Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 154, Section 29: "His and Her Story in Tokyo (2)"

"Ugh, my stomach feels terrible."

Masumi walked out of the coffee shop with a pale face, his mouth filled with the taste of sweet cream. He realized that too much sugar intake could also bring pain, and his expression twisted involuntarily.

Mami, standing next to him, shook her head and sighed, "I told you Masumi-kun shouldn't have forced himself on."

"You ate so much too, aren't you feeling unwell?" Masumi asked.

"of course."

The moment her lips parted slightly, her tongue, stained dark with chocolate, was faintly visible.

"His tongue was stained chocolate color."

Mami made a reluctant face. "Masumi-kun, help me clean it up."

"How do I do it?"

"A grown-up's kiss." Mami gave a meaningful smile. "A first kiss that tastes like chocolate, that should be nice, right?"

"Please stop messing with me."

Masumi couldn't help but smile wryly, while Mami, as if drawn in by it, laughed with delight.

"Speaking of which, where are you taking me, Masumi-kun?"

As the two walked the streets of Tokyo, one of them remarked, "Isn't it too early to go to a love hotel at this hour?"

"It's too early. We should wait until at least five o'clock."

"Huh?" Mami was slightly surprised, then smiled and said, "We still have three hours. Where should we kill time? The Mouse Paradise?"

"Just mentioning the name of the park shouldn't be considered copyright infringement, and Tokyo Disneyland isn't even in Tokyo, is it?"

“Ugh, this is troublesome.” Ms. Asami shrugged. “It’s good that you’ve made your decision, Masumi-kun. You’ve been in Tokyo for five years, you must know at least a few interesting places.”

"The longer you stay, the more boring it becomes."

After blurting out those words, Mami gave Masumi a quick once-over, then puffed out her cheeks like a hamster with its mouth stuffed full, looking displeased.

Seeing this, Masumi looked helpless. "I remember there's a park nearby. How about we go for a walk there?"

"The park is a bit boring though. Do boys and girls usually go to the park for dates?"

Masumi shook her head. "The park I'm taking you to isn't an ordinary park; it's a very special one."

"A special park?"

Miss Mami opened her eyes wide with curiosity.

Let's tolerate Masumi's suspense for now, and the two of them take the Yamanote Line to Shinjuku Station.

After getting off the platform and crossing the streets of Melaka, the DoCoMo building stood in the distance, overlooking the two figures walking steadily, watching them finally stop in front of a large park.

"What do you mean by a special park? Turns out it's Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden."

Mami sighed, looking bored.

"Isn't Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden special enough?" Masumi asked.

"If Masumi-kun says so, then it is."

"Then let's go in."

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is the largest national park in Tokyo, spanning Shinjuku and Shibuya wards. Evergreen plants can be seen all year round, making it a landscape garden that combines Japanese and Western styles.

Masumi bought two tickets at the automatic ticket machine at the entrance, which cost a total of 400 yen. After the ticket gate swallowed the tickets, the sound of the automatic door opening rang out.

On a Monday afternoon, the park was unsurprisingly empty. Even the high school boy who aspired to be a shoemaker was obediently back in school at this time.

Entering the park from Shinjuku Gate, they are greeted by the Mother and Child Forest, followed by a Japanese garden and a landscape garden, and finally a French-style garden, covering a total area of ​​53 hectares in Tokyo, where land is extremely valuable.

"This park is so big, it doesn't feel like Shinjuku at all," Mami exclaimed.

Masumi nodded. "I felt the same way when I first came here."

"Did Masumi-kun used to come here for walks often?"

"I don't visit often, but I did spend 2000 yen on an annual pass. I quite like the French-style garden here."

“A French garden…” Mami murmured to herself, “Speaking of which, in this island nation, anything with the French prefix immediately becomes different.”

"Have it?"

"Yes, for example, when someone asks you what you had for breakfast, saying toast is perfectly normal, but if you say French toast, people will immediately exclaim, 'Oh, how cute!'"

“Like this or something,” Mami said, spreading her palms.

"I see."

Masumi nodded, drawing an analogy, "For example, if someone asks, 'What did you and your partner do yesterday?' Saying 'kissing' is too ordinary, but saying 'French kiss' will make people blurt out, 'Wow, that's so bold.'"

“That’s right, that’s right.” Mami gave him a knowing smile and patted his shoulder lightly. “Masumi-kun, you know a lot, but… are you perhaps hinting at something?”

"I'm just trying to mimic your thought process."

"Seriously, being more frank would make you more popular with girls."

"I think you're happy enough," Masumi said, looking at the smiling Mami.

"I'm happy because I'm out for a walk."

"Really? I didn't know you were such a passionate outdoor enthusiast?"

