Tokyo: Let the wicked women pay the price!

Since talking to Fujino on the phone yesterday, Lemon has been somewhat absent-minded during class.

This was the first time she had spoken to Fujino on the phone.

She sat in the empty classroom, writing "[I called Fujino-kun]" in her diary, her face slightly flushed.

"Lemonade, are you here so early today?"

Upon hearing Saki's voice, she trembled and turned around abruptly.

"Hahaha, hehe, oh yeah, oh what are you doing here, Saki?"

In her flustered state, she hurriedly tossed the diary back into her schoolbag.

Saki didn't pay much attention and lay down on the table next to Lemon.

The woolen fabric of her winter school uniform was slightly rolled up, and she wasn't wearing socks, revealing her snow-white, straight legs, her knees red from the cold.

"Saki-chan? Why aren't you wearing socks again?" Lemon asked, looking at her knees with a hint of pity.

"I have no money." She leaned on the table, turning her face away. "You know, this is supposed to be a consumable item, so why is it so expensive?"

Lemon didn't respond, her mind replaying Fujino's instructions: "Oi, Saki-chan. What happened between you and Fujino-kun? Did you have a fight?"

These words reminded Saki of memories she had been trying to avoid.

Fujino's tip-off, which he overheard outside the clinic.

Saki's shoulders trembled slightly, and her voice was no longer calm: "Lemon Sauce, Mr. Fujino is a doctor with a strong sense of justice, and he is not from our world."

"I am very grateful to Mr. Fujino for his help, and I am also grateful to him for healing you."

"But we're not even friends, so how could we be having a falling out?"

Saki pursed her lips, hiding them in her arms, swallowing the words she hadn't spoken.

I hope he didn't report me.

I'd better not become friends with him since I'm going to jail.

However, almost a week has passed, and the Metropolitan Police Department has still not come to arrest her.

Perhaps she was trying to play the long game and find Himegami Ayame by following her lead.

But... Saki sighed.

Ever since she first listened to that wicked woman and tried to scam Fujino-kun, she has never contacted that wicked woman again.

Thinking of this, Saki's nose tingled with emotion.

Fujino, I've been listening to you and trying to be a good boy.

Seeing Saki lying face down, her shoulders twitched, and she even sobbed.

Lemon was a little bewildered.

Fujino's plans may be numerous and complex, but they definitely do not include making Saki cry.

She gently stroked Saki's back and whispered, "Saki, don't be sad."

"Mr. Fujino is such an outstanding person, you need to be more honest and brave. Tell him everything on your mind."

After a pause, seeing that her words of comfort had no effect, Lemon added what she thought was a humorous remark.

"Otherwise, such a gentle Fujino-san might be taken advantage of by other women."

This statement was extremely effective.

Saki's crying grew louder.

However, as more and more classmates joined her, the onlookers began to cast strange glances at her, and Saki gradually tried to calm herself down.

She only stopped crying when her class teacher, who was also her homeroom teacher, called her out.

Her eyes were red from crying, but there was no smudged makeup.

"Wow, you didn't even put on makeup? I'm so envious." Lemon's exclamation made Saki laugh through her tears.

"I am naturally beautiful."

It's definitely not because we can barely afford to eat.

How could I possibly admit to something so embarrassing at school?

In the corridor.

"Saki-chan, the parent-teacher conference on Friday..." The homeroom teacher's gentle voice asked a question that left Saki somewhat at a loss for words.

"Hanako-sensei, my... my father is quite busy, he might still be..."

Hanako sighed, "Then you'll need to find an elder to come. I need to talk to him about your skipping classes."

Saki took two steps back, biting her lip without saying a word.

What did you say?

Does he say something like, "I have no relatives left"?

She couldn't bring herself to say it.

Despite thinking this way, a figure in a white coat flashed through her mind.

After stammering and hesitating for a long time, Saki clutched the hem of her skirt tightly and whispered, "Ms. Hanako, my father is too busy..."

"Saki-chan is being naughty." Hanako's smile faded slightly. "Anyway, if your parents don't show up this time, the school might have to reconsider whether you're still fit to stay here."

Saki hurriedly took a few steps back, clenching her fists and pursing her lips.

We'll have to sacrifice Fujino-kun.

"Hanako-sensei, yes... I understand. I'll bring my dad."

