"Eh?"
Nijika blinked slowly. Her brain couldn't quite process what she'd just heard. Ryo's words were all perfectly ordinary ones she recognized. But put together like that, they made no sense at all.
The bizarre thought process and the absurd scene in front of her combined into one massive shockwave.
Go to a hotel?
"Wait, wait, wait!! Ryo, what are you even saying?!"
"Why would you take Haru to… to that kind of place?! What exactly are you planning to do with him?!"
We're still just high schoolers!
Nijika's cheeks flushed bright red in an instant, the color spreading like wildfire all the way to the tips of her pale ears. She desperately hoped she'd just misheard.
But after remembering Ryo's earlier assault, Nijika's already shaken heart began to waver again.
Perhaps it was her dazed, blushing face that made Ryo think Nijika didn't understand. So Ryo pressed her nose against Haru's neck in what Nijika could only describe as borderline harassment.
From her angle, all Nijika could see was Ryo's beautiful, cool profile but even so, she suddenly realized this close friend of hers had a side she had never seen before.
Before Haru could respond, Ryo turned her head and answered casually, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world:
"Isn't it obvious? We're going to have S-X, of course."
Nijika stood frozen in place.
Her already flushed face looked even more delicate and lovely. Her ruby-red eyes trembled violently, and soft steam seemed to rise from her head, a sign of the massive shock that had just struck her innocent heart.
For a pure girl who hadn't even held hands with someone before, this was just too much.
Seeing Nijika frozen in a daze, Haru began to panic.
"H-Hey, Nijika, come help me!"
Ryo had latched onto him like some kind of octopus and refused to let go. Even though Haru, now with his upgraded "Endurance Lv.5," could easily hold down both her hands with one of his own, Ryo's dirty tactics after escaping were completely unfair.
He could use force to break free. But Ryo was clearly counting on him not daring to hurt her, knowing that if he lost control, he might accidentally injure her.
And that sleazy woman was taking full advantage of his hesitation, attacking without restraint from the very beginning!
"She's not kidding this time, Nijika! You know what Ryo's like, right? So please, help me out! With the two of us, we can pin her down without hurting her!"
Haru's only hope now was the Angel of Shimokitazawa. If Nijika would just help, they could restrain Ryo without anyone getting hurt.
But now that same angel was being swayed by the devil's words?
No way Nijika would switch sides, right?!
Of course, Ryo wouldn't let him call her out for long. Her golden eyes narrowed as she whispered seductively, like some kind of temptress demon.
"Nijika, chances like this don't come often."
"Haru's already seeing other girls, but tonight... Tonight, no one can interrupt us. You get what I'm saying, right? If we work together, he won't be able to resist."
"If we succeed, he won't be able to say no to either of us. Are you sure you don't want to join me?"
Haru's already dating someone?!
Nijika flinched. Her heart, already shaky, filled with a dull ache.
She'd chosen to give up before, and she knew this day would come. She'd accepted her fate as the classic defeated golden retriever. And yet... her heart wavered again.
She knew Haru well.
If even Ryo, his "ex-wife," could read him like a book, how could Nijika, his fated partner from that dream, not understand him too? If Ryo really pushed, Haru would give in.
And once the deed was done, there'd be no going back.
Shaking her head to scatter the dangerous thoughts, Nijika forced herself to look away toward the nearby convenience store. Her voice, weak and uncertain, barely left her lips:
"F-Forcing someone… is definitely wrong…"
So it's not wrong as long as it's not forced?!
Haru's eyes widened. Nijika's blushing face and soft rebuttal were impossibly adorable but this time, he couldn't let himself be charmed by her kindness.
If he gave in now, Ryo would definitely go full throttle.
"Nijika, you..."
Before he could finish, Ryo silenced him with her lips again. The sudden kiss sent a fresh jolt through Nijika's brain.
Inside her mind, a black devil and a white angel were now arguing. The devil repeated Ryo's tempting words, while the angel scrambled to pull her back to reality.
The decision tore at her.
Haru liked her, didn't he?
This was mutual. Even if Nijika went through with it, he probably wouldn't blame her.
But... what should she do?
She raised both hands and gave herself a sharp slap on each cheek. Her face, already red from embarrassment, turned even redder. After a few deep breaths, a trace of resolve appeared in her eyes.
She exhaled slowly, then said calmly:
"…Alright. I got it."
Pursing her lips, she slowly stepped toward Haru.
And that stunned him.
The "angel" was turning fallen?
