Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 257, Section 32: "It's really not going to work today!!"

It was already past ten o'clock, and the night had completely darkened.

There were no pedestrians on the road, and silence enveloped the streets of Suma Honmachi.

The sound of two footsteps broke the silence.

Her breath was white, and Masumi's body, exposed outside the fabric, trembled as if confirming the coldness her skin was feeling.

I miss my senior's... no! Rinne's... still no! It's the kotatsu table.

"Doesn't Qian'ai feel cold dressed like that?"

To change her mood, Masumi started a conversation as if trying to find a topic.

My childhood sweetheart would never wear the same clothes as the day before.

Today she's wearing an Antwerp blue scarf, and while all the buttons on the front of her beige coat are fastened, she's paired it with a short pleated skirt.

Although she was wearing high-heeled boots, they probably weren't very warm.

"Of course it's cold."

Chiai peeked her face out from under her scarf, the warm white mist dissipating in the cold night air.

"But for beauty... it's all worth it!"

She said it in a very firm tone.

"Willpower alone is not enough to fight against the severe cold, is it?"

"Hmph, that's why I also put heat packs inside."

The girl raised the corners of her lips triumphantly, but then quickly fell silent and sighed.

"But it doesn't seem so hot anymore."

As she spoke, she clasped her hands together, rubbing them together to generate heat, her slender fingertips turning red.

"It's so cold! Masumi-nii, can you put some hand warmers on me?"

"Huh? Here it is?"

Qian Ai looked at him with a reproachful gaze and scolded him:

"It's all Masumi-nii's fault! I kept telling myself I wasn't cold, but now that Masumi-nii has exposed me, I feel incredibly cold."

"what!"

Exposed. The alluring image of my ancient predecessor involuntarily surfaced in my mind—no! Masumi suddenly realized what terrible associations were running through her head.

shameful.

Am I a middle school boy...?

"...Masumi-nii?"

Qian Ai peeked at his face with a puzzled expression.

The unexpected close contact brought Masumi back to her senses.

"……What’s wrong with you?"

"nothing."

Masumi composed herself and regained her composure.

"Since that's the case, then please put a heat pack on me!"

The girl ripped open the packaging of the hand warmer with a "rip" and handed it to Masumi.

"Oh, where should it be applied? On the back? On the shoulders?"

"All!"

Chiai lifted her coat, revealing the back of her knitted sweater, and let Masumi stick a heat pack on her.

Her snow-white nape was faintly visible, and the strap of her camisole was also faintly visible in her shoulder hollow. Was Chia Ai wearing Aubade like her senior?
The scene had a strange sense of immorality, as if she were looking at something she shouldn't be seeing. Masumi looked away and stuck the hand warmer to her back.

"Yay! I'm fully recovered now!"

After wrapping her coat tighter around herself, Qian'ai innocently stretched out her arms and cheered.

Masumi couldn't help but chuckle, earning a sharp glance from Aome in return.

"How's Masumi-nii? Any objections?"

"How could that be?" Masumi hurriedly shook her head in denial, carefully trying to calm the flustered Aome.

"I just feel..."

His tone was as gentle as if he were touching a memory.

"Qian'ai has always been the same, innocent and cute, she hasn't changed much."

"..."

Qian Ai suddenly stopped in her tracks. I noticed that the tips of her ears were flushed red. She was probably shy.

No, it should just be bone-chillingly cold.

Masumi also stopped, and the black water in the distance naturally came into view.

He doesn't like the beach at night because he can't see the bottom of the water and feels unsettled.

"The water is beautiful at night, but it must be even more beautiful under a full moon."

Chiai pouted, "I often take walks like this by myself in Wakihama at night."

"It's dangerous for you to be alone at night, Qian'ai, you shouldn't do that."

"Oh……"

The girl's thick eyelashes, lengthened by mascara, trembled slightly.

