"Have you ever thought about the future?"
The blonde girl, hands clasped behind her back, suddenly blurted out the question, as if compelled by some invisible force.
Right after speaking, the girl who always smiled as warmly as the sun froze for a moment. As Nijika realized what she'd just said, a faint regret started to well up from deep inside, flooding her thoughts.
What was she doing? How could she ask that?
Snapping back to herself, Nijika quickly stepped closer to him. Her bright, jewel-like red eyes flickered with a trace of panic. Trying to act like it was nothing, she hastily explained,
"Uh, I didn't mean anything by it! I was just talking about the band, and what comes after…"
I have to brush this off, somehow.
But Haru picked up on the shift in her mood right away. While she tried to explain, he lowered his head in thought. With his index finger resting against his chin, he seemed to be seriously considering it.
"The future, huh?"
"I've actually thought about that a lot."
"Huh?"
His sincere expression caught Nijika off guard.
She instinctively forgot all about offering an explanation. She simply stood there beside him, waiting for Haru's answer. Even though only a few seconds passed, it felt like ages. Her heart pounded faster and faster from the tension.
After a moment's thought, Haru lifted his head and answered, completely deadpan:
"Smoking. Drinking. Chasing women."
"Hey, hey—what?! That kind of future is way too messed up!"
The solemn mood shattered instantly. Narrowing her cat-like eyes in mock irritation, Nijika rose onto her tiptoes and gave Haru's forehead a light karate chop, like a mother scolding a child.
The familiar gesture made Haru chuckle and blink playfully.
"I'm kidding. I mean, I don't smoke or drink anyway."
"Eh?"
Nijika blinked at his joke. Then, as if struck by a flustered realization, she turned her head away in embarrassment. Her delicate face flushed a soft pink under the dim lights of the LiveHouse. She stumbled for words, too shy to keep scolding him.
Seeing the Shimokitazawa Archangel flustered like this stirred something in Haru's chest. But he shrugged it off and continued in a teasing tone.
"Just kidding. You seemed a bit off today, that's all. Like maybe there's something you want to tell me?"
"You're so annoying..."
Realizing she'd been completely played, Nijika relaxed. She shot him a half-annoyed glance.
But even her mock-irritation, hands on hips, held no real threat. In fact, it was impossibly cute like whatever she did, she'd be instantly forgiven.
Still, I didn't think he'd notice just from me letting something slip.
The thought made Nijika's lips curl into a small smile. Back in that dream, when she'd married the boy in front of her, it had been the same.
No matter how subtle her feelings, no matter how small her frustrations or sulks, he always sensed them right away, uprooting them before they could even take hold.
Married.
At that word, Nijika's hand involuntarily gripped the hem of her skirt. A strange heat rose from her chest and began to course through her veins. She tried to act like her usual cheerful self, but her cheeks burned hotter and hotter.
If she liked Haru? From the very beginning, Nijika's answer had been yes.
And it had nothing to do with that strange, vivid dream.
From the moment they met, her eyes had slowly become unable to leave him. And when she finally realized that it was more than just a crush, she buried it deep inside.
Not once had she let it show.
But ever since that dream, and after hearing what Ryo had said, the feelings she'd locked away had started slipping out. More and more often, they rose to the surface before she could stop them.
"Haru?"
Noticing the blonde girl spacing out, Haru raised an eyebrow. He waved a hand in front of her eyes.
When she didn't react, he got a mischievous idea. He gently pinched her small, upturned nose, and before two seconds passed, she flinched.
"Eek?! H-Haru-san, what are you doing all of a sudden?!"
Nijika's eyes widened in shock and she instinctively pulled back. Whatever hazy thoughts she'd had vanished like smoke, and her trademark golden antenna twitched wildly from the sudden rush of embarrassment.
"You were totally zoned out. You sure there's not something you want to say?"
"I, um…"
The petite girl lowered her crimson eyes, avoiding his gaze. Her flustered movements made it clear something was on her mind.
Seeing that something really was off, Haru's expression shifted. He wasn't going to let this go easily.
Of course Nijika wasn't about to say what she was really feeling. She'd intended to bury those emotions forever. But after Ryo's comment, she couldn't stop overthinking things.
Lately, it had consumed her. Especially after realizing just how many girls Haru had feelings for, including herself.
That cocktail of hope and fear, of happiness and dread, was something Nijika couldn't suppress, no matter how hard she tried.
