The golden-haired girl stood still, her gaze calm and unwavering. The earlier expressions of hesitation and sorrow she had shown in front of Nagasaki Soyo had vanished like smoke, leaving no trace behind.
Her finely sculpted features were now a blank canvas, betraying no emotion. Even her dreamy violet-blue eyes, which once sparkled with warmth, now seemed void of light.
Misumi Uika was stunningly beautiful. Her innate elegance and grace made her look as if she were born to stand under stage lights.
And yet, this "Sumimi" idol who so often dazzled on stage now showed no sign of her public persona in front of Soyo. The gentle, amiable smile she had worn earlier felt as if it had never existed, nothing more than an illusion.
It created an eerie, disorienting sense of unreality.
"..."
A strange weakness washed over Uika's limbs. When she heard Soyo say, "Of course Haru wants to keep his distance from other girls," it was as though she had forgotten how to breathe.
Memories of the times she had shared with that black-haired boy surged through her like the rising tide, slowly flooding her heart.
Haru had promised to go to the planetarium with her.
Haru had promised he wouldn't dislike her.
If what Soyo said reflected Haru's true feelings, then why would he have agreed to go out with her? Shouldn't he have turned her down? Shouldn't he want to keep his distance from someone like her?
Or was it because he wanted to properly say goodbye, that he accepted her invitation?
The very thought made her heart clench. A wave of dizziness nearly collapsed her onto the couch. A bitter, self-loathing ache spiraled through her like a tangled strand of DNA.
Even as someone whose job was to smile, whose strength lay in performance, she couldn't force away the turmoil this time. Gritting her teeth and clenching her fists didn't help. All she could do was force herself to lift her head, trying to keep the forming tears from spilling over.
"Um… Uika-san? Why bring up Sakiko right now?"
Soyo, caught slightly off guard, offered a strained smile. Unlike before, the mask she wore on her face now seemed unnaturally stiff.
Back when they had first met, Soyo remembered how vulnerable and self-conscious Uika had seemed in front of Sakiko. She looked like someone anyone could easily push around.
So how had her presence shifted so drastically in the span of just two sentences?
Soyo's words pulled Uika back from her spiral. Her gaze naturally drifted toward the kitchen.
In that fleeting moment, she could almost see a tall, warm figure standing there, a boy with black hair tied in a low ponytail, wearing an apron, smiling smugly as he turned toward her, as if sensing her gaze.
The warmth of that memory seeped into her chest, soothing the panic inside her.
No. Haru wasn't like that.
As the fear in her heart melted away, Uika, an idol trained to regain her composure in an instant, calmed herself with a single breath.
She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her black earring glinting faintly at the edge of her fair lobe.
"Nagasaki-san, didn't you used to be in a band with Sakiko too? If you were friends… then you must've known she liked Haru, right? And yet, you still started dating him without hesitation. Now you even want him to keep his distance from everyone but you."
Her words were calm but laced with meaning, as Uika's thoughts poured forth.
Logically, any girl who got close enough to Haru to become his girlfriend would know about his ideal of a "harem." If Soyo didn't accept that vision, there was no way she would have made it this far in a relationship with him. Which meant she must have agreed to it.
But if she agreed to it, why was she so adamant about pushing other girls away?
Seeing Uika return to her earlier soft, serene self, Soyo, still uneasy but also slowly regained her composure. But faced with such pointed questions, she had no immediate reply.
The truth was, she did selfishly want Haru all to herself. She couldn't deny it.
"I do know Saki-chan likes Haru, but… I can't control how I feel. So, I can't give him up."
"And besides, I don't think someone as stubborn and strong-willed as Saki-chan is a good fit for Haru. Only I, as his wife, can prioritize his thoughts, take care of him fully. Haru genuinely, truly loves me. That's why we became a couple!"
Soyo's heart pounded painfully as her emotions clashed. She forced herself to explain, trying to sound reasonable.
But in Uika's eyes, everything she said was pure selfishness. It was all about what Soyo wanted. She hadn't once considered Sakiko's feelings or even Haru's.
Uika felt her pulse slow unnaturally, and her violet-gray eyes narrowed, her fingertips trembling. Something unfamiliar and intense rose within her. Her gaze toward Soyo grew colder, sharper.
After a moment's pause, she spoke softly.
"Nagasaki-san, is that really how Haru feels?"
"The things you 'believe', are they truly what Haru believes?"
A new realization began to take shape in Uika's mind. Perhaps Soyo was unlike the other girlfriends.
Perhaps… she didn't truly support the idea of a harem.
