Watching the developments on the screen, Sakiko's heart also tightened slightly.
But very quickly, she relaxed again, determination shining within her eyes.
In fact, before dubbing this episode, Kamijou Mutsuki had already spoken with her.
He told her that the final episode would expose many things.
Including certain truths she had wanted to hide.
If it had been the old Dark Sakiko, then with the pride she possessed at the time, she probably would never have agreed no matter what.
However, the current Sakiko didn't care nearly as much anymore.
So what if she had fallen from grace?
What was there to hide?
Besides, even if she didn't say it, everyone had probably already guessed by now, right?
The current Sakiko was invincible da~
She had already escaped from her former weakness.
Sakiko believed that no matter how the anime's story unfolded, nothing could shake her anymore!
["Then at 10 a.m. on Sunday, the person in charge will visit—"
And as the anime aired, the audience in front of their screens suddenly realized in surprise—
The scene shown wasn't RiNG, nor was it the schools of the band girls.
Instead, it was the interior of a high-rise office building—a place where working adults went to work.
"Thank you for taking the time to answer the call despite your busy schedule."
Sakiko sat at her desk, speaking in a gentle tone.
Customer Service Sakiko-chan has grandly appeared!]
Watching this explosive scene, viewers in front of their screens instantly erupted.
After all, for Sakiko—a former rich young lady living in a detached mansion—to now be working customer service, the implications were self-evident.
Although many MyGO!!!!! fans had previously speculated that Sakiko quit CRYCHIC because something happened to her family—
There was naturally a completely different impact between mere speculation and the anime fully confirming it.
Seeing the once elegant young lady reduced to today's Maid Sakiko-chan, many of her awkward actions earlier in the anime suddenly seemed to have answers now.
Fans watching MyGO!!!!!, especially Sakiko fans, couldn't help but feel heartache for the girl.
"Sakiko, you…"
If even strangers reacted like this, then naturally the band girls who personally knew her reacted even more strongly.
Although they had already guessed before that something major had likely happened to Sakiko's family—
After all, as Sakiko's coworkers, the information they could obtain far exceeded that of ordinary fans.
But when the truth was truly placed directly before them, the girls still found themselves momentarily speechless.
"It's just like you all imagined,"
Now that the moment had truly come to honestly reveal everything, Sakiko discovered it wasn't nearly as difficult as she had imagined.
No, rather—
Her mentality itself had already become completely different from how it was in the beginning.
"My family encountered an accident. I'm no longer the young lady of the Togawa family anymore."
"Not only do I need to work to support myself, but I'm also carrying a lot of debt."
"The reason I quit CRYCHIC back then was because I no longer had the energy to continue playing in a band."
"And I also didn't want any of you to become involved with the me from that time."
"Thinking about it now, I really did quite a lot of stupid things back then…"
"That's not true!"
Hearing the somewhat self-mocking tone in Maid Sakiko-chan's voice, Tomori immediately spoke up.
"It wasn't Sakiko's fault. Back then, all of us…"
"So you quit CRYCHIC because of something like that?"
Recalling her own attitude when Sakiko left the band, Taki felt slightly guilty, though she still spoke in her usual tsundere manner.
"It's not like we wouldn't have understood."
"If you had told us back then, we also could've…"
Taki suddenly found herself at a loss for words.
After all, at that time, they had only been ordinary students themselves.
Even if Sakiko had told them back then, what could they really have done?
They could do nothing at all!
"…Support Saki-chan's business a little?"
Seeing Taki trail off, Kamijou Mutsuki chuckled and added that line.
"Yeah, support Sakiko a bit… wait, why does what you said sound kinda weird?"
Halfway through speaking, the girl suddenly reacted and frowned at Kamijou Mutsuki.
The surrounding girls also revealed subtle expressions.
After all, Sakiko had merely gone to work customer service.
But the way Kamijou Mutsuki phrased it made it sound like she was engaged in some sort of yuri hostess business!
Even Maid Sakiko-chan herself blushed slightly and glared at Kamijou Mutsuki.
However, after Kamijou Mutsuki interrupted things like this, the atmosphere between the girls—which had suddenly become gloomy—lightened once more.
At the same time, the final trace of distance between Sakiko and Tomori's group completely disappeared as well.
[In the anime, after Customer Service Sakiko-chan clocked out, she left her workplace and arrived at Mutsumi's home.
"Miss Mutsumi, Miss Sakiko has arrived."
Mutsumi had been quietly playing guitar alone when she suddenly learned of Big Sakiko-sensei's arrival.
"The other members are already gathered,"
The moment she saw Mutsumi, Sakiko immediately got straight to the point.
"You're the only one left."
"I'll join!"
Mutsumi's reply likewise came without the slightest hesitation.
Seeing Mutsumi agree so readily, Sakiko was clearly a bit surprised.
After remaining silent for a short while, she finally spoke.
"There's no turning back, you know!"
"Because Saki-chan looked like she was about to break."
Mutsumi once again demonstrated to everyone her overwhelmingly powerful language skills.]
Seeing this scene, the girls outside the screen also revealed rather subtle expressions.
Mutsumi, after so many episodes, you're still just as good at talking!
Although at first glance Mutsumi's words didn't seem too bad, given Big Sakiko-sensei's pride in the anime, it was unquestionably stepping right on a landmine.
Watching this scene, Big Cat instead felt a different kind of unbearable awkwardness.
Wasn't this just forming a band?
It was either "a matter for a lifetime" or "there's no turning back"—did it really need to be this heavy?
Among all the girls present, was she really the only one who wasn't a heavy girl?
[As expected, upon hearing Mutsumi's words, Sakiko's expression darkened.
"How very condescending of you!"
At this moment, Sakiko resembled a startled hedgehog, overflowing with aggressiveness.
"Ah…"
Mutsumi also froze slightly upon hearing that, then realized her words had apparently upset Sakiko.
"Sorr—"
"There's no need for your concern."
Before Mutsumi could finish speaking, Sakiko interrupted her directly.
She stood up immediately, and within those golden eyes so similar to Mutsumi's shone a determined brilliance.
"The weak me is already dead!"
Then, the anime scene temporarily ended, and the opening theme began to play.]
I want to die so badly…
Recalling the determined look in her own eyes from the anime just now, Sakiko's face involuntarily flushed red with embarrassment.
The feeling was like having one of her nearly forgotten dark histories suddenly dug up and played in front of all her friends.
Still… there should only be this one scene, right?
There probably wouldn't be any more of her embarrassing black history afterward… right?
And also, Mutsumi…
Thinking of Mutsumi, the expression on the girl's face likewise became somewhat complicated.
.....................