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V4 Chapter 23: CRYCHIC Isn’t Over Yet
🕑 Added 2025-06-02 09:58:22 +0000 UTC"Mmm~ Mmm-hmm~"
Surrounded by stray cats, the white-haired Raana softly hummed the gentle melody of Haruhikage, expertly plucking her guitar strings with the tip of her pick. The shimmering tones flowed from the bent wires, elegant and flowing, as if she had become one with the music.
Her emotions intertwined with every note, poured through her guitar, and into the open air.
There was no doubt—this catgirl, who'd been playing since childhood, possessed a rare musical gift. Not just in technical skill, but in her instinctive ability to infuse raw feeling into her performance.
Raana, with all her quirks, could dive into her own world anytime she held a guitar. The moment her fingers touched the strings, every stray thought vanished, leaving only a pure, unfiltered stream of emotion pouring out through sound.
All she ever needed was one uninhibited, soul-soaring performance.
Meow!
The circle of strays around her scattered at the sudden appearance of Kazami Haru, their timid instincts kicking in immediately.
Just then, Raana's playing stopped. Her delicate fingers froze, and she slowly opened her gorgeous heterochromatic eyes, gold and blue.
"Hmm~"
She tilted her head, eyes fixed on Haru with faint curiosity. That serene face now lit with interest, her soft cherry lips curling into a playful :3 shaped cat mouth. Her narrowed gaze sparkled with amusement.
"Sorry. Looks like I scared off your audience."
Seeing how his presence had sent the cats fleeing, Haru's alertness kicked up a notch. He quickly apologized.
But the gentle, snow-white catgirl didn't mind at all. Hugging her guitar with both hands, she stared at him unblinking.
"Haru, wanna play?"
She grinned softly, patting the space beside her like a cat inviting company.
The sun dipped lower in the sky, bathing the world in a rich, orange-red glow. It filtered through the clouds and fell gently on the tiled steps—casting a golden veil over the white-haired girl like a sunset-colored bridal gown.
With a peaceful smile, she invited Haru without hesitation.
"You mean an adult's game?"
Haru quipped dryly as he strolled over.
The two of them sat side by side on the dusty steps of a quiet parking lot, as relaxed as if they were lounging in their living room.
Of course, Haru knew what she meant. Playing meant playing music. For a cat, making music with someone else was pure happiness.
"I don't have my keyboard with me right now."
All he could do was run deliveries at this point.
"Guitar."
She shook her head gently and, catching him off guard, reached out her hand—offering a pale green guitar pick.
The word "SPACE" was engraved into its surface.
The moment he saw it, Haru was reminded of the poster he'd seen earlier.
"You want me to play?"
"Mm."
Raana nodded lightly, the light in her strange, beautiful eyes shimmering with quiet anticipation.
Haru stared at her expression, a flicker of realization dawning.
Back at RiNG, every time practice ended, he'd gotten into the habit of giving her candy. Eventually, she started expecting it, running over for her post-song treat like a ritual.
Even Haru, who didn't normally eat sweets, ended up carrying candy around just for her.
"I don't think I brought any candy today…"
Feeling a little guilty under her hopeful gaze, he dug through his pockets and unexpectedly pulled out a few fancy chocolates.
Wait. Where did these come from?
He furrowed his brow, then remembered: he'd snagged them from Soyo's place.
Mrs. Nagasaki had invited him over and offered a spread of luxurious snacks, the kind you couldn't buy on your own. When he left, he'd shamelessly stuffed his pockets.
Only now did he remember.
"Ah~"
Raana leaned in with her mouth open, clearly requesting a treat.
Haru scoffed, she thought being cute was enough to scam him out of sweets?
He unwrapped the chocolate with a smirk and fed it directly into her small mouth.
"Yummy~"
Her soft tongue gently licked the corner of her lips, those heterochromatic eyes narrowing with a glint of mischief.
Shit. Why does this feel kind of… seductive?
Haru took a deep breath, mentally slamming the brakes.
No. Absolutely not. That kind of thinking is worse than hitting on your bro.
"Alright then, mind if I borrow your guitar?"
Desperate to distract himself, he reached over and gently took the timeworn guitar from her arms. The instrument, despite its age, was impeccably maintained—clearly precious.
