Chapter 170: Another Passerby

Walking down the street, the chilly autumn wind slipped precisely up under the hem of Koharu Miura’s light beige skirt.

Even though it was her legs that felt the chill, Koharu still instinctively hunched her shoulders.

These past days had accustomed her to wearing skirts, wearing underwear, and acting like a girl in her daily life.

But… being a girl when the temperature dropped was still a first for Koharu Miura.

She hadn’t learned how to handle it yet.

‘Usually, do people wear skin-toned leggings at a time like this?’

Thinking about these things, Koharu kicked her shoes awkwardly.

— She was a bit restless.

Even though she had already built up her mental defenses in front of the dressing mirror before leaving… she couldn’t stop thinking about the possibility of an entire group targeting Arisuto Ayazono and those close to him.

… Even walking down a street she was used to, Koharu still felt a chill unrelated to the temperature.

It was an illusory sense of being watched that followed her like a shadow.

The mobile phone she had been clutching tightly in her pocket — the one that had been pulling at her emotions these past few days — vibrated.

Koharu pulled it out to see a text from her father.

It said they had already ordered, and they were at a Saizeriya.

[We’ve booked a window seat. Just have the shop assistant lead you to Table 15.]

“…”

Silently replying to her father’s message, Koharu quickened her pace.

Saizeriya. She had never been there. Even “here” in this world, this was the first time.

The crowd on the shopping street was a bit heavier than usual for a Sunday.

Koharu kept her head down, trying her best to avoid the people.

‘As soon as I finish this meal, I’ll head straight to school.’

Koharu silently encouraged herself.

……

Pushing open the door to Saizeriya, a wave of warmth mixed with the savory aroma of food rushed over her.

As the shop assistant led Koharu over, her parents, whom she hadn’t seen in a few days, were sitting across from each other, chatting excitedly.

Her mother noticed her first and immediately waved with a smile.

Koharu took a deep breath, quickly putting on a well-behaved, slightly apologetic smile.

“I’m sorry, Mom and Dad. I’m late.”

“You’re not late at all. The food is coming soon.”

Her mother reached out to take Koharu’s hand, looking over her face with concern.

“Did you really not get enough rest last night? You look a bit pale. Should we take you to the hospital after lunch?”

“I’m fine, Mom. I was just walking a bit fast,” Koharu explained softly as she sat down obediently.

“Don’t push yourself if you’re not feeling well,” her father added from across the table.

“I’m okay, Dad,” Koharu replied with a smile.

Both parents smiled back, and Koharu felt the stress she had accumulated along the way melt away. However…

“Oh my, isn’t this… Miura? What a coincidence.”

Just as Koharu was trying to completely relax and enjoy this moment of family warmth, a crisp voice broke the restaurant’s comfortable tranquility. Koharu’s body stiffened for a second.

It was different from the Reality World — or perhaps similar in a way.

Not many people knew her in this world, and she had almost never heard this voice before.

Yet it wasn’t exactly unfamiliar.

She had rarely heard it, but it certainly wasn’t a stranger’s voice.

Koharu turned around to see a girl with neat bangs wearing a camel-colored duffel coat standing by the table.

She didn’t know her — but she wasn’t someone she had never seen before.

Koharu searched her memory for the girl’s face.

… She remembered now.

This girl was someone she had spoken to a few times when she went to Arisa Kiyono’s class to look for her.

She was Arisa Kiyono’s classmate.

Previously, in order to get close to Arisa, she had asked the students in her class a few times if Arisa had come to school.

Among those people, the one with the best attitude toward her had been this girl.

But… why did she know her name?

Koharu was stunned. Her impression of the girl was just a normal, gentle, and friendly student — the girl should have had a similar view of her.

The two of them had never spoken about anything other than Arisa, so naturally, they had never exchanged names.

‘How does she know my name?’

“Koharu, who is this?” her father asked curiously, putting down his cup.

“Oh, hello, sir. My name is Nao Yamazaki.”

Then, before Koharu could respond, the girl introduced herself.

“I’m Miura’s friend from school.”

… No, what was this? ‘Friend? That’s not right.’

Koharu was suddenly thrown off balance.

On the other side, Nao Yamazaki bowed slightly with poise. “Although we aren’t in the same class, we talk quite often at school.”

After speaking, Nao naturally leaned in a bit closer, her gaze shifting toward Koharu.

“… It really is you. For a moment, I thought I was mistaken.”

Koharu’s heart skipped a beat.

“Oh, is that so? What a wonderful coincidence.” Her mother’s eyes lit up upon hearing this.

“Koharu is so introverted at school; I’ve always been worried she wouldn’t make any friends. Seeing you now puts my mind at ease.”

Her mother and Nao Yamazaki shared a smile.

“Since you’re friends — are you here by yourself, Yamazaki? If you don’t mind, why don’t you join us at our table? It’s quite large, anyway.”

‘Mom?!’

Koharu looked at her mother in shock.

“This… I’m not sure if it’s a good idea. Wouldn’t I be interrupting your family meal?”

Nao Yamazaki showed a hint of hesitation, her tone perfectly calculated.

“I originally just intended to buy a salad to go.”

“Not at all. The more, the merrier. Right, Koharu?”

As her mother spoke, she signaled the shop assistant to add a seat.

Seeing how genuinely happy her mother looked, Koharu couldn’t bring herself to say the words “Actually, never mind” that were stuck in her throat.

She didn’t want to hurt her parents’ feelings.

After all, in everyone else’s eyes, she was just an introverted high school girl — the same was true for her mother.

She didn’t want her to worry.

Even though she didn’t know where this person had come from or what she was planning, nothing the girl said was technically problematic.

The only strange thing was how she knew her name.

“… Um, since Yamazaki doesn’t mind, please join us.”

Koharu tried her best to make her smile look natural.

And so, this Sunday lunch inexplicably turned into a temporary meal for four.

Nao Yamazaki sat opposite Koharu, casually chatting with her and her parents about school from time to time.

But beneath the surface of this peaceful scene, Koharu ate distractedly.

She poked the steak on her plate with her fork, focusing all her attention on every word Nao said.

“By the way, how has Kiyono been lately?”

Shortly after the main courses were served, Nao Yamazaki brought up the topic as if by accident.

As she spoke, the girl’s eyes sparkled with innocent curiosity.

“Miura, have you talked to Kiyono lately?”