"No…"
Tears streaming down her face, Soyo slowly released Haru's left hand. It was as if she sensed that the boy before her was about to say those words. She stood up with deliberate slowness, the fierce fear and stabbing pain in her chest sending a sharp, indescribable ache through her temples.
Before Haru could speak, she fled the living room.
She could not hear it. She could not hear that sentence.
"Soyo!"
Her sudden movement left Haru momentarily stunned. He clenched his teeth and instinctively prepared to chase after her.
But a slight resistance tugged at his sleeve. At some point, Mutsumi had risen from the sofa and come to stand beside him. Her slender brows knitted slightly as she shook her head at him. At that moment, a sharp metallic clangechoed through the air.
It was the front door slamming shut.
Realizing that Soyo had already left the house, Haru's dark eyes turned to the fiancée beside him.
After two seconds of silence, he spoke with a trace of helplessness in his tone. "Mutsumi, you should let go of me first."
"…I'm sorry."
Lowering her head in disappointment, Mutsumi apologized without hesitation.
The moment she noticed Soyo deliberately following her home, Mutsumi had planned to use this opportunity to expose her schemes and, with the authority of a fiancée, make her behave herself. But she had not expected Haru to come home at that exact moment.
Because of that, when Soyo saw him, she misunderstood, believing that their entire conversation had been overheard. The anxiety she had been suppressing collapsed all at once.
"I'm sorry, but Haru… you can't go after her right now."
Mutsumi bit her lip, still clutching his sleeve.
Even though things had turned out differently from what she had planned, she knew she couldn't let Haru chase after Soyo in this state.
He was far too softhearted toward the girls he dated. No matter how many mistakes Soyo made, he would take them all onto himself. If he went after her now, she would once again easily lose herself in his warmth and comfort.
She couldn't be allowed to cling to that hope. Otherwise, she would never truly repent.
"…"
Seeing the determined look in Mutsumi's eyes, Haru sighed deeply.
He could never bear to see a girl who loved him cry in despair, but he understood what Mutsumi was thinking.
After all, no matter how many of Soyo's mistakes he was willing to shoulder, no matter how many times he was willing to forgive her, if he was too gentle, she would never change.
"I'm sorry," Mutsumi repeated, but there was a glint of resolve in her gaze.
It had been the same back when they were in CRYCHIC. The same with Togawa Sakiko. Even after starting to date Haru, Soyo had tried to privately monopolize the number one spot. Even when Taki caught her in the act, she still hadn't told the truth. Whatever her reasons, she had deceived him.
Mutsumi had already tried again and again to persuade her in private, to compromise, even to openly warn her. Yet to this day, Soyo persisted in her ways.
That was why Mutsumi had finally gathered her courage and made up her mind. She could no longer forgive her so easily.
"Alright, alright… in any case, Mutsumi, let go of me for now."
"Don't worry. Of course I'm not angry at you. I know you're doing this for me, for everyone... even for Soyo herself. Do you really think I'm so stubborn that I wouldn't listen to reason?"
His gentle reassurance made Mutsumi nod slightly. Only then did she slowly release his sleeve.
Sensing that she still hadn't fully relaxed, Haru wrapped her in a light embrace. His fingers combed gently through her long hair, easing the stiffness in her doll-like frame until she softened into his warmth.
The tips of her ears brushed against him, the faint scent of fresh flowers soothing her breath.
With her golden eyes closed, she hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"…Haru, you can't go to Soyo on your own."
She wasn't trying to drive away this "bad woman." On the contrary, from the start, she had supported their relationship.
But Soyo's actions had disappointed her again and again.
No matter what, Haru couldn't be the one to comfort her right now. Soyo had to come to her senses on her own. If she truly loved him, even in this state she would eventually think it through, then return to apologize and ask everyone for forgiveness.
It wasn't something Haru should compromise over.
"…Alright. I understand."
After a short silence, Haru agreed, though that didn't mean he would stop worrying about her.
Perhaps sensing the faint worry in his eyes, Mutsumi rubbed her cheek gently against his neck, her voice soft and tender.
"You don't have to worry too much about Soyo. I'll talk to her again later."
Given the way things had turned out, Mutsumi felt she bore some responsibility.
So she would take responsibility.
…
The tall buildings along Ikebukuro's streets gleamed faintly in the glow of the setting sun. Twilight veiled the faded sky, while the endless flow of people and cars moved in steady rhythm.
