Chapter 118: I Should Have Known It Would End Like This—!

“Eh?”

Yui Hori was stunned.

“I mean… “

Kondo Haruka cleared her throat, her voice rising a little, tinged with a forced strength that barely concealed her embarrassment.

“If you don’t mind, do you want to… come together?”

“… Huh?”

The entire room fell silent.

Even Xiao Chun Miura was frozen.

She had kind of guessed it, but hearing Kondo Haruka take the initiative to invite them still felt like the world’s lines had glitched.

“What—what are you looking at!”

With everyone staring at her, Kondo Haruka’s cheeks turned a faint red, and her tone grew even more hurried.

“I booked a Deluxe Private Room! But I’m all alone!”

“Singing by myself in such a big room, the echo is too loud. It’s annoying! Besides… besides, I can’t even finish all those drink tickets!”

The more she spoke, the more justified she sounded, as if searching for reasons for herself.

“Anyway, there’s no one else today. Sou-kun is busy and can’t keep me company.”

At that, her eyes dimmed a little, but she quickly regained her proud expression.

“So today, we’re just singing casually, without all those annoying rules.”

“If you want to come, then just come. It’s a waste to leave it empty anyway.”

After speaking, she turned her head away, looking as if she was just reluctantly giving them charity.

‘Come if you want, I don’t care.’

Xiao Chun Miura stood rooted to the spot.

So this was the legendary textbook Tsundere?

Clearly, she’s lonely singing alone.

Clearly, she wants company.

Yet she insists on sounding so reluctant.

But—

“Um, Kondo-san.”

While her friends were still dazed, Xiao Chun Miura was the first to speak.

She gave a gentle smile.

“Then… Sorry to intrude?”

Kondo Haruka’s body trembled slightly.

She turned her head to look at Xiao Chun Miura.

Their gazes met in midair.

There was none of the usual gunpowder, nor that deadly sense of rivalry.

Instead, a strange sense of tacit understanding formed between them.

“… Hmph, as long as you know you’re intruding.”

Kondo Haruka let out a soft snort, but the corner of her lips curved up almost imperceptibly.

“Be quiet when you come in, don’t disturb me while I’m choosing songs.”

“Yay–!!”

Yui Hori finally snapped out of it, cheering loudly.

“So noisy! Shut up!”

“…Seriously.”

Mio Sato nodded at Kondo Haruka.

“Thank you, Kondo-san. Then we’ll gladly accept your invitation.”

“Let’s go, let’s go!”

With the matter settled, Yui Hori instantly revived, rushing ahead energetically.

Xiao Chun Miura deliberately slowed her pace, walking slightly behind Kondo Haruka.

Looking at that back—still limping, yet trying so hard to maintain an elegant posture—she sighed inwardly.

Who would’ve thought?

The person who once tried to push her into a corner as a mortal enemy.

Now, on a Friday evening, they could sing together in peace.

Maybe it’s because Kanzaki Sou isn’t here.

Thinking of that, Xiao Chun Miura’s feelings grew a little complicated.

Maybe… they really could become friends after all.

“Hey, Miura.”

Kondo Haruka suddenly stopped and turned around.

“What are you daydreaming about? Hurry up and follow.”

There was a hint of impatience in her eyes.

“If you dare to pick any weird songs later, I’ll cut you off right away.”

“…I can only sing a few old songs anyway.”

“Taste really sucks.”

Kondo Haruka wrinkled her nose in disdain, but her steps were obviously lighter.

They walked through the corridor lit by neon lights and pushed open the heavy soundproof door.

The Deluxe Private Room that once belonged to a single person and felt a bit lonely was instantly filled with girls.

“Wow! It’s huge!”

“There’s even a stand-up microphone!”

“So this is the joy of rich people…”

As her friends exclaimed, Xiao Chun Miura watched Kondo Haruka’s smug expression that seemed to say, ‘What’s the big deal?’

Xiao Chun Miura picked a corner seat, looking at the MV playing on the big screen.

Although the weight of Kiyono Arisa still pressed on her heart.

But at least now.

At least for these few hours without Kanzaki Sou or Story-kill.

She could enjoy this hard-won “Ordinary.”

As the final high note faded, Kondo Haruka held the microphone in one hand, elegantly flicked her chestnut-red curls with the other, her chest rising slightly with each breath.

She set down the microphone, picked up the Oolong Tea on the table to moisten her throat, her face barely concealing her pride.

