Youko's original intention wasn't to help Kazusa to confirm her true feelings using a deliberately extreme statement.
But over the past few days, every time Kazusa heard Chisato's voice over the phone, the way her expression wavered between relief and pain made it impossible for Youko to ignore.
A mother and daughter share a bond.
She wanted her daughter to find happiness. That was the real reason she made this decision.
And in a way, it also meant giving Chisato another chance.
However, knowing the kind of person she was, there was no way Youko would settle for merely offering verbal support.
After watching Kazusa leave, she returned to the dining room and finished the breakfast she had made—one that at least looked decent.
"…I should call Aunt Ohara over to make dinner tonight"
Muttering to herself, she tidied up the table and dishes.
Finally, she was able to relax on the couch.
Then, picking up her phone, she dialed a certain acquaintance with a rather special profession.
"Gorou-kun, it's been a while. How have you been?"
"Thanks to you, I'm doing pretty well! I feel like I could live to be a hundred!"
"Haha, calling me an old witch is just too much."
After some brief pleasantries, Youko got to the main point.
"…Actually, there's something I need your help with."
"Yeah, there's someone I'd like you to look into. Of course, the more details, the better—his personal relationships, daily habits, things like that."
"Okay, I knew I could count on you. I'll be waiting for your update."
…
Inside a street-side café, Utaha sat by the window, her gaze fixed outside.
At this time in the morning, there weren't many customers in the shop.
It was already the third day, and so far, she still hadn't seen the person she had been hoping to see.
Ever since Eriri officially asked her for this favor, she had been thinking about how to meet Kazusa.
Her original plan was to secretly borrow Chisato's phone, find Kazusa's number in his contacts, and call her directly to introduce herself and arrange a meeting.
But on second thought, secretly meeting Kazusa was already something she was keeping from Chisato, and if she also went behind his back to check his phone, it just felt too wrong.
Not to mention, if she called so abruptly, she had no idea how Kazusa would react. There was also the risk that Chisato might find out what she was up to.
So she abandoned that idea and resorted to this admittedly inconvenient but necessary approach instead.
From what she had gathered from Chisato, Kazusa's mother was hospitalized, but it wasn't anything serious—she was expected to be discharged in a few days.
That meant Kazusa herself would likely still be at the hospital for a few more days.
Taking that into account, Utaha hadn't taken any action last week, waiting until Monday of this week to come to this café.
She and Eriri had followed Chisato and Kazusa before and knew where Kazusa lived.
And this café was right on the route between Kazusa's house and the train station—if she was going to school, she would have to pass by here.
Sitting by the window, Utaha had a clear view of the pedestrians on the street.
As much as she didn't want to admit it, Kazusa's striking looks and tall figure made her stand out in a crowd—there was no way Utaha would miss her if she walked by.
And when that moment came, she could follow her plan: step out, call out to Kazusa, start a conversation, and, just as Eriri had suggested, establish dominance and make her back off.
But after waiting here for three days, she still hadn't caught sight of Kazusa.
For the past few days, she had stayed until after eight in the morning, which meant she was only making it to class after the first period ended.
Didn't Chisato say her mother's condition wasn't serious? If it wasn't serious, why was she still in the hospital?
Utaha sipped her coffee, growing increasingly frustrated with the situation.
Thinking about it now, maybe it was too late to complain, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Eriri had just used her as a pawn.
Praising her figure, complimenting her presence, saying that she was the only one who could keep Kazusa in check and that Eriri herself wasn't a match for her…
The more she thought about what Eriri had said, the more suspicious it seemed.
Even though she had said she owed Utaha a favor, who knew when she would actually repay it?
Yep, she definitely got played.
She was the one doing the probing while Eriri sat back and waited to share the intel afterward, without any of the stress or risk.
That girl—was she getting smarter lately?
"Tch."
The more she thought about how she had been used, the more annoyed she became.
But given Utaha's personality, since she had already agreed to this, there was no reason to quit halfway.
It was 7:30 now. As usual, she would wait another half hour.
If Kazusa still didn't show up, then maybe she really was still at the hospital.
Or maybe—because of Chisato—she didn't want to go to school.
If it was the latter, then she might have no choice but to visit her directly.
But doing that would mean running into her mother, which would make things even more complicated…
Utaha's train of thought suddenly halted.
She put down her coffee, her eyes widening slightly as she took a quiet breath.
The person she had been waiting for these past few days had finally appeared in her line of sight.
Seeing Kazusa's figure, Utaha felt a bit nervous.
But over the past few days, she had mentally rehearsed this conversation countless times. She had prepared herself thoroughly, so there was nothing to worry about.
She stood up and walked out of the café with steady steps.
By the time she reached the door, Kazusa had already passed in front of the café.
Utaha had to quicken her pace, jogging a few steps to catch up.
"Excuse me, sorry to bother you."
Hearing someone call out, Kazusa instinctively turned her head.
Her gaze met that of the girl standing not far behind her.
Narrowing her sharp, keen eyes slightly, she asked in confusion,
"Are you talking to me?"
Utaha brushed her hair back, smiling as she nodded.
"Yes, Touma Kazusa. I was hoping to take a little of your time—I have something I'd like to discuss with you."
Kazusa stared at her, as if she was trying to recall something.
But since the other girl hadn't stated her reason directly, she wasn't sure yet.
"You… Do we know each other?"
"My apologies for not introducing myself sooner."
Utaha politely bent slightly at the waist.
"My name is Kasumigaoka Utaha. I'm Suzumiya Chisato's girlfriend."
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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