The Next Day.
With her cap pulled low and wearing oversized sunglasses, Hatsune arrived at the cafe with a pounding heart. From a distance, she saw the figure she yearned for.
Sakiko's light blue hair fell elegantly over her shoulders, tied back simply with black ribbons. Her amber eyes were crinkled with a gentle smile, and her slightly rounded cheeks looked so soft they invited a bite.
Hatsune ducked her head and walked quickly to Sakiko's table.
"Sakiko-chan... long time no see. Sorry about the hat, I don't want to draw a crowd."
"It's fine." Sakiko took a graceful sip of her tea. "It's been a long time."
"Mmm, too long." Hatsune tried to keep her breathing steady. The hat and glasses weren't just for her "idol" status; she was terrified. Looking at Sakiko made her relive everything she'd done to those panties last night. She had licked every square inch of them clean.
"Mmm... our last meeting was... a year ago?" Hatsune's heart hammered. She almost let it slip!
Sakiko had only seen her a year ago, but Hatsune had "seen" Sakiko many times—stalking her from afar, never daring to say hello or be discovered.
"Mmm."
Sakiko looked nostalgic. They began reminiscing about the old days, but the more they talked, the more Hatsune felt her heart being squeezed.
The "old days" Sakiko remembered were with Uika, not Hatsune. Sakiko's best friend was the "persona," not the real girl. Her entire identity and her dreams were stolen goods.
Unwilling to dwell on the lies, Hatsune took a breath and shifted the topic.
"Did you need something specific today, Sakiko-chan?"
"I want to form a band. Uika, could you help me?"
It's true!
Hatsune's eyes sharpened behind her glasses. Everything he said was true!
What is his relationship with Sakiko?
Suppressing her curiosity, she spoke neutrally.
"A band? Didn't you already have one? Are you trying to start one with someone you like?"
"Eh? No..." If someone mentioned Crychic before, she would have flared up. Now... while it was still a regret, she had found peace with it.
She had made peace with the band, but she was still desperate to escape the reality of her life. And... this was for Mutsumi.
She had broken Mutsumi's band; she would give her a new one.
"I'm forming it with Mutsumi. I hurt her when I left Crychic, so I'm giving her a new home."
"..."
Hatsune felt a sharp pang of envy. She hadn't met Mutsumi, but she knew she was Sakiko's childhood friend. Now Sakiko was building an entire band just for her...
Hatsune knew she had no right to be jealous, but it stung nonetheless. She hid her bitterness behind her sunglasses.
"I'll help. Besides you and Mutsumi, is there anyone else?"
"We still need a drummer and a guitarist. I've already contacted a drummer who should be here soon. As for the bass... I don't have a candidate yet. Do you know anyone?"
The drummer Sakiko had found was a vlogger she'd seen while learning makeup. She was a beauty vlogger, but her occasional drum covers were professional-tier. Plus, she was ambidextrous—a massive advantage for a drummer.
"I actually have someone in mind. I can introduce her to you another day."
"Perfect." Sakiko checked her watch. "She should be here any minute."
A few moments later, a woman in a straw hat and sunglasses appeared. She wore a grey halter top and a black mini-skirt. Hatsune looked at her and felt a spark of recognition.
Sakiko stood up, her hands folded elegantly. "I am Sakiko Toyokawa. We spoke yesterday."
"I'm Nyamu~ And this is...?" Nyamu looked at Hatsune. "You look very familiar~"
Hatsune was about to remove her glasses, but Sakiko stopped her.
"She's a friend. Let's discuss the band first. I want you to join us."
Hatsune moved to let Sakiko and Nyamu sit face-to-face. Nyamu took off her sunglasses and looked Sakiko up and down... No prestigious uniform. Does a Toyokawa heiress really go to a common school?
Sakiko met her gaze with absolute confidence.
"Yes, I've seen your videos... impressive for a vlogger with 320,000 followers." Sakiko praised her before turning the knife. "But your current engagement is pathetic, isn't it? You can't keep going like this. You want a change, don't you? Otherwise, you wouldn't have agreed to meet me so quickly."
Nyamu grit her teeth. Sakiko was right.
320k was a lot, but her retention was garbage, her views were low, and her DMs were dead. That's why she had jumped at a message from someone claiming to be a Toyokawa heiress.
"So why me? Why pick someone with 'low engagement'?"
"Because you have a beautiful face. And more importantly, your drumming... your ambidextrous style is breathtaking and flamboyant. I want you in my band. Though... you'll need to polish your technique if you want to be worthy of my vision."
"....And what's in it for me?"
Nyamu was annoyed. Who was this girl to tell her she wasn't good enough yet!? She hadn't even said yes!
But she held her tongue.
Partly because her channel was dying, and partly because she wanted to see if this "vision" was real.
Sakiko shot Hatsune a look. Hatsune understood and removed her glasses and hat. When Nyamu saw her face, she nearly knocked over the table.
"Hello. I am Uika Hatsune from sumimi. I will be the vocalist. The guitarist is Mutsumi Wakaba... you've likely heard that name. The agency is already settled. If you agree, you can sign right now."
Sakiko pulled the contract Rin had prepared from her bag and slid it across the table. Her lips curled into a satisfied smirk... Controlled!
"Well? Are you in?"
Seeing the agency's name, Nyamu's heart skipped a beat... This Sakiko might be blunt, but the offer was irresistible.
Triangle Hatsune from sumimi and Minami Mori's daughter in the same band!?
Her "Toyokawa Heiress" identity had to be the real deal. With these names, the resources and traffic they could generate would be astronomical.
Though she was dying to scream 'Yes!', Nyamu forced herself to look calm, skimmed the contract, and slowly signed her name.
"I am Wakana Utenji. Please look after me."