Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 294, Section 11: "Gazing at you, I find it hard to say a word."

After lunch and a short rest, the three of them took a walk around and now arrived at the open ranch area.

The gashapon machine sells animal feed.

Chiai inserted three 100-yen coins, twisted three gashapon capsules, and handed two of them to Masumi and Mio respectively.

"Thank you."

"I don't really want to feed the animals."

Mio looked at the sheep leisurely chewing on hay and showed a slightly disgusted expression.

"Won't I get sprayed with spit?"

"Don't worry, the animals at Kobe Zoo are all very friendly and cute. You saw that in the indoor area, didn't you, Mio-neechan?"

"You mean those two turtles that are sleeping and blocking the way, and the sloth that's sleeping hanging in the air?"

"Hmm, everyone seems pretty relaxed, right?"

"...Perhaps that's true."

Mio sighed, took the feed from her hand, but still blatantly showed her wariness, keeping a step's distance from the sheep.

"Oh, look! It's an alpaca, so cute!"

Upon seeing animals from the same origin as Peru, Chiai's eyes immediately lit up as she approached and slowly buried her hands in their wool.

"Wow, it's so warm. In Peru, clothes made of alpaca wool are very popular."

Masumi also walked up to an alpaca and offered it hay.

"How should I put it, it seems much smaller than I remember."

"How long ago was the last time Masumi was here?"

Mio tilted her head and asked him.

Fourth grade of elementary school.

"It's been a long time. What was Masumi like when she was in elementary school?"

"It's about the same as now."

"Hmm, that's a little hard to imagine."

Mio frowned slightly.

"He looks so fierce even though he's just a primary school student, that's unfair."

"Pfft!"

Masumi was happily feeding the alpacas while reminiscing about the past when these words struck him like a blow to the back.

As if someone had pushed him from behind, he barely managed to stay upright and not fall forward, then immediately turned around.

The alpaca's nose twitched incessantly, but it resisted the urge to spit and slowly walked away.

"What's wrong, Masumi? Why are you reacting so strongly?"

Mio looked at him with an indifferent expression.

"Who told Mio to suddenly say something so surprising?"

"Because Masumi's other appearances are easy to imagine."

The image of little Masumi carrying a backpack, her face as serene as it is now, floated into Mio's mind, and a gentle smile appeared on her lips.

"It's such a pity that I wasn't able to be by Masumi's side to check on her growth."

"Mio's remarks are becoming more and more like those of a pervert."

"I'm talking about real growth this time!"

Mio pouted, looking dissatisfied.

"I'm actually quite envious of Chia-chan. She and Masumi are childhood friends, and she can run to Masumi's room every morning, pull back the covers, and wake Masumi up..."

"That won't happen."

"But what I found was Masumi naked and looking panicked, with a swimsuit photo magazine she bought from the convenience store next to her pillow, which she must have forgotten to put away halfway through reading last night, and crumpled pieces of paper that she hadn't thrown into the trash can..."

"...Mio?"

Although Chiai's face was flushed, she still tried to remain calm as she approached, swallowing hard. "Idiot, Masumi-nii! Get up already!" she said, then helped Masumi tidy up the open magazines, thinking to herself, "Huh? So Masumi-nii likes this type..."

"Shouldn't this be enough to end this time, Mio?"

"It's not over yet—at this moment, Chiai realized that she and her childhood friend had unknowingly entered puberty, so she tentatively asked, 'Hey, Masumi-nii... are you... feeling uncomfortable like that?'"

"Qianai and I are three years apart, how could we possibly go through puberty at the same time?"

"Girls develop earlier than boys! So, on that summer morning, driven by curiosity, the young boys and girls... Ee-e-e! Why! Masumi's lover should only be me!"

In her imagination, Kurokawa Mio became a loser and couldn't help but let out a heart-wrenching wail.

"...Next time Mami recommends a game to Mio, you can refuse."

Masumi sighed.

"To have such a trump card as a childhood friend yet make no progress, is Chiai really wasting her talent?"

"I don't think childhood sweethearts are such a good card to play."

"What's this?"

Mio tilted her head slightly, indicating her confusion.

"While feelings born over time naturally maintain an intimate bond between two people, it can also be a constraint. Breaking a relationship requires courage, and..."

"And what?"

"nothing."

Masumi shook her head.

Mio stared intently at Masumi's expression, then nodded after a moment and smiled.

"I'm not as delicate as Masumi. I was just thinking that if Masumi and I were childhood friends, I would definitely take advantage of her the very first day she became aware of her masculinity!"