As his palm supported the neck, he could feel a lingering warmth.
"It's Grandma's guitar~"
Mouth full of chocolate, Raana mumbled the words.
Her usual offhandedness melted the moment she spoke of the guitar. A gentle light flickered in her eyes, reminding Haru just how important this instrument was.
"Then I'll be sure to do it justice."
With a grin, he accepted the "SPACE" pick from her and started strumming the strings.
A soft, emotional melody flowed through the air. Despite being an electric guitar, it carried an unusual warmth and gentleness. The sound lulled Raana into closing her eyes.
The city, bathed in twilight, felt distant. The glass buildings shimmered with the reflected glow of sunset. Flecks of gold danced across her snow-white skin, giving the moment a sense of peace and stillness.
Sitting on those old stairs, her thoughts began to drift.
A place to belong, someone will make one for you.
Like a cat stirring from a nap, Raana opened her eyes. A phantom breeze seemed to jingle the summer wind chimes of her memory.
She could still see herself clutching a stuffed toy, the first time she saw her grandmother playing this guitar one summer day. That moment had captured her heart, music that still echoed in her ears.
Now, here in what used to be SPACE, hearing Haru play… she could almost see the doors to that old live house opening once more.
Her lips curled into a soft, serene smile as she stared at his profile.
She smiled like a flower in bloom.
—
The time to meet Sakiko soon arrived.
Nightfall in Tokyo brought with it the dazzle of countless neon lights. Even with the sun buried deep beneath the horizon, the city's streets glowed brighter than ever.
From izakayas to tiny corner shops, sounds of chatter and laughter filled the air. Salarymen in suits rushed along with phones in hand, weaving through the crowds.
"Soyo's probably there already."
Haru glanced at the message on his phone as he made his way through the lively street.
This meeting was all about one thing: getting Nagasaki Soyo and Togawa Sakiko to finally sit down and talk.
To keep things from getting too tense, he'd picked a popular ramen shop as the meeting spot.
Just like how you needed a good beef bowl after a long ride from Kumamoto to Tokyo, he figured good food would help keep things civil.
He scanned the nearby park and soon spotted Soyo waiting.
Today, Nagasaki Soyo didn't look her best.
She had arrived early, nerves tying her in knots. Wearing a beige dress, she stared anxiously at her LINE screen, afraid to miss a single message.
"Phew…"
Haru had promised to try contacting Sakiko for her and to her surprise, not long after, he really did manage to get Sakiko to agree to meet.
She was overjoyed… at first.
But that joy was quickly swallowed by anxiety.
She hadn't gotten anywhere asking Mutsumi about Sakiko. Sakiko had even blocked her on LINE. So just how had Haru made this meeting happen?
How much had he done for her behind the scenes?
She didn't want to think about it.
If this were earlier, she would've been nothing but excited.
But now… she was scared.
Buzz…
Her phone vibrated. Soyo, still a bit spaced out, snapped back to reality and checked her screen.
[Want to be used as fertilizer: Turn around]
She turned and locked eyes with Haru.
Seeing his teasing grin eased her nerves just a bit. Her fingers tightened around the strap of her shoulder bag, and she struggled to meet his gaze.
She had used him. And yet… he still helped her.
At the very least, she had to apologize properly.
"Haru-san, I…"
"She agreed."
Soyo: …Huh?
Haru's sudden interruption caught her completely off guard, swallowing her words before they left her lips.
Deciding to save her apology and thanks until after it was all over, she nodded quietly.
"You're looking a little off today, Soyo."
"Think you'll be okay talking to her?"
Haru looked her over with concern.
Today, Soyo looked different. Her normally gentle face was pale. Her eyes slightly red from lack of sleep. The exhaustion clung to her like fog.
Maybe it was nerves, maybe she'd been up all night dreading this moment.
She looked like a kid who couldn't sleep the night before a school field trip.
"It's nothing. I just didn't rest well…"
She answered flatly.
But the gloom in her eyes said otherwise.
Meeting Sakiko like this… could end up messier than he thought.
Still, Haru would be there to help if things got heated.
"Sakiko should be here soon. Let's head to the ramen shop first."
"Are we really doing this in a ramen shop?"
