"Huh?!"
Sitting alone in her room with pale lavender headphones on, Miss Taki's voice echoed with disbelief.
Maybe she had just gotten out of the bath. Her long, waist-length black hair still shimmered with a damp gloss. Her deep violet eyes shook violently from shock, and even her fingers gripping the phone trembled.
She reread the message on her phone several times, starting to doubt her own eyes.
"Tomori… is with that guy at this hour?!"
"This is bad!!!"
This was dangerous!
It was already six or seven in the evening. For Tomori to still be out at this time and with Kazami Haru? That was just asking for trouble. Like a lamb walking into a lion's den.
Tomori was sweet and timid, and that guy—Kazami Haru—was a smooth-talking menace.
She'd be like a helpless little lamb, easy prey in his hands!
And Kazami Haru used to be close with Mutsumi too, right? That cold, aloof Mutsumi even fed him herself. Tomori definitely knew that, so why…?
Was she tricked by some dirty scheme of his?
"No way… I have to do something!"
She, Shiina Taki, would never let someone like that lay a finger on Tomori!
Tap tap tap…
Her pale, slender fingers flew across the phone screen, firing off message after message. But even after waiting what felt like forever, there was still no "read" receipt from Tomori.
A wave of helplessness crashed into Taki's chest.
Why? Why wasn't Tomori replying?
She felt an overwhelming urge to storm out the door and hunt her down, right now.
But the problem was… she didn't even know where she was!
…
[Tonight's stargazing program has concluded. Thank you for your support.]
[Watch your step as you exit, have a good day!]
The gentle announcement over the intercom marked the end of the show at the planetarium.
Kazami Haru let out a long, relaxed breath as he gazed at the sparkling stars overhead.
Living day after day in a repetitive grind, it builds up stress. Even someone like that bright, sweet, eternally-optimistic "pink fuzzball" would explode if pushed too hard.
So letting go of everything for a while to gaze at the stars, it really does help ease the mind.
"Haru… how was it?"
"Was it boring?"
Tomori Takamatsu's voice was soft, her pace slow, eyes flickering with anxiety as she looked up at Haru's face.
Her tastes were a bit different from other girls her age.
Stargazing wasn't exactly the kind of hobby most high schoolers were into.
Most kids their age were into trendy, flashy things. But this? It was something you had to really slow down to enjoy. Hardly the stuff of popularity.
Honestly, the fact that Haru had even agreed to this little date at the planetarium, it had already sent Tomori over the moon.
But part of her couldn't help but think… maybe he was just being polite. Maybe he didn't actually want to come.
The thought made her chest ache.
She was scared he'd found it boring. That next time, he wouldn't want to come out with her again.
Doubt and self-loathing bubbled up in her chest. Her hands shrank back into her coat sleeves, fingertips trembling slightly in the cool air.
"Did you enjoy it, Tomori?"
A small smile played in Haru's eyes. This shy, insecure little Tomori, she was adorable.
It was that very self-doubt that made her deny her own worth. She believed she didn't measure up, so she always gave her all to maintain the relationships around her.
"I… I had a great time!" Tomori blurted, faster than before.
"Why was it fun? Was it being with me, or was it the stars?"
Haru's calm question made her pause, dropping her gaze.
She placed both hands over her chest, as if to weigh the answer seriously.
Yes, she loved constellations. She'd often come here alone to the "Evening Primrose" planetarium.
But today, today felt different.
There was a joy, a warmth she'd never felt before. Excitement, nervousness, a pounding in her chest that almost made her dizzy...
More than anything, there was this strange, fluttering feeling she didn't dislike. In fact… it made her feel full. Like she could float.
"I…"
Tomori hesitated, then clenched her fists.
Under Haru's gentle gaze, she lifted her head. Determination glowed faintly across her delicate face. Her beautiful eyes—those deep, soft pools—looked straight into his.
"I love constellations."
"But… it's only when I'm watching them with you, Haru… that I'm truly happy."
Cupid, where the heck did you come from?
Kazami Haru nearly lost it at that line, the corners of his mouth twitching upward involuntarily.
To keep his cool, he looked away from her on purpose.
"Is that so?" he murmured, remembering the time during rehearsal when she'd rejected his fake confession so sweetly.
