Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 299, Section 16: "Things That Are Hard to Reach and Spring"

……

What are "things that are difficult to approach"?

In Masumi's view, it's not about distance, but rather, physical distance.

A week after returning to the coffee shop, Masumi would sometimes secretly admire Rinne Kamishiro's beautiful profile, which resembled an ice sculpture, and enjoy the benefits of being her colleague.

Just like Chia and Seno said, Kamishiro is very popular. She's the kind of beautiful girl who attracts attention just by standing there.

Smooth, black hair.

His skin was very fair, and his eyes were a deep purplish-blue.

Her beautiful, slender yet voluptuous figure was clad in a simple apron.

That's right, armed.

This word is the most appropriate to describe it.

She is not friendly at all and has a rather cold personality. She doesn't talk much in her spare time, and only when she is doing her duty of receiving guests will she go against her nature and force a polite smile.

After the meal, occasionally some frivolous boys would try to chat her up, but she would deflect them all with her flawless, icy beauty.

This person seems to be made of ice.

Because ice is cold, sharp, and quite fragile.

Moreover, her profile is also exquisitely beautiful.

Masumi thought that was why people said she was like an ice sculpture. Now she was experiencing that herself.

In order to improve the future operation of the coffee shop, he would sometimes deliberately strike up a conversation with the heiress. Generally speaking, it was better to start with their shared interests.

Just a few days ago, Masumi happened to witness this girl meowing and teasing the cat, which might become a turning point.

Then, Masumi spoke up.

"Hey, Kamishiro."

"Ok?"

Perhaps bothered by Masumi's blatant scrutinizing gaze that had been lingering for some time, Rinne put down her coffee-making instruction book and slowly raised her face.

"Kamishiro, you really like cats, right?"

"Ah."

"So, why would Kamishiro like this animal?"

Although the questions were somewhat deliberate, as long as we could keep the conversation going...

The heiress lowered her eyelashes quietly and gently turned the book to the next page.

"have not thought."

"Oh, oh."

These words completely shut down Masumi's carefully prepared remarks: "Mmm, kittens look so relaxed and cute sunbathing." "Kittens' paws are so soft, they feel so nice to touch." "I secretly kept stray cats behind my father's back when I was little."

All these words vanished into thin air with Kamishiro's simple statement, "I never thought about it."

I don't think she was just going through the motions; that's probably really how it is—she hasn't seriously thought about why she likes someone or anything.

Moreover, given her negative impression of me, it would be a miracle if she even responded at all.

After all, she had told me in the car earlier, "You don't need to force a conversation. We're not that close, we don't need to chat."

Being ignored is the most painful thing.

Although this is the second most uncomfortable situation right now.

If things stop here, there's no way to achieve the goal of improving the relationship. In that case, Masumi needs to muster the courage to take another step forward.

Will doing this break down the ice that keeps others at bay? Or will it only cause her to slip and fall?
"...I've heard that most people like cats because they find them very therapeutic. Of course, some people also like them because they think they'll become more popular after getting a cat. I think I belong to the former group."

He hoped to use his own methods to bridge the gap between himself and the heiress.

Sensing that Masumi was determined to achieve her goal, Rinne sighed quietly.

"Why do I like something?" — The reason I said "I haven't thought about it" is because if the feeling of liking something is clear, I probably wouldn't consciously think about it.

"Huh? Is that so?"

Masumi was stunned.

Rinne nodded and continued:

"When feelings of liking someone encounter obstacles, you list out their strengths and weaknesses and try to find the answer by weighing them on both sides of a scale—that's my personal opinion."

"……I see."

Masumi's response was tantamount to talking to herself.

I managed to touch a corner of the heiress's heart, a smooth, flawless layer of ice, clear, consistent inside and out, quite cold, and hard.

"Things that are hard to approach"—that's probably what it means.

Masumi couldn't imagine what it would be like for Kamishiro to be chatting and laughing with her, and if she really were chatting and laughing with her, it felt very out of character for her.

He was curious about what the calm and reserved Kamishiro would be like if he let go of this seemingly aloof and indifferent attitude.
But I probably won't have the chance to see that kind of scene.

If Kamishiro were to develop romantic feelings one day, what kind of person would that person be?
◇

"Idiot! Pervert! Freak! There's no one worse than you!"

Rinne made no attempt to hide her annoyance, her angry voice echoing in the bathroom.

She could hardly believe that she had developed romantic feelings for such a boy.

