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V6 Chapter 29: Was That a Rejection?
🕑 Added 2025-07-10 12:01:39 +0000 UTC"Please wait!"
Still holding her chopsticks, Kita suddenly called out.
Her voice made Togawa Sakiko, who had been about to walk away, pause with a slight frown. The blue-haired "octopus girl" looked puzzled for a brief moment, but responded coolly as ever.
"Do you need something?"
"You're Togawa-san, right? First year at Haneoka like us?"
Kita Ikuyo wore a bright, beaming smile as she looked directly at the prickly blue-haired girl. Sakiko, clearly caught off guard, froze for a moment, her hand unconsciously tightening around the strap of her shoulder bag.
"Ah, sorry! I forgot to introduce myself!"
"I'm Kita Ikuyo from Class 1-A, and this is Gotoh Hitori, my bandmate. If I'm not mistaken, you and Haru are friends, right? We're both in a band with him in Shimokitazawa."
"If it's alright, would you like to sit down and eat with us?"
Ikuyo's warmth shone like sunlight, her eyes sparkling with impossible brilliance. Sitting there, she radiated a dazzling golden glow that was almost too much to look at.
This kind of boundless energy was exactly the type Togawa Sakiko struggled to deal with. Still, now that she'd been approached, it would be rude to just turn away.
But to sit and eat with them?
Togawa Sakiko didn't want to get involved with anyone. Yet these two girls were Haru's friends.
If she turned her back and walked away now, it would definitely leave a bad impression on them and, by extension, on Haru.
"That wouldn't be very appropriate, would it?"
Sakiko chose a gentle refusal.
Her refined, beautiful face remained cold and distant. No matter how enthusiastic the girl before her was, it didn't stir even the slightest emotion in her. Because to Togawa Sakiko, there was no need to forge relationships with others anymore.
As long as the people she trusted were still by her side, that was enough.
The people she trusted...
In a flash, the image of Misumi Uika's eyes, filled with sorrow and guilt, flickered through Sakiko's mind. Her expression grew sharper, her mood more unsettled.
Even a single casual glance from her made Bocchi feel like she might melt on the spot, sweat instantly covering her back and forehead.
So scary!
Of course Bocchi knew who this "Togawa Sakiko" was. Her impression of her was unforgettable.
After all, the moment Gotoh Hitori saw Togawa Sakiko in her dream, she was utterly overwhelmed by her elegance and nobility. Sakiko was like an unbeatable cheat character.
In that moment, Gotoh Hitori finally understood what the word "perfection" truly meant.
Maybe Bocchi's stare was too obvious, because Sakiko glanced over instinctively.
"Eek!"
That single glance made Gotoh Hitori flinch and pull her neck back, her racing heartbeat betraying her growing panic.
W-why was this happening?!
Wasn't the Togawa Sakiko from her dream supposed to be a refined, gentle, elegant rich girl? Why was the real one so sharp and intimidating? She was also blue-haired, but her coldness was nothing like Yamada Ryo's.
Of course Bocchi, with her sensitive instincts, was scared!
"There's nothing inappropriate about it. Look around, Togawa-san, there aren't many empty seats left in the shop, are there?"
"Um…"
Faced with Kita's relentless enthusiasm, Togawa Sakiko furrowed her brows deeply, visibly beginning to lose patience. She was just about to offer another polite refusal and leave when—
The red-haired girl, still brimming with sunshine energy, suddenly added, "I was just about to talk to Hitori-chan about Haru. Would you like to join the conversation?"
Haru?
A flicker of hesitation crossed the blue-haired girl's eyes.
She had been meaning to visit Haru's house, but preparations for Ave Mujica's performance left her with no time. On top of that, the situation with Uika had been weighing on her heavily. There was no way she could face Haru in this state.
Squeezing her small fist, Togawa Sakiko battled with her conflicted feelings. After a long pause, she let out a slow breath.
"…In that case, I'll join you."
She's really sitting down?!
Bocchi shot her eyes wide open at the sight of the blue-haired girl sitting beside her. She glanced nervously at Kita, who was still smiling as brightly as ever, and shrank inward a bit.
She's seriously scary. How did I beat this kind of final boss in my dream?!
While Bocchi was ready to vanish into smoke at any moment from sheer nervousness, Kita Ikuyo, as cheerful as ever, raised her hand to wave.
"Excuse me, menu please!"
The blond waitress, who had been keeping a close eye on their table, quickly came over.
When she saw that Togawa Sakiko had actually taken a seat next to Gotoh Hitori, her expression turned even more awkward. She looked at the red-haired high schooler's brilliant smile, opened her mouth as if to say something, but ultimately said nothing.
