I_LOVE_RICE+
patreon
V4 Chapter 12: Wait, You’re Really Gonna Sing?!
🕑 Added 2025-05-27 06:41:20 +0000 UTCNight.
In Tokyo, where neon lights blaze and skyscrapers tower in every direction, even the quietest hours of night can't dull the city's energy. Bars and clubs line the streets, their dazzling signs and electric colors lighting up the night, while the crowds and laughter make the city feel just as alive as it does in the day.
But next to one girl—
There was only an indescribable silence.
"Sorry, Soyo-chan. Mommy can't come home tonight."
The familiar, gently apologetic voice came through the phone. And though her heart gave a small thump, Nagasaki Soyo hardly reacted. She'd long grown numb to this.
"It's okay~ I'll take good care of myself."
She spoke softly, her voice filled with warmth and grace.
Holding the phone with both hands pressed carefully to her ear, she smiled as she spoke—but not a trace of happiness reached her face. Her brows were faintly furrowed, her expression laced with quiet resignation.
Click.
As the call ended, Soyo exhaled.
The smile disappeared from her lips. Her blue eyes scanned the luxurious living room around her.
"..."
The spacious lounge was packed with elegant furnishings, the kind you'd see in magazines. Even the sofa area was the size of an average bedroom. And yet, she was completely alone in that massive room.
Light spilled from the ceiling in warm, inviting waves, but Soyo stood in shadow by the window, the only person in sight. Her small figure looked utterly out of place in the lavish setting.
In the reflection of the floor-to-ceiling glass, her face showed just a hint of loneliness.
She was used to this cold, empty home.
"…Guess it's time for bed."
She didn't seem to be speaking to anyone. Just softly muttering to herself.
Click.
The lights went out, and a sudden chill crept up her spine. She clutched her phone tighter in her hand and made her way to her room, flopping face-down onto the bed with visible exhaustion.
The band had been falling apart lately.
Ever since Kazami Haru got sick, everything had felt… off.
Chihaya Anon had also fallen ill and stopped coming to practice. Shiina Taki, who'd said she'd step in for composing, disappeared for two whole days. And as for the stray cat Raana, of course no one could find her.
Everything happening now—
It all felt eerily like when Sakiko had left.
Kazami Haru was starting to feel like the new Togawa Sakiko.
Even though he was just the keyboardist, the band's direction seemed to hinge entirely on him. The more Soyo worked with him, the more she saw similarities between him and Sakiko.
But…
That's not right either.
"Even Taki is pushing herself too hard…"
Soyo whispered quietly to no one.
At some point, her hand had unlocked her phone screen again. In the pitch-black room, a faint glow lit up her face.
And in that light—
A sliver of warmth appeared in her icy-blue eyes.
It was just a photo.
A simple group shot of the girls in CRYCHIC, saved from a long-ago day. Alongside it were old recordings of them performing, videos she never deleted.
Whenever she looked at those, the emptiness inside her seemed to fill, even just a little.
…Even if the feeling of loss afterward was even stronger.
"I knew it. Without everyone together…"
"…We're nothing, huh?"
Right now, Nagasaki Soyo felt like a bottomless black hole.
Click.
She turned off the screen and closed her eyes.
She still couldn't let go of CRYCHIC, of what had once felt like a real family. Even if she'd made Wakaba Mutsumi angry, that didn't change how she felt.
She still desperately wanted to find Sakiko again.
If they could just meet once more... maybe, just maybe. They could talk it out.
"This can't go on."
A flash of resolve glinted in Soyo's eyes.
She looked like she might walk out that very second to end the band.
Things weren't right the way they were. If CRYCHIC could just come back together, they could change all of this. And it wasn't just her. Soyo was sure that Mutsumi, Tomori, and even Taki felt the same.
She started to remember CRYCHIC's warm days again, the way Sakiko had smiled and reached out to her.
Back then, Sakiko was like sunlight. A warm ray that lit up her whole world.
Everyone had been so happy together.
But suddenly, another figure appeared in her thoughts—black-haired, black-eyed.
Kazami Haru's words from earlier echoed in her mind—
"That's not right…"
Just remembering him made her thoughts blur again.
She shook her head hard, trying to chase the thoughts away. Just when she'd finally made up her mind, doubt crept back in.
