CRYCHIC Band had been disbanded for a week.
This week, Soyo had been developing both the Shouko and Mutsumi lines.
And Mutsumi no longer needed excuses to approach Soyo.
Every day, with Soyo sticking close, the two of them would wait together at the gate of Shouko's school.
It left Shouko reeling for the entire week... turning her once infamous campus horror legend into a kaleidoscope of new tales.
Everyone, of course, had their own perfectly reasonable version.
But among the girls, the most popular rumor was... the story of a noble young lady's terrifying game of manipulation.
None of it had anything to do with Shouko; she didn't mingle in those little cliques.
This time she invited Mutsumi to meet alone... mostly because watching the girl guess her way through every day, tailing her and Soyo, looked exhausting.
Kind-hearted as she was, how could she let Mutsumi suffer like that? Naturally she had to dangle some bait.
After entering Circle-LiveHouse with Soyo, they rented a three-hour practice room.
Shouko watched Soyo pull out her bass and start thrashing away.
She nodded, stood up and said, "Technique's still awful—keep training. I'm off to the restroom."
"Huh!?"
Watching Shouko turn and leave so coldly.
Soyo gave a soft, disgruntled hum, but kept her grip on the bass and kept practicing.
A week had been enough for her to grow used to Shouko's domineering ways.
And she looked forward to the help Shouko promised—and to news of Sakiko—if she could meet the technical standard.
"Keep at it, Soyo—make that hateful girl see what you're made of!!!"
[anger value +166]
...Across from Circle-LiveHouse... Shouko came to Mutsumi's side.
Looking at Mutsumi's wooden expression, she smiled. "You really didn't tell Sakiko about me—good girl."
"You..."
Mutsumi frowned, disliking Shouko's overbearing tone.
She shot back, "What you're doing is really too much."
"Too much? I don't think so, Mutsumi."
Shouko leaned to Mutsumi's ear, whispered with a breath that made her shiver.
Yet Shouko didn't pull away; instead she wrapped Mutsumi in her arms.
The sight made nearby onlookers clamp hands over their mouths, faces flushing.
"Mutsumi, you care so much about Sakiko..."
"But you're not exactly sociable, are you?"
"All you can do is gather scraps from Sakiko, Soyo, and me every day... work so hard to piece the puzzle together."
"Once you've collected enough, you'll confront me head-on and shake my confidence??"
"Admirable plan. You've had a tiring week, haven't you, Mutsumi?"
Mutsumi felt Shouko's devilish murmur spell out every aim of the past days.
Though her face stayed wooden, her eyes flickered with alarm.
"Oh dear, Mutsumi, you're trembling..."
"Don't tell me I hit the mark and you're actually scared?"
"How disappointing. I was hoping you'd do something for Sakiko's sake."
"You're not giving up already, are you? No way, right??"
[anger value +66]
"Wow, angry—finally. I thought you couldn't."
With those words, Shouko bestowed a [Wrath Aura] upon her.
Only she could see the fiery glaze bloom over Mutsumi.
She released Mutsumi and stepped back.
Smiling, she watched the girl's wooden mask begin to crack.
"What's wrong? Can't keep the act up?"
"This is your limit? What a let-down."
[anger value +166]
[anger value +266]
"Ooh, getting madder. Know what? I love seeing you like a beaten dog."
[anger value +566]
"So, what now—ready to run away?"
[anger value +666]
"Oh, leaving already? How dull."
"Or did you plant a recorder to capture my voice?"
Saying this, Shouko plucked Mutsumi's phone from her pocket.
Watching the ticking seconds, Mutsumi had clearly started the recording before she arrived.
"Huh, so there really is a recording—taken on a phone, no less."
"Should I delete it, or…?"
In that instant Mutsumi exploded, lunging to snatch the handset from Shouko.
But Mutsumi's reflexes were no match for Shouko's speed.
Even though Mutsumi had been coiling her strength, she missed by a hair as Shouko danced back with a laugh.
"Whoa, close call—so you want your phone back?"
[anger value +566]
"If you want it, of course I'll give it to you. But if you don't say so, how would I know?"
[anger value +966]
"Ooh, getting angrier—perfect. Rage for me, Mutsumi. Show me how furious you can be for Sakiko's sake."
The moment Shouko finished, Mutsumi charged again.
Alas, Shouko sidestepped effortlessly.
Under the Wrath Aura and Shouko's taunts, Mutsumi, now unhinged, kept flinging herself forward.
To keep the scene low-profile, Shouko led her to a deserted corner.
And so, amid endless provocation and grabs…
Ten minutes flew by; deprived of the Wrath Aura's fuel, Mutsumi sagged against a tree, gasping.
Shouko, not even flushed, placed the phone in Mutsumi's hand.
"Here. Geez, you scared me back there."
"Since you're so worked up, let me tell you something."
Exhausted in body and mind, Mutsumi snapped alert at those words.