Whether she listened or not, Chiai started walking forward, and Masumi quickly followed, walking alongside her.

"To be honest, I don't really like being evaluated like that by Masumi-san."

"Ok?"

"Same as before, nothing much has changed...something like that."

Masumi hadn't seen her childhood friend throw a tantrum like this in a long time, and found it quite adorable.

"...I'm sorry, if I said anything that made Chia unhappy..."

"No!"

Seeing Masumi's apologetic expression, Chia felt very guilty.

Her lips trembled; the words were simple and clear, but they hesitated on the tip of her tongue, unable to find a legitimate reason to say them, so she stopped herself from speaking.

Masumi realized that she had something to say, so she spoke up:

Shall I take you home?

"Huh~ this is..."

"After all, you still have a long way to walk after you get off the tram."

"It's such a short distance, there's no need to go through all that trouble."

"No, as expected, I'm still worried about Qian'ai walking back alone at this time."

Masumi looked down at Chiai's face and, noticing her hesitation, thought for a moment before speaking again.

"When it comes to girls walking alone at night, Qianai is completely different from before."

"...Mamaru-nii."

Qian Ai raised her head, her emerald eyes staring straight at him.

"how?"

Even after removing her lip gloss, her lips remained a cherry blossom pink, moving up and down as if she wanted to say something.

Masumi waited quietly for her to speak, but Chiai ultimately didn't say anything, only smiled and nodded.

"Alright, then I'll have to trouble you, Masumi-nii."

As they passed through the ticket gate, the two stood side by side on the platform, where there was no one else.

Masumi sat down on the waiting chair without thinking, looking at Chiai who was still standing there, puzzled.

"Why don't you sit down?"

The young girl glared at him unhappily.

Masumi scratched her head, her gaze falling on the section of fair and tender skin beneath her short skirt, and nodded knowingly.

"Would you like to come in and sit for a while?"

He patted his thigh and said seemingly casually.

Qian Ai's face instantly turned bright red, and a thin layer of sweat seeped from her trembling neck, which was wrapped in a scarf.

"Masaki-nii!? When did you become so frivolous?"

"Uh, I was just kidding, sorry, because Qian Ai looked so tense."

Masumi deeply reflected on himself, perhaps because of what happened tonight, he had become a little too complacent.

The tram pulled into the platform, the doors opened, and warm light illuminated Chiai's face.

Masumi gazed at her long, beautiful legs revealed beneath her short skirt, and gently placed her hand on her agitated heart.

The carriage was empty. After the two sat down shoulder to shoulder, the advertising posters pasted in the carriage came into view.

It was filled with captivating copy: "Super Christmas Sale!" emphasizing the approaching holiday season.

The bright, shiny yellow lettering was even more dazzling than the fireworks at Kobe Port.

"What did Masumi-san think of me in the past?"

Qian'ai stared at the advertisement poster and suddenly asked.

"How long ago do you mean?" Masumi looked at her, puzzled.

“From the time Masumi-nii had memories and impressions.”

"That's taking too long."

Masumi sighed and carefully considered the words.

"A clingy little child."

This made Chiai pout with some displeasure, and she gently nudged Masumi's side with her elbow.

"I'm talking about Chia when we first met. Back then, you were just an ordinary five-year-old child."

Masumi said matter-of-factly.

"Who told Masumi-nii to talk for so long?" Chiai complained. "You should at least start from elementary school."

Masumi sighed, "Didn't you want me to start from when I can remember?"

"What kind of impression is 'clingy little kid'? There are plenty of kids like that in Kobe, aren't there?"

"I haven't finished yet. A clingy, pretty little child, that's how it should be, right?"

"What kind of impression is that? It only makes you seem more superficial." "Because when we first met, Chiai's face really left a deep impression on me."

Masumi wore a gentle smile.

"Light-colored hair, emerald eyes, fair skin, very beautiful and lovable."

Qian Ai blushed deeply and turned her head away, avoiding the main point.