This unfamiliar, confusing feeling—
Nagasaki Soyo didn't know what to do with it.
...
The next day, at RiNG—
"Where the heck is Taki~?! She's still not here?"
Chihaya Anon was slumped over the table, her soft, pale cheeks squished flat against the surface, distorting her whole expression.
Her voice dripped with complaint.
Practice was supposed to be starting, and yet still no sign of Shiina Taki. Her frustration was obvious.
That woman, what was her deal?!
She'd even swallowed her pride and sent her boyfriend to help yesterday! But now it was almost rehearsal time and still no sign of her?! What was the point of all that?!
Even Takamatsu Tomori, seated beside her with her head low and hands nervously clasped, looked worried.
"Haru-Haru, what's going on with Taki?"
Anon turned to Haru, who was casually feeding a stray cat with a matcha mochi.
He looked calm, not at all bothered by Taki's "disappearance."
After all, he'd already talked with her yesterday. Taki-bro had pretty much pulled herself together.
She wasn't running away anymore.
"If she doesn't show up, we'll just storm her place and drag her out…"
Meow!
Just as Haru turned to speak, the mochi in his hand was snatched up by a lightning-fast bite.
Raana, short silver hair glinting, had stuffed the whole thing in her mouth at once. She chewed so fast the sticky filling choked her a little, her face turning bright red.
Haru sighed and patted her back until she calmed down.
Once she managed to gulp it down, Raana licked the matcha powder from her lips with a satisfied smile, as if nothing had happened.
"Delicious."
Still craving more, she stared hungrily at Haru's fingers dusted in matcha.
That predatory glint in her heterochromatic eyes was all Haru needed to see.
Yeah… let's not.
He'd have to coat them somewhere safer next time.
"Geez! When I see Taki, I'm definitely giving her a piece of my mind. Right, Soyo?"
"..."
Anon puffed up her cheeks in a sulky pout, turning to Soyo like she was seeking backup.
But for once, Soyo didn't answer.
She was frowning, staring at her phone screen with the words "Call Failed" glaring back.
Taki still wasn't answering.
Even though she had posted in the group chat yesterday, the fact that she was once again unreachable only deepened Soyo's unease. The sparkle in her blue eyes dimmed a little more.
Taki was definitely trying her hardest for the sake of the band.
But the burden left by Sakiko had fallen onto Kazami Haru and Taki probably couldn't accept that. She was pushing herself too hard because of it…
So in the end, maybe—
Without everyone—
It just… doesn't work.
"Taki probably just stayed up too late last night, slept too deeply today, and couldn't wake up, right?"
Kazami Haru nodded to himself thoughtfully, tossing out the line without much care.
Knowing Taki's personality, once she'd found her rhythm with composing after their talk yesterday, she absolutely would've taken that momentum and run with it. No doubt she pushed herself hard to finish the track right then and there.
Wouldn't be surprising at all if she stayed up all night to complete it.
Add in the previous nights of pulling all-nighters, and even someone as tough as Taki-bro would eventually hit her limit.
"…Last night? Stayed up late?"
Chihaya Anon's ears perked up at something suspicious.
"Haru-Haru, you went to Taki's house yesterday, didn't you?"
"Huh?"
Haru suddenly felt a sharp shift in the air, the suspicious glare of a certain pink-haired gremlin zeroing in.
Anon's eyes, usually bright and bubbly, had narrowed with suspicion. It was a huge contrast from her usual cheerful cuteness. There was even… pressure.
"What exactly did you and Taki do yesterday?"
As usual, Miss Anon just needed to ask. Haru, on the other hand, had to think very carefully about how to answer.
"Nothing special. Just talked about the music composition."
And he wasn't lying.
All he did was naturally step into Taki's room, had a tiny bit of emotional scuffle with her, maybe had a brief moment of accidental physical proximity where he got a clear sense of her perfect figure, and perhaps took a few discreet glances at her pretty long legs.
But all of that, was still within the bounds of brotherly conduct.
Anon, however, wasn't convinced. Her cute face scrunched up with suspicion.
Noticing her skepticism, Haru smoothly looked away and changed the subject.
"Well, since Taki still hasn't replied, she's probably just dead asleep after working too hard. How about we all go check on her together?"
"Eh?"
Anon blinked, clearly surprised by the suggestion.
"I think that's a good idea~ We're all really worried about Taki-chan."
