"Ah, o-okay!"
Suddenly addressed from behind, Anon quickly stepped aside, making room for the newcomer.
"Thank you."
Soyo naturally stepped forward, positioning herself beside Anon as she turned her gaze toward the request board. Her expression remained composed and focused, as if this had truly been her only reason for approaching.
As Anon made space, she turned to glance at the girl who had just arrived. The first thing she noticed was her well-maintained, silky brown hair, followed by a pair of striking blue eyes. Though they seemed to be around the same age, this girl carried an air of refined maturity.
The second thing that caught Anon's attention was the uniform she was wearing. She blinked. If she wasn't mistaken, that was the uniform of that famous elite school—Tsukinomori!
A real-life rich girl? Anon couldn't help but feel a little excited.
She had always suspected that Sakiko, with her elegant manners and composed demeanor, might actually be the daughter of some wealthy family. But since that was a personal matter, Anon had never dared to ask directly, despite her curiosity.
But now, standing right in front of her was a confirmed Tsukinomori student! Naturally, Anon couldn't help but steal a few more glances.
"Is something the matter?"
Soyo, who had been keeping tabs on Anon's movements while feigning interest in the board, seized the perfect opportunity to strike up a conversation.
Oh no, I got caught staring on our first meeting!
From Anon's perspective, she had simply been too obvious in her curiosity, to the point where she had disturbed the very focused girl beside her. She was completely unaware that she had been subtly maneuvered from the start.
Caught off guard, even someone as socially adept as Anon needed a moment to think of how to respond.
"Ah—sorry!" She quickly bowed slightly, pressing her hands together in an apologetic gesture. "Um, your uniform… You're from Tsukinomori, right? That elite school? I was just a little curious, so I ended up staring…"
"Yes, I am."
"That's amazing! I heard only politicians' or celebrities' kids can get in!" Anon's earlier embarrassment was quickly overshadowed by genuine excitement. "Do Tsukinomori students really say 'gokigenyou'?"
"We do, actually."
As Soyo answered, her fingers lightly twirled a lock of hair near her ear—a habit she had whenever she was deep in thought.
This girl… She's the open, outgoing type. I'm not great at handling people like her…
For someone like Soyo, who was accustomed to expressing emotions subtly and maintaining a carefully composed exterior, dealing with someone as straightforward and energetic as Anon required extra effort. Keeping the atmosphere balanced and pleasant would take more work than usual.
Was it Anon who approached Kyo first? Or was Kyo the one who liked spending time with people like her?
Soyo pondered this silently. If it was the latter… did that mean she should start acting this way too when she was with Kyo?
Before Anon could ask another question, Soyo smoothly took the lead in the conversation. Her tone was gentle, yet it carried a subtle weight that made it difficult to interrupt.
"My name is Soyo. Are you here looking for band members?"
"Soyo… even your name sounds elegant." Anon sighed in admiration before quickly introducing herself, "I'm Anon! And yeah, I came here today to see if I could find any bandmates!"
"You know, when I came over, I saw another girl nearby. Is she with you?"
Now, at last, Soyo revealed her true intentions.
Since she had laid some groundwork before asking, naturally guiding the conversation toward Kyo, Anon didn't find anything unusual about the question. Trusting Soyo without hesitation, she replied, "Yeah, actually, she was the one who suggested coming here today. She said she knows someone here who'd probably be interested in joining a band."
Soyo's fingers, which had been idly twirling a lock of her hair, suddenly stopped.
"I see."
Her lips curved in a subtle way, a delicate shift in expression. Just those two simple words carried an unmistakable joy—like someone receiving a precious gift.
Kyo is trying to bring the band back together too. That's wonderful.
For a moment, the happiness that washed over Soyo made her lower her guard. The perfectly practiced, elegant social smile she always wore softened, becoming smaller—yet, paradoxically, far more genuine and heartfelt.
Anon noticed this subtle change and blinked in confusion. Why did this rich girl suddenly seem so pleased?
Before Anon could ask, another voice interrupted.
"I'm back—huh? Soyo?"
Kikukawa Kyo approached with her arms bent at the elbows, hands drooping limply like a ghost in an old movie.
She was still a short distance away, and though Soyo's presence caught her off guard, she quickly accepted it. It wasn't surprising for Soyo to be here—she was probably here for the same reason as Kyo. If anything, this just saved her the trouble of having to track Soyo down later.
"Wait, you two know each other?" Anon exclaimed, looking between Kyo and Soyo.
In that moment, she finally pieced it together—Soyo had to be one of CRYCHIC's members too. And since she had been looking at the request board earlier, she was probably also searching for bandmates. That means I just found two members at once!
But as soon as Kyo appeared, Soyo's attention shifted entirely to her. Watching Kyo's odd, lazy hand gesture, she let out a small laugh, filled with familiarity and fondness.
"Kyo, you're doing that again," she said, a nostalgic lilt in her voice. "You should dry your hands properly after washing them. You've had this bad habit for as long as I can remember. Taki told you more than once not to touch instruments with wet hands."
As Kyo stepped closer, Anon finally noticed the water droplets still clinging to her fingers. With every step, tiny beads of water dripped down, some landing on the exposed skin of her legs just below her uniform skirt. Yet Kyo didn't seem to care at all.
Kyo has a past I don't know about.
The thought struck Anon unexpectedly.
There was a time before she had met Kyo—a past filled with friendships and bonds she wasn't a part of. There were still so many things she didn't know about her.
Without realizing it, Anon pressed her lips together, a hint of dissatisfaction creeping into her expression.
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