That realization made Uika's entire body tremble. Her heart twisted like it had been cut, and cold sweat dampened her brow. She took deep breaths to steady herself, though the way she looked at Soyo now was full of jealousy, grief, and rejection.
If she didn't genuinely support Haru's ideals, then hadn't she been lying to him all along?
Why was it that the girl who deceived him got to be with him, while someone who wholeheartedly loved and supported him was left behind?
Was she the only one who wasn't good enough?
"…Then what about you, Uika-san?" Soyo asked, her breath quickening, pushed to the brink. "If you were in my shoes and dating Haru, how would you treat Sakiko?"
"I'd give up my own happiness to help Sakiko be with him."
Uika answered without hesitation. Her lavender eyes locked onto Soyo's.
Her voice was calm and steady, her gaze clear and penetrating. In that moment, Soyo felt exposed, as though her heart was laid bare for Uika to see. She had no retort, only opened her mouth in stunned silence.
Seeing this, Uika slowly closed her eyes, then offered a graceful smile as she spoke faintly,
"If Haru truly wants to keep his distance from me, I'll respect that, of course. I'll stay far, far away…"
"But next month, Haru already promised to go to the planetarium with me."
The moment she said that, Soyo's earlier claim that Haru wanted to stay distant from other girls, crumbled instantly. The message was loud and clear: she wasn't backing down just because of a few pretty words.
With a storm of emotion roiling inside her, Uika said coldly,
"Nagasaki-san… in the end, aren't you really just thinking about yourself?"
Soyo's pupils shrank slightly. Her fingers trembled around the handle of her coffee cup.
Just then, a sharp metallic click echoed through the room, the sound of the apartment's front door unlocking.
…
—One Hour Earlier—
By the time the dinner gathering ended, it was already close to 6:30 in the evening.
The members of Ave Mujica, Kessoku Band and MyGO!!!!!, once fierce rivals, had grown closer through this meetup. Though their competitive spirits remained, they now considered each other true friends, no matter what they might be competing for next.
The Kessoku Band girls said their goodbyes with cheerful smiles.
On a normal day, Haru would probably have offered to walk each girl home. But with so many people present, it would've taken ages. Instead, the girls decided to pair off and head out together.
Ikuyo Kita, eyes sparkling, tugged lightly at Anon's arm and asked brightly,
"Anon, Anon~ Let's walk home together?"
There was plenty to talk about after today's "girlfriend meeting." She wanted to take the chance to go over everything in private with Anon.
The sharp and clever Anon caught on immediately. Her gaze drifted discreetly toward Nijika, who was still scolding Ryo not far off, then she waved with a cheerful smile.
"Sure thing! Then, Haru, I'll go ahead with Kita and take Raana-chan home!"
"Alright, alright. Be careful out there."
Seeing the bratty pink-haired girl casually blend into the departing group of Kessoku Band members, Haru could only shrug with a hint of helplessness.
All in all, the "meet-and-greet" had gone more smoothly than Haru expected. Each of the girls, sharp in her own way, had clearly picked up on the others' identities. Apart from the shy Taki and the socially awkward Bocchi, most had taken the chance to learn a great deal about one another.
He had known that one day they would all have to meet, but never imagined it would happen because of Anon.
"…Well then, I'll walk Mutsumi and Tomori home."
Just as Haru turned to ask the two about their plans, the usually quiet and obedient Wakaba Mutsumi gently tugged at his sleeve. Her calm golden eyes held a rare flicker of intention.
"Haru, I want to talk to Taki."
"Taki?"
Haru raised an eyebrow, unsure he had heard correctly.
While Mutsumi and Taki had once been bandmates in CRYCHIC, their relationship during that time hadn't been particularly close. One had trouble expressing her thoughts, the other was too proud and introverted to initiate conversation.
After CRYCHIC's breakup, they'd lost all contact, only reconnecting now because of their shared role as Haru's girlfriends.
"Alright, I'll call her over."
Haru didn't pry further. He simply waved toward Taki, who was chatting with Tomori nearby.
Taki noticed his knowing smile instantly. Recalling the "trouble" they'd gotten into last time, her face flushed slightly. But with the ever-watchful Tomori by her side, she couldn't let her expression slip.
"…Seriously, what do you want now, calling me over out of the blue?"
Despite her grumbling tone, Taki obediently walked over, her steps honest even as she folded her arms and feigned aloofness.
Haru gave her a quick scan from head-to-toe and said with a shake of the head, "It's not me. Mutsumi has something she wants to talk to you about."
