Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 278, Section 13: "Is there any hope for a coffee shop that's already a scene of carnage first thing in the morning?"

February 10th, Friday, a bright and sunny day.

Rinne encountered Masumi in the washroom early in the morning.

"Oh, it's Rinne. Good morning."

It was obvious that Masumi, who had just woken up, walked towards them with her eyes half-open and half-closed, swallowing a yawn with every step she took.

"morning."

Rinne turned off the hairdryer, her dark, shiny hair returning to its natural, dry state, and she lowered her head to speak.

Seeing this, Masumi also pulled up his clothes to look down. His pajamas were full of wrinkles. Although he looked slightly concerned, he only said, "Never mind, it doesn't matter."

Rinne wondered if she should also mention his exaggeratedly wavy hair.

"Masumi, what time did you go to sleep last night?"

"Let me think... anyway, it's not dawn yet."

Masumi faced the mirror and finally saw the exaggeratedly sticking hair on the top of her head.

He wet his hair with his hands and smoothed down the stray hair.

"Why are you sleeping so late?" Rinne asked. "There's still a lot of time before the manga deadline, right? Are you writing lyrics for a new song?"

"Hmm, I can't sleep because I'm thinking about other things."

Masumi spoke vaguely, while Rinne, behind him, narrowed her eyes and parted her lips slightly.

"Is it related to Mio?"

The soft-spoken question made Masumi's heart skip a beat.

The heiress's voice sounded normal, but it carried a subtle undertone, such as probing, resentment, or blame.

"Yes, there are quite a lot."

"Really? By the way, where did you and Mio go yesterday?"

"...Mount Rokko."

To be honest, this isn't a topic that needs to be avoided; the key lies in what happens next.

"Mount Rokko?"

Rinne frowned, not understanding what was going on.

What are you going there for?

"Have a heart-to-heart talk."

Masumi bent down and approached the sink. Clear tap water gushed out from the faucet, and a dull "humming" sound came from the pipes. There were many things that could be covered up by these things.

"So it seems that the 'heart-to-heart talk' has actually caused more trouble. It's really hard to bear seeing someone's heavy true feelings."

Rinne said casually, and as she watched Masumi wiping her face with a towel, she reached out her hand.

Although Masumi's eyelids twitched, she accepted the long, slender, white hand that landed on her head.

Her soft fingertips first touched Masumi's forehead, then her warm palm enveloped it.

"Rinne?"

Masumi looked at Rinne with a puzzled expression as she slightly tiptoed, at which point the difference in their heights became quite apparent.

Rinne wasn't particularly tall among the girls around Masumi, only a little taller than Chiai, but because of her well-proportioned figure and her aloof, unapproachable aura, she always gave the impression of being tall.

“Your hair has grown a bit long. If your bangs fall down, they’ve already covered the part I planned for you before.”

Rinne said nonchalantly.

"Oh, it's been almost two months since the last trim. Speaking of which, did Rinne actually plan something like that?"

Is the heiress, who has always managed the coffee shop so meticulously, really this rigorous?
Rinne nodded: "Because I used to trim your hair about once a month, you probably didn't notice."

"so."

"Lower your head a little."

"okay."

Masumi turned his face down, and a towel still smelling of shampoo was placed on his head, gently wiping his hair that had just been wet.

"Huh? What's Rinne doing here—"

Rinne didn't respond and continued with the previous topic.

"...However, I've been quite busy lately and was a little careless. I didn't expect it to take the opportunity to cross the line. This thing is really a headache."

"This thing" refers to...

"The length of the bangs, the speed of their growth, and everything that's annoying."

It was one thing to talk about bangs and such, but it was the word "everything" in the following sentence that bothered Masumi.

"Rinne is really too malicious towards my bangs," he couldn't help but complain.

"Lower your head a little, you're too tall."

Rinne said calmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"Oh, well, I can do it myself. There aren't many wet areas anyway—"

"Don't move your head."

Rinne's tone was unusually cold, and Masumi was so frightened that she dared not move.

There was nothing he could do but calmly accept the fact that the heir had wiped his head.

Even when faced with a stern-looking, long-haired, beautiful girl, Masumi's instincts remained true to herself, and her enviable figure could be seen through the gaps in her off-white towel under her loungewear.

