Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 312, Section 29: "A harmonious relationship is truly a wonderful thing."

"Welcome... It's you."

"Why does it seem like Rinne is a little upset since she found out it was me who came back?"

"It's an illusion."

After Rinne answered, she quietly lowered her eyelashes, folded the dusty inside of the rag, and used the half-sized rag to wipe the table.

"What about the rest?"

"Mio went out to buy things, while Asami and Kaizuki rested upstairs."

"You're spoiling them too much."

"Instead of forcing two people who are not motivated to work, it is better to let them rest enough first, and then make a reason for them to work that they cannot refuse."

"Is this just an excuse Rinne uses to convince herself?"

Masumi chuckled softly and sighed.

In the end, the heiress, who is known for her strong sense of responsibility, will be defeated by the two lazy oddballs and end up taking on all the work.

It's like a mother who feels helpless when faced with a disobedient daughter.

"Speak up."

Rinne snorted through her nose.

"I'll help Rinne too."

Masumi approached eagerly, only to see the heiress with her usual cold expression, her lips slightly parted as she spoke:

I don't want to agree to your request today.

"...Rinne, what are you saying all of a sudden?"

The Starry Night Cafe, which I know so well—
During a time when there are few customers, the two people are talking face to face across the table.

"What do you mean by 'completely unrelated'?! Lately you've been making me wear those embarrassing cat ears and tails, making me meow like a cat, and even making advances towards those areas... What do you take my body for?"

"Wait, I haven't said I want Rinne yet..."

"You said 'not yet,' which means it's just a matter of time, right? You've been looking around everywhere since you stepped into the store."

Rinne blushed and glared fiercely at Masumi.

"That's just a grammatical error... no need to nitpick."

Masumi guiltily avoided her gaze.

"I understand. I won't make any strange requests. I should say that I need to ask Rinne to concentrate more."

"I mean none of them."

Rinne gripped the rag tightly and said.

"what?"

"It's all because of what you did that I've been feeling really confused lately. I can't help but get distracted whether I'm at work or in class..."

The heiress had a knot tied between her brows, and her unhappy expression suited her perfectly.

"Uh, this has nothing to do with me."

Masumi retorted softly, earning a sharp glance from Rinne in return.

Her bright red lips curved into a dangerous shape.

"What did you say?"

"No, no... I didn't say anything."

Masumi surrendered without hesitation.

As expected, the heir in cat form is the most obedient and docile.

"It's good to know."

Rinne seemed to be furious, and suddenly moved closer to Masumi, raising her hand and knocking it down on his head.

"Sigh~"

Masumi clutched her head in pain.

"I'm leaving the shop to you. I have to go to the school."

"Oh."

The heiress simply uttered those words and then turned and left as if nothing had happened.

The surroundings suddenly quieted down, so Masumi went into the break room, tied on an apron, and went to the bar to start working.

About an hour into the process, an outside variable appeared.

"I'm back... Ah! It's Masumi, you're back!"

When Mio returned from outside and saw Masumi's face, she immediately broke into a big smile.

"Ah."

"Let me check. I hope Masumi hasn't been messing around with Chiai outside!"

Mio placed her hands on Masumi's shoulders, rested her face against his chest, and switched to police dog mode, sniffing around.

"Um, Mio, this is business hours, and there are other people around."

"Ok?"

Mio temporarily lifted her head from his chest and looked around.

"Isn't there no one here?"

"Yes, yes."

Why are there so few customers today?

Mio then buried her face in Masumi's clothes once again.

"Sniff... Damn it, since the smell is from three hours ago, it's hard to tell how fresh it is. I should have stayed home."

"Newness?"

Hearing unfamiliar words, Masumi couldn't help but be surprised.

Although Mio confidently asserted, she wasn't a real police dog, so how could she possibly smell the freshness of a scent?
Ignoring Masumi's confusion, Mio continued to sniff the scent as if she were rubbing her nose.

Soft and fluffy.

"..."

Is it only natural? He and Mio were pressed tightly together.

Mio, seemingly too absorbed in her surroundings to notice Masumi's change, murmured:

"I can't seem to detect anything amiss."

Of course.

Even if Masumi does something outside, she will definitely take a bath.

"Hey, Mio."

"Ok?"

Masumi looked directly into her eyes and asked:
"If, and I mean if, I had already been with other girls without Mio's knowledge... what would Mio think?"

"..."

After a moment of silence.

