Nobility is the epitaph of the noble; baseness, the passport of the vile.
As long as it leads to ultimate victory, no matter how underhanded the method, it's justified.
Originally, before witnessing the "dream" involving Soyo, Chihaya Anon had believed the most threatening person was the redhead standing beside her, Ikuyo Kita.
Even though she went around saying, "I just see Haru-kun as a friend~," trying to blur the line between friendship and something more, there was no way that was all she felt. No way she was just a friend.
Still, while Kita was indeed a despicable woman, she held herself back out of some unspoken concern and never launched a full-out offensive on Kazami Haru.
But Nagasaki Soyo was different.
Before she had that dream and obtained that critical piece of "intel," Anon hadn't sensed even the slightest abnormality from her. But once she noticed it, everything had already shifted.
That only meant one thing: either Soyo had only recently made up her mind… or she had been hiding it all along, biding her time—
Either way, the threat level of Nagasaki Soyo in Anon's eyes had skyrocketed.
Even as scheming as Ikuyo Kita might be, she hadn't altered the dream's outcome.
"SOYO-chan! Come on now… showing up out of nowhere and not saying anything to the rest of us!"
After clinging to Kazami Haru for a good while, Chihaya Anon suddenly caught the burning gaze behind her. She turned, hands on her hips, cheeks puffed out in mock annoyance. The adorable pose managed to pull Nagasaki Soyo out of her daze.
Soyo nervously fidgeted with her fingers.
Seeing Chihaya Anon had genuinely rattled her, not because she was a rival in love, but because she felt guilty for manipulating and using her before.
Even though the pink-haired interruption had wrecked her plans, Soyo still wanted to apologize first.
"Um, Anon-chan…"
She lowered her eyes slightly, long black lashes trembling.
"Eh? What is it?"
Anon, who had been thinking hard about how to deal with this "vile woman," blinked in surprise at Soyo's hesitant demeanor.
Confused, she glanced at Haru, hoping her "boyfriend" might clue her in.
What are you looking at me for?
Kazami Haru clearly felt her wide-eyed stare full of confusion and desperation, eyebrows twitching as she tried to signal something through micro-expressions. But to Haru, her effort only looked clumsy and kind of cute.
As Anon stood there lost, Soyo finally spoke after a long silence—
"To be honest, from the very beginning… I was lying to and using you all…"
"I used you and Haru to tie Tomori and Taki to the band. Then I planned to push you both to quit on your own. After that, I'd convince Sakiko to come back and reconcile with everyone…"
"And just like that, CRYCHIC could be rebuilt—"
"That's what I've been hiding."
Even though anxiety churned inside her, Soyo slowly lifted her deep blue eyes and tried to meet Chihaya Anon's gaze.
"I'm truly, deeply sorry."
Soyo could've chosen to hide all this and quietly confess just to Haru. But if she couldn't come clean about what she'd done, she felt she had no right to rejoin the band.
She knew full well how furious Anon would be but even so, she was prepared to keep apologizing until she was forgiven.
"Whoa…"
Ikuyo Kita stared at her unexpected "temporary ally," the pink-haired goddess.
She thought she'd just come along to sabotage the fox lady's sneaky move, but instead got served a scandal so explosive it could flatten a stage. Things in Haru's band were way heavier than she'd imagined.
Compared to this, her own dramatic escape from her old band seemed… pretty tame.
Wait, so this is what a real rock band is like?
As for Kazami Haru, he wasn't surprised by Soyo's decision to admit everything.
Because only a sincere apology could win true forgiveness.
Shiina Taki might've softened a bit when Soyo apologized earlier, but it didn't mean her distrust had disappeared.
Betrayal by Nagasaki Soyo wasn't something easily forgotten. One minute she's burning bridges, and now suddenly she wants to come back with open arms? Who could tell if she truly meant it?
Speaking of Taki—
"…"
Kazami Haru casually glanced over to where she stood.
Sure enough, Shiina Taki was at the counter polishing a glass but clearly eavesdropping. Though her hands were busy, her eyes kept drifting over, and her purposely-angled posture made her obvious as hell.
She hadn't expected Soyo to actually come clean like that.
The doubts and suspicions that lingered in her mind were starting to fade. After all, Soyo's honesty now made it seem like she really was letting go of CRYCHIC for good.
Whether Anon would accept that, though… that was another story.
"Taki, the tea's already overflowing."
"Wha?!"
The sudden voice startled Taki, making her flinch and nearly drop the teapot. She glanced down, only to find the white ceramic cup barely a third full.
She'd been had! There was no overflowing tea!
"Haru, you jerk!"
