As expected, Soyo's bathroom was quite spacious—at a glance, Kikukawa Kyo estimated it was at least four times the size of her own tiny bathroom.
"The bathtub… it's huge."
Now completely undressed, Kikukawa Kyo crouched beside the bathtub, stretching her arms wide in an attempt to measure its length.
Feels like you could do synchronized swimming in here… Well, at least my brain's working enough to make dumb jokes again.
The water hadn't even started running yet, but just stepping into the bathroom made her feel a little better—like a Pavlovian dog conditioned to expect comfort.
Even when alone, Kikukawa Kyo tirelessly entertained herself with strange little jokes in her head, even if they weren't particularly funny.
Staring at the massive bathtub, she was tempted to use it. But since she was at someone else's house, and filling the tub would take time, she decided against it. A shame, but just getting a proper shower would be enough to refresh her.
Finding a small stool in the bathroom, she sat down in front of the showerhead and turned on the water. The first few streams that hit her skin were icy cold, making her shudder, but she didn't pull away.
The moment the water touched her body, a feeling of ease and relief blossomed. As more warm water cascaded over her, the sensation spread like a well-watered plant quickly growing in every direction.
"Phew—"
She exhaled deeply, enjoying the moment. But something still felt missing. After a brief pause, she stood up, took the showerhead in her hand, and gently nudged the stool aside with her foot.
She waited for the water to heat up fully, then directed the stream onto the tiled floor, rinsing a small section clean. Pushing her slippers aside, she pressed her bare feet against the floor, feeling the texture beneath her toes.
The bathroom floor at Soyo's house was made of slightly textured tiles—just rough enough to provide a pleasant sensation without being uncomfortable. Combined with the lingering warmth of the hot water and the shallow layer of pooled water on the floor, it created a strangely satisfying feeling beneath her feet.
Nodding in approval, Kikukawa Kyo slowly lowered herself onto the floor—eventually lying down completely.
Well, I'm already showering anyway. If the floor isn't clean, I can just wash myself again later.
Pressing her back, hips, and legs as close to the wet floor as possible, she closed her eyes. Though she hadn't been able to soak in the bathtub, lying like this gave her the illusion of floating on the surface of a pool.
Of course, she didn't forget the finishing touch—holding the showerhead high above herself, letting the water stream down over her body.
It was completely different from the usual experience of standing or sitting on a stool while showering. Without any posture or angle to brace against, her body was left completely exposed to the water's flow. The sensation of direct contact shifted from her shoulders—where it usually hit—to her stomach and chest instead.
These areas, usually spared from such direct pressure, were suddenly sensitive to the rushing water. The ticklish sensation made her giggle involuntarily—a few light, airy laughs that rang clearly through the bathroom despite the sound of the water.
If someone were here showering with me, they'd probably hear that crystal-clear laughter too…
"Ahh… that feels much better."
Now that she finally felt like herself again, she began thinking about what to do next.
Before coming to Soyo's house, she had hoped to understand why Soyo was so fixated on recreating the past. That question was now answered—it was exactly as she had suspected. The lack of a warm family presence had left Soyo longing for a place that could give her the same comfort.
Back then, she had thought the solution was simple—just get Soyo into a new band. If this new band could become a replacement for CRYCHIC, bringing her the same feelings, that should be enough to solve the problem.
But she hadn't expected Soyo to want a complete revival of CRYCHIC instead.
So… do I still go through with this plan?
Soyo would be the most unstable factor in the new band—a loyalist fixated on restoring the past. If things went south, instead of helping her, this whole effort could end up tearing the band apart. Anon, Tomori, and Taki might all lose their own paths in the process.
Would it be better to leave Soyo out of the band entirely?
But then what would happen to her?
As long as there was still a chance to help her, Kikukawa Kyo wasn't ready to give up just yet. At the very least, she considered Soyo a friend now.
This wasn't like her situation with Tomori. Tomori had been hesitant and nostalgic about CRYCHIC too, but the difference was—she had been willing to move forward. Just the fact that she had accepted Anon's help was proof enough.
…Ah, the floor's getting cold.
Even in the summer heat, the cooling sensation wasn't all that pleasant. Sitting up, she obediently returned to her stool. She knew lying on the floor like that wasn't exactly normal behavior.
One step at a time.
When it came to emotions, she had a natural disadvantage—she wasn't someone who could fix everything. She just had to do what she could.
And as for the next step… Kikukawa Kyo already had a plan in mind.
---
While Kikukawa Kyo was showering, Soyo put on an apron, neatly tying her hair back before starting on dinner.
Cooking a vegetable pasta soup was a simple task—in fact, if all she wanted was something edible, making soup required very little effort.
She prepared the ingredients—carrots, potatoes, tomatoes—peeling and chopping them before adding them to boiling water in a specific order. As long as she kept the heat at the right level and timed it properly, all she had to do was wait.
But Soyo wasn't the type to cook just for the sake of filling her stomach. Having spent so much time alone at home, she had developed a decent level of skill in the kitchen.
Her knife work, her instinct for adding the right amount of ingredients, her timing, and her control over the heat—all of it was second nature by now. Within minutes, the soup had already taken shape, needing only a bit more time on high heat to finish.
"…Should I add some meat since Kyo's eating too?"
As she watched the rich broth bubbling in the pot, it occurred to Soyo that she had instinctively made a vegetarian soup, as she usually did.
It's a little late to add meat now…
"Looks kinda plain."
A voice, warm and damp with steam, suddenly whispered near her ear, stirring the strands of hair that hung beside her face. The combination of breath and heat sent a ticklish sensation through her, making her shiver slightly.
"Kyo?"
Soyo quickly turned around—and sure enough, it was Kikukawa Kyo.
"Don't sneak up behind me like that! It's dangerous in the kitchen!"
Recovering from the small shock, Soyo finally had a chance to take in Kyo's appearance.
Kyo seemed to notice Soyo's gaze and took a step back, as if to let her get a better look.
She was wearing the same kind of outfit as before—just like at karaoke, it was the usual combination of a button-up shirt and pants. Honestly, that was all Kyo ever seemed to wear. She had thought about trying out different styles—if she wanted to make herself more interesting, a change of wardrobe would be a good start. But every time she opened her closet and saw how many clothes she already had, buying new ones just felt unnecessary. So the thought remained just that—a thought.
Fresh out of the shower, Kyo's hair was still damp, unable to be tied up as usual with just a towel to dry it. So for the first time, Soyo saw her with her hair down—pearlescent gray strands clinging to her shoulders, still dotted with droplets of water. The way they caught the light, glistening like real pearls, gave her an understated yet undeniably luxurious appearance.
At this distance, Soyo could faintly smell the lingering heat and moisture radiating from Kyo's skin. Beneath that warmth, a familiar scent floated in the air—the fragrance of gardenias, the same body wash Soyo herself used.
But strangely enough, Kyo's scent was even stronger than what Soyo usually noticed on herself after a bath.
As if, when combined with the shower's steam, that fragrance had transformed into something richer—almost like perfume.
And then there was Kyo's bare skin, so pale and soft-looking, so exposed. It made Soyo wonder—if she were to bite down gently, how deep would the mark be? How long would it take to fade?
Yet, what stood out to Soyo the most wasn't any of that.
It was Kyo's smile.
Just like on the way to Soyo's house, the curve of her lips was subtle, a quiet expression.
But Soyo, someone well-versed in social smiles herself, could tell the difference.
This smile was real.
---
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