Drip~
A crystal-clear droplet fell from the tip of his black hair, sending gentle ripples across the water's surface.
A long, relaxed exhale sounded nearby. Kazami Haru, his black eyes nearly closed, lifted his head to look at the unfamiliar ceiling of the bathroom. His body, completely submerged in hot water, felt so weightless it was as if he couldn't summon the strength to move at all.
To be fair, Soyo-san's bathtub was enormous.
"Whew…"
The peaceful sigh echoed softly as he lay half-submerged in the warm tub, eyes shut.
The hazy mist of hot water filled the entire bathroom, and the gentle steam rising with the flow embraced every inch of his skin. His tired body loosened, muscles unwinding from the inside out, and it felt as though his mind was beginning to drift off with the haze.
No, wait. It was already drifting...
"Haru, I left the clean pajamas outside, okay?"
Nagasaki Soyo's gentle voice came from the doorway. The tender care in her tone made Haru momentarily feel as if they were already married. He gave a casual reply and shut his eyes again.
This rare, private "relaxation time" was precious to him. He had to savor every second of it.
Still, Haru didn't let his guard down about what might be happening outside the door.
After all, knowing what he did about Nagasaki Soyo, his unruly ex-wife was perfectly capable of staging a surprise attack.
She'd probably use her status as his "girlfriend" to justify barging in, then walk into the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her, cheeks flushed. While pretending to help "wash his back," she'd start innocently, but by the time things escalated, that towel would likely be long forgotten.
Now that would be a bit much.
"…But she's oddly well-behaved today."
She hadn't done anything at all.
Wait. Could it be… his imagination really was getting out of hand?
"Well, this is a bit awkward."
Unable to resist a muttered jab at himself, Haru raised his head slightly to ease his stiff neck. He had to get out before he dozed off in the bath. The last thing he wanted was to be cooked red and then dragged out naked by a group of girls.
The fresh, lightweight cotton pajamas were folded neatly outside the bathroom door. After changing into them, Haru noticed they fit him eerily well. But at this point, he wasn't about to question the "sizing." Towel in hand, he dried his black hair as he headed toward the living room.
The moment he stepped out, all eyes turned to him.
"Huh?! Haru, you're done already?"
"How long do you think it takes a guy to bathe?"
Haru narrowed his eyes, as if pointing out something completely obvious.
For girls, showering and soaking in the tub were layered rituals. Someone who loved baths could easily spend over an hour at it. But for men, the time commitment was often the exact opposite.
If he skipped the bath and just showered, he could be done in under fifteen minutes. Even with a soak, he rarely went beyond thirty.
Some guys could finish everything in less than five minutes.
"Anyway, how did practice go for you all just now?"
"Uh… so-so, I guess?"
Caught off guard, Chihaya Anon seemed flustered. Her cheeks were tinged pink, and there was something subtly different about her demeanor today.
She'd been stammering and avoiding eye contact since earlier. That blush on her face struck Haru as a clear sign of guilt, making him sigh with a stiff expression.
Yep. No good at all.
There was no way Anon-san would admit if something had gone wrong. So Haru turned his attention to his reliable comrade nearby, Taki, who could always be counted on when it came to training.
"Shiina, what exactly was the issue with today's practice?"
Shiina Taki's expression was just as odd, her eyes darting away. Still, she had no choice but to give a proper report. She reluctantly lifted her head and replied casually:
"Probably section B and the solo part right after the interlude, plus the second half of the ensemble. Our coordination is still really lacking."
"Let me see the score."
A glint of understanding flickered in Haru's eyes as he stepped toward Shiina.
But just as he leaned in to look at the music sheet in front of her, she suddenly turned her head away, face bright red. Her odd reaction made him blink in surprise.
"Hm?"
It was then that Haru realized something strange, everyone had been subtly avoiding his gaze from the moment he stepped out.
Wait a minute.
Why is everyone avoiding eye contact? What, are they scared I'll hit them with a Geass or something?
The strange atmosphere around him made Haru frown. He glanced down instinctively at what he was wearing.
The autumn long-sleeved pajamas Soyo-san had prepared didn't really reveal much at all. It would've been normal for Anon-san, the sweet little girlfriend, to get flustered but even his trusty bro Taki was blushing abnormally hard?
He knew it might sound a little narcissistic, but Haru didn't think his charm was that overpowering.
"Shiina, have you finally realized how handsome I am?"
"Are you out of your mind?!"
Shiina Taki snapped her head around and glared at him with those deep violet eyes, but the moment their faces got too close, she quickly averted her gaze again. Even Nagasaki Soyo, who was watching from nearby, showed a visible change in expression.
"…Looks like he really has no idea."
Soyo's voice was practically a whisper, almost like she was talking to herself. Anon, red-faced beside her, nodded fervently.