Honestly, if she was going to turn him down like that, he might as well have thrown himself in front of a dump truck.
"Then you get it now, don't you?"
"Just being here, watching the stars with you, that's more than enough for me."
Tomori blinked, stunned by his words.
"Lately I've been swamped from band arrangements, other stuff. The stress was building. If you hadn't brought me here tonight, I probably would've needed to take a couple days off."
Haru gave her a thumbs-up. That soft smile of his made a glimmer of surprise dance in her amber eyes.
"I… I helped you?"
Even if her voice trembled slightly with doubt, there was no hiding the joy lighting up her face. Excited, she stepped closer, gently pinching the edge of Haru's jacket.
Her timid eyes peeked up at him.
That upward gaze… it could knock someone dead from cuteness alone.
My heart can't take It.
"Of course!" Kazami Haru's reply was swift and sure.
If only little Tomori would let him rest on her lap right now, gently cleaning his ears with that soft voice of hers~
That'd be game over for him.
But if he seriously dared ask her to do something like that, even if it felt amazing in the moment, Tomori's "dad" Taki would absolutely go nuclear afterward.
And in that state of mind? Haru didn't even want to imagine what she might do.
"Haru, what's your favorite constellation?" Tomori asked, lips pursed slightly.
"Rather than Virgo, which represents the Weaver Girl, I prefer Taurus, the Cowherd. That kind of relentless perseverance to reach one's goal… I really admire it."
Tomori had never been fond of the Cowherd and Weaver Girl tale.
Two lovers separated by divine decree, only allowed to meet once a year, it was far too lonely. The thing Tomori feared most was separation.
She was afraid of losing someone.
"What a coincidence~ I like the Cowherd too."
A soft voice chimed in from behind, making Tomori tilt her head curiously and glance past Haru.
Standing there was a blond girl wearing a black baseball cap. She had on a plain white V-neck blouse and a dark blue skirt, simple clothes that still couldn't hide her elegant grace.
She was gazing softly at the two of them. Beneath the brim of her cap, her violet eyes glimmered with a hint of surprise and curiosity.
"Um, excuse me… who are you?" Tomori asked timidly.
"Ah, sorry for interrupting," the girl replied quickly, waving her hands. "I just overheard you talking about constellations and couldn't help myself."
Misumi Uika kept a respectful distance as she backed away a step from Haru. That tiny gesture alone showed just how considerate she was.
"Having someone you like who also supports your interests and even joins you to stargaze together…"
"Man, I'm jealous~"
There was no hiding the envy in Uika 's tone. Those sparkling violet eyes of hers carried a subtle weariness, hard to detect unless one looked closely.
She loved astronomy and constellations too. Whenever stress from work piled up, she would come here alone to clear her head, but having someone to share it with, that was what truly made it special.
She felt a little jealous of this penguin-like cutie standing in front of her.
"Ah, thank you…" Tomori blinked, lifting her hand, only for Haru to quickly push it down.
Whew, close call.
"You've got the wrong idea. Tomori and I aren't like that."
Not yet, huh?
With how close you two looked just now, wasn't it obvious?
Teenage boy and girl out together this late, calling each other by name, talking without the slightest hint of distance...
If that's not a couple, then what is?
A flicker of doubt passed through Uika 's eyes, but she quickly masked it with professional ease.
"Looks like I misunderstood, sorry about that."
"You just seemed so close, and coming to a planetarium together… I assumed you were dating without even thinking."
Even as she apologized with a gentle smile, Uika's eyes snuck glances at Tomori's reaction.
When she'd mentioned them looking like a couple, Tomori's cute little face briefly lit up with shyness and joy, but just as quickly, that glow faded into disappointment.
That emotional swing was so intense, Uika found herself genuinely puzzled.
Still, it was clear their relationship was anything but simple.
"Oh, right. This too…" Uika suddenly seemed to remember something. She pulled a tiny cucumber-shaped keychain from her bag.
The moment Haru laid eyes on it, his hand shot to his pocket, only to find it empty.
Crap! His keepsake from Mutsumi was gone?!
"This keychain, when I bumped into you that time, I picked it up by accident. I wanted to return it, but you disappeared too fast."