Shh... That's too loud!

Masumi covered her lips from behind, reminding her.

"Mio hasn't gone back to her room yet. If you shout like that, she might find out."

"Uh-huh……"

The long, slender finger constricted her lips and tongue, preventing Lin Yin from uttering complete syllables; she could only respond with muffled guttural sounds.

Her face flushed red with embarrassment, and she immediately stomped hard on Masumi's foot.

Her fair and pinkish heels seemed to be grinding against Masumi's shallow desires, grinding back and forth.

"You can't hurt yourself by stepping on someone without shoes."

Masumi smiled.

"……poor."

He ignored Rinne's cold attitude and continued. Wouldn't it be a waste to be trampled on for nothing if it ended here?

Although being stepped on by the heiress's small feet, the comfortable feeling for Masumi definitely outweighed the pain.

Just as the two were pulling at each other—

Da da!

Mio, who had gone downstairs to get a drink of water, suddenly turned back and knocked on the bathroom door:

"Rinne, are you done showering? May I come in?"

Rinne was so frightened that she swallowed all her senses, her breath caught in her throat, and she felt a little dizzy.

Let him seek thrills! Let him seek thrills!!
Something's happened!

Rinne lowered her voice, trying to make it sound less trembling:

"What? Does Mio need to use the restroom too?"

"Um, I need to use the restroom. Why have you been in there for so long?"

"Hmm, I just got into the bathtub a little while ago."

Rinne frantically tried to find an excuse.

Right now, Mio is waiting at the door to use the restroom. She's so eager to use it that she obviously won't leave.

If I go out now, I'll definitely run into Mio.

Rinne glanced at the other side.

Masumi followed her gaze and saw the window on the other side, feeling somewhat helpless.

He whispered a reminder:
"This is the second floor."

Rinne: "..."

Mio knocked on the door again, her tone impatient:
"Hey, Rinne, I really can't hold it in anymore! If this keeps up, I'm going to wet my pants like Umizuki!"

"Um, I... I haven't finished my bath yet."

Masumi was not in a hurry at all; in fact, she was quite relaxed and watched Rinne lie with great interest, showing no signs of nervousness at being caught.

Rinne always felt that Masumi might not actually care whether Mio would find out about their relationship.

Even...expecting?

He is crazy!

Mio's voice sounded genuinely anxious:

"Rinne is taking a bath in the bathtub. Draw the curtain. I'll be done soon!"

"I-I know."

Rinne quickly turned her head, shoving Masumi away from her, and walked inside with her legs crossed. She drew the curtain before speaking:

"Okay, come in."

The bathroom door wasn't locked, so Mio rushed in and sat on the toilet.

"By the way, why are you taking a shower in the middle of the night?"

"I'm sweating, and it's making me feel really uncomfortable."

"What a weirdo."

Mio pressed the flush button and suddenly noticed the empty laundry basket and rack next to her, which puzzled her.
Didn't you prepare a bath towel and a change of clothes for your shower?

"Ah...I...forgot to take it..." Rinne's chest heaved violently, her heart pounding. So this is what it feels like to have someone outside.

"Do you want me to get it for you?"

"no need!"

"Oh? Rinne hates me that much?"

Mio chuckled softly.

"That makes sense, after all, we're sworn enemies who hate each other."

"...That's not true."

Rinne bit her lip.

"In my opinion, Mio is also my... friend."

A cherished friend.

Or rather... family.

She silently added these two sentences to her mind.

As for being separated by a curtain from your friend's crush... that's a different story, and it feels ironic when you think about it.

"..."

Silence suddenly arrives.

Time seemed to drag on anxiously. Rinne was struggling with Masumi, and it felt like Mio finally spoke after a long while, her voice filled with a sigh.

"I really can't do anything with you, you little thief. I'll go get it for you."

"No! No need!"

Before Rinne could convey her anxious words, Mio left cleanly and decisively.

Hearing the door close, Masumi became even more unrestrained, while Rinne was extremely nervous and kept an eye on the movements outside the door.

"Mio...she could come in at any time..."

"Ok, I know."

"Then you return it!"

"It seems like Rinne gets more excited around Mio."

"I don't……"

Rinne defended herself in a low voice.

There was another knock on the bathroom door, and Mio came in from outside, startling Rinne.

Masumi held Rinne in her arms, trembling slightly along with her.

