any drama about it on Witter or Leddit. Taiyou's amazing in that regard."

"Well, Taiyou's stance on relationships is 'who gives a fuck' as long as we can maintain professionalism and separate work and life."

"Hey, language."

"Ah, sorry."

"You've been really getting unhinged in your streams that I didn't even know it's you. It's funny though.

…!"

All of sudden, Gin's back straightened and his eyes widened, giving Nagi a sharp stare.

"Wait… don't tell me you've been seeing flowers floating around Rin and Shiro when they were hanging around at my house last night?!"

"As if, you idiot. And why do you know that trope anyway? So you've been reading too, huh?"

"I wonder how will Shiro react to that."

"That forced topic change sounds really sus, I tell you. But I'm not really sure if I'll tell her. I might fall out of it, but who knows."

"Well, I guess you have a point. You wouldn't know how you'll formulate your words if you tell your girlfriend about it. I get it."

"So you admit to it?"

"Oh look, G is here."

"HEY."

As Ginji who just arrived saw a female student approaching the desk, he then proceeded to take a look at the room first.

"But wait, are you free all day today or are you going to stream later?" once again, their voice lowered.

"You repost so much stuff on Witter so you should have seen my schedule. I'm on break until tomorrow."

"U-Uhm… I'm a fan…"

"…!"

With the sudden words of the female student of the club, Nagi flinched so vigorously that his chair clattered loudly.

"A fan? Ms. Mesa?"

"I mean… I think I'm a fan of your girlfriend now, Sir Gin…"

"Ahh, so that's what you meant."

"I ALMOST HAD A HEART ATTACK RIGHT THEN AND THERE," thought Nagi as he tried to calm his hammering heart.

"If you don't mind, didn't she have white hair back then? I also think it looks too natural and pure to be hair dye."

"I can't tell you that, but don't you think she also looks good on black with white highlights underneath?"

"It does~! And she looked so cool earlier!"

"Well, I hope you take what she said earlier with a grain of salt. I'd like you to help me out if the others misunderstood her."

"You can count on me for that, Sir Gin!"

"Is that right? Oh well, it's my lunch break now, so if there's something you need go ask that dude named Ginji looking around. He'll be at this desk for a bit.

Oh, and this guy beside me has the Nanagi moniker in TAC, so he's also your senior."

"N-Nice to meet you…"

"Um, I'm sorry to ask right now, but have we met before? I feel like I recognize your voice…"

"N-N-No…?! I think m-my voice sounds pretty common?"

For what it's worth, Nagi managed to dodge a bullet in the end.

~ ~ ~

"Owieee…!!"

Meanwhile, Rin took a flick on her forehead on the rooftop of the annex… which was far off from a casual conversation starting.

"You could have worded things better earlier. I think you touched the wrong nerve in a few of the students.

What spurred that, anyway?"

"I just kind of wanted to show you off in front of your students but also to give them encouragement."

"Even so, I appreciate it but you already know for the longest time that I'm not really comfortable with a lot of eyes on me."

"Hey, I'm trying to help you out here. I heard that you don't really have that good of an impression from them."

"That's none of your business. I have my shortcomings and I'll do what I can to fix it."

"Well that's because you idiot doesn't even know where to put your priorities right. Even though you tell me that you're strict when it comes to your strong points it just looks like you half-ass things! I only had a brief look at your students and they don't even feel like they respect you that much, and you know what? It's honestly kind of pathetic."

"What do you even know about them and my work? You think I just half-ass crap when you don't even see 99 percent of what my job-

Hahh… Dammit, why are we even fighting over something meaningless like this?!"

As if getting all his frustration in a single shriek, Gin suddenly spread his arms open while still wearing a slight frown on his face. It took Rin a moment to get a read on Gin, but she nonetheless walked onto him with an embrace.

"Sorry. Did I go too far downstairs?"

"Not really. We just weren't in the same page earlier. I'm sorry too."

"I'm sorry again. I said something a bit harsh."

"That's fine. I'm aware that I'm pathetic."

"Don't say that."

The feeling of anger suddenly turned into mutual remorse. And now that their memories began replaying in their minds, Rin sank further onto Gin and tightened her clutches further.

"Warm…"

"It's nice and warm…"

"Love you…"

"I love you too, Rin. Sorry for the flick.”

“Yeah, it still hurts…”

“Ugh… I'll kiss the pain bye-bye when I get home.”

“What's stopping you?”

“Imagine if other teachers see me, I'll get in trouble for PDA, you dummy.

Anyway, what should we get for lunch?"

"The fourth years have a soup stall. Let's get some consomme since it's cold then let's go for the smashed burgers."

"It really is a tradition, huh…"

After the lunch break, Rin decided to walk around on her own after checking out booths with Gin, while he then went to the S2CA classroom welcomed by two of his students—one of which with a huge smile and a blush on her face.

"Yo, Sir Gin!"

"Are things alright here, Dino? And why does Ms. Ivory have such a huge grin on her face…?"

"Because I saw you again with your girlfriend, Sir Gin~"

"Not again…"

"Oh, I also saw you too earlier," once again, a voice crept on Gin's back coming from Rena who just entered the room.

"Welcome!" suddenly, the fawn on Francine Ivory's face disappeared as a customer went in.

"I'll have two large and one small curry bread."

"Do you want them deep fried, ma'am?"

"Just one of the large ones. And please drain the oil well."

"Then we'd like to ask you to wait for ten minutes."

"Thank you."

"Are you with your family?"

"Koba and Yoru are walking around together.

Anyway, you and Ringo have really changed."

"How so?"

"It's like you two exude an aura when you were walking together earlier. You look powerful together."

"See, Sir Gin? Even Ma'am gets it," Francine butted in.

"She's your senior, Ms. Ivory. We're the same age but we were classmates."

"Really?!"

"Yup, nice to meet you."

With the sudden conversation between Rena and his student, Gin walked to the back of the room and grabbed an apron.

"Do you guys need help with more dough, Dino?"

"We'd appreciate it, Sir.

Uh, also… can you spare some time after today's events end?"

"You need help?"

"Well… it is kind of personal, but also important to me. And honestly, I really only have the guts to talk to you about it."

It was not everyday that one of his students approaches Gin for help, and seeing from Dino's face that it took him courage to say what he wanted to, he could not help but reply immediately.

"Sure."

"Alright! Can we talk somewhere it's just us?"

"I'll find us a spot since it's busy everywhere. I'll come get you later."

"Thank you!"

…

But even before Gin realized it, time had passed by quickly after the spike of guests in the afternoon, which made him between the club and the other classrooms that he manages.

As the cleanup for today commenced, Gin excused himself and fetched Dino Arfa towards the stairs going to the rooftop with two cans of hot tea on their hand.

"I'm actually a YouCuber, and I want to ask you a favor, Sir."

.

.

.

"Que?"