I'm in a real religion, why are all the people who confess to me girls?

While this explanation is somewhat far-fetched, it is still plausible. On the one hand, Tianyin is very famous in the school, just like a celebrity. Many people know Tianyin, and there are people who know Tianyin on almost every floor. As a result, no matter where Tianyin goes, it is difficult to guarantee that her whereabouts will not be discovered by others unless she disguises herself.

It would be somewhat plausible if the news were spread as gossip and eventually found out by Horikita and the others. For example, if the Fukuyama sisters saw Amane in Airi's dorm, they might turn around and tell Arisu. When Horikita called looking for her, Arisu might casually mention the news to Horikita. Once Horikita knew the news, it would mean that Megumi, Ichinose, and the others would also know Amane's whereabouts.

Although it's somewhat of a coincidence, it does make sense.

Until a few days ago, Airi was pulled into a group chat with a few people who were related to Tianyin, besides Tianyin.

It was only then that Tianyin realized that if she stayed overnight at someone's place, that person would inform her of her whereabouts in the group chat. It is said that the original purpose of this group chat was to prevent Tianyin from staying out all night to fool around with other girls, but later it became a way for everyone to report each other's locations to confirm that Tianyin hadn't gone missing...

After seeing the group notice posted by Horikita, Amane couldn't help but feel a little flustered. How could someone as grown up as her possibly get lost?

While Tianyin was still lamenting that she wouldn't be able to have long talks with other girls about their life ideals in the future, Fenghua was already considering something else.

Tianyin needs a quiet place. This place cannot be the dormitory of any of Tianyin's girlfriends, but the dormitory owner must also have a good relationship with Tianyin. After all, it is inevitable that there will be some trouble if someone is borrowing a place to stay. It would be best if the two of them could accept and tolerate each other's living habits.

If we exclude even Arisu's dormitories, then the only dormitories that meet this criterion are...

She is in Kiryuin Kaede's dormitory.

After figuring this out, Fenghua felt a burning sting on her face. She didn't even know when Amane had last visited her dorm. She had also heard that Amane had even stayed at Arisu's place for a while, so it seemed that it wasn't impossible for her to stay at her dorm for a period of time.

"Heavenly Sound..."

"What... Maple, your face is so red! Why don't you go outside and get some fresh air? It's really hot here..."

Tianyin suddenly noticed that Fenghua's face was so red it was almost steaming, and mistakenly thought she had fainted from the high temperature. Tianyin quickly grabbed Fenghua's hand and walked outside.

Maple wanted to explain, but with Tianyin holding her hand, her mind was foggy and she stammered for a long time without being able to explain clearly. By the time she came to her senses, she had already been pulled out of the kitchen.

"Sit here for a while, I'll chat with you when I'm done with my work."

Just as Tianyin was about to turn around and go back into the kitchen, Fenghua gritted her teeth and grabbed Tianyin's arm.

When Tianyin was hugged by Fenghua, she froze on the spot, just as the atmosphere between the two began to change.

Jingle bell~

Then came the sound of wind chimes ringing again.

The two looked towards the door at the same time, only to find Marina standing there waving at them.

"You two go ahead and do your work. I have to go out for a bit, so the bakery will be closed for now. I'll be back in about half an hour... Is half an hour enough?"

Mari thought for a moment and then held up one finger.

"I'll be back in an hour. In the meantime, I'll have to trouble you two to watch the shop for me."

After Marina finished speaking, she slammed the bakery door shut, hung up a "Closed" sign, and walked away with a smile on her face.

Only the two people were left locked in the bakery, staring at each other blankly.

What should we do next?

"I don't know..."

Amane sighed. She hadn't expected that coming to help would end up leaving her stranded here. She hoped that Marina had been counting the hours by the clock rather than estimating based on her feelings.

Otherwise, she and Fenghua would probably have to spend the night here.

"By the way, what were you going to say when you were holding me earlier? Now that we can't go out, I have time to listen to you slowly, Maple."

Tianyin found a stool and sat down in front of Fenghua, looking very serious, intending to listen to what Fenghua had to say.

Feeling a little embarrassed by Tianyin's gaze, Fenghua sat there speechless. Seeing this, Tianyin had no choice but to let Fenghua organize her thoughts before speaking to her. Then, she went to the kitchen and brought out the last batch of cream-flavored bear cookies that had been baked. Actually, these bear cookies had a really nice name.

However, considering that mentioning other girls in front of Feng Hua would spoil the atmosphere, Tian Yin skipped the part about announcing names.

Tianyin brewed a cup of black tea for Fenghua, while she simply took a bottle of milk from the shelf.

The two sat by the window, enjoying freshly baked desserts, fragrant tea, and milk, looking as if they were leisurely savoring afternoon tea.

In reality, he was just stuck in the bakery and couldn't get out, so he had to find something to do.

The two sat in silence for a while, until they had finished all the cookies, before Maple Flower mustered the courage to bring up the suggestion that she thought was good again.

"Actually, the suggestion I made before that you find a quiet place to recuperate..."

