Although Anon didn't continue to trouble him after that, instead obediently returning to her room right after washing his back, Tetsuya's mind remained in turmoil for a long time.
Lying in bed, Tetsuya felt that his current agitation was in no way less than on the day he was assaulted by Ai.
"It's not just Ai, is Anon starting to see me that way too now...?"
Just recalling the conversation in the bathroom was enough to make him toss and turn in bed, unable to find peace.
If Ai's situation could be attributed to her unique childhood experiences, then Anon's indirect confession was something completely and utterly beyond his expectations.
He never would have imagined that the child he had always cherished and protected like his own flesh-and-blood sister would also start down the same path as Ai.
"Is there something wrong with the way I've been taking care of them?"
He very logically began to reflect on his actions.
After all, the only thing these two girls, with their completely different personalities and preferences, had in common was that they had both been cared for by him.
But no matter how much he reflected, he couldn't understand what, if anything, he had done that was so special—
"It might be a bit strange for me to be the one to remind you of this... but I think from now on, you should try to be... um... more aware of how dangerous you are."
Just then, the warning he had once ignored flashed through his mind.
Combining it with these two experiences of being forcefully confessed to, although he didn't understand the specific reasons, Tetsuya now finally understood what Misumi Uika had meant by "dangerousness."
"So... what exactly is my image in the eyes of women?"
Because of his consistent honesty and gentleness, Tetsuya had basically never caused anyone to dislike him. But this also meant he'd never had to think about how others perceived him.
And now, it seemed this long-neglected issue might very well be the key to this series of "incidents."
So, who was the best person to ask about this?
First, it had to be someone who had a lot of contact with him!
"Good thing I came home early today. She probably isn't asleep yet at this hour..."
Driven by a desperate need for answers, Tetsuya quickly tapped on the chat box at the top of his list.
...
[I'm sorry to bother you at this hour, but I have a very important question I'd like to ask you, Togawa-san. Do you have a moment?]
Seeing this message, Sakiko was momentarily stunned. Then, she immediately took off her headphones and quickly typed back:
[Of course, I have time! Whatever you want to ask, Chihaya-nii, just ask!]
After replying at the speed of light, Sakiko stood up from her seat and quietly walked out of the recording studio she was using with Uika.
"What kind of question would make Chihaya-nii message me specifically at this hour..."
Just as she was wondering about this, Tetsuya's next reply sent her into a complete daze—
[From the perspective of the opposite sex, what kind of person am I in your eyes, Togawa-san?]
"...Eh?"
After seeing the question, Sakiko reached up and rubbed her eyes forcefully. Only after confirming that she wasn't hallucinating did she finally cry out—
"Eh?!?!?!?!"
Why is he suddenly asking me this question? Did he figure something out? That's impossible... In order to become someone like him, I've been suppressing my feelings, planning to consider my personal life only after I've achieved something in my career. Given how little common sense he has about the opposite sex, there's no way he should know how I feel...
Something must have happened... Is it because of Hoshino Ai? Yes, that's very likely. After all, she just finished working on the lyrics with Chihaya-nii and Tomori. She must have done something to him again during that process!
That damn Hoshino Ai!
Full of silent complaints, Sakiko picked up her phone again. After thinking it over and over, she replied:
[I think Chihaya-nii is a very cool, reliable, and trustworthy man!]
It was a reply that was both honest and concealing.
In truth, his positive qualities in her eyes were far more numerous, but to avoid letting him discover her feelings, she could only use this more restrained answer to get by.
However, Tetsuya had no intention of letting this tricky question for Sakiko end so simply—
[Then for you, Togawa-san, would you want to date a man like that?]
"What in the world is he asking?!"
The overly direct question made Sakiko gasp.
Huh? I really haven't been exposed, have I?! It's true I used to quietly move my stool next to Chihaya-nii and secretly watch his side profile, but I never did or said anything else! And come to think of it, given how considerate he is, this very direct question is proof that he doesn't know the truth I'm hiding!
At this thought, most of her panic dissipated, but it was replaced by even greater confusion.
"So... what on earth happened to Chihaya-nii to make him so curious about this kind of question?"
Did Hoshino Ai confess to him again? But by now, he shouldn't have any special reaction to something so expected...
She couldn't figure it out.
Even though she had only been away from the studio for a few days, she felt as if she had somehow missed something incredibly important.
Full of confusion and bewilderment, Sakiko thought for a moment, then replied—
...
[A man like Chihaya-nii would be an ideal partner for any girl.]
"...Really?"
Faced with such a definitive reply, Tetsuya couldn't help but feel a flicker of doubt.
After all, until now, he had always defined himself as a boring person "who can't do anything but make clothes." This, combined with his incredibly rigid views on romance, lowered his self-evaluation to almost nothing...
"Could this be... an answer that Togawa-san embellished out of gratitude for me?"
Looking at the exaggerated scope of "any girl" instead of "Togawa Sakiko herself," Tetsuya couldn't help but think this.
Since he had also taken care of and helped Sakiko to a certain extent, maybe she was just being considerate of his feelings and saying something that sounded like a platitude...
To get a more accurate answer, he probably shouldn't ask someone who already had such a good relationship with him.
Was there any girl who was a bit at odds with him, or even found him a little annoying?
Ah, there actually was.
At this thought, Tetsuya immediately opened Nagasaki Soyo's chat window and once again asked that same question—