"Anon, go take a shower already!"
Her mother’s voice drifted faintly from downstairs. Chihaya Anon, drained of all energy, didn’t even try to hide the sorrow in her eyes.
She managed to squeeze a bit of strength from her aching body, slowly dragging her unsteady steps toward the bathroom.
Warm water poured gently over her pale cheeks. Her long, sakura-pink hair, vibrant and romantic, was already soaked by the rising steam. Beads of water slid down her smooth neck and across her curves.
Bathing, sothing she usually loved, couldn’t comfort her in the slightest.
Splash...
She slipped into the tub, the hot water surrounding her delicate fra. Her already soft skin flushed a deep pink from the heat, but Anon just hugged her knees, staring blankly ahead.
Every ti she closed her eyes, she could hear the echo of that "bet" with Kita.
Buzz~
A familiar notification sound rang in her ears. That tone was unmistakable to her. Without thinking, Anon reached out and grabbed her phone, letting water drip onto the screen.
Seeing the Line ssage from "Bring Fertilizer?" sent a sudden warmth through her chest.
[Bring Fertilizer?: Beautiful Anon-san, how’s your rest going? Feeling any better~?]
"Haru... is worried about ..."
A strange mix of emotions flickered in Anon’s eyes. She cradled the phone in both hands like it was sothing precious.
[Ultimate High School Guitar-Vocalist: What’s with the sudden complint at a ti like this!! I totally ssed up today and dragged everyone down!]
[After the performance, I even said I felt dizzy and ran away in such a pathetic ss. Everyone... must be really mad, right?]
[Bring Fertilizer?: MyGO just lost once. That’s not going to ruin your future.]
[Besides, don’t you know Taki and Soyo’s personalities by now? Honestly, I’m more worried about you secretly crying under the covers.]
Smirking emoji.
I’m not crying, okay!
Anon puffed up her cheeks at the ssage, already imagining Haru’s face behind those teasing words.
[Ultimate High School Guitar-Vocalist: I’m feeling much better after a shower and so rest~ So you don’t have to worry anymore, Haru!]
[Bring Fertilizer?: Really nothing wrong? I happened to end up with two extra tickets to the marine aquarium. I was thinking of asking you... but maybe it’s best to invite the adorable Tomori instead?]
[Ultimate High School Guitar-Vocalist: You idiot! I want to go!!]
Anon instantly lost her mind.
She didn’t even think before tapping out the reply. But once the ssage was sent, her finger froze midair, and the sparkle in her eyes dimd.
She had to unsend it—quickly.
She no longer had the right to go on a date with Kazami Haru. The mont that performance ended, she lost the right to be his "girlfriend," his "wife."
From now on, she had to honor the bet with Kita and walk away from him. She had to watch, powerless, as soone else stood beside the person she loved.
She couldn’t bear to see that.
Drip drip...
"Why did it have to be like this..."
Tears, clear and round like pearls strung on a broken bracelet, slid down her cheeks. Though she had tried to keep the pain buried, she could no longer hold it in.
As the tears fell and the ache tore through her chest, she curled up in the tub, sobbing softly.
It was her fault. All of it.
She had been too arrogant.
"..."
Anon typed out the words I like you on her screen. But then, lips trembling, she erased them completely, like she couldn’t even bear to see them. She set the phone far away.
Staring down at the rippling water, her eyes filled with exhaustion and grief. The only sound was the soft drip of water from the faucet.
She couldn’t break the promise with Kita. That would be unforgivable.
She had to give up on being with him.
"There’s no way I could handle seeing Haru with soone else..."
Just imagining that scene from the dream, Haru marrying Nagasaki Soyo, sent knives through her heart. If that happened for real...
She’d never survive it.
And the worst part was that being near him only made her lose control. Was she really going to have to leave him completely?
...
The Next Day – Cultural Festival
After MyGO’s failed performance, all the girls were showing cracks.
Soyo hadn’t posted a single ssage in the group chat since then. She was clearly furious and sulking.
Taki, who had been crushed with guilt after the show, had only said she was working on arrangents. Nothing more after that.
Compared to those two, who were both completely overwheld, Raana, who didn’t seem to care much about the loss, and Tomori, who had been comforted in ti, were in relatively better shape.
After Haru ssaged Anon last night, he’d also noticed she was doing slightly better than Soyo or Taki.
So for now, his priority was clear: pull those two back into the fold.
Ding-a-ling...
