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V4 Chapter 24: Nagasaki Soyo’s Confusion
🕑 Added 2025-06-02 09:59:07 +0000 UTCTogawa Sakiko coldly threw out her final words and stood up. To her, Nagasaki Soyo was nothing more than someone indulging in her own self-satisfaction, making decisions for others without ever considering their feelings.
Worst of all, she had used Kazami Haru as a means to an end.
At this point, there was nothing left to say between them.
"Excuse me, customers? Your food is ready!"
A golden-braided waitress came over with a tray, her voice cautious as she noticed Sakiko suddenly rising from her seat.
Sakiko's beautiful face remained icy. She gave the waitress a polite nod, then turned and strode toward the exit without hesitation, leaving behind only Soyo, her eyes red and swollen, sitting in a daze.
The truth was... Sakiko did regret it, a little.
To be provoked so easily, to lose control and let her emotions explode like that...
In her fury, she had dumped all of her long-held frustration and resentment onto Soyo in one go.
Even though she'd told herself, again and again, not to cause trouble for Haru—
It still ended like this.
There was no fixing it now. She'd have to apologize to Haru later.
"How childish…"
Sakiko let out a self-deprecating chuckle.
She'd just made up her mind, and yet Soyo's words had completely unraveled her.
Unwilling to stay any longer, she grabbed her bag and stepped out of the shop, only to walk right into Kazami Haru returning.
The moment she saw him, her proud, steely exterior softened.
Gripping the strap of her bag tightly, her cold eyes took on a gentler light.
"I'm sorry… I messed up."
She took a deep breath and lowered her head in apology.
"I don't blame you, Sakiko. Honestly, it was my fault for being too naive."
Haru looked a little drained, but he still smiled to comfort the remorseful Sakiko.
Sakiko's current emotional outburst is largely driven by her own sense of unfairness, plus by the fact that she even agreed to come and meet with Soyo this time, how could he feel anything but gratitude?
How could he ever blame such a sincere, lovely Sakiko?
He couldn't.
After all, he was always firmly on the "Sakiko true-love route."
"You came all the way to help, and it turned out like this… I should be the one apologizing."
Haru sighed and bowed his head to her.
Maybe he had overestimated his ability to keep things civil.
He thought his presence would stop things from going too far that maybe, just maybe. Sakiko and Soyo could at least find some common ground as old friends. But instead, things had only gotten worse.
"That's not it! I already planned to talk to her sooner or later."
Sakiko's eyes widened in surprise as Haru apologized to her. She reached out slowly, gently tugging on his sleeve. Her voice turned soft, comforting.
"I'm the one who ruined dinner. I even said I'd treat you, but now I really can't stay any longer…"
She hesitated, then lifted her amber eyes to meet his.
"So… how about I treat you next time instead?"
With cheeks tinged pink, she tucked a lock of smooth blue hair behind her ear. Her voice was shy, almost questioning. Tilting her head just slightly, her gaze shimmered with quiet hope.
"Of course~ You better treat me next time."
Haru wouldn't dream of rejecting her offer.
Sakiko bit her lip softly, then let her face bloom into a gentle, youthful smile. It was a smile that felt like spring sunlight—bright, pure, and impossible to resist.
She looked like a sakura petal drifting on the wind: refined, delicate, and quietly radiant.
Sakiko… wasn't like Soyo.
That woman had clung to a nostalgic dream and used those who cared about her to try and realize it.
But what Sakiko and Haru shared wasn't something so shallow. They were like two wounded wolves, drawn together by hardship, supporting each other with mutual trust, licking each other's wounds in solidarity.
This was true resonance of the soul.
Perhaps… this was what it really meant to be "bound by fate."
Not far away, Wakaba Mutsumi stood still, her deep green hair falling perfectly around her like a sculpture. She wore a navy dress trimmed with lace, her golden eyes trained on Haru.
Seeing the unmistakable smile on Sakiko's face, Mutsumi remained calm.
