I_LOVE_RICE+
patreon
V4 Chapter 22: MatchaParfait~
🕑 Added 2025-06-01 11:16:07 +0000 UTCThe Next Day, at RiNG—
Kazami Haru arrived at RiNG at the agreed time to meet with Sakiko, just like usual.
Though Haru had encouraged Nagasaki Soyo to join in on band practice again, like before, it seemed Soyo still didn't want to face the rest of MyGO. So, for now, the matter was left hanging.
Even in the sweltering summer heat, the live house was packed with people. Many band members were getting ready for upcoming performances. With school on break, summer was an ideal time for bands to rehearse and perform live.
However, it was clear that Kessoku Band hadn't been up to much this summer. They hadn't even started training for a live show.
"Tch…"
Shiina Taki, still working part-time at RiNG as usual, furrowed her delicate brows.
She saw Kazami Haru walk in with that same "nothing happened" look on his face and plop himself into a chair like he was ready to order. That alone rubbed her the wrong way.
Standing beside her, Matsugi Ririko seemed to pick up on something. Covering her mouth, she let out a light giggle and said, "Taki-chan, aren't you going to take his order?"
"Huh?"
Why the hell did she have to take his order?
Clearly, Taki-san was still sulking over what happened.
"It's work~ Can't just leave the 'customer' waiting, can we?"
Of course, Ririko knew Taki's tsundere personality inside and out. There had to be a reason she was upset with Haru. And it wasn't like Kazami was going to suddenly apologize on his own, so she figured she might as well give them a little push.
As expected, the moment Ririko mentioned "work," a trace of tension appeared on Taki's face.
"…Fine."
Clicking her tongue ever so slightly, she reluctantly gave in.
Kazami Haru, still seated, naturally noticed the shift in Taki's mood. Glancing over at Ririko, he was immediately met with her knowing smile.
She even flashed him a playful peace sign near her cheek and gave him a smug little wink, like she was proud of her accomplishment.
Haru had been wondering what excuse he could use to talk to Taki. Having the ever-reliable Ririko around saved him the trouble, way more helpful than just standing around like Shiina-senpai.
"Can I take your order?"
Shiina Taki stood before Haru, her expression cold.
Holding a notepad and pen, she scanned down briefly, avoiding his gaze at first. But when their eyes finally met, she turned away again, her frosty face somehow even more striking in that moment.
Haru, seeing her still putting up that icy front, lazily replied, "Two mochas, with sugar."
Hearing that he was ordering two mochas, Taki's pen hand paused for a beat. Then her brows sharply rose, her gaze sharpening like a blade.
Her words, already laced with chill, now carried the weight of a winter storm.
"Who are you meeting?"
He'd come alone and ordered two coffees—it was obvious he was meeting someone.
Since the last live show, band practice had been completely on hold. The reason was none other than Nagasaki Soyo's emotional outburst and sudden disappearance. With her cutting contact, no one knew whether to keep pushing forward.
That girl completely lost it just because of Togawa Sakiko, and it dragged Tomori down emotionally too. Taki had been endlessly irritated.
Especially because Haru had ignored her advice and insisted on going to apologize to Soyo.
Taki was pissed. She'd even been losing sleep over it.
"She's already here, isn't she?"
Haru replied with a teasing smile, eyes locked onto the icy beauty standing before him.
Taki blinked, surprised. Only then did she realize he meant her.
All that anger and frustration bubbling inside her began to melt away, replaced by a strange, unfamiliar warmth.
He's here… to apologize?
That thought threw her for a loop.
If Haru had kept being stubborn about apologizing to Soyo, she could've kept ignoring him, kept brushing him off. But now that he was suddenly being soft with her, she didn't know how to respond.
"You suck!!"
Even with her feelings tangled up, Taki barked back sharply.
But she didn't notice, her tone was already softer than before.
"Why don't you go meet with Nagasaki Soyo instead!"
Still scowling, she snapped and turned to leave, clutching her notepad. Her heart, however, had started racing.
Why did I say that? I could've just used this chance to talk to him…
Regret surged inside her. But words, once said, were like water spilled.
"Taki, wait!"
As she turned away with a slightly dejected look, Haru gently grabbed her wrist.
She froze completely.
Spinning back around, her violet eyes widened in surprise.
"What are you doing?"
