Band Girls’ Mixology Mission [185]

After saying goodbye to Sakiko and Mutsumi, Kikukawa Kyo checked the time on her phone and glanced at the LINE group chat for the band.

She was thankful for Anon's habit of chatting non-stop in the group. Just by looking at the flood of messages like “We’re here!”, or “Why isn’t Soyo here yet?”, Kyo, without having to ask, could clearly understand what was happening over there and whether she needed to hurry or not.

It seemed Soyo was the only one missing?

Something felt a bit off. If Kyo remembered correctly, Mutsumi and Soyo were in the same class at Tsukinomori. Why was it that Mutsumi had already come all the way to Haneoka, yet Soyo still hadn’t reached RiNG?

Could it be a conflict with her club activities? Soyo played double bass in one of Tsukinomori’s music ensembles. Sakiko had noticed her precisely because of her skill in that area.

But given Soyo’s personality, even if—assuming—she wasn't truly committed to this new band, she'd still carefully maintain appearances. If there really was a scheduling conflict, she definitely would’ve said something in the LINE group chat.

She wouldn't easily allow her image to be damaged—that was her foundation for survival at Tsukinomori.

Then where was Soyo right now?

Kyo continued pondering, though her steps never completely stopped. She took sips now and then from the large mixed drink bottle she'd prepared earlier. As long as she wasn't the last one to arrive, there was no need to hurry.

Feeling the cool liquid slide down her throat, along with the pleasant sensation of the coming rain, Kyo’s mind was working exceptionally fast right now.

Very quickly, she considered all the information she had, and a most likely scenario flashed through her mind.

Kyo glanced behind her in the direction she'd come from. Sakiko and Mutsumi had already disappeared from sight long ago.

Could it really be what I’m thinking?

Kyo once again rapidly combed through her memory, this time recalling the things she'd said to Soyo when she'd visited her home before.

Hmm… did my words last time actually cause Soyo to abandon passive waiting for information and start taking more aggressive action?

Even though this wasn't exactly the change Kyo had hoped for, this version of Soyo was at least taking a step forward, wasn’t she?

Thinking about it this way, Kyo felt the dissatisfaction she'd previously felt when Mutsumi mentioned Soyo still being obsessed with Sakiko disappear.

Hehe, making a change is always good.

As for the possibility that Soyo and Sakiko might be confronting each other right this moment…

It wasn’t really her business. If those two could use this chance to properly talk things through, that'd actually be great.

But realistically, Kyo figured their conversation would likely turn unpleasant. After all, Soyo’s actions basically amounted to stalking, definitely an invasion of privacy.

As soon as Sakiko saw Soyo, she'd immediately realize Mutsumi had been followed.

...

“Mutsumi, you should head home now. I still have to stop by the bookstore, so let's split up here.”

Having reached near the station, it was clear their routes diverged from this point. Sakiko turned to speak to Mutsumi.

“Okay.” Mutsumi responded softly, but her gaze wandered toward the small blue bun occasionally peeking out from behind Sakiko’s head.

“What is it?” Sakiko noticed Mutsumi stealing glances at her new hairstyle. Normally this wouldn't be anything special, but because of who this hairstyle represented, Sakiko suddenly felt inexplicably shy, tilting her head slightly to hide the bun.

Mutsumi remained silent for a while. Just as she was about to open her mouth to speak—something quite rare—she instead changed her words at the last moment.

“Sakiko, you're really happy right now.”

“I guess that's true,” Sakiko chuckled lightly. She had been wondering what Mutsumi was going to say. It turned out to be something so simple.

“Because of Kikukawa-san?”

“Yeah.” Sakiko’s smile grew even clearer. “She’s…really given me a lot. And not just material support…”

If a miserable life was a swamp—rotten, filthy, sticky, waiting to drag every passerby down into its muck—then the moment Sakiko first realized her life had been sheltered too well by her family’s protection, she experienced immense malice.

When Sakiko fell into that swamp for the first time, it wasn't like most people—accidentally stepping in and sinking up to their ankles.

No, she was thrown into the marsh. Without any warning, without any chance to resist, she plunged from lofty clouds into the filthy depths below.

The heavy, dirty water instantly rose up to her neck. Just a little bit more and Sakiko would’ve broken completely.

“Mutsumi…back then, I felt like nothing could be relied on anymore. Only myself… but even myself—what could I even accomplish alone? I didn't even have that basic confidence left.”

Facing her “half-sister,” Sakiko opened up in a way she rarely did.

“Suspicion, anxiety, mistrust… These things filled up my empty chest, beating even more violently than my heart. And worst of all, at that time there was one thing I still couldn't let go of—

“My twisted sense of pride.”

This quality—usually considered a virtue—had become a harmful accomplice, making Sakiko’s situation even more difficult. It had even made her refuse the help Mutsumi tried to offer.

Sakiko knew perfectly well that her pride had become the greatest obstacle keeping her from moving forward, from rebuilding her life.

But she'd already lost everything. If she abandoned even this final shred of pride—would she still be Sakiko?

Perhaps others would sneer, seeing this as a naïve thought from someone who hadn't yet been truly battered by society. But it was genuinely the only thing sustaining Sakiko at that time.

Everything changed on that rainy day.

The downpour cascading from the sky, the heavy gray clouds, and standing gracefully amid the gloom, that carefree figure… a clear, gentle stream of water.

One lie after another, repeated again and again, each step becoming overly intimate yet perfectly warm. And finally, her anxious heart was completely calmed by those two cups of tea.

Kikukawa Kyo—unfathomable, mysterious, someone who could easily draw out your honesty through pure deceit, yet also treat you with absolute sincerity, as if she didn't care at all.

She found exactly the method to make Sakiko obedient back then: a contract. Not a one-sided effort, but a loan waiting to be collected. The terms of repayment were vague at best, looking from every angle like an enormous scam.

Yet, precisely, it hovered right at the edge of Sakiko’s bottom line.

Once this contract was made, it became nearly impossible for Sakiko to draw a clear line between herself and Kikukawa Kyo.

The swamp was still the same swamp. The difference was that a mysterious girl had appeared out of nowhere, carrying a huge bucket of water which she casually dumped into the pit Sakiko had fallen into, washing away most of the mud.

Okay, from here you should climb out on your own!

That person had done nothing more than that—yet it was enough to make Sakiko’s heart flutter uncontrollably.

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This is a fan translation of 乐队少女调饮行动 by 林明卿. 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!