Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 247, Section 22: "The point of shopping is not shopping itself."

Compared to the frigid streets swept by the cold wind, the shopping mall was like a warm paradise.

"Ah, he's resurrected."

Mami sighed, then took a bite of the taiyaki in her hand.

This taiyaki was bought by the five of us when we got off the tram at the taiyaki shop inside the station.

It was a large piece, stuffed full of sweet red bean paste, and the outer skin was baked to a dark brown color. Although it was wrapped in thin paper, it kept radiating heat from my palm.

Before the aroma of taiyaki could reach Masumi's nose, who was walking ahead, Mami and Kaigetsu had already disappeared from sight.

Masumi, Rinne, and Mio quickly found the two people whose eyes were glued to the taiyaki machine.

It felt like the eve of a case.

To avoid causing trouble for the shop assistant, Masumi reluctantly took out a 500 yen coin and two 100 yen coins from her wallet and bought two servings of taiyaki.

"Wow! Masumi-kun is so generous!"

Mami took a bite of the dorsal fin of the taiyaki without any hesitation.

It is said that the portions at this store are indeed very generous, with the red bean filling almost overflowing.

"It's only been less than a third of the month, and Mami and Kaizuki are already broke?"

Rinne asked, as if she found it unbelievable.

"Hehehe, Sannomiya opened several pop-up stores last month, and they were all for manga I've read. My royalties are almost gone~"

"Halloween...Anniversary Celebration...Gacha Pool..."

Masumi sighed quietly.

"These two guys are hopeless."

"It's too much!"

Mami puffed out her cheeks and protested in dissatisfaction.

"I'm just trying to make sure that what I love can continue to exist as what I love forever!"

"Relationships maintained by money are unhealthy," Masumi kindly reminded him.

Especially those copyright holders who sell acrylic products as precious metals.

"But it's very pure, isn't it?"

"You are indeed very pure in that you are an idiot."

"Hmm... Don't think you can shut me up with just one taiyaki, Masumi-kun."

Asami said through gritted teeth.

"...That's what I'm saying, Masumi."

At this moment, Mio interjected, taking Masumi's arm with her slender arm.

"Miss Asami and Umi have such big spending desires, it would be very difficult to marry them. I guess I'm more economical after all."

She whispered seductively in Masumi's ear.

But Mio seems to have a lot of desires in another area, Masumi wanted to say, but in the end she held back.

"Alas!"

A mournful cry suddenly escaped from between her teeth, and her shoulders slumped heavily.

She held the taiyaki in one hand and reached out with the other to grab Masumi's collar with considerable force.

"Don't misunderstand Masumi-kun! I'm not the kind of girl who spends money recklessly."

"...Um, your hands are covered in oil."

"Let's put that aside for now. The most important thing right now is my life's big event."

Asami spoke in an excited voice, her moist pink tongue visible through her constantly opening and closing red lips.

"Sister Mami is so excited."

Rinne, standing next to her, looked completely dumbfounded.

"My mom keeps calling me lately, saying that a girl like me who is lazy and has a bad personality probably only has this one chance in her life, and she must seize the future. She's also putting pressure on me, saying that her retirement depends entirely on me. Seriously, how am I supposed to seize the future?"

After finishing her sentence in one breath, Ms. Mami gripped the taiyaki tightly and stomped her foot in frustration.

"Don't trust this woman, Masumi."

Mio blatantly revealed her wariness, saying, "She looked exactly like she had just walked out of a pachinko parlor."

"I'm Asami, not Kurumi."

Asami Asahi cast a tearful glance at Masumi: "Masumi-kun, you won't just stand by and watch me die, will you?"

"This is the first time I've ever seen a courtship like this."

"That's because Masumi-kun hasn't seen enough."

Asami composed herself, suddenly adopting a confident and fearless demeanor.

"I still have something on Masumi-kun."

"This way of courting is even stranger."

Masumi rubbed her temples, her head aching. Her wife held evidence of her husband's infidelity. Now was the time to threaten her, extort money for emotional distress and child support, and then get a divorce.

"Masumi-kun's idea is terrifying."

Mami was dumbfounded.

"What's so scary about it?"

"The grudge from Edo should be settled in Nagasaki!"

(Note: This proverb refers to retaliating in an unexpected or completely unrelated way.)
"Then what are you going to do?"

"My intention would definitely be to punish the cheating man with an iron fist."

Asami spoke with absolute certainty, while clenching her fists; the taiyaki had been tortured beyond recognition.