"Mutsumi?"
Taki blinked, glancing over at the quiet green-haired girl standing beside him.
Even back in CRYCHIC, Mutsumi had never once come to her directly for anything.
Haru gave her a slight nudge in Mutsumi's direction and cleared his throat. "I'll leave you two to it. I'm heading to the vending machine for a drink."
With that, he turned and walked off, leaving an uneasy Taki alone with the expressionless girl in front of her.
Wait, he just left her here?
Taki looked like a kitten abandoned in a strange room, completely on edge. She puffed out her cheeks and instinctively wore her sharp, aloof expression, arms folded tightly across her chest.
Being alone with someone you hadn't spoken to in ages was just… awkward, no matter how you looked at it.
"..."
Mutsumi stared directly at Taki, her golden eyes steady. She looked like she was about to say something gently.
But before she could speak, Taki couldn't handle the silence any longer and broke in awkwardly, "So… what is it, Mutsumi? Why did you suddenly want to talk to me?"
Mutsumi was silent for two seconds, then raised her eyes and said calmly, "I need your help, Taki."
"My… help?"
Taki was caught completely off guard. She blinked, then pointed at herself with a bewildered look.
Mutsumi nodded, then glanced over at the dark-haired boy in the distance.
When she turned back, her pale golden eyes held a glimmer of light, and her soft, emotionless face showed the slightest ripple. Her voice, usually so delicate, carried a rare clarity.
"Soyo… she's different from us."
Different?
The cryptic words from the green-haired girl left Taki completely confused.
But after knowing Mutsumi for this long, Taki had never heard her ask for anything before. So this sudden request felt strange, but Taki didn't dismiss it.
She furrowed her brows slightly and asked instinctively, "…Different? In what way?"
"Soyo doesn't want to share her feelings with anyone else."
"…Huh?"
Taki's mouth opened, trying to grasp the meaning.
But she wasn't slow. In fact, the moment she heard those words, something clicked, and her expression shifted into a stunned realization. She took a step forward without hesitation.
Taki raised her amethyst-colored eyes, staring at Mutsumi intently. "Mutsumi… Are you saying that Soyo wants Haru all to herself?"
"Yeah."
Mutsumi nodded, clearly agreeing.
Taki frowned deeply. Instead of confusion, her thoughts suddenly aligned. Her mouth moved almost involuntarily as she murmured,
"So that's why Soyo was so against Umiri going on a date with Haru… She doesn't want more girls to officially become his girlfriends?"
"If it were anyone else… I might hesitate. But Soyo? I can totally see her doing something like that."
Taki exhaled sharply, her brows knit in a tangle of agitation.
She thought back to when MyGO first took the stage. Back then, Soyo had used Haru to try and revive CRYCHIC. If Haru hadn't constantly mediated between them, Taki would never have forgiven her on her own.
"Soyo's pulling this kind of thing again?"
Taki clenched her fists, seething. She wanted to confront Soyo directly, but thoughts of Haru calmed her just enough to stop. Instead, she turned back to her "informant."
"Mutsumi, you say Soyo wants to monopolize Haru… But haven't we already made our relationships official? Haru wouldn't agree to something like that. So how is she planning to 'monopolize' him?"
After a moment's silence, Mutsumi offered a quiet guess.
"…She might be trying to be the first to sleep with him. That way, she can take the most important place in his heart."
"Even if that doesn't lead to complete control, it'd still put her in a dominant position. As long as Haru prioritizes her, that's already a form of monopolization."
An unequal love, one where she received the lion's share. That was likely Soyo's plan.
Mutsumi reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear. The long, pale green strands fluttered softly in the breeze, her golden eyes faintly shimmering with resignation and sorrow.
She tightened her grip on her skirt, her slender waist subtly revealing her vulnerability. She stood like a lone, elegant peony in bloom.
After a long silence, she finally spoke again, expression blank.
"Soyo didn't come to the dinner tonight because she probably guessed Haru would go home alone. So she went to his place early to wait."
"If Haru ends up alone with her… it'll be dangerous."
Taki's eyes flew open in shock.
"So that's why she didn't come?!"
No wonder something had felt off about her today. Normally, when it came to anything involving Haru, Soyo was always the first to jump in, yet today she had acted out of character, claiming she was playing the doting sister. And now it turned out she had been hiding this kind of scheme all along.
"If it's really like you said, Mutsumi, then there's no way we can let Soyo get away with this!"
Taki frowned, clearly agitated, and rubbed her temples as her thoughts churned.
