Chapter 185 – Lean on Me

Online, the discussion about Suki-san’s life experiences was growing more and more heated.

However—

That very same day, just as the debate was reaching its peak, the original poster of the tweet suddenly pulled back.

For reasons unknown, around four in the afternoon, they abruptly deleted their post.

With the original tweet gone, the momentum of the discussion began to fade over time.

Even though the post had already racked up a huge number of likes and retweets, there were still many fans and casual viewers who never saw it at all.

Arima Rei better known online as Whiskey in the Glass—had seen the tweet the moment it went up.

So when he discovered it had been deleted, he hesitated.

The tweet was important.

Yes, many fans had already learned the truth, but there were still plenty of people in the dark—people being swept along by rumors, casting doubt on Kessoku Band’s Suki-sensei.

He wanted the truth out there.

He wanted people to understand Suki-sensei’s struggles, and—

More than that, Arima wanted those swept up by gossip to feel what he had felt: to learn about his real life.

The circumstances behind Once, I Too Thought About Ending It All, and to be moved to tears, thinking: Suki-sensei is so incredibly kind… I’m already his fan for life!

Yes, going against the big corporations was dangerous.

Anyone could see the precarious position Kessoku Band was in.

Choosing the wrong side could mean getting dragged into the fallout later.

But still—

After a long pause, considering the reach of his own platform, Arima opened his laptop.

‘Screw it. I’m backing Suki-sensei, no matter what.’

…

Without Aoki Kei knowing a thing, the well-known YouTube creator Whiskey in the Glass began drafting the script for a video about her life story.

Meanwhile—

Despite the tweet’s wide circulation, only one member of Kessoku Band had actually seen it and understood the situation fully: Kita Ikuyo.

Around noon, after watching KL Studio’s newly released short film, she spotted the trending tweet on Twitter.

The moment she read it, worry flooded her heart.

Kita knew Aoki’s situation well—too well. And that was exactly why she didn’t want this getting out.

Even within the band, Kei-senpai had never once talked about his past.

That alone was proof enough: he still didn’t want to revisit those memories.

And now, strangers online were dragging them out into the open…

Exactly what she feared was happening.

At home, Kita hesitated, watching the heated discussion spiral online.

After a long moment of thought, she made up her mind.

She left her bedroom, went downstairs, and slipped on her coat—just in time to run into her mother.

“Mom, I’m heading out. For dinner… I might not be home for it.”

Her mother, halfway up the stairs, blinked in surprise. “Where are you going?”

“Out to see a friend.”

Without waiting for a reply, Kita finished putting on her coat.

Behind her, she could faintly hear her mother call out:

“Going to see that Aoki kid again? Be careful, and… you know, protect yourself.”

…

Aoki’s apartment was close—barely a twenty-minute walk from Kita’s house.

Fueled by the thoughts crowding her mind, she didn’t bother overthinking it and headed straight there.

Because she hadn’t told him in advance, when she arrived, she spent another ten minutes standing outside his door, phone in hand, before deciding to send a message first.

She unlocked her phone, opened Line, and tapped out a message with her slightly cold-reddened fingers:

————————————————————————

[Kita Kita]: Kei-senpai, are you free right now?

————————————————————————

It was marked as “read” within seconds, and a reply came quickly:

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[Aoki Kei]: I’m free. What’s up?

————————————————————————

Short and to the point, Kita knew this was how Kei always replied on Line.

She hesitated, then decided to match his brevity:

————————————————————————

[Kita Kita]: I’m at your door. Can you open up?

————————————————————————

This time, the “read” mark appeared quickly, but there was no immediate reply.

A few seconds passed before her phone buzzed with a simple question mark:

————————————————————————

[Aoki Kei]: ?

————————————————————————

And then… nothing.

Kita considered calling to explain, but before she could decide, the apartment door swung open from inside.

Kei looked her over from head to toe.

Their eyes met.

There was a flicker of curiosity in his gaze.

After a pause, he spoke:

“You’re only wearing one coat… isn’t it cold?”

Kita pressed her hands to her cheeks, letting the warmth of her face seep into her fingers.

