Let's turn the clock back a few minutes.
As usual, Soyo Nagasaki headed to RiNG almost as if it were part of her daily routine.
Her brows were tightly furrowed as she pondered a few things, her mood neither particularly good nor bad.
Ever since that night, her relationship with Mutsumi had become somewhat closer than before.
This gave Soyo more confidence that she could learn more about Sakiko from Mutsumi.
For example, the specific difficulties Sakiko was currently facing.
Now that she had finally found Sakiko, Soyo had made up her mind to reunite CRYCHIC.
Although she was reluctant to admit it, Sakiko seemed somewhat resistant toward her now.
In that case, she would start with Taki and Tomori.
She had been sick recently and hadn't visited Taki in quite some time.
Although Taki sometimes didn't get along with her, Soyo was broad-minded. For the sake of restoring CRYCHIC—their family—to its complete form, she wasn't going to hold a grudge against Taki.
That was why Soyo had come today.
She even knew Shiina Taki's shift schedule.
What a terrifying woman.
Unlike Taki, whose eyes contained nothing but Tomori—
As Soyo approached RiNG, she immediately saw three faces that were more familiar to her than anything.
Tomori.
Taki.
And Hakushu.
There were also three other unfamiliar faces.
This scene looked almost like some kind of grand reunion.
What on earth were they doing!?
Soyo's eyelids twitched several times.
She suddenly had a very bad feeling.
So she quickly hurried over to everyone and voiced her confusion.
The silence was broken, and everyone instinctively turned toward the source of the voice.
Shiina Taki: "Soyo?"
Hakushu was surprised.
"Soyo, why are you here too…?"
Takamatsu Tomori spoke softly.
"Soyo…"
Soyo gently nodded to everyone, maintaining her composure.
Yet the ominous feeling in her heart continued to grow stronger.
"Another person you know?"
Chihaya Anon blinked, looking somewhat surprised and confused.
Soyo smiled lightly.
"Yeah. I just happened to be passing by today, and then I saw everyone sitting together."
"So I came over. What are you all talking about? You look like you're having a lot of fun."
After saying that, Soyo held her breath and prayed that this was nothing more than an ordinary conversation.
"We were…"
Tomori opened her mouth to answer, but then found it somewhat difficult to say it in front of Soyo.
The current situation gave Tomori the feeling that she and Taki had abandoned Soyo.
Shiina Taki paused for a moment before answering.
"We were talking about forming a band."
"A band…?"
Soyo's mouth fell open in shock.
For two seconds, everything before her eyes went black, and she even staggered backward two steps.
Fortunately, she managed to steady herself.
If she hadn't already experienced the blow Sakiko had dealt her a few days ago, Soyo suspected that she might have collapsed right then and there.
The weak version of herself from the past was already dead.
Soyo took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down, her mind rapidly turning over possibilities.
She looked expectantly at Anon and the others and spoke softly.
"My name is Soyo Nagasaki. I'm a friend of Taki, Tomori, and Hakushu-kun."
"I'd also like to form a band with everyone. Is that okay?"
Everyone froze for a moment.
Hakushu looked at Soyo strangely.
You want to join too?
Isn't CRYCHIC the only thing in your heart?
Don't tell me you're planning something?
Actually, when they had previously been recruiting a bassist and drummer, the names Shiina Taki and Soyo Nagasaki had instinctively appeared in Hakushu's mind.
But if that happened, the band would consist of three former members and one newcomer.
Would it still be considered CRYCHIC?
Or would it be a new band?
That would also put Chihaya Anon's position in an awkward place.
Moreover, since they had already decided to help Tomori move beyond her past, it would naturally be better to abandon the past and form a completely new band.
That was why Hakushu had passed over both of them.
But things always seemed to develop in unexpected directions.
First, Shiina Taki had appeared.
Then Soyo Nagasaki had arrived.
Hakushu felt as though there were some invisible force pulling everyone toward this place.
No one spoke for the moment.
So Hakushu stepped forward and said:
"I'm sorry, but…"
"Soyo, we already have a bassist."
After all, a band didn't need two bassists.
"Eh?"
Soyo's expression became stunned, her pupils widening.
Hakushu could play bass.
But then Soyo remembered that he already had a band.
That meant it had to be one of the other three.
Yet Soyo looked directly at Hakushu and asked:
"Is it Hakushu-kun?"
Hakushu shook his head.
"It's Umiri."
Umiri Hachimann nodded toward Soyo.
She also knew that Soyo had once been Taki's bandmate.
Soyo smiled and nodded back at Umiri, carefully committing her face to memory.
Then she smiled again.
"Then I can take another position too."
Hakushu looked at everyone.
"What do you think?"
Shiina Taki answered:
"I'm fine with it."
As long as she could form a band with Tomori, that was enough for her.
Umiri Hachimann thought about it briefly before nodding.
Rāna looked like she didn't particularly care.
Hearing everyone's responses, Tomori looked somewhat happy.
She spoke earnestly.
"I want to form a band with Soyo too."
Anon froze for a moment.
Is it really going to be this easy?
Everyone had agreed.
What else could she say?
Not that she had intended to object in the first place.
