"Come to think of it, I never asked why you wanted to form a band in the past, Tomori."
After lunch, while resting in the living room, Anon naturally started talking with Tomori about the past.
"As for me... ahem, the reason is simple. I just purely wanted to become popular."
Before, Anon would never have admitted this so readily.
But ever since she received Tetsuya's support and guidance, she no longer saw it as something shameful.
"Haneoka has a strong music scene, after all. At the time, I thought that if I could make a name for myself in a band, maybe I could become a big shot at school or something..."
"...That's amazing."
To Anon's surprise, this comment, which in her mind was basically a self-exposing confession, received a completely unexpected evaluation.
"Such a direct and pure reason... it's really amazing!"
Tomori looked at Anon with a face full of admiration.
"Someone like me, who gets nervous just from being looked at... I could never even dare to think about 'becoming popular'!"
"Eh? Y-You can see it that way?"
Anon scratched her head with a dazed expression.
"Um... Tomori? Generally, this kind of behavior would easily get me labeled as vain, you know?"
"If it were through cunning tricks, or just hoping for a lucky break without doing anything, then maybe you could say that. But you actually put in the effort, didn't you, Anon?"
Tomori said in an incredibly serious tone:
"As long as you have the skill and effort to match the popularity, then it's not vanity, it's being a shining star! I think you have a lot of potential to become a star, Anon—Mmph!"
"Waaah! Tomori, you're really my true best friend!!!"
Before Tomori could finish her sentence, Anon lunged forward and threw her arms around her.
"In this whole world, besides my brother, you're the only one who would say these things to me! Love you!"
"Mmph—"
Being suddenly embraced, Tomori's first reaction was embarrassment. But immediately after, the constantly increasing pressure made her expression shift from shyness to distress—
"Um, Anon..."
"What's up, Tomori?"
"It's, it's a little hard..."
Tomori gently patted the arms wrapped around her shoulders.
"I'm about... to run out... of air..."
"Eh? Ah, sorry!"
Seeing Tomori's face, which had turned a little red, Anon quickly released her embrace.
"I was just so happy, so I accidentally used the same strength I use to hug my brother!"
"It's, it's okay."
Tomori took a few deep breaths first, then immediately gave Anon a reassuring smile.
"I'll work on training my body from now on... until I can withstand that much force!"
"In this situation, you're supposed to ask the other person to use less force!"
"Eh? But, Chihaya-san can withstand it..."
"He's a guy, and you're a girl! It's not the same thing!"
"But..."
As Tomori spoke, she turned her head to look at Tetsuya, who was clearing the dining table at a pitifully slow pace.
"Other than his shoulders being a little wider, Chihaya-san seems pretty slim too..."
At this point, she hesitated for a moment before saying in a small voice:
"I kind of feel like if Chihaya-san had an arm-wrestling match with Soyo or Taki... he would definitely be the one to lose."
"Ah! I totally get that!"
Anon immediately nodded as well.
"But then again, people who play instruments are usually a bit stronger, right? Plus, before my brother was adopted by our family, he was always malnourished, so it's not that strange for his physique to be a little weaker, right?"
"That makes sense... Huh?"
After hearing Anon's words, Tomori froze for a full ten seconds before she finally came to her senses.
"Ad-Adopted? Wait, eh? Anon? Did you just say something really incredible?!"
"Hm? Ah! Oh right, I forgot to tell you before!"
Anon slapped her thigh, then hurriedly added an explanation:
"My brother was adopted by my mom and dad when I was nine. In other words, there's actually no blood relationship between my brother and me."
"Eh?! R-Really?! Is that how it is?!"
Tomori couldn't help but look at Tetsuya again.
"In terms of appearance... yeah, they really don't have anything in common."
"Right? Once in middle school, when he came to pick me up, my classmates thought my out-of-school boyfriend had come to get me!"
Anon shrugged.
"It took me so much effort to clear up their misunderstanding back then."
"Whoa..."
Even without a blood relation, he still cares for Anon so much?
Chihaya-san, he really is an incredibly gentle and good older brother...
After learning this, Tomori's evaluation of Tetsuya in her heart rose another level.
Meanwhile, Anon returned to the previous topic—
"Alright, that's enough about me. What about you, Tomori? Why did you form a band with Soyo and Taki and the others?"
"Me..."
Tomori subconsciously hesitated.
For her, the events of [CRYCHIC] had become a regret she could never forget, and the gray memories from before that were something she considered a dark past she couldn't bear to look back on.
But... she had now decided to walk towards the future with her current band, with Anon.
If that was the case, then there was no longer any need for her to keep running away.
"I... formed [CRYCHIC] because I wanted to change myself, to stop being lonely."
Tomori said in a low voice:
"If it weren't for them, I'd definitely still be like I was in the past, afraid to look people in the eye, afraid to talk to them... But ever since I met them, I finally received the warmth I had always longed for. And because of that, so that I won't lose this warmth that I've finally regained, I treasure this current band so much."
With that, she lifted her head and grasped both of Anon's hands:
"So, for both of our wishes... let's keep working hard together, Anon!"
"That's right! Let's work hard together, Tomori!"
Anon responded with a smile as warm and bright as ever.
"Alright, my energy is at max level after lunch! Let's go practice singing!"
"Mhm!"
"Brother, don't complain if we're too loud later!"
"I already told you I wouldn't mind... Right, if you get thirsty, you can message me. I'll bring drinks in for you."
"Wow, there's even room service! As expected of you, Brother, so professional in everything you do!"
Anon gave her brother a thumbs-up.
"Then we'll head back to my room! Let's go, Tomori."
"Mhm."
With that, the two walked into Anon's room, hand in hand.
Meanwhile, Tetsuya was lost in thought, recalling the words Tomori had just spoken.
Although he had received Tomori's personal forgiveness, Tetsuya still wished he could offer some tangible form of apology for his earlier actions.
Is there some kind of gift I could give this child?
"Wanting to change, huh?"
Come to think of it, due to her lack of confidence in her own aesthetic sense, Takamatsu-san had even chosen to wear her uniform for today's visit.
In that case, as a fashion designer, was there a way he could help her take another step forward without hurting her delicate heart?
Gazing at the now-closed bedroom door, Tetsuya fell into deep thought.