The cold autumn rain showed no sign of stopping.
As it was nearing the end of the workday, the streets that were previously empty began to get busy again.
Shouko had already led Sakiko into the nearest hotel.
After booking a room for three hours at the front desk, she took Sakiko directly up the elevator.
At this time, there weren't many people booking rooms.
Moreover, most were couples consisting of a man and a woman.
A pair like Shouko and Sakiko, two rather good-looking girls, was quite rare.
They were silent all the way, or perhaps Sakiko had fallen into a state of silence where she simply didn't know what to say.
Until... the two walked into the booked room and Shouko shut the door with a thud.
Looking at Sakiko, who was soaked through from the rain and constantly dripping water.
She walked past Sakiko, who was standing at the door, and stepped inside.
As she did, she spoke: "Sakiko, you're soaked. Take a hot shower. The money's already spent, so don't let it go to waste."
"Okay..."
Sakiko nodded obediently, her heart feeling warm as she began to shed her wet clothes.
Though at first, the last shred of her strength as a young lady had been completely torn away, leaving her to follow Shouko helplessly.
But as they walked, the icy rain had also caused her restless heart to gradually calm down.
During these days of falling from being a young lady to a commoner.
She had truly come to know the importance of money and what a difficult thing living was.
Having experienced the hardships of society, she was now completely different from how she had been before.
Before... she just felt that Shouko was different from the others, who were full of problems.
She was more reassuring and less likely to cause her worry.
In this ragtag CRYCHIC Band.
When there were no difficulties, Shouko mostly sat to the side and laughed happily with everyone.
But when problems arose and everyone was at their wit's end, she would stand out alone.
Even if she didn't solve the problem directly, she gave everyone a direction to think in.
Then, she would be quickly ignored by the passionately discussing group, becoming a marginalized, transparent person.
And now, after experiencing the harsh beatings of society.
She finally truly realized where Shouko was different from the others.
In the CRYCHIC Band... the others were more like girls playing house; it was more about playing around.
When they encountered real difficulties... once the relationship of mutual help was broken.
Afterwards, no one could truly stand out alone to seriously think about how to solve the problem.
Instead, they were more like children who hadn't grown up, choosing to hide in their own comfort zones.
Soyo, hypocritical and selfish, seeking the comfort of a home as if playing house.
Her childhood friend, Mutsumi, who was willing to listen but could only be a listener.
Rikki, who was moved by Tomori's lyrics and was mostly immersed in Tomori's world.
Tomori, who was sensitive but very lacking in expression, often living in her own world.
These reasons... were the main reasons why she truly wanted to break away from the CRYCHIC Band.
Having fallen from being a young lady to a commoner, she also had to take care of her decadent father.
Without the subsidies for life, she no longer had the right to play the 'you're good, I'm good' house-playing band game with everyone.
Having fully shouldered a heavy life, she needed to think about how to better earn money and stay alive.
And this... was also why she chose to leave the band.
As well as the main reason why she felt particularly relieved after leaving the CRYCHIC Band.
She just never expected that Shouko would completely defy her expectations.
And, in an extremely overbearing manner, she had ruthlessly crushed the former young lady that she was.
Shouko, you really were hiding quite deep before.
Though she thought this in her heart... Sakiko's lost heart had finally found a rare glimmer of light and a warm direction.
Achoo... Sakiko, who was about to finish taking off her wet clothes, couldn't help but sneeze.
Seeing this, Shouko, who had been watching a bit too intently... suddenly remembered and turned around to turn on the air conditioner's warm air.
She really didn't expect that Sakiko, who had seemed average before, actually had so much to offer.
If she developed for a few more years and then was nurtured by someone, her 'breadth of mind' would be quite considerable.
Watching Sakiko as she was about to enter the bathroom... Shouko couldn't help but smile: "Not bad. I didn't notice before, but you really do have the potential to be a star slave."
Hearing this, Sakiko's footsteps paused.
But after clenching her fists and scolding Shouko in her heart.
She gave a light hmph, walked into the bathroom, and closed the door.
Soon... the sound of trickling water came from inside the bathroom.
Meanwhile, Shouko glanced at the closed bathroom door.
She also couldn't help but look down, pulling open her collar to peek at her own 'happy beans'.
"Compared to Sakiko's broad mind, there's not much development here."
"But that's fine too, otherwise I'd find it quite uncomfortable."
Releasing her collar, Shouko had basically gotten used to her body after so many years of being transmigrated.
Of course, occasionally fiddling around to reward herself was also inevitable.
After all, having been a grown man for decades in her previous life... now suddenly becoming such a cute girl, curiosity was naturally bound to act up.
And...
She still remembered one time when she was secretly causing trouble.
She was caught by her mother who had returned to pick something up; at that moment, her mother had a bright, knowing auntie smile on her face.
Her mother even asked if she was dating someone at school, to already know about such things.
To this... Shouko naturally replied that she wasn't.
And the truth was certainly that she wasn't; it was impossible for her to accept anyone, and the people at school would run away as soon as they saw her.
Although she was physically weak, she carried a knife; who wouldn't be afraid???
When she first started school... a few young boys laughed at her for being deaf and were preparing to bully her.
She simply pulled out a knife, stabbed and injured them, and sent them to the hospital; for that, she was severely scolded by the teacher.
But seeing as she had made two recordings and caught their slips of the tongue, ready to hire a lawyer...
The teacher was also very reasonable and clarified the facts to the police and the boys' parents.
After all, school bullying was a hot-button issue in Japan.
And once such a disgraceful matter blew up, it wouldn't be good for anyone.
Everyone was a good citizen of the country and studied at this school.
They certainly wouldn't want to waste national resources or let the school they attended gain a bad reputation.
In the end, it naturally fizzled out, with each family looking after their own.
Regarding this matter, the teacher said they would tell her mother, but in the end, they never did.
But because of this, no one in the class was willing to get close to her.
Even her existence became a terrifying, bloody legend on campus.
It directly resulted in every child on the entire campus instinctively fearing her.
It was also for this reason... while feeling a bit bored, she happened to meet Sakiko and was directly invited into the CRYCHIC Band.
Oh, right.
Just now, she had extracted quite a lot of anger value from her friends in the CRYCHIC Band.
She wondered if there were any self-defense methods in the unlocked system store.
Otherwise, as she continued to collect anger value, she might easily be beaten to death without any protection.