I Just Want a Single Ending [89]
Then, he activated the Tracking Card.
In the next instant, a perfectly clear 3D map appeared in his mind.
On it, her exact location was marked, along with the shortest route to reach her.
[Current Location: Shuuka High School, Class 1-A]
Right next door?
This surprised him.
When he'd first found out she was attending the same school, he'd looked into it, but he hadn't found her in his grade level.
He hadn't expected her to be so close by.
As the bell rang, signaling the end of the day, and the teacher announced dismissal, Kamigawa calmly packed his bag, keeping an eye on where Togawa would be going next.
Surely, she wasn't going to work today?
School had just resumed after a seven-day break; working today would be a bit much.
Plus, high school students had limits on their work hours, so it wasn't like she could work non-stop.
"Saku, are you all set?"
Chihaya Anon and Takamatsu Tomori approached him, bags in hand.
They'd booked a practice room for today, so they needed to get going.
Kamigawa snapped back to the present, smiling apologetically. "You two go on ahead; there's something I need to take care of. I'll catch up with you later."
He intended to track down Togawa Sakiko to see if he could persuade her to join the band or help him with his INS project.
He'd prepared for this.
"Alright."
Chihaya didn't press him further, leading Tomori out of the classroom.
After all, he was a popular INS blogger with countless fans; it was perfectly normal for him to have sudden business to attend to.
Kamigawa finished packing, left the classroom, and started toward Togawa Sakiko's location.
According to the tracker, she wasn't planning to leave school; instead, she was heading to the music room.
Was she in a music club?
Didn't seem likely. She was working and had even chosen to leave her previous band.
Would someone like her really join a club?
The ten-minute tracking duration ended, with Togawa's final location marked in the music room.
As he walked to the room, Kamigawa rehearsed what he wanted to say.
When he reached the door, he didn't hesitate—he opened it and stepped inside.
At that moment, a beautiful piano melody drifted through the room, making him swallow the "excuse me" he'd been about to say.
Looking toward the source of the music, he saw Togawa Sakiko seated by the window at the piano, deeply focused on her playing and oblivious to his entrance.
Admiring her performance, he took in the quiet music room around them.
They were the only ones here—perfect for a private conversation.
Soon, her piece ended.
As she lifted her hands from the keys and closed her eyes, savoring the last notes, a round of applause sounded from the doorway.
"Huh?"
She opened her eyes and turned, surprised to see a handsome young man standing there, clapping.
He looked familiar… Hadn't she seen him somewhere before?
"That was beautiful."
Kamigawa stopped clapping and walked toward her.
"Sorry to intrude. I'm Kamigawa Saku."
Togawa, slightly puzzled, asked, "Are you in the wind ensemble club?"
"No, I'm here specifically to see you."
He set his bag down on the floor in front of her.
Great—she probably wasn't in a music club.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have asked him that.
"Here… to see me?"
An odd unease crept over her.
Kamigawa gave her a friendly smile. "Yes. If possible, I'd like you to consider joining the band I'm part of."
Even though he knew the chances were slim, he had to try.
After all, he'd promised Nagasaki Soyo he'd give it his best shot.
"No, thanks."
Togawa's rejection was swift—she had no intention of joining a band again.
"Don't say no so fast. You might be interested once you learn more about us," he continued, unfazed. "Our band already has all its members, but someone thought adding a keyboardist would be nice, so I thought I'd come and ask you."
"You… know who I am?"
Togawa's brow furrowed as she remembered his earlier words: I'm here specifically to see you.
"Of course. CRYCHIC's keyboardist, Togawa Sakiko—I'm a fan of your band."
Kamigawa nodded, bringing up the fan card again.
"…"
Hearing a stranger mention CRYCHIC took her by surprise.
They'd only performed one live show.
"Which reminds me, I haven't introduced my bandmates yet." Kamigawa continued, "We have two guitarists, Chihaya Anon and Raana—although you may not know them."
"Our vocalist is Takamatsu Tomori, our drummer is Shiina Taki, and our bassist is Nagasaki Soyo. You definitely know those three."
At hearing those familiar names, Togawa froze briefly before asking, "You said that someone thought adding a keyboardist would be a good idea. Who was it?"
She already suspected the answer.
"Nagasaki Soyo."
Kamigawa answered without hesitation.
Just as I thought.
His response confirmed her hunch.
Kamigawa asked again, "So, what do you say? Any interest in our band?"
"Sorry, none at all." Togawa's refusal was firm. Then, she asked, "How did you find me?"
As far as she knew, Soyo shouldn't have any idea where she'd be.
Did Takamatsu Tomori tell him?
That seemed unlikely. Tomori wouldn't casually give out that information.
Especially since Kamigawa had managed to find her in the music room so easily.
"Nagasaki asked me to find you, hoping you'd join us, so I just… tried my luck, and here you are." Kamigawa kept his answer vague.
Togawa fell silent, staring at him intently.
Seeing her expression, Kamigawa gave in and explained in more detail. "To be honest, I happened to spot you once at your part-time job. Since I'm a CRYCHIC fan, I recognized you."
"When Nagasaki asked me to track you down, I asked around at your workplace, then learned we went to the same school."
"And finally, I found you."
---
Spotted any mistakes or awkward wording? Let me know—I'm always looking to improve!
Also, quick reminder: take a moment to check your posture and sip some water. Stay comfy while you read!
If you enjoy this translation, consider supporting me on [patreon.com/WiseTL]
Every bit helps me keep doing what I love. Thank you!