Her silver-white hair swaying, Chiose's figure vanished around the corner—but the words she'd left behind kept Takamatsu Tomori and Shiina Taki from snapping out of it for a long while.
Maybe someday we really could form a band together?
Both of them felt they could say yes. They just didn't know how the other one felt.
"Little Tomo, what Little Chiose said just now…"
Taki knew Tomori was sensitive about anything to do with bands, and she was terrified Takamatsu Tomori had misunderstood what Chiose meant.
But things were going unexpectedly well.
Sitting on the blanket in a duck-sit, legs folded to either side, Takamatsu Tomori clutched MCR's "Welcome to the Black Parade" album with trembling hands.
The little skeleton figure on the cover was pressed up to hide Tomori's face. Takamatsu Tomori was actually…
Blushing?
Huh?!
"Taki! That thing Little Chiose said about forming a band—if it's true! Would you do it with us?"
Wait, wait, wait, wait!
Taki couldn't quite keep up. Why did the words coming out of the Takamatsu Tomori in front of her feel so off?
Did Tomori mean she'd already agreed to the idea? And now she was asking for Taki's opinion?
"Huh? Of course I'm in—but Tomori, you're weirdly not upset about it?"
"Upset?" Tomori lowered her eyes, puzzled, fiddling with the albums in her hands. "Why would I be upset? A new band is a good thing, isn't it… and with Little Chiose! And… with Taki, too."
She'd nearly forgotten to add Taki's name—luckily Takamatsu Tomori patched it in just in time.
"If you can move past it, then that's the best thing. Looks like you've changed a lot too, Tomori."
Taki wasn't used to sitting duck-style; she folded her legs and kept her back straight, giving off an oddly earnest air for no clear reason.
"After all…"
A shimmer flickered in Tomori's eyes.
"People always grow. I've already steeled myself with a new resolve."
"I don't think I'll ever think of Crychic again for the rest of my life."
"Little Soyo? Little Soyo? Are you all right?"
My name is Noshiro Chiose, and right now I'm panicking.
Let me carefully sort through what's happened over these past two days.
You're saying… a gorgeous girl having an emotional breakdown on the side of the road threw a fit demanding to stay at my house and become my good friend—and this same person is also the mother and the daughter from my dreams?
Are you kidding me?
But that's exactly how it is.
Those girls from the Simulation were showing up in Chiose's everyday life one after another, and just like in the Simulation, each of them displayed a craving for something.
They all had intense emotional needs.
One was manageable. Two she could deal with…
But counting Soyo, this was already the third girl to cling to her, wasn't it?
Could Noshiro Chiose really handle all of this?!
"Ngh… Chiose? Is that you…?"
Soyo's throat worked, barely forcing out a feeble call.
"It's me. Are you feeling any better, Miss Soyo?"
Chiose managed a strained smile.
It hurt, it hurt so much… she couldn't treat Soyo with that warm, affectionate manner…
Because that would be strange—especially toward a stranger.
Chiose's distress kept growing, but she didn't let Soyo see it.
"Mm! Thank you for looking after me. I'm much better now."
Yesterday had been so wild that Soyo was now a little too embarrassed to face Chiose.
But the samgyetang was like some kind of warning. Soyo now had to believe that if she dared to shrink back even once, she might lose Chiose forever…
Something like that—never!
"Chiose, thank you… I've said so many words of thanks these past two days, but I still want to thank you again. I caused you trouble just now, didn't I?"
"It's fine, Soyo. My classmates just came over and got startled, that's all."
"Eh? You have classmates over? I…"
"Yes—Takamatsu and Shiina. They're resting in my room right now. Do you need me to go heat up some more food for you, Soyo? You haven't eaten in days, have you?"
"Wait, what did you say?"
Shiina and… Takamatsu? Put together with Noshiro and Haizuka…
All right, all right, the whole set was complete. Was she never going to get away from these surnames for the rest of her life?
"Excuse me—do you mean Takamatsu Tomori and Shiina Taki?"
"Yes, yes—the very members of your band, Crychic. When they told me they knew you, I even thought it was a huge coincidence. Who'd have guessed that after going all the way around, my new friends and my old friends turn out to all be friends," Chiose said, narrowing her eyes gently.
Before, she'd had no reason to be kind to the real Soyo—they weren't close, after all—but now she had a little bit of one.
A friend's friend is my new friend! So now I've got plenty of reasons to be good to Soyo!
But there was still a note of probing in it that even Chiose herself disliked.
She brought Soyo some light, mildly flavored food.
"Milk and cookies. Your stomach shouldn't act up this time."
"Eh?"
"Sorry, I was careless before… the food I made was fairly rich. Samgyetang and the like really won't do. Let these tide you over for now, Soyo, and I'll go make dinner in a bit."
"I…"
The look in Nagasaki Soyo's eyes as she gazed at Chiose had changed completely.
She realized the Chiose in front of her wasn't any of the Chioses from her dreams…
but more like the sum of the two Chioses from her dreams!
The real Noshiro Chiose kept a mother's gentleness while also blending in the playfulness of a little daughter…
"Ah, I'm done. Thank you for the meal."
"But Soyo, haven't you not eaten yet?"
"Cough, cough."
Struggling to rise, Soyo grasped Chiose's hand and spoke with utter seriousness.
"Chiose, I will never forget your kindness and your care for as long as I live. You're the only person who's ever been good to me in all my years, and I will repay you no matter what."
"You're making it sound so serious—it's such a small thing. Didn't I already, last night…"
"Last night my emotions were all over the place and I said a lot of frightening things… I'm so sorry! But today I'm calm. Please don't turn down my goodwill, I'm begging you…"
Seeing Soyo's knees start to fidget uneasily again, as if hunting for the right moment to drop into a kneel, Chiose pressed a hand to her thigh, which finally got her to behave.
"All right, all right, you don't need to say so much, child. Who knows how long you stood out in the rain yesterday, or how long you've gone without food."
"Could you be a little kinder to yourself first? Lie down and get some proper rest, little Soyo."
"Ngh…"
Soyo hugged her milk with a wounded look, exactly like a child who'd done something wrong.
This girl… Ms. Nagasaki, how did you raise my daughter into someone like this?! It's so pitiful!
Chiose's mouth twitched a few times, and through her own sigh she gave Soyo a solemn answer.
"I'll be your friend—though I don't know the details of your home situation, I figure a Soyo who's friends with Tomori and Taki can't be a bad person… and if you need it, staying at my place a few more days is also…"
"You swear you're not tricking me? It's a promise, okay? Thank you!"
Terrified Chiose might change her mind, Nagasaki Soyo drained the milk in one gulp and blurted it out in a flustered rush.
"Of course. I'll go keep them company now. Do you want to go see your friends in a while?"
"I…"
Soyo seemed to think of something, and her gaze hardened with resolve.
If they'd ever hurt Chiose, then it would be up to me to set Tomori and Taki straight.
"I want to go! But not now—I still haven't eaten, and I don't have the strength to get up, so…"
"All right, all right, I'll feed you, then."
How is it that you act like a child no matter where you are, Soyo?
Noshiro Chiose missed this feeling. The corners of her mouth lifted just slightly.
You really are hopeless.
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