Before this conversation, Togawa Sakiko had only ever seen Hoshino Ai's feelings for Chihaya Tetsuya as a severe dependency born from her childhood experiences, a crush that had been brewing for seven years.
However, when she heard about Hoshino Ai's true feelings and her highly feasible plan from Misumi Uika, she instantly realized just how morbid and profound the obsession hidden in the heart of this super-popular idol truly was.
Sakiko, who had previously thought her many speculations were already detached from reality, now finally understood that the truth was far more outrageous than she had ever imagined.
Unlike Tetsuya's self-sacrificing nature, Hoshino Ai's feelings were far more dangerous and scorching.
That fervor to burn herself to ashes as long as they could be ashes together... was wrong, no matter how you looked at it.
Ending her own idol career was her business, but Chihaya-nii's path as a designer was just about to begin!
I absolutely have to stop Hoshino Ai's plan!
Finally, there was no longer a shred of confusion or hesitation in Sakiko's heart.
In order to protect Tetsuya's career as a designer, and also to ensure her own future of being able to walk alongside him, Togawa Sakiko had made her decision.
...
"Hm? You're asking if I have time eight days from now?"
Tetsuya, who was in the middle of drafting a design for Raana, was stunned for a moment before answering.
"Well, I'm a little unsure. After all, Anon and the others still haven't decided if they're going to participate in that live show in eight days."
"Even if they do participate in that show, you have to make time, Chihaya-nii!"
Sakiko's tone was extremely serious.
"You must meet with Hoshino Ai before she officially makes her move!"
"...Ai?"
The unexpected name made Tetsuya freeze.
"Why is Ai being brought up here..."
"Chihaya-nii... what I'm about to say might be the complete opposite of what you've always believed, but please, you have to believe me. This is absolutely not me being an alarmist..."
Following that, Sakiko truthfully explained Hoshino Ai's real feelings for him, as well as everything she had been doing recently.
And Tetsuya's expression shifted from its initial calm to one of growing astonishment.
"You're saying... Ai has liked me since seven years ago?"
Tetsuya's mind went completely blank.
"Wait... Ai was only nine years old back then! How could a nine-year-old girl possibly understand such things?!"
"...Well, that's probably related to her childhood experiences, right?"
Sakiko guessed.
"Children in orphanages always understand more things than their peers... On that point, you should have a good say in the matter, shouldn't you, Chihaya-nii?"
"Well..."
Out of his trust for Sakiko, Tetsuya tried to recall the past from this new perspective.
Soon, this fact, which completely subverted his original impression, added new meaning and explanations to the many images in his mind—
...
The reason Ai had stayed at the orphanage was not just because her mother was imprisoned for theft; there was another, very important reason—Hoshino Ai's mother was worried that her own daughter would steal her boyfriend, so she had always seen her as an eyesore.
Although it sounded absurd, at just nine years old, Hoshino Ai seemed to have already begun showing hints of the extraordinary charm she possessed today. If she were left to live alone in the orphanage, even more people would surely notice how different she was.
And the one who protected her from this crisis... was Chihaya Tetsuya.
Tetsuya, who had lived in the orphanage ever since he could remember, understood the ways of survival there better than anyone. It was precisely because of this that the moment he saw Hoshino Ai in the orphanage, he immediately recognized her special and "dangerous" nature.
However, the twelve-year-old and inexperienced Tetsuya didn't understand things like possessiveness or lust. Out of pure kindness, and also to find a trustworthy companion, he took the initiative to befriend Hoshino Ai, who had just entered the orphanage and had not yet been "tainted" by its environment.
To protect Hoshino Ai, Tetsuya deliberately cut her hair into a messy style that would hide her face, removed all decorations and patterns from her clothes as much as possible, and accompanied her almost constantly.
These methods not only nurtured Hoshino Ai's sense of self-protection but were also the first time she had ever received kindness and care from another person.
Because of her mother's jealousy, Hoshino Ai had understood from a very young age that she was special, and she understood the subtle relationship between the sexes.
And Tetsuya's appearance allowed her to feel what it was like to be "loved" for the first time.
For a nine-year-old girl, it was perfectly normal to haphazardly piece together the things she knew.
Her feelings for Tetsuya had perhaps begun at that moment, in this somewhat precocious way.
Thinking about it now, while Tetsuya, who lacked companionship and familial affection, had only sought simple warmth and companionship from Ai, what Ai had sought from him... had been different from the very beginning.
It was just that, at that time, he was still young and simply couldn't discern such subtle and profound feelings.
If he were to look back on the little details of their time together from his current perspective, he could actually notice many things.
For example, how Ai would often use the excuse of being "afraid of the dark" to climb into his bed and sleep with him. Or how she would always inexplicably fight with the other girls at the orphanage. Or her deep eyes, which were always fixed on him...
"...Ah, I feel like... it all makes sense now."
Tetsuya murmured in a daze.
"So that's it. Is that how Ai has always seen me?"
"So you should understand now, Chihaya-nii! The feelings Ai has for you are quite pathological!"
Sakiko said.
"O-Of course, I'm not saying it's wrong for her to like you. After all, you're a good person who's worthy of being liked, Chihaya-nii... No, that's not the point! The problem is, her methods of pursuing you are just too extreme! If we let her go on, she'll eventually hurt everyone around her! Including herself!"
"To stop things from getting to that point, Chihaya-nii, you have to meet with her!"
...
"Hm? You're saying... you want to have a 'farewell dinner' with me before I graduate?"
Hearing Uika's suggestion, Ai was slightly taken aback at first, but then she smiled and nodded.
"No problem... Oh, right! There's actually a place I've been wanting to go to with you, Uika!"
Then, with a flawless, innocent smile, Ai slowly stated a place name—
"There's a place called [RiNG] that's like a commercial center! Why don't we go there!"