After a round of cute bickering, it was Nijika who finally took out the money and paid for the three CDs Yamada Ryo had wanted.
Rinto thanked them for their support, feeling glad that Momoka had fans like these.
"...Rinto."
Yamada Ryo glanced at her phone for a while, then quietly stepped close to him.
So close, in fact, that her words brushed right against his ear like a whisper:
"Has Momoka-san been acting strange lately? The new songs she wrote feel really different from before. Is she changing direction?"
Rinto shook his head. "No. She said she just wanted to try this kind of style—and probably because she had the inspiration to write these lyrics."
At that distance, Rinto could clearly see the earrings pierced in Ryo's ear. More than one, even.
Really cool. As expected of a band girl.
Rinto couldn't help but ask: "What do you think, Yamada? Do they not work?"
"No." Yamada Ryo shook her head.
She was quiet for a moment. Then: "I think they have flavor. Even if they're far from the fast-paced rock Momoka-san always stuck to, even without that fierce emotional outpouring—it's still a good song. In another setting, like played live at a high school festival, it might even become legendary."
"But... the timing feels off. Rinto, let's exchange contact info."
Huh? Rinto instinctively took out his phone.
Her movement was so natural he had no space to doubt.
In no time, he and Yamada Ryo had exchanged numbers, emails, even followed each other's socials.
Then she waved and left with Nijika, who wore the same nosy expression as always:
"We've got shifts, so we'll go first. Say hi to Momoka-neesan for us. Bye-bye."
"Mm, take care on the way."
Rinto said goodbye to the two JK beauties, feeling oddly cheerful.
He could still hear Nijika's excited voice drifting back:
"Hey hey, Ryo! You and Rinto-kun had a good vibe just now! You even asked for his number first?—Uwaah, so bold! That's the first time I've ever seen you ask someone for their number, and it's a boy!"
Yamada Ryo: "Of course. My charm is limitless. Usually it's people asking me for my number. I'm just that sinful a woman. Don't be jealous."
Their friendship really was genuine. Rinto watched them go, a little envious.
If he had the chance someday, he'd like to see their band perform too.
That night, after the street performance ended without a hitch, Rinto and Momoka rushed for the last train home.
Both of them were exhausted—once they put away the gear, all they wanted was to wash up and collapse into bed.
After Rinto ordered Momoka to take a bath—and to take off her tights, too—
She showed off a pair of extravagant pale legs, and as she climbed the stairs, she looked back and said:
"Tomorrow's Saturday... Rinto, you're working, right? The customer service company?"
"Yeah." He nodded. "Nine to five, off right on the dot. I'll hurry back to make dinner. Anything you want to request?"
Momoka only shook her head. "No."
She seemed to let out the faintest sigh, so soft Rinto almost missed it:
"...Must be nice. If I had a skill too—if I could speak better, knew more, knew foreign languages... maybe then I could be closer to you."
"...Momoka?"
She didn't answer him, just went straight upstairs.
The next morning, Rinto—as always—prepared breakfast for Momoka.
Since bringing a cat into the call center office would be... less than ideal, he let Morgana roam free for the day.
Morgana liked wandering the streets anyway, in the name of "observing humanity," saying it was the best way to sense the swirl of human desires.
That was fine.
After all, Morgana could protect herself—so long as no one tried to pick her up and take her home.
But when Rinto arrived outside the company building—
From afar, he spotted her.
A girl with light wavy hair, dressed in a pure white one-piece, standing there like a fragile, sensitive angel.
She stood nervously, legs pressed together, hands clasped, waiting.
To a stranger, she might look like someone about to go to an interview—or a blind date. Her vulnerable appearance was simply endearing.
"...!"
Her amber eyes quickly spotted Rinto, lashes lifting as though unfolding.
They walked toward each other, neither fast nor slow.
Rinto greeted first:
"Good morning, Sakiko. The sun's pretty strong out here, why not wait inside?"
"Yes. I was waiting for senpai... About the other day—I'm so sorry."
Togawa Sakiko bowed deeply. Her manners and posture were textbook perfect.
Her head didn't rise for a long time, her sleek hair slipping down her shoulders as she spoke:
"At school, even though senpai helped me, I just ran away coldly. I must have caused you a lot of trouble, and explained nothing. It was all my fault. Please, let me apologize properly—I promise..."
"Sakiko. It's okay, Sakiko."
Rinto gently set a hand on the sensitive girl's shoulder, guiding her to straighten up.
He could feel the resolve it took for her to say this. For a mere high schooler, she was probably staking everything she had.
But Rinto had never minded that incident. Now, he only gave her a warm smile:
"Second rule of the working person: unless it's necessary, don't draw attention from the boss or coworkers. Just be a transparent cog—clock in, get paid, clock out. Once you're remembered, there'll always be more work, and that's a pain."
"So, Sakiko—don't talk about this outside the company. Let's save it for lunch break. We'll have Swiss rolls, okay?"
"...Yes! Thank you!"
This girl—hard as glass, yet just as fragile—sniffled, fighting back the lump in her throat at his comfort.
At lunch break, just as promised, they bought two Swiss rolls and sat in the company break room, pairing them with free black coffee for a little lunch date.
Rinto carefully sliced the rolls with disposable knife and fork, solemnly placing the plate before Togawa Sakiko—as though they were in some high-class patisserie.
Sakiko covered her mouth and laughed softly, accepting it with graceful poise.
After taking a dainty bite, she began:
"In middle school... just last year, actually—I had the chance, together with Tomori... Takamatsu Tomori, and a few others, to form a girls' band."
"It was the first time I ever, by my own will, did something with friends. We chatted, we played music together... those months were like a dream. We even completed one song we were proud of, and performed it at a live house! So many people cheered, some even cried... Those really were the most beautiful days."
Rinto listened quietly, not interrupting.
Inside, he already had his guesses. He could imagine what must have happened next.
And sure enough—
After bracing herself, Togawa Sakiko confessed her crime:
"And then... I left them."
"I abandoned the band I had built, abandoned my companions who had shared fate with me, and I ran away alone."
"That's why I couldn't face Tomori. That's why, when I found out senpai also knew her, I panicked like that... I'm so sorry."
Once again, the girl lowered her head, biting her lip to steady her trembling.