Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 171, Section 12: "The Miyazawa Family's Cats and Dogs: Romance Topics at the Women's Meeting 2.0"

"Huh? Why is it ginger ale?"

Mami blinked as she looked at the drink that was served.

"Mami-nee has had enough to drink, hasn't she? If you don't want to be carried home, you'd better tone it down a bit," Rinne said calmly.

"Rinne is so considerate."

The drunken Asami laughed foolishly and said nonsensical things, “No wonder she’s the girl who can become Umizuki’s mother.”

Rinne shrugged helplessly and finished the last bit of wine in her glass.

"Is Rinne's face a little red?" Chiai asked.

"Have it?"

"Mmm." Chiai nodded. "Could she be a little drunk? Come to think of it, this seems to be Rinne's first time drinking."

Rinne's lips parted slightly, but before she could answer, Kurokawa Mio revealed a competitive expression and chuckled.

"Oh my, I didn't know Rinne could drink so little."

Even though Masumi wasn't there, she didn't miss the chance to ridicule Rinne, saying, "I kind of want to see Rinne looking disheveled when she's drunk."

"If I remember correctly, the girl who was so drunk at the izakaya by Kobe Port last time was someone else, right?" Rinne retorted.

Kurokawa Mio didn't seem to care. "I just can't handle Kikumasamune. Drinking lemon soda is no problem for me at all."

"And ultimately, lemon souvenir is no different from a beverage, just like coffee café au lait is from coffee."

The two girls were locked in a fierce standoff, glaring at each other with icy eyes, their gazes seemingly sparking a flame.

Seeing the two glaring at each other, Qian Ai froze, too afraid to move.

Honestly, how should I put it?

The interactions between Rinne and Mio always made her heart race.

To put it somewhat rudely, it's like cats and dogs owned by the same person, who might fight each other to monopolize the owner's affection.

If the owner is present, it's fine, but if the owner can't see, a black cat sticking out its claws from its paws and a golden retriever hissing... a cat-dog battle is about to break out.

I'm not very good at this, and I don't have much experience dealing with people, so I can only use the animal shows I often watch as an example. Surprisingly, it's very apt, which is great.

Speaking of which... cats or dogs, which does Masumi-san prefer?

As for the boys, it seems that most of them are dog lovers, but when Masumi was little, he secretly kept stray cats behind Uncle Ken's back. Could it be that he prefers cats a little more?
Of course, the most likely answer is that he likes both cats and dogs, after all, Masumi-san has always been a cunning person who has no taboos and likes to balance things out.

In the end, it was Mami who broke the deadlock.

"Alright, alright~ Ladies, please calm down and communicate in a friendly manner~"

She cheerfully raised two glasses of grapefruit souvenir and placed them in front of the two men. When did she order them? While they were arguing and I was thinking about something?

"Instead of arguing, shouldn't we resolve issues by clinking glasses at the dinner table?"

No, this won't solve any problems at all! In fact, it will only create new ones.

"You can't do that, Mami-nee!" Chiai immediately stopped her. "How are we going to get home if everyone gets drunk?"

"Don't worry, we still have Masumi-kun." Asami smiled as if to reassure her.

"How is Masumi-nii going to carry five people?"

"I won't get drunk, and neither will Chii and Umizuki. It's just Rinne and Mio, isn't it?"

"No, even two people couldn't carry it. The posture alone doesn't make sense."

"Carry one on your back and hug one in your arms? That should be possible."

Asami hesitated, her tone uncertain, before taking a sip of ginger ale.

That's such a weird pose, Chiai was speechless.

Then, seeing that Mio-neechan was nodding seriously, she was definitely a little drunk too.

“In that case, it’s better to let the drunk Rinne have the chance to cling to Masumi like a koala,” Kurokawa Mio said with a very serious expression.

"I'm sorry, but I have to refuse. Only Mio would do something so stupid."

Rinne extended her slender fingertips to brush a strand of hair behind her ear, her beautiful, long hair, as black as ink and as smooth and silky as silk, swaying gently.

“I haven’t forgotten the time you sat on Masumi’s lap with your legs wide open in the dining area of ​​Dream City. Even though no one was around at the time, I absolutely could not stand such a shameful thing.”

"This is a very normal thing for couples," Kurokawa Mio said as if it were a matter of course.

“If it were an ex-lovers, it wouldn’t be ordinary at all,” Rinne retorted.

"That's right, it's a beautiful story for ex-lovers who are about to get back together, so it's anything but ordinary."

Well, it seems that Mio-neechan has honed her skills to perfection in this area.