Taki snapped her head up and glared at him, teeth gritted in irritation as she caught the teasing grin on his face.
"If you're so interested, why don't you just go over and listen in?"
Haru couldn't help poking fun as he watched her practically stretch her neck trying to overhear.
She was part of the band too, after all. If she was that eager to hear Soyo's apology, why not just walk over? Was she just pretending to not care, when in reality she was watching everything like a hawk?
"…No need. This has nothing to do with me."
Taki froze for a moment, then casually tossed the words over her shoulder and went back to pouring tea.
Haru, seeing her try so hard to act indifferent, couldn't help the subtle smile that tugged at his lips.
Come on now, tsundere types are way out of style.
Shiina Taki must've picked up on that meaningful look in his eyes. A faint flush spread across her usually cool face, and being stared at like that made her feel awkward all over.
After a few seconds of silence, she set the teapot down and switched topics—
"Haru…"
"Aren't you worried that pinkhead might blow up and storm off after hearing all this?"
I mean, anyone hearing they'd been "used" would obviously feel betrayed and furious, right?
No matter how cheerful and sunny Chihaya Anon acted, hearing this kind of thing from Soyo… would she really stay calm? If it were Taki in her shoes, she'd be furious. She might even walk out then and there.
"What's the rush? Just watch and see."
Kazami Haru gave the black-haired girl in front of him a knowing smile.
He casually took the bag of coffee grounds from her hands, measured just the right amount, and smoothly poured in hot water. His fluid, effortless movements left the girl wide-eyed in surprise.
Shiina Taki had just opened her mouth to say something, when the pink-haired menace nearby sprang into action.
"Hmhm~"
Chihaya Anon raised a delicate brow and flashed a faint, meaningful smile.
"I've known all of this for a while now, you know."
"Eh?"
Nagasaki Soyo visibly stiffened, clearly not expecting the pinkhead to say something like that.
The furious storm she had braced for… never came.
"Haru-kun already told me everything before~ More importantly, Soyo-chan, weren't you being just a little too obvious?"
With a slightly smug look, Anon tilted a brow. Her casually spoken words carried a subtle hint of mischief, and her small, parted lips revealed a glint of silvery-white from her little fang. The way she spoke so nonchalantly stunned everyone, everyone except Kazami Haru.
Especially Shiina Taki, she couldn't believe the pinkhead was actually that clever.
Only now did Taki finally understand why Haru had looked so relaxed the entire time.
So that's why, he'd already told her ahead of time and wasn't worried at all?
"You… you're not mad?"
Nagasaki Soyo's fingers trembled slightly from nerves as she sat in her seat, anxiously smoothing out the wrinkles in her skirt. Her tone carried a mix of disbelief and unease.
"Mad? Ah—of course I'm mad."
Chihaya Anon lightly tapped her ear as she spoke, though her expression showed none of the anger her words claimed.
"If anything, I feel kind of relieved."
"Soyo turned out to be just a normal girl after all. Smiling all the time while hiding such nasty thoughts underneath… casually lying to Haru-kun and not even appreciating his help…"
Anon pouted slightly, a faint displeasure flickering in her silver-gray eyes.
"Seriously, so despicable."
And she didn't just mean that part.
"But really, I don't care that much. Because I'm definitely not leaving the band."
"Soyo is not going to get rid of me. Period."
That stunning, almost foxlike face of hers was practically glowing with the thrill of revenge.
Her smug and slightly irritating tone made Nagasaki Soyo's stiff expression slowly relax.
If Anon had slammed the door in rage, or laughed and brushed it off completely, that would've left Soyo utterly lost.
But now that she knew Anon had accepted her apology 'more or less', Soyo finally let out a quiet breath.
"Ah! If Soyo-chan really wants me to forgive you, then help me out a little, okay?"
Like maybe… in the matter of winning over Haru?
"Sorry, that's a no-desu~"
Nagasaki Soyo replied with a sweet smile, tilting her head and playfully crossing her index fingers in front of her.
When it came to Kazami Haru, she wasn't going to back down. Not even an inch.
…
At McDanald's—
"Are you sure it's okay for me to join you guys?"
Ikuyo Kita asked, a little timidly. Standing beside Nagasaki Soyo, who looked so elegant and mature in both appearance and aura, she couldn't help but feel a wave of inferiority.
Especially when she compared certain assets, her gloom deepened.
Thankfully, Anon-sama's flatness gave her some comfort.
"Kita-chan, what's with that look…"
Chihaya Anon narrowed her eyes and shot a tired jab, sensing that Kita's "accidental" glance her way had been full of silent malice.
"Relax, it's not like we're strangers or anything."
The more people around him, the safer he was or so Haru hoped.
