"I know you're in a hurry, but take a breath first."
Rin stopped Tomori before she could bolt out to restart the band. Tomori was usually isolated and shy as a kitten, but in critical moments, she could display a terrifying level of drive.
"Crychic disbanded for a reason. If you don't find out why, any restart will be short-lived. Tell us exactly what happened. Maybe we can help you analyze the situation."
Rin knew that if Sakiko or Mutsumi had just spoken like normal human beings for five minutes, the band never would have broken up. But as far as Tomori knew, Rin was just a fan. He needed a logical reason to "coach" her.
"S-sorry. I was being impulsive." Tomori swallowed and took several deep breaths. "Crychic... disbanded because of me. I was the worst performer. I needed the most practice."
Nijika shot Ryo a look. Ryo nudged Kita with her foot. Kita blinked and spoke up.
"Why would you think that? I saw the live footage; your performance was great." Kita, being a fellow vocalist, offered her professional opinion. "There were some rough edges, but I could tell how much heart you put into it."
"Because... after the first live, Sakiko's face was so pale when she looked at her phone... It was the negative reviews. About me."
"Did you actually see Sakiko's screen?" Rin asked in a neutral tone.
"Eh? No... but I saw her reaction. She must have seen them. And then on the day we disbanded... she said I was the one who needed to practice most. It must be because I wasn't good enough for Crychic..."
That was all Rin needed. Sakiko and Mutsumi's refusal to speak plainly had left Tomori in an internal spiral of self-loathing for months.
"Come to think of it... I saw a news report about Toyokawa Real Estate being scammed... let me see." Rin pulled out his phone and feigned a search, eventually showing Tomori a pre-loaded page.
"I remember the date of your live show..."
"That's the day!" Tomori snatched the phone, her hands shaking as she scrolled. "Yes... that's the day. So... it was because... I have to tell them."
"Stop, stop, stop..." Rin held the "little penguin" back. "I know you're in a hurry, but slow down. Going out there and acting like a 'Gugu Gaga' mess is worse than not telling them at all."
"Gugu Gaga?" Tomori tilted her head in confusion.
"Don't worry about that... Listen to my analysis. Sakiko Toyokawa was clearly hiding this from you. Did you notice anything else unusual? Like her transferring schools or moving house?"
Rin's hint was as subtle as a sledgehammer.
"Unusual...? Sakiko used to go to a prestigious private academy with Soyo, but now she's at the same school as me... We haven't spoken, though. Even when we pass in the halls, she doesn't even look at me."
"Exactly!" Rin said with conviction. "Why would a Toyokawa heiress transfer to a public school? The only explanation is that she and her father were cut off from the family. She didn't tell you because of her pride."
"She didn't want her best friends to see her in a pathetic state. While you're hanging out at the planetarium, she's likely working in a call center, getting yelled at for hours just to earn enough for a single movie ticket."
"If you just go and blurt out her situation to the others, you'll be trampling on her dignity. Forget a lifetime band—if you expose her like that, her pride won't even let her be your friend anymore."
"I... I..." Tomori looked at Rin with helpless, pleading eyes. Plan success!
"A band always has to compromise with reality. Even if you can't be bandmates for life, you can be friends for life... right?"
"That's right. Friends for life~" Nijika draped her arms around Ryo and Kita's shoulders, while Kita took Bocchi's hand.
"..." Tomori's face fell. "Is it... impossible then?"
"For Sakiko, probably. But while you can't have the old band, you can be friends forever." Rin patted her back gently. "Sakiko won't be happy seeing you all moping around. What you need to do is stand back up. If you're happy, maybe she can be happy too."
"Happy..."
"Exactly. For example... form a new band. Perform that song you wrote together, 'Haruhikage,' right in front of Sakiko. Show her your feelings. I'm sure she'll be touched."
"Mmm... I understand. Thank you so much!"
Rin suppressed a laugh. His "comfort" was essentially a refined version of how one comforts someone whose relative has died. It sounded logical, but it was pure manipulation.
Sakiko wasn't dead; she was just broke. If she heard them playing Haruhikage without her, her mental state would absolutely shatter.
But... if her mind didn't break, Rin wouldn't have an opening.
And besides... if handled correctly, a total breakdown could be the catalyst for a true reconciliation.
Night.
Back home and freshly showered, Rin leaned against the headboard, looking at the new contacts on his phone. He began constructing a mental web of the girls related to Sakiko.
Tomori Takamatsu and Uika Hatsune.
These two were the easiest to approach. Uika wasn't in contact with Sakiko yet, so she was a reserve asset. To get to Sakiko, he had to use Tomori.
Rin didn't know if Anon Chihaya would transfer to their school or if she even existed in this world. The task of "restarting the band" fell entirely on the "Gugu Gaga" penguin.
Tomori was easy to manage, but the other two were a problem.
Soyo Nagasaki and Taki Shiina had clear weaknesses, but they weren't easy to trick. Soyo looked gentle and approachable but kept everyone at arm's length and had a hidden manipulative streak.
And Taki Shiina... she was like a protective hen when it came to Tomori. Tomori would surely tell her about today, and Taki's first instinct would be that Tomori was being scammed.
He'd have to wait for news from Tomori to find an opening with them.
As for Mutsumi Wakaba... she was an "NPC girl," but she seemed easy to manipulate—perhaps even easier than Tomori. And approaching her was simpler than dealing with Soyo or Taki.
Her parents were stars. Using Karen's agency connections, he could easily arrange a meeting with the whole family. The resources of a major conglomerate were something the Wakaba family couldn't refuse.
But Mutsumi's mental health... although Karen's report said she was "stable" for now, Rin knew he'd have to see for himself.