"By the way, Sakiko, have you thought about your plans for the future?" Kikukawa Kyo asked.
"The future?" Sakiko assumed Kyo was asking about what steps she was taking toward her goals. "I still have too little accumulated. For now, I plan to work hard at the bookstore, buy more books, and expand my knowledge…"
"That's not what I meant." Kyo shook her head. She wasn't expecting Sakiko to become some big-shot overnight just to fulfill their agreement. "I mean something more immediate—what are you planning for high school?"
Ever since Sakiko had left the Togawa family, her financial situation had taken a sharp downturn. Attending Tsukinomori, the elite school she used to go to, was obviously no longer an option. Even transferring to any other school would still be costly.
"I've already thought about that. I plan to enroll at Haneoka. Not only is the tuition much lower than Tsukinomori's, but Haneoka, as an academically focused school, offers generous scholarships to encourage students. I'm confident I can earn one."
She might run into Shiina Taki, who had attended Haneoka for middle school, but for now, money was the bigger concern.
"Kyo, you go to Haneoka too, don't you?"
"Mm-hmm." Kyo hummed in response, her mouth still full of food. With her puffed-up cheeks, the usually sharp and clever Kyo looked, in Sakiko's eyes, a little silly.
Only after swallowing did Kyo continue. "Haneoka's actually pretty nice. A lot of people assume it's all about intense studying, but there are plenty of extracurricular activities too. They give students a good amount of free time."
"I'm probably staying at Haneoka for high school, too. Who knows? We might even end up in the same class."
For Sakiko, that was yet another reason to go to Haneoka.
They had been talking for quite a while as they ate. Sakiko had already finished her cheap bento, while Kyo had barely made a dent in the dishes.
"Sakikooo, help meee. I can't finish this," Kyo pleaded, putting on a pitiful, puppy-eyed expression as she stared directly at Sakiko.
Kyo never made this kind of face. But even though Sakiko knew she was faking it just for her, somehow… it still looked completely natural.
"…Is this another one of your drink-mixing persuasion techniques?" Sakiko snapped out of it after a brief silence, shaking her head.
"Because it works on you," Kyo admitted without hesitation.
Sakiko had no idea how to respond. The fact that Kyo could so shamelessly admit she was acting made it even more frustrating. Was all of this just a performance to her?
It wouldn't hurt to eat a little, Sakiko reasoned. She had already agreed to bring Kyo drinks as a form of repayment, after all…
Behind the excuse of self-respect, what was she really trying to hide?
...
By the time Kyo was finally done persuading her, Sakiko had probably eaten the most she had in a long time. It had been a while since she felt full like this.
Kyo was still leisurely working through her meal. She waved Sakiko off, telling her not to bother cleaning up—her sister would be coming to eat later anyway.
Sakiko found it amusing how Kyo treated her own sister like a live-in housekeeper. Then again, it probably meant the two of them had a good relationship.
Her thoughts drifted to someone else—her childhood friend, Wakaba Mutsumi.
They had grown up together, their families close enough that Mutsumi was one of the few people who knew about Sakiko's current situation. However, Sakiko hadn't had the chance to tell her about her new job yet.
I should message Mutsumi soon and let her know that I've settled down so she doesn't have to worry.
After wiping her mouth clean and ensuring her appearance was neat, Sakiko got ready to return to work. Since Miss Yuu hadn't had a proper meal yet, she would take over and handle any customers in the meantime.
As she stepped back into the bookstore, she saw Miss Yuu chatting with a woman—tall, model-like, and wearing a pair of sunglasses. The two of them seemed to be having an animated conversation.
As Sakiko approached, she finally caught snippets of what they were saying.
"If Miss Yuutenji wants to film a video in the bookstore, I personally don't mind. It could even serve as a bit of publicity for our little shop, as long as it doesn't disturb other customers."
The visitor was none other than Yuutenji Nyamu, who was always on the lookout for content that could boost her numbers and engagement. However, this time, rather than rushing into filming right away, she had chosen to visit Kikukawa Bookstore in person.
Before taking action, Nyamu needed to assess the location properly and confirm whether it was truly worth the risk of venturing into new content.
And now that she was here, seeing that the store's owner was indeed Kikukawa Shuku's eldest daughter, Kikukawa Yuu, Nyamu already considered the trip a success. While Yuu wasn't nearly as famous as her younger sister, the fact that she was Shuku's daughter alone was enough to draw attention.
Standing quietly to the side, Sakiko listened to their conversation. Realizing that this customer wasn't here to buy books, she politely chose not to interrupt.
Yuu, however, turned to Sakiko and said, "Oh, right. Miss Nyamuchi, while I have no objections myself, I should still check with my employees. This may be my store, but it's not a dictatorship."
Seeing the opportunity, Sakiko finally asked what was going on.
"I'll explain, Nyamuchi!" Nyamu volunteered, addressing Sakiko by her account name. "I'm an online content creator specializing in beauty videos. Lately, I've been planning a new series on 'makeup looks suited for different settings.' I was hoping to use your bookstore as the filming location for the first episode."
As she spoke, Nyamu, hidden behind her sunglasses, subtly observed the beautiful young bookstore employee. Her elegant demeanor suggested an upper-class background, yet beneath her uniform, her clothes were inexpensive—though cleverly styled so that they didn't look cheap at first glance.
Is it just her natural presence?
Something about it felt contradictory. And contradictions often meant stories.
Stories that could attract engagement.
After hearing Nyamu's explanation, Sakiko looked a bit uneasy. A video that would be uploaded online… she didn't want any chance of being recognized by her former bandmates.
But Nyamu's visit had sparked a new thought—if Sakiko wanted to become someone successful, there was one extremely useful tool she couldn't ignore: the internet.
Even those who weren't professional content creators—idols, for instance—actively used online platforms to engage with fans and grow their influence.
No matter what she chose to pursue in the future, the internet would likely play a key role. Maybe she could even take a route similar to Nyamu's and start by becoming an online creator herself.
Sakiko tucked the idea away for later consideration and gave her response. "If Miss Nyamuchi wants to film in the bookstore, I have no objections. It's up to Miss Yuu. However… I personally prefer not to be on camera, so please make sure I'm not filmed."
"Oh? That's a shame. You're quite cute, Miss Employee. I bet you'd look great on camera," Nyamu said smoothly, effortlessly delivering a practiced compliment. But she wasn't particularly concerned—her real target had already given the green light.
Just then, another person stepped out from the break room.
Kikukawa Kyo had come looking for her sister, wondering why Yuu still hadn't returned even though Sakiko had already taken over at the counter. After filling her stomach, she decided to check what was going on.
"What are you guys talking about?"
Greeting them casually, Kyo made her way behind the counter, rummaging around until she pulled out a can of coffee.
"Hey, Sis, you're running low on drinks here."
"There's literally a café right next door. Why do you insist on stocking up on drinks in my store?"
Oh my god. Jackpot.
Nyamu froze for a split second, then inwardly burst with joy. Stay calm. Stay cool. If I laugh now, it'll ruin everything…
She hadn't expected to run into her real target here—the one she had been searching for. The so-called "genius" Kikukawa Kyo.
And judging by their conversation… That weirdly named café next door belongs to her?
This opportunity—Nyamuchi absolutely had to seize it.