"Can we make up?"
Haru was serious now. The teasing was gone from his face, he looked straight at her with sincerity.
"Huh?"
Taki was thrown off. Haru being meek like this? It was surprising.
Normally, if anyone grabbed her wrist like that, she'd instantly shake them off and glare daggers. But this guy… she couldn't bring herself to lash out. Especially since she suspected he really had come to apologize.
Her personality was just… too stubborn. She didn't know how to step down from the ledge.
The coldness on her face began to thaw. She gave a half-hearted tug at her wrist, trying to pull away, but even she knew she wasn't trying very hard.
It was like the two of them were play-fighting in slow motion.
Realizing she "couldn't" break free, Taki muttered softly, "...Let go. I have work to do."
Huh?
Haru blinked.
Why does she sound like some flustered girl in a shoujo manga?
He'd come here ready to be persistent, knowing full well that Taki's pride and bite made her a tough one to crack.
He thought he'd have to wait until her shift ended just to have a proper talk.
But her attitude now was way softer than he expected...
Recognizing this rare opening, he tightened his grip just a little.
"I just want to apologize, Taki. I won't take up much of your time."
"Hah?"
She pursed her lips, her thoughts spinning out of control.
Before she could respond, Matsugi Ririko swooped in from the sidelines, a friendly smile on her face as she gave Taki's shoulder a gentle pat.
Then, in one smooth move, she snatched the order pad from Taki's hands and grinned.
"It's okay! You're almost on break, right?"
"The shop's not busy right now either. Go ahead and rest up! Leave the rest to big sis Ririko~"
She even winked at Haru.
Grateful for her backup, Haru sent Ririko a thankful look. Once this was over, he was definitely treating her to something good.
"Geez…"
Taki let out a heavy sigh and, still frowning, reluctantly agreed.
"You can let go now, right?"
Haru's hand was still holding her wrist, and the warmth from his palm was starting to fluster her. Her cheeks turned the color of sunset, her heart unsteady.
If he held on much longer, she was afraid she'd give something away.
"Got it."
Seeing that she was softening, Haru finally let go with a smile.
With someone as headstrong as Taki, showing a little vulnerability was the better path. Meeting her stubbornness head-on would've just escalated things.
He'd made the right call by apologizing before things got worse.
"Hmph…"
Taki snorted, arms crossed, and sat down directly across from him.
"What are you even apologizing to me for? It's not like you did anything wrong."
With her black hair and amethyst eyes, the beautiful girl sat across from him, projecting the same coldness as always. But her stiff demeanor didn't escape Matsugi Ririko's sharp gaze, who could only resist rolling her eyes.
After all, she'd seen how sour Taki's mood had been these past few days at work… and how it shifted the moment Kazami Haru walked through the door.
Now she was acting all cold and tough again? Come on, Taki-chan, stop pretending.
"Honestly, you two are just like a couple in a lovers' spat~" Ririko whispered to herself with a smirk.
She gracefully set down two steaming cups of mocha in front of them. A fluffy cloud of whipped cream rested atop each drink, filling the air with a faint, sweet aroma.
Mocha with its sweet and slightly tangy taste was a favorite among girls. It looked like Haru had paid attention to the little things.
"I really didn't think it through when it came to Soyo. That's why I had to come apologize to you, Taki."
"…As long as you realize it. That girl never really had her heart in this band anyway."
Taki's voice softened visibly when Haru bowed his head and admitted fault without hesitation.
Still, the moment Nagasaki Soyo's name came up, anger flashed across her face again.
She had blown up out of nowhere and hurt their fragile little Tomori. On top of that, she'd treated all of Haru's effort and time like they meant nothing—like he was disposable!
No one, neither as a bandmate nor as a person, understood Kazami's importance more than Taki did.
"That's actually what I came here to talk about." Haru took a deep breath.
"You mean about what happens with the band next?"
"Even if Soyo doesn't come back, I still have—"
She was just about to say "Yahata Umiri" when Haru shook his head at her. As she blinked in confusion, he spoke again.
"Soyo is our bandmate. This band isn't whole if even one person is missing."
"Do you really understand what that girl's thinking, Haru?"
Taki's anger flared back up at his words, like someone had poured oil on a simmering flame. Her violet eyes widened with disbelief.
