After Xiangzi died, I inherited her harem.

I'm afraid that if I let go, I'll be swallowed by the whirlpool, but I'm also afraid that if I pull too hard, I'll break this lifeline.

Now, Yuu Toyokawa is her last hope.

After all, even if the option of asking Toyokawa Shoko for help still existed, Wakaba Mutsu would absolutely not want to trouble his own half.

Asking Yuu Toyokawa for help was the best that Mutsumi Wakaba could do.

If even he refuses to help her, she might really have no choice but to obediently listen to Minami Mori and stay at the hospital until Toyokawa Shoko and Toyokawa Yuu get engaged.

"I understand, I will help Xiaomu... You can stay here for now."

Looking at Metis in front of him, Toyokawa Yuu remained silent for a moment before finally nodding.

He had promised Toyokawa Shoko that he wouldn't let Ave Mujica disband, so of course he couldn't let Mori Minami take Wakaba Mutsu away.

Moreover, if Ye Mu were sent to a mental hospital, wouldn't the situation develop in the same way as what Toyokawa Kiyoko recorded in his diary ten years later?

Even though the cause and the person who sent Wakaba Mutsu were different, Toyokawa Yuu did not want things to develop in the already determined bad direction.

"No matter what, I am Ave Mujica's manager, and I have no right to watch my bandmates be forced to leave the band without any explanation."

"Is it just because of your agent?"

With her golden eyes fixed on Toyokawa Yuu, the girl with light green hair suddenly uttered a sentence, and the fingertips gripping the boy's sleeve stiffened slightly.

With her other hand gripping the guitar neck, the girl's knuckles were gripping it too tightly, even turning white, and her tone became somewhat strange.

The girl's question drifted into his ears, causing Toyokawa Yuu to pause slightly in surprise.

Her gaze was also fixed on Metis's eyes, as if she wanted to find some answers in the eyes of this person whose personality she had just gotten to know was somewhat childlike.

For example... what exactly was she thinking when she asked such a difficult question?

However, what responded to Toyokawa Yuu was a pair of eyes that were somewhat bewildered and evasive, as if they knew they had asked an inappropriate question, and thus became reserved again.

"Also because... I made a promise to Xiangzi, so naturally I will take care of her other half."

After giving this answer that required almost no thought, Toyokawa Yuu paused for a moment, then added another sentence.

"Besides, Xiao Mu and I are... friends. Since she asked me for help, I will try my best to help her."

Yuu Toyokawa initially wanted to say that Wakaba Mutsu belonged to her, but then she realized that although the personality in front of her was Metis rather than Wakaba Mutsu, saying such a thing would undoubtedly lead to disaster. So, at the last moment, Yuu Toyokawa changed her mind.

But it doesn't matter. In the eyes of outsiders, Wakaba Mutsu, whom he had led to skip class for an afternoon, certainly deserves to be called a friend.

"Friends..."

He murmured something to himself, and Metis's once bright eyes became somewhat heavy, as if he were preoccupied with something.

The fingers that were gripping Toyokawa Yuu's sleeve slowly loosened, and he looked at Toyokawa Yuu, hesitant to speak.

After hesitating for a while, clutching the guitar in his arms, Metis seemed to have made up his mind and finally mustered up the courage to speak.

"Then, can Mr. Youyu and I become friends?"

The golden eyes held a hope that was completely different from when they had asked for help earlier.

Just now, carrying a guitar, she ran away from home in place of Wakaba Mutsu and embarked on the journey here alone. It was the first time that Metis had felt a little bit of freedom.

No longer just sitting on the sofa in Wakaba Mutsumi's mind, watching the scenery outside through the television.

Unlike the last performance, when she stepped onto that stage filled with roaring crowds and fervent desires, carrying her guitar, to help Wakaba Mutsu withstand the pressure.

The quiet streets, the cool evening breeze, the empty platform in the early hours of the morning...

This is the scenery that Metis has seen on television since birth, but has never experienced in person.

This is... the world we live in.

On the way here, Metis had actually wanted to deviate from the original route more than once, to wander around and see what was going on, to really experience this world that didn't belong to him at all.

However, no, she is merely a secondary personality of Wakaba Mutsu and must act according to Wakaba Mutsu's will.

Now that Wakaba Mutsumi is suffering because of Mori Minami's request, she must help her find Toyokawa Yuu as soon as possible and ask him for help.

Moreover... the world at night is so dark, it's as dark as that abyss where many personalities have been abandoned, so dark that Metis dared not set foot in it and could only follow the light.

