I_LOVE_RICE+
patreon
V6 Chapter 28: Taki-san, Save Me!
🕑 Added 2025-07-10 12:01:09 +0000 UTC"As a member of Mygo!!!!!!, of course you're going to live with us too, right?"
That gentle voice of Soyo lingered around Haru's ears. Realizing something all of a sudden, he turned to look at Nagasaki Soyo's beautiful face with a peculiar expression.
But instead of avoiding his gaze, Soyo met his eyes directly, a faint glint of something unreadable flickering across her gaze.
Unfortunately for him, she had never planned to draw a line from the start.
Kazami Haru, who knew his ex-wife's personality and thought process all too well, raised an eyebrow. He could vaguely sense what Nagasaki Soyo was getting at, so he responded softly, his tone layered with subtle nuance.
"…Isn't that… kind of a bad idea?"
The moment those words left his mouth, the girl sitting beside him spoke up cheerfully, her eyes curved in a smile. "I don't see any problem at all. After all, Haru is part of Mygo too. And don't forget, there are six exclamation marks."
"If we're not all together at a time like this, can we really call it the Mygo we built together?"
Just as Kazami Haru could instantly grasp Soyo's train of thought, Soyo, as the 'wife,' could just as easily read Haru's mind.
That beautiful smile on her face seemed to say she had already predicted how her dear husband would react, and she came armed with the perfect weapons: the righteous cause of "the band" and "the greater good."
"…"
Kazami Haru narrowed his dark eyes, silently watching the girl's smile, filled with meaning.
As if he didn't know exactly what Soyo was up to?
Outside, she could only get away with holding his hand or stealing a kiss. But if she got her way and they ended up alone, even under something like "living together," she absolutely wouldn't let the opportunity slip by.
Haru could already guess what she'd do during the band retreat without needing more than a twitch of his toes.
But what he feared wasn't her advances. What he feared now… was not being able to hold himself back.
"I mean, I am a guy, right? Sleeping together with a bunch of girls like this… it's kind of awkward, don't you think?"
Seeing her dear husband still struggling in vain, a glint of mischief, barely noticeable, passed through Soyo's eyes. With a sweet smile, she twirled a strand of hair around her finger.
"At the very least, I don't think it's awkward at all."
Hearing those words, a flash of astonishment passed through Kazami Haru's eyes.
In that instant, he knew Soyo was dead set on "locking him in." He cast a glance, almost imperceptible, across to Shiina-san sitting directly opposite. Sensing his stare, the ever-perceptive Taki blushed, as though suddenly recalling something.
Ack, Taki-san, save me, please!
Naturally, Taki understood the meaning behind Kazami Haru's look. Feeling a little odd herself, she cleared her throat softly and tried to sound casual as she spoke.
"I also think it's not a good idea for Haru to sleep with us. Besides, wouldn't it get a little crowded with so many people?"
But her words didn't shake Nagasaki Soyo in the slightest. A faint, nearly invisible smile flickered in her narrowed blue eyes as she laced her fingers and rested her chin lightly on them.
That elegant, gentle grace of a perfect Yamato Nadeshiko was on full display for everyone to see.
"In that case, how about we all come to my house?"
"My mom's been working late and won't be back for a while. There are plenty of extra rooms, and as long as Haru sleeps in one by himself, there shouldn't be any problem at all, right?"
That way, no one would get in the way.
Since she had decided to launch an all-out assault, Soyo clearly came fully prepared. In her eyes, any move that didn't produce results was just a wasted attack.
Like a cheetah striking its prey in a single burst, she had to go straight for the kill if she wanted to claim her "victory."
"Huh? But what about, like, showering and stuff…"
Taki's voice trembled with embarrassment, her mind repeating what Umi Hachiman had said back then.
If she could keep some distance from Haru, she might be able to barely suppress her feelings. But if they accidentally got too close, or ended up alone together, Taki wasn't even sure she could stay composed.
After all, just one confession from Kazami Haru had turned her brain to mush. If that idiot said anything even more sentimental…
Seeing the look on Taki's face, Soyo sighed in exasperation, then quickly returned to her usual blank expression. Raising her right hand, she proposed in a calm tone, "In that case, let's be fair and vote on it. All in favor of Haru joining us for the training camp, raise your hand."
"Me me me! I totally support Soyorin's idea!"
The first to shoot her hand up in support was, shockingly, the pink-haired troublemaker who usually clashed most with Nagasaki Soyo.
As Haru's "official girlfriend," Anon had absolutely no reason to object. Her sparkling crystal-clear eyes glowed with anticipation.
Seeing how this was going, Taki's mouth twitched slightly as she replied, "I said this isn't a good idea, didn't I? I'm still against it…"
But before she could even finish her sentence, Takamatsu Tomori beside her furrowed her brows and spoke up.