Mio's expression shifted repeatedly, then after a few seconds, or perhaps tens of seconds, it finally culminated in a deep sigh:

"It's okay. As long as I remember that Masumi loves me, even if Masumi had contact with Rinne and the others, I can explain it as being for the sake of giving me a better experience... Yes! That's it!"

"Eh."

That's just too self-deceptive.

"...Besides, isn't there a saying that if someone can't see you, then Masumi's innocence remains intact? Yes! That's right!"

The affirmative line was repeated for the second time, and Mio's expression no longer showed any confusion as she spoke the words with unwavering conviction.

"Huh? Is there such a saying?"

Masumi was dumbfounded; it was like she was burying her head in the sand.

"...Wait a minute, Masumi suddenly asked me that, could it be—!?"

"Mio."

Before she turned into a barking, food-grubbing golden retriever, Masumi placed her hand on her shoulder and gently called her name.

"Ok?"

"I love you."

Although it sounded a little awkward, Masumi looked into her eyes and said it.

"Masumi..."

Mio opened her eyes wide, and tears welled up and spilled out.

"They're the same..."

She wrapped her arms around Masumi's neck and pulled his head towards her.

"Masumi, I love you..."

Mio whispered those words in Masumi's ear, sending a tingling sensation through his mind. However, the next moment, the arm around her neck tightened abruptly.

Her embrace was warm and moist, like a net that slowly opened and then desperately tightened.

"Ugh! Cough cough cough... Mio! I can't breathe!"

She hadn't felt this suffocating, suffocating feeling, like she was drowning in her emotions, for a long time.

"Sorry, Masumi! I got too excited... Are you alright?"

She asked cautiously, her eyes bewildered.

"fine."

Masumi let out a soft sigh, then slightly turned her face away to gaze at Mio. Mio was smiling gently with her eyes slightly narrowed.

"Masumi wouldn't be thinking..."

She used her lips to outline a few simple words, instantly igniting a burning passion within Masumi.

"Ah."

He nodded frankly.

Since they are lovers, there's nothing to deny, right?

"But let's talk about those things after business hours."

"That's only natural. I'm not the kind of person who doesn't consider the atmosphere or the occasion and just sticks to Masumi without thinking!"

She answered with absolute certainty.

No?
Masumi wanted to ask that question back, but felt it would spoil the mood, so she could only nod.

"I understand, then it'll be tonight."

"Uh-huh."

Mio initially responded with a cheerful expression, but the next moment, as if she had thought of something, her expression changed, and she looked rather strange. She tilted her head, her expression quite subtle.

If I had to describe it, it would be like something stuck between your teeth that you can't get out.

"What's wrong? Mio."

Mio suddenly snapped back to her senses, looking utterly dejected.

"……coming."

"what?"

Masumi was confused.

"What's coming?"

"That's the one……"

Realizing what was happening, Masumi was speechless for a moment.

Mio pressed her forehead, looking troubled.

"How could this be! Of all times!"

It was such a rare opportunity to be with Masumi for the first time; it was supposed to be an unforgettable memory...

"It's ok."

Masumi patted her head reassuringly.

"It's not like this is the only chance."

"B-but."

Seeing Masumi's slightly disappointed expression, Mio anxiously spoke up:
"Hey, Masumi, why don't you do it?"

"what?"

Mio seemed unwilling to give up, pouting at him and closing her eyelids.

"This is……?"

Her pouty lips were made rosy and full with lipstick, looking vibrant and tempting.

"We won't be able to kiss later, so I want to kiss Masumi now."

"Oh, oh."

After their lips met for a long while, Mio led Masumi to the lounge.

He could feel Mio's body temperature with his right hand.

The touch of the fingertips gently wraps around them.

It felt as if the soft skin would adhere to it and slip into my palm.

"Hehehe—our fingers are intertwined now."

Sitting in the chair with her head down, you can see Mio's bright eyes, like those of a mischievous child.

"Mio really likes holding hands like this."

"People will feel safer if you do this."

After answering in this way, Mio couldn't help but show an apologetic expression.

"I'm sorry, Masumi. It's the place where we will have a child together in the future... When I think about the effort and hard work that we have to put in for it, I feel that I have to take good care of my body too."

"Well, I know everything."

Masumi nodded, her eyes gentle.

"It is because Mio is willing to seriously consider our future that she is able to think this way."

"Masumi..."

Their intertwined fingertips felt so hot they seemed to be burning, and a gentle smile immediately appeared on Mio's lips, her eyes shining as brightly as a night scene.

◇

The steam wand heats the milk to a high temperature, then whips it and mixes it with espresso, creating fine milk foam.

"Thank you for watching the shop."