After all, the Soyo Nagasaki standing before her looked like a gentle and polite person.
Getting along with someone like that shouldn't be bad.
Chihaya Anon smiled.
"I'm fine with it too."
Soyo smiled.
She lightly pressed her fingers together.
"Thank you, everyone."
After thinking for a moment, Hakushu asked:
"So, Soyo, can you play keyboard or guitar?"
Soyo froze.
Her right hand began nervously picking at the nail of her left index finger.
Do I really only have those two choices?
Keyboard and guitar?
To be honest, she couldn't play either.
Keyboard…
No! Anything but keyboard!
That position belonged to Saki-chan.
Then there was only one choice.
Guitar.
That position had once belonged to Mutsumi.
Soyo pursed her lips.
I'm sorry, Mutsumi.
This is only temporary.
Yes, temporary. It's only temporary!
Mutsumi, you'll understand me, right? Mutsumi.
"How about guitar? After all, guitar and bass are pretty similar."
"Eh?"
Chihaya Anon blinked blankly.
Why does the competition for lead guitar keep getting more intense!?
Fortunately, someone quickly voiced the exact thought she was having.
Shiina Taki frowned.
"Guitar? Wouldn't that mean we have too many guitars?"
As Soyo's former bandmate, Taki did think Soyo had a lot on her mind sometimes, but she didn't mind Soyo joining.
However, this would mean the band had three guitarists.
From the perspective of developing the band, Taki felt that another guitar was less useful than having a keyboard.
Taki was serious about music, after all!
Although mentioning keyboards reminded her of that damnable person.
Hakushu pointed at Chihaya Anon and Rāna.
"We already have two guitarists."
"Well… Taki, there are bands with three guitarists too, right?"
Soyo's fingers, which had been playing with her nails, paused.
After thinking for a moment, she answered.
She had never expected Taki to object.
Taki really doesn't get along with me…
"I know. I just think that, given our current situation, a keyboard would be better than another guitar."
Shiina Taki nodded.
She really was being completely impartial.
Nearby, Tomori—
Upon hearing the word keyboard, she softly whispered it and looked up at Hakushu.
"Keyboard…"
"What is it, Tomorin?"
Hearing Tomori mumble, Anon curiously asked.
She also thought a keyboard would be better!
That way, there would be one less competitor for the lead guitar position.
Thinking of this, Anon looked hopefully at Soyo, wishing that she would become the keyboardist.
Tomori shook her head.
Although she would have preferred Hakushu to become the band's keyboardist—
She wanted to form a band with him for the rest of her life.
But Tomori also understood that Aki already had his own band!
She couldn't be that selfish.
Thinking about this, a look of sadness appeared on Tomori's face, and she became somewhat dejected.
Hakushu also nodded.
As a keyboardist himself, there was no reason for him not to speak up for the instrument.
"With our current lineup, having a keyboardist would give us more flexibility. A band with a keyboard can choose from a much wider range of songs."
Hakushu smiled.
"Although I might sound like I'm advertising my own instrument, a band really should have a keyboardist."
"Let's see which one Soyo prefers. We can discuss it further afterward."
Speaking of which, we already have a keyboardist.
Tomori shouldn't be setting her sights on me anymore, right?
Chihaya Anon's eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly.
"I support that too!"
And so—
Feeling everyone's gazes upon her, Soyo realized that everyone seemed to prefer that she become the keyboardist.
Soyo sighed inwardly.
But a warm smile remained on her face.
"Then I'll be the keyboardist."
After all, she was the last person to join.
Right now, the most important thing was to become a member of this band.
Once she had joined, everything else could be figured out later!
"Really? That's wonderful!"
Chihaya Anon happily clapped her hands.
Now that she had made up her mind, Soyo would have to perform well and earn everyone's trust.
"Actually, I also take piano lessons at Tsukinomori."
Soyo smiled as she spoke.
After all, she was the only person here who attended Tsukinomori.
No one questioned her statement.
After all, in the eyes of outsiders, the young ladies of Tsukinomori learned all sorts of artistic skills.
Taki looked slightly surprised but nodded as well.
"Tsukinomori?!"
Chihaya Anon suddenly cried out.
Her bright gray eyes stared at Soyo.
"You mean that Tsukinomori? The prestigious school for the nobility!?"
Soyo paused.
"Yes. The music classes at Tsukinomori expose us to many different instruments."
"That's what you're focusing on?"
Hakushu glanced at Anon.
"But that's Tsukinomori! Tsukinomori, the famous school for rich young ladies!"
Chihaya Anon excitedly praised it, then gave Hakushu a look that clearly said:
You just don't understand!
She was actually going to form a band with a young lady from Tsukinomori!
This was definitely going to become a hot topic!
Soyo narrowed her eyes slightly and smiled along.
Looks like this pink-haired girl should be pretty easy to handle.
…
And so—
With Hakushu and Chihaya Anon taking the lead in bringing everyone together, the newly formed band finally began to take shape.
Lead Vocalist: Tomori Takamatsu
Drummer: Taki Shiina
Guitarists: Chihaya Anon, Rāna Kaname
Bassist: Umiri Hachimann
Keyboardist: Soyo Nagasaki
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