"She's clearly a pervert."

"—Did they take advantage of you and then leave you alone? What are Masumi-nii and Mio-nee-san discussing?"

Qian Ai tilted her head in confusion, noticed the commotion, and walked over to the two of them.

"It's nothing, we were just discussing dinner."

"That's it."

Qian Ai nodded and picked up her phone to check the time.

"It's almost closing time, let's go back."

"Ah."

The train on the return journey was crowded with tourists visiting the zoo. Masumi and Chia stood side by side near the door.

Mio was pushed to a slightly farther position by the two little girls running around, and stared at them intently from a short distance away.

The tram left the "Computational Science Center Station" and entered the street bathed in the dim light of sunset.

It's about a 15-minute drive from Sannomiya Station, where they came from.

Silence suddenly arrived, and Qian Ai quietly lowered her eyelashes, as if savoring the silence.

After a long while, when the tram passed "Hong Kong Island Station", Qian Ai suddenly called out softly.

"Mamazu Masumi."

"Ok?"

As Masumi answered, Chiai turned her head, her emerald eyes staring straight at him.

"Thank you for today."

She lowered her head slightly as she spoke.

"...Come out with me."

"I should be the one thanking Qian Ai."

Masumi's eyes narrowed gently.

"Chiai has been diligently preparing her knowledge about the animals, and thanks to that, I may be able to get a little closer to these animals than other tourists today. I'm really happy."

“Hey, Masumi-nii…”

Qian'ai raised her head, a sweet smile blooming on her face like a calamus.

"By the way, did Chiai have a good time at the zoo today?"

"Yeah, I'm really happy to be able to come out with Masumi-nii."

Perhaps it was because she felt shy to nod and agree frankly, Chiai's gaze drifted to the car window, where the street scene in the twilight rushed past her.

"So I think I'll be very happy even after I go back."

A smile played on Qian Ai's lips.

Silence descended once again between the two.

"Speaking of which, Masumi-nii..."

"what happened?"

"that……"

Qian Ai couldn't help but open her lips and mumbled "that" several times before finally closing her mouth again, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.

Even so, her gaze remained fixed on Masumi.

"If you need to go to the restroom, we'll be at the station in two minutes, so please hold it in for a little while, Chiai."

Masumi said calmly.

"That's not the case."

Chiai puffed out her cheeks unhappily, then, as if realizing something, she let out her tense emotions.

"Masumi-nii isn't very frank either; he tends to beat around the bush."

“I’m worried that directly reminding you that time is running out, and that speaking frankly might make you back down like a guinea pig.”

"Who's the guinea pig?"

When this girl from South America puffs out her cheeks and throws a tantrum, she really looks like an adorable guinea pig.

"Besides, Masumi-nii already said it."

“That’s right, I’ve already said what I wanted to say, now it’s Qian’ai’s turn.”

Masumi smiled gently. "...Masumi-nii, you're so cunning."

Qian Ai pouted, unwilling to let go.

"Is this what Qian'ai wanted to say?"

"of course not."

Qian Ai shook her head and mustered her courage to speak.

"I've been feeling really, really happy all day today, so..."

Masumi seemed to guess what she wanted to say and nodded with a smile.

"Sure, we'll always be there for you..."

"—Can I really continue to stay by Masumi-nii's side?"

"Eh."

"Next stop—Sannomiya Station—"

The announcement of the station location suddenly rang out in the carriage.

The tram began to slow down gradually. Through the glass of the door in front of her, Masumi suddenly saw the station platform slowly moving forward.

"Goodbye, Masumi-nii and Mio-neechan."

Qian'ai and the remaining two parted ways at the turnstile.

"Oh, goodbye."

Masumi watched Chiai's departing figure with a thoughtful expression.

"Masumi?"

Mio called his name several times, but he seemed to have drifted off into thought without realizing it.

"Excuse me, Mio, what did you just say to me?"

Mio shook her head slightly, and after two seconds asked again.

What did Masumi and Chiai talk about on the train?

"Yeah, it was about how we went to the zoo together today and had a lot of fun, things like that."

"Oh, is that so?"

Mio narrowed her obsidian-like eyes, slightly curled the corners of her lips, and looked at Masumi beside her with a meaningful gaze.

"From an outsider's perspective, Chiai's expression at the time seemed a bit off to me."

"Hey, what kind of expression is that?"

Masumi wants to ask Mio for her insightful perspective as a woman.

