บท 38: I Just Want a Single Ending [38]
"That was… unexpected," he murmured.
With the details Soyo had provided, Saku had a pretty clear picture of who Togawa Sakiko was.
When CRYCHIC was still together, Sakiko was kind and considerate, always looking out for others. Judging by Soyo's recounting, it seemed like Soyo harbored a strong, almost wistful admiration for Sakiko.
Especially considering the lengths she was willing to go to bring Sakiko into their new band… that feeling only became clearer.
"Gentle, but very proud, unwilling to let old friends see her struggle…"
Saku summarized everything he'd learned about Sakiko's personality in his mind.
"And let's not forget—there's no doubt now that she used to be a rich kid."
Soyo had mentioned that Sakiko's family owned a grand piano, and that when she first joined the band, she'd never been to karaoke or even used a drink machine. Combined with her attendance at the elite Tsukinomori Girls' Academy, it was certain: Sakiko was a former heiress.
That meant his guess had been right all along. Togawa Sakiko was likely struggling financially now, which explained why she had left CRYCHIC.
So, Togawa Sakiko was indeed a fallen heiress.
Yet Saku doubted he'd be able to recruit her into their band. If she had been willing to stay in a band, she wouldn't have left CRYCHIC, nor would she have cut off contact with Soyo.
Besides, if Sakiko needed to work a part-time job, she probably didn't have the time for band practice.
That train of thought sparked an idea. Saku took out his phone and looked thoughtfully at his own Instagram account.
Could he maybe bring her on as an assistant for his account instead?
As for pay, well—whatever she was making as a customer service rep, he could definitely top it. Not to mention, the opportunity to handle ads and sponsorships might sweeten the deal even more.
Plus, Sakiko's background as an ex-heiress meant she had something valuable to offer.
She must know a lot about topics like cosmetics, skincare, and fashion. A girl who grew up with luxury would have good taste and plenty of knowledge in those areas.
And since most of his followers were young women, adding content focused on women's products could be a natural extension of his reviews.
It all sounded promising, but there was one hitch: shifting his content suddenly might risk alienating his current audience, and losing followers was definitely a concern.
He'd have to tread carefully.
"Totally worth it," he decided after weighing the pros and cons.
If he could convince Sakiko to work with him, it would be worth the risk. And on a personal level, it would give them more chances to meet—perfect for triggering his system's choices.
The perks his system provided—boosting stats and gaining new abilities—were definitely worth more than a few followers, he thought with a smirk.
And maybe there wouldn't even be any downsides.
After all, he wasn't planning to stop his regular content—just adding in a bit of variety. The shift wouldn't be drastic.
And with a bit of luck, it might even grow his audience.
Sticking solely to snacks and restaurant reviews meant his audience would eventually plateau. Broadening his scope could only be beneficial in the long run.
Basically, it was a winning situation no matter what. At worst, he'd break even; at best, he'd hit the jackpot.
It was his system that gave him the confidence to take this leap.
With his plan decided, Saku stayed up late drafting a proposal.
Once he found Togawa Sakiko, he had to make sure she'd be convinced.
Because compared to a tedious customer service job, she might just find the life of an Instagram influencer a lot more appealing.
---
The next day, in STARRY's practice room…
"By the way, tomorrow marks the start of Golden Week," Chihaya Anon said casually during a break in their guitar lesson, striking up a conversation with Gotoh Hitori.
Golden Week ran from April 29 to May 5, featuring a string of holidays like Showa Day (April 29), Constitution Memorial Day (May 3), Greenery Day (May 4), and Children's Day (May 5). It was the perfect excuse for a week-long holiday.
"Uh, I… don't have any plans," Hitori mumbled, her eyes darting around nervously.
She felt extremely out of place with Anon and Kita by her side—two textbook "normies" who effortlessly exuded an aura of social ease. Just being near them was enough to make her feel like an outsider.
And so, she kept shrinking into the background, hoping that they'd focus solely on the guitar lesson and ignore her presence otherwise.
Unfortunately, her stealth strategy failed. Anon had spotted her immediately.
"How about coming with us?" Ikuyo Kita asked cheerfully. "It'll be so much fun to hang out together!"
"Hang out… with you two?" Hitori's heart skipped a beat.
Her instinct was to say yes. Typically, she'd spend holidays at home, never even considering going out. But now she was faced with a rare opportunity: a real invitation from friends.
The idea of experiencing a normal outing with friends was incredibly tempting, even if Anon and Kita's cheerfulness made her feel like an absolute fish out of water.
"It won't just be us," Anon chimed in. "Some of our classmates are coming along too. Don't worry; they're all girls and super nice!"
"...!?"
Hitori froze.
So, this outing wasn't just the three of them. She'd be with a whole group of Anon and Kita's classmates—social butterflies who could light up any room.
She'd surely die. Just being near their radiant, outgoing energy would be too overwhelming. And meeting new people on top of that?
There was no way. She had to refuse.
But the words got stuck in her throat.
Because Hitori was… well, Hitori: a social anxiety-ridden girl who couldn't manage to refuse. Even if it meant her worst nightmare come to life.
As she sat there, her mind spinning with silent screams, Kita leaned forward, concerned.
"Gotoh, are you okay?"
But before Hitori could respond, a soft knock came at the door, followed by a few moments of silence.
Then, the door opened, and Kamigawa Saku walked in.
"Sorry to interrupt," he said, glancing around the room. "I was hoping to have a quick word with Bocchi."
"Oh, you might need to give her a second," Anon replied, pointing to Hitori, who looked more like a puddle than a person.
With a slight frown, Saku walked over to Hitori, giving her shoulder a gentle shake. "Bocchi? Can you hear me?"
"...Huh?"
Lost in a daze, Hitori snapped back to reality the moment she heard his familiar voice.
She blinked, coming face-to-face with Saku's smile, his face close to hers.
Close enough to notice just how… handsome he was.
---
T/N: I wonder what his stats are look at currently I've seen an increase for Strength, Agility, Stamina.
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