On the other side, Tsuki no Mori Girls' Academy.
Because it was a rare integrated school, students here could study from kindergarten all the way through high school graduation.
Of course, students could also transfer elsewhere midway, but very few would do so.
Simply because this was an aristocratic academy.
Students who could study here were either wealthy young ladies or extremely excellent special talents.
Just the identity of being a Tsuki no Mori student could attract countless envious gazes. No one would easily give up this status.
Though advancing from middle school to high school, Wakaba Mutsuki could still see quite a few familiar faces in class, including Nagasaki Sose.
"Mutsuki, we're classmates this year." Nagasaki Sose greeted her with a smile, simultaneously taking advantage to sit beside Wakaba Mutsuki.
Seeing Wakaba Mutsuki only nod lightly, Nagasaki Sose tucked her hair behind her ear, her face still carrying some relaxed ease as if casually chatting with a friend.
"Time passes so quickly. Just came to my senses and the nice spring break is over again." Nagasaki Sose sighed emotionally, then slightly turned her pretty face toward Wakaba Mutsuki. "Did Mutsuki have a happy spring break?"
The word "happy" seemed unrelated to her, but thinking carefully, Wakaba Mutsuki felt she should have been happy. Being with Hoshino Miru was very relaxing because he would seriously listen to her guitar and would tell her that her guitar could bring laughter to people.
Whenever she thought of Hoshino Miru, her heart would pound slightly. Wakaba Mutsuki thought this should be the feeling of happiness.
"Being with him is very happy." Wakaba Mutsuki spoke her feelings.
"I-I see..." Nagasaki Sose's voice was somewhat stiff, especially hearing Wakaba Mutsuki personally admit it. Her fingers unconsciously rubbed a strand of hair hanging down. Things seemed worse than she'd imagined. "Is he the friend you practice with? Were you together the whole spring break?"
"No, only occasionally together." Wakaba Mutsuki lowered her head. Actually, she also wanted to be together every day.
As if concealing her emotions, Nagasaki Sose stiffly looked away. No wonder she hadn't seen them appear - so she'd missed them?
Since learning Wakaba Mutsuki was mixing with a strange boy, Nagasaki Sose had staked out at the shop for a whole day the next day but never saw Wakaba Mutsuki and that boy.
Unwilling to give up, Nagasaki Sose continued staking out until the entire spring break ended without seeing any sign of them.
Nagasaki Sose almost suspected they'd moved locations. Turned out it was because they were too lax, even dragging their feet on practice. Was this band too lazy?
Could such a band perform on stage? Maybe she was overthinking it - actually Wakaba Mutsuki was simply friends with this boy?
"I'm a bit curious about the boy who can practice with Mutsuki. Can I come watch next time?" Nagasaki Sose continued probing. Two simple sentences couldn't possibly dispel her unease - she had to see with her own eyes.
However, Wakaba Mutsuki was silent about this.
Though saying nothing, this attitude was very obvious.
Nagasaki Sose felt very uneasy. She just wanted to go look - even this wasn't okay?
"Has Mutsuki met many friends?" Nagasaki Sose pressed her lips. Her fingers that had been rubbing hair strands stopped, as if waiting for the answer she wanted most.
Wakaba Mutsuki shook her head. She only knew Hoshino Miru, but thinking of the children at the park, her eyes flashed with momentary hesitation.
Nagasaki Sose saw her reaction and couldn't help biting her lip. First shaking her head, then hesitating - what did this mean?
Could it be she was too embarrassed to say?
The more she thought this way, the more Nagasaki Sose felt her chest hurt with a tightly constricted feeling, somewhat breathless.
"Recently, I've been thinking about what happened back then. If I could have seriously listened to Saki-chan's thoughts, would the result have been different?" Nagasaki Sose forced a smile while vaguely looking at Wakaba Mutsuki expectantly. "If there was another chance, Mutsuki would also want to join CRYCHIC, right?"
Nagasaki Sose really cared. She particularly cared, staring intently at Wakaba Mutsuki's reaction.
However, Wakaba Mutsuki looked at her expression and hesitated to speak.
At this moment, Nagasaki Sose could no longer maintain her smile. Her whole being felt dead inside.
So CRYCHIC really was ending. Besides Toyokawa Sakiko, now even Wakaba Mutsuki was thinking about joining someone else's band.
No, it definitely wasn't like this.
As long as she could bring Toyokawa Sakiko back, everyone would definitely return too.
Their CRYCHIC hadn't ended yet.
Nagasaki Sose's eyes slowly became firm again. First, she had to find that boy. She couldn't let Wakaba Mutsuki continue being bewitched by him.
...
At lunch break, just as Kasugano Sora was about to excitedly run out of the classroom, a girl beside her suddenly called out to her.
"Hey hey, want to eat lunch together?"
Kasugano Sora turned around and found it was twin sisters, her eyebrows slightly raising.
"I'm the older sister, named Hoshizuki Kaede." The girl who just spoke actively introduced herself, patting her chest somewhat proudly. "Though school just started, my goal is student council president!"
"I'm the younger sister, Hoshizuki Suzu." The other girl followed up, but compared to her sister, her voice and expression were more flat, making people feel she was just cooperating with her sister.
Kasugano Sora looked puzzled and asked: "Are you calling me?"
"That's right! We're sitting right next to you, so we want to be friends with you!" Hoshizuki Kaede rushed to answer. "You're so cute! Is the boy who brought you this morning your brother?"
Kasugano Sora was very surprised. She could actually tell Hoshino Miru was her brother?
This reaction made Hoshizuki Kaede very satisfied, puffing out her chest: "Hmph, this is the telepathy only siblings have!"
Because they were twin sisters, were they sensitive about family?
Kasugano Sora felt somewhat shy. So she and Hoshino Miru already had this kind of relationship?
"Okay, I'll be friends with you, but brother and I aren't blood-related." Kasugano Sora had to emphasize this every time, lest some sneaky cats not know their place and keep staring at people's brothers.
"Eh, it's a step-sibling relationship?" Hoshizuki Kaede realized. "No wonder you don't look very alike."
Not looking alike didn't affect anything. Kasugano Sora felt somewhat dissatisfied inside.
"What's your name?"
"Kasugano Sora."
"Eh, nice name!"
"But I can't eat lunch with you."
"Why?"
"Because I'm eating with brother." Kasugano Sora thought for a moment. "Sorry."
After saying this, Kasugano Sora turned and left.
She felt she'd already seriously listened to Hoshino Miru's words. Just now she'd properly chatted with others and made friends too.
Hoshizuki Kaede was deeply struck. Beside her, Hoshizuki Suzu couldn't help sighing.
"How unfortunate. Sister's attempt to make friends and solicit votes failed on the first try."
"Damn it, Suzu, don't talk nonsense! Sister will definitely become student council president!" Hoshizuki Kaede quickly rallied, clenching her fist to cheer herself on. "Let's go check out the student council later!"
Hoshizuki Suzu turned a blind eye to her sister's enthusiasm and began pulling out her own lunch.
"Suzu, don't secretly eat lunch by yourself! Sister wants to eat that too!"