[Okay, name, appearance, and general scope of work... Yes, this information is sufficient.]
Yamabuki Yachiyo's voice came from the receiver.
[I will begin the investigation as soon as possible. I will contact you as soon as I have any news.]
"Yes, thank you very much, Head Maid Yamabuki."
Togawa Sakiko thanked Yachiyo on the other end of the line with the utmost sincerity.
"Also, to suddenly trouble you with something so major... I am truly sorry."
[It is nothing. Compared to the various things Luna-sama and I have experienced, what you have asked of me, Miss Togawa, is a small matter at best.]
Yachiyo said.
[Not to mention, you are one of Luna-sama's few friends. Under these circumstances, you have even less need to thank me... However, just in case, before I investigate your father's whereabouts, there is one more question I would like to ask you.]
"Please, go ahead."
[If the final investigation reveals that your father has taken a stance that is completely different... or even diametrically opposed to your own, what choice will you make?]
Yachiyo asked in a tone that betrayed no emotion.
[Will you choose to side with your father, or will you stand by the choices you have made now?]
"..."
Hearing this question, Sakiko's expression faltered for a moment.
The reason she was so surprised was not because Yachiyo had pointed out the possibility of her and her father being on opposing sides, but because she was surprised that... her own stance and choices were worthy of being specifically asked about by the Head Maid.
She realized once again that she was no longer just the down-and-out young lady who had run away from the Togawa family. She was also the student and assistant to [Starry Sky]'s founder, Chihaya Tetsuya, and the creator of the band [Ave Mujica].
If that was the case, then her answer was decided from the very beginning.
"My future, my place to belong, and my happiness—these all belong to me. And all the choices I make are born from my own dignity and pride, not from blindly following my father."
Sakiko's tone was incredibly firm.
"My love for my family is by no means blind faith. Therefore, you need not worry about my stance or my choices."
[...Mhm, that's good.]
After receiving Sakiko's response, Yachiyo's tone was noticeably more cheerful than before.
[You and Luna-sama are indeed the same type of person.]
[That's right! I knew you'd say that.]
At the same time, Sakurakouji Luna's voice came through the phone.
So she had been silently listening in on the conversation.
[Don't worry, Togawa. I'll hire a whole bunch of private investigators to look into your father's situation. You just need to keep focusing on your band and on Chihaya Tetsuya.]
[You cannot, my lady. Your over-the-top methods will definitely expose everything.]
[Mmm... Then how about I reduce the number a little?]
[We will discuss the specifics later... In any case, Miss Togawa, now that you have made your decision, you just need to continue doing what you must, as you always have.]
"...I understand."
Sakiko nodded.
Although she was indeed very worried about her father, the more she worried, the more she had to accumulate her own strength as quickly as possible. That way, even if her father did make some kind of mistake, she would have the ability to repay it on his behalf.
As for the debt to the Togawa family...
"To buy my freedom with just a quarter of the debt is a little too cheap."
Sakiko scoffed at that self-serving and ridiculously cheap freedom.
"If I were to name my own price, it would cost at least three-quarters!"
[Exactly! That's the spirit!]
Luna's voice was filled with agreement and admiration.
[I'm looking forward to attending Filia with you more and more.]
"...Mhm, me too."
Sakiko said, glancing at the costume designs on the coffee table that she and Tetsuya had chosen together yesterday.
"I'm looking forward to that day more and more, too."
...
After hanging up the phone, Sakiko turned her head and looked at the figure on the sofa who had, at some point, fallen fast asleep.
"You can't be woken up even when I'm talking this loudly?"
Sakiko reached out with a helpless look and gently stroked Tetsuya's cheek.
"You must have been really tired recently, too, haven't you?"
After they had returned to his house, Tetsuya had done exactly as he said he would, staying up all night in the living room with the sleepless Sakiko and discussing the costume designs for [Ave Mujica] with her.
Even with the joint exhibition and the [TGC] looming, he was still willing to sacrifice his precious rest time for her sake and devote his already scarce design ideas to her band.
It was on this night, looking at the stack of design sketches Tetsuya had produced, that Sakiko realized just how much homework and effort he had secretly put in for her.
This person, who previously understood neither metal, nor rock, nor Goth culture, had actually taken a few lines from their first conversation to heart and spent a massive amount of time studying and designing just for her.
"If my band hadn't chosen this style, wouldn't all your hard work have been for nothing?"
"If I hadn't come to you for help, wouldn't these designs you drew for me have been wasted?"
"If, in the end, I hadn't chosen you, but had blindly followed my father or the Togawa family as Head Maid Yamabuki suggested, wouldn't all your feelings have been utterly betrayed by me?"
Sakiko couldn't help but let out a deep sigh.
"Just how much more do you want me to fall for you...?"
Looking at his completely unguarded sleeping face, Sakiko couldn't help but recall how, yesterday at her house, even when she had kissed him by force, he was more worried about her falling over.
"So... how on earth does Hoshino Ai manage to hold back?"
In the past, she had only ever blamed Hoshino Ai's boldness and shamelessness. Now, not only did she understand Ai's obsession and devotion to Tetsuya more and more, but she had even begun to admire her superhuman self-restraint.
If she had been given that many opportunities to make a move, Tetsuya would have probably been eaten clean by now.
"...Actually, it wouldn't be so bad to do it now, would it?"
Unconsciously, she had been inching closer and closer to him, and now she could clearly feel his breath and scent.
If she just moved a little more forward, she could kiss his lips effortlessly.
...
If that was the case, then what was she hesitating for?
