["A lost person, huh…"
Anon seemed to be moved by Tomori's words and slightly raised her head.
"Alright then."
She turned to look at Tomori.
"Shall we move forward together?"]
Taki: Move forward together with who?
["Let's keep getting lost together!"
However, Anon continued delivering critical hits.
Then the scene shifted to the aquarium. Two penguins spun as they tangled together, as if hinting at something.
At the same time, the camera finally cut to Taki.
She was hugging her knees, sitting with Soyo, looking exactly like a defeated dog.
"I wonder where they went."
Soyo sighed softly—and just at that moment, Tomori and Anon appeared together.
However, they walked over hand in hand, their gazes firm.
Not only were their gazes firm—they were interlocking all ten fingers.]
Wait, holding hands like that?!
A certain blue-haired androgynous beauty tried holding hands like that with her friend who was as gentle as a mother—only to get chased and beaten in embarrassment by said friend.
[Tomori: "Um…"
Tomori looked a little hesitant. At that moment, the camera showed Anon tightening her grip around Tomori's hand.
Anon: "We…"
Anon: "We're going to hold a live!"
Taki: ?]
Taki: ?
The Taki in reality was probably thinking the exact same thing as her animated self.
No, if you're going to hold a live, then just hold a live—why are you holding hands?
And interlocking all ten fingers…
Is normal hand-holding not secure enough?
And that BGM, that atmosphere, those expressions, those movements—people who know understand it's about holding a live. People who don't would think they're about to get married!
Tomori, what exactly are you doing?
What's so great about this pink-haired girl? Is she really that much better than this pink-haired girl?
I can move forward with you too. I can get lost with you too.
If you really like pink hair, I could even dye my hair pink? !
Wasn't it supposed to be her turn? Why does this pink-haired girl have so many scenes?
It's not like she's the protagonist or something, right?
Thinking back to her previous thoughts, Taki felt like she could go work as a McDonald's mascot!
It's all this pink-haired girl's fault!
Taki couldn't help but glare at a certain culprit.
She was starting to regret it. She should've just cut this pink-haired girl earlier!
No, why are you glaring at me?!
"Kamijou,"
Taki suddenly turned to Kamijou Mutsuki and spoke.
"Does your previous suggestion still count?"
"Hey!"
Anon finally couldn't hold it in anymore.
No, the things Anon did in the anime—what do they have to do with Miss Ano in the real world?
It's one thing that she held hands there, but the problem is she didn't even hold hands here!
Anon felt incredibly wronged.
In reality, the one Tomori was closer to was clearly Kamijou Mutsuki. Since Taki couldn't deal with Kamijou Mutsuki, she was coming after her instead, was that it?
Bullying the weak and fearing the strong—what a trashy Taki!
And you too, Kamijou Mutsuki. Tomori got intercepted, and I'm the one taking the blame, is that it?
Looking at how close she and Tomori were in the animation, she actually felt a bit envious.
Anon: Kamijou Mutsuki, how are you going to repay what you owe me here (referring to being all close and cuddly with Tomori)?
Since you stole my Tomori, then compensate me with yourself. You can replace Tomori and be all cuddly with me instead…
Wait, what is she thinking?!
The girl shook her head with a flushed face.
She secretly glanced at Mutsumi. Seeing that the latter hadn't noticed her, she let out a slight sigh of relief.
She and Mutsumi might not be sworn sisters, but they were at least close friends.
How could she, Chihaya Anon, possibly have thoughts about her good friend's fiancé?
Especially when that guy was such an unserious scumbag…
Impossible!
Meanwhile, Mutsumi scratched her head, feeling that her green hair suddenly seemed especially eye-catching.
After that segment finished playing, the animation moved into the ending theme. There was no post-credit scene.
This undoubtedly signaled that today's group anime session had come to an end.
Although she hadn't had her defenses broken this time, the first to leave was still Sakiko.
Being around Tomori and her former bandmates would only make her grow weak.
This time, Soyo didn't rush to chase after her. After failing multiple times before, she had already realized that charging in without any plan would only make Sakiko feel resistant and annoyed.
Besides, what if she left too early and Tomori and the others ended up having another music party at Kamijou Mutsuki's place like last time?
Spending all day thinking about cutting others off, only to be the one cut off in the end—that would be ridiculous!
However, this time the band girls had no intention of staying over.
After saying their goodbyes, they left one after another. Only Anon seemed somewhat conflicted about something, but in the end, she still left together with Tomori and the others.
In the end, the only ones remaining were Uika and the donut lady—the two girls who had just joined.
The donut lady wanted to stay with her partner.
As for Uika…
"Boss,"
After everyone had left, Uika walked up to Kamijou Mutsuki.
"Can I talk to you alone?"
"Eh?"
The donut lady widened her eyes.
So Uika was the one taking the initiative?
Is it really that comfortable?
-----------------------------------
"Boss, I want to understand something from you."
Since a bedroom setting between a lone man and a lone woman would be too ambiguous, the two ultimately chose a vacant small room with good soundproofing as the place for their conversation.
"About Sakiko."
"Oh, you mean Teacher Sakiko."
Hearing Uika's question, Kamijou Mutsuki immediately understood.
"At the moment, there are three people you need to care about. First is Soyo, but she can basically be ignored."
"Then there's Mutsumi, but she's my fiancée, so she can also be ignored."
"Lastly, there's Tomori…"
"Boss, please stop for a moment!"
Understanding the implication in Kamijou Mutsuki's words, Uika's cheeks flushed red.
"That's not what I want to ask!"
"If it's not that, then it must be…"
Hearing this, Kamijou Mutsuki showed a thoughtful expression.
He hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"…fragrant and soft. That's all I can say."
Uika: ?
Fragrant and soft?
Explain it clearly, damn it!
Even the great Miss Uika found her composure wavering when facing Kamijou Mutsuki.
"Boss, you should know what I actually want to ask,"
Uika gave a bitter smile and stopped beating around the bush.
"Something must have happened to Sakiko's family… right?"
"You guessed?"
"From the plot in the animation, and from Little Sakiko's current situation,"
Uika nodded.
"It's not difficult to arrive at that answer."
The ugly look on her face after seeing a message on her phone following the first live. Suddenly quitting CRYCHIC. The inexplicable personality change. The large house that originally belonged to her ending up in Kamijou Mutsuki's hands…
Uika's intelligence didn't come with some earth-shattering prefix like a certain divorced rich lady's. It wasn't hard for her to deduce Teacher Sakiko's current situation—something probably happened at home.
Other than that, there was likely no other possibility.
However, she could only guess the general outline. The specific details, Uika didn't know.
.....................