She wasn't just doing this to spare Koto Satsuki's feelings—there was a deeper, almost baffling reason lurking within her.
As a once-staunch supporter of the "Oozuka Mai × Koto Satsuki" pairing—a devoted "MaiSatsu" shipper—she now found herself indirectly fueling the "Oozuka Mai × Amaori Renako" dynamic, all for Renako's sake and her own private amusement.
Running into Satsuki now stirred a strange, almost guilty feeling inside her, as if she had been disloyal—like she'd cheated on the ship she'd once adored with all her heart.
This shop is going straight on my permanent blacklist!
She ran until she was sure no one was following her, then finally stopped, hands on her knees, breathing heavily.
She patted her chest, trying to calm both her breath and that inexplicable sense of guilt.
I've already gotten unexpectedly involved with Sena and Amaori…
I absolutely cannot get tangled up with any other members of the Quintet! I need to keep my distance! Especially from Koto-san!
At least leave some pure, imaginary space for my MaiSatsu ship! Don't let my beloved white moonlight of a pairing shatter because of me!
She screamed internally, trying to soothe her sudden and irrational pang of conscience.
But life rarely goes as planned—especially when you're actively trying to avoid someone or something. She wanted to preserve that space, but she couldn't stop it from collapsing on its own.
The next morning, as Asakura Mio—shoulders hunched, trying to make herself as small and invisible as possible—slipped toward her corner seat, a cool, slender figure decisively stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
Asakura's head jerked up. Her heart skipped a beat, and her breath caught.
Standing before her was Koto Satsuki, her face expressionless. Those deep, calm eyes held an unspoken pressure.
"Asakura, come with me for a moment."
Satsuki's voice was as clear and cool as ever, betraying no emotion.
What now?!
Alarm bells blared in Asakura's mind, and she nearly snapped the words out loud.
First Renako yesterday, now Satsuki today! Are they just doing their daily quests here or something?!
Tomorrow, will it be Koyanagi Kaho or Sena Ajisai popping up to say, "Can you come with me, Asakura-san?"
I don't want this kind of "rotation" of beautiful girls visiting me! This isn't the yuri storyline I signed up for!
"I'm not going!"
She wanted to refuse with all her might… but when her eyes met Satsuki's—deceptively calm, yet faintly threatening, as if saying, 'Just try refusing'—all her defiance shriveled up.
She hung her head like a scruffed kitten, resigned to her fate.
She didn't even have the capacity to care about the curious, probing stares from their classmates—wondering why the solitary Asakura Mio was being approached by members of the Quintet two days in a row.
Half-dragged out of the classroom, Asakura trailed sluggishly behind Satsuki's tall figure, her whole body radiating reluctance.
Satsuki, however, seemed completely unfazed, walking without hesitation until they reached the empty, quiet fire escape stairwell.
The only sound was the faint noise from the school building in the distance.
"About yesterday…"
Satsuki turned and began.
"About yesterday!"
Asakura cut her off rapidly, as if a switch had been flipped. She adjusted her new glasses exaggeratedly, her eyes darting around.
"I didn't notice anything! Ah, ever since I got my prescription adjusted, my glasses feel a bit off. If things are even a little far away, I can't see a thing! So nothing happened yesterday! I have no idea what you're talking about, Koto-san!"
She finished in a rush, barely daring to breathe, anxiously watching for Satsuki's reaction.
Satsuki listened quietly, her face impassive. She only raised an eyebrow slightly, her tone flat but carrying a distinct note of skepticism.
"…That sounds terribly deliberate. Asakura-san, are you taking me for a fool?"
"Uh…"
Asakura faltered, her bravado instantly deflating. Her fingers nervously twisted the hem of her shirt.
She looked up, trying to make her eyes appear sincere.
"Anyway… I won't blab about your part-time job! I promise! I just happened to pass by that shop—it's totally out of my way! You really don't have to worry about me causing any trouble for you, Koto-san!"
She swore earnestly. It wasn't just that she lacked a circle of friends to gossip with—her personality simply wasn't the type to talk about others behind their backs.
"You're the first classmate… to just stumble upon the pastry shop where I work."
Satsuki's voice gave no clue to her feelings; she was simply stating a fact.
"W-well, that's quite a coincidence, haha…"
Asakura laughed awkwardly, trying to lighten the mood. Satsuki's tone shifted, her gaze seeming to sharpen slightly.
"In that case, if anyone else finds out about this later, I'll assume it was you who leaked it. Is that acceptable?"
"That's completely unreasonable!"
Asakura's eyes widened, her cheeks puffing out like an irritated hamster as she glared at Satsuki. How could she just pin the blame on her like that!
"Unreasonable?"
Satsuki seemed unaffected by her protest, her tone still even.
"You're free to think so. Right now, what I want to know is why you were in that area yesterday."
She leaned forward slightly, bringing a subtle pressure that made Asakura shrink back toward the wall.
"You walked home with Renako after school yesterday, didn't you? What… did the two of you talk about?"
The topic had abruptly shifted to Amaori Renako.
Asakura was stunned for a moment, her brain struggling to catch up.
She blinked, belatedly realizing—maybe Satsuki's main reason for seeking her out today wasn't about the part-time job incident at all!
That might have just been a pretext, or a casual warning.
What she really wanted to know was about Renako!
Wait… This development…
A thought flashed through Asakura's mind like lightning, putting her instantly on guard. It even brought with it a sharp, intuitive awareness she didn't know she possessed—the instinct of a dedicated shipper.
--+--