She wasn't surprised.
"Well, I'll head back now."
Sakiko gave a faint smile and waved her hand lightly toward Haru.
She wanted to talk more, but time wouldn't allow it.
She had to get home, shower, and rest—there were no classes during summer, so she'd taken extra shifts to earn more. Tomorrow morning she had work, laundry to pick up after that, then a customer service shift to rush off to…
Her repetitive and grueling life had crushed her back into the dirt.
But now, everything had changed. With a goal in her heart, she found new energy in her days.
Not much longer now...
Soon, she would form her own professional band, making money the way she knew best. When her career finally took off, maybe her burdens would ease.
And maybe then, she'd finally have the right to pursue what she truly wanted.
Sakiko glanced back at Haru one last time, a subtle smile curving her lips.
Then, without hesitation, she turned and walked away down the street.
She never once noticed Wakaba Mutsumi watching her from afar.
"..."
Mutsumi's elegant golden eyes tracked Sakiko's retreating figure. After a moment of quiet thought, she began walking toward Haru, her steps light and unhurried.
She reached out and gently tugged his sleeve.
Her silence said everything.
Haru understood her immediately.
Even though Mutsumi was clearly worried about the situation, she didn't want to confront Soyo directly.
To Soyo, Mutsumi now belonged to the "cold and heartless" side, the ones she couldn't trust.
"In that case… I'll go talk to Soyo."
Mutsumi nodded slightly, confirming his thought.
After a brief pause, she turned and walked in the direction Sakiko had gone.
But just as Haru was thinking how distant Mutsumi felt today, the doll-like girl suddenly turned on her heel, her little shoes tapping against the pavement.
She ran back with quiet steps and, without warning, wrapped her arms around Haru's waist.
Burying her head into his chest, she gently rubbed against him for a moment before, reluctantly letting go.
Even though she still didn't say a word, Kazami Haru could clearly feel what Wakaba Mutsumi was trying to convey.
…
By the time Haru returned to the ramen shop, the once composed Nagasaki Soyo had already broken down in tears.
Her eyes, already swollen, looked even more pitiful now. Despite how suffocating and heavy her emotions had become, she continued to sit in complete silence, afraid to make even the slightest sound.
Bottling everything up like this would only make it harder to bear.
Seeing her in that state, Haru knew it wasn't a good idea to keep her in the shop any longer.
"Haa…"
He let out a deep breath.
Without hesitation, he packed up all the food except the ramen, then gently took Soyo by the hand and led her outside. Even as she quietly followed, expression drained, he didn't say a single word.
The girl remained silent, allowing Haru to lead her along the quiet night streets.
The summer breeze carried a warm, soothing scent: floral and faint. As the sharp neon lights flickered across the quiet city, Soyo suddenly stopped in her tracks.
Drip…
From the pitch-black sky, a light drizzle began to fall.
Soyo stood motionless in the rain. Droplets soaked her long brown hair, which clung to her pale cheeks. Her delicate body trembled slightly as she stood there, frozen.
There was no one else around. Just the two of them beneath a dim streetlamp, their shadows stretched long and lonely on the wet pavement.
Then came a quiet sob.
She bit her lip, her slender fingers shaking, and her dim blue eyes shimmered with tears as she looked up at him.
Right now, she looked more fragile than she ever had before.
"I'm sorry…"
Her trembling voice, hoarse and broken, reached Haru's ears.
Tears ran down her cheeks, mingling with the rain and falling to the dusty ground, glimmering like scattered fragments of light.
Haru frowned slightly, a hint of helplessness in his eyes.
"Why are you apologizing to me?"
"Saki-chan was right! I only ever thought about CRYCHIC… I never once considered anyone else's feelings. I… I've been using you all along—"
"But if I'm so selfish and ugly, then why… why would you still help me?"
She didn't understand.
Why was he always so kind to her?
Why so gentle?