"I… I also think it's better if Haru comes too!"
"Even if he won't perform in the live show this time… he's still a crucial part of Mygo!!!!!! He's an irreplaceable member… so I don't want us to be apart…"
Kazami Haru looked down at the little penguin, her head bowed, eyes worried. He slowly took a deep breath.
Well, that was it. Time to raise the white flag.
Tomori's reaction even made Taki, who had opposed the idea, furrow her brows slightly. She opened her mouth, hesitated, then spoke in a conflicted voice.
"…I still oppose it."
Her thoughts were in complete disarray.
Taki didn't dare get even an inch closer to him anymore. Every time she was near, her feelings boiled over. If she kept suppressing them like this, she was genuinely afraid she'd lose control.
"How interesting."
Sitting nearby, Raana, ever the spectator, chimed in gleefully. Seeing the penguin's reaction, she raised her hand as well, pushing the vote to a clearly lopsided outcome.
"That makes it four to two."
Nagasaki Soyo pressed her hands together with a serene smile, her inner delight almost tangible.
No, no, don't smile. Gotta hold it in. Still, with all the obstacles cleared, achieving her goal was now only a matter of time...
Just as Soyo was about to close the deal, the stray cat munching on her matcha parfait suddenly made a move.
"I want to sleep with Haru."
The cat, who had been sitting next to Taki, suddenly leaned in, and under the baffled gazes of Anon and Soyo, she swiftly plopped herself onto Kazami Haru's lap. Then, with practiced ease, wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Neko, what are you doing?! Get off Haru right now!"
"I already told you not to do this, didn't I?"
Taki shot to her feet, face flushed crimson, but her "threat" had no effect. Raana just snuggled deeper into Haru's chest, eyes narrowing in delight.
"Why?"
Raana tilted her head, clearly not planning on getting off him any time soon.
"I said no means no. Are those words so hard to understand?!"
"Rikki, you want to sleep with Haru?"
"…Huh?! Why would I want to sleep with him?!"
Taki's gorgeous face had turned entirely scarlet. She bit down hard on her lip, fuming with embarrassment, and tried again to scold the cat nestled in Haru's arms, but Raana remained stubbornly unmoved.
"So unfair!"
"I'm the real girlfriend here, okay? If anyone gets to be held by Haru, it should be me! Raana-chan, get up and give me that spot!"
Green with envy, Anon couldn't just sit and watch. She pounced like a pink puppy and clung to Haru. To Soyo, though, this was nothing short of a personal challenge.
"Anon-chan, what exactly do you mean by real girlfriend? Could you please explain that?"
Soyo still wore that motherly, soft smile, but her narrowed, gleaming eyes sent a chill down everyone's spine. Her voice made the pink-haired girl visibly tremble.
But on this front, Anon wasn't backing down.
"Hmph! I liked Haru long before a certain someone ever showed up. But I guess someone decided to shamelessly make a move behind my back and now pretends like she was first."
"He only felt bad for you. That's all. And you're acting so smug about it too, how pathetic."
"What did you just say?!"
And just like that, the two girls on either side of Kazami Haru started bickering, while Taki scolded the cat still sprawled on him. Only the little penguin remained frozen in place, looking utterly lost.
"E-everyone, p-please stop fighting…"
Ahaha, the band sure is so close, right?
Watching the chaos unfold around him, Kazami Haru felt his head throb. He rubbed his temples and let out a long, heavy sigh, speaking in a dry voice.
"Enough already. Fine. On the day of the retreat, I'll find a room on the second floor. The rest of you sleep downstairs, all together. No one's allowed upstairs. Got it?"
The training camp was going to be held at Nagasaki Soyo's extravagant house, but come on. Soyo wouldn't actually jump him in a situation like that, right?
At least the other girls from Mygo would be in the house too and with several of them together in one place, even Soyo should know when to show some restraint.
"…Then it's settled."
Seeing Haru give in, Soyo momentarily swallowed her disappointment. She smiled sweetly, as if worried he might change his mind later.
"Wait, what?! Why?!"
Sitting beside him, Anon looked like she was about to carve the words "not happy" into her forehead. She was already Haru's supreme and undisputed girlfriend, so why wasn't she allowed upstairs?!
"No reason!"
Kazami Haru pinched the pink-haired girl's nose in annoyance, only letting go after she whimpered and pleaded like a spoiled child.
But no one seemed to notice the glint of mischief flashing through Nagasaki Soyo's pale blue eyes.
...
Togawa Sakiko was always anxious.
Thanks to her and Kazami Haru's efforts, Ave Mujica had officially debuted as a professional band.
