"'Haruhikage'..."
Sakiko first repeated the song title with a complex expression, then she asked once more:
"Have they... already decided to perform this song?"
"Not yet, which is why Nagasaki-san asked me to ask for your opinion."
Tetsuya looked up from his draft paper.
"So, what is your answer?"
"I..."
Sakiko couldn't help but lower her head slightly.
"It's not a song that belongs only to me. Since they want to perform it, there's no need to ask for my opinion—"
"Togawa, I don't really like beating around the bush, nor do I like lying."
Tetsuya shook his head, interrupting Sakiko's insincere reply.
"I'm asking for your opinion simply because I want to understand your thoughts, so you just need to answer honestly."
"..."
Realizing her hesitation had been seen through, Sakiko first took a deep breath before speaking:
"Actually... I don't know what I think either... Emotionally, I do want to cheer them on, but... 'Haruhikage' holds an irreplaceable significance for me. I'm... a little afraid it will turn into something I no longer recognize."
"I see..."
Tetsuya nodded in understanding.
"Well then, I'll just tell Nagasaki-san your answer exactly as you said it—"
"Wait!"
Sakiko quickly grabbed Tetsuya's arm, stopping him from taking out his phone.
"I haven't completely made up my mind yet. Please give me a little more time!"
"..."
Having been stopped, Tetsuya thought for a moment before speaking.
"Togawa, although this band is also my most important sister's band, I still want to say... you don't need to feel any psychological burden over this. After all, you're not the only one who's hesitant about it."
"Not just me?"
Hearing this, Sakiko quickly realized who Tetsuya was talking about.
"Ah, I see. It's because Soyo can't make up her mind either that she asked you to get my opinion, right?"
"After all, she still hasn't given up on the idea of reforming [CRYCHIC]."
"Let's not put it that way... That's just Soyo trying to save face."
Sakiko mercilessly exposed the truth behind that statement.
"But... when it comes to worrying that the memory will no longer belong to us, the two of us are probably the same."
"That's why I said you don't need to feel any psychological burden. No matter what decision you make, there will be someone who supports your thoughts."
Tetsuya's tone was the same as always, carrying a calmness that could put Sakiko at ease.
"And since they already have one original song, it doesn't matter if the other one is a cover. According to Anon and the others, the quality of that original song is no less than your 'Haruhikage'. So Togawa, you only need to consider your own feelings. You don't have to worry about anything else."
"A song that's no less than 'Haruhikage'..."
Although the lyrics are still Tomori's, the composer has changed from me to Taki.
There will be no piano arrangement, nor will it have my composing style.
A song that doesn't belong to [CRYCHIC], but to this new band.
"I wonder what kind of song it will be."
"I don't know."
Tetsuya shook his head.
"So, I plan to go and confirm it for myself that day. What about you, Togawa?"
He looked at Sakiko.
"Will you go see the live show that day?"
"..."
If, as Tetsuya said, they really had created a song that they believed was no less than 'Haruhikage', then the stage that day would become incredibly significant for every single one of them.
She still remembered [CRYCHIC]'s first live show.
The memory of that day was like an exquisite wax seal, completely preserving the ephemeral beauty of [CRYCHIC] into a brief but complete whole.
But this band was different.
Their story wouldn't be as short-lived as [CRYCHIC]'s, and this live show wouldn't be their happy ending, as it was back then.
And at such a memorable first live show, not only would they perform their first original song... but they would also perform 'Haruhikage', which represented their past.
If that was the case—
"...I want to see it."
Thinking of this, Sakiko said it almost subconsciously.
"I want to see what kind of beginning they will have... and I want to know how they will interpret our 'Haruhikage' on that stage."
"It seems you've made your decision."
Tetsuya nodded, then took out his phone once again.
"Then I'll relay it to Nagasaki-san just like that?"
"...Mhm."
Sakiko no longer hesitated this time.
"And please tell her for me... I'm looking forward to the live that day."
"Is that really okay? She's been telling me every day that she hasn't given up on reuniting [CRYCHIC]."
"Like I said, that's definitely just an excuse she uses to talk tough with you... Hm? Every day?"
Hearing that word, Sakiko couldn't help but frown.
"What do you mean? Does Soyo contact you every day?"
"Mhm. She was the first one to proactively ask me about the progress of the outfits, so I just exchanged a few words with her about what kind of positioning would create the best effect, and while I was at it, settled Raana's daily parfait bill."
"...Just business?"
Sakiko asked with some suspicion.
"You two didn't talk about... any other topics?"
"Oh, the only other things were probably about how she only contacts me because the others aren't suitable for this kind of thing, and that she'll be in charge of these matters from now on..."
Tetsuya reported truthfully.
"But she's not wrong. Anon is a bit unreliable, Tomori's communication skills aren't quite there yet, Taki has to focus on music, and Raana goes without saying... Come to think of it, it seems she really is the only one who can handle this."
"That may be so, but..."
Still, something feels a little strange.
Although according to Mutsumi, Soyo always seems to have a problem with Chihaya-nii, as of now, she's the one in the band who communicates with him the most frequently.
How does she really see him?
"Even though all the problems are being solved, the things I have to think about just keep increasing..."
Sakiko sighed faintly, then stopped letting her thoughts wander and began to focus on the work at hand.
—6 days until the Live.