What do I do? Should I call the police?
Togawa Sakiko had no idea what kind of storm was raging in the waitress's mind. She didn't even bother to take the menu. Instead, she calmly spoke.
"I'll have the house special tonkotsu ramen."
"Huh?"
Kita Ikuyo blinked in surprise, clearly taken aback as she looked at Sakiko.
She had expected someone as graceful and elegant as her to order sushi or something more delicate. Instead, she went straight for a rich, broth-heavy dish like ramen.
Ordinary girls didn't usually order ramen, let alone someone like Togawa Sakiko.
"Kita-san, how do you know me?"
Still deep in thought, Kita Ikuyo was pulled back by Sakiko's sudden question.
When asked so directly, Kita's eyes wavered a bit. In truth, she didn't know Togawa Sakiko very well. Her first impression of her actually came from a dream.
"Ah! That's because Anon-chan told me about you!"
Anon?
"…You mean Chihaya-san?"
The sky-blue-haired Sakiko nodded slightly, as if thinking aloud. That "Chihaya Anon" was one of the members Tomori had brought in when she reformed the band after CRYCHIC disbanded. They had met back then along with Tomori herself, so it wasn't surprising she would know Sakiko.
Kita Ikuyo, a little nervous, blinked quickly and used her expert social skills to smoothly change the subject with a bright smile.
"Right! Togawa-san, how did you meet Haru?"
"…"
Caught off guard by the question, Togawa Sakiko looked clearly uneasy, unsure how to respond for a moment.
But as she recalled the first time she met Kazami Haru, the icy shell around her heart began to melt. Back then, she had been lost in the depths of despair, bristling with spikes to push away anyone who approached. Anyone who tried to come close would only get hurt.
Except for Kazami Haru.
Even though they'd just met, she had treated him coldly, again and again. Yet the next day, he acted like nothing had happened and cheerfully talked to her as usual.
"Togawa-san, you look kind of happy."
"Huh?"
The teasing tone came from Kita Ikuyo.
Sakiko looked up to see Kita resting her chin on one hand with a radiant smile. Only then did she realize her expression had changed without her noticing. Flustered, she quickly pushed down her feelings and forced herself back into composure.
She stiffened slightly and adjusted her expression. A few loose strands of her glossy blue hair framed her now visibly unsettled face.
"I met him… over coffee. I think it was shortly after the start of the school year? That was before he started the band."
"That long ago? So you've known Haru even longer than the rest of us?"
Seeing Kita's surprised, slightly resentful expression, Sakiko allowed the corners of her lips to lift in the faintest, nearly imperceptible smile.
Whether it was becoming friends with Kazami Haru or falling for him, Togawa Sakiko had been the very first. Even compared to Tomori or Soyo, none of them could match that.
If the version of herself who first met Haru had still been the innocent, cheerful "Miss Togawa," she might've already confessed her feelings to that idiot.
He was probably the only person who could ever accept all of her.
"…"
At that moment, Togawa Sakiko didn't notice the stunned look on Bocchi's face beside her. The pink-haired girl glanced at Kita, who met her gaze with a knowing glint.
Especially Kita, who was now blinking repeatedly at Bocchi, clearly sending a message.
I knew it...
Togawa definitely likes Haru too!
From Bocchi's perspective, Togawa Sakiko's behavior was obvious. She'd gone from aloof and cold to visibly softer the moment Haru's name came up.
That was when Gotoh Hitori suddenly remembered that the "perfect" rich girl she had seen in her dream back then was exactly like this version of Togawa Sakiko!
But at this point, they weren't all that surprised anymore.
It was clear as day how many girls liked Haru. They just kept popping up like bamboo shoots in spring. Kita Ikuyo had long sensed that Bocchi held similar feelings, even if she hadn't openly admitted it.
And while she knew more girls would probably gather around Haru in the future, Kita herself had the possessiveness and selfishness typical of a teenage girl. There was no way she'd just casually welcome others in.
"Um, Togawa-san?"
"Yes?"
"Can I ask you something? If your boyfriend loved you… but also liked other girls at the same time, what would you do?"
At those words, Togawa Sakiko's brows instantly furrowed. Whatever softness had been on her face vanished as if it were never there. Under Kita's subtle gaze, she answered coldly.
"That would be absolutely unacceptable. I would never allow such a thing."
"If it did happen, I'd make him cut all ties with the others."
Ahaha, ouch.
Just as Kita Ikuyo had guessed, Togawa had a strikingly intense personality.
If she ever found out the person she liked was already involved with multiple girls, Kita couldn't even imagine what kind of face she'd make. It was probably the same face Ryo had worn that day when she "detonated" in front of them.