If I had a friend with me at the time, I might have been able to muster up the courage to explore the area using the excuse that "I don't know the way yet and need to look around."

Even knowing that after losing this opportunity, she might only be able to appear on stage in the future, Ruo Yemu still wanted to make her own friends.

After all, Xiao Mu has a guitar, Yu Mu has a cell phone, but she... really has nothing.

Therefore, I want to have friends.

The unexpected question made Toyokawa Yuu frown for the first time since Metis entered the room.

To be friends with Metis...?

What a joke.

"You're such a grown-up, why are you saying such things... But if Xiao Mo needs me, of course I can be your friend."

Rising from her chair and sitting down next to Metis, Toyokawa Yuu gently patted her shoulder. Although her tone was somewhat strange, her attitude was not much different from how she treated Wakaba Mutsu in the office.

Metis’s golden eyes reflected the back of Toyokawa Yuu’s head. It seemed that the topic was so sincere that it was a little childish. At this moment, the boy, who had been acting calmly, was just as flustered as Metis had been earlier, and even turned his face away in another direction.

However, this answer alone was enough to make Metis happy.

"Great! Now Mr. Youyu and I are friends."

The girl's fair hands were happily tossed into the air. After a brief moment of surprise, Metis even put down the guitar in his arms and hugged Toyokawa Yuu directly from behind.

Her slender arms encircled the boy's neck, and Metis, lost in joy, bounced up and down on the sofa, causing Toyokawa Yuu, who was sitting next to her, to bounce along with her.

Completely unaware that, with her movement, the boy, whose face was turned to the other side and whose back was to her, was growing increasingly pale.

"Friend, friend, Mr. Youyu, could we do some things that friends do together? Like going for drinks, going out for fun, or rehearsing at a livehouse together. By the way, does Mr. Youyu play any musical instruments...? No, that's okay. I can't play guitar either, we can learn together—"

Before Metis could finish his happy words, he felt his hand, which was originally wrapped around Toyokawa Yuu, being suddenly flung away, and the back of his hand even hit the back of the sofa.

Fortunately, although the place wasn't luxurious, the furniture was of decent quality; at least the sofa backs weren't so hard that Metis's hands hurt.

"Mr. Youyu..."

Looking at Toyokawa Yuu who suddenly shook off his arm and stood up in astonishment, Metis's expression was somewhat bewildered and hurt.

Although not as sensitive to emotions as Wakaba Mutsu, Metis was not so obtuse as to be unable to understand this attitude.

When Yuu Toyokawa shook off his arm, Metis could feel his resistance and hostility.

So, you didn't want to be friends with me after all?

Realizing that he had perhaps overstepped his bounds, Metis regained his composure, shrinking slightly on the sofa and lowering his head, awaiting Toyokawa Yuu's reprimand.

Somewhat flustered, Yuu Toyokawa took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her racing heart.

Turning to look at the table, I saw my reflection in the mirror, my face unmasked and pale.

What's going on? Did I have an attack?

Yuu Toyokawa was also somewhat taken aback. He admitted that Metis's actions had caused his body to resist in a way that was hard to describe.

However, he considers himself to be a person with relatively strong endurance. Previously, Minami had done something similar in Ave Mujica's office. Although she was not as lively as Metis, her temperament was more dangerous.

Even so, I managed to hold back my outburst, so why this time...?

Gently placing her palm on her slightly uneasy chest, Toyokawa Yuu's mind raced as she recalled how she had just felt.

Needless to say, there was an instinctive rejection and resistance, but when the urge to lash out came, there was no effort to suppress the loss of control, and it just happened naturally.

Having calmed down, Toyokawa Yuu turned around, suppressing her tone and softening her voice again.

"Metis, you can't be so affectionate with people in the future. Even with friends, this kind of behavior is a bit too much, understand?"

This time, Yuu Toyokawa didn't stay on the sofa. Instead, she returned to her chair and gestured for the somewhat uneasy girl to relax.

"Out of bounds?"

Metis tilted his head in confusion, but his body did relax considerably after being comforted by Toyokawa Yuu.

Even so, she still didn't quite understand what Toyokawa Yuu meant by "crossing the line".

As a natural performer, she believes there's nothing wrong with friends acting this way, as it's common in many films.

Although in those films, most of the people who say they are friends eventually stop being friends.

Last time, Nagasaki Sase grabbed Shoko's arm and knelt down at Asukayama, which was much more extreme than what I did.

"Simply put, even friends should maintain social distance. What happened just now is fine between me and Xiangzi, but it crossed a line for you."