Because her arms were outstretched forward, gripping the towel, the fabric in front of her chest was naturally caught, further emphasizing the valley area.

Masumi's gaze remained fixed on him unconsciously.

"What do you think?"

Rinne suddenly asked out of the blue.

"Eh?"

Why did you suddenly ask that?

Was it because I accidentally looked too far ahead and she noticed? After all, humans are always very sensitive to sight.

"Why don't you speak?"

When he came to his senses, he saw Rinne leaning towards him, so close that he could almost feel her breath. Thanks to this, her rounded breasts also came close.

"...Very good, it shows the importance of talent, but of course, hard work after birth cannot be ignored."

Masumi managed to squeeze out an answer from her throat with great difficulty.

Yoga is a comprehensive exercise method that can shape the whole body as well as sculpt specific areas. Rinne's increasingly fleshy thighs lately are likely proof of this.

"Talent? Hard work?"

Rinne looked completely bewildered.

"Really? I just helped you dry your hair, and you got such a profound and unrelated comment. I really don't understand... I thought you would say something like that you feel refreshed."

"Huh? Yes, it is very refreshing."

Rinne didn't delve into it. She rolled the towel into a circle and gently patted and wiped Masumi's face.

"How do you feel after you've finished wiping? I mean physically."

Rinne deliberately went to the extra mile to emphasize this.

"Mmm, it feels refreshing, thank you."

Masumi finally gave the correct answer this time.

"...Also, I think I'm starting to understand what it's like to be a dog."

Why not a cat?

"The hopeless feline captive, Rinne, tilted her head and asked."

"Well... the cat is part of it too, after all, cats love playing with yarn balls, and I often saw Xiaoyu chasing after paper balls when I went for my morning run."

So it's a calico cat?

No, I don't know the specific variety.

Masumi shook her head, a sigh escaping her lips.

"I'm sorry, I'm just an animal that doesn't know its limits."

"If it's a cat, being a little mischievous is also cute."

After careful consideration, Rinne said.

"What are you two doing so early in the morning?" The third party's voice echoed throughout the washroom and half of the corridor, drowning out Rinne's conclusion.

Masumi and Rinne put a little distance between themselves and looked toward the source of the sound. There stood Mio with her arms crossed, staring at them with a cold expression.

"...What are you two doing?"

"Nothing was done."

Seeing Masumi and Rinne respond in perfect unison, Mio's eyebrows shot up.

Just as Masumi was waiting for Mio to shout in an angry voice, trembling as usual, she unexpectedly only responded to half of Masumi's expectations.

"You actually sneaked out early this morning to get intimate with my Masumi! ...Although that's what I want to say, I already cuddled up to him last night, so I'll forgive you."

Mio raised the corners of her lips, a confident smile appearing on her face.

Rinne's indifferent expression turned cold in an instant, and she turned to look at Masumi.

"What happened? Didn't you say it was a heart-to-heart talk?"

"Uh, yes, we were planning to have a heart-to-heart talk."

Despite it being just a short question, Masumi had no chance to respond and was completely overwhelmed by her imposing manner.

There are many ways to have a heart-to-heart talk.

At this moment, Mio interjected with a smile.

"As long as the process brings hearts closer, I consider it a 'heart-to-heart talk.'"

"Such an unreasonable way of defining things is definitely in Mio's style."

Rinne spoke with her usual indifferent expression.

"However, given Mio's honest and timid nature, she'll probably just lift it high and then put it down gently."

The heiress's words hit the nail on the head, pointing directly to Mio's deepest weakness.

If Kurokawa Mio is really like the emotionally charged and highly proactive yandere heroine in the game, then sunlight has probably become a luxury for Masumi now.

"You're so annoying!" Mio frowned unhappily. "What Masumi and I did last night was far more daring than you can imagine."

"I'll ask Masumi for advice on that later."

Rinne said those words in a calm and collected tone, which made Masumi shiver.

"Really."

Mio sighed, seemingly feeling a bit bored:

"I didn't expect Rinne to be so calm. I thought you would be even more consumed by jealousy... This reaction is a bit boring."