Even Ryo's golden eyes lit up, knowing that once Nijika joined in, Haru would have no choice but to behave.
But just as Ryo let her guard down, Nijika suddenly grabbed her hand!
A flicker of shock passed across Ryo's elegant, ice-cold face. But her sharp instincts told her immediately what was happening.
"Nijika?! You… you're betraying me?!"
Ryo tried to pull away, but with her left hand restrained, she could no longer cling to Haru's neck like before.
Haru seized the moment, reversed their positions, and pinned Ryo's hands behind her back.
It was over. She knew it. Her expression went blank again.
Why couldn't Nijika be a little bolder?
If she'd just made up her mind, everything could have changed. At the very least, Ryo could have claimed her rightful place as the queen and slashed the rest of this so-called "harem."
But she'd already guessed Nijika would choose this.
Because anything else just wouldn't be Nijika.
Nijika didn't know what the expressionless beauty beside her was thinking. Face still burning, she scolded like a strict mother.
"No matter what, Ryo, what you're doing is not okay!"
"A-And there's no way I'd ever help you with something like that!"
Haru was already dating someone. How could Nijika do something so wrong?
Just because she had blonde hair didn't mean she was a homewrecker!
"…Looks like I'm finally safe. Thanks, Nijika."
Watching Ryo finally give up, Haru let out a long breath of relief.
When he saw Nijika walking over with her head bowed earlier, his heart nearly stopped. But thank heavens, the angel of Shimokitazawa still shone with divine light. Not even Ryo's succubus whispers had managed to sway her.
"No need to thank me. I just… didn't think Ryo would really go that far…"
Nijika's eyes shifted awkwardly as she nodded. For some reason, she couldn't summon her usual cheerful smile.
Especially after hearing Ryo say, "Haru's already seeing someone else." That bitterness, that exhaustion, she couldn't stop it from welling up inside.
She shouldn't be feeling like this. She should have been ready to give him her blessing.
Not wanting Haru to notice her negative emotions, Nijika quickly masked her expression. From behind, her petite frame now pinned Ryo in place. She forced a gentle smile.
"In any case, I'll hold Ryo down for now. Haru… go on, get home while you still can! If that pervy idiot chases you again, I might not be able to stop her next time."
"Uwahhh—"
Trapped and restrained, Ryo let out a loud, unintelligible cry.
Her expression remained blank, but her whole body now radiated exhaustion and helplessness. She had thought through every possible angle, every move, except for Nijika showing up at this exact moment. The way things had turned out, it was clear she had lost her chance.
My plan failed. Must be fate.
"Nijika, is something wrong?"
Perhaps it was the flicker of emotion he caught in her eyes, but Haru suddenly recalled their conversation from earlier that afternoon. His brow furrowed slightly, sensing something off.
Nijika, startled by the sound of her name, responded quickly with forced cheer, "No, no, it's nothing! I was just thinking... Haru really is already dating someone, huh…"
It wasn't until the words fully left her lips that she realized what she had just admitted and what it meant.
Her whole body jolted like she'd been struck by lightning. Her golden side ponytail lifted slightly in the air, and she immediately shook her head like a spinning rattle drum.
"…"
Did I just pull an Izanagi?! (1)
Oh no... Nijika really does like me.
So many things had happened today, Haru's thoughts were a little scrambled. Just as he was figuring out how to respond, something familiar flickered in the corner of his vision, a black silhouette carrying an instrument case.
A girl appeared, and to his surprise, it was someone he recognized.
"Did I show up at a bad time?"
Yahata Umiri asked with a straight face and a dry, unexpected sense of humor. Her emerald eyes scanned the scene with calm curiosity.
"Umiri?"
Haru blinked, surprised.
Why was it that no matter where he went, he kept running into this close friend? Was she some kind of rare random encounter NPC?
Perhaps noticing his confusion, Umiri's cold, composed features relaxed just slightly into a faint smile. She looked toward Nijika and spoke evenly:
"Nice to meet you. I'm Yahata Umiri."
"Haru and I sometimes work as temporary band members in other groups. I just finished a gig and happened to be passing through. Are you all busy right now?"
Her poised and dignified manner seemed to catch Nijika off guard. After a moment, she quickly responded, "You don't have to be so formal! We're also part of a band with Haru, but we're not doing anything urgent right now…"
"In that case, may I borrow him? I need to talk to him about something."
With that, Umiri gave a polite bow to both girls, her emerald eyes flickering with a quiet intensity.