"But… Mutsumi, why come to me? If you knew all this, why not stop Soyo yourself?"
Taki had learned many things since getting involved with Haru, but above all else, she had learned how to stay calm. Rather than rush in blindly, she gave the quiet green-haired girl a questioning look.
After all, Mutsumi's decision to "inform" her carried its own implications.
Taki knew Mutsumi and Tomori were quite close. Plus, if they really wanted to stop Soyo, they could just throw that pink-haired menace into the mix, she might not be good at anything else, but causing chaos was her specialty. Even if Mutsumi acted herself, it would've been fine.
But instead, she had come to Taki. That was what Taki couldn't figure out.
"..."
Mutsumi shook her head silently.
"I've already tried many times before."
"But this time, for personal reasons… I have to ask you to handle it."
Personal reasons?
Taki stared at her, watching the way Mutsumi lowered her head slightly like a child seeking help. Suddenly, a memory flickered in her mind, during that band training camp, Mutsumi, who wasn't even a member of MyGO, had suddenly appeared. Looking back now, she was probably there to stop Soyo back then too.
With a deep sigh, Taki stiffened her expression and said slowly,
"Alright. I'll help you this time."
Seeing Taki agree, a faint ripple passed through Mutsumi's eyes.
"…You're not going to ask why?"
"If you're not telling me, it means you can't say yet. I'm not dumb enough to pry. Besides… right now, between you and Soyo, I trust you more."
Taki huffed and turned away, her slightly flushed face clearly trying to cover for her kindness.
Come to think of it, she probably was the best choice.
Sure, Tomori held a pretty strong place in Haru's heart… but that cute penguin girl would just get sweet-talked and sold out without even noticing. As for the pink-haired chaos gremlin, she wasn't close enough to Mutsumi. So, yeah... it made sense to come to her.
"..."
Mutsumi stared at Taki, then slowly nodded.
She couldn't reveal that she was Haru's fiancée just yet.
As his fiancée, she naturally held the greatest authority, and at any moment could easily crush Soyo. But revealing her status too early would only make Soyo more cautious. She needed to use that card at the most effective moment.
"Thank you, Taki."
"Huh? Why the hell are you thanking me all of a sudden… I'm his g-girlfriend too, you know! This is nothing! And besides… I'm mostly doing this for Tomori. If Soyo actually gets her way, Tomori would be too pitiful!"
Taki shot back with a scowl, then hastily threw out a "I'm heading off now" before practically fleeing the scene. But even though no more words were exchanged, the trust between them had been sealed.
With flushed cheeks, Taki pulled out her phone and, after a moment of hesitation, dialed a number.
"Hey? Sis?"
"I might be home a bit… late tonight. I might even stay over at a friend's place…"
"What?! Why are you crying all of a sudden? Say something already!"
She finally hung up after a few more exclamations. Her lips, tinted with gloss, pressed together as her ears blushed red. Even with the call over, she was still muttering under her breath.
Ugh, what kind of misunderstanding did that idiot sister get into?
She was just going to catch a "criminal," not… not that.
Even as she tried to convince herself, her hand rose unconsciously to her cheek, which was steadily heating under her palm. Images of those embarrassing moments from before bubbled up in her mind.
Wait a second… if Soyo isn't at Haru's place… what then?
Just as her head started to spin and she stood frozen, a hand tapped her on the shoulder.
"Gah?! Umi—Umiri?!"
Yahata Umiri looked at her silently, face blank. After a quick once-over, she spoke in her usual even tone, "Finished your call? So, you're staying at Haru's place tonight?"
"Wha—you were eavesdropping?!"
Taki's eyes widened, flustered and furious as embarrassment took over. She immediately tried to shift the blame.
Umiri blinked slowly, then raised her eyebrows slightly with a meaningful tone, "…I didn't hear anything. That was just a random guess."
"But now I get it."
"Mutsumi and Tomori, I'll take them home. You go do whatever it is you need to do."
Taki lifted her deep violet eyes, her flushed cheeks making the teardrop mole at the corner of her eye look even warmer. She opened her mouth to explain, but ultimately said nothing.
Umiri glanced toward the vending machine, then gave her a gentle push on the back.
Understanding what that meant, Taki bit her lip in frustration and forced herself to walk forward.
She stood rigidly in front of Haru, hugging one arm and unable to meet his gaze.
"Taki?"
Leaning against the wall with a canned coffee in hand, Haru blinked at her odd expression.
Taki clenched her fists and slowly raised her crimson face.
"Haru, I have something… I need to tell you!"