Even Nagasaki Soyo, who had seemed a little gloomy earlier, softly agreed, gently rubbing her fingertips together as she spoke.
Even Takamatsu Tomori gave a small, firm nod. "I… I want to see Taki-chan too."
Anon blinked in confusion, mouth slightly open, revealing her cute little fang.
Wait, when did this become a full-on raid on Taki's stronghold?
And they still hadn't used that expensive practice room Taki rented for them even once!
Just as Haru had predicted.
Taki had stayed up way too late last night and was still fast asleep in her room.
"I'm terribly sorry! My little Taki's been causing so much trouble for everyone!"
Shiina Maki, ever the polite older sister, bowed apologetically and brought out a generous amount of snacks as a peace offering. Though, as she moved about, her gaze kept flicking toward Haru.
Her eyes—which resembled Taki's—carried a subtly knowing glint.
…What the hell's that supposed to mean?
Haru had always been good at reading the room, and he immediately felt uneasy under Maki's look.
"Oh~ So you really are bandmates."
"Eh? What do you mean by that…"
Anon tilted her head, confused by Maki's oddly meaningful words. But before she could press further, Maki gave her trademark soft smile and brushed it off with a vague excuse.
Leaving poor Anon looking more lost than ever.
Haru, however, knew exactly what Maki was thinking.
She totally didn't believe his whole "we're just bandmates" thing.
To her, Haru was clearly Taki's boyfriend, and the two of them had just had a lovers' quarrel. Yesterday, the "boyfriend" came over to patch things up with his tsundere girlfriend, they argued, made up, and then got all steamy in the room—
Maki didn't say it out loud, but Haru could practically hear the assumptions in her head.
"Kazami-kun, aren't you going to go check on Taki-chan?"
Maki's gentle smile and veiled words made Haru's expression turn a bit… complicated.
At this point, any attempt at denying it would just make him look more suspicious.
"…Yeah. I'll go see how she's doing."
Only concerned for his very reliable bro's health, Haru casually told the others before heading upstairs.
But just as he started walking, a soft tug at his shirt stopped him.
It was Tomori. Her amber eyes looked up at him, filled with unease. Even so, she gathered her courage and spoke.
"Haru… I want to go too."
"Tomori's right. Taki-chan probably needs comfort and support right now. Let's all go see her."
Soyo nodded gently beside her.
"Well then, I guess I'm coming too!"
Even Anon, despite her grumbling earlier, now looked genuinely worried about Taki.
She had complained a lot, but after hearing Taki had been staying up late composing, she realized maybe they'd put too much on her shoulders.
Only Haru had an awkward look on his face.
Like, guys.
Why are you all acting like Taki-bro suffered a devastating failure and is emotionally shattered?
The truth is… she's just plain passed out from sleep deprivation.
But then again, imagining Taki's face when she wakes up to this situation…
Might be pretty funny.
Besides, he wasn't the one who'd have to deal with the embarrassment.
So, leaving the snack-distracted cat behind, Haru quietly opened Taki's door and stepped in with the three girls following behind.
Two heads poked out from behind his shoulders, one on each side.
"Shhh… Taki-chan's asleep."
There she was—peacefully slumped over her desk, deep in sleep.
Her delicate features, usually taut with intensity, had softened into a serene expression. The way her hair framed her face made her look even more beautiful.
Around her were empty energy drink cans and sheet music, proof of her all-nighter.
"She's usually so fierce… but she's kinda cute when she's asleep, huh?"
Anon leaned in close, tempted to pull out her phone for a sneaky selfie.
"Falling asleep at her desk like that… Taki must be really tired."
Soyo gently furrowed her delicate brows, her expression filled with quiet concern.
"So… should we wake her up?"
Anon whispered cautiously.
"We should be gentle. Maybe a soft wake-up would be better…"
"Tomori, sing Haruhikage and wake her with your voice."
"Okay… 'Kawaita kokoro, furueru manazashi…'" (My heart is dull and my eyes are wavering)
"Wait, you're actually singing?!"
The soft murmurs finally stirred Shiina Taki from her deep sleep.
She blinked, dazed—then sat up, only to find a giant pink face right in front of her.
Startled, her eyes flew open.
In the very next second—
"HAHHH!?!?"
Her piercing shriek echoed through the entire house.
