Hadn't he tried to win Toyokawa Sakiko back?
But that girl wouldn't even agree to meet him.
She hadn't left him an address.
No contact information.
Nothing.
Important things are irreplaceable.
Once something is truly lost—
It never comes back.
Just like Matsueda Azusa's love.
Just like the old CRYCHIC.
Toyokawa Sakiko had proven it with her actions—
That Nagasaki Soyo's ideal world—
Where everyone supports each other, succeeds together, and stays happy together—
Was nothing more than a fantasy.
Because in reality—
If someone shines, someone else is left behind.
If someone stands in the spotlight—
Someone else is forced into the mud.
Just like them.
The ones who were abandoned.
So the only thing Matsueda Azusa could do—
Was make sure he would never be abandoned again.
[I listen to that young man's voice][In a past that still had a future][Longing for a happy ending][But I failed to become myself]
His thoughts drifted.
Soyo was persistent.
Annoyingly so.
But—
He didn't actually hate her.
Because in her—
He saw his past self.
The version of him that begged Sakiko not to leave.
The difference was—
He had already learned something Soyo refused to accept.
Because something is important—
Because you're afraid of losing it—
You hide it.
You cling to it.
You try to preserve it exactly as it is.
And that's precisely why—
You lose it.
And then—
You regret it.
Clinging desperately to a past that's already gone—
Is just ugly.
It's better to never have had something—
Than to lose it.
If losing it will destroy you—
Then it's better to let go first.
[He understands, he understands—I cannot give it][So he turns and walks into the mountains][He understands, he understands—I cannot give it][So he turns and walks into the sea]
Matsueda Azusa wasn't a great singer.
He wasn't even supposed to be the vocalist.
At best—
He was average.
But maybe because of that—
His confusion.
His regret.
His stubbornness—
Reached the audience more directly than perfection ever could.
In the crowd—
Nagasaki Soyo trembled.
Her arms wrapped tightly around herself.
Her lips nearly bleeding from how hard she bit them.
She didn't understand his thoughts.
All she felt—
Was anger.
And despair.
"Why…?"
"Why didn't you play Kasuga Kage?!"
Tears welled up.
She couldn't stay any longer.
She had to leave.
"Did you really abandon the old CRYCHIC?!"
She had believed—
Even if only Matsueda Azusa and Shiina Rikki remained—
Even if someone new replaced her—
They would still play that song.
Their song.
"Kasuga Kage."
She had imagined everything.
If Sakiko heard it—
Would she be hurt?
Would she cry?
Would she come back?
Would she forgive them?
Would everything go back to how it was?
She had believed—
Even a little—
That maybe—
Just maybe—
Sakiko would return.
But now—
Everything was gone.
And the one most hurt—
Was her.
She had tried so hard.
And yet—
Matsueda Azusa wouldn't even spare a single song—
For their past.
Now she understood.
The old CRYCHIC—
Was gone.
And the current CRYCHIC—
Was no longer hers.
She stumbled out of the crowd—
Leaning against a dark hallway wall.
"No…"
"It shouldn't be like this…"
CRYCHIC hadn't disbanded.
Not yet.
If she could just bring Sakiko back—
Everything would return.
But Matsueda Azusa—
Had shattered that illusion.
As long as his CRYCHIC existed—
The old one would never return.
…
No.
There was still a way.
It was all his fault.
If he had just tried harder.
If he had chased Sakiko like she did.
If he hadn't taken CRYCHIC for himself—
Then none of this would've happened.
It was all his fault.
Mistakes must be corrected.
No matter what.
Gentle methods were no longer enough.
Soyo steadied herself against the wall.
Her eyes hardened.
It was time—
To act.
Since persuasion wouldn't work—
Since she couldn't bring back Tomori—
Since she couldn't find Sakiko—
Then she would use harsher methods.
Even if sacrifices were necessary.
This was the only way left.
She slowly walked away from RING.
From behind—
Matsueda Azusa's voice echoed faintly:
"Thank you, everyone!"
"We are the high school band—CRYCHIC!"
Soyo clenched her fists.
No.
You're not.
Just wait.
I'll destroy your band—
And rebuild the real CRYCHIC.
The news about Matsueda Azusa founding the Improper Relationship Inspection Department spread quickly across the school.
Normally—
A club with only three members wouldn't attract any attention at all.
Some students might not even know it existed until graduation.
But—
Yesterday, Matsueda had caused a scene in the staff room—
Protecting Hikigaya Hachiman from Hiratsuka Shizuka.
And the staff room—
Was the worst possible place for something like that.
Students were constantly being called in.
Teachers were everywhere.
Add in the Student Council quietly spreading rumors—
And now—
Everyone knew.
But—
People misunderstood the situation completely.
For example—
Ebina Hina from their class.
"This is peak shipping material!"
"Cheerful airhead top × gloomy loner bottom!"
"Matsueda × Hachiman is REAL!!"
She was already fangirling early in the morning.
…This was just a rumor at this point.
And what was with "bottom"?
Just judging based on appearance?
How shallow.
Hikigaya shook his head internally.
He was—
At the very least—
A lone wolf.
Though if he had to say—
He would obviously be the "top."
And definitely not with that weird ikemen.
If anything—
Totsuka Saika would be the best—
…Wait.
Why was he even thinking about this?
Matsueda Azusa walked into the classroom, yawning.
Dark circles under his eyes.
Did he seriously stay up all night planning how to break couples?
Hikigaya narrowed his eyes.
This guy is way too serious…
"Yo, what's got everyone so excited this early?"
Matsueda waved at the popular group.
Centered around Miura Yumiko—
And Hayama Hayato—
The core of the class hierarchy.
To Hikigaya—
They were basically the school's ruling class.
"Your love life with that gloomy guy."
Miura said bluntly.
"Oh, that?"
Matsueda stroked his chin.
"Yeah. We even have a child."
"…EH?!" × multiple
A flashy girl nearby gasped.
"Matsueda-san and Hikki are actually into that?!"
Ebina clutched her chest.
"My ship has sailed!!"
"SCRREEECH—"
A chair scraped loudly.
Hikigaya shot up.
You can't just say things like that!!
"…President…"
He immediately backed down under everyone's gaze.
"Uh… since we're the Improper Relationship Inspection Department…"
"…isn't that kind of joke inappropriate?"
"Hikigaya, Vice President."
Matsueda said seriously.
"I appreciate your dedication."
"But you got the name wrong."
"And I don't like that."
"We are the Improper Boy–Girl Relationship Inspection Department."
Hikigaya broke into a cold sweat.
He left those words out on purpose.
And this guy just said it out loud.
What kind of club name is that?!
Just call it the LGBT Department already!
"THIS IS A CONFESSION!!"
Ebina screamed.
"I respect this so much!!"
"…Relax."
Matsueda shrugged.
"I'm joking."
Then—
He smiled.
"Our motto is simple."
"We eliminate all couples in this school."
"Straight or not—"
"No exceptions."