Chapter 160: Eyes Watching from the Shadows

The angle of the sunlight casting through the glass was slanted, leaving Koharu Miura’s figure hidden in the shadow of the curtain.

Tucked away in the darkness, the girl’s gaze extended toward the space behind Arisa Kiyono.

…Koharu Miura had intentionally said those things to provoke Arisa Kiyono.

Based on her deduction, it was possible that someone was closely monitoring Arisa Kiyono.

The basis for this was her own current situation.

‘I have been to the Livehouse more than once. If the other party really knew my movements, why did the anonymous report letter specifically catch the one time I happened to run into Arisa Kiyono while I was with Yui Hori and the others?’

After Sou Kanzaki mentioned the anonymous report letter to her, she hadn’t considered many possibilities.

She had speculated about being targeted or followed, but…

The moment Koharu Miura saw Arisa Kiyono, the doubts in her mind were suddenly resolved.

‘It wasn’t that I was the one being watched or followed, which led to the report.’

After seeing Arisa Kiyono hiding her face behind a mask, sunglasses, and a wide-brimmed bucket hat, Koharu suddenly understood.

The situation hadn’t changed. The other party was still watching Arisa Kiyono.

‘I was simply “captured” by that gaze in the dark.’

Because they were constantly watching Arisa Kiyono, they just happened to see her when she was with Yui Hori and the others.

Then, perhaps concerned about Yui Hori’s school uniform, they used the same methods they used against Arisa Kiyono to investigate the identities of those people.

Furthermore, they sent an anonymous report letter to the Student Council.

‘However, the purpose is still unclear.’

‘Is it a warning…?’

‘Or a provocation?’

Koharu Miura didn’t have the answer to that question for the moment.

However, since she had realized the other party was monitoring Arisa Kiyono’s daily life—inspired by the way Arisa had to cover her face and hide her movements every time she went out—Koharu immediately thought of a plan.

Koharu Miura knew that Arisa Kiyono would get angry if she suggested going to the police.

…She had intentionally provoked Arisa Kiyono to make her show a violent reaction.

In a public place like a cafe, most people would look over curiously if a guest at a neighboring table suddenly flew into a rage.

‘Only someone with impure motives would react differently from the curious public due to a guilty conscience.’

If the person was someone who would follow Arisa Kiyono into a shop and stay at such a close distance…

Under this sudden sneak attack, what were the chances they would be caught off guard?

The probability was unknown, but it was worth a try.

At the very least, she could confirm the extent to which the other party had intruded into Arisa Kiyono’s daily life.

So, while Arisa Kiyono was losing her temper, Koharu Miura just kept her head down, quickly screening the guests in the shop with her eyes and subtle turns of her head.

Everyone was looking toward them curiously, their gazes passing over her to stare at Arisa Kiyono.

No one seemed to show any suspicious signs.

Only then did Koharu Miura stand up and whisper the gist of her plan to Arisa Kiyono.

Arisa Kiyono froze on the spot because of it, and afterward, she followed Koharu Miura’s hint and left the cafe alone.

“…”

“… — “

However, after Arisa Kiyono left, Koharu Miura felt conflicted about the scene she witnessed.

Following the whisper of ‘I’ll let you leave first in a bit, just head toward your rehearsal as usual,’ Arisa Kiyono walked away along the street. It was clearly visible from inside the shop.

Therefore, Koharu Miura could see.

Behind the idol, to her sides, and all around her…

There was no one suspicious.

There were a few people who glanced at her, but only because her outfit hid her appearance — they quickly looked away, continuing their lively conversations or walking in the opposite direction from Arisa Kiyono.

Just like what she saw inside the shop, there was no one worth suspecting.

‘Was I overthinking it? Has the person not actually intruded that deeply into Arisa’s life?’

But…

‘But then… how else to explain how that one specific encounter with Arisa was observed?’

The girl knit her brows tightly and slowly stepped away from the window.

……

When she stepped out of the Blue Bird Cafe, it was exactly 2:00 PM.

Koharu Miura walked along the street, which looked somewhat ethereal in the sunlight, when her mobile phone vibrated slightly in her pocket.

She quickly took the mobile phone out.

“?”

It was a message from Yui Hori.

【Koharu! Where are you right now?】

【Did something happen?】

【We’re planning to go to the KTV! Do you want to join us?】

【Where is it? Is it the same one as last time?】

After searching for the location Yui Hori sent, Koharu Miura found that it was quite close to her current position.

But…

Was it okay to go play now? She still —

【Don’t say you aren’t coming! We’ll think you’re hiding a secret date from us.】

“Sigh…”

Koharu Miura took a helpless, deep breath.

【That’s impossible!】

【I’m at home right now. You guys have fun, I won’t participate today.】

After sending that message, Koharu Miura started walking.

She definitely couldn’t follow Arisa Kiyono to her rehearsal right now.

Once Arisa started practicing, she wouldn’t be able to talk to her for a long time.

If that person was still watching Arisa Kiyono, then Koharu would be exposed to their field of vision even more frequently and for longer periods.

Although Sou Kanzaki had only said she could go to the Livehouse in the future if accompanied by a guardian—and his tone hadn’t been harsh…

To a certain extent, that was the standard by which the Student Council operated.

It was better not to cause extra trouble. Otherwise, it would be useless and only lead to more problems.

As she was considering this, the sound of her mobile phone came again.

This time, it wasn’t a message notification.

It was the ringtone. A continuous ringtone.

Koharu Miura took the mobile phone out, and it was indeed a call from Yui Hori.

“Yui, I said I’m not going — “

Feeling gloomy, Koharu Miura answered the call with a bit of irritation.

“Koharu, where did you say you were?”

Yui Hori’s mischievous voice came through the receiver. “At… home? I don’t think so!”

Koharu Miura’s brow twitched.

What was the meaning of that tone?

Could it be —

“Hmph, look behind you.”

“!”

Almost the instant she heard those words, Koharu Miura turned around.

Yui Hori, Mio Sato, and Yuzuki Yasuda.

At the far end of the path she had come from, there was the group of three waving at her.

And they were coming this way.

“Playing outside and not telling us, saying you’re at home…”

Her friend’s voice continued to come through both the phone at her ear and the air in front of her as they drew closer.

“I think you really are on a date!”

That last sentence was spoken by Yui Hori right in front of the girl.

“Where’s Sou Kanzaki? Where is he? Did he go to buy milk tea?”

……

Inside the cafe.

Shortly after Koharu Miura, who was wearing glasses and looking worried, left the shop.

“Check, please.”

A cool voice called for the waiter.

A certain girl withdrew her gaze from the street visible through the side window.

She stood up, took her notebook in hand, and left her seat.

That seat was directly behind where Koharu Miura had been sitting.