Chapter 116: This Little Idol’s Personality Seems… Off!

The fact that Kiyono Arisa was also at school was something Xiao Chun Miura knew clearly.

She just wasn’t mentally prepared to face her yet.

From an objective standpoint, she should count as her enemy.

She had to stop her and Kanzaki Sou from being together, but according to the game’s story development, the world was destined to create a story between her and Kanzaki Sou.

As for whether or not to take this opportunity to see what this heroine was like in private, Sylph’s conflicting feelings and inexplicable fear started battling in her heart.

In the end, curiosity won over fear.

Xiao Chun Miura glanced around, then tiptoed towards the classroom door where the sound had come from.

The classroom door was open.

Xiao Chun Miura quietly pressed herself against the crack of the door and peeked inside.

The setting sun shone through the open window, coating everything in the classroom with a layer of golden light.

That naturally included the girl standing alone in that radiance.

She wore the Starlight Academy uniform, standing sideways to the door, leaning against the teacher’s podium.

A waterfall of chestnut hair, a bit messy, draped over her shoulders.

Her head was bowed, eyes fixed on the white paper she gripped tightly, her shoulders trembling slightly, as if she were enduring something with all her might.

Xiao Chun Miura couldn’t see her features clearly, but that figure, hair color, and the voice that had just spoken—

There was no mistake.

It was Kiyono Arisa.

From the classroom door, Xiao Chun Miura could only see her eyes.

Kiyono Arisa’s gaze was fixed on the white paper in her hands, as if she were glaring at something she hated.

“Why…”

There was a hint of a sob in her low murmur.

“Why can’t I do it — Why does it have to be me…”

“I just wanted to sing, that’s all…”

What is she saying?

Xiao Chun Miura frowned slightly.

She seemed different from the strong, brave, shining Kiyono Arisa on stage.

Just as Xiao Chun Miura was puzzled, the girl in the classroom suddenly moved.

She stepped down from the podium, grabbed the schoolbag on the desk, and naturally turned around.

Xiao Chun Miura jumped in surprise and instinctively tried to hide.

But it seemed she was too late.

In that moment of hiding, Xiao Chun Miura clearly felt Kiyono Arisa’s gaze land on her.

They locked eyes.

Their gazes collided in midair.

“! M”

Xiao Chun Miura hurriedly retreated into the corridor.

“—Wait!”

However, the voice from behind stopped her in her tracks.

She turned around.

What she saw was Kiyono Arisa, who had already chased to the door.

What kind of face was Kiyono Arisa showing?

Delicate, beautiful, flawless like a Sprite.

Even with her eyes slightly red, she was still remarkably pure and outstanding.

Even more beautiful than the character art in the game.

Unlike Kondo Haruka, who looked like “this is how she should look,”

Kiyono Arisa was “even more beautiful than imagined.”

Yet those red-rimmed eyes,

The eyes that should have been shining with energy, belonging to an idol, were now filled with coldness and wariness.

That wasn’t the gaze of Kiyono Arisa the idol.

“…Did you hear?”

Kiyono Arisa spoke coldly, her voice utterly devoid of warmth.

Xiao Chun Miura didn’t respond immediately, but then she realized this was bad.

She should have said something like “Hear what?” instead.

Now, even if she explained, Kiyono Arisa would think she was making excuses or lying.

And why was this heroine so completely different from the gentle, angelic image in the game?

“Um, I…didn’t—”

Xiao Chun Miura stammered, trying to explain.

“Forget it.”

Kiyono Arisa didn’t seem to want to hear any explanation. She just picked up her schoolbag and strode towards her.

As she passed by Xiao Chun Miura, she spoke softly.

“Please pretend you didn’t see or hear anything…”

She lowered her voice, and her tone carried undisguised indifference.

“I’ve already asked you, so if you’re a good person, don’t let my expectations down.”

“That’s it. Goodbye—no, let’s not meet again.”

After she finished, Kiyono Arisa shook her beautiful hair and walked away without looking back.

She left Xiao Chun Miura standing alone at the empty classroom door, stunned in the hallway.

“Huh?”

Is this Kiyono Arisa?

This character is all wrong??

Xiao Chun Miura leaned against the wall, feeling like her worldview was collapsing.

But beneath her shock, a strong unease rose in her heart.

This Kiyono Arisa wasn’t just at school—her personality seemed completely changed.

If Kanzaki Sou were to meet this version of her—

What would happen to the Personal Route’s storyline?

“System…”

Xiao Chun Miura groaned weakly in her heart.

“So this is what’s called a Buffer Period?”

That night, Xiao Chun Miura didn’t even know how she got home.

“…This gap is way too big.”

Lying on her bed, Xiao Chun Miura tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

She stared at the ceiling, feeling like her head was about to explode.

The next day felt like a century for Xiao Chun Miura.

“—Koharu? Koharu!”

A hand waved in front of her several times before it pulled Xiao Chun Miura’s drifting thoughts back.

“Ah? Wh-what is it?”

She snapped back to reality, finding Yui Hori leaning in close with concern, while Mio Sato and Yuzuki Yasuda were gathered around as well.

‘You’re still asking what’s wrong…’

Yui Hori frowned.

“Since this morning, you’ve been staring out the window for four whole periods! Even when the teacher called your name just now, you didn’t notice. Mio had to cover for you.”

“That’s right, Koharu.”

Mio Sato looked at her with worry, the dark circles under her eyes obvious.

“Your complexion is terrible. Did you not sleep well last night? Or are you feeling unwell?”

“If you’re feeling bad, do you want to go to the infirmary and lie down?”

Yuzuki Yasuda asked gently.

Seeing the sincere eyes of her friends, Xiao Chun Miura felt a pang of guilt.

“N-no…”

She forced a smile, trying to look normal.

“Maybe because it’s changing seasons, I haven’t been sleeping well lately, and I’m a bit out of it.”

“Really?”

Yui Hori eyed her suspiciously.

“It’s really not because of Kanzaki-kun?”

“—Pfft!”

Xiao Chun Miura almost choked on her own saliva.

“Wh-what does this have to do with Kanzaki?”

“…Don’t make wild guesses. It’s really not.”

As her friends suddenly shifted to gossip mode, Xiao Chun Miura rubbed her forehead and sighed.

“I’m just…a little tired, that’s all.”

“All right, if you say so…”

Yui Hori still looked unconvinced, but she didn’t push further.

Instead, she patted Xiao Chun Miura’s shoulder.

“Then let’s go sing karaoke after school and blow off some steam! Scream out all your worries!”

“…Okay.”

If she refused, they’d just worry more.

Xiao Chun Miura nodded helplessly.