"Kyo, do you think this dish is too plain?"
Soyo still remembered what Kikukawa Kyo had said behind her earlier and felt a little awkward about it.
"It's not bad. Just an observation."
Kyo shook her head, then glanced Soyo up and down. Her gaze briefly paused at Soyo's chest—so subtly that Soyo didn't notice—before she continued, "Soyo… vegetarian?"
Soyo blinked, noticing that Kyo seemed a little different from usual. Right now, she looked languid, almost drowsy, and her speech had become fragmented—just a few words at a time, as if she didn't feel like stringing full sentences together.
"I just like lighter, plant-based meals, that's all. I do eat meat, you know."
Soyo chuckled, her tone warm and doting—like she was speaking to a younger sister.
"Do you want me to make a meat dish for you, Kyo?"
"Hmm…"
Kyo tilted her body slightly, peering past Soyo to get a look at the pot simmering on the stove.
Watching the thick broth bubbling under the high heat, she seemed quite pleased, letting out a soft, contented "hmm."
"This… is enough."
"As long as you're happy with it, that's all that matters."
Though the memory of the cold, distant Kyo from earlier still lingered in the back of Soyo's mind, the person in front of her now was completely different—almost airheaded. Just watching this side of Kyo filled her with a quiet sense of happiness.
"All that's left is a few more minutes, and we'll be ready to eat. In the meantime, let me help dry your hair."
"I'll do it myself."
Kyo still didn't seem too keen on drying her hair. She shook her head, and her damp strands swayed with the motion, flinging droplets onto her shoulders and soaking her clothes.
"If you don't dry it properly, you'll catch a cold. A headache would be a real pain, wouldn't it?"
Soyo instinctively fell into the tone one would use when coaxing a child. Maybe she had always wanted a cute little sister like this.
"Besides…"
Soyo stepped forward, placing her hands gently on Kyo's shoulders. With a slight push, Kyo turned in place, following the direction of Soyo's hands.
"See? Your collar's already damp from your hair. Doesn't that feel uncomfortable?"
"…No."
Soyo fell silent for a moment before letting out a resigned sigh, smiling helplessly.
"Well, I guess it makes sense. You never dry your hands properly after washing them either… You really do love water, don't you? But at least dry your hair properly, okay?"
"…Soyo."
"Hm? What is it?"
"You sound like a mom."
Soyo's way of speaking just now—gentle and coaxing, with a subtle trace of fondness—really did resemble a mother soothing a child.
"Is… is that weird?"
Soyo blinked, fiddling with her fingers. She had only spoken to Kyo the way she usually did with her own somewhat childish mother, yet Kyo had called her "mom-like" instead.
Back at Tsukinomori, her classmates had occasionally said things like, "Soyo feels like a mom—so reliable." But back then, she was just a middle schooler. Even now, she was only a first-year in high school, yet she was already being told she was like a mother…
Kikukawa Kyo turned back around, staring straight at Soyo.
Soyo was about the same height as Anon, meaning she stood three or four centimeters taller than Kyo. So now, Kyo was gazing up at her from a slight angle.
To Kyo, Soyo always played the role of a gentle, dependable older sister—kind to everyone. This unconscious display of "motherly" behavior was likely the result of spending so much time alone at home, developing independence. But the real reason was probably something deeper.
Soyo wanted to be needed. She wanted people to rely on her. Maybe that sense of dependence was what gave her the feeling of having a "home."
Yet, perhaps the one who needed to be cared for the most… was Soyo herself.
The prolonged silence made Soyo uneasy. Even though Kyo wasn't looking down on her from above, being stared at without a response for so long still made her nervous. She couldn't help but call out softly, "Kyo? What's wrong?"
"Soyo, you want to dry my hair, don't you?"
Kyo got straight to the point, directly exposing Soyo's small, lingering thought.
Unlike with someone like Sakiko, where Kyo had to carefully set up a conversation step by step, dealing with Soyo was different. A straightforward approach worked far better.
"Eh?"
Caught off guard, Soyo panicked slightly, instinctively raising her hands as if to wave off the accusation.
"Hmm…"
Kyo's smile took on a teasing quality, her tone playfully drawn out.
"Knew it. Soyo really is like a mom."
"Jeez, stop messing with me, Kyo…"
Soyo pouted. She had almost followed up with "like a mischievous little brat," but at the last second, she swallowed the words.
Kyo watched her with amusement, intrigued by how easily Soyo was flustered.
She didn't mind spending time with Soyo—so long as their conversations didn't touch on CRYCHIC.
But Kyo wasn't naïve. Soyo had invited her over, and they were alone together. There was no way she wouldn't use this opportunity to try and convince her again.
She'd probably wait until dinner, when things were relaxed, then subtly bring up the topic—asking why Kyo wouldn't join the band.
Kyo had already made up her mind.
Since Soyo always insisted on "sitting down and having an honest talk," then fine. She'd be direct too. She would tell Soyo exactly what she disliked about her. Maybe then, she could finally shatter Soyo's illusion of reviving CRYCHIC.
"…Alright."
Kyo casually lifted her damp hair, gathering it in one hand before holding it up slightly to show the full volume.
"If you really want to dry it for me, I won't stop you."
"Drying it myself is a hassle."
"..."
Now, it was Soyo who hesitated.
What was this? The way Kyo said it, it made it sound like she was the one desperate to dry her hair.
I'm not her mom…
"…Please help me, Soyo-nee?"
Kyo pulled her pearlescent gray hair forward, letting it drape over her front, partially covering the lower half of her face.
It was such a simple action, yet it made her look as if she were bashfully hiding.
Kyo had a knack for this—altering how she came across with just body language alone.
…!
Soyo froze in place, completely caught off guard.
Even though Kyo had softened the wording to "Soyo-nee," the meaning behind it wasn't all that different.
How was she supposed to refuse that?
Soyo trembled slightly.
"…Okay."
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