Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 129, Section 5: "Being misunderstood is the fate of those who express themselves."

From the following day onward, the "Starry Night" coffee shop was filled with the atmosphere of artistic creators.

Mr. Hojo and Masumi, who serialize web light novels, Shiratori, who writes interviews about coffee shops, and Asami, who is simultaneously working on her doujinshi manuscript and preparing to submit her original manga.

"Let's get started on the interview as soon as possible, Mr. Miyazawa."

Shiratori held a thick notebook covered in fluorescent sticky notes, her eyes shining brightly.

"It's business hours now."

"It's okay, the customers haven't arrived yet, it won't take more than a few minutes, please."

“…I understand.” Masumi gave a resigned look. “Ask whatever you want to ask.”

"Thank you very much!"

Without beating around the bush, Shiratori opened his notebook and got straight to the point.

"First question: Mr. Miyazawa, what was your original intention in opening this coffee shop?"

"That's my father's shop."

"I see, so it's about upholding the fine traditions passed down through generations of the family."

The white bird nodded slightly, holding a pen in its hand, and wrote furiously on the paper:
"Mr. Masumi Miyazawa, the young owner and head barista of the Starry Night Cafe, said: 'Long-term management is the core philosophy of our cafe. Since my father's time, this cafe has been providing delicious coffee to the citizens of Kobe. This is not only a plan for time, but also a commitment to future responsibility. A cup of coffee, 70 years, a commitment of two generations...'"

Did I just say that?

"Please don't worry about such a small thing."

Shiratori finished speaking with satisfaction, then looked up and continued to stare directly at him. "Now for the second question."

"Mr. Miyazawa, what are your feelings when you make coffee and when you face customers?"

"I didn't have any special feelings, I was just doing it in an ordinary way."

"In other words... 'Making coffee and serving customers wholeheartedly has become an indispensable part of my life, requiring no deliberate effort,' right?"

"Ah, as expected of Mr. Miyazawa. This calm yet earnest attitude must be the secret to 'Starry Night's' rising popularity in recent months."

"If you continue to arbitrarily change Masumi's meaning, I'll chop off your right pinky finger."

Kurokawa Mio spoke coldly behind her.

"Guuuuu!"

Upon hearing this, Shiratori's legs went weak, but she still bravely confronted him head-on, "Well, as journalist Louise Spencer wrote in her book with Vinicius Navarro, all expression is a transformation. I simply added a few details to that transformation..."

"Even so, please don't be so exaggerated." Masumi sighed.

"Well, I didn't want to either, but that's just how magazine interviews are."

Shiratori launched into a tirade, saying, "When I first started out, my first interview as a magazine reporter was so rigid, so direct, and so unembellished that I was severely reprimanded by the editor-in-chief and humiliated in front of all the staff."

"The so-called magazine writers sound impressive, but in reality they are just all show and no substance, just writers who write whatever they are given."

Perhaps because she was thirsty, she looked up at Masumi and said, "By the way, could I have a cold brew coffee?"

"470 yen."

"Ice water, thank you."

After drinking the entire glass of water in one gulp, Shiratori slammed it hard on the table as if she wanted to smash the glass.

"I can't take it anymore! Is life just an endless hell?!"

Unbelievable! The ice water just now contained absolutely no alcohol, yet she exuded the dejected aura of an izakaya office worker complaining about the workplace.

"They say, 'Just give me whatever you need,' take on the writing assignments, then face incredibly early deadlines and meager paychecks, struggling to make ends meet—that's what magazine journalists are all about."

"I couldn't stand this hell, so I resolutely quit my job at the magazine and chose to become a freelance writer."

"What advantages do freelance writers have over magazine reporters?" Masumi asked.

"I have more freedom."

"So, does that mean we still have to face incredibly early deadlines and pitifully low royalties, leaving us with nothing but worry?"

"..."

"Could you please refill my glass with ice water?"

“Our cups are very clean. Your idea of ​​using the residual caffeine on the cup to numb yourself won’t work.”

"Wait! Please don't make me sound so pitiful."

Shiratori gulped down her second glass of water in one go, then slumped her shoulders in despair, letting out a sound of self-abandonment from her throat.

"That's right, I'm a complete failure as a freelance writer. I live alone in a 52-year-old wooden house with a room that's only four and a half tatami mats in size. Not only does it lack a bathroom, but it's also a haunted house. It takes 20 minutes to walk to the station. That damned cabinet only knows how to raise the consumption tax and doesn't care about prices. A 500 yen bento box has gone up to 800 yen, forcing me to rely on writing articles to freeload. Now I'm drowning in a huge debt and stuck in this coffee shop..."

"Ha ha ha ha ha……"

She let out a laugh that made one wonder about her mental state.

"9070 yen? You can't even buy a piece of the sky the size of a fingernail, can you?" Masumi retorted. "Besides, no one's detaining you."

He wasn't so heartless as to call the police and send her to the police station just because she was penniless and over 9000 yen.

No, this might actually be helping her, since the police station offers free pork cutlet rice, it just requires Shiratori to shed a few tears.

