Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 198 Epilogue: "So I gave up music."

After paying at the ticket office of the seaside park, Masumi and Kurokawa Mio chose a glass-bottomed kayak.

Looking down, you can see the light blue, transparent water and the colorful coral reefs.

Miyako Island's "Yae-Kise" is the island nation's largest coral reef and a popular diving destination.

Unfortunately, due to unfavorable timing and weather, I missed the chance to witness it this time.

Kurokawa Mio remained calm: "It's alright. It's precisely because of regrets that we have a reason to come again next time."

Masumi was slightly surprised, then smiled and asked:

"Are you saying that Mio also regrets not being able to see 'Japan's Great Barrier Reef'?"

“No.” She gently shook her head. “My regret is that I couldn’t watch it with Masumi.”

The straightforward answer made Masumi take a deep breath.

Masumi tore them apart before the exhaled moisture condensed into threads in the air and wove into a spider web.

The ship was rocking.

Wearing a brightly colored life jacket, Masumi boarded the kayak first and then extended her hand to Kurokawa Mio.

The combined weight of the two people caused the kayak to sink slightly and gradually move away from the shore.

Masumi sat near the stern of the boat, her legs spread wide apart.

Kurokawa Mio found her own belonging between his legs.

"Mio?"

When it's just the two of them, Mio immediately closes the distance between them.

The sea breeze caressed her cheeks, her honey-gold hair swayed gently, and a fragrance wafted over that stirred Masumi's heart.

"What's wrong? Masumi."

Kurokawa Mio turned around nonchalantly. The white dress she was wearing was made of very thin fabric, revealing the navy blue swimsuit underneath.

Because the cabin was narrow and cramped, the two people were very close together.

Although it wasn't the first time I'd seen Mio's smile so closely, I still couldn't ignore it.

The moment I saw the smile on her face as she turned around, I felt the afternoon heat vanish in an instant.

Moved by that radiant smile, Masumi quietly lowered her gaze.

This must be the first time Masumi has been so close to Mio, who is dressed in revealing clothing.

And probably because her dress was clinging to her skin in the wind, the fabric was too thin and transparent, and the distance was too close, Masumi suddenly noticed something.

C.

Because the other girls in the coffee shop had such outrageous figures, Masumi noticed this area that she usually ignored, and it was now particularly noticeable due to being squeezed by the life jacket.

The soft light and shadows complement each other, the curves are gentle, and wrapped in dark blue triangular fabric, it is like the surface of a gently rippling sea, not turbulent, but definitely undulating.

Even though I know it won't do anything.

But once you start to notice this, your gaze, which should be looking properly into Mio's eyes, will inadvertently drift towards them.

"Masumi."

"Ok?"

"You're looking at my chest, aren't you?"

"……Um."

Masumi nervously responded, but did not receive the enthusiastic response she expected.

Kurokawa Mio smiled as if to reassure him.

"Don't be nervous. For me, it's worth it just to see Masumi's expression."

Masumi didn't know what kind of expression she should wear when facing that smile.

Kurokawa Mio, oblivious to the turmoil in his heart, continued speaking:
"Because Masumi had a very sad expression on her face the whole time."

"Hey, do I look sad?"

"Ah."

As if handling something precious, she placed her hands on Masumi's shoulders, gently embracing his head along the curve of his neck, and then let Masumi lean against her.

"I'm sorry, Masumi, I didn't mean to make you look so sad."

Mio looks like a little child hugging a rag doll.

Her movements were both awkward and practiced.

The awkwardness was probably because it was her first time doing something like this, while the proficiency came from the fact that she had likely simulated this scenario countless times in her mind.

The simulated object is easy to imagine.

So Masumi tried to empathize with her imagination, while in reality, she buried her head in her chest.

The scent emanating from her was the comforting aroma of tea trees.

He was enveloped in Mio's warmth.

The sense of security I felt nestled against her was indeed transmitted through the warmth of our skin, but along with it came a feeling of unease.

Masumi isn't used to this.

Moreover, it shouldn't be like this.

It shouldn't be Mio doing this to herself.

So, Masumi gently pushed her away. Mio didn't say anything, but her expression turned like that of a child cowering in fear, watching an adult's expression.

Masumi took a deep breath, and the kayak was slowly propelled by the current to a position close to the sea cave.

The sunlight sliced ​​the sea in two, and the lips hidden in the shadows slowly parted.

"I'm sorry, Mio."

I'm sorry for unilaterally abandoning you out of my own arrogance.

