"..."
Looking at the girl with the put-on cutesy voice before him, Mutsumi Kamijo fell silent.
You weren't my target today, so why did you approach me?
Well now, talk about turning the tables...
Besides, why would Soyo initiate a conversation with him?
Although she shared the "motherly" role with a certain angel from Shimokitazawa, this particular socialite wasn't known for being so proactively helpful.
As for being captivated by his good looks, that was even less likely. He wasn't Sakiko, the one person who could effortlessly charm Soyo...
Wait... could that be it?
Yesterday... did she see us?
With a theory forming in his mind, the smile returned to Mutsumi Kamijo's face.
"...No, the person I was waiting for has just arrived."
Since I have to talk to her eventually, the order doesn't really matter.
"..."
The surprised expression didn't vanish; it simply moved to Soyo's face.
"Let's talk somewhere else. You don't want an audience, do you?"
Although she could be considered "new money," Soyo's appearance and aura placed her in the top tier at this elite girls' school, naturally drawing a lot of attention.
Her approaching an unknown handsome guy from outside the school had already attracted numerous onlookers, some of whom were already speculating about their relationship.
Could that be Soyo-chan's boyfriend?
He looks so gentle and handsome!
"...Okay."
This unexpected turn of events left Soyo Nagasaki momentarily unable to maintain her usual elegant demeanor. She could only manage a subdued reply.
The two of them then left under the gossiping gazes of the other young ladies. Among the crowd, a certain green-haired girl, resembling a melon, watched with a grave expression, looking somewhat out of place.
"That boy... is he the one Father was talking about...?"
"Why is Soyo-chan with him...?"
As if a thought struck her, the concern in the girl's eyes deepened into worry.
Then, unnoticed by everyone else, the green-haired girl quietly followed them.
RiNG was the most famous live house in the area. Girls who were in bands from Haneoka, Hanasakigawa, and even Soyo's school, Tsukinomori, all liked to gather here.
It was also a place that held many precious and complicated memories for Soyo.
For reasons unknown, Mutsumi Kamijo had chosen this as the location for their conversation.
After two girls, one with pink hair and the other with gray, went into a practice room, Mutsumi and Soyo also entered the venue.
"To the lovely Miss Orange, could we please have two cups of hot Earl Grey tea?"
"Hehe~ You sure know how to talk, handsome~"
This guy...
He's definitely a flirt!
Watching the waitress, Miss Kasumi, grin from ear to ear at Mutsumi's words, Soyo thought to herself.
Although Mutsumi's move of turning the tables had initially flustered her, Soyo Nagasaki quickly regained her composure.
From her perspective, it was impossible for Mutsumi to know her.
Even if he had heard about her from Sakiko, his surprised reaction when she first spoke to him proved he couldn't have been waiting for her.
As for why Mutsumi had responded the way he did...
To Soyo, the answer was simple: he was hitting on her!
Despite having little contact with the opposite sex, Miss Soyo was well aware of her own charms.
The fact that Mutsumi couldn't suppress a smile when he looked at her only confirmed her suspicions.
(Mutsumi Kamijo: I have a disease where I can't help but smile whenever I see Soyo.)
Furthermore, Soyo recalled that yesterday, it seemed Mutsumi had shown something to Sakiko, causing her expression to change drastically.
At the time, her mind was completely occupied with Sakiko, so she hadn't thought much of it.
But thinking about it now...
Could Sakiko be being blackmailed by this guy?!
After all, with his flirtatious personality, a cute girl like Sakiko would certainly be a target of his desire.
Perhaps even Sakiko's reason for quitting CRYCHIC was because of...
So, the reason Sakiko is pushing me away... is to protect me from being involved?
Of course! Sakiko isn't really that cold towards me. She still cares!
Soyo felt as though she had uncovered the truth and was so moved by her own deduction she could have cried.
Therefore, no matter what, she had to save Sakiko from this man!
"Um... may I ask what you wanted to see me about?"
Soyo put down her cup of Earl Grey tea, her expression appearing somewhat troubled. Her voice was so sweet it was almost cloying.
"Being approached by a stranger so suddenly... it was quite a surprise."
Miss Soyo began to subtly probe for information. However, from Mutsumi's perspective, this little act wasn't annoying at all; in fact, he found her clumsy attempt rather cute.
So, how should he respond?
The sudden change in targets had clearly disrupted Mutsumi's original plan.
But soon, a smirk played on the boy's lips.
"...Kajikanda kokoro furueru manazashi~" (A numb heart, a trembling gaze~)
Soyo: "???"
Mutsumi Kamijo had just ended the game.
"Sekai de boku wa hitoribocchi datta~" (In this world, I was all alone~)
Soyo Nagasaki had thought she could remain composed no matter what Mutsumi said.
But the moment the melody of "Haruhikage" (Spring Sunlight) began, she realized she had been too naive.
And Mutsumi wasn't just singing randomly. His voice, if not identical to Tomori's, was strikingly similar. It was clear this was a premeditated attack.
This sudden ambush instantly brought back memories of the time before CRYCHIC disbanded—that feeling of warmth and fulfillment.
"Chiru koto shika shiranai haru wa~" (The spring that only knows how to scatter~)
Mutsumi kept singing, continuing his assault.
"Um..."
Soyo made one last attempt to hold on, but it was clearly futile.
The song awakened not only past happiness but also the pain and despair of CRYCHIC's breakup.
"Maitoshi tsumetaku ashirau~" (Treats me coldly every year~)
"Stop..."
The polite smile on Soyo Nagasaki's face finally crumbled. The painful memories, relentlessly triggered by the song, had shattered her composure.
"Kuragari no naka ippoutsuukou ni~" (In the darkness, on a one-way street~)
"Tada tada kotoba o kakina gutte~" (I just, just scribbled down words~)
"I told you to stop!"
A teenager's breakdown can happen in an instant, just as it did for Miss Soyo.
Her face darkened as she shot up from her seat, slamming her hands on the table in front of her.
The sudden loud noise not only cut off Mutsumi's singing but also drew the startled gazes of everyone nearby.
"Why would you sing 'Haruhikage'?!"
Are you insane?!
That was probably the most accurate description of the girl's feelings at that moment.