Soyo-chan, Version 2.0—Courtesy of Me! [114]

"But… keeping things as they are isn’t good either, right?"

Nina had noticed that ever since Subaru and Chihiro had dinner together that day, something between them had shifted.

And with that, she finally felt like she had an answer to the question that had been nagging at her ever since she saw Chihiro open her suitcase back home after returning from abroad, staring blankly at her guitar.

The words she spoke next weren’t just for Subaru.

They were for Chihiro as well.

"If something is really impossible to let go of, then you shouldn’t have hidden it from the people who matter in the first place."

"It’s not as simple as you make it sound."

Subaru could tell that Nina was hinting at Chihiro, too.

But every person had things they couldn’t let go of.

Her own situation wasn’t easy—so why should anyone else’s be?

Subaru let out a sigh before speaking in a quiet voice.

"Originally, I thought that if I got into an acting school and proved that I had no talent for it, Grandma would finally give up on me."

"But she never did. Instead, she just got happier and happier that I was sticking with it."

Subaru didn’t know what Chihiro had been through, but she had a bad feeling—one that told her Chihiro wouldn’t be staying in their band for long.

But she could tell how much Chihiro longed for the stage.

She had been watching her during the performance today, too.

She could feel that the girl was suppressing something.

Then again, she was also suppressing her own love for drumming.

Every word she said about her grandmother was just another way of voicing her own conflict.

"Anyway, I’m not giving up on the band."

After taking a deep breath, Subaru looked straight into Chihiro’s eyes.

"Yeah… some things really do have to be solved on your own."

"If you’re really that conflicted, why not just talk to your grandma?" Chihiro said. "If you don’t have the guts to do it, I can go in your place."

"Of course, I wouldn’t pretend to be you—since it seems like your grandma is quite fond of me."

"Eh?"

Hearing Chihiro’s words, Nina immediately latched onto them like a lifeline.

"Yeah! Subaru’s grandma should… should probably understand, right?"

"I don’t know."

After a short silence, Subaru clapped her hands together with a smile.

"Alright, alright, let’s just pretend I never brought it up. This is something I want to handle myself."

Besides…

She didn’t want this liar of a girl in front of her to do something she didn’t even like for her sake.

Before actually meeting Chihiro in person, Subaru had only heard about her from Momoka.

And now, after getting to know her a little better, she finally had an idea of what kind of person Chihiro really was.

"Or how about this? Chihiro, why don’t you join our band for real? As payment—"

"Haha, yeah, no thanks!"

Chihiro had had enough of this nonsense.

It was already a headache dealing with Soyo’s band—now she had to juggle another one?

What was she, a freelance bassist?!

And why the hell was she, a guitarist, always the one being forced to play bass?!

"Eh, eh, eh? Chihiro, don’t leave!"

That said, she had already said everything she needed to.

It was probably time to start preparing for the drama shoot tomorrow.

But as Subaru walked Chihiro and a very reluctant Nina to the door, Nina suddenly clutched her stomach with an exaggerated expression of pain.

"Um, Chihiro-nee… my stomach hurts. I think I need to use the bathroom first. Maybe you should head back without me?"

"Hm?"

Chihiro glanced at the little actress putting on a very questionable performance.

She had a feeling she knew what this was about.

But she didn’t call her out on it.

"Fine, fine. I’ll head out first then, Miss Bathroom Monitor."

"I am not!"

"..."

Instead of a teasing remark, Nina’s reply was met with the crisp sound of a door closing.

Outside the apartment, Chihiro flicked her long red hair over her shoulder.

She didn’t feel particularly disappointed.

Even though Tsuzuki’s Universal Solutions Agency hadn’t gotten any new commissions, at least there was no need to worry about Subaru for the time being.

Sigh.

Having one adult in the band, along with a straightforward, no-nonsense kid like Nina, was actually a pretty good thing.

Subaru’s issues weren’t too bad.

If Nina pushed her a little harder and worked with Momoka—who had the perspective of someone older—they’d probably have the band on the right track in no time.

Plus, they didn’t have school to deal with.

All they had to do was gradually commercialize and take off.

And Momoka was a pretty solid songwriter.

No way she was gonna end up quitting in tears down the road, right?

No way.

There was no way Chihiro was some kind of walking fuse that always ended up setting off hidden time bombs wherever she went…

"Ugh, I’m starving… I really need to go home and pet my cat."

She pressed the elevator button for the 36th floor.

Since she was busy checking her phone, she didn’t notice that the elevator was coming down from the 45th floor.

So she just stood there, waiting.

With a soft ding, the doors slid open, and Chihiro stepped inside without a second thought—

Only to lock eyes with a familiar stranger.

Oh.

Ohhhhh.

If it isn’t…

Little Miss Nagasaki Soyo?

As soon as she stepped in, the air turned… weirdly awkward.

Their gazes met in midair, but in the end, it was Soyo—the one who had never done anything as underhanded as impersonating someone—who was the first to look away, guilty.

Like a sulking little wife, she shrank into the corner of the elevator, arms crossed, looking like she had zero intention of speaking.

But certain people didn’t have the thickest skin.

After holding it in for a few seconds, she was the one to break the silence.

Unfortunately, her opening line was kind of impossible to respond to.

"Tsuzuki-san, have you been doing well lately?"

The hell?

What is this nonsense?

Chihiro had no idea what this girl was playing at.

And even worse—Tsuzuki-san?

Oh-ho… oh-ho-ho… she better not regret this.

"Mm. And you, Nagasaki-san?"

Since Soyo was playing it like this, Chihiro obviously had to match her energy.

But the second she spoke, Soyo’s body gave a tiny, involuntary shudder.

"I-I’m fine."

A pause.

"Um… have you eaten?"

"Not yet."

"I-is that so? Then… make sure to eat well."

"..."

Eat my ass!

What kind of small talk is this?!

Did she take conversation lessons from Wakaba Mutsumi?!

Chihiro was so done with Soyo’s stiff, awkward phrasing that she actually laughed in disbelief.

So this time, she spoke first.

"By the way, you haven’t been starving our child, have you?"

"I haven’t—wait, WHAT?!"

Chihiro chuckled at the way Soyo immediately snapped her head around, her face red as a tomato, shooting her a very unamused glare.

"Oh, nothing. It just felt like the right mood, and I got a little carried away."

"What mood?!"

"The classic ‘ex-husband and ex-wife run into each other in an elevator and start reminiscing’ mood?"

"...Honestly, thinking of you as a friend was clearly a huge mistake. I should rip your mouth off."

She had actually felt guilty toward Chihiro before?

What a joke.

What kind of person was this?!

A total troll.

Someone who lived for messing with people.

Why had she ever thought there was anything to be sad about when they went their separate ways?

And… if she wasn’t mistaken, wasn’t it because of Chihiro’s meddling that CRYCHIC was completely beyond repair now?

Ding.

The elevator reached the first floor, and Soyo quickly stepped out, eager to escape.

Before leaving, she turned back to glance at the red-haired girl behind her.

After hesitating for a moment, she finally spoke.

"…Thanks, Chihiro."

For fooling me into believing, even just for a moment, that my feelings had once been understood.

And for revealing the truth the other day, so I’d finally realize—

That some things were doomed from the start.

"No need to be so polite. We have slept in the same bed, after all."

"…Go to hell."

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This is a fan translation of 素世同学，恭喜你被我优化了 by 杰克喵. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!