"I was the one who invited you to join the band, but now you're giving up. I'm sorry—"

Masumi's apology only lasted three sentences before it stalled. Kurokawa Mio called out "Masumi" and suddenly hugged him tightly.

The soft touch through the fabric made Masumi's heart race, and she stiffly wrapped her arms around her back.

"Masumi."

There was an unnatural silence for a moment, her fingers sinking into the sponge of a life jacket like a drowning person, and Mio raised her head uneasily.

“If this is all Masumi wants to say to me, then there’s no need to continue.”

“I have never blamed Masumi, and I never will, and I don’t want to see Masumi’s painful expression of guilt and self-blame.”

Mio looked serious, her voice cracking slightly and filled with intense anxiety.

Masumi gently patted her slender back, a sigh escaping her lips.

He always believed that if one person can feel sadness for another, that is the greatest tenderness one can show to that person.

The sunlight, streaming through the cracks in the sea cave, fell directly onto my skin, causing a burning sensation to spread little by little.

Masumi quietly shook her head. "Okay, I understand. Then the apology ends here."

"There's something else I want to say to Mio, it's the answer I promised to give you before."

Mio stared straight at him.

"I don't plan to form a band anymore."

"so."

Her voice, which she feigned composure, was somewhat high-pitched.

Masumi gritted her teeth and continued speaking, as if stopping would discourage her from speaking.

"But I still think that Mio should not give up music."

"Hmm... if this is what Masumi is hoping for."

Her voice was as soft as a whisper. Mio buried her face in the crook of his shoulder, curling up in a way that made her look much smaller.

"but……"

It wasn't meant to be a deliberate attempt to pique interest.

The words swirled in her mind, and her lips trembled, forcing Masumi to speak haltingly and slowly.

"I guess it's to make up for the mistakes I made before. I want to do something for Mio as much as I can. Also, it's such a pity to see Mio's talent going to waste, or rather, it's a waste of her potential. Wait, is that word too profound? It should be regret, melancholy, but that feels too thin, unable to bear the weight of the emotion. In short, it's a very negative feeling..."

His speech became incoherent; the more he tried to cover it up, the more fragmented and hesitant he became.

Masumi knew in his heart that whatever the reason, he just needed an excuse to convince himself.

Everything was just to clear the clutter from his mind, so he could properly say his final answer.

Mio slowly raised her face, then tilted her head slightly, as if surprised and confused.

Nevertheless, she listened attentively to Masumi's words, word by word.

"that is."

Masumi spoke with a resolute tone, as if she were saying, "I want to cut off all indecisiveness."

“I consider myself the person who understands Mio’s charm the most, so I decided to give up the band and fully support Mio’s music.”

"Support...my music?"

Mio's snow-white throat trembled slightly, and you could tell she gasped.

Because the answer was unexpected, she subconsciously asked in return:

"So... Masumi is going to be my manager?"

Masumi nodded, then quickly shook her head: "I'll do anything that can support Mio's music—management, lyrics, music production—I'm not bound by any particular form."

“I want Mio’s music to be heard all over Japan… no, all over the world, because Mio’s talent has that kind of charm.”

“So…” Masumi took a deep breath and said something surprising: “I will never leave you until Mio’s music is heard all over the world.”

"..."

The atmosphere fell into silence.

In the quiet world, the kayak was slowly pushed away by the waves, leaving the sea cave.

The sound of the ship's gunwale pushing through the water was pleasant, and finally, light glided across their skin.

The azure sea stretches endlessly forward, with rainbows spreading out between the top of the sea cave and the sea surface.

The seven colors shone brightly, seemingly more dazzling than the sunlight.

“It’s a rainbow,” Masumi said, stunned.

"Yes, it's a rainbow."

As Kurokawa Mio said this, she couldn't take her eyes off Masumi's face.

The sea breeze ruffled her bangs.

Mio smiled radiantly, as if savoring a moment of happiness.

The bright colors emanating from the rainbow made Masumi look away from it and take a breath as she looked at Kurokawa Mio.

As if bidding farewell to his earlier inner turmoil, he slowly began to speak:

"What is Mio thinking—ah!"

bang-

As we passed through the narrow entrance of the sea cave, the previously overlooked oars suddenly struck the rock wall.

The kayak rocked violently and, caught off guard, capsized.

wow-

Water splashes.

The shimmering waves on the sea gradually receded across the water, and the seawater washed over my head, isolating all sound with a suffocating heaviness.

However, the presence of the life jacket made Masumi aware of the buoyancy that caused her to float upwards.

