"Instead of suddenly asking me that, I should be the one asking why you're here, Taki-chan."
Her soft hands folded gently in front of her, and the girl's delicate face curved into a sweet, practiced smile.
Caught off guard by the sudden counter, Shiina Taki froze slightly. She opened her mouth as if to speak but hesitated. In the end, she offered an awkward explanation in a rather unnatural tone. "…I just happened to be nearby today, that's all. And what about you? Why are you here?"
Taki really was bad at lying.
Nagasaki Soyo watched the girl in front of her, noting how even the sunglasses couldn't hide the unease on her face. That brittle excuse of a lie made Soyo's lips curl faintly, and her eyes drifted to the two people browsing items not far away.
With a light chuckle, she spoke slowly and casually, pretending to be troubled. "I just happened to come to this shopping street too and then I ran into Haru, purely by accident."
Taki's pupils contracted, and a creeping anxiety began to build inside her.
"I'm going to go say hi to him now. Unless you have something else to talk about…"
"No!"
The sudden shout rang out.
Seeing Soyo smile and prepare to walk past her to disrupt Umiri's date, Taki, flustered and anxious, stepped in front of her again. But this time, she had no valid reason for stopping her.
The warmth in Soyo's eyes flickered and narrowed slightly, as though she had sensed something.
"Why not?"
Tilting her head with a smile, Soyo's pale blue eyes curved like crescent moons, her expression completely serene.
Even though she was being blocked, Soyo's smiling face left Taki speechless. Words refused to come.
"Come to think of it… weren't you watching Haru just now too, Taki-chan? You told me you didn't know where he was. So why are you suddenly in the same shopping district? And that black-haired girl with him… I believe she's your friend, right?"
"Taki-chan, shouldn't you be explaining all this to me?"
The rapid-fire questions flowed like a barrage of incantations straight into Taki's ears.
Taki had known for a long time that Soyo was not someone to be taken lightly. But even she hadn't expected her to be so terrifying when it came to Haru. Her overwhelming presence left Taki momentarily stunned.
Maybe sensing Taki's sudden hesitation, Soyo let out a small, unseen sigh of relief.
"…If you don't want to explain, Taki-chan, then of course I won't force you."
"What are you playing at, Soyo?"
Seeing the fierce Soyo suddenly ease up, Taki eyed her warily.
"Oh, nothing at all."
"I already told you, didn't I? I just want to go say hi to Haru. You're the one blocking me for some reason."
With her usual smile, Soyo tilted her head once more, her meaning now entirely clear.
That only made Taki more anxious, because she truly had no excuse to stop her.
If she seriously tried to keep Soyo here, she would come off as completely irrational. And Taki wasn't someone who acted without reason.
Soyo could more or less guess why Taki was trying to block her. But there was no way she could sit back and let Haru and Umiri deepen their relationship. What scared her most was the possibility of her husband becoming closer to someone else behind her back, or someone else making a move before she could.
She couldn't allow the number of girlfriends to increase any further.
Despite the storm brewing in her heart, Soyo maintained her sweet, gentle smile. Her slender fingers twirled a lock of her smooth hair, and she leaned in close to Taki's ear, whispering softly:
"Besides, Taki-chan… I'm Haru's girlfriend. Is there anything wrong with me going to him?"
Taki's pupils contracted again, and for a moment, she forgot to stop her.
If Chihaya Anon had been here, she might've been able to hold Soyo back. But Taki was different from Anon. She still hadn't accepted Haru's confession. At most, she was just a "friend" and "bandmate."
She truly had no qualifications, no standing, and no reason to stop Soyo.
This was the difference in status.
"…"
Watching Taki lower her head with a deep frown, Soyo quietly apologized in her heart.
Yes, she was a girl with a calculating mind, but she had never intended to destroy her friendships over this. The situations with Mutsumi and Tomori were already settled and out of her hands. All she could do now was limit the number of competitors as much as possible.
No matter what, she had to hold on to her place as Haru's girlfriend.
"We should sit down and chat over tea sometime, just the two of us. But if there's nothing else..."
Hands together with a cheerful smile, Soyo stepped around Taki and began walking toward Haru.
She needed to hurry. The two of them looked like they were about to leave.
From what she could tell, this Umiri girl hadn't gotten that far with Haru yet.
