What the hell is this idiot even saying?!
Taki was certain her face was burning red, and her heartbeat had gone completely out of control.
Caught off guard by Kamijou Mutsuki's shameless sneak attack, even someone like Taki found it hard to withstand such a sudden, straight-line confession-style assault.
Off to the side, Anon half-lidded her eyes as she watched the scene unfold.
Why did that speech sound… kind of familiar?
As expected of this scumbag. He can even flirt Taki into this state. Terrifying.
The girl silently grumbled to herself, suppressing the strange irritation rising in her chest.
"Taki."
Watching everything, Umiri let out a faint sigh, her gaze growing deeper.
Tsk. Did she just accidentally give this guy an assist?
"You asked me to come here just so I could watch you flirt with this boy?"
"Who's flirting?!"
Only now did Taki seem to realize how intimate their posture looked. As if shocked by electricity, she immediately let go of Mutsuki's mouth.
"And you—"
She crossed her arms, trying to appear composed, but the redness on her face refused to fade.
"Don't say things that make people misunderstand again. Or I'll hit you!"
Though, just like before, there was absolutely no intimidation in her voice.
"So, Miss Umiri, what's your answer?"
Finally "unsealed," Kamijou Mutsuki looked at Umiri-sensei and continued calmly.
"It seems that if I don't want Taki to be bullied by you, I have no choice but to agree."
Having already tested most of what she wanted to know, Umiri no longer refused.
"Who's going to get bullied by this guy?!"
Taki, however, was extremely dissatisfied with Umiri's wording.
Why was the premise that she would definitely get chased down and bullied by Kamijou Mutsuki?
She'd fall for him?
Absolutely impossible!
If one day she actually liked Kamijou Mutsuki, she'd eat the stray cat!
Cat: ?
"…"
Umiri said nothing more, merely thinking to herself that her dear friend truly had no self-awareness whatsoever.
From Umiri's perspective, Taki indeed didn't have much of that kind of feeling toward Kamijou Mutsuki right now.
But at the moment, there was only one boy around Taki. Who could say how things might develop later?
Moreover, judging from her observations, Kamijou Mutsuki and Taki were not even in the same league.
If she weren't around, her friend would definitely get completely wrapped around this man's finger.
"But do you actually like Taki?"
After all, being able to list so many of her friend's strengths in one breath—even she couldn't have done that without preparation.
Understanding her that deeply—she didn't believe for a second that he felt nothing.
"Umiri!"
Taki, who had only just barely calmed down, immediately flushed red again.
Why did Umiri keep assuming there was something between her and Kamijou Mutsuki?
Before today, she had never once imagined herself having that kind of ambiguous connection with that scumbag.
From Taki's point of view, that guy only bullied Tomori and made her angry.
"I like Taki—"
Kamijou Mutsuki's reply stunned everyone. Taki's mind went completely blank.
This scumbag liked her?
How was that possible?!
"—and everyone else too!"
Could you not pause dramatically like that?!
The girls' gazes instantly turned resentful. Taki once again had the urge to punch someone.
"I still have a commission from another band later."
Seeing her question so easily deflected, Umiri decided not to probe further.
In truth, she didn't actually mind Kamijou Mutsuki being with Taki.
The premise was simple—
That he could make her happy.
So until then, she would observe him carefully.
She would… keep a constant eye on him.
"I'll take my leave for now."
"Contact me if anything comes up."
As expected of Umiri-sensei—efficient and decisive.
At this point, among MyGO!!!!!'s voice cast, only Nyamu was left.
After Umiri left, Taki—being the resident pressure monster—naturally dragged everyone into practice. Even Anon didn't object this time.
As for Kamijou Mutsuki, there was nothing left for him to do.
So he headed back to the big house.
By the time he got home, Mutsumi had already finished preparing dinner.
"Mutsuki, these are…?"
Cucumber—still in her apron—looked at the stack of cardboard boxes in the living room with visible confusion.
"These? Guitars I bought today."
Kamijou Mutsuki casually tore open one of the boxes, revealing the instrument inside.
Mutsumi blinked.
He bought guitars?
And not just one—but several?
"Mutsuki… wasn't your guitar still at your old house?"
Facing her question, he answered honestly.
"I figured you seemed a bit uncomfortable lately, so I thought I'd get you one."
"I didn't know which kind you'd like, so I just bought them all."
"For… me?"
Mutsumi gently touched one of the guitars, her gaze turning distant.
He even noticed that?
Come to think of it, she hadn't thought about her old home in a long time.
That place had only ever felt empty and suffocating. Even when her father was home, he brought nothing but pressure.
Kamijou Mutsuki might look unreliable and mischievous on the surface, but being by his side gave her a sense of reassurance that even Soyo and Sakiko had never been able to provide.
She didn't need to tread carefully.
She wouldn't be hurt from both sides.
Having Kamijou Mutsuki as her fiancé… really was her good fortune.
Thinking back on everything that had happened recently, it almost felt like another lifetime.
"Of course, I'm not saying you have to play it," Mutsuki added casually, misreading her reaction. "It'd be fine just to keep them at home as decorations."
"No."
Mutsumi lifted her head.
Her eyes were steady and firm.
"I really like Mutsuki's gift."
Perhaps because of her childhood experiences, she had never quite managed to pour genuine affection into the guitar—even if she didn't dislike it.
That was precisely why, when Sakiko left the band, she had said those words back then.
But now—
Her feelings were different.
Because this was a gift from him.
"I want… Mutsuki to hear my sound."
She wanted to play for him.
As she spoke, Mutsumi picked up a pink seven-string bass guitar from the pile.
"Mutsuki, what do you want to hear?"
"Haruhikage."
Instant answer.
"…Mutsuki, you're mean."
Mutsumi puffed her cheeks slightly, though she didn't look surprised.
And so, inside the villa that no longer belonged to Sakiko, she began to play "Haruhikage"—a song that no longer belonged to her either.
In the gentle resonance of the bass strings, the distance between them quietly drew closer.
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After successfully recruiting Uika and Umiri, Kamijou Mutsuki didn't rush to find the remaining member, Nyamu.
Over the next few days, he spent his mornings at "STARRY," building favorability, and his afternoons accompanying Tomori and the others during practice.
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PS: This chapter was originally going to feature Sayaka, but since she doesn't really have much plot later on—probably just a brief appearance before fading out—I decided to delay her entrance instead.
PS2: There has indeed been quite a bit of slice-of-life lately. That one's on me. But next chapter moves into the voice-acting arc—covering episodes four and five together. Episode four doesn't really have much of a dramatic high point anyway.
There'll probably be a segment focusing on Anon's emotional development in between. After all, episode five is when "Atsu-chan the deserter" happens, so this is the best timing to write about Anon.
That said… I'm honestly not that good at writing pure romance arcs.
Just thinking about it gives me a headache.
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