Chapter 82: Asakura Mizuki (3)

Mizuki walked home alone, the park’s cheerful atmosphere fading behind her as she navigated the quiet, tree-lined streets. The summer sky, though still bright, held a hint of the approaching dusk. She breathed in the humid air, the lingering scent of rain a reminder of the recent shower, her footsteps echoing softly on the pavement.

This solitary walk… it was a stark reminder of the loneliness she so desperately tried to avoid. A single, elongated shadow stretched before her, a silent companion on her journey home.

And then, a presence, almost inhuman in its stillness, intruded upon her solitude. Mizuki stopped walking. “…” She turned around.

Standing in the middle of the street, bathed in the fading light, was Hina. Her expression was impassive as she slowly approached Mizuki.

Mizuki bit her lip. ‘She followed me…?’ A wave of resentment washed over her, but she met Hina’s gaze, her chin held high, Rina’s words from earlier echoing in her mind.

‘Have you ever talked to her directly?’

Rina had been right. Mizuki had never confronted Hina, always too intimidated. But today… she felt a surge of… something… defiance, perhaps? She took a deep breath, composing herself.

“Hina, you didn’t follow me, did you?”

Hina’s eyes narrowed slightly. While Mizuki was technically her superior, the daughter of the family she served, the hostility in Mizuki’s tone was unmistakable.

“Mizuki-ojou-sama, I was concerned for your safety—”

“You mean you were spying on me.” Mizuki’s sharp retort made Hina’s expression flicker, a momentary lapse in her usual composure. But she quickly recovered. A good bodyguard never showed weakness.

“The family is worried about you, ojou-sama. Especially your recent… friendships.”

“And?” Mizuki stepped closer, cutting her off. “I’m not a child anymore. I don’t need permission for everything I do, who I talk to, what I eat.”

Hina stared at her, her gaze cold and sharp. Normally, Mizuki would have avoided eye contact, but not today.

“I’m a high school student now. A thousand years ago, during the Heian period, I would have been considered an adult! So stop treating me like a child, Hina.” She kept her voice steady, firm.

Hina slowly lowered her gaze.

“…As you wish, ojou-sama.” Her tone was so calm, so… resigned, it surprised Mizuki. Hina took a step back, without another word.

“I’ll take my leave now.” And with that, she turned and disappeared into the shadows.

Mizuki let out a long, shaky breath. Her legs trembled slightly, but the tightness in her chest, the constant weight of unspoken resentment, had eased.

‘Rina-tan… I did it…’ she thought, a small smile playing on her lips. Rina’s advice… it had worked. She felt… stronger, a little more… grown-up.

****

The next morning, Mizuki, her usual cheerful self, greeted us with a bright smile.

“Rina-tan~! Aya-ring~! Good morning~!” The shadows in her eyes from yesterday were gone, replaced by her usual playful sparkle. Aya smiled, seeing Mizuki’s cheerful demeanor.

“Mizuki, you seem to be in a good mood today.”

“I talked to her, like Rina-tan suggested! It worked~!”

“Good job, Mizuki,” Aya said, her voice warm and approving.

Seeing Mizuki so confident and happy made me feel happy. I’d been worried, but I’d known she could handle it. As I watched Mizuki, chatting and laughing, a thought from the novel suddenly popped into my head.

‘The protagonist was always… involved in these kinds of situations… especially as he got closer to the girls… it was like he was constantly stepping in, solving their problems…’

The advice I’d given Mizuki had been similar to what the protagonist had said in the novel. And while that Mizuki had been touched by his words, her heart slowly opening to him, eventually falling in love…

This Mizuki… she didn’t have any romantic feelings for me… so why was I being pulled into these situations?

It bothered me, but I couldn’t voice my concerns without sounding… strange.

‘What does Mizuki think of me…?’ Did she see me as just a friend, like I saw her? I hoped so. But Mizuki’s true feelings… they remained a mystery. Even in the novel, she’d been a character whose inner thoughts were rarely revealed.

And the story… it was diverging from the novel’s plot. Aya, Mizuki… they were different, and I… I wasn’t even supposed to exist.

While similar events might occur, they wouldn’t unfold in the same way. So I decided to observe Mizuki more closely. She was a good friend, and I didn’t want her to get hurt.

****

Lunchtime. Perhaps because midterm season was approaching, the classes had become more intense, the atmosphere more serious, and I felt a wave of exhaustion as the lunch bell rang, signaling a much-needed break.

“Haaa…”

“Rina, you’re completely out of it,” Aya observed.

“I’m so tired… I don’t want to study…”

“Rina-tan, cheer up~! Let’s get some lunch~!” With Aya and Mizuki’s encouragement, I headed towards the regular cafeteria. And then, I noticed something… odd about Mizuki’s gait. She was walking slower than usual, her steps hesitant. I glanced around, but I didn’t see anything unusual.

“Mizuki? What’s wrong?”

“Hmm? Oh… it’s nothing…” She hesitated, her gaze darting around nervously, then said, “How about we… go somewhere different for lunch today?”

“Different?”

“Yeah, you know that fancy restaurant…? Should we try it?”

I was surprised. Both Aya and Mizuki preferred simpler meals, always choosing the regular cafeteria over the more expensive options. And now… Mizuki was suggesting we go to the fancy restaurant?

‘Ah… it’s not over yet…’ I realized, with a sudden certainty, that the issue with Hina hadn’t been resolved. And since regaining my past life’s memories, my intuition had been… surprisingly accurate.

But my concern for Mizuki must have shown on my face. Aya tilted her head, looking at me.

“Rina, is that… too much for you?”

“N-No! I’ve always wanted to try it!”

“Okay, then~ let’s go~! A change of pace~” she said cheerfully, and I, at that point, had no idea… just how different… the “fancy restaurant” truly was.

***

The restaurant Mizuki led us to was the epitome of luxury. A red carpet at the entrance, private booths with crisp white tablecloths, elegant lighting, classic décor, and soft classical music playing in the background…

“Ah…” I was momentarily overwhelmed, lowering my head. ‘This isn’t… my kind of place…’ And the prices on the menu… they were exorbitant.

Mizuki, noticing my stunned expression, grinned and placed her wallet on the table.

“It’s my treat today, so order whatever you want.” Wow… Mizuki. Her casual display of wealth was… strangely impressive. I shouldn’t have been worrying about her. Aya smiled faintly, watching her.

“Thank you, Mizuki.”

“No problem! I’m paying, so order whatever you want~! How about we each choose a dish and share~?”

“Okay.” I still felt uncomfortable ordering something too expensive, so I chose the… cheapest item on the menu: a pilaf dish. Which, at 7,000 yen, was still an incredibly expensive plate of fried rice.

‘70,000 won… for fried rice…’

Our food arrived: steak, pilaf, and a salad, beautifully plated, the elegant presentation and exquisite aroma making this experience even more surreal.

“…Are you sure about this?”

“Of course~! Let’s eat!” Mizuki grinned, expertly cutting her steak with practiced, elegant movements, like a true noblewoman, which, of course, she was. She placed a piece of steak on my plate.

“Sorry… for bringing you here. There are… certain expectations in the regular cafeteria.” As the server closed the door behind them, Mizuki’s voice dropped to a whisper, and I nodded, a small, understanding smile on my face. I knew what she meant. Even after her direct confrontation with Hina, the watchful eyes, the unspoken expectations… they still lingered.