Forming a band is just like falling in love, and performing is like...

Tap, tap, tap.

Nagumo Uzuki walked along the corridor of the Tsukinomori Girls' Academy academic building, following Mutsumi Wakaba, his school bag in one hand and his other hand tucked into his pocket.

Mutsumi’s pace was steady, neither fast nor slow, as she walked ahead without looking back. Upon reaching the first floor, she gestured toward one side of the hallway.

"The restroom. It’s been renovated."

Uzuki paused, then quickly grasped her meaning. She was explaining that the school had specifically installed a few male restrooms for this new intake of transfer students.

"Oh, I see. It seems the school has gone to great lengths to prepare for us boys."

Of course, the number of male restrooms wasn't particularly large—about one for every two floors—but it was more than sufficient for the small number of male students.

As they continued past a row of classrooms, Mutsumi pointed again.

"Clubs."

Looking at the classrooms plastered with posters, Uzuki understood immediately that this was the club activity area. She pointed toward one of the posters.

"Bands." Then, turning her head, she added, "Important."

Uzuki glanced at the poster; it was a program list for upcoming band performances. The bands listed were all formed by students from within Tsukinomori or from the two nearby girls' schools. It was clear that forming a band had become a trend here, with an array of band names that was quite dizzying.

*Well, in the world of BanG Dream, bands are like dating and performances are like... well, it’s not surprising the whole school has this vibe,* he thought to himself. *Though, calculating the timeline, the formation of Ave Mujica should be coming up soon, right?*

The pair made their way toward their designated classroom. When they reached the door of Class 3-C, Mutsumi suddenly stopped. She didn't speak, just looked up at Uzuki and stepped slightly to the side, clearing the way for him.

Uzuki blinked, then realized what she meant. She was letting him go in first. He didn't decline and stepped into the classroom.

Instantly, the entire room went silent. The previously noisy chatter was as if it had been hit with a mute button, and every pair of eyes in the room turned to fixate on him. As he stepped inside, Uzuki could feel dozens of gazes—curious, surprised, and even carrying a hint of subtle scrutiny. After all, as one of the few male transfer students at Tsukinomori, combined with his striking appearance, his arrival was bound to attract attention.

Whispers began to ripple through the room.

"Is that him?"
"A transfer student?"
"Wow, a guy actually came in..."

Uzuki didn't pay much attention to these gazes. He scanned the room and his eyes settled on the back of the classroom, where there was an empty desk right next to Mutsumi’s seat. There was no doubt that was his place.

Uzuki walked over and tucked the box of cucumbers Mutsumi had given him into his desk drawer.

Only then did Mutsumi quietly enter the classroom. Her movements were light and cautious, as if she were afraid of being noticed. She kept her head down and hurried to her seat, sitting down silently while everyone was still focused on Uzuki.

Watching her, Uzuki couldn't help but smile inwardly. She was the guide who had brought him here, yet she acted like a truant student sneaking back to her seat. But that fit her personality; she never liked being the center of attention.

No sooner had Uzuki sat down than the door opened, and a woman in standard teacher's attire walked in.

"Alright, everyone, settle down."

Her gaze swept across the room and finally landed on Uzuki. "Today, our class welcomes a new transfer student. Let's give him a warm welcome."

A round of applause broke out in the classroom—not exactly enthusiastic, but at least a polite response.

"Go ahead, introduce yourself." The teacher gestured for him to come to the front.

Uzuki didn't hesitate. He walked up to the podium and faced the class. At that moment, every eye in the room was fixed on him. His gaze swept across the room, passing over unfamiliar faces until it landed on a girl sitting by the window.

She had fair skin and a well-developed figure, and the Tsukinomori uniform fit her perfectly. She had long blue hair, the ends trimmed neatly, with bangs falling naturally across her forehead, which made her golden eyes stand out even more. Unlike the other students, she wasn't whispering or staring at him; she simply sat there, elbows on the desk, looking thoughtful.

Sakiko Togawa.

Uzuki recognized her instantly. And those eyes...

Since this was now a world with a "Dragon" worldview, he couldn't help but think of the "Golden Pupils that never extinguish." Combined with the fact that the Togawa family owned a Maybach and her "Ojou-sama" persona, the sense of déjà vu was incredibly strong.

Uzuki paused for a moment, then withdrew his gaze and spoke.

"Hello everyone, I am Nagumo Uzuki. I transferred from Kamogawa Central Middle School." His voice was calm and measured. "I'm quite good at playing the guitar, and I've also written a few light novels. I look forward to getting to know all of you."

When he finished, there was a brief silence, followed by more applause and hushed conversations.

"Guitar? Is he a music student?"
"He said he's written light novels."
"Wow, he writes novels? Has he made his debut?"

Of course, there were also some less-than-kind whispers from certain corners.

"I've read the novels he wrote... it seems like there are a lot of female characters..."

Uzuki heard it clearly, but his expression didn't change. He acted as if he hadn't heard a thing, offered a slight smile, bowed, and returned to his seat.

The self-introduction was over.

Mutsumi remained in her blank, dazed state and opened her textbook. On the other side, Sakiko glanced at him briefly, no discernible emotion in those golden eyes.

As soon as Uzuki sat down, the teacher cleared her throat and returned to the front.

"Alright, let's begin the lesson. This is Language Studies, and we’ll be covering classical poetry from the University of Tokyo."

The teacher glanced around the room, making sure everyone had turned to the right page, and nodded with satisfaction. Then, she noticed Uzuki, who was still sitting there, looking forward without having done anything.

"Nagumo-kun, since you’ve just transferred, you haven't received your books yet, right?"

The teacher looked at the students sitting nearby. "Why don't you share with Mutsumi Wakaba for now?"