I Just Want a Single Ending [225] [50 PS]
Kamigawa Saku's gaze flicked over the three of them as he began calculating in his mind.
Honestly, if he aimed for the solo ending, the best-case scenario was if all four of them went to the hot spring inn together.
Each of them was a "targetable character," and this trip would be the perfect chance to gain some approval points.
Of course, his main focus was on improving Wakaba Mutsumi's impression of him.
He had already made enough headway with Nagasaki Soyo's friendship. As long as he didn't mess it up, it should be fine.
And as for Nyamu, he wasn't too worried—if things kept progressing naturally, he was confident they'd become good friends soon enough.
So, that left the person he had the weakest connection with: Wakaba Mutsumi.
He'd been racking his brain for ways to get closer to her, and now, a golden opportunity had presented itself. Kamigawa Saku had no intention of letting it pass.
This was his chance to make a real impression on her.
Even so, the main issue remained—he had no idea if the three girls would actually want to go to a hot spring with a guy.
It's one thing for guys and girls to hang out, but a trip to a hot spring?
Especially since he barely knew Mutsumi—it wouldn't be surprising if she outright refused.
Of course, he wasn't going to force anyone to go if they didn't want to.
Hot springs had an undeniably intimate feel, after all.
If this were any other sightseeing destination, they wouldn't even be having this discussion.
And since they were all girls, he'd keep a respectful distance.
Kamigawa Saku knew how to keep things tactful.
Meanwhile, Mutsumi continued to look detached, quietly focused on her mango juice.
"Personally, I'd love to go to a hot spring inn," Nyamu was the first to share her thoughts, smiling. "And especially for free! It's all thanks to Mutsumi's luck."
"Yes, we really have Mutsumi to thank," Soyo said, turning to look at Mutsumi.
"It was just an ordinary prize," Mutsumi murmured, taking a small sip of her drink.
"So, Wakaba, what do you think of this voucher?" Kamigawa Saku asked softly. "After all, you were the one who drew it."
"…I'd be okay with all four of us going."
Wakaba Mutsumi paused before quietly giving her answer.
She had a good idea of what they were all thinking.
The reason they kept talking around the topic without deciding was that they all wanted to go together.
The hesitation stemmed from the fact that nobody wanted to be the one to say it outright.
No one wanted to be the one to make the suggestion, as there was a risk of rejection—especially by her.
In their minds, her only close friend in the group was Soyo, so there was a high chance she might not agree.
So, if she just made her stance clear, they could finally end this back-and-forth.
As for any concerns about going with Kamigawa Saku?
It was true she didn't know him very well, and she wasn't about to trust him just like that.
But she did trust Soyo.
If Soyo was comfortable going to a hot spring with him, then she had no reason to worry.
And as for Nyamu? It didn't matter much; Nyamu wasn't a guy, after all.
It would be just like being grouped with a classmate she barely knew during a school trip.
"Huh?"
With Mutsumi's quiet confirmation, both Nyamu and Kamigawa Saku felt a weight lift.
But Soyo looked a little less happy.
Her original idea had been for just her and Kamigawa Saku to go to the hot spring.
Now that Mutsumi had given her okay, it seemed the trip would be for all four of them.
Just great. Why did Mutsumi have to say that?
"Well, I feel the same way as Mutsumi—I don't mind if we all go together."
Nyamu chimed in eagerly, quickly letting go of her plan to ease into things.
"This trip is the result of us pooling our money, and it was Mutsumi's luck that won it."
Seeing things going as he'd hoped, Kamigawa Saku followed up smoothly, adding, "I know it's not my place as the guy to say this, but if no one minds going together, why don't we make it a group trip?"
With him voicing this, the decision now rested with Soyo, the only one yet to speak.
"If that's what everyone wants, then let's go together."
After a slight hesitation, Soyo finally set aside her original plan for a trip with just her and Saku.
Not much she could do now, especially with everyone—including Saku—voting to go together.
All Mutsumi's fault, of course.
Now her hot spring trip with Kamigawa Saku wouldn't be so private.
But thinking it over, maybe this wasn't so bad.
Since it was a "family" hot spring trip, she could just pretend Nyamu was a distant cousin and Mutsumi was the little sister. That way, everything was still close to what she'd imagined.
Soyo nodded, deciding she could live with it.
Yes!
With the hot spring trip decided, both Kamigawa Saku and Nyamu quietly celebrated.
Now they could go ahead with their plans.
"So, when should we go?" Soyo inspected the voucher. "It's four days and three nights. That might be tough to fit into a regular weekend."
"Yeah, it'd take more than a weekend," Kamigawa Saku noted.
Two days wouldn't be enough, so they'd need to take time off, which wasn't ideal just for a hot spring.