No matter how empathetic a person is, they probably can't truly understand the opposite sex.

"Um……"

Mio rested her chin on her hand, thought for a moment, and said:

"An expression of unfulfilled desire."

"This is talking about Mio herself, isn't it?"

Masumi looked strange.

"In short, it's like something is not being met, like there's a piece missing in my heart."

As Mio chatted with Masumi, they walked out of the station to change trains. The shimmering river of headlights from the cars cast a soft glow on her elegant profile.

"I used to understand this feeling very well."

"...Mio."

Seeing her face, shrouded in gloom and shadow, made Masumi feel very uncomfortable.

Just as he was feeling unable to let go of his feelings, Mio suddenly took his hand.

"So, I'm going to enjoy Masumi's scent tonight."

"Huh, isn't Mio being a bit too enthusiastic?"

Sometimes I feel like she's a clingy, large dog.

"How rude of me."

Mio shrugged, looking annoyed.

"Masumi should know that I only treat you like this, right? After all, it's hard to hide your feelings when you're with someone you like."

"indeed."

Masumi nodded, and then saw Mio subtly bring her face closer.

Like a gentle breeze, their lips met.

"I really want to see Masumi express her feelings later, and of course, I'll accept them with gratitude~"

“I sincerely hope that Mio will not be so devoted to her desires.”

Masumi sighed.

"It's all because Masumi always deliberately avoids me and doesn't fulfill my wishes."

Mio spoke to him in a reproachful tone.

"I do bear responsibility for this matter, and I will take responsibility in the future."

"Take responsibility..."

Mio suddenly caught the key words and covered her mouth as if in disbelief.

"Could it be... that Masumi is planning to...?"

"No! I don't have that kind of plan anymore!"

Masumi quickly clarified.

"That's right."

Mio smiled broadly and nodded.

"The love between Masumi and me doesn't need anyone else to interfere for the time being."

"No, that's not the reason..."

Masumi's gaze drifted involuntarily to his surroundings. To change the subject, he looked at the vending machine not far away and said...

"Mio, would you like something to drink?"

"Okay."

Mio nodded readily and agreed.

"What would you like to drink? Hot or cold? Juice?"

Masumi stood in front of the vending machine, took out her wallet, stared at the buttons that flashed blue light and were labeled "cold drinks" or "hot drinks," and thought about what to buy.

After waiting for a long time, there was no response from behind.

Masumi turned around in confusion and saw Mio standing there, seemingly lost in thought.

"Mio?"

"Ah, any drink is fine, but there's a drink I'd rather have than any of those."

As Mio said this, a meaningful smile appeared on her lips.

◇

"Cough cough cough cough cough..."

Having drunk too much water in one go, Mio covered her face and coughed lightly.

His throat, blocked by a foreign object, was churning with rapid, hoarse breathing, accompanied by the sticky sound of swallowing liquid.

"Are you alright? I told you not to drink so fast."

Masumi asked with concern, reaching behind Mio and gently patting her slender back.

"fine."

Mio gently lifted the ends of her honey-gold hair, her face flushed, and the carefully maintained ends of her hair stuck to her cheeks.

His obsidian-like eyes were shrouded in a watery glow.

Mio accidentally caught a glimpse of her disheveled state by Masumi, so she simply changed her drinking method, timidly sticking out her tongue and burying her head in her hands to lick the water repeatedly.

However, drinking water like this makes her tongue feel sour, and the area she can reach for the water is limited. She quickly stole a glance at Masumi's expression.

Seeing that Masumi's eyes were still gentle, I felt relieved.

Their eyes met, and a blissful shyness sweetly spread through Masumi's heart.

"Mio is so enthusiastic."

"Does Masumi like me like this?"

"Ah."

Masumi nodded without hesitation.

"Won't you get annoyed because I'm always too proactive?"

Mio asked, a little unsure of herself.

"That's not the case."

Masumi stroked her head gratefully, running her fingers down her smooth blonde hair. Her soft cheeks were not only smooth but also so supple that they seemed to cling to her.

A girl who serves her lover so devotedly has no doubt that she will become a good wife.

The warmth from Mio's hands enveloped his own, as he tried his best to make Masumi happy.

……

Neither of them noticed that the door to the room had been slightly ajar.

A pair of blue-green eyes and another pair of purple eyes were peering intently through the gap.

"That's...it's like this..."

"These two people actually..."

The heiress slightly widened her eyes.

(End of this chapter)