Come on, man! I can let it slide that you're using me to flirt with a girl, but you're making me the subject of your vow too?
Isn't that going a little too far?
For the love of God, please act like a decent human being!
"Um..."
To Anon's delight, however, after hearing Kamijo Mutsumi's vow, a hesitant expression appeared on Tomori's face.
"Using Ano-chan's future as the wager... is that really okay?"
Tomori, my angel! I knew I wasn't wrong about you!
Anon was so moved her eyes welled up with tears. She silently swore that from this day forward, Tomori would be her best friend!
"...Then how about we use my future instead?"
Kamijo Mutsumi didn't mind. As long as it convinced Tomori, anything would do.
"..."
Who would have thought that in response to his question, Tomori would fall unexpectedly silent?
She glanced back and forth between him and Anon, before finally saying:
"...Then let's just forget it."
Anon: "???"
The girl, who had been on the verge of tears with emotion just a moment ago, instantly felt like the biggest clown in Gotham City.
Wait, what do you mean, "forget it"?
I'm your friend, Tomori-chan! Why are you siding with an outsider?
"Then... it's a promise..."
However, as if she hadn't hurt Anon deeply enough, Tomori looked at Kamijo Mutsumi with a serious expression.
"...For a lifetime..."
As she said this, Tomori felt a sense of security she hadn't felt since CRYCHIC disbanded. On her usually expressionless face, the corners of her lips unconsciously curled into a faint smile.
Although it was a barely perceptible smile, for Tomori, it was incredibly precious.
At the very least...
Anon had never seen her smile like that.
In that instant, not only did Ano-chan put on a red clown nose, but she was also crowned with a vibrant green one.
I was the one who met her first, and I was the one who wanted to start a band with her. From meeting her to asking her, I was always first! Why did things turn out like this?
Today my hands tremble, today my heart aches! I went through so much trouble to start a band with you, so why, Tomori-chan...?
Seeing that Anon's resentment had built to its absolute peak and she was about to explode and vaporize him, the Maybach they were in happened to pull up in front of RiNG. This allowed the girl to barely regain her sanity.
No matter how it happened, the result is good!
Tomori was definitely just temporarily fooled by that jerk. Once she calms down, she'll realize who's truly good to her!
However, she would have to keep a close eye on Tomori. After all, that Kamijo guy was dangerously persuasive. She couldn't let Tomori be fooled by him again.
But even as she swore in her heart to protect Tomori, Anon failed to notice the confusion and conflict in the little penguin's eyes as she got out of the car and looked at RiNG.
Although she had been more or less convinced by Kamijo Mutsumi, Anon's earlier words had still left a shadow in her heart.
Even if we form a band together, will everyone still have their own separate lives?
She remembered his earlier suggestion. If they got married, could they be together for a lifetime?
The girl thought about her own parents and realized that seemed to be the case.
Since I can be with Kamijo Mutsumi for a lifetime through marriage, how can I make sure everyone else can be together for a lifetime too?
She wanted to be in a band for a lifetime, and marriage equals being together for a lifetime. In Tomori's single-threaded mind, an equation quickly formed.
If everyone marries Kamijo Mutsumi, can we be in a band for a lifetime?
In that moment, as if possessed by the spirit of Soyo, Tomori awakened to a world-shocking wisdom.
The girl stuffed the marriage application she had secretly swiped in the car into her pocket. Although she didn't voice her thoughts, a seed was quietly planted in her heart.
"Mutsumi-chan, you and that person..."
As the group got out of the car, Soyo and Mutsumi Wakaba had also arrived at RiNG, even a little earlier.
Although he wasn't there in person, Kamijo Mutsumi had sent a car to pick them up; after all, he couldn't show favoritism.
"Kamijo Mutsumi... who exactly is he...?"
Unsurprisingly, Soyo was relentlessly trying to get information about him from Mutsumi Wakaba. The relationship between those two was completely beyond her expectations and made her very uneasy.
And Mutsumi Wakaba, as usual, had transformed into a doll—nodding when told, silent when asked.
This familiar pattern made Soyo's blood pressure soar, but she couldn't lash out, leaving her feeling incredibly frustrated.
"Yo~ Soyo and Mutsumi are here too?"
Seeing that the two hadn't noticed them, Kamijo Mutsumi took the initiative to greet them.
"Mutsumi..."
Mutsumi Wakaba gave a small nod. Soyo's face darkened for a moment, but then her entire attention was captured by the figure beside him.
"Tomori..."
Just like with Sakiko, she had essentially lost contact with Tomori since CRYCHIC disbanded.
Seeing her so suddenly now nearly swept away all the negative emotions that had just been building up.
"Soyo-chan... Mutsumi-chan..."
Reunited with her former bandmates after so long, Tomori's heart was also filled with complex emotions.
"...Alright,"
Seeing that the girls seemed prepared to stare deeply into each other's eyes forever, Kamijo Mutsumi smiled, stepped into the middle, and clapped his hands.
"I know you all have a lot to say... but I think we should go inside to chat, how about it?"
After they entered RiNG, Kamijo Mutsumi didn't forget about Taki, pulling the worker out from the back.
"Huh? What do you want?" Taki initially tried to resist.
"Tomori is out here."
The girl instantly went quiet.
"So... what is all this?"
Inside RiNG, the six of them stared at each other. Taki and Soyo, in particular, had no idea what was happening and were completely bewildered.
However, in Soyo's eyes, there was more excitement than confusion.
After all, although she didn't know what was going on, but...
Tomori, Mutsumi Wakaba, Taki, and herself.
All that was missing was Sakiko, and the former members of CRYCHIC would be all here!
Am I dreaming?
"Ano-chan,"
Kamijo Mutsumi paid no attention to the two girls' confusion and instead turned to introduce the others to Anon.
"These two are the band members I prepared for you."
"This is our bassist, Soyo Nagasaki. Her talent is 'comedian,' and she plays the 'mom' role in the band. You can also just think of her as your mom."
"...'Comedian'... 'mom role'... Are you sure you're not mistaken?"
His introduction earned him a strange look from Anon. A bassist whose talent was "comedian" was one thing, but why would she treat someone her own age as her mother?
I'm looking for a band member, not a mother!
Seriously, does anyone actually treat their peers like their mom?
That's just too weird, isn't it?
"..."
It wasn't just Anon; Soyo's expression also stiffened at his introduction.
Setting aside the slanderous "comedian" comment, while she might get a bit motherly around Tomori and the others, she didn't actually want to be their mom!
Soyo couldn't help but imagine Sakiko and Tomori calling her "mama" in a cute, pleading way, and for a moment...
It feels... kinda nice?
An unnatural blush quietly appeared on Soyo's face. In that instant, it was as if the girl had unlocked some incredible new fetish.