The glass door of Rabbit House swung open, and the light chi of the bell carried through the air. A passing breeze swept in with it. A waitress behind the counter looked up, her eyes lighting up as she recognized him.
"Manager! Are you here for work today?"
"No, I’m eting soone."
Even now, Haru still wasn’t used to being called "manager." But starting a little while ago, he had officially taken over Rabbit House as his own café.
The previous owner, a playful type, had handed him the reins and fled off to live in London.
Under Haru’s managent, the café was doing quite well. On top of that, he’d signed a composing contract with Ave Mujica, earning him a monthly paynt equal to what Sakiko received.
Before he knew it, his net worth had grown into sothing seriously impressive.
It had been a while since Haru last raced to snatch a discounted bento box. Thinking back on it now brought a twinge of nostalgic longing.
"Huh? Are you eting up with Sakiko?"
The petite waitress blinked with a hint of curiosity in her eyes, but as soon as she realized she might’ve touched on sothing private, she flailed her hands in a panic.
"Ah! N-No! Forget I said anything! Please sit wherever you’d like, Manager! Let know if you need anything!"
With that, the flustered waitress turned tail and bolted, clearly afraid she’d get docked pay for sticking her nose where it didn’t belong.
Haru, used to his staff’s gossip habits by now, didn’t mind. With a faint, amused sigh, he turned toward a window-side seat tucked into the corner and sat down.
He pulled out his phone and opened the Line chat, scrolling up to a recent ssage from Nagasaki Soyo.
[Nagasaki Soyo: In that case, why don’t we et at that Rabbit House café?]
It had taken quite so effort to coax a reply out of her in the first place, so Haru wasn’t about to argue over the venue. He agreed and chose the café he managed himself.
Luckily, Sakiko wasn’t coming in today, which ant he could talk with Soyo freely without any interruptions.
"..."
There were still about fifteen minutes before their scheduled eting.
Keeping an eye on the ti, Haru flagged a waitress and ordered two Darjeeling teas. But just as he finished placing the order, the soft chi of the café bell rang at the entrance.
A girl with long brown hair stepped inside, wearing a soft gray-white fur-collared coat and a deep navy skirt. It was clear she’d put effort into her appearance today. As she moved, golden earrings peeked out beneath her hair, and her gentle curls rested lightly on her shoulders.
Even though her long sleeves and skirt covered her almost entirely, her graceful figure and mature charm were impossible to miss.
Definitely dressing up for soone. Secretly crushing on , huh?
"Heh..."
The mont she walked through the door, her eyes spotted Haru in the corner. Her lips curved into a soft smile, like she had known all along where he’d be hiding. Swinging her shoulder bag behind her, she made her way over with light steps.
The bounce in her movents betrayed a subtle trace of anticipation.
"Sorry, did I keep you waiting?"
"No, not at all. I just got here myself. Soyo... is tea okay?"
The mont she heard "tea," Nagasaki Soyo’s eyes narrowed in delight. Her smile was warm and playful.
"If it’s sothing Haru chose for , then anything is fine~"
Whoa there. Don’t go setting the trap this early.
Even though Haru had resolved to fully embrace his role as a future playboy, facing off against soone like Soyo with her overwhelming charm and razor-sharp intuition ant he needed to brace himself ntally.
Because from what he knew, a woman like Soyo, the queen of pure love, would never tolerate a "harem."
He needed to seize control of the conversation, fast.
"That aromatherapy set you gave last ti worked wonders. I’ve always had trouble sleeping, but now I’m falling asleep almost instantly. I really appreciate the recomndation."
"I’m glad to hear that~ But you know, aromatherapy works even better when it’s paired with a massage..."
Soyo toyed with the ends of her hair, an invisible tension radiating from her smile. Even though she was all sweetness on the surface, the pressure she gave off was imnse.
Every line she delivered ca wrapped in hidden suggestion—sothing Haru obviously couldn’t ignore.
Clearly, she was signaling her affection and waiting for him to respond.
"...In that case, would you mind giving a massage next ti?"
"I’d be happy to. Just say the word~"
She clasped her hands together with a radiant smile. For once, the pressure lted away, replaced by a serene and gentle glow.
Anyone watching would be able to sense just how pleased she was. Whatever sour mood she’d been in before had clearly faded.
Haru sighed inwardly.
It wasn’t that he feared being alone with Nagasaki Soyo. He had long since made peace with the idea of facing her direct confession. The problem was her overwhelming allure whenever they were alone.