"Maple Flower, please speak normally. You're being so gentle, it's a little scary..."

Feng Hua was furious at Tian Yin's tactless remark. However, she considered that if she really lost her temper in front of Tian Yin, the probability of her getting rid of her and persuading Tian Yin to stay in her dormitory would decrease by at least half.

So in order to achieve her goal, Maple had no choice but to patiently continue to use her soft and gentle voice to coax Tianyin.

"Tianyin, what nonsense are you talking about? Isn't this how I always am? How am I not gentle?"

hiss……

Tianyin gasped in fright upon hearing that cloying voice, feeling goosebumps rise all over her body from Fenghua's words.

"Maple Flower, just say what's on your mind. You're really scaring me..."

Snapped!

No sooner had Tianyin finished speaking than Fenghua slammed her hand on the table.

"I tried to reason with you nicely, but you didn't appreciate it. Well then, I'll just be blunt. I do know a quiet place, and even if someone knows you're there, they won't bother you."

Feng Hua's words made Tian Yin's eyes light up, but they quickly dimmed again.

"Huh? Really? Kaede, I'm talking about the school... If you said there was a quiet place, I might believe you, but there probably isn't a place that Arisu and Suzune wouldn't come looking for, right?"

As the student council president, Arisu has to give face wherever she goes. If Amane is hiding in some girl's dormitory and Arisu doesn't want to look for her, that's fine. But if Arisu really wants to look for her, there's no place that can protect her.

"Why would I lie to you? If you really think your girlfriends are too much trouble, then come stay at my place for a few days. Even if Arisu comes, I can say no to her and she won't come in..."

As Fenghua spoke, her confidence began to wane.

"That's suspicious... Maple, why are you so eager to invite me to stay at your place?"

Tianyin keenly noticed the slight tremor in Fenghua's voice, caused by nervousness.

Normal people would never notice such a detail, but Tianyin, who had heard all sorts of sounds from Fenghua, was very familiar with this little anomaly in Fenghua. Fenghua was both nervous and a little excited.

Amane could understand being nervous to some extent, since if Arisu came knocking, Kaede would inevitably be bullied terribly, so being nervous was to be expected.

But what is the source of this excitement?

"Take it or leave it. I kindly took you in, but you actually called me suspicious. Just wait until your bunch of girlfriends drain you dry!"

Fearing that she would be exposed, Feng Hua deliberately put on a disgusted expression, afraid that Tian Yin would notice something amiss.

Suddenly, Tianyin brought her face close to Fenghua's.

Before Fenghua could react, Tianyin asked in a strange tone.

"Who is it that wants to drain me dry...?"

Chapter 267: The True Face Beneath the Mask

"Anyway, it wasn't me."

Knowing that Tianyin was good at relentlessly pursuing cowards, Fenghua immediately denied her own idea.

As long as she doesn't show any fear in front of Tianyin, Tianyin won't find a way to tease her.

Sure enough, seeing how stubborn Feng Hua was, Tian Yin pursed her lips and muttered something under her breath, then gave up on her plan to continue teasing Feng Hua... Just kidding!

When Feng Hua saw Tian Yin sit back down in her chair, she subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief, but she never expected that Tian Yin would take advantage of her relaxed guard and launch a sneak attack on her.

Tianyin pressed her hands against Fenghua's cheeks, then quickly brought her face close to Fenghua's.

"Hey~ Does Maple really not want to do this or that with me?"

Tianyin's voice became alluring with a hint of languor, and when paired with her eyes that seemed to see right through people, even Fenghua was almost captivated.

"Get your face away from me right now. Do you think everyone's looking to do bad things with you?"

Maple Flower poked Tenon's breasts with a look of disgust.

"Hmm~ It seems I misunderstood Maple Flower~"

Tianyin stared at Fenghua closely for several seconds. When she realized that Fenghua's gaze held no sign of desire other than disdain, she could only let go of Fenghua's hands in disappointment, allowing her to move freely.

"Honestly, what strange things are you thinking about all the time these days..."

While moving her neck, which had been twisted due to the sudden attack by Tenon, Maple Flower complained that Tenon's head was full of unhealthy thoughts.

Tianyin playfully stuck out her tongue but didn't say anything more.

Despite feeling a bit drained lately, Tianyin still enjoys hunting. Changing things up occasionally is a good thing.

Tianyin picked up the fruit and milk on the table and drank it all in one gulp. Then she took out her phone to see if anyone had messaged her while she was making cookies. She could reply to them during this time to avoid being accused of doing something bad if she didn't reply later.

After seeing that Ayane's attention had completely shifted to her phone, Maple Flower finally released her other hand that was pinching her thigh.

Maple Flower's brow furrowed involuntarily as she gently moved her leg muscles. The pain was a bit beyond her expectations. Was it already this difficult to maintain her composure in front of Tianyin?

Does she... still have a chance to defeat Tianyin...?

