Chapter 50 — Too Much of a Loser  

"Thank you so much today, Haru-kun." 

She gave him a small, genuine smile. The slender fingers that usually danced across piano keys now delicately held a paper bag containing a brand-new dress. Tilting her head slightly, her gentle expression radiated warmth. 

It seemed she had thought of something happy. 

The current Togawa Sakiko was truly different from how she used to be. 

In the past, the moment she returned home, she would be greeted by black garbage bags piled everywhere, aluminum beer cans scattered across the floor, and pitch-black darkness—lights turned off to save electricity. 

That chaotic mess mirrored her life, endlessly weighing down on her heart. 

Every time she saw that sight, she could feel something uncontrollable welling up in her eyes. But the strong-willed girl chose to endure it, pushing forward with all her might. 

She had resolved to kill the weak version of herself and reclaim everything that belonged to her through her own strength! 

But now— 

"What's got you smiling so much just from buying clothes?" 

"Because Haru-kun insisted on paying for it, treating it as a gift for me." 

Sakiko clasped her hands behind her back, her lovely face adorned with an innocent, radiant smile. 

Only when she looked at the gentle, handsome boy beside her did she feel like she was sinking into a soft, spongy bed—slowly enveloped by his warmth. 

Maybe it wasn't so bad to let go of her pride and allow herself to be a little vulnerable sometimes? 

"Oh? That ramen shop looks really good! It's almost dinnertime, isn't it~?" 

"As thanks for your gift, let me treat you to a meal, okay?" 

Sakiko blinked her striking amber-gold eyes—eyes that carried both nobility and tenderness, a charm uniquely hers. 

Anyone who saw her in this moment might find themselves utterly captivated. 

This was the real Sakiko—completely free of her usual guardedness and resistance, her speech now brimming with girlish charm and the grace of a young lady. 

Haru, who had been about to reply with a smile, suddenly froze. In the crowd, he thought he caught a glimpse of a familiar color. 

But it was like an illusion, a trick of the mind—gone in the blink of an eye. 

His brief daze didn't escape Sakiko's notice. 

"Daydreaming?" 

"I won't let you escape with some excuse this time, okay?"

PIC: Sakiko

The girl naturally slipped her hand into his.

They had once played a duet on the same piano, those two perfectly in-sync pairs of hands now gently clasped together like magnets drawn to each other.

The blue-haired girl wore a dazzling, beautiful smile. Holding his hand, she led him toward the ramen shop while lightly offering the shopping bag with her new dress toward him.

"I'm already treating you to dinner. Helping a girl carry her bag isn't too much to ask, right?"

"You're treating me? Of course, I'd be honored to serve my lady."

"Geez! Say one more thing like that and I'm seriously going to get mad!"

Kazami Haru didn't notice the red-haired girl watching from afar, tightly gripping the strap of her shoulder bag.

Ikuyo Kita had just been out shopping with friends and stumbled upon the scene.

Normally, when they met by chance on the street, she'd walk right up to him with a brilliant smile. But this time, before she could approach, a stunningly pretty girl took his hand.

She froze.

Before Haru could look her way, Ikuyo quickly slipped into the crowd.

Why did she do that? Why did she instinctively hide?

It's not like there was anything to be afraid of... was there?

...

[Your intimate moment with Togawa Sakiko is accidentally witnessed by Ikuyo Kita. But she doesn't confront you. Maybe because deep down, she knows her role in your life is just that of a "bandmate."]

[You and she never had anything official.]

[While you were enjoying ramen, Togawa Sakiko asked to take a photo together. It dawns on you, your relationship with her has reached a fragile, 'just-one-word-away-from-something-more' kind of closeness.]

[Whether it's you or her who speaks first... it could change both your lives forever.]

[Because of this, you fall into emotional confusion once again, unable to fully confront who you truly love.]

[You've kept the wolf at bay, but the tiger's behind you.]

[Now things were truly spiraling. The dazzling white moonlight that is Togawa, and the cool, alluring blue charm of Yamada, both were starting to stir the pot.]

[Who would win? Honestly, the result already seemed obvious.]

[Ikuyo Kita, who used to always be cheerful and close to you, now seems distracted. Caught in hesitation, she begins to avoid you subtly, even seeming unfocused during practice.]

[Her shift in behavior draws the attention of Ryo.]

[Ikuyo is lost in confusion, watching you grow closer to such a beautiful girl without her knowing, bitterness and regret begin to swirl in her chest.]

[Because you were always there for her, she had started to take your feelings for granted.]

[Maybe only now did she start to truly confront her own heart, realizing she wasn't the only one close to you.]

[Sometimes during class, she zones out, wondering: if she had accepted your confession back then, would she be the one holding your hand now—openly, without hesitation?]

[Her grades drop. She falls into gloom.]

[Ryo Yamada becomes more interested in your situation.]

A losing heroine...

Kita-san—this lively, enthusiastic ray of sunshine is the type who shines in social settings. High emotional intelligence, always reading the room. The total opposite of Takamatsu Tomori.

Compared to the emotionally oblivious Tomori, Ikuyo Kita had practically carved "pay attention to others' feelings" into her bones.

She didn't know whether expressing her feelings now would make her a third wheel ruining someone else's relationship.

But those overflowing emotions in her heart… she couldn't let them go either. She was caught in a storm of doubt and hesitation.