Even now, Soyo didn't know how to face Haru. The guilt and confusion had been haunting her like a nightmare, weighing her down every second.
She had realized she was wrong, but with no way to turn back, she just kept pushing forward blindly.
Her tears overflowed. Hugging her own arm, she looked utterly breakable.
She was like a pane of glass suspended in midair, shaking, on the verge of shattering with the slightest touch.
Haru looked at her quietly and spoke, slowly and seriously:
"No matter what you think, Soyo…"
"Even if you just wanted to revive CRYCHIC… even if you were using me—"
"You're still a vital part of this band. To me, and to everyone in it, you're an irreplaceable friend."
There was nothing complicated about it.
His reason was simple.
But that simple, unremarkable answer was what broke through to Soyo the most.
Her hands clutched her skirt tightly, and she could no longer hold back the sorrow and regret in her heart. She stepped forward and threw herself into his arms, burying her face against his chest as she sobbed.
Haru sighed gently and wrapped his arms around her.
"…CRYCHIC really is over, isn't it?"
Her hoarse voice trembled between sobs, blending with the sound of the rain.
"Yeah."
It was over.
There was no comforting lie to tell. The only thing she needed now was the truth.
Both Haru and Sakiko had made it clear: CRYCHIC, the place Soyo once called her "home," was gone. No one could return to the past.
Now, she didn't know where she belonged. After everything, could she even face anyone again?
Confusion, emptiness, sorrow—
Drowning in it all, Soyo clung to Haru like a lifeline. The warmth of his body gave her a fragile sense of safety, like he was the only person in the world who still smiled at her.
Maybe staying by his side was the only place she could still exist.
Between sobs, Soyo trembled as she asked softly:
"…What should I do now?"
"Obviously, go apologize and rejoin the band. If you don't get back to practice soon, Rikki's gonna be pissed."
Although, Rikki was already pissed.
Soyo's shoulders twitched.
Sensing that Haru's arms had loosened, she clung to him even tighter.
Once like the mother of the group, always taking care of everyone, she now wept like a child, finally letting all her pent-up pain and frustration pour out.
She had always kept her sadness to herself, always worn a smile, always played the perfect daughter even in front of her own mother.
She never let herself fall apart.
But now, for the first time, someone made her feel like she mattered.
Soyo's voice, quiet and desperate, trembled with hope:
"…Will you stay with me?"
She sounded like a frightened little animal, scared of being abandoned.
She just held on to the one person she could trust.
If Haru had rejected her now, he wasn't sure what might've happened to her.
He chuckled softly and answered with calm reassurance:
"Yeah. I'll stay."
…
Haru took a longer route and eventually walked Soyo home, but he didn't go all the way to the door, worried her mom might get the wrong idea.
By the time they reached her building, Soyo seemed to have composed herself again. The gentle smile she always wore had returned to her face. She apologized to him sincerely before heading upstairs.
When Haru got back to his place, he made sure to learn from last time and immediately took a hot shower after being out in the rain.
Finally, with everything done, he collapsed onto his bed in exhaustion.
[Available Simulations: 16]
[Available Simulation Targets: Yamada Ryo, Chihaya Anon, Kita Ikuyo, Ijichi Nijika, Togawa Sakiko, Takamatsu Tomori, Nagasaki Soyo]
Sixteen full simulation chances!
He'd never been this loaded before. This was enough retries to brute-force a good ending!
Especially since Haru had full confidence in his current targets.
"After all I've done… Soyo-san has to at least like me a little by now, right?"
Every simulation began from the present moment, meaning any real-world affection carried over. Everything started from reality.
If Mutsumi ever became a target, Haru felt like he could even go full confession-on-day-one.
Surely, little Muuko wouldn't reject him?
If even she turned him down, he might just take a dive off the Bridge of Curses himself.
[Simulation Target Confirmed — Nagasaki Soyo]
[Simulation Start]
[Remaining Simulation Tokens — 1-$25]
[As a musically gifted prodigy, you composed three original songs with Shiina Taki in under a month. The band's first live performance was a huge success, earning the genuine trust of every girl in the group.]
