"Thank you, Kyo, Mutsumi."
After crying for a little while, Soyo had finally released most of her pent-up emotions and gradually calmed down. Though her voice still carried traces of her earlier sobs, she managed to say, "I'm okay now."
"Really?" Kyo teased. "Make sure you wipe your tears properly. If I see a big blotchy mess on your face later, I won't be able to help but… laugh."
The three of them were still holding onto each other. In response to Kyo's teasing, Soyo lightly tapped her on the back as if to retaliate, but the motion was too gentle—more playful than anything.
Kyo let go first, and after a slight delay, Mutsumi followed suit, retreating back to their seats.
The moment they pulled away, Soyo felt an impulse to pull them back. But she quickly suppressed it, replaced by a mix of emotions that welled up inside her.
She was comforted, warmed by their presence. But at the same time, a trace of resentment lingered.
If Kyo hadn't been late today—if someone as rational and steady as her had been there from the start—could she have convinced Sakiko to stay? Maybe, at the very least, she could've persuaded Sakiko to sit down and talk things through.
And Mutsumi… The image of her turned back, along with the words "I never found the band fun," still twisted like a thorn in Soyo's heart.
Kyo, now back in her seat, noticed that the crease between Soyo's brows hadn't quite smoothed out. Still holding onto something, huh?
Not surprising. The way Soyo had been earlier—so weighed down, so desperate—there was no way her feelings for CRYCHIC would simply vanish overnight.
And maybe that was fine. Beautiful memories weren't meant to be erased. Even if they became something untouchable, something distant, they could still shine like moonlight in one's heart.
But Soyo was clinging too tightly to something that was already fading into a mirage.
While Sakiko, on the other hand, had cut everything off in one swift stroke—severing the past completely.
You two are way too extreme, Kyo thought, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.
"Soyo, what are you planning to do now?" Kyo asked cautiously. "Are you still hoping to bring everyone back and keep CRYCHIC going?"
"Yeah. I can't accept CRYCHIC ending like this, without any real closure."
Soyo's tone was much calmer now. Even her usual composed way of speaking had softened, revealing something closer to her true voice.
She still wanted to save the band, but her attitude had clearly shifted.
So hugging really does work, huh? Kyo mused.
Even she, as someone who wasn't particularly touchy-feely, understood that when someone embraced you, it meant they harbored no ill will. A hug carried warmth in itself.
Soyo continued, "I have to find Sakiko. Even if she really did quit because of family pressure, I need to hear it from her directly…"
"And if it was just pressure from her family, why couldn't she tell us that from the start?"
Exactly! That's what I'm saying!
Kyo took a long, indignant sip of her tea.
Even after understanding Sakiko's stubborn pride, Kyo still couldn't wrap her head around it. If Sakiko didn't want them to pity her, fine—but she could've at least come up with a better excuse to set their minds at ease.
Kyo didn't know exactly what Sakiko had said back then, but the aftermath was clear: Tomori had run off, blaming herself; Taki had followed Tomori; Soyo, left with no explanation, couldn't accept it; and Mutsumi…
Who knew what was going on in Mutsumi's head?
Well, whatever it was, at least compared to the others, she was the least troublesome. You're not secretly sitting on some landmine waiting for me to step on, are you?
Kyo glanced over at Mutsumi again.
The moment Soyo mentioned finding Sakiko, Mutsumi's lips had pressed into a thin line—like she wanted to say something but was holding herself back.
She probably knew the real reason Sakiko quit.
Kyo still remembered Sakiko saying that she and Mutsumi were childhood friends, and that their families had some ties.
Mutsumi probably wants to tell Soyo but was sworn to secrecy by Sakiko… Stuck between these two messed-up people, no wonder she looks so conflicted.
"So, where exactly are you planning to look for Sakiko?" Kyo asked. "You and Sakiko both go to Tsukinomori, but summer break is about to start. You won't find her at school."
"Then I'll just message her on LINE—"
"What if she doesn't even open your messages?"
"…Then I'll go to her house—"
"Even if you knew where she lived, if Sakiko really was pressured by her family, do you think the Togawa household would just let a bandmate waltz in?"
Soyo fell silent.
That was what she had been thinking—she had planned to ask Mutsumi for Sakiko's address and go find her in person.
So then, maybe she should just ask Mutsumi directly about Sakiko? As childhood friends, Mutsumi had to know something, right?
Clap. Clap.
Kyo suddenly clapped her hands twice, the crisp sound snapping Soyo out of her thoughts.
"I already know what you're thinking. But if Mutsumi did know, don't you think she'd have told you by now? Don't put her on the spot."
If Soyo asked directly and Mutsumi let it slip, revealing Sakiko's current situation, Sakiko would explode.
On the other hand, if Mutsumi tried to hide the truth… Kyo was sure she would simply go silent. And to Soyo, that silence would be a dead giveaway that Mutsumi knew something but didn't want to say. That alone would be enough to confirm her suspicions.
Kyo quickly assessed the situation based on her experience. If she wanted to keep things from spiraling into an awkward mess, the best course of action was to cover for Mutsumi.
Seeing Soyo at a loss after having all her ideas shot down one after another, Kyo stepped in at the right moment, continuing to steer her in another direction.
"You need to calm down first, Soyo. Go home, take a hot bath, pour yourself some tea—whatever works. But right now, you're not in a good state of mind.
"Even if you can't come up with a solution right away, once the new semester starts, you'll be able to find Sakiko then, won't you?"
Kyo didn't actually think Sakiko would still be at Tsukinomori by then.
But for now, this was just a stalling tactic.
Soyo needed time—to let go of her fixation, to process everything. And Kyo needed time—to better understand the rest of the band members.
Soyo nodded, seemingly convinced, and smiled again. "Yeah, maybe I really do need to take a break today."
...
With their tea finished, Kyo, Soyo, and Mutsumi left RiNG together.
Since Kyo wasn't heading in the same direction as the other two, she waved at them, ready to part ways.
But just as she turned to leave, Soyo suddenly called her name.
Kyo glanced back.
The setting sun bathed Soyo in golden light, casting a glow over her soft, ash-blonde hair. The warmth of it all made her seem especially gentle in that moment.
"Kyo, will you stay with me?"
"Of course."
Kyo answered without hesitation.