272: Iroha’s Probing

The girl who had run all the way from the tram station opened the store door with a slight gasp.

The air conditioning inside the store cut off the hot air from outside, making her feel cool all over.

She bent down, placed her hands on her knees, looked around, and soon spotted the target of today's meeting.

She adjusted her breathing, flashed a big smile, and quickly walked over.

"Senior~"

Before she even arrived, the tooth-achingly sweet greeting had already been heard.

Chisato came back to reality, turned in the direction of the sound, and smiled at Iroha.

"Sorry it took me so long. It's quitting time, and there were too many people on the subway, so I waited for the next one."

Chisato was seated in a standard four-seater, with two seats on each side.

He sat on one of the seats near the back, with his schoolbag placed on the chair next to him.

As Iroha got closer, she apologized and spoke while picking up her schoolbag and hugging it in front of her, then sat down directly next to him.

Being stared at by the smiling Iroha from such a close distance, Chisato glanced at the two empty seats across the dining table, wondering why the situation wasn't what he had expected.

However, it was normal for him to have second thoughts. 

After all, humans are complex and changeable creatures, and Iroha was also a girl, not a child. 

It was impossible for her to show everything on her face.

"I just arrived, so I didn't have to wait long. I'll go order your food."

Chisato stood up, hoping to temporarily create some distance between them. This way, when he returned with the food later, he could naturally move across the table.

You must know that the seats in Mai Kee restaurant are really not big. He didn't really want to be so close to Iroha, as that was inconsistent with his expectations.

However, Iroha did not let his expectations come true. She raised her hand, tugged on Chisato's sleeve, and gently pulled him down.

"No need, senior~ I'm not hungry at all right now. Besides, fried food is very high in calories, and I rarely eat it."

"Well, since we can talk somewhere else, how about a coffee shop?"

Chisato quickly reacted and suggested other options.

Iroha maintained her bright smile.

"I'm very tired from running all the way here. Unless you can carry me, senior."

Chisato was not moved by such coquettish words. He looked at the girl's pleated skirt, which barely covered her thighs.

"If you're not afraid of being exposed, I don't mind."

"That's not a very considerate answer. The correct response should be that we can rest here for a while."

Iroha deliberately puffed out her cheeks, pretending to be slightly dissatisfied.

To be honest, from the moment they met, whether it was her soft and delicate voice or her quiet yet active attempts to close the distance between them, her actions were quite deliberate.

But strangely, what might seem odd and defensive to others felt very natural for her.

Even though he clearly sensed she might have ulterior motives, he still wanted to be close to her, simply to spend more time together.

In the end, Chisato was pulled back down to sit again by Iroha. 

She found the right opportunity to place their schoolbags on the seats opposite each other, locking the situation in place.

If this could be regarded as a confrontation, then one party was temporarily at a disadvantage.

Taking out a tissue to wipe the sweat from her forehead, Iroha exhaled softly.

It had been her suggestion for the two of them to meet here today. 

However, between finalizing the appointment and their actual meeting, an unexpected incident had occurred that turned her mood sour. 

This caused Iroha to completely forget her original intentions.

It felt so immersive that she witnessed herself being played with in a dream, and probably no one could remain calm after that.

When she woke up and learned the whole truth, she lay spread out on her bed, dazed for a long time before coming back to her senses.

After that, the first word that came to her mind was "revenge!" The kind of tit-for-tat!

She even snuck into the kitchen, took a fruit knife, and examined it carefully.

At four o'clock in the morning, the moonlight shone through the window onto the surface of the blade. 

The cold reflection illuminated her face, revealing a sickly smile.

But in the end, Iroha calmed down, and a glimmer of reason flickered in her unfocused, dark eyes.

Yes, she still had friends and family who cared about her. No matter what, she couldn't engage in the dangerous thoughts she had just entertained.

With an expressionless face, she put the knife back in its place and returned to her room with gentle steps.

For the next while, she couldn't sleep and sat quietly at her desk, letting two completely conflicting narratives play out in her mind.

Ultimately, the cruel truth tore away the hypocritical mask of the "gentle and kind" brother Chisato.

She resolved that what she saw later was indeed the truth.

At the same time, her previously rising fondness for Chisato dropped to a negative instantaneously.

The beautiful filter she had always applied when looking at him shattered.

Her original thought was that she and Chisato had shared the same dream at the same time. 

Such an incredible occurrence was clearly a sign that they were a match made in heaven. This was a pure blessing. 

The god of love favored her, and she felt like the most unique girl in the world.

After learning the truth, she abandoned her infatuated thoughts, and rational thinking took over.

Her mind turned toward justice. This was an obvious reminder that the Chisato in reality was very likely a double-faced person. 

On the surface, he seemed gentle and polite, but in fact, he was most likely a solipsist—an out-and-out villain!

Changes in objective facts brought about changes in subjective consciousness.

Previously, Iroha's thoughts about Chisato had been shaped by Yukino's speculations, as told by her. Those thoughts were now completely different than before.

Yes, what kind of person can maintain intimate relationships with so many girls at the same time?

What on earth was I thinking before? He was nothing but an outright scumbag!

Those girls were definitely in a similar situation and were deceived by him using some means!

In a manner similar to the crazy tactics he used in dreams and on-screen!

He made them feel guilty due to a series of events, overwhelming their reason and judgment with excessive guilt. Then he took advantage of that to get what he wanted!

Absolutely!

Extremely bad!

The more Iroha thought about it, the more convinced she became that this was what happened in reality.

_______

50+ advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta

_______

If any of you noticed an error, please point it out in comments!