"Tomori, didn't you sing really well just now?"
It wasn't just Anon—Kikukawa Kyo, who had sung alongside Tomori, also gave her a reassuring nod.
Their warmth and encouragement drowned out the doubts lingering in Tomori's heart. She clenched her hands tightly, feeling the solid sensation of her fingers pressing together—proof that this was real.
After finishing the song, Kyo got up and returned to her seat, picking up where she had left off—with her unfinished drinks.
Maybe singing had made her thirsty, because this time, she drank even faster than before. Within seconds, one of the cups was nearly empty.
"You really like drinking stuff, huh, Kyo?"
After spending the whole day together, Anon had finally noticed—Kyo had barely stopped drinking something the entire time. She couldn't help but comment on it.
Then, turning back to Tomori, Anon said, "You have such a great voice! If you let the past hold you back and stop you from trying again, that'd be such a waste—"
She paused deliberately, as if playing hard to get, instead of outright inviting Tomori.
"Maybe this time, you'll have a stroke of luck and find some amazing bandmates. Who knows? It might not be me, but… if you did want to start a band with me, I'd be really happy."
"Ah, sorry to interrupt."
Kyo suddenly spoke up, making both of them look her way.
"Hm? What's up, Kyo?"
"…Kyo?"
Kyo cleared her throat awkwardly.
She had wanted Anon and Tomori to form a band. She hadn't planned to interrupt at this crucial moment.
"…I finished my drinks. Gonna head out and refill. You two keep talking."
"Wait—already? You drank all six?!"
Anon didn't seem to mind being interrupted, too distracted by the realization that Kyo had actually finished all six of the drinks she had brought in earlier.
With perfect composure, Kyo stacked the empty cups onto a tray, stood up, and swiftly made her way to the door.
As she stepped out, she left them with one last line—
"Talk amongst yourselves."
Outside the room, Kyo let out a deep breath.
That should do it, right?
The plan to get Tomori back into a band was progressing well.
With Anon's involvement, Tomori now had the desire to start over.
Whether she would stick with it or not was another matter—but at least, this was a solid beginning.
…It did feel a little like she had manipulated Anon.
But Anon did want to be in a band anyway.
All Kyo had done was gently steer her toward inviting Tomori first.
Besides, Anon genuinely seemed to like Tomori.
Phew. Now I can finally stop worrying about her.
All that was left was to step back and let things unfold naturally—
She wasn't abandoning them, of course.
She would still show up to their practices and lives.
But if she joined the band herself, Tomori might start relying on her again, which would completely contradict Kyo's flow philosophy.
Tomori forming a band and being happy—that's all that matters.
Kyo genuinely believed she had no further role to play in this.
Right. Time to refill my drinks.
She hadn't forgotten her holy war against the blasphemous drink machines in this karaoke lounge.
Carrying a full tray of newly filled drinks, Kyo returned to the room.
Pushing the door open, she called out—
"I'm back—"
Something slammed hard into Kyo, sending the entire tray of drinks tumbling over. A mix of beverages spilled across her uniform, drenching her completely.
She was startled for a moment but quickly regained her composure. She didn't even care about the various liquids now soaking into her clothes—her first reaction was to move the tray aside and check what had just crashed into her.
It was Tomori.
And judging by the impact, Tomori hadn't just been walking—she had been running.
Anon stood nearby, frozen mid-motion, her hand outstretched as if she had been trying to stop Tomori but failed. The moment Kyo had entered, everything had come to a sudden, awkward halt.
"So, who's going to explain this to me?"
Kyo felt a vein twitch in her temple.
She had only stepped out for a moment—how had things already gone sideways again?
Seeing that both of them looked like they were about to fuss over her drenched state, Kyo didn't give them the chance.
Without hesitation, she peeled off her now-soaked yellow vest, revealing the white dress shirt underneath.
Of course, the liquid had already seeped through, dampening parts of her shirt as well. The fabric clung slightly to her skin, making faint outlines of her figure visible.
Still, she paid it no mind.
"My situation isn't important right now. You two need to calm down first. Come on—deep breaths. Inhale—exhale—"
Like a kindergarten teacher soothing a pair of restless kids, Kyo immediately abandoned all other concerns and began demonstrating deep breathing exercises.
Without thinking, the other two instinctively followed along.
"…Okay. Now, one at a time—what just happened?"
Anon was the first to regain her composure. She clasped her hands together and bowed her head in apology.
"Sorry, Tomori! I was laughing too much just now."
"It's not Anon's fault. I was the one who said something weird…"
Kyo blinked and turned her gaze to Anon, silently prompting her for more details without pressuring Tomori.
Anon hesitated for a moment, still a little shaken by what Tomori had just said.
"…Tomori said she wants to be in a band for life."
Kyo's expression remained unreadable.
But in her mind, a tiny version of herself was already rubbing her temples.
How the hell did I forget about that…?