"Even if Masumi-nii praises me, I won't be happy so easily."

"Yes Yes Yes."

Masumi nodded with a smile, without pointing out that Chiai's lips were curled up at that moment.

"...And then, she should be kind, energetic, warm-hearted, and gentle..."

If we were to recount all the memories, we probably wouldn't be able to finish even by the time the tram reached its final stop.

So Masumi carefully selected words to summarize the vivid image of that girl in her memory.

"...She changes her clothes very often, insists on wearing skirts even when it's very cold in winter, and is eager to eat barbecue as soon as it's still bloody..."

"Wait a moment!"

Qian Ai stared in disbelief and said:

What are those things in the back?

“Chiai in my eyes,” Masumi said casually.

"That's going to be far too detailed! Besides, after all, beef is an ingredient that can be eaten raw without any problem, right? If that's the case, what's wrong with it being undercooked!"

"No, sashimi from mammals is always processed."

"Masumi-nii wants to argue with me about the issue of raw food."

With a sharp gaze, the childhood sweetheart glared at him fiercely, adopting an unreasonable demeanor.

Masumi immediately surrendered. Even though she was the one who brought up the topic first.

"but……"

Qian Ai lowered her eyelashes quietly, staring at the floor of the carriage, blinking repeatedly as if brushing away the dust that covered up past memories.

"I didn't realize I had left such a deep impression on Masumi-nii."

"Ok?"

"I thought that in Masumi-nii's heart, I was just an ordinary girl who was labeled as his childhood friend."

"The label of childhood sweethearts alone is extraordinary."

"Really?" Qian Ai frowned sadly. "I think the childhood sweetheart card isn't very effective."

"What's this?"

Without explaining her statement, she continued.

"Although Masumi-nii says I'm pretty, it seems like not everyone thinks so."

"Is Qian'ai talking about things from elementary school?"

A shadow unconsciously fell over Masumi's cheeks.

During the immature adolescence, beauty may actually bring misfortune. Adults may unconsciously take care of her because of her beauty, while her peers may only see her as different.

At an age when she's not yet old enough to pursue individuality, her actions attract a lot of attention.

Therefore, once someone makes a fool of themselves, it will leave a deep impression on those around them, providing them with a legitimate reason to ostracize those who are different.

At the time, Masumi was a junior high school student and felt completely helpless in dealing with interpersonal relationships.

All he could do was hold Qian'ai's small, delicate hands and offer her support during the time they spent together.

"No, this is enough."

Qian Ai shook her head, biting her lip, and said:
"Masumi-nii originally joined a club at school, right? But during that time, in order to be able to spend time with me after school, he first kept asking his seniors for leave, then tried to skip club activities, and later simply quit the club."

Her tone was different from usual; it had lost its original vitality, and there was an unconcealable melancholy between her brows.

"Thinking back to those days, they were really monotonous: getting up, going to school, attending classes, being ostracized by everyone, sitting quietly on the side like a transparent person, waiting to go home at the end of the day, and having no memories at all."

Chiai bent down as if she wanted to embrace her younger self.

"How could I have any pleasant memories of those days? If it weren't for Masumi-nii, I would never want to have those memories."

She smiled wryly and said, for a moment revealing a melancholic and mature expression.

Masumi couldn't help but be stunned.

He thought he knew everything about Qingmei, but seeing that she could have such an expression, he couldn't help but feel ashamed of his arrogance.

"...I always felt very uncomfortable that Masumi-nii gave up his own relationships to take care of me."

As she spoke, Qian Ai's delicate features contorted, and she let out a short breath as if in pain.

"Ugh."

Qian'ai heard a sigh.

She cautiously raised her head and looked at her childhood sweetheart, who was wearing the same gentle smile as she remembered.

Why is it that when Chiai opens her heart to me, she's always apologizing?

"Eh."

