"What the heck is going on?! Why isn't Rikki replying now either?!"
With a growing sense of dread, Chihaya Anon didn't hesitate, she immediately bolted in the direction of RiNG.
She had a terrible feeling that Soyo might be with Haru right now. And if that was really the case, then things were bad, very bad.
She'd seen the future in a dream. She knew. She couldn't let Soyo spend time with her boyfriend so easily again.
Soyo was just too crafty!
If Nagasaki Soyo decided to make a move on Haru, her combination of gentle demeanor and provocative figure would be lethal for a guy like him.
And when it came to that kind of thing… Anon honestly wasn't confident she could win.
But right now, she was anxious. Really anxious.
She had a gut feeling, if she didn't act now, she'd regret it forever.
While Anon was rushing full speed toward RiNG near Haneoka High, a certain red-haired girl who happened to be out shopping with a friend noticed her sprinting by. She held a crepe in one hand, her eyes flashing with puzzlement.
That bright-pink silhouette weaving through the crowd was hard to miss.
"Kita-chan? Something wrong?"
"What are you looking at?"
The sunny girl walking beside her, holding a parasol, gave Kita Ikuyo a curious glance.
Kita had been smiling like she always did just moments ago, but now she was staring off toward something with an unusually blank expression, like something had completely drawn her in.
Her friend looked but couldn't spot anything unusual.
"I'm so sorry, Yume-san!"
Suddenly, Kita shoved the crepe into her friend's hands with a fluid motion that left the other girl frozen in confusion.
"I just remembered something important, I have to run!"
Determination flashed in Kita's green-gold eyes as she bowed apologetically, then darted off without waiting for a response.
Her fiery red hair shimmered in the sun like it was ablaze.
With her excellent vision, there was no way Kita had misidentified her, she was sure that had been Chihaya Anon.
And something was clearly off about her.
Anon had been sprinting like she was chasing something important. Kita only caught a glimpse of her face, but it was enough. She'd seen that look of panic.
And the only thing that could make Anon panic like that…
Had to be something about Haru.
The mere thought made Kita's normally vibrant eyes fill with tension.
With no hesitation, she picked up speed and chased after the blur of pink, calling out:
"Anon-chan, wait!"
"Eh?"
Hearing her name, Anon spun around mid-run, looking back with surprise, only to see the red-haired girl closing in on her.
"Kita-chan?! What are you doing here?"
"I was about to ask you that, what's with the full-on sprint?"
Seeing she'd successfully caught up, Kita let out a breath of relief. Thank goodness she'd acted fast. If she'd hesitated, the pink menace might've vanished in a puff of dust.
"I…"
Anon looked away, clearly uneasy. She hadn't expected to run into Kita here.
She couldn't exactly say, "I'm running to go stop a vixen from stealing my man." She needed to make up a reason fast, preferably one that wouldn't sound insane.
Wait a minute…
Suddenly, a thought clicked. Anon's gaze sharpened as she looked at Kita Ikuyo with newfound meaning.
Kita tilted her head, confused by the stare.
"Anon-chan?"
She didn't answer right away, too busy calculating a certain possibility.
In the "dream," Anon had already determined that the late-coming, homewrecking vixen Soyo was a serious threat.
If Haru was with Rikki, she wouldn't be worried. But if Soyo was near him, and already making moves…
Then she alone might not be enough to fend her off.
Rikki? Completely unreliable. A background NPC at best.
But if she could recruit one more ally, that would tip the odds in her favor.
There were no permanent enemies in love and war!
If the goal aligned, even "rivals" could work together.
Right now, Nagasaki Soyo was the real fox spirit. Compared to her, even a flirt like Kita was practically a house cat.
"Actually… it's about Haru."
Anon finally spoke, still visibly conflicted but now steeling herself.
And as she began to think it over, she also started strategizing, what kind of reason could she give to recruit Kita Ikuyo to her cause?
But what she didn't expect was that her wandering, uncertain gaze would make the red-haired JK before her feel subtly uneasy. The girl's delicate fingers clutched the hem of her beige skirt so tightly they'd turned pale.
"About Haru?"
Ikuyo Kita's pupils narrowed slightly. A sudden, searing pain shot through her heart like a knife.
A wave of anxiety and tension made her pulse race, her thoughts scattering into chaos. She tried to stay composed, but overwhelmed by emotion, she couldn't maintain her usual smile.
Right now, her smile looked worse than if she'd just started crying.
"How… is he doing now?"
"Haru is… probably in a bit of danger."