If she kissed him awake, she would just tell him to go back to his room and sleep properly. If he didn't wake up... then all the more reason to kiss him until he did!
With that thought, the always-decisive Togawa Sakiko hesitated no longer. She eagerly pressed her lips against his. The subsequent softness, which was so blissful and addictive, made her close her eyes in a state of rapture.
A pleasure that filled both her body and soul made her senses focus entirely on this kiss that was making her lose all reason. It was because of this that she failed to notice the other person who had, at some point, walked out of her room and was now staring in utter shock at the scene before her.
"S-S-S-Sakiko-san?!"
Chihaya Anon stood frozen for a full minute before she couldn't help but cry out.
"W-what... are you doing... to my brother?"
"...?"
Anon's cry was so abrupt that Sakiko, who had been completely lost in her reverie, finally snapped out of it and opened her eyes.
When she saw the shocked girl in front of her, she belatedly realized that there was another person in this house—the "stepsister" who was most important to Chihaya Tetsuya and also a fellow pursuer...
Faced with this stepsister's questioning, Sakiko took a good ten seconds to find a suitable description from the sweet, syrupy love filling her mind.
"As you can see, I am violating your brother."
"Eh? You're being that direct?"
The overly blunt confession actually caused Anon's mind to go blank from the sheer force of the straight-ball impact. But she quickly came to her senses and rephrased the question.
"N-no, that's not it! I mean, why are you doing something like that to my brother!"
"Because I couldn't hold back."
"E-eh..."
Another frank confession threw Anon into complete confusion.
This person... she's not a foreigner from a different moral and cultural system, is she? Why does she have absolutely no guilt or restraint about her actions?!
While Anon was still reeling in confusion, Sakiko, who had regained her composure, wiped the corner of her mouth as if finishing a meal. She then stood up and said to the "pitiful stepsister" who was beginning to question her reality.
"It's not good to talk about this in front of Tetsuya-kun. Let's talk alone."
With that, she walked naturally over to Anon.
"I'll be borrowing your room for a bit."
"Eh? Ah... mhm..."
Anon, who had just woken up and whose brain was still not fully functional, just nodded blankly and followed Sakiko back into her own room...
...
"I think you probably already know this... but I feel I should formally tell you."
Sakiko said to Anon, who was sitting dazedly on her bed.
"I love Tetsuya-kun. It's not just respect or gratitude, but the kind of love one feels for the opposite sex—the kind where I want to date him and be intimate with him."
"A-wah, wah, wah..."
The overly direct and fervent confession actually made Anon feel an unprecedented level of second-hand embarrassment.
"I-I did know that! But even so... you can't just secretly kiss my brother while he's sleeping..."
Anon's voice grew quieter and quieter.
"Even I haven't done that yet... Ah, no, I mean, you two aren't even dating, you shouldn't be doing things like that yet!"
"Dating..."
Hearing this word, Sakiko tilted her head slightly.
"It might be a bit sad to say this, but I don't think I can date Tetsuya-kun."
"Eh!? Why?"
Anon was shocked.
"Don't you love my brother too, Sakiko-san? And my brother values you a lot—"
"Because the burdens I carry aren't something that can be erased by our feelings alone. I know Tetsuya-kun doesn't care about any of that, and I've already decided to face all challenges with him, but until all our problems are completely resolved, I don't have the right to call myself his lover."
Sakiko said.
"So, if you're really that angry, Anon-san, you can just think of me as a sly and shameless cat sneaking a taste."
"N-no, you don't have to put it so harshly..."
After all, she herself had once actively attacked Tetsuya with Hoshino Ai. If we were talking "shameless," she was just as guilty.
"I know a little about your situation, Sakiko-san... um, actually, when you two came home last night, I kind of eavesdropped on your conversation..."
At this, Anon rubbed her eyes, which were heavy from lack of sleep.
"Honestly, I really support everything my brother is doing for you, and it's not strange that you would fall in love with him because of it... I-I was just worried... that you might be the type who wants to monopolize my brother..."
"Regarding that, please rest assured."
Sakiko shook her head.
"In fact, a large part of the reason Tetsuya-kun is in this situation of being coveted by multiple girls is my own doing. I have never thought I had the right to monopolize him. And... I don't object to what you and Hoshino Ai have done to him. In fact, it was precisely because you and Ai made the first moves that I had the opportunity to follow."
"How do you know about that too..."
Anon shrank back with an embarrassed look.
At this point, as someone with a similar track record, she had completely lost the standing to question Sakiko.
"So, in short, while you love my brother very much, you don't intend to monopolize him as his lover... is that right?"
"That's right. Especially after receiving his promise last night... I have even less reason to be jealous or compete with you."
Sakiko stated very frankly.
"Right now, I'm only focused on resolving my father's situation as soon as possible, so I can stand on my own two feet and become a source of support for Tetsuya-kun. As for what comes after... if Tetsuya-kun really only chooses one of us in the end, I will naturally accept that result."
"Mmm... so, you have the same mindset as me and Soyo..."
Anon muttered.
"A victor who can calmly accept any outcome..."
(Anon-san, Soyo... and Hoshino Ai. By that count, these three have all become important existences that Tetsuya-kun can never part with. If that's the case, rather than everyone continuing to hold each other back and be on guard, it might be better to create a win-win situation together...)
After hearing Anon's muttering and thinking for a moment, Sakiko suddenly made a proposal.
"Anon-san."
"Yes?"
"After the joint exhibition and the [TGC] are over, why don't the few of us 'devour' Tetsuya-kun together first?"
"...Wha?"