With the band's steadily growing popularity, she should have been able to turn that momentum into tangible gains. By all logic, the pressure she carried should have gradually lessened with each passing day.
But instead, Togawa Sakiko's anxiety only grew worse.
As the dignified "leader," Togawa Sakiko remained composed and authoritative. Her face expressionless, she said calmly, "That's it for today's practice."
Though no longer the young lady of the Togawa family, she still carried herself with the innate grace and intensity of her upbringing. Even a casual glance over her shoulder could project an overwhelming aura few could withstand.
Her slender fingers brushed lightly across the black-and-white keys of her Roland keyboard, the softness in her eyes vanishing almost instantly.
"Before the next practice, make sure you've all mastered the piece."
"There isn't much time left before Ave Mujica's next performance. I expect a perfect rehearsal next session."
Before anyone could respond, the blue-haired twin-tailed girl had already picked up her bag.
Sakiko's obvious intent to leave caused Nyamu, still panting from drumming, to widen her eyes. Clutching her drumsticks, she called out with a hint of dissatisfaction.
"Sakiko, wait up!"
"We never even had a party after the last live! This is the perfect chance to grab a meal together!"
"I have other matters to attend to. You all go without me."
Without even turning around, Togawa Sakiko tossed those words behind her, walking out of the rented studio with a perfectly blank face.
Standing in front of Wakaba Mutsumi, Misumi Uika hesitated. She was just about to follow Sakiko to say something when a cold little hand suddenly tugged at her sleeve.
"..."
A doll-like face, void of emotion, stared up at her. The girl had simply grabbed her sleeve without saying a word.
Wakaba Mutsumi's intent was already clear enough, causing Uika, who had taken a step forward, to slowly draw back. All she could do was clutch a bottle of creamy oolong tea to her chest.
Her regal lavender eyes, elegant like lavender blossoms, silently followed the departing figure of Togawa Sakiko.
Clack, clack, clack...
The crisp sound of her heels echoed beneath her. Before she knew it, Togawa Sakiko was already walking down a familiar commercial street.
Recalling the way Uika had looked at her during practice, Sakiko's grip on her shoulder bag tightened for a brief moment, only to loosen again as if in resignation.
No matter how tangled her emotions were, Togawa Sakiko stubbornly held her head high.
In truth, she had regretted it for a long time...
Back when she found out that Uika had also fallen for Kazami Haru, she had been already emotionally shaken by Nagasaki Soyo's words and lost control, lashing out like a porcupine. She knew she had gone too far, especially with how softhearted she truly was.
She should have apologized to Uika.
But her pride wouldn't let her.
"It's Haru, after all. It's not strange for Uika to fall for him too."
"But even so... I don't want to give him up."
Togawa Sakiko took a deep breath, her heart aching.
As she tried to collect herself, she happened to pass by a shop she knew all too well. The large sign above read "Shiba Seki Ramen," a name that immediately made her stop in her tracks.
This was the ramen place where she and Haru had gone out to eat for the very first time.
The moment she saw it, waves of personal memories flooded back.
That black-haired boy sitting under the warm lighting, holding his chopsticks and teasing her with that smug grin. Though embarrassed and annoyed at the time, she had been truly happy. Even now, she could still remember how delicious and comforting that moment had been.
"...I haven't had lunch anyway."
Almost like she needed to justify it to herself, Togawa Sakiko finally stepped through the shop's door.
"Welcome~ uh…"
The cheerful voice of the waitress faltered the moment she recognized Togawa Sakiko's face.
After all, in a certain sense, this girl was a "regular." And every time she came in that something different, something dramatic tended to happen.
The braided blonde waitress instinctively glanced behind Sakiko, then frowned when she didn't spot "that familiar figure."
Sakiko may have noticed the waitress's suspicion. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly as she addressed her calmly.
"Hello? Please seat me at the innermost booth."
"Huh? Oh, oh, of course… ah, but, um, that spot…"
Snapping out of her daze, the waitress responded automatically. But when she realized which seat Sakiko had requested, her face twisted in panic.
Watching her fluster, Togawa Sakiko's eyes flickered with confusion. Then, in the next moment, her expression changed.
Perhaps guessing something, she stepped forward and headed straight to that familiar booth.
Peeking around the natural wood paneling that divided the seats, Togawa Sakiko poked her pale-blue head around the corner, her heart filled with quiet anticipation.
"Eh?"
Seated at the booth were two girls with one a pink-haired girl with her head down, timid and withdrawn. The other, a red-haired girl practically radiating sunshine energy even at this distance.
The moment Togawa Sakiko approached, both of them looked up, expressions equally shocked.
"Sorry, I went to the wrong table."
"Please wait!"