"Oh! Another girls' gathering?" Asami asked, intrigued. "Is it going to be about love again this time?"

"Didn't we already talk about this last time?"

Qian Ai tilted her head slightly in surprise.

"Chiai really doesn't understand at all. This is something that needs to be discussed over and over again. 'There are indeed situations where the flow of time and emotions can suddenly change due to a change in location.'"

After saying that, Mami pretended to vigorously flip her hair and affirmed herself.

"Wow! I really felt something for that last sentence. Maybe I have the potential to be a relationship blogger."

"Well, Sayaka said something similar to me."

"—Don't talk badly about others behind their backs, Qian'ai."

A plate of Mitarashi Dango and a teasing female voice were delivered to the table almost at the same time, and the glamorous waitress Sayaka looked at her with a half-smile.

"I wasn't saying anything bad about you." Chiai pouted, then asked doubtfully, "Did you serve the wrong thing? We didn't order Mitarashi Dango."

"Eat without worry, this is a gift from me."

Sayaka blinked one of her eyes; the color of her contact lens was a bit exaggerated.

"Wow, Sayaka is so generous."

Not knowing Sayaka's surname, Mami simply called her by her first name.

Rinne and Kurokawa Mio nodded in greeting.

"Yes, please enjoy your meal. Feel free to call us if you need anything."

After saying those words, she gently closed the partition door.

"Let's continue talking about the women's club's dating topics."

As if about to clink glasses, Asami raised her glass of ginger ale high.

"What exactly is love?"

Haiyue, who had been quietly chewing on oden the whole time, tilted her head curiously.

If I remember correctly, Haiyue also asked the same question last time: "What do lovers and married couples do?"

"Hmm, that's a good question." Asami nodded seriously. "What exactly is love?"

"Xiao Qian'ai?"

"Huh? Wait a minute! Asami-nee, don't suddenly ask such difficult questions."

When asked this, Qian Ai remained silent for a long time before stammering and whispering, "It's when two people like each other and then get together."

"Ugh, what a boring answer," Mami sighed dejectedly.

"I'm so sorry! Asami-nee, I'm just such a boring girl!" Chiai puffed out her cheeks as if she were being stubborn.

"Sorry, sorry." Slender fingers lightly tapped her shoulder, and Mami comforted her with "Mmm," before turning to look at the black-haired beauty.

Where is Rinne?

"Find an equal, let your guard down, cherish each other, and embrace each other's deepest and most tender feelings." Rinne spoke these words with her usual indifferent expression, but her icy eyes seemed to hold a hint of warmth at this moment.

Chiai let out a soft "Oh," and said, "That's exactly the kind of thought Rinne would have."

"Really? It's pretty ordinary."

"That's because Rinne is special."

The voice sounded like a faint longing, or perhaps a yearning.

To prevent her voice from trembling, Qian'ai quietly took a deep breath.

A dismissive voice rang out from the side: "You clearly have no dating experience, yet you're spouting nonsense like that."

Rinne obediently swallowed the sweet soy sauce-flavored dumpling in her mouth, then retorted fiercely:

"Oh, so what is love to Mio, who has dated before?"

"Of course I want to hug Masumi, kiss her, and get even closer to her."

“That’s called desire!” Chiai was dumbfounded: “And why are you calling Masumi-nii by his first name?”

"Because only my relationship with Masumi counts as love to me," Kurokawa Mio said matter-of-factly.

"That's definitely something that Mio-neechan would think."

Kurokawa Mio confidently tossed her hair, the warm lighting softening her sharp and stern demeanor. Already a beauty, she looked even more stunning.

"Mio's thinking is far too superficial," Rinne sighed softly. "In your heart, is love just desire?"

"Isn't that right?" Kurokawa Mio retorted.

"Because I love Masumi, I want our hearts and souls to be connected, and our bodies to be linked as well, for that would be a perfect relationship. Has Rinne never thought about this?"

Rinne frowned slightly after hearing Kurokawa Mio's words.

"unimaginable."

She couldn't imagine herself shedding her aloof exterior and revealing a pitiful and sentimental appearance in front of Masumi, her blushing cheeks also tinged with emotion.

In these scenarios that suddenly appear in my mind, I am merely a shell, devoid of a soul. But would I actually act that way in reality?
Rinne then recalled the memory of asking Masumi to help her stretch her limbs during her first yoga class.

With her foot on one leg and her ankle pressed against her head, Rinne completely lost control of her body. Even if she wanted to resist, stop, or continue, the initiative was entirely in Masumi's hands.