Mio's voice seemed to come from near and far:

"I've left the bath towel and change of clothes here... Consider it an occasional act of mercy on you, you little sly cat. Don't take too long to shower in the middle of the night, or you'll catch a cold."

"Um……"

Rinne responded with a long groan:

"Thank you, Mio."

Behind the curtain, Mio showed a look of disgust.

"Don't say such disgusting things. If you catch a cold and get sick, Masumi will definitely take care of you. I don't want you to take away his time."

Like it is now?
Rinne suppressed the rhetorical question that almost slipped out.

"……I see."

"Well, that's it."

Finally, Mio went out.

However, even after she left, the two of them could not relax.

The sounds from the bathroom were too obvious late at night, so Rinne had to continue suppressing her voice.

It's really... terrible.

◇

After doing bad things many times, you no longer feel as uneasy as the first time.

After Masumi's relationships with the girls around her progressed significantly, winter ended and Kobe welcomed spring again.

Before returning to Kobe, Masumi had never imagined things would turn out this way.

Despite not having sorted out her feelings yet, the days still passed by one by one.

March 14th, White Valentine's Day.

In island nations, this day is Valentine's Day, a day when the person who receives a gift is expected to reciprocate.

So early in the morning, all the girls in the coffee shop stared at Masumi with expectant eyes.

The first person he saw was Haiyue.

Or rather, ever since Masumi recently lifted the curfew, nine times out of ten when she opens her eyes in the morning, she will see Kaigetsu in her bed.

Thanks to this, Masumi is often able to face each new day with a very calm mind.

"By the way, today is White Valentine's Day."

Masumi gently stroked Kaigetsu's head and asked softly.

"Is there any gift Haiyue would like?"

"...White pieces."

Didn't you just eat it?
"Uh, it's high-end cuisine, right? I did make a reservation at the restaurant, but unfortunately, it's not Japanese cuisine."

Haiyue thought for a moment, then uttered a long string of words that sounded like a foreign name:
"...XXXX·XXXXX".

"what is that?"

"A new character that's coming out soon..."

"Oh, it's a gacha game. How much does it cost to get this character?"

"...○○ten thousand yen."

Haiyue slowly recited a series of figures that sounded like a new employee's first month's salary.

"No way! So many!"

Masumi was so shocked by the number that she almost jumped out of bed.

"Woo!"

Haiyue was in pain.

The lips are a vibrant, bright pink, full and moisturized, with a slight crack on the upper lip, clearly caused by external force.

"I'm sorry, Haiyue."

Masumi quickly apologized.

"It's okay... because it's... a powerful character... I have to get the strongest one..."

It seems that the jellyfish girl has recently become quite addicted to mobile games.

Because she was kept at the coffee shop and had no worries about food and clothing, Haiyue spent almost all of her salary on virtual items such as crystals, diamonds, and gems.

Although it was Haiyue's own money, and she was free to use it however she wanted, I still felt that things weren't going well.

Let's find an opportunity to talk to Rinne.

Compared to Masumi, who spoils Haigetsu almost without limits, Rinne acts more like a responsible guardian, or rather... a mother?
This kind of relationship feels strange.

"Are your lips alright, more so than that?" Masumi asked with concern.

"I just bumped into something...it hurts so much..."

"Open your mouth and let me see inside."

Masumi used her fingers to pry open her mouth, leaned over to check, and looked to see if the inside of her mouth was chafed.

"Ah~"

Haiyue, like a little girl going to the dentist, obediently opened her mouth to accept his examination.

You can see the connection between the palate and the oral esophagus, which is clean, with only a thin silver thread hanging down.

It seems not, Masumi felt slightly relieved, then sighed.

"...Sometimes I envy Haiyue's way of life."

"I?"

Haiyue tilted her head with a curious look.

"Leisurely and carefree, very simple, living in accordance with one's nature, feeling like there are no worries."

Even though I can't fully approve of her actions, I have a subtle feeling of wanting to protect her from the sidelines.

He looks so happy while eating; he's a glutton.

"Masumi...I wish you could be like me......"

"No! It's impossible."

If I did that, it would be much worse.

And he would definitely be called a "pervert" or "scum" by Rinne and Mami with cold, contemptuous looks.

"Well……"

Looking at the jellyfish-like girl lost in thought, Masumi patted her head and whispered:
"Time to wake up."

This year's spring began on such a day.

A spring that makes people look up at the blue sky and imagine the scenery on the other side.

(End of this chapter)