If Soyo could just drop a few words now and subtly reveal that she was Haru's girlfriend, maybe Umiri would take the hint and back off. But if she let them keep dating today, there was no telling what might happen.
Then...
Soyo's sweet smile faltered.
Her expression shifted visibly, replaced by a more subdued, confused calm.
Just as she was about to walk away, Soyo looked down and realized that her left wrist was being held. At some point, Taki had grabbed her arm. Though Taki's back was turned, she was still squarely blocking Soyo's path.
Soyo let out a faint sigh, a complicated emotion flashing in her eyes. "Taki-chan, just what are you—"
"I am too…"
Taki's voice was a thin, trembling whisper, sending a jolt through Soyo's already puzzled expression.
Just as she was about to speak again, Taki slowly turned around.
Her usually cold, indifferent face was now flushed with shame and frustration. She clenched her teeth, glaring at Soyo's elegant face. Her slender shoulders trembled, revealing just how violently her emotions were surging.
Soyo could feel Taki's grip shaking in her hand. The girl who was always so composed was now visibly unraveling, as if she might collapse at any moment.
Yet even so, she didn't let go.
"Taki-chan, did you say something just now?"
A strange feeling settled over Soyo. Her gentle smile was gone.
"I said… I am too!"
Taki shouted the words, each one forced out between clenched teeth. Her voice trembled with humiliation, but her eyes didn't waver as she stared directly into Soyo's.
That bold declaration turned the tide in an instant.
A chill ran down Soyo's arms and legs. That ominous feeling in her chest was taking solid form.
"...Taki-chan, you don't mean—"
"I'm Haru's girlfriend too!"
Taki's voice came out hoarse, like she was throwing everything on the line. Soyo's eyes widened in shock.
The two stood beneath the signboard in the alleyway, and though their voices were barely audible, only discernible at such close range, Soyo could feel the intensity in Shiina Taki's words. It was as if she had forced every ounce of strength in her body into getting those words out.
"...You're joking, right, Taki-chan?"
Soyo forced a smile onto her face, hoping Taki would back down right then and there.
The two of them had been friends since middle school, when they first started a band together and after MyGO disbanded and they reformed, their bond had only grown stronger. So Soyo knew Taki well, knew just how stubborn she could be, and how unlikely she was to ever admit her own feelings.
Everyone could see how she felt about Haru. Everyone except Taki herself, who couldn't even say it out loud.
"He confessed to me already. And I said yes."
"So... I'm in a relationship with that idiot now!"
As if the act of saying it had drained her, Taki's long legs trembled where she stood.
The moment the words left her lips, her neck flushed bright red. Her heart pounded wildly, uncontrollably, as if flames were burning deep in her chest. The heat and rush of blood surged through every corner of her body.
"Taki-chan, you're just lying, aren't you?"
Soyo said it gently, but because she knew her too well, she couldn't bring herself to believe her so easily.
"I have no reason to lie. I like that idiot too... and we've already kissed! After he confessed to me, I said yes. So we've been in a relationship ever since!"
"If you still don't believe me, then just go ask him yourself. You'll see whether I'm lying or not."
The always stern, impatient Taki was now a completely different person. Her entire face was flushed with color, her glossed lips trembling with intensity. Her usually pale skin was now tinged with an unsteady, feverish hue.
Soyo had never seen this expression on Taki before. For a moment, she was too stunned to even move.
"Now do you understand?"
"What you're doing right now is breaking the 'no sneaking' rule between girlfriends and by that stupid pink-haired girl's logic, I have every right to stop you, don't I?!"
Taki pressed her lips together, doing her best to keep her face calm.
But the red had already crept up to her ears. Her makeup-free face tried desperately to maintain composure. Even now, she couldn't quite process what she'd said, only that her hand remained firmly clutched around Soyo's wrist, refusing to let the troublesome girl go and ruin Umiri's date.
"..."
Soyo fell strangely silent.
Taki had gone as far as to suggest asking Haru directly. That alone was enough to convince Soyo she probably wasn't lying. Maybe she'd pushed too hard and Taki had snapped. Either way, the plan to disrupt the date had failed.
This was the rule between girlfriends...
Sneaking ahead was allowed, but only if no one else noticed.
If someone of equal status caught you, then they had every right to stop you from going too far. Unless, of course, it was a mutually accepted situation like the MyGO training camp. In those cases, it was every girl for herself.
