Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 165, Section 6: "September, Six People Leisurely Strolling Through the Complex (The End)"

After placing her shopping bags on the chair, Masumi took a big bite of the freshly made crepes, which were still warm, and the sweetness of the whipped cream spread across her tongue.

It's not strawberry harvest season now, but the fruit is sweet with a refreshing tartness, and it's sprinkled with chocolate shavings—everything is just right.

It was just past 2 PM, and the food street was not crowded. Influenced by the nearby Awaga Town, the whole street had the atmosphere of a traditional post town, with an antique charm that seemed to offer a glimpse into the atmosphere of Kobe during the late Edo period.

"Rinne's toast is so cute, it's even shaped like a cat!" Chiai exclaimed in amazement.

"I bought it from that bakery called 'NekoNeko'."

The heiress is eating a cat-ear shaped toast sandwich.

"Is it filled with cheese?"

"Ah."

The sound of Rinne gently lifting her leg seemed to come from under the table. Where no one could see, the girl swung her toes like a black cat wagging its tail, looking like she was in a good mood.

She held the toast sandwich in both hands and took a small bite.
The toast was soft, with a hint of milky sweetness and the rich aroma of wheat, which made Rinne's eyebrows relax.

Then--

"Well."

The cheese melted from the warm breath exhaled from the lips, stretching into sticky threads in mid-air that couldn't be broken no matter how hard you pulled.

"Rinne?"

Qian Ai, standing next to her, tilted her head.

"Are you ok?"

"Hmm, just a moment."

Making muffled sounds, Rinne carefully rolled the cheese shreds into her mouth with her tongue, then held the sandwich and continued to stretch it forward.

The chewy cheese stretched until it was as thick as a hair before breaking and springing back, just like the girl's rosy lips, which seemed to be wrapped in a layer of glue, glistening with a smooth and alluring sheen.

"The cheese here is made with the real deal."

Stunned, Chiai could only sigh, then, seeing Rinne's slightly embarrassed expression, she changed the subject:

"What does it taste like? Is it good?"

"It's sweet, but the ham inside is very salty."

Rinne licked the sugar off her lips, couldn't help but frown, and showed Chiai the bitten side of the candy.

The cat with its two ears bitten off has a row of light, neat teeth marks on its head.

"Would you like a bite, Qian'ai?"

"Uh, I don't have the confidence to bite through that much cheese."

"It's okay to eat them all."

"That's too high in calories, so let's avoid it."

Qian'ai waved her hand in refusal, then suddenly realized and said, "Wait, Rinne isn't helpless with this thing and wants me to help you solve it, is she?"

“…That’s not the case.”

Rinne replied with her usual indifferent expression, her lips slightly parted as she breathed into the air in the store, her brows furrowed.

The cheese that slowly slides down your throat has a strange, sticky feel that makes you feel uncomfortable.

"It's obviously there."

"I won't do anything childish or willful."

Rinne wiped the sugar off her lips with a tissue, stubbornly sticking to her own opinion. She still had most of the toast sandwich left in her hand, and she ate it one small bite at a time with proper manners.

Masumi smiled wryly as she noticed the plastic film wrapping the sandwich was wrinkled from being pinched by her fingers.

"Um, how about I try a bite?"

"Ok?"

Rinne paused for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

Her beautiful purple eyes seemed to say, "You've been a great help," while Qian'ai, standing to the side, chimed in, "You don't have to give it to me, though."

Masumi took a big bite of the toast sandwich that Rinne handed her.

"How does it taste?" Qian Ai asked again.

"Didn't Rinne just tell you, God...?"

"I was asking about Masumi-san's feelings. Everyone's feelings about the same food are different."

In other words, she wanted to understand Masumi's thoughts better.

Qian Ai propped her face up with her hand, her eyes narrowing into a slightly unhappy smile.

"Speaking of which, why has Masumi-nii started calling everyone by their names lately?"

“After all, we’ve spent so much time together and our relationship has improved, so isn’t it only right to change our names?” Masumi said matter-of-factly.

"Eh—a friend?"

Qian Ai said meaningfully.

To quickly steer the conversation away from the topic, Masumi immediately gave her rating, "Let me think... 60 points."

"The smoked ham sandwiched in the middle is indeed very salty, but the cheese is of good quality and the toast has a rich milky aroma."

"Hey—Masumi-nii has a really good appetite."

Her tone was still meaningful; what was wrong with her today?

"Have it?"

"Strawberry fresh cream chocolate chip crepe with a cheese-filled smoked ham toast sandwich, it's a total calorie bomb! To burn off all those calories, Masumi-san will probably have to run from Kobe to Osaka tomorrow."

"What's with that way of reciting the menu, like you're chanting a magic spell?"

Masumi complained expressionlessly, saying that just seeing his face made her angry. Under the table, Chiai gently kicked him.

Fortunately, she was wearing open-toed high-heeled sandals today, and the girl's soft toes gently kicked her calf without causing her any pain. On the contrary, it was Qian Ai who bumped into something and gasped.