Walking along the edge of the street, the brown-haired girl's gaze was weary. Her swollen eyes carried a heavy sorrow.
In the golden light, the city shimmered with breathtaking beauty. Yet her world seemed drained of all color.
A flicker of dazed awareness passed through her vision, and before she knew it, she had arrived at the steep slope of Fujimizaka.
The long incline made it hard for her to keep her balance. Her legs, already weak, felt almost numb. Stumbling forward without focus, she kept moving, stubborn and lost, completely immersed in the lingering weight of her grief.
"…It hurts so much."
Her voice had grown hoarse from crying too much, and though the light of the setting sun fell over her, she could not stop trembling.
A cold, lonely chill seeped from her bloodless fingertips into her spine, and she could only force her heavy legs to keep moving.
She had almost heard it, had she almost heard those words?
She had lied to the person she loved most, over and over, only to satisfy her own selfish and awkward desires. The situation she had created by ignoring everyone else's feelings was nothing more than the bitter fruit of her own making.
Yet when Haru was about to speak the word "breakup," in that final second when she could not bear the thought, Soyo had chosen to run away.
Because even if she died, she did not want to hear the person she loved most say he hated her, that he wanted to sever their bond and end their relationship.
"I am so ugly… What on earth am I thinking?"
"Haru must hate me already. He has no reason to forgive me again and again… especially when I have been lying to him from the very start. Everything that happened is my fault…"
Gripped by her crushing lack of security, she muttered to herself, her steps stiff and mechanical as she walked out of Fujimizaka Street. Her dull blue eyes seemed unable to see the ground in front of her.
At the turn of the corner, she collided with a passing pedestrian.
"Ugh…"
Falling to the ground, Soyo let out a small cry of pain. But she no longer had the strength to even apologize.
She sat there in a daze, her posture wretched and defenseless. The sting in her scraped palm felt like an alarm clock yanking her from a dream. Her fingers, already cold, could no longer feel the warmth that had once been hers. Her heart felt hollow, as if nothing at all remained inside.
"Soyo?"
A calm, slightly surprised voice called her name. Instinctively, Soyo lifted her head.
Standing before her was a girl in a gray-white lace dress. Her beautiful, silky light-blue hair was tied into shoulder-length twin tails with black ribbons, and the clean braids at her temples spoke of her innate grace and elegance.
She looked down at Soyo from above, her amber eyes bright as jewels yet tinged with curiosity.
"…Saki-chan."
Her eyes swollen and her face streaked with tears, Soyo spoke with difficulty. The sudden meeting left her unsure of what to say.
"What happened to you?"
With a shoulder bag slung across her body, Sakiko's slender brows knit together as she took in Soyo's pitiful state. A hint of worry appeared on her refined, beautiful face.
But that fleeting emotion quickly faded, leaving only her usual calm indifference.
Soyo… it looked like she had been crying.
Even Sakiko had never seen her so fragile. Back when she had scolded Soyo harshly because of CRYCHIC, Soyo had not looked like this.
Soyo bit her lip and answered in a raspy voice.
"…It's nothing. You don't need to worry about me."
I brought this upon myself.
"Is that so?"
Sakiko bit down gently, then closed her eyes as if to turn away.
Perhaps because of the apology she had offered at that Live, her relationship with the other CRYCHIC members had eased somewhat. Even so, Sakiko kept a certain distance. Her "current situation" was something she could not reveal, not even to Haru.
Whatever Soyo was going through was none of her business, and stepping in would only make it harder to get away.
"…"
But after taking only two steps in her leather shoes, Sakiko stopped.
Though things had once been tense because of CRYCHIC, Soyo had still been her friend, and more importantly, she was Haru's bandmate. No matter what, Sakiko could not afford to make things too hostile.
Otherwise, Haru caught between them would only be put in a more difficult position. Sakiko had no intention of troubling him.
"Here. Wipe your face."
Expressionless, she pulled a plain white handkerchief, two hundred yen from the supermarket, from her pocket and pressed it into Soyo's hand without waiting for an answer.
"I don't know what happened, but if you're going to cry, go home and do it there."
"…"
It was as if Soyo hadn't heard her at all. She just sat there, vacant.
Sakiko's breath caught. Seeing her like this made her strangely irritated, and she decided she could not be bothered. She stepped past her.
But after ten paces, she stopped again.