“There are many things about me that Masumi-kun doesn’t know.”

She proudly curled her nose, "For example, does Masumi-kun know my measurements?"

"What are you saying all of a sudden?" Masumi sighed, then thought for a moment and rattled off a string of numbers: "97-63-92?"

"I'm sorry, that's the wrong answer."

"Huh? Which data is wrong?" Masumi was quite confident in her memory. "Could it be that my waist has gotten bigger again—"

"I haven't gained any weight at all! And it's 62.99, not 63! Masumi-kun's math is terrible, decimals are something you learn in elementary school."

Asami poked his cheek with her index finger, and her rebuttals and accusations came out like a machine gun.

"Okay, I understand. Then it's 97-62.99-92."

"Still wrong."

Asami withdrew her finger and walked forward. Masumi's gaze fell on Asami's full curves, which were clearly visible even through her clothes, and she seemed to be deep in thought.

◇

"There are so many plants that I don't know the names of. It feels like I'm doing holiday homework from my school days."

Asami ran her fingertips across the tender green leaves and sighed.

"Investigating plant ecology?"

"Yeah, it seems all high school holiday assignments are the same across the island."

“I went to the Kobe Municipal Forest Botanical Garden in the Rokko Mountains at that time,” Masumi said.

"Pretty much, I'm going to the Kusatsu Municipal Aquatic Botanical Park, Mizu no Mori."

Chatting about trivial matters, the two strolled leisurely through thickets of dawn redwood and oak, until they could see the pond in the center of the Japanese garden.

Masumi's blue canvas shoes and Asami's nude pink strappy heels, even though they were very close at this moment, still made different rhythms with their footsteps.

His gaze inadvertently drifted down to his feet and he noticed that Asami's snow-white ankles had obvious marks from the straps.

"You've been walking for so long, don't your feet hurt? Why don't you take a break?"

"It does hurt a bit. Let's walk a little further, towards the old Imperial Pavilion."

"It seems a bit far, is that alright?"

"No problem, you don't need to go to the end, just go to the middle."

What's in the middle?

"Masumi-kun doesn't know that movie? It's so famous."

On the way to the old pavilion, you will pass a pavilion called the East Pavilion, which is the one Mami was referring to.

There was no one in the pavilion. The sky was overcast, the shadows of the trees swayed, and the occasional ray of sunlight that peeked through the clouds turned bright green through the branches of the maple trees, casting gentle shadows on the two people.

“So it’s the Garden of Words.” Masumi nodded knowingly.

"So Masumi-kun has seen it after all."

Asami nodded slightly and gently parted her soft lips:
"There is faint thunder and a gloomy sky, but I hope the wind and rain will come and keep you here."

She paused here, a mischievous smile on her face, "Has Masumi-kun ever encountered a drunk female teacher here?"

Masumi shrugged. "How could such an anime-like plot happen to me?"

"Really? But didn't Masumi-kun say that he's the male protagonist of a light novel?" Mami persisted.

“There are many different themes in light novels.” A smile appeared on Asami’s lips, her eyes reflecting the surrounding scenery and sparkling, but her tone was full of regret.

"It's a pity it didn't rain today, which doesn't suit the mood of this short song."

"Neither of us brought umbrellas, it would be terrible if it rained."

"Isn't this exactly what this short song is about?"

I hope that when the storm comes, you will stay here.

“That’s the first half of the sentence,” Masumi replied. “As for the second half…”

Thud—the sole of a high heel landed on the ground of the gazebo.

Her fair, bare feet slid effortlessly out of her shoes. Mami crossed her legs on the bench, bent down, and gently touched the red mark on her ankle with her fingertips, her brows furrowing slightly.

"Oops, what a blunder. Strolling in the park in high heels is definitely not as easy as it seems."

“I have a band-aid in my pocket,” Masumi said.

"It's not that serious, it's just that my muscles are a little sore from walking for so long."

"What should I do?"

"Hmm... what should I do?"

Asami lifted her foot slightly, her round and cute toes pointing straight up, the tips of her toes clean and unpainted.

"How about you rub it for me, Masumi-kun?" she said jokingly.

"..."

Masumi stared at her silently, a thoughtful expression on her face, saying nothing, and a silent atmosphere lingered between them.

Before she could finish speaking, a wave of embarrassment washed over Mami, manifesting on her face as her cheeks turned bright red and hot.

"Ahem, I was just kidding, but Masumi-kun, you should at least give me a response, really."

She played with her hair, then looked away, revealing a beautiful curve in her fair legs.

"Um, sorry, I was thinking about something just now. What did you say?"

Masumi snapped out of her reverie, and when she asked Asami, she turned her face away, looking at the "Somei Yoshino" sign hanging on the tree trunk. "The cherry blossoms must be so beautiful in spring," she muttered to herself.

