[You've formed a band with Tomori Takamatsu.]
[Your heartfelt sincerity makes her feel completely at ease. To her, you are the sunrise breaking through the clouds, a guiding light through the endless fog.]
[As long as you're there, she knows she'll never lose her way again.]
[Your bond with Tomori deepens.]
Now that's what he was talking about, straight out of the depressed cocoon.
Kazami Haru closed his eyes and let the rush of simulated memories wash over him.
At this point, Tomori's trust was fully his.
If things continued at this pace, he could guide the rest of the simulation to a happy ending, so long as he stayed cautious.
Feeling satisfied, Haru took a slow sip of the hot coffee Sakiko had brewed for him. The searing heat snapped him awake and kept his senses sharp, a small but treasured habit of his.
Customers began trickling into the café. Haru greeted them with his usual professional smile and served the drinks before returning to his simulation.
[A few days later, a transfer student named Chihaya Anon joins your class. Outgoing and cheerful, she immediately latches on to the class's top-tier extrovert, Kita Ikuyo, and quickly becomes friends with nearly everyone thanks to her incredible social skills.]
[But you're not concerned with that. Right now, your only focus is successfully building a band with Tomori.]
[While you and Tomori are discussing practice plans, Chihaya Anon suddenly approaches you both.]
"Hey! Kazami and Takamatsu, are you two starting a band together?"
Her long, cherry blossom-pink hair flowed behind her as she moved. Her voice had a distinctive, dizzying charm, just hearing it made the air feel light.
Her sudden, overly familiar tone left Tomori flustered and at a loss.
"Y-Yes, I'm starting a band with Haru…"
"Eh?! Just the two of you? Then, can I join too?"
Chihaya clasped her hands together in an adorably pleading pose. Her gem-like gray eyes shimmered just enough to make saying "no" almost impossible, it made you want to say yes without a second thought.
With no idea how to handle this, Tomori glanced nervously at Haru.
At this point, she clearly saw Haru as her anchor, looking to him for reassurance in everything.
"Chihaya, right? Why do you want to join us?"
Haru's calm question caught the excited Chihaya off guard.
But with maxed-out charisma, she quickly recovered and responded with a warm, irresistible smile. Her little tiger-tooth sparkled as sunlight glinted off it.
"Because I want to be friends with you guys too! A band's only fun when you're playing with your friends, right~?"
"Honestly, I've been wanting to talk to Takamatsu for a while now, but she's always by your side, Kazami. I just couldn't find the right moment. But today, I finally worked up the courage!"
PIC[1]
Wow—what overwhelming social skills.
"Chihaya-san, what instrument do you play?"
"No need to be so formal, just call me Anon! And I'll call you guys Tomori and Haru, okay~?"
"I was in a band back in middle school, part of the student council too. I was the lead vocalist and guitarist front and center! Anyway, once you hear me play, you'll totally get it!"
Seeing Anon's confidence, Kazami Haru gave a small nod.
After all, Archangel Saint Anon was probably the most "normal" one in Mygo.
Her social skills made her an ideal bridge for someone like Tomori. Anon's emotional intelligence allowed her to move gracefully while sensing hidden feelings in others, which meant she could always ease Tomori's anxiety before it turned into full-blown isolation.
Her one flaw might be a slight love for attention, but compared to her strengths, that was easy to overlook.
"If Haru agrees, I have no objections."
Seeing Haru already nodding, the hesitant Tomori smiled gently and followed his lead, agreeing to Anon's request.
"Yay! It's settled then! Let's meet tomorrow at the place we talked about~"
[You decide to let Chihaya Anon join the band. Determined not to let Tomori suffer more heartache over a band, you silently vow to do everything in your power to make this one work.]
[You become friends with Chihaya Anon.]
[The band begins to grow. Tomori's trust in you deepens, but you start to notice something troubling: her trust is starting to shift into dependence.]
[You're unsure whether this dependency is something good… or something dangerous for either of you.]
[So, you decide—]
1. Step it up. Make her completely reliant on you, then propose marriage.
2. She's depending on you too much, it's time to ease up on your attention.
3. Let things run their course.
4. Virtual reality: experience it yourself.
Uh-oh. Tomori had officially entered full-on "clingy" mode.
But in Kazami Haru's eyes, she was like a fluffy baby penguin curling into her father's arms—was that really a bad thing?
What could possibly be wrong with a soft, cuddly Tomori who just wanted comfort?
Isn't she adorable?
Not a problem at all.
As long as this simulation ends with him marrying Tomori, he'd embrace every bit of that dependence, and return it with double the care.
The more important he became in her heart, the better.
Without hesitation, Haru chose Option 1.
[You believe Tomori's dependence is not a bad thing, it comes from her deep lack of security. You resolve to embrace it and give her the reassurance she needs.]
[The next day, you, Anon, and Tomori head to a live house for your first practice session. As fate would have it, you unexpectedly run into Tomori's former bandmate, Shiina Taki. The truth could only stay hidden so long.]
[Even though you deliberately chose the "STARRY" venue in Shimokitazawa, you still crossed paths with her.]
...
"Hey! Who the hell are you, and why are you with Tomori?!"
Shiina Taki, a tall girl with long, sleek black hair, glared with piercing violet eyes, her gaze as sharp and cold as blades slicing through the air.
Furious, she stormed forward, her dark chestnut hair trailing wildly behind her like a storm responding to its master's wrath.
Her sudden outburst startled Anon, who instantly ducked behind Haru. He, however, had expected this from the start.
Taki didn't care. Her emotions had boiled over.
Some random stranger was talking to her Tomori! The pure, innocent Tomori who didn't even recognize malice. What if this guy was tricking her into something awful—?
No way in hell!!!
She wouldn't let that happen. Tomori was hers to protect.
"Who are you, and why are you clinging to Tomori?!"
But before Taki could close the distance, Tomori stepped forward and stood protectively in front of Haru, physically blocking her path.
The furious Taki suddenly faltered, eyes wide with disbelief as she stared at the small girl frowning gently in front of her.
"—Tomori?"
[1] https://imgur.com/2RKgAI6