Soyo-chan, Version 2.0—Courtesy of Me! [79]

"Shoes…"

"Hm?"

Tsuzuki Chihiro glanced at Wakaba Mutsumi, then followed her gaze to the floor near the entrance—where a pair of shoes had already been neatly placed.

Wait… Soyo's back already?

That was unexpected.

Since there were still a few hours before the usual band practice ended, she hadn't bothered to call and notify Soyo. She hadn't expected her to come home early on her own.

"…Ah, well, that's just part of living alone." Chihiro casually smoothed things over, flashing an easygoing smile. "Sometimes you end up leaving your shoes all over the place."

"But sometimes… it kinda helps me imagine that there's someone else living here with me."

"At least, I'm not really alone."

"…"

Chihiro wondered if this kind of nonsense was too much to throw at Mutsumi.

And if Soyo ever found out she had just made her sound this tragic—she'd probably blow a fuse.

The thought of Soyo struggling so hard to maintain her composed façade, only for Chihiro to casually trample all over it, nearly made her laugh.

Speaking of which—Soyo never really used that cutesy, high-pitched voice when she was alone with her, huh?

Maybe after spending so much time faking it, she'd finally realized just how exhausting it was.

"Mutsumi, do you want something to drink?"

"Anything is fine."

"Mango juice, then."

Chihiro glanced into the fridge at the discounted mango juice she had bulk-bought a while ago, then casually grabbed a carton and handed it to Mutsumi, who was sitting stiffly, almost too proper, as if unsure how to act in a friend's home.

…So this was probably her first time coming to Soyo's place, huh?

"Worried about skipping ballet class?" Chihiro could tell from Mutsumi's distracted expression. She softened her voice slightly. "Sorry, Mutsumi. If your parents get upset, I'll explain everything for you."

For a brief moment, Mutsumi's eyes wavered—but in the end, she simply shook her head. Instead, she turned the concern toward her.

"What did Soyo want to talk to me about?"

"I'm not going abroad."

"…Huh?"

Chihiro sat down across from her, adopting an expression of noble sacrifice, as if marching toward certain doom.

"I've decided—I won't be studying overseas."

"That kind of life… I wouldn't be able to handle it. And I don't want to adapt to it."

"I'd rather stay in Tokyo. I don't want to leave my friends behind."

"…You mean Sakiko?"

"Yeah."

Mutsumi was surprised that "Soyo" didn't deny it this time.

"She's always been my friend. I've been waiting for her to come back."

Chihiro let out a small sigh, as if reflecting on past mistakes.

"For the longest time, I kept swinging between two extremes—either confronting Sakiko head-on, demanding answers, or avoiding her entirely, pretending we were strangers."

"But now, I think… maybe both of those were wrong."

"Because from the very beginning, there wasn't some huge, irreparable conflict between us."

"At least, for me—Sakiko, Mutsumi, and the others… you're all still my most important friends."

"If I just follow my mother's arrangements and leave Tokyo… I'll regret it."

"Soyo…"

"Mutsumi, that day—did you really feel like your time in CRYCHIC was never happy?"

Chihiro cut straight to the heart of it, interrupting Mutsumi before she could finish her sentence.

A single question—one that struck her like a bolt of lightning.

So… it really was about that.

Mutsumi's hands trembled slightly.

She regretted it.

Should she have never said those words that day?

"…I don't know."

"Hold on, Mutsumi—I need to take this call."

Just then, Chihiro's phone rang.

Glancing at the caller ID, she shot Mutsumi an apologetic look and stepped out onto the balcony to answer.

And on the other end, the voice was blunt and to the point:

"Come to my mom's room. Now. Immediately."

Welp.

Judging by that tone, someone had been eavesdropping the entire time.

Chihiro had no intention of actually pushing Soyo past her breaking point.

Sure, she technically had a home to go back to now… but if she did, her grandmother would definitely send her straight back to school.

And between school and freeloading at a rich lady's house?

Obviously, the latter was far more comfortable.

No teachers nagging at her, no tests, no obligations.

Just sprawling out on a luxurious bed all day, then heading out in the evening to play music with cute girls and toy with their feelings.

On top of that?

Free food, free housing, and even a daily allowance.

Holy shit.

Why the hell would she ever give up this god-tier lifestyle?!

"…Sorry, Mutsumi."

Chihiro walked back into the living room, glancing at the still-lost-in-thought Mutsumi with a sheepish smile.

"Can you wait here for a bit? My mom—uh, she needs me to grab some documents for her."

Fine.

Soyo could have this one.

After all, she'd been getting plenty of perks from her anyway.

"Mmm. Don't worry about me, Soyo."

As expected, Mutsumi—ever the polite and well-mannered girl—nodded without question.

Unlike Soyo or Anon, who would've immediately started snooping around if they were in a friend's house for the first time, Mutsumi was the kind of person who would willingly cast a self-imposed immobilization spell on herself.

With that assurance, Chihiro left the living room and headed into the bedroom she had been staying in for the past few days—locking the door behind her for good measure.

And the second she stepped inside, Nagasaki Soyo grabbed her by the shoulders.

Her eyes practically blazed as she demanded,

"Chihiro! Are you out of your damn mind?! Do you have any idea what's going to happen if Mutsumi's family finds out she skipped class?!"

"…Is it that serious?"

"I—I don't know! Probably?!"

"Wow. You're not exactly doing a great job as her friend, huh?"

Chihiro smirked, her tone teasing.

"But it's fine. I already have several plans to smooth things over for Mutsumi."

"Of course, she's definitely getting scolded tonight."

"…You little—"

Soyo could feel her sanity slipping.

Chihiro really was ruthless about getting her job done, no matter the cost.

Not only had she dragged Mutsumi here with some unknown excuse, but she had also deliberately asked that question.

"By the way—why did you ask her about that night?"

"…Which part?"

"Don't play dumb. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Chihiro sighed, raising her hands in mock surrender.

Then, her eyes locked onto Soyo's with unsettling seriousness.

"So… you've never actually faced that question head-on, have you?"

"…I…"

"Whether she said it to ease Sakiko's burden or out of genuine feeling, that sentence carries more weight than whatever Taki or Tomori think, doesn't it?"

"In other words—"

"If it was the former, then that means there's some huge secret between Sakiko and Mutsumi that we don't know."

"And if it was the latter, then it means CRYCHIC was never as united as you believed."

"So if you want to find out what really caused the band to fall apart—or if Mutsumi truly wants to return—then you need to face this issue head-on."

"And yet, despite knowing all this, you still didn't have the guts to ask her yourself."

"So tell me, Soyo—do you really think you're smart?"

"…I think I am."