With a sharp look in her eyes, Qingmei glared at him fiercely for some reason, and pushed the half-eaten matcha parfait in front of him.

"—Masumi-nii, I'm entrusting my Uji Kintoki to you as well."

The dark green shaved ice is topped with white jade dumplings. Ever since I tried matcha at "Nakamura Tokichi" in Uji, Chiai has loved this flavor.

"Freshly baked hot toast and crepes, plus a chilled matcha parfait, please spare me," Masumi pleaded.

"Even Masumi-nii knows that eating too much at once can cause stomach pain."

Chiai tightened her face, trying hard to create an imposing appearance, and saw Masumi's humble and submissive manner.

Being repeatedly apologized to and begged for forgiveness by a grown man in public was too embarrassing. The heat faded from her eyes, her toes curled, and her toenails and insoles made a soft rubbing sound.

The young girl's heart softened, and she sighed, no longer holding a grudge.

"Alright, let's let Masumi-nii off the hook this time."

Come to think of it, I didn't do anything wrong.

To soothe Aome's feelings, Masumi said sincerely:

"Thank you for your generosity."

Chiai glanced at the smug Masumi, snorted coldly, then, as if suddenly remembering something, looked around, leaned closer, and whispered:
"—Masumi-nii, don't you think Mio-neechan is acting a little strange?"

"Mio and Asami are in line and won't be back for a while, so you don't have to speak so softly."

"Listen to me carefully."

Qian Ai pouted as she spoke.

"Rinne feels the same way, right?" she asked, turning to Rinne.

"Ah."

The heiress nodded slightly.

“Even Rinne…” Masumi was slightly taken aback. “What’s strange about it?”

"This is what they call being blinded by one's own involvement."

Qianai shook her head. "Or is it that Masumi-nii has too many girls around him and can't keep up?"

"Let's try to chat."

There was a sound of liquid dripping on the table. Masumi touched her temple, feeling as if nothing had happened.

The shaved ice stuck to the spoon melted and dripped down. Qian'ai put the spoon in her mouth, straightened her back, stretched her legs straight forward, and her toenails inside her sandals were painted with cherry blossom nail polish.

"disturbed."

she said so.

"I have a feeling that Mio-neechan is feeling very uneasy right now."

Rinne nodded in agreement; both of the most serious girls on the starry sky had expressed their stance.

"Is that so?"

Masumi asked in a puzzled tone, "How did you guys find out?" "That's none of your business, Masumi-nii."

Chiai's lips were pressed into a line, her face full of displeasure, and she bumped her foot into Masumi's foot.

It seems I've unintentionally upset my childhood sweetheart again.

After regaining her composure, she continued, "Doesn't Masumi-nii notice that Mio-neechan has been acting strangely lately?"

“…Of course.”

Not long ago, Masumi was stared at by her dark eyes, which were like a bottomless swamp, and she said something that sounded quite terrifying: she would imprison her.

In addition, Kurokawa's recent movements have been quite quick; in sports terms, he has been very timely in his defensive retreats.

Whenever Masumi is alone with a girl, she will sniff around like a sensitive golden retriever.

"Sniff sniff~"

"Masumi's lips seem to have the scent of another girl."

These words came out of nowhere, and with them, the impact hit his back. Masumi immediately turned around.

"Mio? Aren't you in line to buy..."

Kurokawa Mio interrupted him softly, a sweet smile appearing on her lips.

"Because it would take a long time, I thought Masumi would be lonely if she left me for too long, so I came back first."

"I'm not that useless, am I?" Masumi sighed quietly.

"Yeah, so it was a lie. Actually, I've been away from Masumi for too long and I'm lonely."

Kurokawa Mio's smile remained unchanged, but her eyes were still empty as she pressed him with a detached tone devoid of any emotion:

"So... what's with the smell on Masumi's lips? Did she kiss another girl?"

"How could I do such a thing?" Masumi said helplessly.

"Besides, I just ate so many desserts, which should all taste like sweet cream and sugar. How could Mio smell a woman's scent?"

"I do not know either."

Kurokawa Mio gently shook her head. "I suddenly had this feeling without even realizing it. If Masumi is being intimate with other girls, my mind goes on high alert."

Huh? Such unscientific abilities only appear in manga and light novels, right?
Ignoring Masumi's confusion, Kurokawa Mio gradually brought her face closer, her delicate nose continuously sniffing the scent.

"Although the smells of the strawberry cream chocolate chip crepe and the molten cheese smoked ham toast sandwich distracted me, if I smelled carefully, I could still tell that the aroma was..."

"Um, Mio, I only ate a piece of toast that Rinne had taken a bite out of—"

She wasn't listening to him at all; the scene seemed strangely familiar.

Masumi sat in a chair in the dining area, and Kurokawa Mio sat on his lap close to him.

The sitting posture with legs wide open was quite provocative, but fortunately no one was passing by at that moment.

"Wait, Masumi, I knew who it was in a second..."

