Phew... Let's end practice here for today.

Okay!
Whew! I worked up a good sweat!

Nice work today. You all sounded great. You really stayed focused until the end.

Thank you, Miku. I think we were able to because you were all here to watch.

Oh, Honami...
Can we work on the interlude together sometime? We kinda fell out of tempo for a second there...

Oh, I was actually going to ask you the same thing.
In that case, why don't we meet here early tomorrow?

Okay. What time do you wanna start?

Let's see... I should be done walking Shibao around nine, so how about a little bit after that?

Sounds good. Then let's meet half past nine.

Right. I forgot that you still have to take Shibao out for walks even on your days off.

Now that you mention it, taking care of a dog sounds like a lot of work.

Yeah, it does!
You'd get tired of it so fast, Len!

Look who's talking.
You're always staying up so late that you can't wake up at a normal time.

Wait a second. I feel like your walks with Shibao used to end much earlier...

Yeah, she's right!
The last time we all went out for a walk together, I wanna say we were back by around eight...

So, the thing is...

When he went in for his regular checkup the other day, the vet told us that he's overweight. So, during my days off, I try to take him to the dog park.

Wait, really?!

Is everything okay with Shibao...?

Yes, the vet said that he'll be just fine as long as he exercises regularly.

Oh, that's good to hear...

Hang on. KAITO, have you met Shibao before?

Oh, um...

You two became friends during Operation: Babysit Bashi, right?!

Bashi...? Did you really need to come up with a weird nickname for Shibao?

What? It's not weird. It's cute!

I like it since it rhymes with Sakki♪

Anyway, Operation: Babysit Bashi...?

So, the other day, I had to keep an eye on Shibao all by myself because everyone else at home was gone...

But we had practice that day, so I couldn't stay by his side all day...

I was a little worried since Shibao isn't used to spending a lot of time on his own.

That was when KAITO agreed to watch Bashi while Hona went off to practice☆

She left a tablet he could keep watch from in her room. That way, he could tell her right away if anything happened to Shibao.

I had no idea...

Wait, KAITO, why you?
Do you secretly like dogs or something?

Umm... I was told that someone on the animal caretaker committee should volunteer.

Someone on the animal caretaker committee...?

The truth is, we've been copying all of you in terms of committee assignments.

Wait, really?!
Oh, does that mean one of you is on the school festival planning committee like me...?!

Yup!
It's not exactly the same, but Len and I are on the fun and games committee!

To be fair, it wasn't meant to be all that serious. It's just a convenient way for us to divide up the work around here. For example, Luka's on the cleanup committee, so she'd lead if we needed to do some tidying up.

Which is how we decided that a member of the animal caretaker committee should help sit Shibao.

Thank you very much again for keeping an eye on Shibao for me that time.

Please come visit again sometime.
I'm sure he'd love to see you.

He would...?
In that case, it might be nice to join you two for one of your walks.

Yes, of course.

Oh, speaking of walks...
Hanasato and I will be taking Shibao and Samo on one together this Saturday.

Samo's Minori's dog, right?!
That sounds like fun! It'll be like a double date! A double walk...!

Come to think of it, I remember Minori saying that Samo gets really excited and tugs on his leash whenever he sees Shibao.

Shibao too.
He always wants to go home after we've walked for a while, but the opposite happens whenever he's with Samo.

Hehe. That sounds like just the sort of exercise he needs.

I hope you two have a great walk, Hona!

Me too!

Phew...
That should be enough for today.

(Come to think of it, I haven't seen Ishihara or Max at all today...)

(That explains why things seemed so quiet.
They always practice here around this time...)

Woof! Woof!

*Bark*

...!

(So much for peace and quiet.
I hear two dogs, but don't see them anywhere...)

...!
That's...

Wah! Samo, I know you're excited to see Shibao, but you need to settle down! This isn't safe!

Hehe. It has been a little while.
Shibao's tail won't stop wagging.

Oh, you're right! Hehe. That's so cute...!

Yeah, it's Hanasato alright...

Huh? Shinonome?!

What?

Good morning, Shinonome!

M-Morning...

Um, Hanasato?
This person is...?

Oh, lemme introduce you guys!
This is Akito Shinonome. He sings with Kohane as part of the same team.

With Kohane...?
Oh, I think I remember seeing your team perform at Shibuya Festa.

It's nice to meet you. My name is Honami Mochizuki. I'm in the same year as Hanasato.

Oh, um... It's nice to meet you as well...

(Why does it seem like everyone who comes up to talk to me like this owns a dog...?)

Woof?

...

Oh...

I'm sorry, but are you not all that fond of dogs, Shinonome...?

Huh?

What?! I-Is that true?

No, uh...
It's not that I dislike them or anything...

Woof! Woof!

Wait, you're...

No, Max, don't go that way!

Shinonome doesn't like dogs, remember?!

S-So it is true...!
I'm so sorry, Shinonome! I really had no idea!

It's okay, really...

I-I'm sorry, Shinonome...!

I know you're excited about tomorrow's competition, Max, but you need to behave yourself...

Competition?

Yes, that's right.
We're taking part in a disc dog competition.

Wow! That has dogs jumping in the air and stuff to catch discs, right?! Your dog must be really agile!

Agile enough to be in a competition...
I wish you both the best of luck.

Thank you very much!
Alright, Max, let's start practicing... Huh?

What's wrong? Why aren't you moving?

Woof...

You don't hate flying discs all of a sudden, do you? Ready? Come this way!

Hm...?

(Is it just me, or is Ishihara's ankle...?)

Woof! Woof...!

No, don't yank on your leash like that!

(I knew it...)

Ishihara, did you hurt your ankle...?

What?

N-No, I'm okay... It's just...

But it looks like you're not putting any weight on your left side.