To cover up her earlier loss of composure, Toyokawa Yuu had to find another way to make amends. Fortunately, Metis didn't seem to understand these things, and in a sense, what she said wasn't wrong.

"In short, even if you and Xiao Mu stay here with me for the time being, please be mindful of social distancing... It's getting late, go and get some rest."

Pointing to her bed, which she hadn't used much, Toyokawa Yuu's voice sounded tired.

He felt himself becoming increasingly relaxed in front of Wakaba Mutsu, even just in front of this body, and his recent outburst was proof of that.

"I'll buy you new clothes and sheets tomorrow. Just stay here with me for now. Don't go to school or the band for the time being, otherwise you might get taken away... Don't worry, I'll find a way to resolve this."

After pinching her brow, Toyokawa Yuu quickly made arrangements for the accommodation of Wakaba Mutsu and Metis.

He didn't believe that, given the level of surveillance Toyokawa Sadaharu had on him, he wouldn't be unaware that this girl with greenish-blue hair had sneaked over here.

But since Metis successfully reached his home, it means that the old man, after some deliberation, temporarily chose to let it go.

Of course, it's also possible that it's a bit late today and the old man hasn't received the message yet.

But regardless of the reason, as long as no one comes to take Ruoye Mu and Metis away tomorrow, it means they are safe here for the time being.

"I understand, I will pass it on to Xiao Mu."

Metis nodded obediently, seemingly because she had been frightened by Toyokawa Yuu's actions earlier; even her movements as she stood up from the sofa while holding the guitar were somewhat shaky.

They did not raise any objections to Toyokawa Yuu's arrangements, nor did they ask him how he planned to resolve the issue.

Metis moved his feet gently, placed the pink guitar on the bedside table, took off his shoes and obediently lay down on Toyokawa Yuu's bed, even leaving a small space for him on the single bed.

That overly docile demeanor might be unremarkable on Ruoye Mu, but it just looked awkward to Metis.

Yuu Toyokawa didn't respond to Metis's overly sensible behavior. She simply turned off the light and threw her exhausted body, both physically and mentally, onto the sofa.

He rested his head on one armrest as a pillow, his knees on the other armrest, and let the rest of his lower leg dangle down with gravity, making this sofa, which no matter how you looked at it, not very comfortable to lie on, his place to rest for the next period of time.

He wasn't so bored as to fight with a kid who didn't even understand social distancing for a place to sleep.

With this thought in mind, Toyokawa Yuu closed her eyes.

His vision was plunged back into darkness, but Metis's eyes did not close. His golden pupils reflected the neon lights outside the window, and he seemed slightly lost in thought.

[Xiao Mu, you went too far just now. Why did you ask Mr. Youyu such a question as "Is it just because of the manager?" Isn't it already a happy ending that he's willing to help?]

A slight rebuke escaped his lips as Metis pouted, revealing a somewhat angry expression.

Now she feels that being her supportive personality is becoming increasingly difficult.

If Ye Mu couldn't make up her mind to run away from home, she would try to persuade her.

If Ye Mu is worried about the journey being difficult, she will take the trip;

If Ye Mu is afraid to ask Toyokawa Yuu for help, she will face the boy's potentially troubled gaze.

But could you please not suddenly interrupt me when I'm doing something important and ask me a completely random question?

What's even more infuriating is that after asking her question, Ruoye Muku didn't wait for Toyokawa Yuu's reply before retreating back into her body, leaving herself to face Toyokawa Yuu's answer.

Metis has also done unnecessary things; your friendship with Youyu will only bother him.

The bland reply echoed in his mind, making Metis, who was already somewhat resentful, even more annoyed.

I just wanted to help you get closer to him. Since you think I can't do anything right, then I'll give my body back to you. Don't call me anymore.

Sullenly closing his eyes, Metis intended to return the body to its original state.

Having successfully persuaded Yuu Toyokawa to help him, he had accomplished what he was supposed to do for Mutsuka Wakaba, and there was no longer any reason for him to continue using this body.

Even if you don't return it voluntarily, Ruoye Mu will take back control.

I've done so much tonight: walking on a street illuminated by streetlights for the first time, riding a train by myself for the first time, using money by myself...

I have already taken the opportunity to do quite a lot of things that only the living can do.

It's just that I'm not sure if I've made any friends... It's no big deal.

With this thought in mind, Metis calmed himself down a bit.

But just before she was about to return control of her body, Toyokawa Yuu's voice drifted into her ears through the darkness separating the two of them.