A flicker of doubt passed through Nagasaki Soyo's eyes. It just felt… off to have a serious conversation in a place like this.
Still, if it meant she could talk to Sakiko, 'really talk to her', then it didn't matter where they were.
Kazami Haru brought Soyo to a place called Shiba Seki Ramen.
To avoid disturbing other customers, he deliberately picked a booth tucked away in the farthest corner. Soyo, clearly uneasy in this unfamiliar shop, took the seat across from him.
"One large bowl of Hell-spicy Miso Ramen, noodles firm, extra oil, lots of garlic, tons of scallions, and max chili. Two orders of grilled beef sushi, fried tempura on the side, and grilled squid for the appetizer, no spice."
Haru rattled off the order without even glancing at the menu. Soyo, still feeling nervous, blinked in surprise.
"Haru-san… do you come here often?"
"Now and then."
Yeah, like he was about to admit the truth.
Before long, the atmosphere in the shop took a sharp dip in temperature, Sakiko had arrived.
Togawa Sakiko stepped in, face like winter frost. Petite though she was, her very presence carried an overwhelming intensity. As always, she wore her signature outfit: a crisp, pure white pinstripe blouse that wouldn't fade, paired with a gray-black plaid skirt.
A black ribbon tied neatly at her chest, she scanned the shop with sharp eyes.
Her beautiful, resolute face softened the moment her gaze met Haru's but the second her eyes shifted to Soyo sitting across from him, that fleeting warmth turned instantly to cold, complicated emotions.
Her grip on her bag's strap tightened, knuckles paling. She marched forward with a chilling grace.
"Saki-chan…"
Seeing Sakiko's face, Soyo's expression brightened. She greeted her with the usual warm smile and even scooted over, trying to make space for her to sit.
But Sakiko walked right past her and sat down beside Haru without hesitation.
She… sat next to Haru?
Soyo was a little stunned but said nothing.
"Nagasaki-san, what did you want to talk about?"
Sakiko's voice was ice-cold, as distant as ever. But Soyo, sweet and soft-spoken, didn't flinch. She had braced herself for this. After Haruhikage, she knew Sakiko would be cold.
She was only here now because Haru had made it possible.
Suppressing her emotions, Soyo kept her tone as gentle and sweet as always:
"Thank you… really, for agreeing to see me today, Saki-chan."
"Haru-san contacted you at my request, so please don't blame him."
At those words, a flash of anger stirred in Sakiko's amber eyes.
But with Haru sitting right next to her, she bit it down. Even so, her lips pressed into a hard, tense line.
"So. What is it you want to say?"
She wasn't angry that Soyo had reached out.
She was angry that Soyo had dragged Haru into it.
"I'm sorry, Saki-chan. I didn't mean anything by it…"
"I just wanted to apologize. We shouldn't have played Haruhikage. I know that song means so much to CRYCHIC… and to you. I didn't mean to suggest we owned it. It just… kind of happened during practice…"
Seeing Sakiko's expression change, Soyo panicked inside.
She rushed to explain herself, voice gentle, trying to mend the mood. But her apology only made things worse.
To Sakiko right now, it meant nothing.
"What you do with that song is your business. It has nothing to do with me anymore."
She shut her eyes, her voice like ice.
CRYCHIC was gone. Haruhikage, the song she wrote, no longer belonged to the band or to her past self.
She'd run because she realized she hadn't truly let go of her weaker self. And seeing how the others had already moved on, while she remained stuck, only left her feeling bitter and left behind.
Sakiko hated her own weakness more than anything.
"That's not true!"
"Haruhikage belongs to CRYCHIC! It's a memory we all cherished together!"
Still clinging to the past, Soyo hadn't moved on at all.
Seeing her like this, Sakiko felt like she was staring at a mirror and that old anger came rushing back. A single strand of blue hair slipped over her chest with the motion.
But then, Sakiko looked at Haru beside her, her gaze softening. She forced herself to stay calm.
"Either way, it has nothing to do with me anymore."
She didn't want to say anything cruel, not with Haru sitting right there.
No matter what, Soyo was still his bandmate.
Suddenly, Haru's phone buzzed. He glanced down, Mutsumi was calling.
