Nagasaki Soyo felt like she was being stared at from the moment she arrived at school that day.
It wasn’t surprising. Technically, wearing opaque black tights in this season—when the weather hadn’t fully turned hot yet—wasn’t anything unusual. But… it was the first time since the school year started that she had dressed like this in front of everyone.
It made her feel a little self-conscious, like she was deliberately trying to attract attention.
Damn it… My whole “gentle big sister” image completely collapsed because of that idiot Chihiro. Now, no matter how I look at myself, I just feel like a… “widow.”
“Mutsumi, let’s have lunch together.”
Enduring the awkwardness all morning, Soyo finally made it to lunchtime. Today, instead of going to the cafeteria with a few friends, she greeted them and then sat down across from Wakaba Mutsumi.
“Soyo, you brought a bento?”
“Mm… Someone at home made it for me.”
Technically, the disobedient employee staying at her house made it, so that should still count as “someone at home,” right?
Thinking about how Tsuzuki Chihiro had, for once, woken up early to make her a bento, Soyo couldn’t help but smile a little.
Looks like picking fights with this stubborn-but-softhearted idiot sometimes has its perks.
“I see,” Mutsumi nodded, genuinely happy for Soyo.
To be honest, while she wasn’t the first person to notice the change in Soyo’s outfit today, she was the only one who found it odd yet chose not to ask about it.
As for why she didn’t ask—maybe she was afraid.
Afraid of hearing something from Soyo that only someone trapped in the past would say.
But now that Soyo had come to eat lunch with her, Mutsumi found herself sneaking a few extra glances at her before hesitantly asking:
“Soyo, have you really given up on forming a band?”
“A band?”
Soyo, who had been quietly judging the presentation of Chihiro’s homemade bento, froze for a moment at the unexpected question.
Now that she thought about it—had her previous attitude been too absolute?
She had made it sound like she would never form a band again, but that wasn’t good for her long-term plans.
After all, once Chihiro had things sorted on her end, Soyo still intended to bring everyone back together under the excuse of “helping Taki and Tomori” reform CRYCHIC.
“…I have been thinking about it.”
“The reason I didn’t bring it up before was because I wasn’t sure where I’d be after graduation. I didn’t want to start a band only to have it end in regret.”
“But honestly, I’d love to form a band with you, Mutsumi—with people I trust, to create something new together.”
“I…”
Mutsumi looked at Soyo’s complicated expression, feeling a little swayed.
She worried that Soyo would continue to cling to Sakiko’s departure.
But she also feared that if Soyo did let go, she would close herself off completely and quietly leave Tokyo with unresolved regrets.
For Mutsumi, it wasn’t about what would happen to a potential band in the future.
What she truly cared about was that both Sakiko and Soyo could be as happy as they once were—no, even happier.
“Soyo, if you’re forming a band, I want to join.”
“…Huh?”
Soyo blinked, stunned.
In the previous timeline, she had spent so much effort convincing Mutsumi, only to be rejected over and over.
But this time, just by casually mentioning it, Mutsumi agreed right away.
Of course, Soyo knew exactly why.
Mutsumi had assumed that the band she was talking about had nothing to do with CRYCHIC.
So in the end, Mutsumi never supported my plan to revive CRYCHIC, huh?
From the very beginning, this quiet girl had been by her side, carrying the belief that CRYCHIC was already dead.
“…Let’s talk about it later. Right now, I just want to focus on studying.”
“Mm.”
“But… thanks, Mutsumi. Even though… never mind.”
At this point, saying anything more would be pointless.
She might as well trust Chihiro a little longer and see if, once Chihiro started attending school in her place, she could change Mutsumi’s mind.
—
Monday, May 4—Later That Afternoon
At the customer service department of Waruku Delivery Company, Togawa Sakiko had just arrived at her desk.
And the sight next to her made her smile.
“Chihiro.”
“Sakiko?”
Tsuzuki Chihiro was, as always, wearing the cheap, pitiful-looking outfit from her suitcase.
No matter how many times she wore it, the plain clothes still suited her frail, delicate aura perfectly.
Especially since Sakiko had already convinced herself that Chihiro probably didn’t own any other clothes.
It made her feel… oddly emotional.
“Weren’t you doing housework at Soyo’s place today?”
Sakiko’s opinion of Soyo had completely changed since their first meeting.
But she still had to admit—she felt more at ease knowing Chihiro was staying at Soyo’s house rather than with some complete stranger.
At least… Soyo wasn’t a bad person.
“I was cleaning all morning. But there wasn’t much left to do in the afternoon, so I came here.”
“…You only come in the afternoons?”
“Mm… Because you’re not here in the mornings. And I… would feel lonely.”
Critical hit.
Paired with Chihiro’s soft, almost pleading voice and her delicate, almost-too-pretty face, those words instantly shattered Sakiko’s rationality.
She completely forgot that she was technically the younger one here.
Her brain automatically switched into “big sister mode,” wanting nothing more than to take care of this fragile girl.
“I see.” Sakiko gave her a gentle smile. “Unless something comes up, I’ll be here every afternoon. And if I have plans, I’ll text you, okay, Chi-chan?”
“…C-Chi-chan?”
Tsuzuki Chihiro suddenly felt like she had overdone it.
How did she go from being “Chihiro-neesan” to “Chi-chan” in one conversation?!
But… now that she thought about it, wasn’t this the first time someone had ever called her that?
She wasn’t sure how to describe the feeling it gave her.
“…Anyway, let’s talk after work. I’m going to grab some water—wait, Chi-chan, what happened to your leg?!”
Sakiko had only just noticed it.
But when she stood up and glanced downward, she immediately spotted the edge of a bandage peeking out from under Chihiro’s skirt.
“Ah…”
Chihiro froze, scrambling for an excuse.
But before she could come up with one, Sakiko—who had no sense of personal boundaries—lifted the hem of her skirt slightly, revealing the gauze wrapped around her fair skin.
“It’s nothing. Just a scrape.”
“…”
Sakiko frowned.
Chihiro was avoiding her gaze.
That only made her feel even more displeased.
Not at Chihiro, of course—but at her employer from yesterday, Nagasaki Soyo.
After some thought, she took out her phone and sent a message.
[Sakiko: Soyo, why is Chihiro injured? You didn’t make her do anything dangerous, did you?]
Meanwhile, Soyo—who had just finished school and was about to meet up with the band at RiNG—saw the message pop up on her phone.
Her initial reaction was excitement.
But then she read the contents.
And immediately choked.
“…Are you kidding me?! Why does everyone assume it’s my fault?!”
—
T/N: HEUIHUEHEU
This is a fan translation of 素世同学，恭喜你被我优化了 by 杰克喵. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
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