"I see, thank you, Mr. Miyazawa!" She suddenly felt inexplicably excited.

"What did I just say?"

"Are you trying to tell me that people have to pay a price for pursuing the right to freedom, and that even if it's just a tiny bit of sky, as long as you persevere and don't give up the pursuit, there will always be a day when you can have a vast and boundless sky, right?"

The white bird, who had been looking gloomy and muttering to itself, suddenly widened its eyes and spoke in a serious tone.

"Thank you, Mr. Miyazawa. My fighting spirit has been rekindled."

It turns out that the technique of exaggerating in interviews can also be used to deceive oneself, giving Masumi another new life experience.

However, he didn't intend to correct him. Good, this way, the guy probably won't keep bothering him.

Just as he thought the troublesome interview was over and was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he heard her making a "crunching" sound while sucking on ice cubes.

"I think this coffee shop interview is an opportunity bestowed upon me by the gods, and I must take advantage of this project to soar to new heights!"

“So let’s continue the interview, Mr. Miyazawa,” she said enthusiastically.

"Isn't it over yet?"

"The questions we just asked were too formulaic and lacked any real impact."

Shiratori thought for a moment, a knowing smile appearing on her face. "Speaking of which, I'm still very curious about Mr. Miyazawa's relationship with those beautiful shop assistants..."

"I'm telling you, you better stop this now." Kurokawa Mio tied a knot between her brows, looking displeased. "Don't keep bothering Masumi like this."

"Don't you think your relationship with Masumi is too close?"

"Hey, is there any?"

"Have."

The beautiful woman with long, honey-gold hair stood ramrod straight, her rosy lips curving into a dangerous arc as she looked down at her.

“From morning until now, you have spoken to Masumi 46 times, made eye contact 12 times, and accidentally touched her skin 3 times: the tip of your right index finger, the tip of your right middle finger, and the second joint of your left hand (excluding the thumb)…”

"Oh, I see. You have a very keen eye for detail."

"Because whenever Masumi is here, my gaze will be unconsciously drawn to her."

Kurokawa Mio casually tossed her hair. "So, what are you planning to do?"

Shiratori was completely bewildered. "What? What do we do?"

"Humans commit sins and must be punished to atone for them, right? So, are you planning to peel off the skin that came into contact with Masumi yourself, or should I help you?"

"Ugh! Spare me, spare my life!"

The white bird was already deathly pale.

"I was just doing this for an interview, I absolutely didn't mean anything else, please rest assured. Actually, I'm gay... no! I'm a paper-loving, uh, a food-loving! I only like food!"

"I will be mindful of my distance from Mr. Miyazawa! Please be magnanimous and give me a break!"

While smoothing out the wrinkles on his trousers, Shiratori secretly peeked at Kurokawa Mio's expression. If all else failed, he would have no choice but to kneel down and apologize.

"No need for kneeling." She waved her hand like an overbearing queen. "It's enough that you realize that. After all, I'm not some kind of demon."

“That’s right, that’s right.” Shiratori nodded vigorously, a fawning smile on her face. “You’re an angel, you and Mr. Miyazawa are a match made in heaven!”

Rinne, who was wiping the glass of the dessert display case, frowned slightly upon hearing this. "It seems you do possess the qualities of a professional writer."

Kurokawa Mio nodded slightly, satisfied, and lowered her sharp gaze. "If you want to interview me, you can ask me or other girls. Don't bother Masumi."

"Um, Ms. Kurokawa..."

"It's Miss Mio." She snorted again through her nose.

"Yes, Ms. Mio." Shiratori nodded repeatedly, like a chick pecking at rice. "Ms. Mio, would you like to be interviewed?"

"Just don't let your thoughts wander off."

“Of course, let’s not delay, let’s start the interview now!” She skillfully opened her notebook again.

...Is everything alright?

Masumi looked at the two girls who were about to begin the interview with concern.

Whether it's Kurokawa's actual statement or Shiratori's embellishments, it's hard to feel at ease.

"Oh well, it probably won't pass the draft." The thought rose to the surface like bubbles in soda water, making Masumi feel a little relieved.

"Hey, Yuukawa, don't sleep on the table."

Haiyue, unbeknownst to him, was sitting to his left, her cheek resting on her arm as she leaned on the table, her elbow lightly touching Masumi's upper arm.

"sleepy……"

"Did you stay up late playing mobile games again last night?"

"I only played for... a little while..."

The jellyfish girl's words grew softer and weaker, and she was about to drift off to sleep. As Masumi listened to her soft voice, she couldn't help but yawn.

"Did you sleep well last night?"

A clear, cool voice sounded in my ear, yet its tone was as gentle as a fledgling swallow's feathers.

So close! Masumi turned her head slightly and saw a close-up of Rinne's face at an extremely close distance, the citrus scent from her hair wafting to her nose.

He suppressed the urge to sneeze, quietly lowered his eyelashes, and the girl's fragrant, light breath gave Masumi goosebumps.

"A little bit."