There's no need to panic at this moment. Just relax and your body will naturally float up—this thought flashes through your mind.

Masumi immediately became anxious: Where is Mio?
She didn't fasten the straps of her life jacket very tightly. What if it came loose and fell off because of the waves?
Overwhelmed with panic, Masumi pushed through the turbulent water and swam towards that familiar figure. She wrapped her arms around her slender waist and then, holding Kurokawa Mio, swam upwards.

Her hair, which stretched along her face, absorbed the moisture and clung to her face as she looked at Kurokawa Mio Masumi and asked:
"Mio, are you alright?"

Masumi's words were tinged with anxiety, and the force supporting Mio's waist tightened accordingly.

"Masumi."

Looking at that anxious face, Kurokawa Mio, who had been lost in thought, suddenly snapped back to reality. Her fair skin, bathed in sunlight, was tinged with a faint blush.

"Did you hit any rocks and get hurt? Were you bumped anywhere?"

Unable to hide her worry, Masumi's shoulders trembled with her disordered breathing.

His presence was so close, almost tangible, that a dazed expression appeared on Kurokawa Mio's face. She spoke in a voice loud enough to dispel the blush on her cheeks:

"No, I'm fine, I'm not hurt anywhere."

"Yeah, that's good."

Masumi finally regained her composure and let out a sigh of relief.

Seeing Kurokawa Mio's flushed face, a sentence suddenly popped into my mind.

The atmosphere is perfect; if I said that, Mio would be very happy.

But being too happy isn't good either; too much of a good thing can lead to a bad one, so let's leave that aside for now.

Perhaps one day in the future, these words will be given to her as a gift:
—They look just like a pair of silly lovers who've fallen in love.

◇

"How was it? With my help as your tour guide, you all had wonderful memories, right?"

I said with a smile, as if I were a thousand years old.

"What kind of tour guide would brag like that, Sister Qian Sui?" Qian Ai subconsciously complained.

"Hey, so serious, aren't you going to leave a good review for the older sister?"

After she finished speaking in a pretentious manner, she suddenly began to explain the tourist attractions at the next stop.

The abrupt insertion felt like playing a pre-recorded audio message.

"Dear tourists, look ahead! This is the very famous Miyako Shrine. It's the southernmost shrine in the island nation, built in 1590 AD, and boasts a history of over four hundred years. Its main deities are the Kumano Three Gods and the Toyomi Chika Three Gods."

"Isn't this big torii gate beautiful? Walk straight through here and you'll see the worship hall full of Ryukyu style. If you're lucky, you might even see someone holding a wedding."

"Ah! What a rare opportunity, let's take a picture here."

She raised her Canon camera to signal to the crowd.

"Ah."

"Okay, okay, let's take a picture." Qian Ai nodded with a smile.

"Mami, don't deliberately tilt your head to look cute when taking pictures."

As Masumi walked past Asami in a standing position, she offered a few words of advice.

"I didn't do anything so childish, I just had a stiff neck!" Mami said irritably.

"Also, I am naturally cute."

A huge vermilion torii gate stands not far behind, next to a komainu statue that looks like a wind lion.

The six people from Kobe took a group photo here.

"Miss Kamishiro looks so shrine maiden-like in the photo of her standing in front of the torii gate," I said, looking at the picture.

“Even though she wasn’t wearing a shrine maiden outfit, this is what true elegance is all about: ‘Pure and Upright.’” she remarked.

"Sister Chitose, Rinne's family did indeed run a shrine before."

Now that things have come to this, the heiress is able to take the past in stride and naturally wouldn't mind such words.

"Oh, I didn't know that was the case."

"Now that you mention it, I really want to see Ms. Kamishiro in her shrine maiden outfit."

I, like the ancients, clasp my hands together on the right side of my cheek.

"I want to see it too!" Asami said, tilting her head and raising her hand.

Chatting and laughing, the group walked to the front of the shrine, bowed twice, clapped twice, and paid their respects to the gods. Their trip to Miyako Island was drawing to a close.

I, like a thousand-year-old, drove several people to the airport.

"I will mail the developed photos to the coffee shop."

After smiling and saying goodbye to the girls, the senior looked at him with an expression that seemed to suggest she had something to say.

That being the case...

"Mio, can you wait for me?"

Masumi turned to Kurokawa Mio, who had been following her closely ever since they returned from IMGYA Seaside Park.

"Do you and Miss Rugu have something to say to each other?"

"Ah."