With a personality like his—soone easily swept up in the mont—he worried he might lose control.
If he trusted "Little Haru" too much, he might not make it out of this love trap alive.
"Here you go~ Two Darjeeling teas."
The chipper blonde waitress arrived, balancing a heavy tray as she carefully placed two steaming cups on the table.
Her eyes lingered on Soyo for a second, sothing unreadable flickering behind them. But the mont Haru shot her a glance, she wisely turned around and left without another word.
No doubt this would be all over Sakiko’s desk by tomorrow.
"Actually, the reason I asked you to et today was to apologize for the culture fest Live yesterday."
Once Soyo seed to have settled down, Haru finally broached the main reason he’d called her here. The failed performance had rattled everyone, and Soyo, in particular, had clearly been upset about "Forget--Not."
She sipped her tea, then tilted her head slightly, her smile still in place.
"Apologize? What for, Haru?"
"The mistakes during the show weren’t your fault, were they? If anything, it was Anon-chan who slipped up and threw off the tempo. You have no reason to apologize to ."
If that were really true, she wouldn’t be smiling like this.
Haru t her golden eyes narrowed like crescent moons with a steady gaze and finally spoke seriously.
"Soyo, you said that ’Forget--Not’ was more suited for MyGO to perform. I actually agree with you."
"But at the ti, I felt that MyGO wasn’t ready yet. It’s a hard song to master, especially with its complex demands on the vocalist and lead guitar. So I went with ’Blooming Blue Snowflower’ instead. It’s more stable and easier for Anon and Tomori to handle."
The difficulty of "Forget--Not" wasn’t trivial. Even in the simulated scenario where MyGO had matured and practiced relentlessly, it had still taken them nearly a month to perform it flawlessly.
The current MyGO, especially post-breakup, simply didn’t have that level of polish or endurance yet.
"...Actually, Haru, I’m the one who should apologize."
As always, Soyo showed her perceptiveness. She understood everything without needing it spelled out.
She had never truly blad Haru for what happened.
Still, hearing soone else’s band declare that "Forget--Not" was their original song, it gnawed at her with a mix of bitterness and frustration.
"I didn’t an to take it out on you. I just wasn’t in the right headspace after losing to the Kessoku band. That’s why I got a little... emotional."
"I hope you don’t think I’m spoiled or selfish because of it."
Her slender fingers gently circled the rim of her teacup, her voice laced with an uncharacteristic vulnerability.
"No... I never thought that."
Haru finally allowed himself to relax a little.
As expected of the warm, thoughtful Soyo. This truly was one of her most considerate monts.
"All I want is to be soone Haru sees at her best. I want to be the one who leaves no bad impressions."
Just as Haru brought the teacup to his lips, his hand froze.
Across the table, Soyo had quietly laced her fingers together in a delicate arch, resting her soft, fair cheek upon them. Silky strands of chestnut-brown hair slid down her fingers as a pure, unguarded smile blood across her face.
And with that smile ca the softest of voices.
"Because, well... I love you most of all, Haru~"
Haru nearly dropped his tea.
He glanced up just in ti to et her gaze. Her soft, ocean-blue eyes shimred with a tenderness that needed no explanation. The smile on her lips was sweet, honest, and completely unfiltered.
A direct confession.
Just like in the simulation, Soyo’s confession ca without warning earnest, unembellished, and overflowing with emotion. There was no room left for doubt or misinterpretation.
"..."
Even though Haru had long since braced himself for this, her words still stole the breath from his lungs.
Bathed in the golden glow of the afternoon sun, the two sat in silence, their eyes locked in a wordless exchange. The sound of their deepening breaths and quickening heartbeats filled the quiet between them.
Of the two, Soyo was the more nervous.
She had no way of knowing whether the real Haru, affected by the butterfly effect of their altered reality, still felt the sa way. For all she knew, soone else had quietly built sothing deeper with him in the anti.
Maybe she was now just another unrequited admirer.
"I knew already."
Haru raised the teacup, her personally recomnded Darjeeling again, almost as if cupping the fragile, reconstructed heart she had handed him.
Soyo blinked at his answer, stunned, as he spoke with a slightly helpless smile.
"Soyo, your secret crush wasn’t exactly subtle."
"...It wasn’t?"
Her finger twirled a lock of her chestnut hair, and though her face remained calm, her eyes shimred with unease. Truth be told, even Mutsumi and Tomori had probably noticed her feelings.
There was no way Haru, who wasn’t dense at all, would’ve missed it.
