Two Strings, One Song: A Bocchi The Rock Story

The Special Meeting (Part 2)

Gotoh's parents took us down to their living room to have some food. Nijika and Kita were both really expressive as usual, but Gotoh and I were both very quiet. Gotoh looked like she was having a mental breakdown, and I was just straight up panicking because of being in the same room as her father. To make a good impression, I sat in the most formal way.

"Isn't it wonderful? I never imagined that Hitori would have real friends over!" Gotoh's father says to her mother.

"Eat your fill, all right?" Gotoh's mother says to the four of us.

"Sure!" Nijika says happily.

"Thanks so much!" Kita replied, grateful for the food.

"T-Thank you for the kind gesture, Miss Gotoh." I say while looking down at the food.

"You let Hitori join your band, right?" Gotoh's father asks us.

"Yes. We didn't exactly let her join. I asked her and Hiroko-kun to join, and she was willing to humor me." Nijika explains.

"Really?" Gotoh's mother asks.

"See? Music really brings people together! Right, Jimihen?"

I could hear Jimihen respond to Gotoh's father by making... I don't know. Dog noises.

"She doesn't cause too much trouble with her retreats into her own little world, does she?" Gotoh's mother asks us as she approaches her husband.

"Aw, that's no trouble at all!" Kita responds.

"Yeah! It's fun!" Nijika says to Kita.

I'm grateful that Gotoh-san's parents didn't kick me out yet. But if they see me doing something weird or crazy with Gotoh-san, then I'm cooked! They'll kick me out of their house, and I won't be able to attend this meeting anymore. Then, I'll just be a drag for Kessoku Band because I didn't help out! I'm destined for doom and there's nothing I can do about-

"Karage's done!" Gotoh's mother says, putting the plate of Karage on the table.

"Wow! That looks so good!" Nijika and Kita say at the same time.

Gotoh's mother smiles at both Gotoh and I, and she slowly walks away from us right after.

What... Was... That.

"That one is soy sauce with garlic, and this one is shio koji. And there's lemon and shichimi spice to taste."

I nod my head and look at the different flavored Karage. Each one looking mouth-watering.

"Thanks!" Kita says to Gotoh's father.

"Kita-chan, eat!" Nijika tells Kita as she starts to eat.

"Okay!"

I start to smile softly, and I grab some chopsticks to start eating with everyone else.

"When she said she had friends coming, I assumed they were imaginary or hallucinations, but then, she did have that picture..." Gotoh's mother tells us.

"Hallucinations?" Nijika asks, sounding curious.

"But of course, image editing software is pretty sophisticated these days..." Gotoh's father included.

"Software?" Nijika asks again.

"If I might ask, you're not from some kind of friend rental servi-"

"We're her bona ride bandmates!" Nijika says, cutting Gotoh's father off.

"Okay, okay. It's just that Hitori's never brought a friend home before." Gotoh's father says while laughing and Nijika does the same.

Then, Gotoh's mother explains...