The kind of danger involving his chastity—
"…"
At that moment, Ikuyo Kita couldn't keep up the smile on her face anymore.
Her slender, slightly fragile figure stood frozen in place. Both hands clutched at her skirt, and her dazzling golden-green eyes were cast down, tiredly watching the shadow at her feet.
As for the culprit, Anon didn't seem to notice the change in her expression.
Chihaya Anon simply took a deep breath, a determined look hardening her otherwise adorable face.
Then suddenly, the girl with long pink hair took a step forward.
Her soft, cherry blossom-colored hair fluttered behind her with the motion, like a cascade of glowing pink snowflakes. Her silver-gray eyes, catching the light, shone with serious intent.
In that moment, Chihaya Anon slowly lifted her head and, with absolute sincerity, said to Ikuyo Kita, one word at a time—
"Kita, this is an emergency—"
"…Some sneaky, nasty woman suddenly set her sights on Haru! And she's really, really underhanded. If we're not careful, she's going to steal him away! You have to help me!"
Ikuyo Kita: Huh?
…
Elsewhere, at RiNG.
"This is really my way of expressing both my gratitude and my apology to Haru. I genuinely want to make up with everyone in the band and take responsibility for the things I did before…"
The softness in Nagasaki Soyo's eyes seemed like it might overflow at any moment.
Maybe she was also worried her sudden invitation would come off too abrupt. Nervousness filled her body as she gently twisted a lock of her silky brown hair, trying to maintain a delicate smile on her face.
Come on now, girl—
If Kazami Haru hadn't already foreseen the real intention behind Soyo's actions through a simulated "future sight," he might have actually fallen for it with just a few sweet words!
Still, even after everything, she invites him out for a meal? Just like that?
World line convergence?
Kazami Haru knew that Nagasaki Soyo was planning to spring a surprise confession on him under the guise of dinner. And in his current state, he absolutely couldn't give her an answer.
If she confessed and he turned her down… Haru had no idea what would happen after that.
After all, the simulated version of Soyo was the textbook definition of a clingy girl.
Even in the simulation where he accepted the confession and they became a couple, she was still terrified of losing him. Her anxiety ran so deep, she even followed him when he went to see Mutsumi Wakaba.
And that "Recon and Counter-Recon" skill of hers? Not a joke.
Feeling an ominous chill, Kazami Haru glanced toward Togawa Sakiko and Misumi Uika nearby.
At this point, refusing Soyo's invitation to eat would seem suspicious. He had to find a way to get someone else to keep her occupied…
"I'm really, truly sorry about everything before!"
"I want to sincerely apologize. Taki-chan, could you come along too?"
Soyo's gaze was honest, her slender, soft eyebrows slightly furrowed. She spoke with a voice so gentle and warm it made Taki, in her work uniform, feel a bit awkward.
"You're not lying this time, right?"
Shiina Taki's slightly impatient personality made her the type who responded more to softness than pressure. Faced with Soyo's sincere apology, even her usual cold demeanor faltered a little.
"Of course. Can you give me a chance, Taki-chan?"
Nagasaki Soyo sat upright, looking directly at Shiina Taki. No matter what, she truly didn't intend to go back to Sakiko anymore. Wanting to reconcile with the band was the truth.
Right now, the band meant everything to her.
Kazami Haru's expression twitched when he heard that.
Clearly, Soyo was using the "band" as an excuse to speak up like this. Even if Haru himself didn't mind her past lies, others like Taki definitely wouldn't forgive so easily.
So with Soyo apologizing for her past actions, Haru had no real reason to refuse.
Especially since he'd promised to help her make amends with the rest of the band.
Now it just felt like he'd walked himself right into a trap…
"…I'll pass. I've got work later."
Shiina Taki, still looking cold, folded her arms.
But her tone had noticeably softened. It was obvious, even if she was still acting distant, she'd somewhat accepted Soyo's apology. Being a classic tsundere, she just had to keep up appearances.
Her straightforward rejection made Kazami Haru suck in a sharp breath.
Wait, what? Bro? Where did my backup go?
He was counting on Taki to hold Soyo at bay, who knew she'd cave after just a few words?
"Seems like everything's out in the open now."
"I've got other things to do, so I'll be going."
Togawa Sakiko gave Kazami Haru a complex look.
It seemed like he really had comforted and persuaded Soyo last night, convincing her to give up on rebuilding CRYCHIC. Honestly, that outcome was probably the best one for Sakiko.
But at this point, there was no turning back for her.
