When she walked out of the Student Council room, Koharu Miura felt her back soaked in cold sweat.
The cool air in the corridor brushed against her, yet it failed to calm her anxious heart even a little.
Kanzaki Sou’s face, always wearing that gentle smile, and his almost unshakeable sense of integrity felt like a thick, impenetrable fog to Koharu’s eyes right now.
She took a deep breath and quickly walked out of the teaching building.
There was no need to keep up the pretense of going to study, so Koharu Miura didn’t go to the library; she just left the school.
However, she didn’t go home immediately.
Instead, she wandered aimlessly down the tree-lined path outside the campus gate, which was covered in fallen cherry blossom leaves.
The streets were much quieter on a Saturday than usual.
As Koharu Miura walked, she absentmindedly kicked a pebble at her feet.
“…”
She pulled her mobile phone out of her pocket, her fingertip lingering on the screen for a long time.
In her list, the avatar named “ALISA” remained as cold as ever.
The conversation that had been cut short last night was like a thorn stuck in Koharu Miura’s heart. ‘If I can’t resolve the matter with Arisa Kiyono completely, then the deeper Kanzaki Sou investigates, the higher the risk of Arisa and me being exposed.’
Moreover, the “Anonymous Whistleblower” Kanzaki Sou mentioned made her suspect a deep connection to that “Post 49.”
[Arisa, are you busy?]
Koharu hesitated again and again before finally sending the first message.
She thought the busy idol might take a long time to reply or simply ignore her altogether.
To her surprise, the screen lit up in less than one minute.
ALISA: […If it’s about that matter, I haven’t decided how to answer you yet.]
Even through the screen, Koharu could imagine Arisa’s expression right now — brows furrowed and full of defensiveness.
Koharu Miura: [No, we can talk about “what to do” later. I just wanted to check… are you okay today?]
ALISA: [I’m fine. Training hasn’t started yet.]
The conversation fell into an awkward lull.
Koharu Miura walked down the street, looking at her reflection in the shop windows — a slender, delicate, yet anxious-eyed girl.
She suddenly felt that communicating through a screen was far too hollow.
Many emotions and detailed observations could easily be misinterpreted if not confirmed in person.
She stopped and stood in the shadow of a massive roadside tree, her fingers moving rapidly.
Koharu Miura: [Arisa, since training hasn’t started yet… do you have time?]
Koharu Miura: [If possible, I’d like to meet you. Not at school, but somewhere off-campus. We could find a quiet shop and talk face-to-face.]
After sending the message, Koharu felt her heart racing again.
‘I’m completely pushing my luck.’
To an idol who guarded her privacy fiercely, such an invitation was practically no different from harassment.
The top of the chat box kept showing “typing,” yet no message appeared for a long time.
After a full three minutes, Koharu was even ready to type an apology and retract her request when Arisa’s reply finally arrived.
ALISA: [I have rehearsal at the agency at 2:00 PM. I don’t have time.]
A cold rejection.
Koharu Miura: [But aren’t you heading to the agency now?]
Koharu Miura: [Just thirty minutes before that would be enough. I’ve discovered new information about the anonymous report and the “source.” This affects your situation in class. I’m really worried that if you go back to class unprepared, the other party will find even more leverage against you.]
Koharu adopted her best “thinking for your sake” tone. Her words were humble, but her attitude was exceptionally firm.
Koharu Miura: [Please. Just thirty minutes.]
Another long silence.
ALISA: […You’re really a handful, Koharu.]
ALISA: [1:20 PM. At the cafe near the shopping street we visited before. There are private rooms on the second floor, and it’s quiet.]
Koharu Miura let out a long breath, as if she had just won a grueling battle of offense and defense.
Looking at the address on the screen, a faint smile unconsciously tugged at the corner of her lips.
‘Despite the annoyed tone, the fact that she’s willing to meet means her inner defenses have completely crumbled in the face of the “Secret of the Embroidery” from last night.’
The Blue Bird Cafe was nestled in a secluded alley off the shopping street.
It was less of a cafe and more of a tea room filled with a nostalgic atmosphere.
There were only a few elderly people reading newspapers on the first floor.
The air was thick with the bitter aroma of roasted coffee beans and a faint hint of tobacco.
Koharu Miura arrived ten minutes early. She chose a seat where she could see the entrance but remained inconspicuous to passersby.
She kept acting restless, her gaze scanning the entrance from time to time.
Whenever someone pushed the door open, her shoulders would instinctively tense.
This genuine timidity, born from a “fear of being discovered,” actually became her best disguise.
1:25 PM.
The door was pushed open softly, making the wind chime hanging on it let out a dull ring.
A girl wearing a broad-brimmed bucket hat, sunglasses, and even a thin silk scarf walked in quickly.
Despite being bundled up, that innate elegance — the kind that glowed even in a crowd — allowed Koharu Miura to lock onto her target instantly.
Arisa headed straight for the second floor under the confused gaze of the shop assistant.
Koharu hurriedly followed.
The private room was dimly lit, with only an old wall lamp casting an orange glow.
Arisa took off her hat and sunglasses, revealing an exquisitely beautiful face that looked somewhat pale from exhaustion and anxiety.
She didn’t order anything; she just sat on the sofa with her arms crossed, her gaze as cold as a sharp ice blade.
“Speak. We only have thirty minutes.”
Her voice was a bit raspy; evidently, last night’s training hadn’t been easy.
“I’m sorry, Arisa. For calling you out at a time like this.”
Koharu Miura sat opposite her, feeling a bit cramped, her hands folded over her knees like an elementary student who had done something wrong.
This posture caused Arisa’s defensive expression to soften slightly.
“Forget the pleasantries.” Arisa turned her face away, looking out at the dark alley. “What was that ‘new information’ you mentioned in your message?”
Koharu straightened her expression and lowered her voice, detailing the contents of the Anonymous Report Letter Kanzaki Sou had mentioned, as well as the four names that had precisely appeared in it.
“In that letter, your name was the only one missing.” Koharu stared into Arisa’s eyes, her tone growing solemn.
“That’s strange, isn’t it? If the person saw us at the entrance of the livehouse, then there’s no reason to leave you out, especially since you’re the most conspicuous one. Unless… they left you out on purpose. Or rather, they’re using the act of ‘reporting me’ to confirm something.”
Arisa furrowed her brows, her slender fingers unconsciously tapping the tabletop.
“Are you saying… the whistleblower is actually trying to test me through you?”