"Really? There have been more and more customers in the shop lately, and you're the only barista. It must be hard work for you. You need to take a break."

Rinne expressed her concern earnestly through her eyes and voice.

"There's still some time before noon, why don't you go back to your room and rest first? I'll take care of things for you in the meantime."

“No need.” Masumi shook her head gently. “After all, this is my job, and I’m not that sleepy.”

“You’re already very busy, managing both the kitchen and the dining area. I don’t want to give you any extra work.”

"Really?"

An inexplicable warmth settled on her shoulder, and she naturally placed her hand on it, making it impossible for Masumi to ignore that soft, fragrant palm.

Her fair and delicate face moved closer without any restraint; it was too close, too close. Such a distance wasn't good for her heart.

Rinne parted her lips slightly and slowly spoke: "If you feel unwell, tell me immediately. You must not force yourself."

"I will take care of your work, and I will also improve my coffee-making skills as soon as possible, striving to reach a point where I won't hold you back."

"Well, I see."

What's it like to have this feeling of being a kept man?

Under Masumi's questioning gaze, she explained nonchalantly, "You always noticed me and cared about me when I was acting strangely, so I wanted to try doing the same for you."

"This, this is it."

"I'll ask one more time, is everything really alright?"

Rinne emphasized with concern, "I'm very skilled and used to the work of the store manager, the kitchen staff, and the waiter, so it wouldn't be a problem if I had to take on the job of a barista as well."

"No, I'm really fine."

The breath she exhaled tickled Masumi's ear.

It wasn't just his imagination that he slightly distanced himself from the citrus-scented pretty girl; he always felt that Kamishiro's personality had softened considerably lately.

If at first glance she was a piece of sharp-edged, cold ice, then now she's like the softest, most glutinous bite of a snow skin dumpling: an unsuspectingly cute appearance, a refreshing coolness, a soft yet non-sticky texture, and just the right amount of sweetness.

Kamishiro is clearly busier than me, not only because she has more responsibilities, but also because she has to balance her studies and occasionally help out at the orphanage.

If he were to entrust the task of brewing coffee to her as well, wouldn't he really become a gigolo kept by a beautiful heiress?

"That's fine too."

She didn't care at all and said seriously, "Mr. Jing Jian entrusted me to take good care of you, so it is my responsibility as his successor."

These words are touching, yet also somewhat subtle.

Could it be that Father considered me part of the coffee shop and passed it on to you as well? Masumi thought to herself.

"Hey, Rinne, what are you doing? Don't you dare sneak away!"

Kurokawa Mio abruptly interrupted the interview, shoving Shiratori aside, a murderous smile playing on her lips.

"What exactly happened? It seems like ever since you came back from Uji, you've become so distant from Masumi."

"Does Mio, who has always lacked tact, have the right to criticize me?"

"Tsk, she's the store manager, chef, and pastry chef all in one, still attending university classes as usual, and now she has to take on the role of barista. With Rinne's feelings... isn't this a bit too much of a burden?"

"What's wrong with having a strong sense of responsibility?"

Rinne calmly retorted, "It's better than someone who recklessly abandoned everything and chased after us from Tokyo to Kobe."

“Masumi is everything to me, so I haven’t abandoned anything.”

"Only Mio could say something like that without any shame."

The interrupted Shiratori showed no displeasure whatsoever; on the contrary, she became even more excited. Watching the two women engage in a heated exchange, she gripped her ballpoint pen in her right hand and began writing furiously.

Even if Masumi connected neurons to coffee beans, she could still guess what Masumi had written.

Writing gossip for a food magazine would probably have absolutely no chance of being accepted.

He frowned and turned to the two girls arguing.

They can't keep arguing like this. They've been together for three months now, and Masumi hopes their relationship can get better.

Whether for now or for the future of the coffee shop.

But directly mediating the fight would likely put me in an awkward position, caught in the middle asking, "Masumi, whose side of the story do you agree with?" So... I'm sorry! The only option I can use is to shift the blame elsewhere.

"Miss Shiratori, you didn't write anything strange, did you?"

"Huh?" The sudden pointing of the spear startled Shiratori, who shrank back like a quail.

"Of course not!"

Feeling guilty, she closed the notebook and hugged it tightly to her chest.

Her obvious actions immediately caught the attention of Kurokawa Mio and Rinne. The two women abandoned their argument and gave the unconventional writer a sharp look.

"Well, it's in a writer's nature to follow trending events and conflicts, so..."

"Ugh! I know! I'll delete this part! Please, spare me, spare my life!"

Amidst the chaos, Masumi glanced at Kaigetsu, who was slumped over the table.

Even in such a noisy environment, the jellyfish girl slept soundly and peacefully.

He thought for a moment, then took off his uniform jacket and gently covered her with it.

"Well……"

The girl's thick eyelashes trembled slightly.

Masumi's phone, which was on the table, vibrated.

He picked it up; it was a LINE message from Asami.

Ryujinin Michiyo: "Masumi-kun, come to my room for a moment."

Ryujinin Michiyo: "I need your help with something."

(End of this chapter)