Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 311, Section 28: "A Ferris wheel that completes one rotation every 13 minutes can do a lot of things."

What was Qian'ai thinking just now?

“Uh huh!?”

Qian Ai's reaction was a little flustered.

"No, it's nothing..."

"The reaction was too obvious."

Masumi sighed quietly, then said sarcastically:

"It's obvious at a glance that he's thinking about unhealthy things..."

"—No, that's not how it is! I just, I just..."

After stammering for a long time without being able to give a coherent answer, Chiai finally glared at Masumi with a resentful look.

"It's all because of Masumi-nii..."

"You mean my existence made Qian'ai interested in this kind of thing?"

"I, I didn't say that!"

Qian Ai's cheeks flushed red like a boiled octopus, and she quickly turned her face away, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of, after all, we're already a couple."

Masumi seemed unconcerned, shrugging as she spoke. Chiai lowered her head, letting out a soft sigh.
"Even if they're lovers... it's still different..."

"..."

Masumi peered at Chiai's expression. Although she couldn't truly understand Chiai's current feelings, she could definitely sense the unease in her heart.

That really is worrying.

I thought I had already graduated from the psychological counseling center.

"Hey, Chiai."

Masumi called out her beautiful name in a voice as calm as possible, but with a hint of emotion.

"Ok?"

"Let's go ride the Ferris wheel."

"Eh?"

Then, Masumi naturally pulled Omega towards the tall building.

After having their tickets checked, the two entered the cabin under the guidance of the staff.

The seats are spacious enough for four people to sit in at the same time. Although the cabin looks red from the outside, when you are actually sitting inside, it feels transparent no matter which direction you look out from.

It's perfect for thrill-seekers, but not so friendly for those with a fear of heights. Luckily, both of them passed the test smoothly.

"Guest, please watch your head and feet."

As she bent down to enter the cockpit, Chiai hesitated over whether to sit face-to-face with Masumi or next to him.

However, seeing Masumi step into the cockpit and sit down in the middle of another seat without hesitation, Chiai had no choice but to obediently sit down directly opposite him.

"Didn't Masumi-nii just agree with my point of view?"

"That's right, but considering that Qian'ai has classes, there might be a lot of people if we have to queue up then."

"Hmm, what a convincing reason."

Qian'ai leaned against the window, gazing at the scenery outside the cabin. Unfortunately, because the Ferris wheel had just started moving, the cabin was still quite low, and there wasn't much to see outside the window.

"I don't think I've ever ridden a Ferris wheel with Masumi-nii before."

"Huh? Never even once?"

"No."

Qian Ai shook her head.

"However, there have been times when the three of them, including Sister Qian Sui, were together."

"That's it."

Masumi wore a gentle smile.

"So, how are you? Are you happy?"

"……happy."

"That's good."

Masumi seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

Being alone with the boy she liked in a confined space, perhaps because of her wavering feelings, Qianai felt somewhat uneasy.

At this time, Asami would often put one leg on the knee of the other, sitting cross-legged in a less-than-proper posture.

Chiai imagined what she looked like, and as she slightly raised her toes, Masumi suddenly spoke:
"Qian Ai isn't wearing socks today?"

The first sound to fill the cockpit was this opening line, which surprised Qian Ai.

Although it was sudden, Chiai still chose to answer honestly.

"Yes, I'm wearing them. They're boat socks."

She wore low-top blue canvas shoes when she went out today, and black boat socks to show off her fair ankles.

"Huh? I've never heard of these socks before. Can I take a look?"

"W-What are you doing!?"

Qian Ai blatantly revealed her wariness, pulling her feet under the seat.

Why did Masumi-nii suddenly make this request?

"Can't you?"

"Of course not! This is inside a Ferris wheel."

"That's why I said that on the Ferris wheel."

Masumi said matter-of-factly:
"Because it's a private space for two people, there's no need to worry about being seen by others, and this Ferris wheel takes 13 minutes to complete one rotation."

"Hmm... It feels like Masumi-nii has been planning this for a long time. Could it be that he invited me out with that in mind?"

Masumi smiled without saying a word. Under his silent gaze, Chiai finally gave in, avoiding Masumi's gaze and glancing diagonally downwards.

"...I understand, it's just for taking a look."

As she spoke, she took off her right canvas shoe. Her beautiful arch, sole, and toes were all encased in black boat socks.

Only the insteps are exposed.

"Oh, so these are boat socks."

Masumi's eyes seemed to be observing some rare bird.

"...I've seen Haiyue wear these kinds of socks before."

"Ugh! Masumi-nii is teasing me again!"