She was probably checking in on how things were going…
But right now, Haru looked between the two girls, expression conflicted. Then down at his phone again, unsure whether to answer.
Sakiko seemed to notice. Her eyes gleamed as she read the situation.
And then, he felt a soft touch on the back of his hand.
Sakiko had gently tapped him with her fingertip.
After working together for so long, they'd built a silent understanding. Usually a glance was enough. But this time, she'd chosen a clearer gesture.
That alone told him how seriously she'd made up her mind.
Understanding her message, Haru sighed inwardly.
"Got it."
He had hoped his presence might soften Sakiko's tone.
But no matter how hard he tried, it looked like Soyo was going to take the hit anyway. He'd just have to comfort her later.
Shame I didn't even get a bite of my ramen.
"I'm going to take this call. You two talk."
Kazami Haru rose from his seat with his phone in hand.
Just before leaving, he gave Nagasaki Soyo a reassuring glance. The moment he stepped out, Soyo, who had barely managed to keep her composure, immediately panicked. Her hands, hidden beneath the table, began fidgeting uncontrollably.
"Haa…"
The moment Haru vanished through the door, Togawa Sakiko lifted her cold gaze once more and turned to Soyo.
"Let me be perfectly clear, CRYCHIC is over."
"It exists only in the past. Now and forever."
Such resolute, emotionless words made Soyo's eyes widen in disbelief. It was as if the girl before her no longer cared about the bonds they once shared—about the memories they'd made.
This Sakiko… felt like a stranger.
"That's not true!"
Already unsettled by Haru's absence, Soyo completely lost her composure at Sakiko's words.
Gripping her glass of ice water with trembling hands, she tried to calm her emotions through sheer force. Drops of condensation rolled down her pale fingers—
—like tears dripping from her heart.
"Didn't you say before that CRYCHIC was our shared destiny, Saki-chan? That we were in it together? Tomori, Rikki, even Mutsumi—they all feel the same way! Everyone treasures those memories…"
"CRYCHIC isn't over!"
"Please… can't we start over?"
How foolish.
Sakiko, already furious at this mindset, finally lost control. Her typically elegant face twisted in rage, fury rising like a blaze within her.
Soyo's words pushed her past the limit.
She snapped:
"Do you even realize what you're saying?"
"If I were to come back, are you saying Haru should leave instead?"
That one sentence instantly shattered the fragile smile Soyo had been forcing.
"Even I can see everything he's done for your band. He helped you, even knowing you were using him, just to get the two of us to meet! And you, do you feel no guilt when you look at him?! Nagasaki Soyo, you're beyond selfish!"
Sakiko's blunt fury left Soyo speechless.
"I…"
If it were anything else, she might've managed to find a response.
But when it came to Kazami Haru, she had nothing.
The guilt and remorse in her heart were genuine. She had lied to him, used him. Even gentle Wakaba Mutsumi had turned cold toward her because of it.
Soyo didn't know how to go back anymore.
"..."
Sakiko was still seething.
To her, Haru's kindness had been thrown away, used as a tool by someone who refused to move on. Why should someone like Nagasaki Soyo, who clung to the past and even betrayed her friends, deserve his help?
To Sakiko, it was unforgivable.
"And are you even sure everyone else wants me back? Seems like it's just you."
"Have you thought about how anyone else feels?"
Sakiko knew the truth.
She had hurt Tomori deeply when she walked away from CRYCHIC. But Tomori had moved on, she'd embraced the future with strength. Shiina Taki only wanted to start fresh. With Haru by her side, she would never stay stuck in the past.
And Soyo?
She hadn't tried to understand why CRYCHIC fell apart.
She hadn't asked why Sakiko left.
She hadn't tried to learn why Mutsumi had felt so miserable.
She simply ignored all of it and clung to her own perspective.
That was selfishness.
At this moment, looking at Soyo, Sakiko saw nothing but a reflection of her own old self, trapped in the past, unwilling to let go. It filled her with disgust and fury. And Haru's involvement only made it worse.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"
Soyo's mind was blank, her voice a soft, desperate whisper. She repeated her apologies again and again.
But to Sakiko, so full of rage, those words meant nothing.
"You really are someone who only ever thinks about yourself, don't you?"