Kurokawa Mio buried her face in Masumi's neck, her small nostrils flaring. At such close range, Masumi felt as if she were being driven to a dead end by her emotions.

Faced with the same predicament, the same methods must be used to break through it.

Masumi stretched out her hands, and through her dress, the soft, supple waistline fell into his palms. Kurokawa Mio froze instantly, letting out a soft, sweet voice.

"Waaah!"

Her reaction was even stronger than Masumi had imagined.

In her arms, Kurokawa Mio seemed to melt into snow water, slowly sinking down, her whole body soft and yielding. Masumi quietly accepted the sensations she brought to her.

As if to hide her blushing cheeks, Kurokawa Mio twirled the ends of her hair with her fingers.

As her honey-gold hair gently parted and she uttered those words, Masumi was pulled back to reality.

"Huh, this posture... could it be?"

"Is this the day that will finally come for me and Masumi?"

"—Calm down, Mio, and make sure you know where we are right now."

Masumi put her hand on her shoulder and helped her stand up.

The emotions were so heavy they were almost suffocating. Although Kurokawa had always felt this way, recently she had been immersing herself in her own world more and more frequently, twice in just half a day.

The first time, a simple handshake could resolve the situation, but the second time, you'd need to put your arm around her waist. If things continue like this, wouldn't that be...?

Just like Chiai said, Kurokawa is definitely acting strangely.

After separating from her, Masumi saw Chiai and Rinne staring straight at her face again.

The two girls sitting opposite him were exuding a heavy aura that was no less intense than Kurokawa's earlier.

◇

After indulging in a delicious meal at the food court, the group spent their time at the Tsutaya Bookstore, the arcade, and the cat cafe.

It was past 5 PM when I left AEON Mall Kobe Kita. I never expected to spend the whole day here.

As autumn arrives, the sun sets earlier, and the shadows at my feet have somehow blended into the dark, ultramarine curtain of darkness.

As the rush hour approached, signs of overcrowding were already visible when we arrived at the station. The six of us boarded the last empty tram.

"Masumi-kun, could you move over there? It's so crowded."

Upon boarding the train, Mami plopped down next to Masumi without hesitation, and even though Masumi looked unwilling, she had no choice but to squeeze in.

Shoulders touched, and her buttocks expanded into an exaggerated semicircle on the seat, pressing against the outside of Masumi's thighs.

"Aren't there empty seats across from you? Why do you insist on squeezing in with me?"

"Of course, there will definitely be a lot of students getting on the bus later, and I don't want to squeeze in with them," Mami said matter-of-factly.

"What? Masumi-kun is unwilling?"

"Whatever makes you happy."

Masumi was thinking about something else and only responded to her absentmindedly.

The tram started slowly and began to tilt as it entered the turn.

At this moment, Mami clutched her lower abdomen, her expression unconsciously contorting.

"To be honest, I felt a little nauseous after eating that bowl of ramen this afternoon."

"It's no wonder that such greasy back fat would make you feel nauseous."

The ramen shop in the food street specializes in rich, oily broth, which even Masumi, who considers herself to have no dietary restrictions, finds greasy.

"It's not just because the soup is so rich. I ate a little too much without realizing it. I ate five soft-boiled eggs alone."

"It's all your fault for being greedy."

"Who told the store to be so cunning? They actually launched a promotion where you get a free soft-boiled egg if you follow their SNS accounts. I've followed all of their accounts."

"I heard that fitness enthusiasts only eat the egg whites and not the yolks."

"Eh? Is that so?"

Mami blinked, seemingly lost in thought. "Does protein have the ability to absorb fat? Should I start eating more protein from tomorrow?"

"I think eating so much will actually make you gain weight faster," Masumi kindly reminded her.

"Don't worry, Masumi-kun."

After listening to Masumi's kind advice, Mami's face was filled with smugness.

"I'm going to learn yoga with Ms. Mio tomorrow, so this amount of calories is no problem at all. Just wait and see the perfect figure I've sculpted after my grueling training."

She asserted with absolute confidence.

"Yes, good luck."

Masumi gave a casual reply, but was immediately interrupted by Mami, who seized on the loopholes in his words to criticize him.

"You are completely wrong, Masumi-kun."

"At this moment, you shouldn't say 'Good luck,' but rather 'I'm really looking forward to seeing Mami-sama's amazing figure,' did you hear me?"

"Well, please spare me from saying such shameful things."

"Masumi-kun..."

Mami suddenly stood up from her seat, her tall and voluptuous figure casting a long shadow in the carriage, obscuring Masumi's face.

"What's wrong? Are you tired of sitting? You just got on the bus."

Masumi looked up and found that Mami was staring at her with a cold gaze and an unfriendly tone.

"Hmm, I'm tired of sitting, so I'm going to find another place to sit."

As if a crime had been foretold, Masumi felt a sense of foreboding.

"Wait a minute—hiss!"

Her untrained, full, round buttocks slammed solidly against Masumi's legs.

The scenery outside the car window flashed by at high speed, like a series of film frames.

(End of this chapter)