"Oh Musume…" Ayano called out softly as she approached the tanned girl with thick blonde hair. "I have something for you."

Ayano cautiously glanced around before pulling a brand new pack of cigarettes out of her pocket and handing it to Musume. The latter gasped in pleasant surprise, her eyes lighting up.

"You actually managed to get them?! You are like, the best, Ayano!"

Ayano quickly put a finger to her lips. "Shhh! I'm pretty sure we wouldn't want anyone else hearing about this now, would we?"

"Right, sorry," Musume lowered her voice to a whisper. "But you just totally became my BFF!"

Ayano smirked. "Is that so? In that case, could you do me a favour and just... follow me?"

"Of course, Bestie! Lead the way."

"Daddy… please help…"

Musume pleaded with her father while being recorded for a video she knew he was going to see. She was blindfolded, and struggling against the ropes that appeared to be restraining her to a seat inside a basement.

"I'm scared… I don't want to die…"

"And… cut!" Ayano announced, stopping the recording.

Musume relaxed in the chair. "Are we done?"

"Yup, and you were awesome, by the way."

"Oh, thank goodness," Musume sighed as she stood up, taking off the blindfold and letting the loose rope slip off of her.

Chuckling, Ayano took the video camera off the stand and made her way upstairs, Musume close behind her.

Kokona and Saki bolted up in their seats as Ayano entered the living room with Musume.

"Did you get it?" Saki asked excitedly.

"We sure did," Ayano replied with a grin, holding up the camera.

It all began at lunchtime in school on Monday, when Ayano had overheard Kokona hesitating to talk to her best friend, Saki, about what seemed at that time to be issues she was having with her dad. It was only when Ayano had decided to arrange a meeting with Kokona to speak with her about her problem, that it was revealed that Kokona's dad was in debt to loan sharks, and would cry and vent to his daughter about his debt problem whenever he was drunk. Kokona had been spending a vast amount of her time trying to help her father, and had resorted to earning money in ways which were rather unprincipled.

When Ayano offered to help, Kokona was worried about getting her involved. However, Ayano already something up her sleeve. After learning the name of the loan shark company that Kokona's father was in debt to, she found out that the company's owner had a daughter that was going to their school. She just had to befriend the girl and get her to do a favour for them. When Ayano took her new 'best friend' to speak with Kokona about her dad's debt issue, the well-to-do student was deeply moved by her story, and agreed to be involved in Ayano's plan to aid her.

Ayano took a seat on her couch and played the video while the three other girls crowded around her to watch it. It ended with the group erupting in snickers and giggles.

"Wow Musume, you'd be an amazing actress!" Kokona commented in admiration.

"Yeah, that video right there, is the most convincing one I've ever seen," Saki added.

"Aww… you girls are too kind," Musume answered, playfully doing a hair flip. "Thank you so much, Sweeties!"

"Aright, let's do this," said Ayano, after she had loaded the video into her phone.

"Are you sure you won't get into trouble for doing this, Ayano?" Asked a concerned Kokona.

"Oh, it'll be impossible to trace this number after we're done," Ayano reassured her with a grin. Thank you Info-Chan… She thought to herself, before handing the phone to Musume. "Put your dad's number in for me will you?"

"Right, here you go."

Ayano's heart raced as she was given the phone back, and took a deep breath to calm herself. It was only at that moment when she realised how insane she was for coming up with such a plan. They were a bunch of high school kids about to find trouble with the owner of a loan shark company!

"Looks like we're really doing this… I'm sending the video you guys… This is it…"

"Like, oh my gawsh! Just send it already! Do it! Do it! Do it!" Musume exclaimed, just as anxious.

With trembling fingers, Ayano sent the first message, attaching the video right after.

"Watch this video."

The atmosphere was tense as all four girls were silent. The wait for a response, to them, seemed much longer than it actually was.

"You scumbag! What have you done to my daughter?!"

Everyone watching the chat flinched, startled when the reply message finally popped up.

"Oh no… Oh no…" Kokona gasped, biting on her nail. "This is crazy! Why did we agree to this?"

Ayano on the other hand, had calmed down significantly. She had taken the first step, and there was no turning back. She confidently typed out a reply.

"I haven't harmed her… yet. If you ever want to see her again, you must do as I say."

"Nice one, Ayano," said Saki, though she was still anxiously watching the screen for the next reply, which came in soon enough.

"What do you want from me?!"

"Here we go…" Ayano muttered.

"Free all of your clients from debt."

She looked up from her phone and nodded at the others, who nodded back in approval.

"Are you insane? That would sink my business!"

"Woah!" The group exclaimed in amusement after seeing that response.

Musume groaned. "Seriously, Daddy? Seriously?"

"Oh wow, you guys really think he won't do it?" Saki asked, worried.

"Let's do a little more convincing, shall we?" Ayano suggested with a smirk.

"For every day that your clients remain in debt, I'll remove one of your daughter's fingers. If you want her back in one piece, you must act immediately."

Ayano glanced up again to see the other three staring at her in amazement.

"Ayano, that was brutal," Saki commented.

Musume humorously scooted away from Ayano. "Like, I don't know if I should really be afraid, or…"

"Where did you even get an idea like that?" Enquired Kokona.

Ayano just laughed. "Wouldn't you like to know, eh?"

Their conversation was interrupted by another reply.

"You monster! Fine… I'll do it."

Right after that response, Ayano tossed the phone onto the coffee table and leaned back in her seat, sighing in relief.

"Good decision," she said out loud.

The other three echoed her mood, and loosened up as well.

"Phew, that was intense," Saki pointed out.

"I can't believe that just happened," Kokona said, recovering from a bit of a shock. "Like, did we actually just do that?"

Ayano and Musume high-fived each other.

"Good job Sweetie."

"You too."

Kokona's phone then started ringing and she answered the call.

"Hi Dad… really?... That's great news!... Ye-yeah… that is strange, isn't it?"

She winked at the other three girls.

"Alright then, see you soon!"

She then hung up and gave her friends a huge grin. "My dad just got a call, his debts have been wiped clean!"

The girls cheered and hugged one another happily.

Kokona addressed Ayano and Musume. "I can't thank you two enough for saving my dad! I owe you guys so much!"

"Oh Darling, after hearing what you were going through? I just had to," replied Musume.

Ayano gave her a warm smile. "It's my pleasure."

Saki bounced over and gave her best friend a big hug. "I'm so happy for you, Kokona!"

Ayano glanced at the clock. "It's getting late. Kokona, Saki, you guys should head on home. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Alright, see you, and thank you again!"

After seeing Kokona and Saki out, Ayano shut the door and turned to Musume. "So, we have a couple of hours before I have to put you in a box. What do you want to do?"

"I can't believe I'll be like, sleeping in a box tonight! Ugh, what do I want to do? I'm stepping out for awhile, I totally need a smoke right now!"