Sakiko shares the backstory of herself and CRYCHIC with Jiro after learning more about him. Anon takes it upon herself to confront Soyo and bring back MyGO together.

Live-House Circle
Jiro POV

One week after the whole MyGO show debacle, I was working at Circle to keep my mind off things. It was a particularly slow day with not a lot of activity going on. However, Ave Mujica and Roselia both visited to practice and spend the day here, I suppose? Oh, and of course, Nyamu is recording...

Nyamu: Back at Live-house Circle, spending the day with the one is only Roselia! If you like this video, make sure to like and subscribe!!!

Sakiko: I still consider Roselia to be our rivals.

Yukina: You all are worthy opponents, I've got my eyes on you.

Sakiko: Happy to hear it, Senpai.

Ako: The darkness rushes through my eyes and onto the waking world!!!

Nyamu: Do another one! Watch these, folks!

Ako: The light fades from the earth and welcomes the... the?

Rinko: Creeping evil.

Ako: The creeping evil!

Sayo: Those two seem to be having fun.

Lisa: Having fun is never the bad thing.
While Ako shouted more incantations, I was leaning forward onto the front desk, staring off into space while subconsciously clicking my pen, until Nyamu came in my direction.

Nyamu: Jiro-senpai, what would you say is your favorite band?

Jiro: Get that camera out of my face...

Nyamu: Okay, a very camera shy person.

Sakiko: Yuutenji-san, I said no recording!

Our resident influencer went off to record Ako again. While looking over some papers, I suddenly felt a cold sensation on my left cheek, which turned out Uika who brought me a can of coffee.

Uika: Earth to Senpai, haha.

Jiro: That's was cold!

Uika: Sorry to surprise you.

Jiro: It's fine. Thanks for the coffee.

Uika: Anytime.

Umiri: I gotta say, you've got a tendency to stare off when deep in thought.

Jiro: I guess my mind thinks the world stops whenever I need to make a decision.

Uika: Anyway, I've got a question.

Jiro: What's up?

Uika: You are a talented guitar player from what Hikawa-senpai told me, and you've got a good singing voice.

Jiro: Where are you going with this?

Uika: Why aren't you in a band or starting your own? I get you prefer to be in a supporting role, but you've talent.

Jiro: *shrugs* Haven't really given it much thought...

Sakiko: The thought had at least crossed your mind, right?

Jiro: Not really...

Everyone: Mhmm...

Jiro: What's that look for?

Lisa: It's just... we noticed that it is a habit of yours. Putting others' success before your own.

Jiro: I have no idea what you're talking about.

Yukina: Yes, you do. Your sister played the bass guitar. When you both performed at school, I can hear you played worse to make your sister look better.

Sayo: Or the time when you proposed various reforms for school, but you gave the concepts to Ichigaya-san. Therefore, she got the credit... not you.

Jiro: Your points being?

Rinko: You should be a little more selfish...

Jiro: Look, if you're all happy, I'm happy.

Ako: You derseve way more than that.

Rinko: Yes, your hard work should lead you to something greater.

Lisa: You shouldn't let us hold you back from doing what you really want to do.

Yukina: You have an amazing set of friends who can find you band members.

Sayo: For once, let us help you.

Sakiko: Wow....

Uika: They sound so cool...

Nyamu: Roselia is all that and a bag of chips...

Umiri: Leave it to them...

Mutsumi: Amazing...

Jiro: I've got a lot of work... it's been nice talking with you all... *walks into office*

Sakiko: I think you made him uncomfortable.

Lisa: There he goes again.

Uika: What do you mean?

Yukina: Every time we bring up this topic, Jiro makes up an excuse to avoid the conversation.

Nyamu: Oh... that's so sad.

Mutsumi: I noticed he was avoiding eye contact when you brought it up.

Sayo: We pushed too hard back there.

Nyamu: I don't get it. Why does he act like that?

Umiri: Do you think Nagasaki-san's words are getting to him?

Yukina: I don't think so. He did do this before...

Lisa: However, he's been doing it often more recently...

Sayo: I suppose you girls saw a side of Jiro he prefers to keep hidden.

Sakiko: What do you mean Hikawa-senpai?

Sayo: Jiro truly is the person you know him as... but he wasn't always like that.

Uika: Can you explain?

Sayo: Outside, he might hear us.

[No one POV]

As Roselia and Ave Mujica made their way outside of Circle, Sakiko stayed behind, staring into Jiro's office.

Sakiko: You did so much for us, yet you ask for so little... and what Ave Mujica did in return...? Make your life more difficult...

Outside in the patio, both bands sat a table as Sayo began to unravel her theory. Sakiko shortly joined after.