She fired back, clearly fed up:
"Nagasaki Soyo never wanted to make this band work in the first place!"
"She was just using you to keep Tomori and me tied down!"
"And now she's trying to bring the old CRYCHIC members back! That's all she wants: to revive that band!"
"I know."
Haru lifted his gaze and looked her directly in the eyes.
He had come here today exactly because he understood that.
What Soyo did, her betrayal was a hard pill to swallow, especially for someone like Taki, who gave everything to keep the band going. But even so, to MyGO, Soyo was still one of them.
"Tomori genuinely wants to build a band with all of us, for life. She wouldn't want to see anyone walk away."
As soon as he mentioned Takamatsu Tomori, Taki's expression wavered.
"…But what can we do if that girl refuses to change? All she wants is to revive CRYCHIC."
"So if she came back and sincerely apologized… would you forgive her?"
The question caught Taki off guard. Her brows knit in confusion, and a flicker of suspicion crossed her eyes. She could already tell where this was going.
She responded coolly:
"Are you saying she wants to apologize now?"
Haru took a sip of his hot mocha, smiling lazily.
"Not yet."
"…Haru, are you out of your mind?"
Watching him slip back into his usual aloof attitude, Taki let out an exasperated sigh. The irritation and tension that had been rising in her chest began to dissolve.
Crossing her arms, she muttered,
"Then tell her to come apologize when she's ready."
Haru let out a quiet breath of relief.
Even though Taki still clearly held resentment and frustration toward Soyo, at least now he knew there was still hope. As long as Soyo truly meant it when she apologized, he believed things could move forward.
After all, Taki was all bark and secretly soft-hearted.
Even if she talked big… if you kissed her, she'd probably—
Clack—
Just as Haru and Taki were in the middle of discussing the band, the front door of RiNG swung open.
In came a petite girl with short, silver jellyfish-cut hair. One hand tugged along a cart strapped with a guitar and effects pedals. She wore a loose, long-sleeved shirt with suspenders and a black jacket, boots tapping softly as she walked.
"Stray cat?"
Taki stared at Raana like she'd just seen something bizarre. She clearly hadn't expected this girl to show up today.
As Raana stepped inside, her mismatched blue and gold eyes sparkled as she spotted the two of them. She wasted no time trotting over and, before Taki could even react, wrapped herself snugly around Haru's arm.
"Haru, matcha parfait."
The cat-like girl looked up at him, her voice sweet and teasing. Her soft lips formed a gentle pout, and there was a playful charm in her tone.
"What the hell are you doing here?!"
Taki's expression darkened as she instantly reached out and pulled Raana off of Haru.
She couldn't stand how clingy this stray cat was being. For a girl, it was way too forward—and it was impossible to just sit there and watch her getting that close to him.
"Don't stick so close to him. Give him some space."
"Why?"
Raana tilted her head in genuine confusion, clearly not seeing the problem.
Taki frowned harder. That innocent look on Raana's face was making things even more annoying.
After a moment of silence, she glared sharply at Haru.
Then, with a slightly more serious tone, Taki began to lecture:
"You're a girl, so you shouldn't get so close to boys like that so casually. Even if they're just friends, you still need to be careful. All it takes is one wrong move, and someone might take advantage of you… Do you understand what I'm telling you?"
But the adorably catlike Raana still didn't quite grasp what Taki meant.
To her, being with Kazami Haru was the most natural thing in the world. They'd even napped together before, so what was wrong with just sitting close to him?
"Ririko-sis, one matcha parfait over here, please."
Just as Raana was about to argue back, Haru suddenly raised his hand and splurged another coin into the situation.
Sensing the conversation heading straight toward a minefield, he knew he needed to bail out fast or else he'd be dragged into emotional oblivion.
"Haru, don't you think you're spoiling her a little too much?"
Taki sighed, a mix of exasperation and concern in her eyes.
"And maybe you should be a little more mindful of your spending, too."
Seeing him order another pricey matcha parfait, on top of the two mochas earlier, she couldn't help but worry for his finances. Taki knew he made a living working part-time jobs, it wasn't like he had money to throw around.
Haru blinked, surprised at how thoughtful Taki was being.
They weren't even married yet, and she was already worrying about his spending?
"It's fine. I've got a little extra cash on hand these days."
—A total lie.
