41

"You must think I'm an idiot, huh?"

Nagasaki Soyo narrowed her eyes at Tsuzuki Chihiro, who was spouting nonsense with a completely straight face. Her crescent-moon gaze curved into a smile, though there was a hint of danger behind it.

Kicking someone out—does it really matter who? How is that any different from making someone leave?

Wait a second…

Soyo thought about it carefully. There was a difference, but for some reason, she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"You're just afraid that once a new band is formed, Taki and Tomori will grow attached to it, while their old bandmates will be left heartbroken, aren't you?"

"Well… yeah."

"So if I deliberately favor Anon and Raana in the coming days and go all out playing the villain to pressure Taki and Tomori, do you think, given their personalities, they'll explode?"

"They absolutely would."

"Then that's it."

Chihiro put on a look of absolute confidence. "The more they feel how different the new band is from CRYCHIC, the more they'll realize how precious their time together used to be."

"My goal is to make Taki and Tomori experience that firsthand—to have them compare their new bandmates with their former ones every single day and discover that, no matter how much they compare, the gap is just too vast."

"…You're saying that… when they're at their most helpless, when they feel like giving up, Sakiko and Mutsumi will become their irreplaceable guiding lights?"

"But… what about me?"

"You? You're obviously the biggest winner here. You're the one paying me, after all. Of course, I'll make sure you benefit the most."

Chihiro patted her chest in reassurance, though, deep down, she wasn't entirely convinced by her own words.

"I'll leave with Anon and Raana, then put together a new band with a few others. Meanwhile, Taki and Tomori will be left clinging to each other for support. That's when you make your move."

"You can pin everything on me—say I posed as a foreign exchange tutor to get close to you, ate and stayed at your house, ripped open old wounds just to pry into your past."

"That I secretly used your phone to message people, stirred up drama behind the scenes, and orchestrated everything just to isolate you from everyone."

"But… what would your motive be?"

"Because I like you."

As she said this, Chihiro stood up and moved closer to Soyo.

She leaned down, the tips of her deep red hair brushing against Soyo's cheek. Her expression softened, becoming slightly hazy, almost dreamy.

Chihiro cupped Soyo's face with one hand and used the other to sweep aside her tea-colored bangs, her touch careful—almost like she was playing with a delicate, intricate toy.

Soyo's face suddenly flushed a deep red. The next moment, she snapped out of the bizarrely intimate atmosphere, glaring at the girl before her and snapping, "What the hell are you doing?!"

"Tsuzuki Chihiro is into girls—especially those who have that 'divorced rich lady' aura. That's what piques her interest the most."

"She's a ruthless schemer who, for her own selfish desires, wants to keep such an emotionally deprived and approval-seeking girl locked away by her side. So, she pretends to be weak and vulnerable to get close to her."

"Then, using her cunning and deceitful tricks, she drives everyone around Soyo away, leaving her with no one to rely on. Until, eventually, her entire world revolves around Chihiro alone."

"…Huh?"

"Doesn't it all make perfect sense? Everything just clicks into place, doesn't it? And in the end, when Soyo bravely uncovers the truth and realizes she should've never doubted her friends, she decides to expose it all."

"She sets out to reunite the helpless victims, rebuild the friendships that should've never been broken, and start a brand-new, perfect chapter in her life."

"This…"

Soyo's head was spinning, but she still managed to swat away the hand that had been shamelessly lingering on her face.

"Can you not touch me while we talk? You're seriously creeping me out."

"Hah. You're overthinking it. Like I'd ever be interested in someone like you—you've got nothing but money."

"Wanna say that again?!"

"Ahem, no, I was just joking."

Chihiro let go of the overheated girl and casually sat back down.

Meanwhile, Soyo felt like she had just walked out of a sauna, finally able to breathe again after being suffocated by the intensity of the moment.

"…Are you serious? About that plan just now?"

"What else?"

"But… it's not fair to you."

Soyo frowned. As the mastermind pulling the strings, she was reaping all the benefits, while poor Chihiro would be left as the villain, discarded and alone. It felt… wrong.

Sure, she was deeply attached to CRYCHIC, but going this far… Was it really okay?

"Don't be ridiculous." Chihiro smirked mockingly. "I don't care about your so-called 'band friendships.' For me, this has been nothing but a business transaction from the start."

"And I don't care if they hate me for it. In fact, the more thoroughly I carry this out, the less I'll owe you anything."

Of course, that was complete bullshit. But right now, Chihiro felt like this was the only way to convince her employer.

"…Once everything is over, I'll clear your name. I promise."

"Sure. In the meantime, why don't you show me how to use the appliances in your house? Where you keep the cleaning supplies? How you like your clothes folded?"

"…Huh?"

"Don't look at me like that." Chihiro chuckled. "If we're putting on a show, we need to commit. Right now, I'm just your hired help. I need to know how to handle housework properly—otherwise, if someone you know comes by and asks about me, I might slip up."

"…That's the only reason?"

Soyo froze for a moment, a flicker of disappointment flashing through her eyes.

For a second—just a second—she had actually thought she had become someone truly important to this girl. That Chihiro was willing to go this far because she had come to understand her, to empathize with her, and wanted to help her achieve her goal sooner.

That doing housework was just something friends did for each other.

But now, it was clear—she had been overthinking it.

This girl, Tsuzuki Chihiro, had only ever seen her as an employer. Everything she did was just to fulfill a contract.

"…What? You didn't actually think we'd become something more than just acquaintances, did you?"

"Hah. You better hope not. When all this is over, don't come begging me to let you stay."

"Relax. By then, it might be you clinging to my leg, begging me not to leave."

"In your dreams."

---

T/N: omg is it just me or OMGGMGGGG ITS HOT IN HEREEEEE