Soyo-chan, Version 2.0—Courtesy of Me! [180] [YURIMAXXING]

Nagasaki Soyo’s ears were ringing.

More accurately… Tsuzuki Chihiro’s words had been so "loud" that their echo still lingered in her mind.

Her heartbeat quickened, her emotions a tangled mess—was she more shocked, or more excited? Soyo couldn’t tell.

But she could also feel something else. Fear.

"Y-You're joking, right?"

Tsuzuki Chihiro was a liar, always messing with her for all sorts of reasons. There was a good chance this time was no different… After all, this so-called "confession" had come completely out of nowhere—like a detective novel where the culprit turns out to be some random character who was never even introduced before.

Soyo couldn't think of any explanation other than "a joke" to convince herself.

"You're so stubborn, Soyo."

"What?"

"Forget everything else—I'm more curious why you ended up in my house."

"…I took a wrong turn, that’s all."

"A wrong turn? That’s not a very convincing excuse… Don’t tell me, in such a short time, my house has taken up more space in your memory than your own?"

"Or could it be… someone’s memory has been overwritten by me?"

"…Mind your own business." Nagasaki Soyo realized this girl was definitely doing it on purpose—teasing her. Her expression turned colder. "Shouldn’t you be playing in a band with Taki and the others right now? Why are you here looking for me?"

"So unreasonable, Soyo. You’re lying on my bed, and yet you're asking why I came here… Boohoo."

"Then I’ll leave right now."

But before the flustered Nagasaki Soyo could even get up, Chihiro's slender fingers gently pressed her back down onto the bed.

The distance between them was close—too close. Soyo tried to control her rapidly accelerating heartbeat, knowing that if she didn't, the girl pressing down on her chest would definitely notice something was off.

Of course, even without that… letting this girl keep her hand on her chest was already ridiculous enough!

"Let go of me, you perverted delinquent!"

"Soyo, I actually rarely lie to you. Don’t you get that?" Tsuzuki Chihiro withdrew her hand, then gently stroked Soyo’s flushed cheek. "What happened today was my fault. Taki’s actions had nothing to do with me, but the fact that I deliberately pushed them to distance themselves from you—that was my decision."

"I was hoping you'd come forward and say everything yourself. That way, our agreement would naturally break as your own thoughts changed…"

"You just wanted to cut ties with me?"

"Hah?" Tsuzuki Chihiro scoffed, half amused. "What are you even saying? I’m telling you—CRYCHIC might just be a symbol to you, but if you need someone to stay by your side, I can be that person."

"We can form a new band together. You’ll keep being the bassist, and if we need a keyboardist, I’ll play that part."

"…"

"You're doubting my musical talent?"

"No… I just find this a little surprising…"

Surprising that everything seemed to be going her way.

In the past… whenever she wished for something, she never got it.

She had convinced herself that this was just how things were—that the sense of belonging and companionship she longed for would always slip away at the worst possible moment.

But this time… her dream actually came true?

It felt like a dream—unreal, unreliable. Like in her last "playthrough" of life, she had never even known Chihiro, but now, in this "new game," everything had changed because of her.

"But since you don’t like me and think I’m some perverted girl, I guess I should just leave. Sigh… I was just being delusional."

"…"

"Hmm?"

Tsuzuki Chihiro turned as if to leave. But, just as she expected, a small, warm hand reached out from behind and grabbed her wrist.

Still, she had to keep up the act. So when she felt Soyo’s soft fingers wrapping around her wrist, she let out a deliberately confused hum.

Looking back, she nearly lost composure at the sight—Soyo still wore that indifferent expression, as if Chihiro owed her a huge sum of money.

But the words she spoke…

"I… I never said I didn’t like it."

...

Thirty minutes later.

"Chihiro, what the hell did you even learn in England?"

"Cough cough. The way you’re denying everything so fast is really eye-opening."

"…"

Nagasaki Soyo rolled her eyes, her face burning. Quietly, she pulled on her underwear, then slipped back into her skirt and stockings.

Of course, she wasn’t about to walk out naked and have dinner with both her mom and Chihiro.

But despite everything, she felt happy.

She just didn’t want Chihiro to see it.

Although… knowing Chihiro, she probably already knew anyway.

"Hey, Chihiro."

She could have called her "Chi-chan" for a more intimate tone, but Soyo had long since gotten used to addressing her plainly. Calling her by name like this had become part of the way they interacted.

"Are you really going to learn piano?"

"Piano’s nice, isn’t it?"

"…You don’t need to do that."

"You’re overthinking it." Tsuzuki Chihiro smiled. Sitting at the edge of the bed, she began sliding a pair of stockings up her long legs. "I just think our new band doesn’t need that many guitarists."

"A keyboard would give us more room for arrangement, wouldn’t it?"

"You’re not planning to learn from Sakiko, are you?"

"Her?" Tsuzuki Chihiro raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything about her awkward relationship with Shouko. "No, I can just learn from Tomo."

"Tomo… Oh, right, about Benishouga…"

"Isn’t this great?" Tsuzuki Chihiro smiled—a genuinely happy one. "We got a fan account for free. You know people actually pay for that?

"Besides, Tomo and Rupa never said they were quitting. Even if they do, the account still has the two of us. I believe we can keep it going."

"…Yeah."

Soyo nodded. Any lingering disappointment in her heart faded away.

Besides, Chihiro was right—if everyone else left, wouldn’t Benishouga basically just become a two-person world for her and Chihiro?

Cough cough. Obviously, she wasn’t about to say that out loud.

"Of course, we could bring Anon in. She’d probably be happy…"

"Anon?! No way! She can’t join!"

"…What’s up with you?"

"You tell me?!" Nagasaki Soyo glared at Tsuzuki Chihiro. "She went to England too!"

"Pfft—"

Tsuzuki Chihiro was momentarily stunned. It took her a few seconds to process the hidden implication in that remark.

"Some people haven’t been to England, yet they have similar… tastes, don’t they?"

"…"

"Oh, right. In the ‘story’ I made up, you were supposed to be going there for further studies, weren’t you?"

"Shut up already!"

"Okay, okay, I’ll stop teasing you." Tsuzuki Chihiro casually brushed off Soyo’s incoming swats, as if playing with a kitten. "But still… the whole situation with Sakiko and Mutsumi needs to be resolved."

"…"

"Oh, and Soyo," Tsuzuki Chihiro hesitated for a moment before speaking, "I probably won’t be going home for the next few days. But don’t worry about me."

"???"

Wait.

This scumbag was really just going to disappear already? That fast?!

---

T/N: i am in peace... i think this shall be my first lemon scene that i make

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!