The clear sound, accompanied by the tinkling of the swaying wind chimes, filled the coffee shop.

"That's not true. After all, I'm a barista. I was just absent from my post this morning."

Masumi shook her head and pushed the freshly brewed cappuccino in front of Rinne.

"Thank you."

Rinne picked up her coffee and took a sip.

"The milk foam is too weak and too thin."

"Ah, because the milk has run out here."

Masumi explained that, for some reason, she always felt a little guilty.

"Huh? There's no stock left?"

Rinne frowned.

"I'm sorry, it was my oversight. I can't believe I made such a mistake..."

The heiress was well aware of the reason, so she narrowed her eyes unhappily, her alluring beauty mark slanting up her eyelids, which Masumi found extremely irritating.

"Fortunately, tomorrow is a day off. You will come with me to buy goods."

Rinne gave the order.

"Oh, I understand."

"My latte has a really strong milky flavor, Rinne, would you like to try some?"

For some reason, Mio had a victorious expression on her face as she held up a mug and smiled charmingly.

The harshness hidden behind her smile made Masumi shudder involuntarily, recalling how Mio had tried so hard to make her happy.

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

The sarcastic tone made Rinne frown slightly, then she narrowed her purple eyes, slightly curled the corners of her lips, and looked at Mio beside her with a meaningful gaze.

"Even if I said I wanted to drink it, given Mio's possessive nature, she probably wouldn't share it with me."

"I should be the one saying that to Rinne."

Even as Mio spoke, her slender, long fingers remained tightly gripping the mug, refusing to loosen their grip.

"The reason why a woman who steals fish is called a woman who steals fish is that she will still seduce someone's partner even if she knows that the other person has a lover."

"You two..."

Suddenly, a heated argument broke out. Masumi felt a chill run down her spine and quickly stepped in to ease the tension.

"Please stop arguing all the time. Didn't a novelist once say that harmonious relationships are a wonderful thing?"

"I don't want to hear anything that Masumi isn't saying!"

"I can only imagine compromise and yielding in the future when my relationship with Mio is harmonious; I can't feel any joy at all."

Mio showed a rather unreasonable resistance, and Rinne did not back down an inch either.

"……Ugh."

Masumi pressed her forehead wearily and sighed deeply.

It seems there's still a long way to go before these two seemingly irreconcilable people can live together harmoniously.

◇

That night.

I've been busy with university studies and the coffee shop's accounts lately.

So Rinne didn't finish her work until after midnight. Even though it was late, she still took a shower before getting into bed.

When Masumi placed her hand on Rinne's waist, her palm felt the slightly burning body temperature from just coming out of the bath, and Rinne's body trembled slightly.

"...Why did you suddenly come here!?"

"Huh? Didn't Rinne hint at that to me during the day?"

Masumi gently sniffed the middle of Rinne's neck.

The scents of shower gel and shampoo, released by the warmth of the body, become an enticing aroma.

"hint?"

Rinne was stunned.

"You tapped me on the head, didn't you mean for me to come to Rinne's room at one o'clock in the morning to find you?"

Masumi answered as a matter of course.

Do you think you're Sun Wukong?

Rinne gritted her teeth.

That's how it seems to me.

Masumi held her finger out in front of the heiress, and in the pitch-black night, it seemed as if crystalline threads were breaking in the air.

I already said today—

"You guys are so noisy..."

The voice of a third party suddenly rang out.

The sudden sound startled the two of them, who turned to look at the source of the sound.

Then you see a pair of slender little feet peeking out from one side of the neatly folded quilt, and a flaxen-colored head at the other end.

strange?
I hadn't seen her just now.

"Haiyue!? What are you doing?"

Upon hearing the two voices, the jellyfish girl began to vigorously swing her legs, but it seemed that the quilt was too tight, trapping her inside.

Masumi grabbed her ankle and pulled her out.

"I'm...waiting for Masumi..."

Even though she was hanging upside down, she was able to look at him calmly.

"wait for me?"

Masumi was surprised and gently put Haiyue down.

The jellyfish girl then approached Rinne, who was shyly pulling up the blanket to cover her chin, and quietly took her hand.

"Being with Rinne... I won't feel uneasy anymore..."

Then, she looked at Masumi with the eyes of a carnivore.

The latter was stunned for a moment, and in an instant, a shock like an electric current shot from his skin to his head.

The slight tingling sensation in Masumi's frontal lobe rendered her rationality ineffective.

Yes, indeed, harmonious relationships are a wonderful thing.

(End of this chapter)