Soyo was still sitting in the same spot, unmoving.
"…Ugh, I can't stand this."
Annoyance surged in Sakiko's chest. She bit her lip and turned back.
Why was she getting involved in such a mess?
Still, Soyo's mental endurance was not exactly weak. For her to be this broken, it had to be something serious. From Sakiko's perspective, it was almost certainly connected to Haru, because otherwise, with Soyo's personality, she would never be like this.
"Get up and tell me exactly what happened."
She just wanted to confirm what had happened to Haru.
Grabbing Soyo's wrist, Sakiko pulled her to her feet and, without asking, dragged her along.
Soyo, her eyes red, could only follow in confusion.
…
MAMECOCORO Café
This small café stood on the shopping street near Haneoka Academy, across from the Bakery that Haru often visited.
For both Sakiko and Soyo, this place held a meaning no one else knew.
It had been the site of CRYCHIC's very first meeting, the ordinary café where they had first come together.
Do you want me to continue with the next section where they enter the café and start talking?
Soyo of course recognized this special place.
Yet the familiar surroundings and the familiar blue-haired girl sitting across from her did nothing to melt the shattered fragments of her heart. The broken shards of her emotions, like splintered glass, pierced her chest without pause, so much so that even the simple act of breathing felt like cold wind stabbing her lungs.
Soyo kept her head bowed in exhaustion, eyes fixed on the steaming cup of tea before her.
Back when she and Haru first spent time together in a café, she had ordered this very same fragrant Darjeeling tea for him.
"Tell me the truth, Soyo. What exactly happened?"
Sakiko could not possibly miss the loneliness and sorrow radiating from the girl before her. She looked like a broken, discarded doll. Even though the two of them had once clashed fiercely over Haru, Sakiko now did her best to keep her tone gentle.
"…Thank you, Saki-chan. But you really don't need to worry about me anymore."
Soyo forced a smile, her eyes devoid of any light, her voice lifeless.
To sit once again in this familiar café, speaking face to face with Sakiko without hostility, was something the Soyo who had once clung desperately to CRYCHIC would have thought impossible.
And yet, this dream-like scene had come to pass by pure accident.
The mix of emotions, bittersweet and heavy, intertwined with her grief. She kept her head lowered, staring at her fingertips. Her once-soft, lustrous brown curls had lost their shine, dull and lifeless like withered grass.
"What do you mean, 'don't worry about you'?"
Seeing her so unreachable, so wrapped in emptiness and sadness, Sakiko fought down the urge to scold her. She took a small sip of her warm Darjeeling tea, steadying herself.
When she set the cup down, her amber eyes lifted again.
"It's because of Haru, isn't it?"
The sudden question pierced Soyo's chest like a sharp thorn.
Her reaction was enough for Sakiko to know exactly where the problem began.
"What happened between you and Haru? Did you make him angry?"
"No, that's not—"
The listless Soyo suddenly lifted her head, as if to deny it, but no matter how hard she tried, her words faltered. Her mouth opened and closed, repeating the same empty phrases over and over.
Seeing this, Sakiko's expression shifted to one of quiet confirmation. Her tone stayed cool and even.
"So something did happen between you two. If you won't tell me, I'll just go ask him myself."
"…I'm sorry."
"I don't need your apology. I'm asking you what actually happened."
Her words came without emotion, her sharp and detached gaze fixed on Soyo.
But faced with the question, Soyo felt as if her throat were blocked. The worry and fear she had carried away from Haru still clung to her like invisible chains, and she realized her hands on her lap were trembling.
Even when she tried to will them still, her fingertips wouldn't stop shaking.
That was when she realized her whole body was trembling.
Soyo lowered her head further, as though trying to bury it into her chest. Her pale face looked both weak and weary, and under Sakiko's cold, piercing gaze, she remained silent, her expression heavy with sadness.
Sakiko, unsettled, took a deep breath.
Just as she was about to press further, Soyo finally let out a hoarse, guilt-ridden whimper.
"It's all… my fault. Haru hates me now."
The pained, self-blaming cry made Sakiko's brow furrow deeply as her fingers tightened around her teacup handle.
"What do you mean? What did you do to him?"
But Soyo only shook her head hard, choking back sobs, unwilling to speak of it.
Sakiko sighed. She would not force her to confess. She knew the pain of having a wound in the heart torn open, and she could understand why Soyo wouldn't want anyone to know.