Too bad Taki couldn't join them due to her shift, otherwise, things might've felt more balanced.
At a fast food place, a four-seater table guaranteed that Kazami Haru would be sitting next to someone.
Originally, Soyo had intended to just naturally take that seat next to him. But Anon beamed and latched onto her arm with a dazzling smile, voluntarily giving the spot beside Haru to Ikuyo Kita.
"Kita-chan, you're friends with both Haru-kun and me, right? I went to your band's final performance, by the way~ Was that really your first time on stage?"
"To play rhythm guitar and still sing with such stability, so impressive!"
Nagasaki Soyo gently clasped her hands together. Her gorgeous, elegant face wore a composed and tender smile. Those long, soft eyes of hers had curled into crescent moons as she spoke, all while closely observing Kita's reaction.
Since the pink menace had already barged in, what was one more red-haired interloper?
Besides, this passionate redhead wasn't just from the member from Kessoku Band, she was also Kazami Haru's classmate, someone who naturally interacted with her "husband" on a daily basis.
Soyo had to assess Kita's threat level.
Because she didn't completely trust the intel from the "dream."
This was only Day 1, and unexpected variables had already begun to appear. If she foolishly treated the dream's outcome as something guaranteed, she might end up a miserable loser.
"Eh? Really?"
"I was so nervous during that performance… I was terrified I'd mess up a chord or miss a lyric…"
This gentle, approachable side of her gradually helped Ikuyo Kita relax but the moment was abruptly interrupted when Chihaya Anon, standing behind her, poked her sharply in the waist.
It was a warning not to be so easily deceived by Soyo Nagasaki's polished exterior!
That woman was the lowest of the low!
"Speaking of which, Soyo-chan, aren't you from Tsukinomori? Can you really handle eating fast food like us 'commoners'?"
Chihaya Anon's eyes curved as she smiled, her voice laced with sly amusement.
"Hmm, it does feel a little unfamiliar,"
Soyo responded with a slight frown, a trace of unease flickering across her beautiful face.
Even though she had only joined the elite Tsukinomori Girls Academy partway through, Soyo Nagasaki had gradually picked up the habits and lifestyle of the refined young ladies around her.
After school, she'd usually join them at upscale cafés, sipping tea and nibbling on elegantly plated, expensive pastries.
Fast food places like McDonald's? She honestly had never stepped into one.
Still, that didn't mean she couldn't manage.
"...If that's the case, could I ask Haru-san to order for me?"
The girl slowly let go of the chestnut curls twirling around her finger and turned toward Kazami Haru with a bright, hopeful smile. The sudden shift in conversation made Anon freeze.
She hadn't expected Soyo to change so much in just a few days of disappearing.
"Soyo-chan! No need to trouble Haru-haru for that, right? I can order for you!"
Anon said with a dazzling smile, though she was gritting her teeth behind it.
She reached out to take the menu from Soyo, but the other girl held onto it with a cheerful expression, refusing to let go. Still, not wanting Haru to notice anything strange, the standoff only lasted a moment.
That fox Soyo, she was seriously a handful!
She had manipulated Haru for CRYCHIC's sake before, and now she had the nerve to shamelessly make a move on her boyfriend.
Thank goodness Anon had the foresight to sit Soyo next to her. If she had ended up beside Haru, this whole situation could've spiraled out of control.
Anon had never felt more proud of her own instincts!
"Haru-san, is the tea here any good?"
Soyo flashed a soft, innocent smile at the pink-haired girl next to her, then turned warmly to the black-haired boy across the table.
Anon's smile twitched with satisfaction as she chimed in sweetly—
"Haru-haru's probably never tried it, right? He usually only drinks coffee."
"Eh~ is that so?"
Soyo blinked in 'surprise,' gently playing with a strand of hair near her temple. Her head tilted slightly as if in deep thought.
Then, as though something had just occurred to her, a subtle, knowing smile appeared on her elegant face.
"When Haru-san's with me, he always drinks tea~"
—This woman!!
Sitting next to her, Anon could feel every smug undertone behind that smile and the soft, teasing voice. Her own smile stayed bright, but under the table, her little pink fists clenched tight.
Her fists were solid now.
You sneaky woman—clearly, you're just obsessed with how pretty my boyfriend is!
Anon had never felt her head burn like this before. Her pale cheeks were tinged red—not with bashfulness from sitting near Haru, but from sheer boiling anger.
"I'll go ahead and place the order for everyone, then."
Haru, sitting across from them, let out a faint, twitching smile. Mentally marking another tally of gratitude toward Saint Anon.
"Um, Haru-san..."