"Then... what’s your answer?"
Her voice faltered, losing its usual composure. She lowered her gaze, eyes fixed on the gently steaming teacup before her.
Soyo had no idea what his feelings were now. The tiline had shifted. Soone else might’ve captured his heart already. Even the smallest variable could change everything.
Was this now a one-sided love?
"Soyo, you’re surprisingly innocent about this kind of thing."
"What’s that supposed to an...? Haru, don’t tease right now. Just answer already!"
Her composure finally cracked under the weight of her swirling emotions.
When she saw the slight smirk tugging at the corners of his lips, her cheeks flushed in anticipation, the blush blooming down her neck and up to her ears. Her grip on the teacup turned pale with tension.
"It’s obvious, isn’t it? I’ve felt the sa way for a long ti."
"...You an?"
Soyo’s mind blanked.
"I like you too."
The black-haired boy looked up at her with a gaze full of quiet resolve. No frills, no sweet nothings. Just a simple, sincere answer that struck Soyo like lightning.
The sheer force of that joy was enough to leave her light-headed. A deep, wine-red blush blood across her face, spilling down her neck and collar.
It was enough to leave her completely speechless.
"Since we like each other... then dating is totally fine, right?"
"No, I think we should just get engaged. Why don’t you co to my house for dinner tonight? I want you to et my mom and talk about well, and about kids, I was thinking—"
"Soyo-san? Isn’t this moving a bit fast?"
Haru blinked.
In an instant, the usually composed Soyo had ditched her dignified aura and fast-forwarded straight to baby nas. It left Haru completely stunned.
But then again... this was Soyo. The mont she gave her heart to soone, she gave it all.
And seeing that side of her, so endearingly sincere, he couldn’t help but smile.
If it had been Soyo who’d confessed to him first instead of Tomori, maybe he really would’ve gotten swept up in her pace.
"Soyo, before we go any further, there’s sothing important I need to tell you."
"I’m listening."
She straightened up imdiately, the image of a bashful but obedient girl, ready to hang on his every word.
If he didn’t get this out now, she might’ve already leapt across the table into his arms.
"...Before you, I started dating soone else."
"...What?"
Soyo blinked, confused.
"I’m currently seeing both Mutsumi and Tomori. And there are others I might fall for, too. Even knowing that, are you still willing to be with ?"
The words left Haru’s lips like a breath he’d been holding.
It was a conversation that needed to happen. For soone as possessive and easily jealous as Soyo, sharing the person she loved was unthinkable.
In the simulation, just the idea of him joining Ave Mujica with Sakiko had nearly sent her into ltdown.
"...Mutsumi and Tomori?"
Soyo looked stunned. Sure, she’d known Haru was close with Mutsumi, but she had always assud that bond was rooted in their shared connection to Sakiko.
She never imagined that Mutsumi of all people would get there first.
"You an you’re planning to juggle all of us?"
Even with her thoughts in chaos, Soyo managed to ask the question calmly, trying to make sense of what Haru had just told her.
"That’s right. I intend to date and eventually marry all of you."
Haru said it without flinching, eyes focused straight ahead.
There was no room for jokes in that voice. Soyo could see that now, this wasn’t a whim. It was a decision.
The realization that her beloved was planning to "cheat" with Mutsumi of all people left her in total disbelief. Betrayal burned in her chest like a knife. Mutsumi had promised to support her, how could she do this?
"...That’s not possible. There’s no way. Do Mutsumi and Tomori even agree to that?"
"I know it sounds ridiculous, but I’ll do everything I can to make it work. And right now, neither of them has objected."
Soyo knew she couldn’t change his mind.
But she also couldn’t accept sharing him. Her sky-blue eyes glinted with sothing sharp.
Her mind raced.
If she backed out now, it would be the sa as handing Haru over to Mutsumi and Tomori.
No. She couldn’t allow that.
Quietly toying with her fingers, a new idea blood in her thoughts. With a sly smile tugging at her lips, she glanced at Haru and spoke.
"...That’s fine."
Haru: ???
Wait. What?
She agreed to that?
Was she influenced by Hakari or Karane from 100 girlfriends!?
"But as your girlfriend," she said sweetly, "you’ll do anything I ask, won’t you?"
There was a glimr in her eyes, the sort that said she had no intention of letting go.
If she stayed by his side long enough, she’d win. Eventually, the others would slip away, one way or another and she’d beco his only one.
His one and only.
And now... it ant she could do whatever she wanted.
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