Soyo looked over her shoulder toward Haru's fading figure, then back to Taki, who still held her wrist tightly. She bit her lip softly, frustration and resignation welling up inside her.
"...Fine. I'll go home."
Knowing another rival had slipped in right under her nose, and unable to stop it, Soyo could only let out a deep, heavy sigh.
Just thinking about how to deal with all these girls was enough to give her a migraine and now that Taki had her cornered, there wasn't much else she could do. She had to back down for now.
But Taki wasn't letting her off so easily. She narrowed her violet eyes and said coldly, "No. You're not leaving yet."
"...So, Miss Girlfriend Taki, what else do you want from me?"
Soyo, still smiling sweetly, spoke with a cutting sarcasm, mocking the girl in front of her.
After all, Taki had completely derailed her plan. There was no way Soyo was going to treat her kindly now.
"How do I know you won't say 'I'm going home' and then sneak off to find Haru?"
"How rude. Do I really look like that kind of person?"
"What do you think?"
Taki rolled her eyes without mercy, and Soyo finally gave up any lingering hope.
"So I can't go home, and I can't go to Haru either?"
"Are you seriously planning to stand around here for hours, waiting for him and that random vixen to finish their date?"
Mocked so bluntly, Taki just frowned. After thinking for a moment, she pointed toward the nearby McDonalds fast food place and said, eyes sharp and calm, "Then let's go sit down over there. We should have a talk about things outside the band."
"Don't worry, I won't take up much of your time."
This troublesome woman would do anything for Haru. Taki had already staked everything on making today's date a success, so she didn't care about this final cleanup either. Naturally, she would see it through to the end.
"..."
Soyo frowned, but Taki's stubborn refusal to budge left her no choice but to give in.
Before pulling Soyo away, Taki glanced over toward Haru and Umiri. The two of them had already vanished during the commotion. She wouldn't be able to follow and see how the date went now, but the most important thing was keeping this ticking time bomb named Soyo under control.
She had put everything on the line for this date.
Umiri had probably decided to "give up" her feelings because of Taki, so now it was her turn to collect that emotional debt.
Her talk of "accepting his confession" and "having kissed" had all been lies told to keep Soyo in check. But now that the words were out, there was no taking them back. She had no choice but to acknowledge the feelings she had hidden away for so long.
For reasons she couldn't explain, Taki let out a quiet sigh, filled with mixed emotions.
…
Dating him was more fun than she'd expected.
Umiri watched the black-haired boy beside her with an unreadable expression.
Since ten o'clock, Haru had been dragging her all over the shopping district. They'd just come straight from the arcade, where they'd beaten game after game with ease, breaking high scores left and right.
They'd also racked up a pile of redemption points, which they'd used to exchange for various prizes.
"..."
Umiri glanced at the paper bag in her hand, filled with items they'd won.
Inside were small plastic or metal trinkets and plush toys that would appeal to young girls. Nothing expensive, just some decorative items anyone could get from playing games.
Still, Umiri treated them like they were precious, and her eyes drifted back to them now and then.
"Haru, want to find somewhere to eat?"
Having returned her scarf, Haru checked the time. They'd spent nearly two hours in the arcade without even noticing. It was already close to 1 PM, and both of them had completely forgotten about lunch.
Good thing they'd grabbed some takoyaki earlier, or they might've passed out from hunger.
"You're right. In that case..."
Umiri was about to suggest one of her favorite restaurants when her phone buzzed in her pocket.
Expression unreadable, she slowly pulled it out and saw the familiar name of a certain band.
It was her former employer from her part-time gigs. The call meant they were short a member again, and looking for their unbeatable [bass mercenary] to come save the day. But Umiri was completely committed to her date and wasn't about to let herself get distracted.
She was just about to decline the call when Haru gently tapped her on the shoulder.
"What's with the look? Take the call."
The handsome boy's dark eyes glimmered with amusement as he watched her. His sudden remark made Umiri hesitate, phone still in hand.
She stared silently at him for a moment, then answered coolly, "I already told them I wouldn't take any jobs today. You don't need to worry about that... We only need to focus on what we're doing."
Today, she had to stay focused. See this date through to the end with him.