Uika: You were saying Senpai?

Sayo: Yes, most of you know Jiro wasn't always the charismatic and easygoing person he is nowadays.

Umiri: You mentioned he was a lot different before.

Yukina: During elementary school, he was the quiet kid when he wasn't with me or Lisa. It was hard for him to make friends.

Sayo: Think about it, Takamatsu-san struggled to fit in, same as him. They're not so different.

Sakiko: What changed?

Sayo: He began playing sports, learning martial arts, dancing, and cooking. In an effort to help him fit in better.

Lisa: But with all these talents, he soon learned that people would only notice you because you are good sports, dancing or what have you.

Mutsumi: Has he been open about his past?

Sayo: If you ask Yomi-san about him, she'll become serious and warn you not to talk to him about it.

Yukina: The only person he was open about himself was...

Sakiko: Tomori.

Sayo: He may have started to help her to get him to finally forgive himself, but I have no doubt he genuinely loves and cares about her.

Yukina: As much as he likes to deny it, he does care what people think of him.

Ako: Jiro-nii...

Rinko: He's really sweet, but deep down, I can tell he is insecure about himself.

Uika: The more I think about it, he is a person of many colors.

Sayo: He can be the hardworking vice-president and live house worker.

Ako: The kind and caring role model.

Rinko: The smart and understanding friend.

Yukina: And he could be very direct, like the time when he questioned Roselia.

Lisa: Yukina...

Yukina: He and I both moved past that.

Sayo: All that being said. We should drop the subject, It's not right to do a psychoanalysis on him, and everything we shared... I should have come from him, not us.

Uika: Right...

Lisa: I hope this doesn't change how you all see him.

Uika: No, not at all. He'll always be Spei to us.

Yukina: Yes, that's the nickname you gave him.

Nyamu: It suits Jiro-chi!

Sakiko: My, look at the time.

Yukina: It's getting quite late. We should go our separate ways.

Sakiko: It's been a pleasure to witness Roselia behide the scenes.

Yukina: Anytime, and Roselia will be at Ave Mujica's next show.

Lisa: We'll pretend we don't know you, all to maintain the illusion.

Sakiko: We appreciate that.

[Jiro POV]

The two Gothic bands dispersed from the Circle patio, making their way back home. Sakiko, However, stayed until Jiro ended his shift. After he left through the front door, Sakiko approached him.

Sakiko: Senpai, do you have time right now?

Jiro: If it's about earlier, I really don't want to talk about it.

Sakiko: No, it's something different. Would you follow me?

I followed Sakiko to the station where the tain took us to a rather quiet part of Tokyo where the street lights didn't seem to function properly. Arriving at an old looking home, Sakiko opens the front door where I was met immediately by beer cans and trash bags scattered all across the floor. Sakiko then whispered a strained voice.

Sakiko: I'm home... you rotten, father.

I was immediately shocked when those words exited her mouth, Sakiko dropped off her bag and gestured me to go outside with her. Walking towards a safer looking area near Tokyo bay, we stopped on top of a bridge overlooking the harbor where Sakiko began to speak.

Sakiko: So? What do you think?

Jiro: I had no idea about your situation at home...

Sakiko: Not all of us were born to rich and loving parents.

Jiro: Uh..I-I.

Sakiko: Don't worry, that wasn't directed at you.

Jiro: Oh, I see.

Sakiko: It's not easy to live knowing that drunk is my father... when I look at other families...

Jiro: You live a complicated life, I can't imagine what you had to go through...

Sakiko: Jiro-senpai... are we friends?

Jiro: Why wouldn't we be?

Sakiko: Cause I think you deserve the truth behind CRYCHIC...

Jiro: I'm listening.

Sakiko looked out into the harbor and began telling her story. In their third year of middle school, Herself, Tomori, Taki, Mustumi, and Soyo were all a part of a band known as CRYCHIC. Like all brand new bands, they were all hopeful and ambitious. Haru Hikage was one of the songs from Tomori's notebook. The band wasn't to last as after one live show, Sakiko told me she wanted to quit out of nowhere. Along with Mutsumi, they both never had fun playing in the band... the rest of the story I knew.

Jiro: I guess Soyo is desperate to bring CRYCHIC back together.

Sakiko: To tell you the truth, I've been ignoring Tomori and Soyo whenever they try to talk to me.

Jiro: Why?

Sakiko: It's what I truly am... a horrible person.

Jiro: That's not true.

Sakiko: Leave it to you to see the best in others, despite their shortcomings.

Jiro: That's who I am.