Ryo was silent for a few seconds, then replied casually:
"Go ahead."
"Thank you."
The two cool, unreadable girls seemed to reach some unspoken understanding. Umiri gently tugged on Haru's sleeve and started leading him away from the street corner, deciding his "schedule" without even asking.
Haru gave her a complicated look.
Had his itinerary been reassigned just like that?
Still, knowing her well, he understood that Umiri always acted with purpose. Serious and meticulous, she wouldn't do anything meaningless. So Haru decided to trust her and go along.
As the two of them gradually disappeared down the street, Nijika finally let go of Ryo.
"That girl's been to my family's shop several times..."
Nijika murmured, lips pressed into a thin line. With her family running a LiveHouse, she naturally recognized Umiri.
She often worked as a hired session member for various bands, and Nijika had seen her perform onstage more than once. Her professional-level bass playing left quite the impression.
They had only exchanged nods in passing, but Nijika never imagined Umiri would be friends with Haru.
"...See, Nijika?"
"If you'd helped me earlier, this wouldn't have happened. Now Haru's been stolen away by another girl."
Ryo rolled her eyes, her voice tinged with petty resentment. The grievance in her tone was almost palpable, she clearly hadn't forgiven Nijika for "betraying" her earlier.
"You're the one who said 'go ahead'!"
"And besides, how could I possibly help you?! That whole thing was way too crazy! You suddenly asked me to help you drag Haru to a hotel and do that… Ryo, you idiot, what were you even thinking?!"
The gentle, breeze-like girl with the golden hair snapped back, still blushing furiously. She still hadn't recovered from Ryo's shameless attack from earlier. She had genuinely never expected Ryo to be so bold.
Even with her standing right there, she didn't hesitate to kiss him.
"Because I like him. So I wanted to make him mine, that's all."
Ryo's reply left Nijika speechless.
Her expression dimmed slightly, a hint of sorrow flickering across her face. Even the normally emotionless Ryo furrowed her delicate brows and said sharply:
"Haru's already dating someone outside our band. And not just one girl, either. Nijika, are you really unaware of that?"
Of course she knew. Nijika just didn't want to admit it.
"You think you've hidden your feelings that well? Or are you just too scared of ruining our friendship?"
Ryo's blunt words hit Nijika square in the heart, and a flash of panic passed through her eyes.
She slowly released her grip on Ryo, unable to hide anything under that unflinching gaze. Ryo saw straight through her, and Nijika had no idea what to do anymore.
Seeing her closest friend fall silent, Ryo shook her head slightly. The truth was, even she struggled to accept the idea of sharing a lover. But Nijika was the only person she felt no barrier with.
As a comrade, as a fellow member of their bond, Nijika was the only one she could trust.
"Forget it..."
"Nijika, just think about it for yourself."
With those parting words, the cool and elegant ice beauty slowly closed her eyes. She had said all there was to say.
If Nijika chose to keep running away, there was nothing more Ryo could do. Even if she had to go it alone, she'd find a way to take the top position first, then use that to pull her evasive friend along with her.
That girl, Yahata Umiri, had seemed all calm and composed just now. It looked like she'd stepped in specifically to help Haru out of the situation. A friend who gave off no suspicious signals yet somehow, Ryo still felt uneasy.
From all her past experience, she decided to assume the worst.
Better to assume Umiri liked Haru already.
The only reason Ryo had allowed her to take Haru away just now was because she knew how strong his sense of resolve was. Even with all the temptation Ryo had thrown at him, he had stayed in control. There was no way Umiri would be able to steal him away that easily.
"..."
Ryo, lost in thought, took a step in the opposite direction and walked off, leaving behind the golden-haired girl standing alone, hands behind her back, gazing up at the night sky with a complicated look in her eyes.
The ticket to the art exhibition fluttered faintly in her hand, rustled by the breeze. Her golden ponytail swayed gently behind her like a strand of fine silk. In the end, the girl let out a long sigh.
Nijika had thought she could move on.
But learning that Kazami Haru was already dating someone else, she had never felt such emptiness before.
She had tried. She really had. But she just couldn't let go.
"...Guess I'll be going to the exhibition alone after all."
---
(1): "Did I just pull an Izanagi?!" is a self-drag referencing the Shinto creation god Izanagi, who fled in horror after breaking a taboo and glimpsing his wife Izanami's decayed form in the underworld. Like him, Nijika "looked too deep" into her own feelings for Haru, blurted the truth without meaning to, and immediately wanted to take it back.