Upon hearing this, Hanako patted Saki's shoulder noncommittally: "I hope you keep your word, that's what a lady should do."

"I will definitely try my best."

"No, absolutely not!"

Throughout the day, Saki seemed lost in thought. She kept her phone in her hand, often spaced out during class, and even drew circles and scribbled things like "please" or "okay" in her notebook.

There's a time limit to escaping; at least when it's time for her to go back to work, she needs to make a decision.

Saki sighed and turned to her best friend for help: "Lemon Jam, if you've been avoiding someone for a while, and now you need their help, what would you say?"

Lemon said with a smile, "Why don't you just call Fujino-san?"

Saki's pretty face flushed red: "What...what Fujino? I'm talking about you. You! You were hiding from someone else, and then, because of something, you asked him for help! What does Fujino have to do with this?"

"Tsk." Lemon curled her lip. "With a face as great as yours, you could succeed in anything you asked any man you knew."

"Oh, right. Are you going to work today, Saki-chan?"

Saki pursed her lips and nodded: "You go first, don't wait for me, Little Lemon."

Lemon hummed a song, and the moment she stepped out of the classroom, she immediately hid herself, watching the direction of the classroom warily from the stairwell.

I sent a text message to Fujino.

[Lemon~: Fujino-san, Saki needs your help, so be prepared~ This isn't thanks to Lemon.]

Whoosh.

Saki, who was in the classroom, was silent for a moment, then took out her phone and started typing a text message.

[Wakaba Saki: Dr. Fujino, I need someone to attend the parent-teacher conference for me. Could you please help me?]

[Wakaba Saki: Oh, Negai.]

However, even after arriving at the café where he worked, he still hadn't received a reply from Fujino.

Saki was somewhat disappointed.

Knew it.

It's only natural that a woman who was trying her best to avoid him a few days ago, a woman who left without saying goodbye, would be rejected by him now that she's begging for his help.

Running away won't solve the problem; it will only solve your own.

She was just about to take out her phone to call Fujino and ask him for help.

A quiet girl with a heart-shaped face, grapefruit-colored hair, and a bass guitar slung over her back stood in front of her.

"Saki-chan, are you still going to run away? Why can't you sit down and talk to me? If you do this today—"

"Let's talk then, please come in."

Saki didn't want to run away anymore, and she didn't want to make a mess of things like she did with Fujino.

"I knew you'd still be the same... Hey? Would you like to talk to me?"

Sitting in a booth, Saki, dressed in a maid outfit, brought her a latte with latte art: "Suseo-kun, 6000 yen, Seiki."

Su Shi paid without hesitation, laid the bass on her lap, and pointed to the opposite side.

She cut to the chase: "Is there really no room for negotiation, Saki-chan?"

"A turnaround?"

"Are you really willing to give up everything for the band?"

Saki pursed her lips, leaving a ring of teeth marks around them: "I think I made myself very clear that day, Ichinose Motoyo. I'll repeat it to you again today."

She stood up, and her height of 161 centimeters allowed her to look down at the other person.

"I'm leaving the band."

"Even if you ask a hundred times, it will still be the same."

"I have no right to waste your time. Quitting is the best option, no matter who it is."

Su Shi looked excited and gently patted the bass guitar in her arms: "Then! Then what about all the hard work you put into composing that music? What about all those days of effort we put in?"

Saki said calmly, "I guess I'm just unlucky."

After she finished speaking, she prepared to get up: "Su Shi, if there's nothing else, I'll go take care of my business. We can still be friends, but I really don't have time to play these sentimental games with you guys anymore."

But Su Shi's voice behind her made her pause: "Where's your childhood friend?"

"She joined the band because you called her. Now you're just throwing her aside, showing no regard for your relationship?"

Her heart-shaped face, her large eyes seemingly brimming with tears: "Her mental state is very bad right now! Sometimes she doesn't even recognize me!"

"Senmi has developed mental problems because of you!"

Upon hearing this, Saki took a deep breath.

She slowly turned around, a smile on her face, and took out her phone.

"If that's the case, I do know someone who can help you."

It's also helping myself.

The call was connected.

"Fujino... Fujino-san, I have something to ask you. To be precise, two things."

"How about I be my dad for two hours, and then help my friend get treatment for mental illness?"

"Eunice."