But she still didn't know what to do.
Nijika shook her head slightly, brushing the storm of emotion back down. She furrowed her brows and gave a sheepish smile.
"It's nothing, really. I just… I was thinking how you didn't get on stage with Tomori and the others this time. I guess you're slowly stepping back from the spotlight. Maybe soon, you won't be up there with us anymore."
"It just feels a little lonely, is all…"
She might have been hiding her deeper feelings, but that last part was honest.
Haru had already started fading from the stage, slipping into the role of manager rather than performer, and Nijika, ever perceptive, could see what he was doing.
He was paving the way for the girls' future debut as a band. That was just who he was.
Haru lowered his head in thought, murmuring, "I see…"
He'd always known this was something he'd have to face. Stepping back from the spotlight meant leaving a hole the others would feel. Even if Nijika didn't say it outright, others like lil Penguin, Bocchi would bring it up sooner or later.
It might sound self-important, but to these girls, his presence clearly meant a lot.
Haru took a deep breath, then replied seriously.
"It's not that I won't ever get on stage again. Even after you all debut and become a real band, I'm sure there'll still be chances for us to play together."
"And just because I'm not on stage doesn't mean I'm leaving. No matter what happens… I'll always be part of Kessoku Band. We're going to be in this band together for the rest of our lives, right?"
"Huh? For life…"
The girl suddenly looked up. Her soft, dazzling eyes widened slightly, clearly moved by what she'd just heard.
Seeing her stunned reaction, Haru couldn't help but laugh a little.
"What, you don't want that, Nijika?"
"That's not it! Of course I want to be with you for life—"
She blurted it out before her brain could catch up. The moment she heard herself, her face turned crimson. Her golden antenna bobbed like a heartbeat.
W-what did she just say?
Nijika's sudden outburst left even Haru, the one she was speaking to, a little stunned.
He had only meant to tease the cute little angel like he always did, never expecting that this gentle, sunlike girl would blurt out something that sounded so much like a confession.
No, it was a confession, in everything but name.
To be honest, what she said hit kind of hard.
Haru froze, unsure of how to respond, but before he could say anything, the red-faced blonde darted in front of him. With steam practically rising from her head, she fumbled for words.
"I-I-I didn't mean anything by it! Really, I just… I just meant that I agreed with what you said!"
Even if he hadn't misunderstood before, he definitely would now.
Her face was red. That could only mean one thing, Nijika liked him.
"I get it, I get it. No need to panic."
Let me panic first.
There was something irresistibly charming about Nijika's flustered expression. Haru, who had been about to comfort her, couldn't help falling silent just to admire her a bit longer.
But then, a sudden chill ran down his spine.
He turned instinctively and locked eyes with Ijichi Seika in the distance, who was sipping on a good kid juice box.
She'd been watching them, clearly, from the start. Her piercing gaze sent shivers down his neck. Even if she couldn't hear the conversation, she probably didn't need to, not with how expressive Nijika's face was.
Oh no. Was she thinking he was trying to toy with Nijika's feelings?
This huge tsundere siscon wasn't the type to joke around. Haru could already picture her cold-punching him in the face.
"Lights and Anon-chan should be getting ready to go on soon, right? Haru-san, you should go check on them!"
With her brain nearly fried from panic, Nijika reached out and pushed Haru toward the prep room. Her face was still buried like an ostrich, clearly terrified he might see how embarrassed she was.
"But…"
"Just go already!"
Red-faced and flustered, she practically shoved Haru away. Only once he reluctantly turned to leave did she press her burning cheeks with both hands.
She'd slipped up and said how she truly felt. Thank goodness she managed to play it off, barely.
But still, what was going on with her lately?
Was it because of what Ryo said? That weird, offhand comment that somehow planted a seed of hope in her heart? Even if she was just one of the many girls Haru liked, was she still… happy about that?
"Stupid Ryo…"
"Why?"
The calm voice suddenly behind her made Nijika jump. She turned to find none other than the most shameless girl she knew.
Ryo stood there holding a broom, tilting her head and staring at Nijika's bright red face with a blank expression. The look alone made Nijika's guilt spike, and she quickly turned her face away.
"I-I didn't say anything. Are you done handing out flyers?"
"Yeah, just finished."
Ryo stared at her with a knowing look. With her sharp hearing, there was no way she hadn't caught Nijika's earlier mutter. The blonde girl's awkward, twitchy body language was like a flashing sign to someone who knew her this well.