He had already racked up quite the tab just on secret outings with the lovely Sakiko. Then the band's live show, Soyo drama, and barely working part-time lately... not to mention all those unexpected expenses—
At this point, his wallet was hanging on by a thread.
But hey, a man's gotta keep up appearances.
Worst case, maybe he'd go beg rich-girl Soyo for a loan.
"Maaatcha~"
Raana happily swung her legs while sitting in her chair, her silky white hair swaying with every motion.
As the vibrant green parfait arrived, her mismatched eyes lit up with joy. She picked up her spoon and started savoring it bite by bite. Her satisfied expression was so precious, even Taki arched a brow at it.
"So, what are you doing here exactly?"
Raana, mouth full of parfait, tilted her head at Taki's question, then casually replied with the spoon still in her mouth:
"Live. Wanna play."
Live?
To most people, that might've sounded vague. But both Haru and Taki knew exactly what she meant.
Taki immediately shot back:
"We haven't been planning any lives lately. Band practice is on hold for now, for obvious reasons. Didn't I post that in the group chat?"
Then she remembered, this stray cat never checks her messages.
With no hesitation, Taki grabbed Raana's phone and, right in front of her, walked her through opening LINE. Typing was still a bit much for now, but at least she had to learn how to check group updates.
After hearing that there'd be no practices or lives for a while, Raana's eyes flickered with boredom.
She'd only come today because she wanted to play with the band. And now there was no practice, and she couldn't cling to Haru either. So, after scarfing down the rest of her parfait in a few quick bites, she grabbed her little trolley and headed straight for the door.
Watching her disappear just as quickly as she'd arrived, Taki's face froze.
Rubbing her temples, she stood up and announced in a dry tone:
"My break's just about over."
"I don't care if Soyo decides to come crawling back later. If she's still MIA after some time, I'm replacing her. Period."
"We're not letting our band come to a standstill."
With that, she turned and left without waiting for a reply.
But even that much was enough to make Haru feel relieved. At least Taki was willing to wait a little longer for Soyo.
That gave him time to try and fix things.
"I really do need to speed things up… if it comes to it…"
Rubbing his temples, Haru muttered to himself. The moment he closed his eyes, a virtual screen shimmered to life.
[Simulations: 15]
[Available targets: Nagasaki Soyo, Togawa Sakiko…]
The number of available simulations had skyrocketed lately, and Haru wasn't even sure how to spend them.
That time when Ditsy Anon-san randomly kissed him? Just that one moment added five extra simulations. A kiss had way more impact than a hug or hand-holding, that much was now painfully clear.
If Mutsuki or Umiri had ever been flagged as valid targets, who knows how high the counter would've gone?
"Simulations begin from the current point in time… meaning they could work as a way to predict the future."
With each simulation, new paths emerged.
As Haru walked out of RiNG, his mind buzzed with possibilities.
Just as he was wondering whether to simulate before Soyo met with Sakiko, he found himself wandering into a nearly deserted shopping district, the kind that felt like a cousin to Shimokitazawa's old alleyways.
Vines and moss clung to the cracks in the stone walls. Leaves rustled in the wind, and dappled sunlight filtered through the trees, casting a warm glow.
It felt like this place had once been lively.
Timeworn shops lined the street, their weathered signs and crumbling sidewalks hinting at stories long past. Old posters clung to the walls, echoing a history that refused to fade.
But with time, everything changes.
"Hmm?"
Feeling somewhat at peace, Haru's gaze swept across the old shopfronts.
One record store had a few faded posters on its wall. One caught his eye, he paused.
It was a familiar red-haired girl with colored streaks, on a poster promoting the band Afterglow.
Not only were there band names listed, but the top corner had the name of a live house.
"SPACE?"
Haru squinted, reading the blurred letters aloud. A soft melody seemed to echo in his ears.
He instinctively followed the sound, footsteps moving of their own accord, leading him through a narrow alley until he emerged at a small parking lot.
Meow~
A gentle cat's cry echoed in the air, blending with the twang of trembling guitar strings.
Finally, he found the source.
A white-haired girl sat by the steps near the lot, swaying gently, cradling a vintage electric guitar. Her right hand flicked the strings with a pick.
A crowd of colorful stray cats gathered around her like guests at some secret gathering.
Maybe I've been staring at simulations too long… even my cat's starting to look like a catgirl.
...
...
