Nagasaki Soyo's heart was in chaos.
Before the boy Mutsumi liked pushed open the door and walked in, she had imagined many possibilities.
Maybe it would be a cold and aloof academic achiever with gold-rimmed glasses, or a tall and sunny sports-type, or even a gentle and considerate younger puppy-like guy… she even imagined a delinquent in a leather jacket and studded pants.
She had sketched ten thousand different appearances in her mind, but not once did she think that the boy Mutsumi liked… would be Kaito.
'How can it be?'
'Clearly, I just found the boy I want to spend a lifetime with…'
'And has also made friends I truly care about…'
'The overlapping of two kinds of happiness should have resulted in a dreamlike, blissful time…'
'But why… why did it turn out like this?'
"Soyo?", Mutsumi paused. The chestnut-haired girl couldn't even maintain the gentle smile on her pretty face. Her blue eyes had long lost their shine, completely lifeless and hollow to the point of being frightening.
Mutsumi felt a little worried and instinctively grabbed her hand, ice cold to the touch.
"Soyo, are you okay?", She couldn't help but call again.
Chihaya Anon also looked somewhat puzzled at the strange brown-haired girl in front of her, 'She was just lively and cheerful a moment ago, why does she suddenly look like she has lost her soul?'
Her expression was as ugly as a husband returning home after working three days and nights of overtime, only to find his boss's shoes at the entrance.
"If you're not feeling well physically, should we go to the hospital for a check-up?", Kind-hearted Saint Anon suggested sincerely.
"…I'm fine," Nagasaki Soyo finally broke free from the chaotic thoughts and forced a faint smile.
"It was just a bit unexpected. I didn't think Mutsumi would know Kaito-kun… That's all, really."
Mutsumi lowered her gaze and stayed silent for a moment before cautiously explaining, "…Earlier, I encountered some trouble and was helped by Kaito-kun."
She didn't go into too much detail, her explanation was rather vague.
Because if she were to go over the entire story of how she and Kaito met, she couldn't avoid mentioning Sakiko.
Soyo's current state… already seemed unstable, like gunpowder with a fuse almost burned to the end, on the verge of explosion at any time.
If Sakiko's name was brought up again, it might provoke her even more.
Mutsumi was expressionless, but not emotionless.
Although she often delivered verbal blows that hit hard without meaning to, that was never her true intention.
If possible, she just wanted to be like a cucumber vine, growing with the passage of time, harming no one.
"I see," Nagasaki Soyo's lips slightly curved, her voice sweet at just the right pitch, but no smile reached her eyes.
'Even at this point, Mutsumi is still hiding things.'
At this point, the unfamiliar pink-haired vixen spirit beside Kaito no longer mattered in Soyo's eyes.
Although the other girl's face was admittedly cute, she exuded a strange air of silliness, like a pitiful paperboard easily manipulated, not worth worrying about.
'Instead, it is Mutsumi—'
'Why… why do you always do things that makes everyone unhappy?'
'Back then, it was you who added the final blow to the already fragile CRYCHIC, causing the band to disband, with each member going their separate ways.'
'Now, I've finally walked out of the shadows, let go of everything in the past, and just want to chase after my own happiness.'
'Why… why must you…'
'Become an obstacle to me again?'
Betrayal from someone close always hits the hardest.
Not long ago, Soyo genuinely hoped that Mutsumi would find happiness, even thought about lending her a hand.
'But… no one told me the boy you liked was my boyfriend!'
Although she and Kaito didn't yet have an official relationship status, they had already met each other's parents. Her mom was quite satisfied with this future son-in-law and had even hinted that she could be bolder in her behavior. If she got pregnant, her mom would help raise the kid…
And their relationship had been steadily progressing. All that was left before marriage was a confession, so calling him her boyfriend in advance wasn't a problem.
Now, every time Soyo recalled her promise to Mutsumi, saying things like "I'll help you", her head throbbed painfully.
'Help, help, help… help my a*s!'
She didn't have any weird fetishes, and definitely didn't have the broad-mindedness to say "Just think of it as him practicing his skills", how could she calmly let herself be cheated on?
Forget Mutsumi, even if it were Sakiko, it wouldn't fly.
"Hmm… Why does the atmosphere feel kind of strange?", Anon couldn't help but mumble under her breath.
But this was clearly someone's personal matter, so it wasn't her place to comment.
She waved to the waitress, ordered a 70%-sweet milk tea and a fruit sandwich, then looked at Kaito beside her and said generously, "If there's anything you want to eat or drink, go ahead and order. Everything's on me."
"One taro ball milk tea, extra taro balls please," Kaito handed the menu back to the dazed waitress, "Also one matcha parfait, thanks."
"Ah? O-okay!", The waitress, named Ririko, finally snapped out of her daze and absentmindedly took the menu, seemingly by accident, her fingers brushed the back of his hand.
This obviously intentional gesture didn't escape the sharp eyes of the three girls.
Soyo's beautiful eyes looked like they were about to spit fire, 'Mutsumi trying to steal my man is one thing, but even the waitress is getting ideas?'
'Secretly groping a male customer, is this the so-called RiNG staff's service spirit?', Anon puffed her cheeks in displeasure, 'You dare hit on my future boyfriend right in front of me, how bold are you in private, then?'
Only Mutsumi looked unfazed, as if used to it, and didn't seem angry.
She never intended to monopolize Kaito's heart, just being able to catch a bit of light slipping through Sakiko's fingers was already enough to satisfy her.
"S-sorry," Ririko smiled awkwardly and mumbled guiltily, "My hand slipped…"
Of course, that was just an excuse, and a very poor one.
But faced with such extreme beauty, she held back and held back, and still failed to suppress her heart's flutter. As if possessed, she stretched out her hand and did something like a crazed fangirl. She was too ashamed to stay.
The waitress practically ran off.
Once her figure disappeared completely behind the counter, Nagasaki Soyo finally picked up the black tea in front of her and took a light sip, using it to cover up her true feelings.
'Truly… not a moment's rest.'
Nagasaki Asuna had once patiently taught her daughter: first turn raw rice into cooked rice. As for feelings, those can be grown later.
At that time, Soyo had always felt such a method was too bold and risky. She preferred slowly building up affection, waiting for the right time.
But after Mutsumi's backstab, she could no longer sit still.
Even Ririko, who had only seen Kaito-kun once, lost her composure like that…
If she delayed any further, her rivals would only increase.
'Perhaps… it is time to resort to some special tactics.'
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.
https://discord.gg/bYAfGyp98y