Chiai was both ashamed and angry, and tried to pull her foot back, but Masumi reached out and grabbed it.

"Masumi-nii!?"

Long, slender fingers and well-defined wrists—these are the hands of Masumi-san, capable of playing guitar, brewing coffee, and writing novels and lyrics.

But now...

Qianai felt a little strange just from simply taking off her socks.

Does Qian'ai know why she has become like this?

Masumi asked with a smile.

"Why, why?"

Masumi-nii only took off her socks and that was it. If she were to do something else like Mio-nee-san... she didn't even dare to think about it!

The black boat socks had worn down to the toes, revealing her toes, which looked like flower petals arranged together.

"Brother Masumi!"

He grabbed her ankle as she tried to escape and explained slowly and deliberately. Qian'ai couldn't listen to more than half of it, her face turning almost red to the roots of her neck.

"How would I know such a thing?!"

She frantically waved her hands in front of her face.

"How could a normal person know this kind of knowledge!?"

"It would be very rude of Chiai to say that to medical students."

"So? Masumi-nii is a medical student?"

"Qian Ai knows perfectly well that I haven't even gone to university."

"Then Masumi-nii is a pervert."

"I just feel that seeing this makes me feel less distant from others."

"Who would make up such an excuse?!"

When she said this, Qian Ai turned her face away in embarrassment and annoyance.

"And then there are psychological factors..."

Masumi paused for a moment, then continued her explanation:

"It's warmer, it makes you feel safer, and your body will relax more easily."

"Wearing socks is the same, isn't it?"

"totally different."

Masumi smiled and shook her head.

Chiai's displeasure was less due to embarrassment and more to shyness; she was eager to hear what excuse Masumi could come up with.

"I hope that this sense of security is something I can personally bring to Qian'ai."

"..."

Masumi's gentle gaze made Chia gasp, and she felt a tickle on the back of her neck. To hide the blush on her face, she quietly looked away from Masumi.

"To come up with so many bizarre reasons for... Masumi-nii, you're really something else." The childhood friend's voice was barely audible, sounding like she was scolding someone, or perhaps she was being coquettish.

If we divide the degree of human abnormality into levels one to ten.

Chiai believes that Masumi-san can bravely climb to level eight.

She had naively thought he was at most a level five.

"Then let's just say I was captivated by Chiai's charm."

Masumi looked at Chiai's rosy complexion, which exuded an indescribable feminine charm.

Before she knew it, the little girl who used to always follow behind her, the girl who was often mistaken by her peers for her younger sister, had grown into a graceful young woman.

The childhood sweetheart girl is growing and changing every minute and every second. Whether it's the unfinished part or the changed part, it all makes people want to keep her in their memories.

Whether as a person, as a man, or as a lover, he couldn't take his eyes off her.

"...Back then, Masumi-nii would only call me by my first name."

Chiai's words were tinged with possessiveness. Masumi laughed out loud.

"Is Qian'ai jealous?"

"I didn't!"

"When Qianai lies, her eyes always unconsciously glance to one side."

"Why do you act like you know me so well?"

"Because I know Qian'ai so well, after all, we're childhood friends."

His tone was so sincere that Qian'ai had no choice but to confront his feelings and open her trembling lips to say:
"But... I don't know Masumi-nii that well..."

Qian Ai's voice sounded utterly helpless, her eyelids trembled slightly as she looked at the ground, and her long eyelashes fluttered up and down.

The Ferris wheel has traveled about a third of the way. It has risen considerably in height, offering panoramic views of the park.

However, Masumi had no time to appreciate the scenery. Seeing Aome's lonely expression, he spoke up:

"Is it alright, Qian'ai?"

“Uh huh!?”

Qian Ai suddenly raised her head, her cheeks flushing red once again.

"Masaki-nii—! You just said you weren't..."

"Don't get me wrong, I meant the lips."

Masumi quickly explained, and when he said that, Chiai felt even more ashamed and indignant, but she didn't have the courage to die. She could only lower her head like an ostrich and bury her face in her clothes.

"...Yes, it's possible..."

She murmured softly.

Masumi laughed instead.

"I can't possibly kiss Qian Ai like this."

"Well."

Chiai had no choice but to raise her face tremblingly. As soon as her beautiful, rosy lips were exposed, they were captured by Masumi.

Masumi then pulled her ankle over and placed it on her shoulder.

The two kissed when the Ferris wheel reached its highest point.

Chiai was held by Masumi, and after a while, she finally parted her lips to protest to him.

"Seriously, Masumi-nii, this is going too far!"