Hearing that, Haru raised an eyebrow, giving her an odd look before chuckling. "Earlier, I got a call too and you didn't stop me from handling my business, right?"
"Besides, being a mercenary is important work for 'us.' We should treat it seriously."
Umiri blinked, clearly taken aback, and stared at him with a searching gaze.
"...You're planning to use our date time for work?"
"Who says being a mercenary isn't part of the date?"
Haru's lips curved into a confident smile as he met her eyes.
"..."
Umiri's face remained calm, unreadable. Not even someone close could guess what she was really thinking.
They stared at each other for several long seconds, until Umiri finally sighed with a faint smirk, a rare expression of reluctant admiration. Without a word, she answered the call. Before she could even speak, a desperate voice burst through the receiver.
"Yeah, I'm on my way."
She responded without emotion, then hung up slowly.
"It's been a while since you were on stage. You still remember how to play keys, right?"
"Are you kidding? Even if Sakiko's been covering for me lately, there's no way she can perform better than I can."
Haru grinned with a confident tilt of his head. His self-assuredness practically radiated from him.
Umiri understood the unspoken meaning behind his words and, for once, couldn't suppress the reaction. The serene mask on her face cracked slightly, a trace of a smile tugging at her lips.
"Let's go."
With that, Umiri took the lead, grabbing Haru's hand in her own.
This might have been the first time Umiri had ever made such a move. Out of context, it might've seemed absurd but on a day like this, during this particular date, it felt perfectly natural. They were a couple spending the whole day together, so it only made sense to do the kinds of things couples do.
That was the unspoken rule between them.
If Haru could take her hand, then naturally, Umiri could take his too.
"..."
Walking slightly ahead, Umiri bit her lip. Her usually composed face trembled slightly, but she showed no obvious emotion.
Her jade-green eyes remained fixed forward, as if staring down the lingering struggles of her past.
Eyes that once saw through all illusions... could no longer clearly see what her future held.
…
Tokyo, Shinjuku District.
Haru was no stranger to the live house called "Shinjuku FOLT." He remembered Ijichi Seika mentioning that Kikuri's band was based here. Compared to the venues in Shimokitazawa, the live houses around Shinjuku leaned more toward rock, especially the avant-garde psychedelic scene that had become increasingly popular.
Thankfully, even when he wasn't performing on stage, Haru never slacked off in his practice. His keyboard skills were more than enough for this level of show.
"Aiya aiya, thank you so much today, really!"
"I honestly thought Umiri-san wouldn't be able to help out this time... I mean, you said you had important plans today, right? But I really couldn't find anyone else, so I called thinking it was a long shot and I can't believe it actually worked out!"
Standing in front of Umiri was a punk-styled guitarist, a rocker-sister type who happened to be from one of Umiri's previous gigs. Even Haru had played alongside her when he'd performed with Umiri before, so he was familiar with this band that often called in mercenary help.
Umiri didn't pay much attention to her nonstop chatter. She simply nodded and asked calmly, "What songs are we playing today?"
"No worries! Same as always, the usual set of three. Honestly, if you hadn't shown up, we might've been stuck playing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star up there... But I never imagined you'd bring Little Haru along too! With both of you here, we'll have no problem pulling it off!"
"Ah, it's all good! We've got the bass and keys covered now, so I'll leave the rest to you two!"
It really was what you'd expect from Shinjuku FOLT, the regular stomping ground of Kikuri. The bands that played here regularly were never exactly "normal."
Haru couldn't help the twitch at the corner of his mouth as he stared at the nearly brand-new Roland FA-08 keyboard in front of him. His fingers brushed over the smooth keys, sending a jolt up his spine. Heavy as it was, the feel of this electronic keyboard was surprisingly comfortable.
Though he'd spent most of his time behind the scenes as support and composer, today he was breaking tradition. For once, the "manager" was stepping onto the stage and with Umiri, his partner, who he'd performed alongside so many times they no longer needed words to coordinate.
"..."
Umiri approached and pointed meaningfully at the keyboard.
Haru simply nodded, his expression neutral, silently signaling that he was ready.
Their performance chemistry had long surpassed the need for words. The moment Umiri looked into Haru's deep black eyes, she understood everything. Perhaps as a bassist, her synergy with this oddball keyboardist was even stronger than with Togawa Sakiko.
"Let's get on stage."
And with those words, their performance began.