Facts are always awkward—bent on twisting what you expect.
"But don't worry, brother-in-law. Sis said she knows you don't want to see her, so she'll only take me."
Listening to Hojo Suzune's delighted voice on the phone, Shiratori Kiyoya fell silent.
"Brother-in-law? Are you listening?"
Sensing something off, Suzune's tone cooled.
"Mm. I'm listening."
"Brother-in-law, do you… not want me to go to Tokyo?"
Her voice suddenly turned plaintive. Even over the phone, Kiyoya could picture her on the verge of tears. By now he was pretty desensitized; she'd used this trick countless times. Fake sniffling over noodles was her second-nature skill—right behind piano.
When he didn't reply, Suzune seemed to think of something. "You don't believe me, do you? I'll let Sis tell you herself."
She didn't give him a chance to respond—she just handed the phone to the girl beside her.
"Hello? Kiyoya."
Through the receiver, Hojo Shione's voice came across extra gentle, stroking at Kiyoya's ear.
"Hey."
"Sorry to trouble you. I'll be tied up with rehearsals for the next few days, and the agency has a lot on my plate…"
"I really can't make time. I'll have to trouble you to take Suzune around Tokyo for her birthday."
"Mm. Got it."
With things put that plainly, Kiyoya agreed—but a question rose in his chest.
Why would Shione agree?
He knew full well Suzune liked him; Shione knew it even better. When they were together, Shione was often jealous of her kid sister—curling up in his arms to complain about Suzune's antics. She'd hint, again and again, that he should keep his distance.
Because Suzune was always clinging to him with no sense of boundaries, even the never-loses-her-temper Shione had blown up at her sister more than once. She couldn't out-argue that sharp tongue. Afterwards she'd fold into his arms like a hurt kitten, crying and purring for comfort.
She'd been so reluctant just two days ago—since when was she this generous?
He'd banked on Shione never agreeing; that's why he'd felt safe naming the condition to Suzune. Now it had backfired.
Kiyoya couldn't tell what Shione was thinking.
Maybe catching a whiff of that in his silence, Shione thought for a moment and said:
"Kiyoya, can I ask you something?"
"I might not answer."
"Sigh… you've changed so much. Do men all go this cold after a breakup?"
She put on a wounded sigh, then pressed her lips together.
"We're… still friends, right?"
"…"
"I've figured it out," she went on softly. "Just like you said—two people who love each other don't always make it to the end."
Hearing her gentle tone, Kiyoya's lips moved. "Whatever happens, I hope you'll be well."
"Mm. Happiness isn't the only purpose in life; even if I can't have it, let the ones who can be happy. So I hope you and your other half will be happy, Kiyoya."
"But no matter what, I could never forget the time I had with you. I'll carry the hopes you had for me and keep pushing toward my dream."
"So… please watch me from the audience. That's the happiness I want too, Kiyoya."
As he listened to her sincere words, the doubt that had risen a moment ago slowly ebbed.
"Mm…"
Shione hesitated, as if remembering something.
"Oh—right."
"What you asked me to pass along to Aoki-san—I told her. But she said there are still some copyright issues for you to handle and asked you to contact her as soon as you can."
"Copyright? Didn't we sign that contract already?"
"That part's fine, A-san—at least, that's what I thought," Shione said. "Aoki-san didn't tell me the details. I don't know the specifics."
"Got it. I'll reach out to her."
"Mm. Then I'll leave it there. Good night."
Click.
Shione hung up without waiting for Kiyoya's reply.
"?"
Noticing the abrupt end, Suzune whipped her head around, eyes wide at her sister.
"Eh?!"
Incredulity burst out of her—and then she snapped, furious:
"Why did you hang up?!"
Shione pressed her lips together, set the phone on the coffee table, and turned with a gentle smile.
"We said everything that needed saying. Didn't Kiyoya already agree to take you around Tokyo?"
"But I still had things to say!"
"I still had things to say!"
Suzune's little face scrunched up, trembling with anger. She'd forced herself to sit through all that saccharine sweet talk so she could sneak in a couple more words with Kiyoya and discuss where to go in Tokyo. And Shione had hung up right after she was done enjoying herself.
Greedy, aren't we?
Shione, in contrast, simply studied her sister from head to toe, expression calm.
Though Suzune was short—only 155 cm—she'd inherited the Hojo looks perfectly. Heart-shaped face, cherry lips, a sultry glint at the corners of her eyes; her chest was much smaller than Shione's but… passable.
Mm… probably the size Kiyoya could hold in one hand.
But that wasn't the point. Shione decided the most alluring thing about her sister to men were those legs—straight and slender, creamy pale under the light; you could almost make out the faint blue veins. Petite overall—just the thing to spark a boy's protective urge.
"Fair, pale, young"—so that's what they mean, huh?
Shione nodded, satisfied.
Under that scrutiny, Suzune felt like ants were crawling over her. She pressed her thighs together and blurted, "What are you staring at?"
Shione lifted her gaze to meet her sister's watery eyes. "If you want to talk, save it for when you meet."
"But, Suzune—there's one thing you have to promise me."
"Otherwise, I won't take you to Tokyo."
"?"
Suzune's eyelid twitched. She clicked her tongue and frowned. "Is your mouth attached to your butt?"
…
Beep… beep…
After hanging up with Shione, Kiyoya locked his car, went upstairs, tidied up, and called Aoki Yayoi.
"Hello? This is Aoki Yayoi. Who's calling?"
A tired female voice.
"Hello, Aoki-san. This is Shiratori Kiyoya."
Two seconds of silence—then Aoki's voice brightened, and immediately reined itself in.
"A-san?"
When he first started releasing songs publicly, Kiyoya had used the pen name "Friend A" (A-san). Aoki knew his real name, but out of professional courtesy had always called him "A-san" (A-sensei)—which Kiyoya found awkward. "A-san" was fine.
"Mm. It's me."
He went straight to it. "I heard from Hojo Shione that you still have an unhandled copyright contract of mine?"
"Eh?"
The expected "yes" didn't come. Aoki sounded puzzled. "No, A-san—your previous contracts are all fine. I'm calling to discuss the rights to two new songs."
"New songs?"
He narrowed his eyes—already guessing.
"Yes, 'A Ride On The Gentle Luminous Dragon' and 'Yuki no Hana'…"
She added, then hesitated. "Um, didn't Hojo-san tell you?"
"…"
Kiyoya went quiet.
Those two songs were the ones he'd sent with the breakup letter—meant as apology and compensation—and in that letter he'd stated clearly that Shione owned full lyric and composition rights.
It seemed she hadn't "accepted" in the way he'd thought. But if she hadn't, why tell him to contact Aoki?
After a moment, he asked, "What exactly did Shione say to you? Did she say she wanted to sing them?"
That made Aoki blink. Reflexively she asked, "Weren't your songs only for Hojo-san to sing?"
"Mm… I mean—when she showed you the songs, what did she say?"
Aoki found him oddly off tonight—as if he and Shione hadn't coordinated at all. Still, professionalism first; she thought back and answered:
"What did she say…? Something like, 'I can perform these at my concert, as long as the agency holds the rights.'"
"Oh. I see."
"And the contract, A-san?"
"I'll come by your office tomorrow morning to go over it."
"Alright. One more thing—Hojo-san mentioned you don't plan to keep writing songs?"
"More or less."
"Oh…"
Aoki drew out the sound, as if weighing something. After a pause, she said:
"In that case… would you mind if we worked with that?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, with her concert coming up—and since Hojo-san's always sung your songs—if we promote it with the angle that you're 'retiring your pen,' the buzz should be even bigger. It wouldn't be a bad thing for either of you…"