From the moment she took the initiative to say she was "leaving CRYCHIC," Togawa Sakiko had already burned her bridges.
The cold reality in front of her had mercilessly shattered her dreams.
So when she saw her former bandmates again, seeing how they were able to move forward, slowly healing from CRYCHIC's scars, Sakiko felt both genuinely happy and secretly heartbroken. Maybe she was the only one still too weak to truly let go.
"I've still got some work to prep for too~ If I'm gone too long, it might be a problem."
Uika's gaze flicked between Shiina Taki and Nagasaki Soyo. Just from today's visit, she had learned quite a bit. It was now clear to her that the relationships surrounding Kazami Haru were even more complicated than she'd imagined.
All this information needed time to digest.
That flash of disappointment and loss in Sakiko's eyes hadn't gone unnoticed by Uika either.
So she really did want to have lunch with Haru, huh?
But with Soyo, clearly a "romantic rival", right there, Sakiko was stuck. Torn between respecting her old friends and being unable to face her feelings head-on, she could only keep retreating into herself like this. It was a miserable state to be in.
If things continued this way, she might end up losing everything.
Though Uika didn't exactly think Haru was the best choice, she genuinely wanted Sakiko to be happy.
She'd have to keep a closer eye on things. What mattered most was figuring out what Kazami Haru really felt in his heart.
"..."
Kazami Haru, meanwhile, had no idea what Sakiko or Uika were thinking.
He only knew that the smile in Soyo's eyes was growing more and more distinguishable. Even though she appeared calm on the surface, inside, his mind was racing—desperately trying to figure out how to respond to her upcoming confession.
If he messed this up, the MyGO they had painstakingly brought back together might fall apart again.
"Haru!"
Suddenly, a sweet, slightly giddy voice called out.
Just as Kazami Haru was still panicking over how to deal with Soyo, a cheerful, energetic pink-haired girl came bouncing over. Dressed in a light green lace-trimmed jacket and a short skirt, Chihaya Anon ran up with unrestrained excitement.
"Anon-chan?"
Nagasaki Soyo, who had already mentally prepared herself for what was coming next, was thrown off completely by the unexpected arrival. Her rhythm, just about to build toward a confession, was shattered.
As Soyo's face filled with surprise, a sly glint flickered in Chihaya Anon's eyes.
So she was right, Soyo really was hovering around Haru!
"Anon? What are you doing here all of a sudden?"
A flash of relief crossed Kazami Haru's dark eyes.
He really hadn't expected the great Anon-sama to swoop in just in time. In this moment of crisis, her sudden appearance felt like divine intervention—
Holy Anon, bless her soul!
"Haru-kun, long time no see~"
A familiar redhead also emerged slowly from behind Anon.
Ikuyo Kita blinked cutely as she caught sight of Kazami Haru. Her loose-fitting, orange-red mid-length jacket paired with hotpants made her already sunny presence even more vibrant and radiant.
"..."
Nagasaki Soyo looked visibly confused the moment she saw Ikuyo Kita.
She'd already sensed trouble just seeing Anon, but she never expected Kita, from kessoku band to show up unannounced too. A situation she'd thought was under control was now rapidly slipping through her fingers.
"I thought you took the day off? I messaged you and you didn't respond at all…"
Chihaya Anon puffed out her cheeks slightly in frustration, glancing at Haru with a hint of sulkiness.
To get any info, she'd gone around asking everyone in the band, except for Soyo, of course. If not for the fact that she happened to find out from Shiina Taki that Kazami Haru was at RiNG, Soyo might have already scored a win.
"I'm really sorry, I didn't even check Line!"
"It's okay~ I found out from Taki later that you were at RiNG, so I decided to come take a look."
Thank you, Taki-bro.
You're the one who summoned the pink-haired general, huh?
Kazami Haru pressed his palms together in gratitude and shot a reverent look toward Shiina Taki, who was standing nearby with arms crossed.
"I bumped into Anon-chan on the way here~"
"I realized I hadn't seen Haru-kun in a while, and since I was free, I thought I'd drop by the LiveHouse~"
Kita responded sweetly, hands clasped in front of her chest, her side ponytail swaying gently as she spoke in a naturally playful and adorable voice.
It was all a lie.
She'd learned from Anon about this surprise "rival" called Soyo. Not about to let anyone sneak off with Haru under the radar, she'd come running without a second thought.
And looking at things now, she was so glad she tagged along with that annoying pinkhead.
If she hadn't, the two of them might've kept clashing in secret until someone quietly stole him away.
- - -
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