Ai and Rina have already been close friends before joining the club. Talking to Ayumu, she recalls what it was like with just the two of them back then.

[ In the practice room. ]

Ayumu
You and Rina are very good friends, aren't you? You were the one who invited her to the club.

Ai
Rinarii visited one of my pun shows once, and we've been friends ever since~

Ayumu
So that's why. Then, did she hear of you even before that?

Ai
Hehe, I just saw her passing by and asked her to come! And we started eating lunch together after that...

[ Flashback, somewhere outside on the Nijigasaki campus. ]

Ai
...and that's how it went. I laughed so much!

Rina
That's funny.

Ai
Right? Ehehe... I can't- just thinking about it is going to make me laugh again!

Rina
Sounds like it's fun. It must be nice.

Ai
Ah? Rinari, do you want to check it out, too? How about our next day off or something?

Rina
Ah, that was about something else. Um, no, I do want to go there, but the "it must be nice" was not about that.

Ai
Hm? What is it then?

Rina
Whenever you smile, I'm having fun as well. I thought it must be nice to be able to make others feel this way.

Ai
Rinarii, you know you do the same? It's fun to talk with you, each and every time.

Rina
...even though I can't express myself?

Ai
Hmmm... you don't express yourself much, but you're always all ears, aren't you? Since you're always ear with me! Right here!^[1]
I can tell how you feel from your body language.

Rina
Body language...

Ai
Ah, you're not really convinced, right? You're fidgeting with your fingers~

Rina
Well... since I began speaking to you, I started to think that talking like this is fun. I want to try talking to more people.
That's why... I want to try to practice smiling.

Ai
Practice smiling, huh... I wonder how? For me, it's just something that happens suddenly, and I can't hold back.
Ah, yes! I thought of something!
I'm going to make you laugh! So watch me, until you're howling!

Rina
Until I'm howling...

Ai
First off, it's puns, as usual♪ This'll make you cackle for sure!

Rina
Okay. I'm ready.

Ai
Alright, here I go~ Take a seat, so you can chair-ish these puns!^[2] Wait, isn't that stone uncomfortable? This is off to a rock-y start...!^[3] You can take this cushion - it's the one I sleep on, but don't trust it... it's always lying behind my back!^[4] ...hold on, it's gone! That's not what I meant when I said "take a seat"!!^[5]

[ Flashback ends. ]

Ayumu
Ai... hey, Ai?

Ai
Ah! Sorry about that, I was daydreaming~
Yeah, I'm really close with Rinarii, but I'm also very good friends with you now! I'm so happy I was able to meet all of you!

---