"Hmm…" Kikukawa Kyo bit down lightly on the chopsticks in her mouth, pausing just as she was about to take a bite of food.
"Didn't I just tell you not too long ago that I have no interest in bands?"
"Yeah." Soyo nodded.
"You really are relentless, huh." Kyo sighed, closing her eyes.
Though she called her "relentless," Kyo wasn't actually angry this time. Soyo wasn't an idiot—after she had made her distaste clear, if Soyo still wanted to revive the band, she wouldn't go about it in such a direct way.
So Kyo decided to probe a little further.
"Do you just want me in the band, or is there something else on your mind?"
"You told me that my obsession with fully reviving CRYCHIC was wrong. If that's the case, then wouldn't finding a new place to belong be the right answer?"
"That's true—"
Kyo narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Had Soyo really let go that easily? Honestly, after everything that had happened—after seeing how conflicted, anxious, and stubborn Soyo had been about this issue—
To now hear her say outright that she had abandoned the fixation on bringing back CRYCHIC, that she wanted to move forward and start anew…
Sure, that was exactly what Kyo had been hoping for, but still—it was hard to believe.
Soyo wasn't like Tomori. When Tomori tried to sneak around doing something mischievous, the result was always nothing short of adorable—like that ridiculous "magic circle" she set up in the astronomy clubroom today with a water bottle.
But Soyo… Ha. She was Nagasaki Soyo.
Kyo didn't mind that Soyo's gentle demeanor was just a mask, but that didn't mean she forgot what that implied.
Soyo was the very definition of two-faced.
Kyo carefully observed her expression and movements, trying to discern whether she was truly ready for a fresh start.
Even though Soyo was trying her best to maintain her composure, there were plenty of subtle tells. For instance, she was making sure to meet Kyo's gaze properly, with no shifty eyes—but the muscles around her eyes were visibly tense. That was anything but natural.
It was obvious Soyo was hiding something. But Kyo couldn't immediately conclude that she was lying, either.
Because, given the context, Soyo had every reason to be nervous.
She had just stepped on both of Kyo's biggest landmines in quick succession and been met with outright rejection.
And now, she was bringing up the topic again herself. Feeling anxious about the possibility of being hated all over again made perfect sense.
Since Kyo couldn't make a judgment just yet, she decided to keep pressing. The initiative was still in her hands, after all.
"If you really want a fresh start in this new band, then why do you need me to be a part of it?"
"Because I like you, Kyo."
Soyo had finally learned to say things like this outright. After enduring Kyo's relentless barrage of "I like you" in the past, her sense of shame had probably been dulled somewhat.
Besides, after everything Kyo had shown her, it was clear that her "like" wasn't the romantic kind Soyo had initially assumed. That made it a little easier for her to say the word.
"I'd be really happy if we could be in a band together."
"Hm." Kyo blinked. It was such a simple, straightforward reason—she wanted to because she liked her. There was no real argument against that.
Kyo even felt a little pleased to see Soyo becoming more direct. Change was a good thing, after all.
"But I already told you, I have no interest in being in a band. To put it bluntly, what's in it for me? If you just want to hang out with me, we can do that outside the band, too."
Wait.
So Kyo coming over to her house like today… that could become a regular thing?
Soyo, who had been scheming just moments ago, suddenly found her train of thought derailed. Her mind drifted to the possibility of Kyo frequently visiting her home.
Maybe I should prepare a spare set of pajamas for her…?
In just a brief moment, Soyo's imagination had already wandered off to who-knows-where.
Ahem. She quickly snapped back to reality. As tempting as it was to think about how she could keep inviting Kyo over in the future, being in a band had a special significance. She still wanted to bring Kyo into it.
"In that case, I'll do my best to give you a reason to be in the band—something that will make you feel like it's truly meaningful."
Wow, now that was a smooth line. In today's battle of wits between Kyo and Soyo, Soyo had finally managed to score a point, leaving Kyo momentarily stunned with just a single sentence.
She's saying I could find new meaning…?
For someone like Kyo, who constantly resisted the idea of being "stuck in place," those words were undeniably tempting.
Kyo set down her chopsticks, straightened her posture, and gave it some serious thought.
Seeing that Kyo's resolve had wavered, Soyo's eyes filled with anticipation. It felt like there was finally a chance…
But unfortunately, after mulling it over, Kyo still refused. "Sorry, Soyo. I don't think I can agree."
Soyo panicked and was about to ask why, but Kyo raised a hand to stop her. Of course, she would explain properly.
"First, I really don't think I have the extra time or energy. I already have a lot of commitments to other people."
For example, she was still a special member of sumimi, and it probably wouldn't be long before she'd be asked to start practicing their first song as a three-member group.
Then there was the arrangement she had with Nyamu-san for gathering material at VA-11 HALL-A. In their continued discussions, it seemed like Nyamu was planning to host a livestream at her bar—an ambitious project that hadn't been finalized over summer break. By now, she was probably finishing up the details, and Kyo would have to check in on her plans.
And on top of all that, Kyo still needed time to hang out at VA-11 HALL-A and mix drinks—that was a non-negotiable part of her life.
If she joined a band on top of everything else, her attendance rate would be abysmal.
And then… there was another reason.
"Also, I have to consider Tomori and Taki."
"Tomori and Taki?" Soyo didn't quite understand. Why would they have anything to do with Kyo not joining the band?
"They probably wouldn't mind me joining, but my involvement could end up affecting them in a bad way."
With Tomori, it was the same issue as always—her tendency to rely too much on Kyo. Even if she had to depend on others, Kyo wanted her to open up to more people, not just her.
As for Taki, it was her inferiority complex. Kyo wasn't sure if her joining the band would only make things worse.
That said… this reasoning wasn't as solid as before.
Originally, Kyo had been concerned about there only being one "normal" person in the band—Anon. But Anon wasn't particularly experienced with band dynamics, so if Kyo joined, she would inevitably take on a leadership role in most situations. That meant both Tomori and Taki's issues would be impossible to ignore.
But now, with Soyo there—
Not that Soyo was completely normal either, but at least she could serve as a reliable pillar for the band.
With both Anon and Soyo keeping things balanced, Taki drawing motivation from them, and Kyo herself having the option to dial back her presence—
She could totally slack off.
Just like she had in CRYCHIC.
"…Hmm. It's hard to explain exactly what kind of negative impact it might have since it involves their personal issues, and I can't really disclose that. But I don't have any reason to lie to you about this."
"So… sorry, Soyo."
Once again, Kyo apologized. She didn't know what Soyo was truly thinking, but she had definitely made a real effort to bring her back into a band.
And it was even a proposal that had seriously tempted her.
"Ah, but even if I don't join the band, I'll still come watch your practices and lives often. I can also help book rehearsal rooms and live house gigs. So don't be too disappointed."
Maybe those words gave Soyo a bit of comfort. She still looked a little down, but at least her spirits were within a reasonable range.
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