Kurokawa Mio frowned; even though Masumi had said those things earlier, she still hadn't let her guard down.

Rather, it was because of Masumi's promise that her wariness became even stronger, as if she regarded herself as her possession.

"Let's make this clear first, Masumi won't secretly stay on Miyako Island and spend the rest of her life there with that Ms. Ruko, will she?"

She asked the question with particular seriousness.

"That's not true, Mio, don't worry."

Masumi smiled and sighed, "Didn't I just tell Mio that I won't leave your side until your music spreads all over the world?"

"Um……"

Thinking of Masumi's promise, she blushed and nodded.

"Then, I'll wait for Masumi here."

Mio's well-behaved appearance is like an adorable puppy waiting for its owner to come home at the door.

"What does the senior want to tell me?"

Masumi walked up to me, Ruko Chitose, and asked.

Before answering him, I, like a thousand-year-old maiden, noticed the gaze that Mio was casting on her from afar, and smiled as I said:
"Ms. Kurokawa, are you worried that I'll detain you on Miyako Island?"

"Does the senior possess mind-reading abilities?"

With the worries that had been weighing on her mind dispelled, Masumi felt relaxed and had the freedom to joke around again.

I shook my head gently, just like the ancients.

"It should be Ms. Kurokawa who has the ability to read minds. I do have the idea of ​​keeping Masumi by my side for life. If necessary, I can use coercive measures such as imprisonment."

"what?"

Masumi was stunned.

Using the strength of a senior, I might not be able to resist.

"You're kidding."

I laughed so hard, just like my predecessors.

Masumi smiled wryly: "Even at the time of parting, you still want to tease me, senpai."

“It’s precisely at times like these that we need to use jokes to lighten the sadness of parting,” she said matter-of-factly.

"Masumi, you should cherish your female confidantes."

I, like the ancient sage, offer him this advice.

This tone reminded Masumi of the times when Masumi would casually chat with her after club activities ended.

"I will also cherish my senior."

"Eh?" I, Senior Rugu, was slightly surprised.

"It's a rare opportunity to reunite with a senior; if we don't cherish it, they might disappear again someday."

Masumi said calmly.

"Don't make me sound like an ungrateful wild cat,"

She puffed out her cheeks in a huff, but quickly regained her usual nonchalant smile, saying meaningfully:

"Masumi, you're a little different now."

Before Masumi could react to those words, I, like Kou Chitose, patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'm on Miyako Island this time. You can come to the island to be with me during your vacation. I'll open the bed for Masumi anytime."

"They should keep their doors open."

"Isn't this the same thing?" I blinked at the senior.

It seems so.

Masumi froze as his senior's soft palm landed on his head.

"You can write to me whenever you miss me."

I gently stroked his head as if he were a cat or dog, just like my predecessors doted on him.

"What an ancient way of communication."

As she said this, Masumi did not resist her caresses.

"People in the Heian period used letters to express their feelings," I said with a smile, like Kochisai. "You could say it was very romantic."

"The word 'romantic' doesn't really fit with the Heian period itself."

"Ah, I see."

"However, if an emergency occurs in the battleground, it's best to contact us by phone or LINE for the sake of timeliness."

"I will try my best to make sure that kind of thing doesn't happen."

"Hey, you're pretty confident." She said teasingly, then suddenly clapped her hands and said, "Oh right, this is for you."

I was handed a musical score notebook by a senior colleague.

"This is……"

"It's a song I wrote," she replied casually.

"You gave it to me because you want me to sing this song?" Masumi asked.

"You could put it that way."

The senior's nod was very perfunctory; she would probably react the same way no matter what I said.

With a hint of helplessness, Masumi smiled and, her throat trembling slightly, uttered the emotions buried deep within her heart.

"I understand. Well then... goodbye, senior."

"Goodbye, take care of yourself, little Masumi~"

I use the way she addressed me when we first met as the end of my sentence, as if I were a thousand years old.

"It's okay, I exercise every day."

"Ah~ You really should take care of yourself in this regard." I nodded as if I had just thought of it.

"However, I'm talking about men, since they have to work five days a week."

Hearing this, Masumi, who had already turned and was walking towards the security checkpoint, stumbled.

Senior, you're still as unserious as ever.

But that's fine.

Barely managing to maintain his swaying posture, he stood up and opened the first page of his notebook.

The song title comes into view, written in five elegant Chinese characters—

"Seeing the Moon on a Moonlit Night"
-
[Volume 6: Swaying Seven Colors: The End]

(End of this chapter)