Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 28 28. "The Night of May nd"

Night, starry.

After the "celebration banquet" ended, it was already nine o'clock in the evening. It was late spring and the sky had become completely dark at this time.

Asahina Chiai said goodbye to everyone, and Masumi offered to take her to the station.

Kobe is not as bustling as neighboring Osaka, and this street with almost no pedestrians is wrapped in silence.

The Seto Inland Sea is bustling during the day, but at night it seems as if something is moving in the dark water, which is a bit creepy.

The sound of the tide and the moisture carried by the sea breeze brushed past my ears, like the warm breath of a giant beast.

"That's it."

After turning a corner, Qianai said to Masumi.

"We still have a long way to go. I heard there are a lot of hooligans lately. It's very dangerous for a girl to be alone at this time."

"It's okay." Qian Ai put her hands behind her back and hopped forward a few steps like a child playing hopscotch. Then she turned back without warning, and Masumi also stopped like her.

“I would walk home singing at the top of my lungs.”

"I've been tone-deaf since I was a child. If there really were hooligans, I'd be scared and wouldn't come and threaten me."

"Okay, okay, to prevent the gangsters from being frightened by you, I will watch you from the side."

"...Mamaru-nii."

"how?"

"If only you had been so considerate before."

His words seemed to brighten the girl's mood. Her emerald eyes narrowed into a crescent-shaped smile. Masumi's gaze shifted quietly to the side.

When it comes to girls walking alone at night, Masumi and Chiai have never been able to agree on the issue. It used to be like this, but now it's the other way around.

"I still remember that you always asked me to take you directly to your doorstep."

He started with a tone of reminiscence, and Qian Ai also showed a nostalgic expression following his words.

"Yeah, even though I'm reluctant, Masumi-san still takes me home every time."

"But after you left Kobe for Tokyo five years ago, I was left alone, right?"

Qian Ai blinked repeatedly meaninglessly and gave a bright smile.

Even though spring was almost over, the nights were still a bit chilly. A sense of tranquility hung about like a scintillans on the crest of a wave.

Masumi walked her to the station.

The tram drove into the platform in the dim moonlight, and the light reflected from the window was very warm.

Before boarding the carriage, Qian Ai's voice slowly fell in the station where only two people were.

"Masumi-san..."

"what?"

"You have to work hard, don't lose to Rinne."

This was said purely as a joke. Masumi replied nonchalantly, "Hmm," then waved at her and said, "Bye, be careful on your way."

"Bye-Bye!"

Chiai waved her goodbye in a relaxed tone and Masumi left the station.

Go back towards the stars.

◇

Back at the store, the lights at the coffee machine bar were still on, and Rin was the only one on the first floor.

"Making coffee?"

Masumi asked, watching her movements.

"Well, I'll clean the machine before opening tomorrow."

"Ah, that's okay." He turned into the bar, "Do you need my help?"

Feeling like he was being too attentive, Masumi added, "If you have any questions about coffee, feel free to ask me." He seemed a little too proud.

Linyin had her head lowered, her neat black hair covering the side of her face. She was wearing home clothes, her snow-white neck with graceful lines was revealed between her hair, and a thin suspender was faintly visible at her shoulder.

After hearing this, I couldn't help but look up at him.

Then he lowered his head as if nothing had happened.

"Yeah." Does this mean you need help?
I saw her grinding coffee beans with a hand-cranked grinder. Fanxing's electric grinder is usually used for espresso, and Masumi also usually uses a hand-cranked grinder.

After grinding the beans and letting the coffee powder fully absorb the hot water, the warm aroma fills the shop.

There were insects chirping outside, making a noise in the murmuring spring night.

She pushed the brewed coffee in front of Masumi.

"If you can, please give me some advice."

Masumi nodded, picked up the coffee, took a sip, closed his eyes, and savored the flavor of the coffee in his hand.

"The aroma is rich and moist; Mr. Akai's coffee beans are truly top-notch. However, the aftertaste is a bit cloying, and the coffee is too watery and lacks body."

His comments were merciless, and the girl listened quietly to Masumi's sharp words without showing any emotion on her face.

Masumi seemed a bit too ruthless, so he explained: "Sorry, I have very strict requirements on the flavor of coffee."

"It's okay. I appreciate you pointing out my shortcomings. Thank you."

Rinne said frankly and directly.

The girl's sincerity made Masumi feel a little embarrassed. "Don't underestimate yourself. In fact, your coffee skills are already very good. Many commercial coffee shops may not be as good as you."

“It’s just that if you want to make specialty coffee, you’re still a long way off. But there shouldn’t be many gourmet customers at Starry Sky.”

Like he said before, most people come just to enjoy the quiet and relaxing atmosphere of the cafe.

"You don't have to comfort me." Lin Yin shook her head. "I'm not that fragile. If I do something wrong, it's wrong."

Masumi smiled and said, "I'm a barista after all, at least I won't lie about coffee." Although he was smiling, his tone was extremely serious.

Kamishiro Rinne sensed this seriousness, her pupils fixed on Masumi, her snow-white throat moving as if she wanted to say something—

Suddenly.

The incoming phone rings, breaking the silence first.

It's Kamishiro Rin's cell phone.

Their eyes met briefly in the air.

She picked up the phone from the bar, tucked her long hair behind her ears, revealing her snow-white and well-shaped ears, pressed the answer button, and then put the phone close to her ear.

"Hello, I'm Kamiyo—"

After the call was connected, a chaotic sound came from the other end. Through the quiet air in the store, Masumi still couldn't hear it clearly. He vaguely heard the words "mother-in-law" and "fainted".

If you listen carefully, the voice seems very childish, like a child's voice, and there is more than one, mixed together, making people feel inexplicably anxious.

——Crack!
The phone slipped from her hand and fell on the bar with an unsettling sound.

"what happened?"

Masumi became nervous and asked immediately.

"It's the director of the welfare home...something happened."

Linyin spoke briefly and to the point. Although her expression remained as calm as usual, her trembling voice betrayed her, and she had lost her usual coldness and rationality.

This was the first time Masumi saw Rinone show a slightly vulnerable side.

The next moment, she picked up her cell phone, clenched her fists tightly, and was about to rush out the door.

"Calm down! Jindai."

Before she could think, Masumi subconsciously grabbed her slender wrist.

"Get out of the way! I need to drive to the welfare home quickly!"

Rinone tried hard to suppress her emotions and stay calm, but the panicked heartbeat from the pulse on her wrist showed Masumi her inner anxiety.

"Calm down, Jindai."

"Can you really drive in this state?"

"I'm going to go out and get a taxi. Go back to your room and change your clothes."

He was right. Linyin lost her reason to refuse. After looking at him irritably, her tightly knotted brows relaxed a little and she nodded immediately.

She is not good at relying on others, and rather than relying on others, she wants to be relied upon.

But at this moment, she was at a loss as to what to do due to the shock of the bad news, which exposed the weakness deep in her heart. Like a drowning person trying to grab a piece of driftwood, she subconsciously wanted to rely on something.

Masumi finally breathed a sigh of relief, then let go of her wrist naturally.

(End of this chapter)