"but……"

Her shoulders hunched, and her voice became weak as if she had fallen into the mud.

"With my strength, I can't beat that man in a physical fight no matter what, so I have to find another way to get revenge on Masumi-kun."

Masumi remained expressionless: "Please don't add my name at the end."

"Where is Miss Mio?"

The topic was extended by Asami and led towards Mio.

"Eh."

When suddenly asked the question, Mio rested her chin on her hand, seemingly lost in thought.

"As for me... although the person I like is indeed a man with a high risk of cheating, I can't bring myself to sever ties with Masumi..."

She frowned, looking troubled.

Masumi let out a soft sigh, so quiet that the girls in front of her wouldn't notice it, and it disappeared as soon as it left her mouth.

Everything is based on him.

"...I guess I have no choice but to forgive him."

Although she didn't expect an answer, Masumi breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Mio's words.

"No way, Miss Mio is too lucky for Masumi-kun."

"I already told you not to make me the basis for this."

“Of course it’s not that simple.” Mio said matter-of-factly, “First of all, Masumi should do to me what she did to the philanderer without any discount, and keep doing it until I’m satisfied.”

As she spoke, she looked at Masumi, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"I believe Masumi will treat everyone equally, right?"

"Oh, um..."

Masumi could feel the sweat spreading across her forehead.

"And another thing... is to punish that philandering cat who seduced Masumi."

"Wait! This, this, this..."

Her slender, white throat bobbed, and Mami swallowed hard as if in fear.

"Shouldn't Miss Mio punish the instigator directly?"

"The grudge from Edo will be avenged in Nagasaki," isn't that what Ms. Asami just said?

Mio asked back nonchalantly.

"Ah ha~ that's true, after all, Miss Mio is from Edo (Tokyo), right?" Asami laughed it off.

"Why did we suddenly start talking about husbands cheating?"

Mio tilted her head slightly in confusion, her beautiful obsidian eyes gleaming with bewilderment.

"No, it's nothing."

Cold sweat broke out on both Masumi and Asami's foreheads.

"You two look suspicious."

Her peach-pink lips curved into a dangerous arc as she took a step forward; Mami's face was already deathly pale.

"Could it be that Ms. Asami is secretly having an affair with Masumi behind my back...?"

"That's not true at all!"

Despite it being winter, Mami was covered in sweat, waving her hands in front of her face.

"Really?"

"It's true! The real culprit is someone else, it's Rin—ugh!"

His icy gaze locked onto her instantly. The words Mami wanted to say were choked back.

Rinne tugged at Masumi's sleeve expressionlessly.

"Ok?"

"I'm telling you, you guys should at least be mindful of how others are looking at you."

The heiress's voice sounded very dissatisfied.

"Eh?"

The three people at the center of the vortex belatedly realized that they were spreading their attention out like a fishing net, and the dense whispers nearby, like a school of sardines, drifted into their ears.

"Playing the field?" "The guy is awful." "They're all stunning beauties." "Why would such a handsome guy like girls! He wouldn't have this problem if he just liked guys!"

Such whispers overlapped in the air.

That last question is way too big.

Who told you that liking boys would prevent you from having these kinds of troubles?

However, Masumi didn't have the time to argue with the other party; it was time to buy a kotatsu (heated table).

The walls were covered with posters announcing the winter home furnishing sales, in large font, bright yellow, and the usual lucky draw for spending a certain amount.

The fireplace table is also a star product among them.

It consumes less electricity than an air conditioner and has the tradition of "bringing out the commode table as a winter ritual," so it's no surprise that it sells well.

Five people walked into a bedding store called "Hibernating Bear".

"There are surprisingly many styles."

Mio looked at the various types of kotatsu tables and said.

"We only have one standard: big!" Mami said firmly. "It has to be big enough to sleep six people."

"There's no such thing."

Masumi complained.

"Even the biggest heated table can only sleep three people at most."

"Okay, then I'll reserve a spot first."

After saying this, Mami quickly walked to the kotatsu (heated table) merchandise area to look around.

"Little Sea Moon, Miss Mio, come along too."

"I want...that...jellyfish pattern...quilt..."

"Isn't Rinne going shopping?"

Seeing the heiress standing still, Masumi moved to one end of the bench in the store's rest area, making room for her.

"Okay, let Asami and the others choose."