Sakiko: After I everything I did... making your life hard, it's no wonder why you'll never look my way.

Jiro: Sakiko...

Sakiko: Let's be honest, Senpai, all of this drama you're going through. It's Ave Mujica and I who started it.

Jiro: There was never a time when I blamed Ave Mujica for anything.

Sakiko: That's your problem... you're too damn nice!

As if the weather reacted to Sakiko's mood change, light rain started dropping from the sky, as mood dampened.

Sakiko: What's wrong with you?! Why are you yelling at me for treating Tomori so harshly?! Why aren't you criticizing how I treat my band members?!

Jiro: My opinion shouldn't matter to you. Or any of you for that matter.

Sakiko: To me, it does! You're a part of Ave Mujica as much as the others.

Jiro: I'm not some sort of doll who shows human emotions or whatever you girls call it during your little pre-show.

Sakiko: You keep putting yourself down. Why won't you fight?!

Jiro: Why should I? I'm just a nobody... who never will be able to achieve his dream.

Sakiko: Creating your own band?

Jiro: Yeah...

Sakiko: You spend days to help everyone else. Why aren't you using your resources to help yourself?

Jiro: You should use all the tools you have to help others because it's the right thing to do... at that's what I tell myself.

Sakiko: Senpai...

Jiro: W-we should head back. We're already getting soaked.

Sakiko: Okay...

As Sakiko turned around to walk back home, I remembered what I saw at her house and the face her made while inside. Therefore, I had an idea.

Jiro: Sakiko?

Sakiko: Yes, Senpai?

Jiro: If you want, you can stay at my place for a bit.

Sakiko: You mean that?

Jiro: Yeah. The thing is... Tomori is also living there, I know you're not interested in speaking to her.

Sakiko: It's fine... I can tolerate her for the time being.

Jiro: Thank you.

Sakiko: I'm only doing for you... not her.

Jiro: Follow me then.

We both made our way to my neighborhood, where we entered my house to find Tomori sitting on the couch waiting for me, and of course, she noticed Sakiko immediately.

Tomori: Saki-chan....

Sakiko: Tomori....

Flashback - a few hours earlier...
Tsukinomori Academy
Anon POV

After school, I made my way to Soyo-san's school, where I intend to confront her about MyGO and Jiro-senpai. As soon as she passed the front gate, we made eye contact, to which she flat out ignores my existence. As she tried to send me away while I followed her, we eventually made it to her house, where she reluctantly invited me inside.

Anon: You live here by yourself?

Soyo: I live with my mother. *places down a cup of Earl Grey tea*

Anon: Oh. Thanks.

Soyo: I'm surprised you're still taking to me after what I said to Jiro-senpai.

Anon: Yes, and it angered me. However, I realized "Soyo-san is human after all."

Soyo: Huh?

Anon: You're different from what you show. You tell a lot of lies. There's a part of you that's sorta malicious, right?

Anon: You're lost, right?

Soyo: What?

Anon: Tomori-chan said so.

Soyo: What's that mean?

Anon: Let's be real. You need MyGO as much as we need you.

Soyo: You started the band to make yourself look good.

Anon: That's right... but it was you and me who started MyGO.

Soyo: Then I'll end it for you...

Anon: Go and try, he'll stop you.

Soyo: Him? You can't be serious?!

Anon: He protects Tomori-chan. I wouldn't put it past him.

Soyo: Why do people place such blind faith in him?!

Anon: I don't know what happened with your old band, but I can tell with Jiro-senpai's associated Togawa-san that you had the perfect punching bag.

Soyo: I think I have enough from you...

Anon: You're exacting wraith upon a person who never knew your past. How does that make sense?

Soyo: You wouldn't understand...

Anon: Maybe not... but your vendetta with him needs to end...

Soyo: Get out... I won't hear another word...

Anon: Maybe Senpai was right... you are unable to move on...

Anon left Soyo's condo, making sure to put in her place, and implant doubts in her mind. Unfortunately, Soyo stands firm on her opinion on Jiro, for now MyGO remains shattered and lost once again. How far will you go for friends?

To be continued...

Authors Notes:

Drama is back on the menu right now. Personality I find it easier to write dramatic, emotional scenes compared to calm and chill segments. I don't know. I guess it's easier to create conflict than maintain peace.

The more I write, the more I feel that this story is mostly centered around MyGO and Ave Mujica, since not a lot of books- to my knowledge, cover them. Plus, I like how intertwined their characters are in the anime. There's more in store for our boy next chapter.
As always, thank you for reading!

Who's your favorite MyGO/Ave Mujica character? Or characters?

Solo Kouhai: Tomori and Umiri