"He deliberately left me hanging after I said something embarrassing, Masumi-kun is so mean..."

By the end, her words were almost inaudible, and Mami's ears were bright red; she looked quite shy.

She untied her crossed legs, keeping her upper body still, bent her knees, and hugged her thighs tightly. Her icy toes were suddenly startled as they were enveloped by warm breath.

"Masumi-kun?"

"Give me your foot," Masumi said casually.

"Eh? Yeah."

Her eyes opened wide, then narrowed as if she were embarrassed. Asami let Masumi hold her foot and gently lift it up.

The warm palm lines rubbed against the soles of her feet, and Masumi held her fair arches, her thumb scraping along the symmetrical metatarsal bones.

Perhaps it was itchy, because whenever his fingers slid across Mami's skin, she would flinch and let out a soft sound from between her lips, which Masumi would then suppress with her palm.

"Masumi-kun..."

"what happened?"

Masumi looked up and saw Asami with a completely red face.

"Why are you so skilled?"

She looked at herself with a complicated expression.

"Oh, it's not the first time we've done this."

"Huh? Who else?"

“I massaged Kurokawa’s ankle a little when she twisted it while running. I also helped apply medicine to Kamishiro when she was in Daikichi. I also cleaned the dirt between Hanekawa’s toes at the Sea House.”

Masumi, engrossed in her explanation, completely failed to notice that Mami's face was turning from red to black, and she heard Mami's clearly dissatisfied voice:

"Unbelievable, Masumi-kun, you must be a foot fetishist!"

"..."

"……Maybe."

Holding her snow-white, slender foot in her palm, Masumi gently traced the texture of her skin with her fingertips—soft, delicate, like a meticulously crafted pastry.

The simple desire to hold on forever surged into his heart, even making his resolve to deny this obsession waver.

"Asami."

"Ok?"

Masumi, with a serious expression, slowly began to speak:

"I still want you after all."

"Whoa! What did Masumi-kun suddenly say?!" Mami blushed and said shyly, "Is this a confession?"

"Hmm, if it were Masumi-kun who was the one I experienced it with, I wouldn't mind~"

She lowered her eyelashes quietly, twisting her fingers together to hide her inner turmoil.

"I don't know if we can do it well, but if we both try our best, we shouldn't have too many bad memories... What do you think, Masumi-kun?"

She looked up again and saw Masumi's hesitant expression.

"Um, sorry for speaking irresponsibly, what I actually meant to say was the illustrations in light novels."

"..."

"Go to hell! Masumi-kun."

Masumi reached out and grabbed Asami's other foot as she kicked upwards.

He grabbed both feet and lifted them up, his thighs dangling in the air. Mami suddenly lost her balance, her upper body falling backward and crashing onto the bench.

"Hi~ It hurts!"

Mami clutched the back of her head in pain.

"Are you alright?" Masumi quickly got up.

Mami remained silent, lying on the bench with her arms outstretched towards the sky.

Masumi paused for a moment, then reached out and tightly grasped Mami's slender fingers, pulling her up.

"Seriously, it's all Masumi-kun's fault for what happened just now," Mami complained.

"Yes, yes, I'm sorry, it was my fault."

Masumi stood there, clasped her hands together, and apologized to her.

Seeing his serious expression, Mami's expression softened visibly. She sighed and stopped arguing with him, instead lightly kicking Masumi's shin with her toe.

"What's wrong?" Masumi asked, sounding puzzled.

“…Continue with what we were doing earlier.”

Asami spoke shyly, her voice barely audible.

"Hey, you should be alright by now, right?"

"Masumi-kun is unwilling?"

"No." Masumi shook her head helplessly. "Never mind, consider it an apology for my slip of the tongue earlier."

He squatted down in front of her and picked up Mami's feet again, but instead of looking at her cute feet, he stared intently at Mami's face.

"Why are you staring at me like that, Masumi-kun?"

Feeling the muscles in her shoulders, which had been taut, relax silently, Mami unconsciously relaxed the expression on her face.

"I just wanted to ask, how long should I knead it?"

"Keep kneading until I'm satisfied." Mami smiled, her eyes narrowing.

"It's as unreasonable as a June downpour," Masumi sighed.

Mami smiled and said, "I'm sorry, Masumi-kun, I'm just unreasonable."

Unlike the trip to Kyoto, Osaka and Uji with six other people, this was a special time. Far from the hustle and bustle, the world consisted only of Asami and Masumi.

This is the only way I can think of to hold onto this moment.

"There's faint thunder and a gloomy sky. Even if there's no rain, I'll stay here."

Asami lowered her voice, muttering to herself as if she were groaning.

(End of this chapter)