That Haru was a handsome boy, Anon-san had accepted that the moment she first laid eyes on him.
The truth was, Kazami Haru was still in the midst of puberty. He might not be especially tall yet, but his body was unexpectedly long-limbed and slender, with just a hint of muscle if you looked closely.
His pale neck was already exposed, and now, fresh out of the bath, a few droplets still clung to his skin. The lingering steam rising from his body, combined with the faint dampness in his long black hair draped over his shoulders, gave him a strangely captivating appearance.
The scent of Soyo's body wash clung to him, blending with the soft fragrance of sunflowers that was uniquely his. For a girl, especially one in the throes of adolescent longing, the hormonal cocktail of it all…
…was devastatingly effective.
Gulp…
Perhaps it was the memory of something from a "dream," but Anon found her cheeks growing warmer as she swallowed hard. The images in her mind grew sharper, and with them, her heartbeat sped up.
Trying to cover her rising heat, she fanned herself with a hand, pretending it was just too hot. Her voice came out quicker than usual. "I… I think I'm getting kinda sweaty too! Maybe we should call it a day and all go take a bath?"
If she stayed here any longer, her brain might actually short-circuit.
Though it sounded like a lazy excuse, surprisingly, the other girls were quick to agree.
Not just Anon, whose thoughts had clearly drifted off, even Shiina Taki, usually the most focused one during practice, was obviously distracted now. At this point, no one could stay concentrated anymore.
Just as Anon, cheeks still flushed, began to get up, Soyo spoke up cheerfully, her fingers gently twirling a strand of her light brown curls. "My bathroom can't really fit too many people at once, you know? I think we should go in two groups instead."
"This time, Taki-chan and Anon-chan, why don't you take Tomori and go first?"
Huh? And what about you?
Anon's eyes widened in disbelief. The light above caught her tiny tiger tooth, giving it a little glint.
Of all people, Nagasaki Soyo was the queen of sneak attacks. If she sent the rest of them off to bathe together, she'd get the perfect chance to be alone with Haru!
And girls' baths could last an hour easily. In that much time, anything and everything could happen!
No way. No way she was letting that happen!
Haru still radiated the sweet, intoxicating scent of bath steam. Even Anon herself was having a hard time resisting it, so there was no telling what that walking pink-tinged fox, Soyo, might do.
She'd definitely use this golden opportunity to gobble him up, head to toe.
Imagining the danger, Anon put on a deliberately dopey smile, mimicking Soyo with her palms pressed together. "You're totally right, Soyocchi!"
"Too many people makes it kinda hard to enjoy the bath. So in that case, I'll bathe with you later, okay? We can let Raana-chan go first for now."
She wasn't letting that vixen out of her sight, no matter what.
Soyo, of course, saw straight through the pink-haired rascal's plan. Her previously gentle smile cooled, her voice stretching with exaggerated slowness.
"Eeh? That's kind of annoying, you know."
This woman. She really had no filter.
A faint tic (💢) appeared on Anon's forehead. Taking a deep breath to keep her temper in check, she reaffirmed her suspicions, Soyo definitely had something up her sleeve.
No way she was letting that happen.
"Mutsu should come too, right? That way we can split into two perfect groups of three!"
Startled by the sudden nickname, Wakaba Mutsumi blinked. Just a moment ago, she'd been mulling over something Soyo had said before. But when she looked up again, Soyo's face was once again perfectly serene, her narrowed blue eyes glinting faintly with amusement.
She knew exactly what Soyo was trying to do.
But… it was almost eight.
No matter what Soyo had planned next, Wakaba Mutsumi could no longer stay.
"I'm going home."
"Mutsu… you're leaving already?"
The little penguin sitting beside Haru furrowed her brow slightly, a soft hint of sadness flickering in her eyes.
But before she could fall too deep into disappointment, the wooden doll had already turned calmly away. Her golden eyes met Takamatsu Tomori's in steady silence, and without a word, she gave the faintest shake of her phone.
Tomori blinked, just barely catching her meaning.
"It's a real shame Mutsu can't stay for the training camp, but there's nothing we can do… Her family's pretty strict about this stuff. If she didn't plan ahead, there's no way they'd let her sleep over. We'll just have to plan better next time."
"Well then, why don't you all go ahead and take your baths? I'll walk Mutsu down to the lobby."
Tilting her head ever so slightly, Soyo gave one of her softest, most radiant smiles as she looked at the doll-like girl beside her.
Mutsumi, unfazed by the warm gaze, merely gave Haru a quiet goodbye and walked out the door with Soyo.
Haru's eyes stayed fixed on her retreating figure, his head slightly bowed, as if deep in thought.
"Haru, you smell nice."