Maybe she'd noticed MyGO's members heading toward the prep room earlier. Ryo squinted slightly and asked casually,
"MyGO's up next?"
"Yep! They go on in about fifteen minutes. I heard Lights and Anon put a ton of effort into this show. They even re-practiced the song from the culture festival."
"But Haru's still not going on stage this time. I guess Anon and the others want to redeem themselves?"
Nijika raised her head and spoke softly, her voice tinged with a hint of wistfulness.
But something in those seemingly offhand words made Ryo's frosty expression shift slightly. Her golden eyes narrowed like a flicker of cold flame atop an icy peak.
It was rare to see the ice queen show any change in expression. But Nijika, as her closest friend, noticed it immediately.
Before she could ask, Ryo spoke in her usual flat tone.
"Nijika. Where's Haru?"
"Huh? He should be heading to the prep room right now. Why do you—hey, hey, wait a sec!"
Ryo had already put down her broom and turned to walk off. Nijika, familiar with her friend's behavior, sensed something odd and instinctively grabbed her wrist.
A strange premonition buzzed in her chest.
"Ryo, what are you planning to do all of a sudden?"
"Him."
Nijika: Huh?
Nijika froze, her grip loosening. Ryo turned to walk again, only to be yanked back. The two girls stared at each other awkwardly.
"Wait, wait, wait!! What do you mean by that?! What are you going to do to Haru?!"
Her ears were tinged pink. Deep down, Nijika could already guess that whatever Ryo meant, it wasn't exactly wholesome. There was no way she could just let her go like this.
"…"
Ryo's golden eyes flashed. Her brow twitched, her expression unreadable.
Nijika knew her well. She knew how Ryo felt about Haru. After all, during that private talk with the Kessoku Band, Ryo had laid it all out for everyone.
Both Ryo and Ikuyo Kita had basically confessed their feelings for Haru. For Nijika, who had been silently observing from the sidelines, it had been a huge shock.
But now, calmer, Nijika knew they couldn't keep avoiding the topic.
Ryo had never liked anyone before. She was a self-centered oddball who marched to the beat of her own drum. If something popped into her head, she might just act on it without hesitation.
There was no predicting what she might do.
With a steely expression, Ryo raised her thumb and declared flatly,
"If I want something, I'll get it."
"Are you an anime villain or something?!"
Nijika yelled, refusing to let this chaotic girl go. She clung even tighter.
Just the thought of Ryo doing something reckless because of a heat-of-the-moment impulse, it terrified her. As her friend, Nijika couldn't let her go down that road. Definitely not because she had other feelings, nope.
Seeing that she was firmly caught, Ryo sighed and narrowed her golden eyes. Her long blue bangs swayed slightly over one eye.
She stared quietly at Nijika's blushing face, her voice soft and steady.
"Nijika. You like him too, don't you?"
Nijika's eyes darted away. But she forced a smile, trying to play it cool.
"I… I don't have any feelings like that. I've always just seen Haru as a friend…"
A lie.
They had known each other too long to be fooled.
Nijika knew who Ryo was, and Ryo knew what Nijika had been hiding. There was no way around it.
Not after what had happened in the dream.
In that dream, Nijika had shown her heart completely.
Kind and gentle like an angel, she hated conflict. Once she realized her friend had fallen for the same boy, she quietly chose to give up her own happiness, watching from the sidelines for an entire lifetime.
That choice had left the dream's Ryo burdened with a deep guilt.
Now, Ryo turned back to her friend. For once, her poker face gave way to something more human, an expression of visible resignation.
Under Nijika's puzzled gaze, she spoke softly.
"…If it's you, Nijika, I can step aside."
"Huh?"
The girl froze where she stood.
…
Nijika really was an angel.
Even as Haru stepped into the prep room, he still believed that without a doubt. Whether in the simulation or in real life, there was always something about her that words couldn't quite describe.
It felt like no matter what he asked of her, even if it was something unreasonable, she'd scold him a little with a smile and then gently agree.
He had almost confessed to her just now.
But for Haru, a confession was something that had to be reserved for a more meaningful, more formal moment. Even if he intended to tell Nijika how he felt, he'd need the right time and place.
Though, to be fair, every time Haru carefully planned out a confession, something always went wrong.
His one and only successful attempt had been in that simulation with angelic Nijika.
