Living in Tokyo, starting with a lifestyle-related job

In addition, they were also somewhat worried that Tachikawa Sanae might have come to see Mizuno Maki for something special.

After all, Mizuno Maki is a member of their literature club. If they had to choose one of the two to protect, Mizuno Maki would definitely be the priority, without a doubt.

So now that there's a way that doesn't involve eavesdropping, they'd like to hear what the two are talking about.

Chitanda Mirai sighed softly:

"Junko, unless it's something special, you don't need to say anything."

Junko Urahara nodded emphatically:

"Ok!"

Rika Maejima said happily:

"I think that's a good idea too."

-

The second floor.

This is where coffee is roasted.

However, most of the time, people only come to roast coffee closer to evening.

At this time, Mizuno Maki brought Tachikawa Sanae to this place.

Mizuno Maki's cool face showed some confusion as she asked:

"Tachikawa-san, is there something you need from me?"

After pondering for a moment, Sanae Tachikawa took a deep breath, her pretty face becoming even more resolute, and asked:

"Mizuno-san, I like Kamishiro-kun!"

"So it's okay for me to take the initiative to pursue him, right?"

Mizuno Maki's expression was a mixture of surprise and complexity. She lowered her head slightly, her long, straight black hair slowly obscuring her face, and only her intermittent voice could be heard.

Why are you asking me?

Sanae Tachikawa clutched the hem of her Sei-Sakura Girls' Academy uniform and explained with a pursed mouth:

"Because the person Kamishiro-kun likes is you!"

"So I think if you want to pursue Kamishiro-kun, then I need to make things clear to you first, because I don't want any unnecessary conflicts to occur later!"

Mizuno Maki paused for a moment, looking at her in astonishment, unable to utter a word for a long time. After a long pause, she stammered:

You're wrong, he doesn't like me.

Tachikawa Sanae said solemnly:

"Mizuno-san, please don't lie to me."

"Actually, I saw it all at the time."

"Behind the school building, Kamishiro-kun confessed to you, but you rejected him, right?"

Mizuno Maki's body trembled slightly, her left hand nervously gripping her right knuckles. She didn't dare look directly into Tachikawa Sanae's eyes, averting her gaze and saying with her head down:

I don't know what you're talking about.

Seeing that she was still unwilling to admit it, Sanae Tachikawa took a deep breath and said with unwavering determination:

"I know that Kamishiro really likes you, so much so that he even wrote a book called 'Love Letter' just for you."

"The plot there, no matter how you look at it, is written about his unrequited first love."

"But since you're unwilling to admit it, fine. I'll just assume you don't actually like Kamishiro-kun. Can I take that as my understanding?"

Mizuno Maki tightened her grip on her right hand joint, but her expression was incredibly bitter. She looked at Tachikawa Sanae with a hint of something unsaid, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.

When Sanae Tachikawa saw that Maki Mizuno did not reply, she asked her previous question again.

She didn't want any emotional entanglements or conflicts to arise, so this time her tone was even firmer and louder than before, in order to confirm Mizuno Maki's thoughts:

"Since you're not replying, I'll assume you don't like Kamishiro-kun, so I'll invite him on a date next time, is that okay?"

Mizuno Makoto remained stunned for a long time, then instinctively took a step forward and refused:

"no!"

Sanae Tachikawa's pretty face showed a hint of embarrassment and annoyance. She felt indignant for Shiro Shiro's situation, believing that Maki Mizuno was keeping Shiro Shiro as a backup option, and angrily said:

"Mizuno-san, you are really too cunning!"

"You know perfectly well that Kamishiro-kun has always had a crush on you, yet even after rejecting him, you don't distance yourself from him."

"Don't you think it's terrible to keep him hanging like this?"

Mizuno Maki's usually cool and aloof face was now filled with complex emotions as she lowered her head and spoke haltingly:

"not like this"

"Things aren't what you think."

Tachikawa Sanae pursed her lips and said:

"If that's not the case, then what is it?"

Maki Mizuno said bitterly:

Bai Feng already has a girlfriend.

"That person is not me."

Sanae Tachikawa looked stunned and bewildered upon hearing this:

"what?"

"Then who is that person?"

Mizuno Maki knew that Shiro Shiro's situation was rather complicated, so she didn't mention any of the girls' names, but instead said with a bitter expression:

"It's right up there."

Sanae Tachikawa remained silent for a long, long time, then bowed and apologized:

"So that's how it is. I misunderstood you."

"I apologize for what I just said."

Maki Mizuno shook her head bitterly and said:

"It's alright, since you don't know about this anyway."

Sanae Tachikawa stood up, her expression somewhat complicated:

"But I didn't expect that the girl he was dating wouldn't be you."

"After all, his recently released book, 'Love Letters,' seems to be written for you no matter how you look at it."

"But it seems you're still the same as you were in junior high, never intending to date a boy, and it's still the same now."

"Although we didn't talk much in junior high, I think it's really amazing that you've been able to keep studying hard and have the determination to get into the University of Tokyo."

"Here, I sincerely hope that you can realize your wish."

"Well then, I've said almost everything I needed to say."

"Since you have important matters to attend to right now, I won't disturb you any longer."

Goodbye, Mizuno-san.

After saying that, Tachikawa Sanae returned to the attic alone. She glanced at the girls present. Although she didn't know who Kamishiro Shiro's girlfriend was, she knew it was pointless for now, so she took her leave.

"Sorry everyone, something suddenly came up, so I'll have to head back now."

Apart from Junko, the girls present were all still reeling from the conversation between Mizuno Maki and Tachikawa Sanae, and were so dazed that they couldn't reply to Tachikawa Sanae in time.

Junko Urahara was also a little confused, not understanding why everyone was silent, so she cleverly said emphatically:

"Okay, go back. Be careful!"

Sanae Tachikawa nodded slightly, then picked up her schoolbag and left the coffee shop.

Sanae Tachikawa's departure was witnessed by Maki Mizuno, who had just walked up.

Sanae Tachikawa nodded slightly to her, said nothing more, and left.

Maki Mizuno returned to her seat with a somewhat complicated expression.

But as soon as she arrived, she found the atmosphere in the attic to be very oppressive.

at this time.

The girls all had different and complicated expressions.

Chitanda Mirai lowered her head, her eyes slightly red.

Watanabe Hina frowned, looking at Mizuno Maki with a complicated expression.

Rika Maejima looked annoyed, muttering something under her breath.

Erina Kamishiro stared at Maki Mizuno with a bewildered expression, her thoughts unreadable.

Shiina Shoko covered her head, looking shaky and helpless, as if she felt powerless in the face of the current atmosphere.

Junko Urahara, on the other hand, was eating the whole time, just like before.

Mizuno Maki noticed that their gazes would occasionally fall on her.

Whether it was because Tachikawa Sanae had just exposed the fact that Bai Feng liked her, or because she was worried that Tachikawa Sanae would tell them the same thing after coming up, Mizuno Maki's heart was pounding wildly.

She asked hesitantly:

"What's wrong with everyone?"

Rika Maejima bit her red lips lightly and asked without hesitation:

"Maki-chan, we actually heard your conversation with Tachikawa-san on the second floor just now."

"So, Kamishiro-kun liked you all the time in middle school, right?"

Mizuno Maki's delicate body trembled violently, and she exclaimed in astonishment:

"You all...did you hear that?"