Even as a rival in love, seeing her in this pitiful state stirred an unwilling compassion.
After a moment's inner struggle, Sakiko spoke, her tone strangely conflicted.
"…Whatever it is you did, crying like this (weak and useless) won't solve anything."
Her teeth clenched, as if recalling a certain memory.
Yes, crying was the most foolish thing one could do.
No one would pity you for it. In the end, the only person you could rely on was yourself.
Her hand pressed to her chest. Lately, she had been growing softer, weaker. Soyo's troubles had nothing to do with her. If anything, they should have been to her advantage.
And yet, she could not simply look away.
"If you just go and apologize properly, I think… with Haru's personality, he would forgive you."
"…No. Haru will never forgive me again."
Soyo kept her head bowed, her swollen eyes betraying her defeat.
Sakiko stared at her, incredulous at how pitiful she had become.
She could hardly believe that the very love rival who once stood so proudly before her could now frustrate her in this way. The thought made Sakiko rise abruptly to her feet.
"What is with you right now!"
"You're always going on about how much you like him, mocking me for not caring about Haru's feelings! But now you're ready to give him up over a little setback? It makes me wonder if you ever truly liked him at all or was it all just talk?"
"I…"
Soyo was taken aback. It seemed she had never expected to be scolded by Sakiko of all people.
Sakiko's expression darkened as she restrained her irritation, her brows furrowing, lips pressed tightly together. There was even a flicker in her eyes that seemed to say, I really misjudged you.
"Fine. If you want to give up, then give up. But I'm not like you with your half-hearted feelings. No matter who my opponent is, I will never back down."
"I truly love Haru from the bottom of my heart, and I won't lose to anyone in that. No matter what, I will not give up on being with him. In the end, the one who will date him… and grow old with him for the rest of his life… will be me!"
A faint blush bloomed on Sakiko's cheeks, making her already exquisite beauty even more striking.
It was her anger and frustration that made her declare her claim so openly before Soyo. Normally, such bold words would never have left her lips so easily.
Without sparing another glance at the stunned Soyo, the still-flushed Sakiko picked up the payment slip.
"If you're choosing to quit, then step aside quietly. I'll win, and you'll see it for yourself!"
Hearing that confident declaration, Soyo instantly sensed something off.
Sakiko... she didn't know, did she? She didn't know that Haru was already dating someone else.
Not only had Haru been in a relationship with another girl for some time, but there were more than just one or two others he was seeing at the same time. Sakiko's declaration just now clearly showed she was completely unaware.
That realization oddly eased some of Soyo's fear.
"…"
She opened her mouth, as if to say something.
Noticing this, Sakiko turned back, brows knitting slightly. "Soyo, is there something else?"
"…No, nothing."
She couldn't bring herself to say it.
Watching Sakiko's figure grow smaller as she walked away, Soyo clenched her fists tightly.
If it had been the old her, she would have told Sakiko everything... maybe even exaggerating the details. Stubborn and rigid as Sakiko was, she would surely have been in disbelief at first, but once convinced, she would probably have walked away from her feelings in quiet despair.
But this time, whether it was the "fiancée" or the "girlfriends," Soyo said nothing.
She regretted deeply, she didn't want Haru to hate her any more than he already did.
"…"
Her gaze heavy with sorrow, Soyo looked toward the café's glass doors. Sakiko, having paid, strode away with confident steps.
In her mind, Soyo almost saw her own past self in that departing figure.
Remembering Sakiko's stern, frustrated reprimand just moments ago, and the doubt she had cast on Soyo's feelings, Soyo felt a deep ache in her chest. She quickly wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes, trying to compose her "ugly" expression.
"…I don't want to give up."
Sakiko was right. She didn't want to give up, no matter what.
Soyo had fallen completely in love with the gentle, black-haired boy. She couldn't let go of the happiness she believed should be hers. Just as Sakiko had said, feelings that won't lose to anyone. In that, Soyo was the same.
Her love for Haru would never lose to anyone's.
"…"
Holding back her sobs, Soyo wiped her tears. Her once-pristine Tsukinomori school uniform was now smeared with dirt and dust, as rumpled as her own feelings, but she didn't care.
She would apologize again.
Even if she had made Haru angry today, she would earn his forgiveness tomorrow. And if tomorrow's apology was rejected, she would try again the day after with all her strength.
She refused to give up!