Before he realized it, Raana had sidled right up to him, her guitar already set aside. Her eyes sparkled as she leaned into his shoulder like a cat discovering catnip, her delicate nose twitching so close it nearly brushed his neck.
Before he could even react, Shiina Taki came marching over in long strides.
"Stray cat, go take your bath already!"
Her cheeks lightly flushed, Shiina grabbed Raana by the collar, trying to yank her away from Haru's side under the stubborn gaze of the catlike girl.
"…No."
But this time, Raana was unusually firm. Her mismatched golden and silver eyes narrowed as she clung to him like a cat that had found the perfect cozy spot.
Seeing Raana brazenly burying her nose in Haru's scent, Anon-san, who had already been struggling to keep her cool, rushed over and rubbed against him too. Lifting her head, she declared righteously:
"Rikki's right! Raana-chan, go take your bath! I'll hold the line here!"
"Hold the line? You could at least help me out, you know?!"
…
While the girls continued bickering around Haru, Nagasaki Soyo and Wakaba Mutsumi had already stepped into the elevator.
Inside the empty lift, it was just the two of them.
Soyo stood calmly at the front, gently toying with her curls. Behind her, Mutsumi stood with her head lowered. The silence between them was thick, heavy, and suffocating, broken only by the soft hum of the elevator machinery.
Neither of them spoke.
Perhaps sensing Mutsumi's persistent gaze on her back, Soyo let out a quiet sigh, her eyes fixed on the elevator doors. Her voice was cold, distant, her head never turning. "I don't know whether your feelings for Haru are romantic or something else entirely, but I'm the real deal—"
"I'm serious."
She was cut off by Mutsumi, who had remained silent until now.
Soyo's fingers froze mid-twirl in her hair. Her narrowed blue eyes flickered faintly, and she elongated her tone deliberately, as if to sway Mutsumi's thoughts.
"Let's say your feelings for Haru are genuine. But then, you must also know… my love for Haru isn't a lie. Not in the slightest."
"…"
Mutsumi said nothing.
"I love him very, very, very much. I want to be with him every second of the day… so no matter what, I'd never do anything to hurt him."
"Right? You get it, don't you, Mutsu? I just want to get a little closer to him, like any girlfriend would. There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"
"But you keep interfering, again and again. Why is it always me you're targeting?"
Her soft, drawn-out tone suddenly shifted into one of icy sharpness. As she turned her head, Soyo studied Mutsumi's expression, searching for any hint of emotion.
But the doll-like girl never wavered. She simply returned the gaze with calm, unwavering eyes.
After a moment's hesitation, Mutsumi finally spoke.
"I'm not targeting you. You're just doing something wrong."
"What exactly have I done wrong!?"
Soyo's voice spiked in an instant. But catching herself, she reined it in quickly, returning to her usual tender, composed tone.
With a hint of wounded innocence, she murmured, "All I want is to be with Haru. If he didn't want that, of course I'd never force him."
"That's not what I meant."
Mutsumi's voice remained unchanged being calm, detached. The vagueness of her words made Soyo's expression shift. Her brow twitched ever so slightly, something unreadable glinting behind her eyes.
Silence fell once more between them.
Ding~
Before they knew it, the elevator reached the first floor. As the doors opened, Mutsumi brushed past Soyo without a glance. Only when Soyo turned to look back did their eyes meet again.
The doll's golden gaze bore into her with quiet intensity, never once looking away.
It was as if those eyes had seen through everything from the start.
"If you do something wrong…"
"Haru will be the one who gets hurt."
With those plain, emotionless words, Mutsumi stepped out.
The elevator doors closed.
Soyo stood alone inside. The hand that had once been playfully twirling her hair now hung stiffly by her side. Her lovely face seemed caught off guard, her expression unraveling in a way even she couldn't quite control.
Could it be… Mutsumi had figured something out?
The thought sent a chill racing down her spine. Her already uneasy emotions began to churn. Taking a shaky breath, she tried to collect herself, but the heavy air in the elevator made her breathing uneven. Mutsumi's words echoed mercilessly in her ears.
To put it bluntly, she was starting to panic.
"…No."
Soyo's right hand gripped her left arm tightly. Her fingertips had gone pale, her shoulders trembling faintly. All of it betrayed the turmoil roiling inside her.
This wasn't enough. Not nearly enough.
At least now, her biggest obstacle [Mutsumi] was gone. That left only two "girlfriends" with any standing: Tomori, and that hopeless pink-haired idiot.
Tomori wouldn't act on her own. She wasn't a threat.
The pink-haired one, though? That greedy little sneak was trouble.
Raana would be easy enough to deal with once she fell asleep. As for Taki, the tsundere, she was probably the lowest risk.
One way or another, she had to make her move tonight.