Was blue hair secretly code for the "possessive" trait?
What were they supposed to do now?!
…
Riiing!
The school bell rang at Hanasakigawa Girls' High, breaking the quiet, tense atmosphere.
Unlike usual, when she'd lie on her desk pretending to sleep, Shiina Taki stood up the moment the bell rang, snatching up her drumsticks like she'd been waiting for it. Nearby, Yahata Umiri, who was picking up her instrument case, glanced over, a subtle change in her expression.
Seeing Taki approaching, Umiri said coolly, "You've been pretty busy lately. Is it because of the band?"
The drumsticks were far too obvious a clue, and Taki's recent burst of enthusiasm had been uncharacteristically odd.
Umiri could tell that something about Taki had changed. But it didn't seem like she had accepted Kazami Haru's confession. If anything, it was more like she was walking a tightrope between two emotional states.
Only someone who knew Taki well could sense this shift.
"...We've got a live show coming up, so I've just been practicing more lately."
"It's not because of him?"
"O-of course not!!!"
Taki's violet eyes widened in protest, but she didn't even realize how her tone was giving her away. Her cheeks, pale as porcelain, had turned an unmistakable shade of red.
Before Umiri could respond, Taki rushed to add, "I'm performing this week at STARRY in Shimokitazawa. Time's tight, so I have to focus on training… It's not what you think."
"In any case, I'm heading out now!"
Like a kid who hadn't done their homework and was terrified the teacher would find out, Taki, face burning red, flung that sentence over her shoulder and bolted out of the classroom with her bag.
Only Yahata Umiri remained, standing still and expressionless.
Those deep green eyes calmly followed her retreating figure. As a cool-headed mercenary, all she could do was stand behind her friend and watch her go.
For some reason, her grip tightened around the handle of her instrument case.
"How enviable…"
A familiar voice rang out beside her, and Yahata Umiri turned her head slowly.
The one who had spoken was a girl with glossy mid-length golden hair. Her unique, dusky purple eyes were fixed on Umiri's face. Their gazes met in midair, as though reading the unspoken feelings in each other's hearts.
Her flawless, radiant features were tinged with a gentle smile, but Umiri couldn't shake the strange impression it gave. It was not the same glow she showed onstage as a dazzling idol.
"…"
For once, Umiri didn't respond right away. Faced with Misumi Uika's bittersweet tone, she wasn't sure how to reply.
Seeing the typically aloof punk-style bassist fall silent, Uika sighed quietly. Then, with her hands behind her back, she slowly stepped closer.
Under Umiri's composed gaze, Uika gently extended her right hand.
"Umiri, would you… talk with me for a bit?"
"…Alright."
Umiri hesitated for only a moment before placing her ever-present bass case back on her seat.
Uika's expression softened into a delicate smile, like a flower in early bloom. As an idol, every movement and expression she made seemed naturally graceful, stirring affection without even trying.
Perhaps the autumn wind carried more than just a cool breeze, it brought with it a sense of longing too deep for words.
Withered leaves, long past their prime, trembled softly in the breeze. No matter how hard they tried to remain afloat, they would inevitably fall to the ground. Along the pathways of Hanasakigawa, a golden blanket of fallen leaves marked the season's passing, while sports clubs on the field poured their youth into motion.
Click!
Standing before a vending machine, Umiri quietly slipped a 500-yen coin into the slot. She smoothly pressed a button, and a bottle of dark KISS coffee dropped into the dispenser tray with a clunk.
Picking it up, she spoke without turning around.
"Uika, want something?"
"…I'm good. The drinks I like aren't common around here."
Uika smiled faintly, her brows lightly knit. Umiri cracked open her coffee with one hand and leaned against a nearby tree, her usual relaxed composure unchanged.
Very few people ever wandered into this secluded path. Umiri, being someone straightforward and efficient by nature, kept her eyes on Uika as she took a sip of her coffee.
Perhaps she already knew what Uika wanted to say from the moment she agreed to talk.
Wearing her Hanasakigawa school uniform, Uika looked up at the deep blue sky. Unknowingly, a faint, bitter smile crept onto her lips.
"It really does make me feel jealous the more I think about it. It hurts enough that I'm actually jealous of Taki."
It was like the sun had vanished behind the clouds, a thick haze obscuring her inner direction. Every time she recalled what had happened, her emotions stirred violently, like a whirlpool threatening to swallow her whole.
"Did he reject you?"
Umiri suddenly broke the silence, speaking with a bluntness uncharacteristic of her usual self. She laid the wound bare without hesitation.
"…You're really not pulling any punches, huh, Umiri? Even though you like Haru too."