Smiling warmly, Uika handed it back.
"This means a lot to me. Really, thank you."
Gratitude flooded Haru's face. If she hadn't found this cucumber-shaped keychain, he would've cried himself dry. It was Mutsumi's very first gift to him, after all!
The thought of losing it… he couldn't even bear it.
In that moment, Uika's image in his mind elevated to something almost divine.
"It's no problem~ I should really be the one apologizing for spacing out and bumping into you."
Though this was their first meeting, Haru could still sense a heaviness behind Uika's gentle smile, something exhaustion couldn't quite hide.
Considering her career as a popular idol, the pressure on her must be unimaginable.
Blond girls have it rough.jpg
"Well, I've got some things to take care of. Gotta go~"
Uika's smile was pure and radiant as she waved goodbye. Maybe because of their shared love for the Cowherd, she gave Haru a playful little wave, her golden hair catching the light.
Before leaving, she even winked at Tomori with a hint of encouragement.
Tomori caught the meaning. Her fingers clenched tightly around her bag.
…
"Taki sent a ton of messages. She said everyone's going to RiNG tomorrow."
"She also mentioned you, Haru."
Tomori held her phone in both hands, a long string of texts from Taki filling the screen. Words like "that jerk Kazami" and "unforgivable" were scattered throughout.
Was Taki… mad?
"Oh no. You think she's gonna push me about that composing?"
Just hearing her name made Haru flinch.
He'd told Taki with full confidence: "Composing is going smoothly." But if she did a surprise progress check tomorrow, all she'd find was an empty folder.
He was doomed.
"Haru, are you going to be okay?"
Tomori set her phone down and looked up, worry clouding her eyes.
Composing music drained a ton of energy, and Haru was already overloaded. If Taki started pushing him too, he'd burn out.
She couldn't let him force himself.
"If it's too much, I could—"
"No, I'm fine."
A man must never admit defeat.
Especially not in front of Tomori. Even if his brain was melting, Haru had to keep up appearances.
But tonight… he needed to go all out. Even if he couldn't finish the song, he had to at least sketch out the melody. Worst case, he could use that draft from the simulation.
After hesitating for a moment, Tomori pulled a notebook from her bag.
It looked just like the one she used daily, except it had a deep purple wisteria flower design on the cover. She hugged it to her chest and looked up at Haru.
"Haru, I wrote this…"
He took the notebook gently from her hands. It was clean and well-used, filled with pencil markings that showed how often it had been opened.
"Lyrics?"
He flipped through the pages and saw lines upon lines of poetic phrases and lyrics.
She had also written the lyrics to CRYCHIC's first song, "Haruhikage." Tomori had always had a rich inner world. Even if she struggled to speak her heart, she could always write it.
"I wrote it a while ago. I wanted you to be the first to see it."
Tomori's voice was laced with nervousness as she clutched her skirt and kept her head down.
"Why me?"
As Haru read, he noticed every line was carefully penned, every word thoughtful.
Just imagining it, a quiet night, Tomori sitting alone at her desk beneath the warm orange glow of a lamp, made his heart ache.
"Because… it has my feelings in it."
"These are all for you, Haru."
His hands froze mid-turn.
Wait, what?
Was… was she confessing?
He looked into Tomori's amber eyes, her delicate face filled with hope and earnest vulnerability.
The air grew heavy, pressing on his chest.
If this were a romance sim, this was definitely a major choice event. One wrong move, and everything could change.
"Getting the band back together really makes me happy."
"Anon-chan, Soyo-chan, and Taki-chan… they're all precious to me. I want to keep making music with them, and I can only do that if you're by my side."
"I'm not the best at singing, but if it's your song, Haru, I'll sing it with everything I've got."
Her voice, soft yet full of resolve, tugged at something deep in his chest.
Only now did he realize, this was Tomori's way of helping him.
He thought she had a crush on him. That she was about to confess and talk about marriage.
"Phew…"
Haru let out a long breath and smiled, reaching out to gently ruffle her silky hair.
"Whether it's the band or writing our new song—"
"Leave everything to me."
Yep. He definitely wanted to have a whole soccer team of kids with her.
- - -
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