Faced with her mother's question, Soyo instinctively wanted to deny it, but she didn't know what to say.
"I understand…"
Seeing Soyo's reaction, without needing her to answer, Mrs. Nagasaki had already gotten her answer.
It was just that… she couldn't quite accept it.
After all, when had the Nagasaki family ever produced someone who would kneel to a girl of the same age?
Mrs. Nagasaki couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy.
Where had that well-behaved and sensible daughter gone? That graceful young lady? That mature and gentle Nagasaki Soyo?
She had truly lost all face for the Nagasaki family!
"You, honestly…"
Mrs. Nagasaki poked her daughter's forehead, looking somewhat disappointed that she hadn't lived up to expectations.
But when it came to Soyo, she ultimately couldn't bring herself to say anything too harsh.
"I know you should get along well with your friends—but is this how you do it?"
Being polite to others when you're out is one thing, but not to this extent!
"…"
Faced with her mother's scolding, Soyo couldn't say a word, and could only lower her head in embarrassment.
"Alright, Soyo, Mom's not blaming you."
Seeing her daughter like this, Mrs. Nagasaki couldn't help but feel a bit distressed, and her tone softened.
"It's just that our Soyo is no worse than anyone else."
"If it really doesn't work out, there's no need to force it."
"Promise Mom—something like that, once is enough, okay?"
"…I understand, Mom. It won't happen again."
Although she replied like that, Soyo felt a strange sense of guilt in her heart. After all… in reality, she had knelt more than once.
Not only to Sakiko—she had also knelt to Mutsumi.
If she'd had the chance, she might even have knelt to Kamijou Mutsuki as well.
But those were all things of the past.
The current her—would she really repeat the same mistake and kneel again?
How could that be?
After receiving Soyo's promise, the expression on Mrs. Nagasaki's face relaxed considerably.
However, just as one issue was resolved, another worry surfaced in Mrs. Nagasaki's heart.
Aside from that shocking kneel, wasn't Soyo's attitude toward Sakiko in the anime also a bit… off?
Could it be that the Nagasaki family line would end with her daughter's generation?
Thinking of this, Mrs. Nagasaki couldn't help but show a worried expression as she looked at her daughter and asked, "Soyo, you and that Sakiko…"
"Huh?"
Soyo raised her head in confusion, not quite understanding what her mother meant.
"What I mean is…"
Seeing this, Mrs. Nagasaki could only hint at it tactfully.
"Between girls… that's not allowed!"
"Mom!"
Soyo raised her voice louder than she had all day, her face flushing red with embarrassment and indignation.
"What I have with Sakiko is pure friendship—how could you even think something like that?!"
Did she, Nagasaki Soyo, look like that kind of person?!
Ridiculous!
The friendship between her and Sakiko was as unbreakable as a non-aggression pact—how could others question it?
"Sorry, it was Mom's misunderstanding."
Seeing Soyo's reaction, Mrs. Nagasaki let out a small sigh of relief, though she still wasn't completely at ease.
"But Mom is very open-minded."
"If there's a boy you like, you can bring him to meet me!"
"Sorry, Mom, I don't have any plans for romance right now."
However, Soyo's response to that was rather stiff.
Although she considered her orientation normal, she didn't have any thoughts about the opposite sex.
Besides—if the band wasn't settled, how could she think about starting a family?
"Soyo, don't be so certain,"
This time, Mrs. Nagasaki didn't mind Soyo's stiff tone, and instead said with a smile, "I think that Kamijou-kun—don't you have quite a good relationship with him?"
That guy?
Hearing her mother bring up Kamijou Mutsuki, the firm expression on Soyo's face wavered slightly for some reason.
Although she wasn't interested in romance, if it was Kamijou Mutsuki…Wait, what was she even thinking?!
It made it sound like she actually had feelings for that guy!
Sakiko…
That's right. It was all for Sakiko. She'd only reluctantly consider becoming the lady of the Kamijou household for her sake!
"Mom, you don't need to worry about my situation with Mutsuki-kun!"
Soyo said this with a faint blush on her face.
But that response made Mrs. Nagasaki's eyes widen slightly.
Calling him so intimately… it seemed that boy was making quite some progress!
At that moment, Mrs. Nagasaki finally felt completely at ease. It looked like the Nagasaki family line wouldn't end with her daughter after all.
"However, about what you said, Mom…"
Meanwhile, Soyo—thinking about her "lady of the house" strategy, and also wanting to reassure her mother—spoke with a hint of shyness: "I'll think about things with Mutsuki-kun."
After all, everything was for Sakiko!
As for Mutsumi…
She no longer cared about what had happened before.
And the mistakes she had made—she would make up for them properly. They were still good friends!
Since they were good friends… borrowing her fiancé for a bit shouldn't be a problem, right?
Anyway, she'd only involve the body, not the life…
Wait, what "involve the body"?! She must have been influenced by that scumbag too much—her thoughts were going astray!
In short, she wouldn't destroy her good friend's life.
Everything was for Sakiko. She believed Mutsumi would understand.
"Mutsu… forgive me,"
The girl murmured softly, her eyes flickering.
"This will be the last time…"
-----------------------------------
Episode 8 of the anime can be called the biggest turning point of MyGO!!!!!, marking the story entering a completely new phase.
At the same time, this episode can also be considered a milestone in music anime.
Although MyGO!!!!! was already a work that opened up a new path for band anime, it had never gone this far before.
It can be said that discussions surrounding MyGO!!!!! won't be stopping anytime soon.
However, none of that has anything to do with Soyo.
But today, just as she stepped into the classroom…
"Onegai!"
A junior who usually had a good relationship with her suddenly rushed over, grabbed her arm, and then dropped straight to her knees.
Then, this junior let out a wail that gave her a bit of PTSD.
"If MyGO!!!!! disbands, watashi…"
"Soyo-senpai, what do I have to do for you not to quit MyGO!!!!!?"
"As long as I can do it, I'll do anything!?"
Soyo: ?
Looking at this scene filled with an overwhelming sense of déjà vu, Soyo's brain immediately froze.
Although she knew that coming to school today would definitely bring questioning.
After all, she had made that kind of promise in front of her classmates before, and once the anime aired, the backlash hit her hard like a boomerang.
But she never expected it would happen in this way.
...................