[Though there were minor conflicts within the band, your patience and guidance helped Nagasaki Soyo let go of the idea of reviving CRYCHIC. The band is now growing in a new and healthier direction.]
[This is a wonderful beginning.]
[A new day begins. You gather the entire band at RiNG. Shiina Taki still seems cold toward Soyo after what happened, but with you present, she holds her tongue. Even the ever-lively Chihaya Anon is unusually quiet.]
[With your support, Soyo sincerely apologizes to everyone and admits her faults. Perhaps sensing her honesty, the rest of the group chooses to let the past go.]
[To thank you, Soyo invites you out for ramen after practice.]
[You choose—]
1. "If not me, then who?" — Accept without hesitation.
2. This feels fishy — Invite the rest of the band.
3. Politely decline — You already promised to eat with Togawa Sakiko.
4. Enter VR mode.
The options popped up in a flash.
"She invited me out, huh?"
Haru figured it made sense. He had just helped her through a lot, so it was only natural for her to want to express her thanks.
And really, he wanted this kind of situation.
Option 3? Straight onto the Sakiko route. Disqualified.
That left 1 and 2. Option 2 might build group rapport, good for the band's future. But Option 1 meant one-on-one time. Definitely the better choice if he wanted to deepen Soyo's affection.
Sure, things like "career" and "team morale" were important for endgame ratings. But right now?
Focus the relationship.
Option 1, selected.
[Of course you weren't going to say no. She looked so happy when you agreed. You returned to the same ramen shop from before. This time, Soyo was completely different: bright, eager, and constantly asking what dishes you recommended.]
[You assumed a Tsukinomori academy lady like her wasn't used to simple food, so you patiently explained each menu item to her.]
[She listened carefully, and in the end, ordered exactly what you did.]
[You thought greasy food might not suit her tastes, but she happily praised the shop, saying it was delicious. While eating, she gently brushed her bangs aside, revealing her pale neck. You couldn't help but glance.]
[Caught staring, you dropped some noodles into your bowl, splashing broth on your face. Soyo noticed and silently took out a handkerchief, softly wiping the mess from your cheek.]
[You realized, you might be falling for her.]
No way, Soyorin.
You're this good at playing the game?
Watching Soyo's interactions in the simulation, Haru was momentarily dumbfounded.
Any love-struck guy who'd never dated before would be totally defenseless against that gentle attention and thoughtfulness.
But Haru? Nah. His heart belonged to Shadow Fight and StarCraft.
Still, Soyo was being super forward in this simulation. Even more than in Nijika's pure love route.
"This has to be a setup, right?"
Knowing this sneaky simulation system, Haru snapped to alert. But hey, he had sixteen tries. Even if this was a trap, he had backup. Time to enjoy himself a little.
[Dinner ended smoothly. Soyo asked if you'd take a walk with her to digest the meal. Since you were free, you agreed. She strolled ahead of you by the lake, hands behind her back, occasionally chatting about daily things.]
[But you started noticing, everything she asked was about you.]
[She seemed more relaxed than ever before. In the past, she wore a fake smile to keep up appearances. But after talking with Sakiko yesterday, she now seemed more genuine, no longer trying to please you.]
[When you talked, she looked at you with curious eyes. Her gaze was gentle, warm. Your time together felt effortless.]
"What is going on?"
In all previous simulations, the girls were never this forward. Haru actually started to consider… confessing.
Usually, the system blocked that kind of progress. The only successful confession so far had been in Nijika's pure love route.
"But what if this time… I can?"
Let's go. Time to challenge fate.
With this vibe, a confession choice was bound to pop up soon.
To hell with curses, he was going to fight this head-on!
[You and Nagasaki Soyo walk leisurely by the lake. Just as you prepare to continue the conversation, Soyo steps ahead.]
[She confesses to you.]