"The same thing happened last time in Kyoto. If possible, I hope Chiai can accept all of this more naturally."

"Wouldn't that be too willful?"

The unnatural pauses in the girl's words revealed her unease.

"Because we're childhood sweethearts."

"Childhood sweethearts... that's not such a good card to play, is it?" Qian Ai murmured again.

"Perhaps that's true."

Masumi vaguely realized what Chiai wanted to say.

Childhood sweethearts are a very convenient card to play; the feelings that arise over time naturally maintain a close bond between two people.

Conversely, this also becomes a constraint.

Breaking a relationship takes courage. Once a relationship is established, it's difficult to take a new step.

Masumi couldn't think of anything to say, so she kept quiet, and Chiai, not expecting his opinion, also remained silent.

—This scene of the two of them in silence reminded Masumi of October, Miyakojima, under the sign of Libra.

"Do not pluck the lowest string, for it can speak of deep resentment."

Do not pluck the delicate strings of the pipa; my deep sorrow has lingered for a long time, yet remains unspoken.

Shortening the distance between you and the other person means that what you convey to them will also become more substantial, just like how the closer your hand is to a flame, the warmer it will feel.

However, getting too close can cause burns, so it's important to carefully gauge the amount of information you're conveying.

The tram's announcement sounded.

Chiai stood up from her seat and suddenly looked down at Masumi.

"Masumi-san..."

For some reason, her attitude was somewhat awkward.

"Would you... like to come over to my house for a bit?"

"Hey, so late?"

Masumi didn't think much of it; after the Asahina family moved to their apartment in Chuo Ward, he had visited them before.

"I feel like I'll be bothering Uncle Asahina and Aunt Stefanie."

“It’s okay.” Qian’ai shook her head. “My parents went on a trip, and I’m home alone right now.”

"I see."

Masumi nodded subconsciously, then suddenly choked up.

Wait!
In the dead of night, a lone man and a lone woman are alone in a room.

I glanced at the time. If I had waited a little longer, I would probably have heard the line, "The last train has already stopped running," a line that appears frequently in TV dramas and anime.

Then look at Qian Ai's face, which is faintly flushed.

"No! It's really not possible today."

Masumi suddenly showed a look of horror.

His physique, built through consistent morning runs and strength training, wasn't as strong as one might imagine.

Just now in the kitchen, the heir casually remarked, "It really doesn't seem very energetic, even it..." This startled Masumi, who thought she had been found out.

Although they used a despicable method to brush it off, if you add Chiai to that...

Why is Masumi-nii so resistant?

Qian Ai pouted, looking dissatisfied.

"No, it's that... time, yes! The last train... If I go to Chiai's house, I'm afraid I won't make it back on time."

To prevent Omega from using this excuse, Masumi was the first to point it out.

"It won't take too long."

Qian Ai didn't seem to care much.

What happened? Did I underestimate myself?

Her nonchalant attitude inexplicably stirred up a sense of antagonism in Masumi.

What a joke! I've been holding on for a long time thanks to the teasing of my senior, Rugu, and I recently regained some confidence from Rinne.

"...I just wanted Masumi-nii to try on the uniform."

Qian Ai said nonchalantly.

"Huh? Uniform?"

Masumi was stunned.

"Is this some kind of internet slang or homonym? Like 'mango' or something like that?"

"Secret language? Homophones?"

Qian Ai tilted her head, unaware of what was going on, her emerald eyes sparkling with the beauty of the night.

"I don't understand what Masumi-san is talking about at all. A uniform is a uniform. It's the uniform that you have to wear when the coffee shop is operating in winter."

She explained slowly and deliberately:
"The girls' are all done, but Masumi-nii's is still a little short. Since we have this rare opportunity, I'd like to let Masumi-nii try it first, is that okay?"

The childhood sweetheart crossed her fingers in front of her chest, revealing a pleading look in her eyes.

"Na?"

(End of this chapter)