“A little…” she admitted, nodding.

He didn’t ask why she was here without warning, or why she seemed so urgent.

Instead, he simply gave a short “Mm,” stepped aside, and said decisively:

“Come in. It’s warm inside.”

　　......

The apartment, with the heater running, was pleasantly warm.

Most parts of Japan banned underfloor heating, so in winter the only way to fight the cold snap was to crank up the air conditioner—sending the electricity bill soaring.

Aoki Kei still felt a twinge of guilt over the expense, but at least he was earning far more now than before...

While idly thinking about the electric bill, he waited for Kita to settle down on the couch, then poured her a cup of hot water.

He filled his own as well, took a small sip, and glanced again at the girl who had shown up without warning.

“So—Kita-san, what made you suddenly decide to come here?”

Kita lifted her head from the steaming mug in her hands.

Senpai suddenly asking that...

Honestly, her reasons for rushing over were complicated.

First, she’d seen that tweet and was worried about him.

Second... well, she just wanted an excuse to see him.

But neither reason felt easy to say out loud.

As she scrambled for an answer, her mind ran in circles, but nothing came.

“Uh... um, i-it’s because...”

Before she could finish, Aoki cut her off with a wave of his hand.

“Forget it. Just think of it as me not asking. You can drop by whenever you want anyway—I live alone here.”

“Ah...”

She blinked, then realized what he meant by “alone,” and her expression dimmed.

She nodded softly. “Mm...”

Silence settled over the room like a blanket.

Kita stared down into her cup, watching the steam curl upward.

She wanted to ask if Kei-senpai was bothered by the things circulating online, but the quiet made it hard to start.

The stillness lingered... until Kei drained the last sip of his hot water, stood up, and broke it.

“I’ve still got some practice problems to work on. Make yourself at home. There’s snacks in the cupboard that I stocked up.

If you want to play game the Switch is by the TV, just turn it on and the game cartridges are in the case on the left...”

He pointed to show her, then, worried she might get bored, was about to mention that there were books in the bedroom—

But before he could finish, Kita blurted out, “Um—Senpai, actually, I wanted to ask you something...”

If she kept hesitating, she’d never say it. Once he went back to work, she doubted she’d have the courage to bring it up later.

Her mom always told her sometimes it’s best to just be direct.

So...

“In the social media... some people have been posting about your personal life. They’ve written about your past, and even shared that you live alone.”

She looked up at him, her voice tinged with worry.

“I—I thought that it might hurt you, so... I wanted to check on you. B-Because... I was worried about you, Senpai.”

Her voice was halting but earnest.

Kei froze for a moment, then understood.

Looking at her flushed cheeks and remembering the way she’d rushed over, he quickly pieced it together.

“So—because you were worried and you ran here in just a thin jacket by yourself?”

“Eh? Ah? No, that’s not— I-I mean, um, ah...”

She flailed, trying to deny it, but the truth was obvious.

By the end, her protests faded into a barely audible confession.

Kei sighed, then smiled helplessly.

Sitting back down on the couch, he skipped over the awkwardness and answered her original concern.

“I’m fine. Honestly, I’ve stopped caring about stuff like that. Let them say whatever they want.”

“You’re... really okay?”

“I’m okay.”

“Oh... okay.”

She lowered her gaze again, but after a moment, lifted it once more.

Hesitating only briefly, she added, “Also... I really was worried about you, Senpai. B-Because I want to share your burdens. I want you to know... that sometimes, you can lean on me, too.”

Kei paused.

She’d said something like this before, and back then, his answer had been, “There’s no need to rely on others.”

And yet, here she was, saying it again.

Taking a slow breath, he asked, “Lean on you, huh... Anything at all?”

Kita blinked, then her eyes lit up. She nodded firmly.

“Mm! As long as I can do it!”

“Then... could you make dinner tonight?”

“Mm-hmm! My cooking’s gotten a lot better, you know, Senpai!”

“Then, if you’re not eating at home, you should probably tell your mom first.”

“No, no need—I already told her...”

“Oh? So this was all planned in advance?”

“It’s not like that!”