Part 91: The Gears Are Turning

BGM: Silence


07/02 (MON), Evening
I head back home as soon as class is over. Miharu left in a hurry due to work, while Naomi has other things to do. Mao's normally the one to ask if she wants to head home together, so I left without her. I hear the sound of someone racing up behind me on my way, though.

BGM: At Amecha Girls' University High School


Rinny...!

I guess Mao has decided to chase after me.

What's up?

You still haven't given Miharun an answer, have you?

Nope...

Well, that's very you of you. Shows that you're giving it a lot of thought. I'm sure you've got plenty else on your mind, too. Including unrelated stuff.



It's not that you don't want to give her an answer, right? It's just that you have other things to clear up first, right? Right. So, in that case, I'll do you a solid and tell her that it'll take you a bit longer.

Mao...

Times like these make me wonder if she really isn't involved in Divine Selection at all. I know deep down that she isn't, though. While she can seem dense at first blush, Mao can pick up on the most subtle cues. In fact, she might know more about us and the change in our behavior than we do ourselves.

No worries. Just leave it to Mao! Make sure you're set on your answer, even if it takes a while to find. Remember, nothing'll change, no matter how you respond! Well, I guess things would if y- Wait, we've had this conversation already.



Oh yeah, might as well mention that Naorin's probably caught on by now, too.

Really?

As real as real can be. Not that it matters, though. See ya tomorrow!

Mao dashes off in front of me after saying her piece. There's no one who shows their consideration quite like Mao, although that was a huge relief for me. She made it clear that I have time to think and answer when I'm good and ready. My priority isn't how our relationship will develop moving forward. It's figuring out how to make sure we both survive.

…..

BGM: Rinka's Room


I change into some clothes I don't mind getting dirty when I get home. My gran asked me to do something for her, so today I'm keeping the store closed so I can finally get around to it. Cleaning her room, I mean. She had planned on coming home this week for a bit, but that got cancelled thanks to Scale. When she'd get another chance was anyone's guess, so she asked me to clean her room for her. I actually got scolded for not having cleaned it already, but that's only because I thought it would be better not to mess with her stuff. I'll start cleaning it regularly after today.

There's something else I need to do in here, though.

…...

BGM: Welcome Back, my Master E


Welcome ho- And goodbye. Hopefully forever.

Miharu attempts to greet her customer as per usual, but she switches gears the moment she sees their face. It's none other than Federico. The fact that he's here means he has business with her. She shows him to his seat and then brings him some water. Leaving him to another staff member is too risky, so she decides to wait on him herself.

Gorgeous as ever, ain't ya? When's your shift end?

Shall I answer that by having my manager ban you for life?

I'm already banned from one place, so do me a favor and cut me some slack. Anyway, I'm only here to talk, so chill.

It isn't hard for her to figure that he's referring to MILK CROWN. She isn't aware of the specifics, but chances are it involved him getting black-out drunk. More importantly, something seems off about him to her. He seems far more composed than usual. Almost like he has completely changed since she last saw him.



What's up?

Nothing. Hmm... Do you mind waiting another hour or so? We can talk during my break.

...Sure, works for me. Mind bringing me a wine list, then?

We don't serve any wine here, I'm afraid. All we have is bitter coffee filled to the brim with the pretense of love.

Guess I'll have one of those, then.

He pulls out a book after giving his order. It's a book that seems unusual for a man like him. Not on a visual level- the cover suits his image quite well- rather, its contents. A collection of works from a famous painter. Miharu casts her mind back to when she and Odette went to an art exhibition focused on the very same artist.

…...

BGM: Lion House Cafe


I retreat to my bedroom after an hour or so of cleaning. Dealing with two months' worth of dust is tougher than expected. Lots of vaccuuming, not to mention the initial round of dusting. Doesn't help that she's got everything nice and organized, so I have to be extra careful. I'll need to do this on a regular basis. I'm about halfway done now, so it feels like an appropriate time to take a break.

Gran...

I give my thoughts room to breathe. Cleaning her room doesn't bother me at all. It just hurts when I think that I won't see her here again for a while longer. In all honesty, I'd be lying if I said I don't hold a grudge against Scale for what he did. The sadness I feel over her not coming home far outweighs it, though.

Okay, round two.

I guzzle half of my sports drink before getting back to work.

…...

BGM: Alan


Alan Scorpion finds himself standing outside Lion House. A sign declaring its closure for the day causes him to sigh.

Bad timing...

While a common sight for the store's regulars, it is a spot of bad luck for Alan. He wants to discuss things properly with Rinka. He could do it over the phone, seeing as he has her number, but he wants to see the look in her eyes as he does it.

So be it...

Alan abandons his plan and sets off to find somewhere else to satisfy his hunger.

…...

BGM: Chilling With Sidekicks


Sorry for the wait.

Federico has long since finished his coffee by the time Miharu comes over to see him. He closes his book and cuts to the chase.

Tell me Alan Scorpion's cause of death.

The contrast between him doing this and his typical attitude takes Miharu aback. Federico notices this, but opts not to address it.

We made an agreement that you'd tell us after Yu was eliminated. Things might've gotten a bit muddled with Odette going rogue and Scale trying to eliminate you, but I still have the right to know.

His attitude continues to surprise her. She had him pegged as a far more brash and careless person. The type that could never truly be cruel to another. That impression remained firm even during the latest round of Divine Selection. He even seemed the same when he first arrived at the restaurant, but everything changed the moment he took his seat.

You have a point.

She takes a moment to think before answering. Ignoring him outright is one option, but he seems to hold no hostility toward her. Add in the fact that he seems worth talking to right now, and...



There are two issues I have with it, but this isn't quite the place to discuss either. Is there any way you can get yourself back into that bar's good graces?

Tch... Guess you're right. Fine, fine. I'll see what I can do.

This is absolutely not the place to discuss anything related to Divine Selection. Miharu is confident he'll be able to sort something out, although that confidence she has in him perplexes her. After arranging to meet in three hours, Federico pays his bill and leaves.

…...

BGM: Rinka's Room


07/02 (MON), Night
Phew...

Night has fallen by the time I finish cleaning my gran's room. Getting it all out of the way today was a good call, at least. It looks nice and clean now. All that's left is to wash the windows on Saturday. I take a nice, warm shower to wash off all the sweat and dust. Ideally, I'd follow that up by crawling into bed and sleeping, but there's something else I need to do first. I take a deep breath and turn my attention to a certain book.

It really is the same...