"Haruuumi! Look, look—don't I look great?"
Standing in front of him, Chihaya Anon held her chin up like a proud little swan. Beaming with confidence, she did a graceful twirl right before Haru's eyes.
The lightweight lace-trimmed stage outfit looked almost like a dress on her. Youthful energy and charm sparkled from her in full bloom.
Though Haru was momentarily dazzled by her appearance, he kept a straight face and calmly replied,
"You wearing underwear?"
"Of course I am! And hey, Harumi, you didn't even say I looked cute!"
Pouting, the pink-haired girl pushed her face closer to his, clearly wanting him to take another serious look at her carefully chosen outfit.
But this shamelessly tsundere boyfriend of hers only gave a lazy "cute" and then promptly turned his gaze toward Tomori.
Unlike Anon, Tomori wasn't wearing a frilly skirt. Her outfit matched her shirt and tie, shorts paired with long black socks. A large beret sat atop her head, giving her a vintage, artsy flair. Combined with her naturally dopey aura, it made her even cuter.
"Tomori, it suits you."
Haru didn't say much, just gave her a thumbs-up.
"Not fair! Not fair! Why do you treat Tomori so differently? Are you picking on me on purpose?!"
"You should take a good look at yourself and think about why."
Watching the pink-haired menace throw a tantrum, Shiina Taki twitched at the corners of her mouth.
Nagasaki Soyo casually joined in with a jab. "It's just because you lack appeal."
Still annoyed from the teasing she'd endured the night before and this morning, Taki had no reason to go easy on Anon. And with stone-faced Soyo siding with her again, they formed a united front.
"Whyyy?!"
Anon's big, crystal-gray eyes scanned the room, her expression stuck in a comical glitch.
She suddenly realized how overpowering the other girls were in the "armor up top" department, especially Nagasaki Soyo, whom she'd bathed with just a few days ago. Her voluptuous figure had left quite the impression on Anon, who was also just a high school girl.
Unfair. Just way too unfair!
And when Haru's gaze wandered over and clearly landed on Soyo and Taki, Anon's cheeks puffed up like a bun ready to burst. Fuming with jealousy, she stepped up to Haru and put on her best watery-eyed act.
"Harumi~ Look at me again, won't you?"
Haru, who had only been teasing her at first, wasn't about to withhold praise. After all, Anon had clearly gone out of her way to dress up just for him.
So, he gave her cheek a gentle pinch and said sincerely,
"Anon, you look super cute too."
"Hehe, then I want a KISS~"
You shameless little pink-haired rascal… and now you're pushing your luck?
Before Haru could reply, Shiina Taki crossed her arms with an exasperated expression. She couldn't stand watching this pink brat get all lovey-dovey in front of her. Her voice came sharp and cold.
"We're about to go on stage. Can you two tone it down a little?"
"…Rikki, are you… jealous?"
"Who cares?!"
Seeing Anon's smug grin made Taki feel like her entire body heat had shot up to her head. If red-hot embarrassment could power machines, she'd be fueling a Barbatos by now.
Their noisy antics didn't faze Soyo, though. She simply turned her head slightly, still playing with the curled tips of her hair with an expressionless face.
"Are you really just going to let them keep going?"
Haru shrugged.
"It's all part of band bonding. No need to stop them, really."
"Oh? Then why don't you bond more with me, Kazami-san?"
Her chilly tone drifted through the air like a breeze laced with jealousy. Soyo, cool and composed as always, masked her irritation, but her words betrayed a subtle hint of frost.
Of the three girlfriends in the room, Haru had yet to give Soyo a single compliment. And even if she tried to pretend it didn't bother her, it clearly did.
"Does Mrs. Kazami really need words to communicate with her husband?"
Haru's smooth reply made Soyo blush faintly. She clicked her tongue in mock disdain.
"Such a silver tongue…"
The most easily won-over woman in MyGO, folks.
A soft smile crept onto Soyo's lips. She leaned close when no one was looking, whispering into Haru's ear in a teasingly low voice, just barely brushing against it.
"Kazami-san, you were totally sneaking peeks at this side of me just now, weren't you? Next time… I'll wear something just for you."
The hardest woman to win over in MyGO, folks.
"MyGO, time to get on stage!"
---
If you want to read up to 150 chapters ahead, don't hesitate to visit
our patron: pat reon . com / Loverice929 (remove space)