Not long after Rin Ito finished feeding Sakiko, Shion completed the lunch preparations.
After distributing a portion of the meal to Eriri and the others in the studio, Shion brought the rest down to the basement.
Today's lunch was extremely simple: a few sandwiches and some milk.
Shion was a head maid, not a superhero; sandwiches were the fastest way to fill everyone's bellies using the ingredients in the fridge.
Though it was quick, it wasn't sloppy.
The crusts were trimmed off the toasted bread, which was then filled with fragrant pan-seared chicken or scrambled eggs, layered with crisp greens.
As for the so-called "milk"... it was the fresh supply stored in the Fujiwara fridge, pumped daily from the two sisters.
Even while eating, Rin Ito's hands never stopped toy with Sakiko.
Since this was an endurance challenge to build her stamina, naturally, there could be no pause!
After lunch, Rin called Ai Hayasaka and Shion over.
"Ai, you'll be responsible for toy with Sakiko for now. Shion, go rest; you'll be taking the night shift for an all-nighter... the two of you will rotate."
"A... a double shift sounds too exhausting. I think they should go rest together," Sakiko suggested cautiously.
However, she was completely ignored by Rin. And he didn't just ignore her.
"From now on, no more gentleness. As long as you don't injure her, use your maximum effort to drive her to the peak."
"Use any toy in this room. Even if Sakiko passes out, you are to continue playing with her."
"!!!!"
Sakiko sucked in a breath of cold air. Even the gentle play earlier had left her semi-conscious. If they went all out...
Before Sakiko could process the horror, Ai's fingers landed precisely on her body.
As professional maids, they had already mapped out Sakiko's sensitive spots during the preliminary tests; triggering a climax was child's play for them.
"GUH-EEEE!!! STOP... DON'T... MMMPH!!!"
In less than two minutes, Sakiko was arching her waist before Rin, a shallow fountain of "spring water" erupting from her.
"Good job."
Rin gave Ai's head a light pat and then unlatched the cuffs on Chika.
Though Rin didn't know if Sakiko still had the mental capacity to watch, the exposure of their most shameful states was a mutual process.
Earlier it was Kaguya; now it was Chika's turn.
Besides... he had to start preparing Sakiko's dinner.
While Rin Ito was sweating over Chika and the others, Tomori and her bandmates were sweating in the rehearsal room.
"Haruhikage" belonged to Crychic. It was a memory shared by Tomori, Taki, Soyo, Sakiko, and Mutsumi.
But those were memories of the past.
Now, Tomori was creating new memories with new partners...
"Standing in the middle of the crossroads~ merging into the busy crowd~"
"Ah... sorry, sorry. I hit a wrong note. Ehe."
Tomori's singing cut off as Anon apologized profusely. This new song was one Tomori and Taki had written together to start their new chapter.
It wasn't just Anon; everyone except Rana made mistakes from time to time.
Unlike the tension before the live show, Anon had become much more relaxed after the "Final Haruhikage" for Sakiko and Crychic.
Her skill level, however, was significantly better than when she started.
"Let's take a break." Soyo set her bass down, her face full of gentle smiles.
She didn't blame Anon. In fact, they were all feeling a bit of a post-show letdown.
They were different from Ave Mujica.
They didn't have the goal of proving themselves at the Budokan; they were just happy to play in a band with friends on the weekend.
Getting on stage was great, but even if they didn't, they enjoyed the process.
After a short rest, they resumed practicing the new track. The five of them stayed in the Ring rehearsal room until late afternoon.
As usual, Tomori and Taki said their goodbyes and headed home together.
But today, Soyo, Anon, and Rana didn't head straight to their respective homes.
"Um... Anon-chan, Rana-chan. Could you wait a moment?"
Soyo called out to them, her lips pursed in a look of hesitant internal conflict.
Seeing Soyo acting strange, Anon asked with concern, while Rana tilted her head curiously.
"What's wrong? Is there something special you need to say? Should I call Taki-chan and Tomori back?"
"No, no. Don't call them."
Soyo's fingers twisted together, as if she were debating whether to speak. Anon and Rana waited in silence.
After a long while, Soyo spoke as if she had finally steeled her resolve.
"Don't you... don't you feel that Tomori and Taki are hiding something from us?"
Anon: "Eh?"
Rana: "Mmm?"
"Ever since we... we leaked on that stage... I've felt something was off with them."
"They act like something happened... Anon-chan, you even mentioned that Tomori skipped class that afternoon without telling you, but then she arrived with Taki."
Soyo voiced the suspicion. Anon frowned as she recalled the day of the live. Just as Soyo said, Tomori and Taki had been acting very strange that day.
"It's probably nothing, right?" Anon shook her head.
Tomori skipping class was odd, but within the realm of explanation. "Maybe she just didn't want us to worry."
However, Rana disagreed with Anon.
"It is strange." Rana nodded solemnly. "That day, they both smelled like queens in heat!"
"Since that day, they've seemed even closer than before, like they share a secret..." Soyo let out a heavy, sorrowful sigh. "I feel like they're keeping us at a distance."
The mention of being "left out" made Anon's heart tighten. She didn't want anything to happen to this band she had worked so hard to build!
She didn't want to fail again like she had with her studies abroad.
With that thought, Anon spoke up urgently. "L-Let's just ask them clearly! We promised Tomori we'd be a band for a lifetime. Better to ask than to guess here."
Hearing Anon's words, a nearly invisible smirk of triumph touched the corner of Soyo's mouth.
The worry, the hesitation, the doubt—it was all Soyo's masterpiece of acting.
She had been waiting for Anon to say those exact words!
Soyo had guessed on the day of the live that Tomori and Taki had been "eaten" by Rin Ito.
She had been waiting for Rin to make a move on Anon and Rana so she could provide the assist.
But since the live ended, she hadn't seen him move. If Rin wasn't going to be proactive, she'd make the girls take the initiative instead!
The curl of her lips grew wider, her pleasure hidden beneath a mask of "gentle concern."
"Then... after tomorrow's practice, let's ask them together."