“This song is always satisfying to sing.”

“So good!”

Xiao Chun Miura praised sincerely.

It was hard to deny—Kondo Haruka was surprisingly good at singing.

The atmosphere was far better than she had expected.

She’d worried that with this group, things would be awkward, or that Kondo Haruka would freeze the mood.

But unexpectedly, as long as Kanzaki Sou wasn’t around, friendship between girls formed remarkably quickly.

“But… it’s a little noisy.”

Xiao Chun Miura rubbed her throbbing temples.

The air conditioning in the room was strong, but the lively atmosphere made the air feel a bit stuffy, pressing on her chest.

Coupled with her poor sleep the night before, her head was buzzing.

“Um, I’m going to get some more drinks.”

So, during the song change interval, Xiao Chun Miura stood up, shaking her empty cup.

“Ah, me too!”

Yui Hori turned around in the midst of chaos.

“I want Hamimelon Soda!”

“Me too, I want Iced Coffee.”

Yuzuki Yasuda chimed in.

“Then I’ll have the same as Yuzuki.”

“Okay, got it.”

Xiao Chun Miura picked up the tray, ready to turn, when she suddenly felt someone tug at her hem.

Looking back, she saw Kondo Haruka sitting on the sofa, head tilted slightly upward.

“…Me too.”

She turned away, handing over her cup.

“Oolong Tea. No ice. Room temperature.”

Her voice wasn’t loud, but carried that habitual tone of command.

“Yes, yes~.”

Xiao Chun Miura took the cup, not feeling annoyed at all.

“I’ll be right back.”

She pushed open the heavy soundproof door of the private room, instantly shutting out the noise.

The corridor was lined with dark red carpet and dim lighting.

The air conditioning was even colder than inside the room, raising goosebumps on her skin.

“Hoo…”

Xiao Chun Miura exhaled deeply, the ringing in her ears finally fading.

Holding the tray, she strolled slowly toward the Self-service Drink Area at the end of the corridor.

There were many private rooms on this floor, and the faint sounds of singing leaked from the gaps under each door.

Some voices were so off-key they screamed into the distance; others were deep, emotional duets.

Mixed together, they formed the unique chaotic background of a karaoke bar.

The drink area was around the corner.

As Xiao Chun Miura turned, her steps came to a sudden halt.

Someone was already standing at the glowing vending machine.

A figure that looked extremely… suspicious.

Though it was indoors and the lighting was weak, the person wore oversized sunglasses, covering most of their face.

A gray hoodie a size too big, hood pulled low to almost cover their forehead. Below that, a long black skirt and sneakers.

The whole person wrapped up tightly, radiating a don’t-approach-me aura.

Xiao Chun Miura instinctively wanted to retreat.

However, the suspicious figure seemed troubled.

She stood in front of the vending machine, pressing the Hot Cocoa button with excessive force.

Once. Twice. Three times.

The machine buzzed, but no cocoa powder came out.

“…How could this happen.”

The figure let out a soft sigh.

The voice was cold, laced with suppressed fatigue and irritation.

“Even this kind of machine is against me.”

She stood rigidly, fingers gripping the cup until her knuckles turned white, as if that cup of undispensed Hot Cocoa represented all the malice of the world.

Xiao Chun Miura’s heart clenched.

This voice.

Even muffled by a mask, even pitched low.

That unique, icy, fragile tone—like shards of ice scraping against the wall—matched perfectly with the voice she’d heard in the empty classroom yesterday.

Kiyono Arisa.

Xiao Chun Miura felt her scalp tingle.

No way?

What kind of luck is this?

After uncovering her secret yesterday, now just coming out for a drink, she bumped into her again?!

Is it that once the character appears, you’re magnetically pulled in?

Escape.

She had to escape.

Before the other girl noticed, she had to turn back to the private room and pretend nothing happened.

Xiao Chun Miura held her breath, quietly taking a step back.

“Clack.”

The tray in her hand accidentally brushed against the Decorative Painting Frame on the wall, making a sharp, clear sound.

In the silent drink area, it sounded unbearably loud.

The figure by the vending machine froze instantly.

The next second, she spun around.

So fast—it was like a startled cat.

The gaze behind those sunglasses shot at Xiao Chun Miura like a blade, brimming with open vigilance and chill.

Xiao Chun Miura stiffened.

She couldn’t move forward, nor back—she could only force out a stiff, awkward smile.

“Uh… G-good evening?”