"I'm really sorry, but I'm not Mio. And the fact that I am the heir to this coffee shop, and that Masumi is the young master and barista, are unshakeable. I have no reason to be anxious about gains and losses."

The slightly out-of-control girl from before was nowhere to be seen; Rinne had returned to her usual confident self.

"This attitude, which seems to be showing off the magnanimity of a legal wife, is really unpleasant."

Mio made no attempt to conceal the dark aura emanating from her. She walked to the sink, glanced at the items on the shelf, and then turned her gaze to Masumi.

"Where's Masumi's toothpaste?"

"We used it up last night."

"so."

Mio nodded, took Rinne's toothpaste from the side without any hesitation, squeezed it onto her toothbrush, and brushed her teeth half-heartedly.

"Mio took my things without even saying anything beforehand?"

"Isn't this the perfect opportunity for you to showcase your talents, Miss Heiress?"

"Then I hope that Mio won't be so rebellious in the future."

"Let's talk about this after Rinne can control that jellyfish that likes to run away."

When someone is mentioned, that person's shadow appears.

"There are so many people... Masumi's eyes... are so lewd..."

Haiyue walked into the bathroom in a daze, her blue eyes staring straight at Masumi, and said expressionlessly.

"It's not vulgar at all!"

Masumi hurriedly offered her explanation.

"Because Masumi... was peeking at Rinne's chest... and Mio's feet..."

"That's because it's very crowded now; you'll see all of this no matter which way you look."

"stare--"

"It's Haiyue's gaze that's vulgar."

"Wow, it's so lively here! Good morning, everyone."

Asami yawned and swayed as she walked into the bathroom. Hmm? You're asking where she swayed...

"Seriously, where is Masumi looking?!"

Mio put the toothbrush in her mouth and pinched Masumi's cheek in dissatisfaction.

"Well, like I said, it's because the space is cramped; you can see it no matter which way you look—"

"If that's the case, then just keep an eye on me!"

Mio puffed out her cheeks in a huff, protesting in dissatisfaction.

"Is Ms. Asami's figure really that attractive to you?!"

No, not exactly—

Mio pulled his cheeks apart, seemingly not wanting Masumi to explain at all, but rather just venting her emotions.

"Hmph~ I see. So Masumi-kun is so infatuated with me that he'd rather anger Mio-san. I'm really sorry that I'm so charming."

A smug smile played on her lips as she emphasized the most striking feature of her body—skinny enough to burst out.

"Sister Mami, I told you to dress more neatly."

Rinne sighed and rubbed her forehead, then said:
"Your chest is all exposed. You should have buttoned up the tank top properly."

"Eh, even if Rinne says that, these buttons just can't be fastened. It'll be really uncomfortable if you force it."

"Don't make excuses."

"it is true."

"There's really nothing I can do with Asami-nee."

Rinne approached with a troubled expression and helped her straighten her collar.

"Um, Asami-nee..."

"Ok?"

"Have you... gained weight again?"

"No way! What Rinne said was too hurtful!"

Mami's voice, filled with grief and indignation, echoed throughout the entire washroom.

The group was making a ruckus until Rinne tried repeatedly to help Mami close her blouse, only to have the second button pop off instead, and the morning farce finally ended.

Dispersed.

As Masumi reached the top of the stairs, Rinne suddenly called out to him.

"Wait a moment."

"Ok?"

Masumi turned her head to the side with a curious look.

"Let's not come to work at our usual hours today. Let's go back to our rooms and rest for a while."

Rinne gently instructed, her fingers brushing a strand of hair that had fallen beside her cheek behind her ear, the unintentional little gesture exuding a gentle temperament.

Instead of wearing her hair down or tying it into a single ponytail as usual, she loosely tied a low side ponytail over her shoulder.

If Asami, with her otaku mind, were present, she would blurt out, "A dangerous housewife hairstyle."

The unusual hairstyle not only gives people a sense of novelty, but also adds a touch of inclusiveness and sexiness to the heiress, like a newlywed wife, or a young mother.

"Okay, sure." Masumi nodded.

"Thank you for your hard work. I will do my best to manage the business during the upcoming Valentine's Day period."

Upon hearing the words "Valentine's Day," Rinne's eyelids twitched. She couldn't help but open her lips, but in the end, she said nothing.

(End of this chapter)