Soyo added, "Golden Week's long over, so the only long break that would fit is summer vacation."
"Summer break sounds doable."
Kamigawa Saku took the voucher from her, checking the expiration date.
"It says it's valid until December 31 this year."
"Summer's only about a month away," Soyo pointed out.
It was June now, with summer vacation starting in August—just over a month.
"So, should we plan for the summer break, then?" Kamigawa Saku placed the voucher back on the table. "Since it's for four days and three nights, that's the only time that would really work."
"But isn't it weird to go to a hot spring in the summer?" Nyamu couldn't help but laugh.
"Isn't hot-spring season usually in the winter?"
"Well, the closest break we have is summer," Kamigawa Saku said. "If we wait until winter break, it'd be December."
"If you're not interested in going during the summer, we could go in the winter."
"No, summer's fine."
Nyamu chose quickly.
The whole point of the trip was to bond with Wakaba Mutsumi, and the sooner, the better.
Waiting until December was too long to hold off on getting to know someone she'd finally met. One month was tolerable.
"What about you two? When would be best for you?" Kamigawa Saku looked to Soyo and Mutsumi.
"Summer works."
Soyo had no problem with it.
If she could go with Kamigawa Saku, the season didn't really matter.
"Summer," Mutsumi agreed quietly.
"Alright, summer it is, then."
With everyone in agreement, Kamigawa Saku proposed, "Since we're planning this together, why don't we all exchange contact info?"
"That way, if anyone thinks of ideas or needs to reschedule, we can discuss it easily."
His real goal, of course, was to get Mutsumi's contact information.
"Good idea!"
Nyamu readily agreed, sharing the same goal.
Soyo and Mutsumi didn't object either.
With contact details swapped, they spent a few more minutes chatting before parting ways.
Well, Nyamu did.
Wakaba Mutsumi left with Soyo and Kamigawa Saku to head back home.
---
"Thanks for all your hard work."
Once they'd arrived home, Soyo looked at Saku, who'd carried all the bags back, and thanked him sincerely.
Even though they'd taken a taxi and used the elevator to reach their floor, he'd still had to carry everything up to the apartment.
"It's nothing; this little bit of weight isn't a problem."
Saku carried the bags into the kitchen without breaking a sweat.
His system points had mostly been in physical attributes like strength, stamina, and agility.
When it came to physical work, he could handle it with ease.
The only thing that puzzled him was how the system seemed to only give him those three attributes.
There were no points for intelligence or spirit.
In other words, all his stat points were purely enhancing his physical body.
Strange, to say the least.
But that was only a curiosity—any points were good, no matter what they boosted.
"Here, wipe your sweat."
Even though Kamigawa Saku didn't seem to be sweating, Soyo kindly offered him a tissue.
"Thanks."
He accepted it out of habit.
"…"
Closing the door, Mutsumi watched the two interacting naturally by the kitchen, almost like a couple.
She didn't say anything, but instead walked over to the sofa and sat down.
To distract herself, she took a look around Soyo's apartment.
She had visited a few times before.
Not much had changed.
Just as she thought this, Mutsumi noticed two bass guitars placed near the sofa.
One was a six-string bass, and the other was a standard four-string.
Mutsumi recognized the four-string as Soyo's.
So, the question was… whose bass was the six-string?
Her eyes shifted to the kitchen once more.
Kamigawa Saku was helping Soyo put groceries away in the fridge.
Was it his?
Somehow, she felt that it was.
If she was right, another question arose.
Why was his bass in Soyo's apartment?
Mutsumi recalled Soyo's words from earlier: "our place."
Even though she'd explained it away, how could Mutsumi be sure it was true?
What if they really were living together?
With no answers, she turned her gaze elsewhere.
Her eyes landed on a sunflower sitting out on the balcony.
Mutsumi remembered Soyo asking her some time ago about caring for a sunflower.
Soyo had said it was a gift from a band friend.
Another question surfaced. Who was this band friend?
Her gaze drifted back toward the kitchen.
Soyo and Kamigawa were chatting, both looking happy.
Since the breakup of crychic, she hadn't seen Soyo this way.
That smile wasn't forced or performative.
Turning away, Mutsumi once more looked at the vibrant sunflower.
That was around the time Soyo had stopped asking her about Togawa Sakiko and CRYCHIC.
Since then, she'd rarely brought up the past.
So, who had given her the sunflower?
Mutsumi felt she knew the answer.
It had to be Kamigawa Saku.
The timing lined up, and as the band's manager, he would be considered a "friend of the band."
And the fact that he was here, going shopping with Soyo today, only confirmed it.
Mutsumi glanced toward the kitchen again.
Watching the two of them, who looked so much like a couple, she found herself asking:
Were they really not together?
Or rather… why weren't they?