It's an undeniable fact that Kiryuin Kaede really likes Miyako Amane; otherwise, she wouldn't have been willing to give Amane her most precious possession when Amane and Arisu had only had a brief fling.

In a sense, everything Arisu has now should have been hers. But because she entered the high school a year earlier, Arisu, who spent an extra year with Amane, ruthlessly took everything that belonged to her.

Although Kaede was somewhat dissatisfied with Arisu's ruthlessness, she could understand Arisu's actions, having followed Amane and Arisu for many years.

Now, all of Amane's girlfriends are completely subdued by Arisu's methods. Everyone is grateful for Arisu's generosity. Even Horikita, who is most likely to pose a threat to Arisu's position, was successfully fooled and tamed by Arisu without knowing her own importance in Amane's heart...

When will they understand that Arisu's magnanimity is merely a way of projecting Amane's love onto these people, making them mistakenly believe that the reason they are not abandoned by Amane is because Arisu allows them to exist, thus indirectly diminishing the impact of Amane's feelings on them.

If I had to describe it, from Kaede's perspective as a semi-outsider, Arisu is an enhanced version of Ichinose, who has a higher intelligence and more ruthless methods than Amane.

In contrast, Honami Ichinose uses her tolerance, unity, and protection of her classmates, while Arisu Sakayanagi spreads her wings and pretends to be a mother hen in front of a group of innocent chicks to protect them from being eaten (or abandoned) by Amane's eagle. No matter what the chicks behind Arisu want to do, they can't get around Arisu's wings, and over time they will give up thinking about whether it is right or wrong and blindly follow Arisu's figure to hide.

Little did Arisu know that she was not facing Amane, who had transformed into an eagle, but rather the naive Amane who seemed a bit silly to Kaede.

All that could be seen was Arisu and her outstretched wings, and Tenon would subconsciously assume that the chicks were voluntarily hiding under Arisu's protection, so naturally they would consult with Arisu about everything.

That's why Arisu doesn't care what Amane and those chicks do.

Even if the voices of the women behind Arisu are loud, Amane will always habitually look at Arisu first.

This is why both Ichinose and Horikita felt that Arisu was unbeatable.

They always thought that Arisu's status was due to Amane's excessive affection for Arisu, but they didn't know that Arisu and Amane's relationship truly began after Amane confessed her feelings to Horikita...

Arisu's strength and invincibility are entirely due to the actions of people like them.

The thought that she used to be able to restrain Arisu's desire to possess Amane, but now she has fallen to the point where she doesn't dare to agree to Amane's desire to get closer to her, makes Kaede feel extremely frustrated.

Although she knew that Amane definitely liked Arisu more than her, and that the days when she was always around her were because she had established a closer relationship with Amane before Arisu could, Amane probably felt a little guilty towards her in addition to liking her. It was Amane's apology-filled preferential treatment that made Arisu jealous, so she asked her father to invite her to study here...

Kaede had put herself in Arisu's shoes many times. If she were in Arisu's shoes, she might have gone even further. Therefore, even though Kaede felt regret about the current situation, she never hated Arisu.

She was one move behind in the game, and the outcome was already decided. As the loser in love, she had nothing more to say. Her only wish now was to win against Tianyin once, in any way possible.

Because possessing and defeating Tenon is an obsession that Kiryuin Fuuka has held since childhood.

She liked the little girl who, even before Arisu, used her overwhelming chess skills to drive away the noisy Arisu in the midst of a snowstorm, and then sat alone in the courtyard, wrestling with herself on the chessboard.

Back then, she was still known as "Sister Maple Flower" at Tianyin.

Thinking back to the time when she visited the Miyako family with her father, and was unexpectedly chosen by the Miyako family patriarch to stay and become Amane's playmate, and to be inseparable from Amane, a happy smile appeared on Kaede's face.

That period could be described as the second happiest time of her life. So when was the happiest time of her life?

Of course, it was the night that Tianyin became an adult under her guidance, and the night her address to her changed from Sister Maple Flower to Maple Flower.

Just as Maple was immersed in her beautiful memories of the past, the sound of camera shutters snapping photos back to reality.

What are you doing?

When Feng Hua saw Tian Yin holding up her phone with a mischievous grin, how could she not know that Tian Yin had secretly taken pictures of her... no, it should be said that she had openly taken pictures of her while she was distracted.

"I saw that Fenghua was smiling so happily, which is rare for her, so I just snapped a picture. I didn't expect it to turn out so well..."

Tianyin proudly opened the photo and showed it to Fenghua. When Fenghua saw herself smiling so happily in the photo, her lips moved slightly as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she just smiled bitterly.

"The photos are alright, but remember to use a beauty filter next time."

"Maple flowers are beautiful enough as they are, they look the same whether you turn on a beauty filter or not~"

"That won't do! Girls need to use beauty filters when taking photos!!"

"Huh? Okay, then Maple, smile again, and this time I'll give you a beauty filter, how about that?"

After Tianyin finished speaking, she moved a stool closer to Fenghua and whispered something seductive in Fenghua's ear.

"Heavenly Sound".