She should have hated this feeling. In the past, even if she overlapped with another, larger shadow, she would be anxious and afraid that she would not be able to see her own shadow.

But if it were him... perhaps—

“Oh, I see.” Kurokawa Mio narrowed her eyes meaningfully. “If Rinne prefers that type, then Masumi’s body will be mine.”

Rinne's expression turned cold: "Don't talk to him like he's your possession."

Hmm, are these two about to start again? Qian Ai's heart immediately tightened.

"Speaking of which, I remember when we were soaking in hot springs in Kyoto, Rinne said it wasn't the time to think about dating, but she was like a completely different person after we came back from Uji."

Kurokawa Mio narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Although it's a bit late to say now, what exactly did you and Masumi do when you were alone in Uji?"

"Ah, so there are indeed situations where 'the flow of time and emotions can abruptly change due to a change in location.'"

Asami repeated what she had just said in a tone of deep agreement, then picked up a skewer of Mitarashi dango from the plate. The next moment, Kurokawa Mio's icy gaze pierced her.

"Ms. Asami, although staying in a love hotel was an accident, the fact that you shared a bed is undeniable, isn't it?"

"Guuuuu!"

Asami trembled with fear and quickly hid behind Chiai... A mature beauty with a full figure like Asami is not suited to such a petite and dependent behavior.

No! Maybe Masumi-nii just likes this kind of contrast.

Qian Ai rested her chin on her hand, revealing a melancholy expression.

Even though Masumi-san had already left, he was still mentioned in the conversation. It seems everyone really likes him.

Of course, the same goes for myself.

Perhaps tired of talking incessantly, Kurokawa Mio took a sip of grapefruit soju, reached for the last bunch of Mitarashi dango on her plate, and then—

"Hey, Haiyue, you've already eaten one skewer, haven't you?" She narrowed her competitive eyes with displeasure.

"First come, first served..."

Wearing a loose sweatshirt and black stockings, Haiyue propped herself up on the tatami mat and spoke slowly, sitting with her legs in a duck-like position. Her fair and rosy legs appeared amber-colored under the black stockings.

"Also, how do you eat it?"

Kansai-style Mitarashi Dango comes in a string of five, with the first one separated from the other four that are stuck together. It is said to be an imitation of the way bubbles rise to the surface when people scoop water from the Mitarashi pond in ancient times, one bubble rising first, followed by four more.

The way the jellyfish girl eats it is quite unique.

First, stick out the tip of your tongue and lick the sweet soy sauce off in circles. Then, wrap your tongue around the first dumpling, swallow the whole dumpling with your lips, and your mouth will immediately narrow.

The entire process does not require the use of teeth.

"Isn't it awesome?"

Haiyue smiled smugly, and as her lips parted slightly, her tender and soft tongue was faintly stained with soy sauce.

"Glutinous rice... is very sticky... like this... it won't stick to your teeth..."

"What about the remaining four that are connected together?" Kurokawa Mio asked, arms crossed.

"Well……"

After a brief hesitation, the jellyfish girl parted her lips slightly, took Mitarashi Dango into her mouth, and sucked hard, her pink cheeks sinking in.

"Haiyue, it's better to eat it the normal way."

Chiai kindly reminded the girl who was competing with the dumpling.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she glanced at the partition door out of the corner of her eye.

Masumi-nii... hasn't come back yet.

"Excuse me, I'll go—"

"Excuse me, I need to use the restroom." Kurokawa Mio's voice rang out.

Noticing Qian Ai's gaze, she smiled charmingly.

"What's wrong, Qian'ai?"

The harshness hidden behind her smile made Qian Ai shudder involuntarily.

She held back the words that were on the tip of her tongue, and instead tried to brush it off by saying something like, "I'm just trying to make up my feelings."

"No, it's nothing, I just wanted to add an extra serving of Mitarashi Dango."

"I'll talk to the clerk about it."

"Ah."

The light-colored ends of her hair cast shadows on her face, and Qian Ai nodded quietly.

"You're thinking of going to find Masumi, aren't you?" Rinne said calmly from behind her.

Knowing she couldn't hide it from the heiress, Kurokawa Mio readily nodded and admitted it.

“That’s right, Masumi has been gone for so long and hasn’t come back yet, it’s very worrying.”

"Is Rinne coming along too?"

"Let's skip that big fuss," Rinne gently shook her head. "Don't linger outside for too long."

"understood."

A faint smile played on her lips as the beauty with honey-gold hair nodded slightly before disappearing from the private room.

(End of this chapter)