Through Mutsumi's relentless effort, the mango juice in her cup gradually diminished at a slow but steady pace until, at last, it was completely gone—leaving behind only a few stubborn droplets clinging to the sides of the glass.
Even though she had finished her drink, Mutsumi didn't seem to realize it right away. She kept sucking on the straw, producing nothing but the sharp hiss of air rushing through the empty tube.
Only after a moment's delay did she part her lips, releasing the straw before setting her cup down.
"Was it good?"
Kyo, meanwhile, had tilted her empty lemon tea cup at nearly a full ninety-degree angle, biting the rim in an attempt to coax the last few remaining drops into her mouth. Even though she caught sight of Mutsumi finishing her mango juice, she didn't give up—she was this close to getting those final drops. Her question came out muffled as she remained focused on her mission.
"It was very good."
Mutsumi savored the lingering taste of the mango juice, its rich aroma enveloping her senses like a grove full of ripe mangoes. The thick, natural sweetness—only possible from freshly squeezed mangoes—left a pleasant texture on her tongue, accompanied by tiny bits of pulp.
It felt more flavorful than mango juice from other places. She instinctively bit down on her straw again, only to remember that she had already finished the drink.
Looking up, she saw Kyo still waiting for those last drops of lemon tea to trickle down. Kyo was starting to get impatient, even sticking out her tongue to try and catch the droplets.
It was an action that should have been unrefined—sticking out one's tongue like that—but on Kyo, it carried a strangely childish charm.
Mutsumi glanced at Kyo, then at her own empty cup. Imitating Kyo, she picked up her cup again, her tongue already peeking out just slightly from between her lips, revealing the faintest hint of pink.
"Wait, wait, wait—!"
Kyo hurriedly set her own cup down and stopped Mutsumi before she could go any further. She didn't want to corrupt Mutsumi with bad habits—after all, Mutsumi was a proper young lady from Tsukinomori.
"I'll just make you another one."
Kyo stood up and reached for Mutsumi's cup, testing the waters. Mutsumi didn't resist at all, letting Kyo take it without hesitation.
She really wasn't just like a doll—her actions were just as passive, too. Kyo couldn't picture Mutsumi taking the initiative in anything. So far, every action she had taken seemed to be a response to external stimuli.
"Do you want to try a different drink? Sakiko probably won't be here until lunch break, so that's at least another hour. Sitting here doing nothing might get boring, right?"
Mutsumi's seemingly emotionless eyes followed Kyo as she stood up, trailing upward as she moved. Upon hearing Kyo's question, she lowered her head slightly. "I don't know."
"Hmm… I'll just make you another mango juice for now."
With a cup in each hand, Kyo immediately brightened as she moved toward the counter—her energy completely shifting the moment it was time to make drinks. A sweet, refreshing smile bloomed on her face. Unfortunately, the person sitting across from her was Mutsumi, who had the observational skills of a brick.
Even so, Mutsumi's gaze remained fixed on Kyo, following the slight upward curve of her lips as she smiled, then trailing along the sway of her ponytail as she walked away.
Once Kyo moved a little farther, Mutsumi could take in her entire figure at a glance—the neatly fitted uniform, the rhythmic tapping of her heels against the floor, and…
The shimmering, iridescent water curtain that surrounded her, always flowing, never at rest.
Mutsumi thought she was like the real Kyo hidden beneath that dazzling, prismatic glow—unmoving, unsure of what to do. Everything in Mutsumi's life had always been dictated by others. All she needed to do was follow their guidance and be "perfect."
But Kyo had found a source of energy that brought her to life, and she had seized it without hesitation. Even if it was just an act, wasn't it still a rebellion against her own detached nature?
Then what about Mutsumi? Where was her color? What was the force that could set her in motion?
"…I've never found playing in a band to be fun."
Was that a lie?
Maybe. Her time in the band had freed her from the relentless academic schedule at home, allowing her to breathe, to rest. That period was the most relaxed, the most liberated she had ever felt.
But it wasn't entirely a lie, either.
She had always gone along with what others wanted. She had joined CRYCHIC simply because Sakiko had asked her to, so she did. But she never once experienced the excitement the others felt. Even when she stood on stage, plucking at the bass strings, her heart remained utterly still.
Kyo walked behind the counter and handed the cups to Izumo-san for a quick rinse before heading to the back storage room, disappearing from Mutsumi's sight.
Izumo-san caught Mutsumi's gaze and returned it with a warm smile.
Mutsumi blinked, then quickly looked away, sitting motionless in her seat.
If there was anything that could make her feel at ease, perhaps it was tending to the little cucumber patch in the school's gardening club. The club's advisor had even told her that if she joined the gardening club in high school, she could take full responsibility for that small field.
But… was that enough? Was that something that could give her the same sense of purpose that Kyo had found?
A cold, hard sensation suddenly pressed against Mutsumi's cheek, making her let out a small startled sound—almost like a hiccup—as she instinctively leaned away.
Turning her head, she realized that at some point while she had been spacing out, Kyo had already finished making two new drinks. This time, instead of carrying them on a tray, she held one cup in each hand. Tucked under one of her arms was… something else.
"I used less ice in this one. Even in summer, drinking too many cold things in a row isn't great for your body."
After setting down the drinks, Kyo pulled out the object she had been carrying—a tablet.
"Hehe, VA-11 HALL-A is planning to add some atmospheric background music for the café. Mutsumi, help me pick some songs? It'll give us something to do while we wait for Sakiko."
Mutsumi nodded. It was easier to follow someone else's instructions than to decide on her own.
Dragging a chair over, Kyo sat down beside Mutsumi and propped up the tablet on the table. She started scrolling through a music app, looking for songs that caught her interest.
Though she had said she was picking songs for VA-11 HALL-A, it quickly became obvious that Kyo was really just using this as an excuse to listen to music with Mutsumi. Her selections jumped across all sorts of genres.
Since she was technically a member of sumimi, Kyo started off by playing Here, the world—a cutesy idol song with a bright, mainstream appeal.
But when she asked Mutsumi what she thought, Mutsumi only shook her head. It didn't seem like her kind of thing.
Kyo didn't mind. She kept playing songs one by one, moving from free-flowing jazz to lighthearted country, even throwing in some melancholic Mandarin ballads for good measure. But none of them got much of a reaction from Mutsumi.
Then, the next song began.
The very first note struck like the unfurling of a battle flag.
What followed was a rapid, powerful explosion of sound—ferocious, almost like a roar.
Piercing guitar riffs, pounding drum beats, deep, heavy basslines, and raw, growling vocals all crashed together in a forceful, heart-pounding assault on the senses.
Metal.
Mutsumi sat frozen, overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of the music.
Could music be this wild? This untamed?
From the structured piano lessons at home to the carefully composed songs Sakiko wrote for their band, Mutsumi had always thought of music as something elegant, something soft.
Kyo, noticing Mutsumi's stunned expression, asked, "Mutsumi, what do you think?"
Mutsumi didn't even manage her usual small shake of the head this time.
Could it be that Mutsumi actually liked metal? That would be surprising. Though intrigued, Kyo didn't let her curiosity show and simply waited for a response.
"…It's kind of loud."
It wasn't exactly a glowing review, but upon hearing it, Kyo smiled.
"I see."
And so, this song became the first one to play in its entirety.
As the final note rang out, its raw energy lingered in the air, refusing to fade.
Mutsumi could feel her heart pounding wildly in her chest—something she had never experienced before.