Beside him, Ikuyo Kita gently tugged at his sleeve. Just as Haru turned to her in mild surprise, her small hand 'accidentally' brushed his.
That soft touch instantly brought back memories of a certain day.
Back then, Kita had quietly taken his hand... and eventually, they'd linked fingers.
The memory was vivid—
"I'm really sorry I couldn't make it to your last Live..."
Ikuyo's tone dropped slightly, and her usually radiant face dimmed with remorse.
Haru remembered then and smiled, waving it off.
"You mean the last Live? Don't worry, I didn't mind."
Only two members of Kessoku had made it to MyGO's debut performance at RiNG. Kita had been caught up with something, and Nijika had to help out at her family's Livehouse/café, "Starry."
That left only Ryo and Bocchi...
Laid-back Ryo had a high chance of skipping unless it was a group activity.
And Bocchi—well, when she heard no one else could make it, she gave up entirely due to her crushing social anxiety. Asking her to attend a LiveHouse show alone in unfamiliar territory was just too much.
"I really am sorry!"
Kita pressed her hands together apologetically.
Even though she'd already messaged Haru online to say sorry, she didn't think that was enough. Now that they were face-to-face, she felt she had to say it properly and swore next time, even if she had to crawl, she'd make it to RiNG!
"By the way, summer break is usually peak season for band activities, right? Hasn't Nijika been planning any Lives?"
Haru was a little puzzled by that.
Kessoku Band had only done one official debut Live so far.
With so many bands performing over summer, especially at a well-known venue like RiNG near Haneoka High, it was surprising there hadn't been more action.
Maybe it was because Kessoku Band had such a relaxed vibe? Unlike Rikki, who pushed his group hard with constant pressure and deadlines.
"Oh, that."
Kita scratched her cheek with one finger and hesitated a bit before speaking.
"I actually asked Nijika-senpai about the next Live, but she said since you've been busy helping with Anon's band debut, she didn't want to pile more work on you and decided to pause our activities for now."
Haru hadn't expected that.
So Nijika was being considerate on his behalf. Seriously, he should propose to her already. Nijika, the beautiful and thoughtful saint.
"I'll talk to her when I get back. No matter what, we've gotta do at least one more Live before summer ends."
This month, most of his energy had gone into MyGO's debut. He was rushing through compositions while training intensively under Taki. If Kessoku Band had also been preparing a Live simultaneously...
Even he probably wouldn't have survived the burnout.
Even though he claimed to be just a "ghost member," Nijika-mama still treated him as an essential part of the band.
"Ah! About that—"
The energetic redhead's eyes lit up slightly.
Her brilliant golden-green eyes shimmered with a heart-melting warmth as she stepped just a little closer to Kazami Haru, holding up her phone. The movement closed the distance between them, and the tips of her ears turned faintly red. Her palm casually rested on top of his hand.
"Haru-san, take a look at this!"
At the same time, the girl subtly glanced across the table at Chihaya Anon and Soyo Nagasaki.
The pink-haired one still seemed locked in a quiet battle with Soyo, not noticing the small motion Kita had made.
But Soyo, whose eyes had barely strayed from Kazami Haru all this time, noticed immediately. Her gaze narrowed slightly, locking onto Kita.
That faint furrow in her brows made it clear she wasn't feeling calm.
Kita Ikuyo was very good at managing distance.
As someone born to thrive in social settings, she could almost instinctively read the mood from a glance or the weight of a gaze.
Sensing Soyo's stare, Kita slowly pulled away from Haru, as if nothing had happened. Smiling, she turned her phone so Soyo could see the screen. This sudden "withdrawal" only made things more confusing.
It was hard to tell what she was thinking.
Soyo, in particular, couldn't quite figure her out, nor could she determine if Kita was really a "rival."
"Kita-chan, what's that about?" Soyo asked softly, her expression curious as she looked across at her.
"It's the fireworks festival, of course~ They're setting up a stage nearby for Live performances that day! If we sign up, we might even get to perform!"
Kita's smile was bright and full of sunshine as she held up the event flyer on her phone. It wasn't until then that Kazami Haru suddenly remembered seeing something similar handed out earlier.
He hadn't realized there was a Live component to it.
But then—
"Eh?! I want to go!"
Chihaya Anon immediately picked up on just how valuable the fireworks festival could be. After all, it was one of the most iconic confession settings in manga history!
Even if it didn't fast-track her to becoming a couple with Haru, it would at least push their relationship several steps forward!
Wait a minute...
Realizing the opportunity, Anon quickly turned to glance at the slyly smiling Soyo beside her.
If she could recognize how golden this chance was, there was no way that fox of a woman sitting next to her hadn't seen it too, right?
- - -
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