Rinne smoothed the folds at the back of her skirt with her hand, revealing a glimpse of her shapely buttocks hidden beneath, outlining a full and alluring silhouette, before sitting down on the bench.

"I don't have many requirements for a kotatsu table, as long as it can keep me warm."

"I see, that really is an ideal customer group."

Masumi said with a smile.

The heiress turned slowly toward him, her tone indifferent.

"...Are you making fun of me for being a convenient girl?"

"Huh, why would Rinne think that?"

Masumi was astonished when her eyes met Rinne's, and she saw a pair of beautiful eyes that held a playful smile.

The clear, translucent purple gemstones shimmered as if inlaid with gold and silver threads, more beautiful and dazzling than the jewelry displayed in glass showcases, yet as adorable and endearing as a kitten.

"The store manager's teasing tone was so serious that it startled me."

"How else can you achieve the effect of teasing people?"

Rinne appeared very frank, her clear and moist eyes seeming to be pouting.

"You're not still bothered by what happened that night, are you?" Masumi asked, rubbing her forehead.

"Can't you?"

"It's not that it's impossible, but since Rinne cares so much about it, I always feel like I've done something wrong."

Perhaps because Masumi was experiencing her highest mental state for the first time in her life, Rinne is now softer and more affectionate than before.

If she were to watch an inspirational movie about someone who came from an orphanage, she might burst into tears.

"Seriously, I really want to see Rinne biting her lip and sobbing silently again," Masumi thought with a slightly uneasy expression.

"...I don't mean to blame you."

The heiress sighed softly:
"But... that kind of thing is a bit too stimulating for me. When I close my eyes in my free time, I think about how embarrassing I looked back then."

She used her fingertips to pull up the top of her socks that had slipped down, a faint blush rising to her ears. A small patch of fair skin, peeking out from between her skirt and the top of her socks, was icy cold.

Gazing at the exquisite beauty sealed within the white stockings, a black flame unexpectedly ignited within Masumi's heart.

The most effective way to forget a relationship is to start a new one.

Similarly, shouldn't we use more stimulating memories to overshadow the sensory experience of this event?
Faced with this passionate emotion, Masumi sighed quietly, wondering if his feelings for Rinne were a little too rude.

"...Masumi?"

Perhaps sensing Masumi's subtle emotional wavering, Rinne turned her head back.

"By the way, did you tell Asami about this?"

She suddenly asked about what had just happened.

"not at all."

"How did she know?"

Rinne's gaze was sharp and scrutinizing as she looked directly at him.

Mentioning this matter, Masumi instinctively felt a chill run down her spine and stammered:

"Because of... talisman paper."

"..."

The heiress's cheeks flushed red like a boiled octopus, and she quickly turned her face away, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Um, you didn't throw it away?"

"Not yet."

It's definitely not something Masumi wanted to collect.

"..."

After another chilling silence, Rinne's voice was as cold as the chilly air on the streets of Kobe today.

"You are responsible for resolving this matter thoroughly."

"what?"

"is that OK?"

She asked in an unassailable tone, "Wow, this time it's not a joke, it's for real."

"I see."

Masumi nodded.

Rinne nodded contentedly and then snorted through her nose.

"Hey, Rinne, Masumi-kun, we've chosen the kotatsu table."

Mami put her hand to her mouth, making a shouting gesture.

"You two come and take a look too!"

The sound echoed throughout the store.

"Okay, Mami-nee, don't be so loud."

Rinne got up from the bench, walked through the area selling beds, and headed towards Mami and the others.

Like a fashion model walking alone on a runway, she made time stand still in the world.

That beautiful and dignified figure reminded Masumi of Rinne, whom she had met for the first time.

Aloof and unaffected by anyone, forming its own school, a flower on a high mountain.

gorgeous.

Masumi truly believed this from the bottom of her heart.

"Hey, Masumi-kun, don't just sit there, come over here."

Oh no, I got so engrossed in watching The Heir just now.

"Sorry, I'm coming right away."

Asami chose a standard square tabletop, and the heater was a new model that came with a remote control to adjust the temperature, as well as various other functions such as a timer.

In short, it is very smart.

Masumi and Rinne both said they had no objections.

"Then I've decided to buy this one!"

She looked at the fireplace table and nodded deeply, satisfied.
"The size seems just right; I feel like I can do this or that inside without anyone else noticing."

What are the things to do?

I also bought a heater.

Back at the shop, after assembling the kotatsu, the winter ritual at Starry Night Cafe was successfully completed.

(End of this chapter)