Qian Ai touched her lips with her fingers, and through the gaps in her hair, she could vaguely see her beautifully shaped ears, and her usually fair and snow-white earlobes were now flushed with a faint blush.

"It was Qian Ai who said it was okay."

Masumi seemed to be trying to suppress her laughter, and chuckled softly.

Chiai pouted. Honestly, she only acted a little coquettish and this happened... Masumi-nii's personality is so awful.

Masumi chuckled smugly at Aomei's reaction and pointed outside the cockpit.

"Qian loves looking outside; the scenery is beautiful."

Looking down from the bottom of the transparent cabin, the amusement park filled with laughter and joy looked like an exquisite sand table beneath her feet, but Chiai lost interest in the scenery and silently looked at Masumi beside her.

"Hey, Masumi-nii."

"Ok?"

"I like you, Masumi-nii... I love you too..."

As Qian'ai adjusted her breathing, she whispered words of love.

"A long time ago... I completely fell for you, Masumi-nii."

Masumi smiled happily.

"Of course I know about those things. But even so, my feelings for Qian'ai are definitely no less than yours."

"No way, I have way more than Masumi-nii."

Qian Ai felt a sharp pain in her chest.

"If this continues, I might not be able to survive without Masumi-nii."

There is some unease.

And so, even in mere imagination, the fear of this continued to grow.

In order not to be disliked, and in order not to be abandoned by Masumi-nii, Chiai gradually became someone who could do anything.

Maintain a reasonable distance and try not to apply heavy pressure.

Tell yourself that Masumi has his own life, and when the two of you are alone, Chiai won't be overtly possessive. Pretend you understand that this is a good way for lovers to interact.

But this is full of contradictions.

And so I became weak, no longer the person Chiai loved.

"I hate myself for liking Masumi-nii."

I didn't ask why.

Because Masumi knew very early on that Chiai disliked her.

Because of what happened in her childhood, Qian'ai always lacks self-confidence, is not kind to herself, thinks she is worthless, is overly self-conscious, and doesn't take other people's favors for granted.

But that was in the past.

"Chiai always tends to overthink things."

The girl's cheeks were pinched.

Masumi vaguely sensed that Chiai had lost her way, so she stared straight at her and spoke to her.

"Do you remember what I told you before? 'I believe in Qian'ai, so Qian'ai, you must believe in yourself too.'"

He didn't know if this would improve Qian'ai's mood.

But he wanted to convey his feelings to Qian'ai.

If Qian'ai loses her reason, then she will become that reason herself.

Masumi firmly believed this.

"...!"

Qian Ai's cheeks flushed bright red, and then she shouted as if to pierce through her shame:

"Masumi-nii... Waaah! Why did you kiss it!?"

"Because I want to make Qian'ai happy."

"I would never be happy to be treated like this!"

This is a lie!

His actions were devoid of any personal desire, only making Qian'ai feel cherished and cared for.

"...So terrible."

Qian Ai muttered softly, as if embarrassed by her own stunned silence, her cheeks flushing red, and she coughed a few times before saying:

"It feels so unpleasant that my feelings, which have been bothering me for so long, were resolved so casually by Masumi-nii."

"Don't you know, Qian'ai? There's a scientific basis for this too."

Masumi smiled and leaned closer, while Chiai covered her ears in protest.

"I don't want to hear Masumi-nii's weird knowledge. Are you trying to say that I'm the kind of shallow girl who feels instantly relieved once my body is satisfied?!"

"That's what Qian Ai said herself, it has nothing to do with me."

Masumi said innocently, but her infuriating expression made Chiai want to kick the boy in the face with her leg that was draped over him, but she was also afraid of the consequences of doing so.

So, feeling wronged, he had no choice but to pull his feet back and put on his own boat socks.

"I'll help Qian'ai put it on."

"Masumi-nii, get out of the way! I can do it myself~!"

A silent atmosphere permeated the cramped Ferris wheel cabins.

As Chiai put on her socks under Masumi's watchful gaze, a wave of embarrassment washed over her, and her cheeks flushed red and hot without her realizing it.

Masumi pretended not to know and deliberately smiled, showing her teeth.

After spending the rest of their time at the amusement park with Chiai, he then took Chiai to the station.

"Goodbye, Masumi-nii."

"Well, see you later."

Chiai waved goodbye to Masumi and stepped lightly into the train car.

Masumi stared blankly at Chiai's retreating figure. Parting always makes one feel lonely, especially when saying goodbye to a lover, the loneliness is even more intense.

Qian Ai's repression was satisfied, but what about herself?

Okay, let's go back to the coffee shop.

(End of this chapter)