Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 176, Section 17: "A Glimpse of My Miyako Island Trip: Before Departure"

"travel?"

"Where is Masumi-nii going?" Chiai asked.

Masumi glanced at Kurokawa Mio without making a sound. Her face was reflected in the gleaming lacquered tabletop, her honey-gold bangs swaying gently, her expression calm.

“Okinawa,” he said. “To be precise, Miyako Island.”

The Ryukyu Islands, geographically speaking, consist of five island groups: the Tokara Islands, the Amami Islands, the Ryukyu Islands, the Daito Islands, and the Sakishima Islands.

The first two are under the jurisdiction of Kagoshima in southern Kyushu. Okinawa's prefectural capital is located on the largest island, Okinawa Main Island. Miyako Island, which Masumi mentioned, is an affiliated island of the Sakishima Islands and is not far from the Yaeyama Islands.

"Huh? Masumi-kun won a travel voucher?"

"No, I'll treat you myself."

Saying those words with an expression of nonchalance brought a greater sense of satisfaction than Masumi had imagined.

"How generous! Masumi-kun, no! Masumi-sama should be called Masumi-sama." Mami's eyes lit up, her reaction was very accommodating.

"When did Masumi-nii become so rich?"

Qian Ai looked puzzled. "Has 'Starry Night' been doing this well lately?"

"Could it be because the first volume of the digital edition of 'The Brave Squad is Full of Spy' is about to be released, and Masumi-kun is very confident about the sales?" Mami guessed.

Why the sudden urge to go to Okinawa?

Compared to Mami's excited tone, Rinne only frowned slightly, looking rather unenthusiastic, and tilted her head to ask, puzzled.

"October is the season for travel, right? Inukai and the others went to Okinawa this year, and they shared photos in the group chat these past few days."

In the photo, Yuyuko stands on a white sand beach, wearing a swimsuit, her delicate skin revealing a beeswax-like texture, looking like she's having a blast.

"...The weather forecast says the next couple of days will be perfect for swimming. The store has been very busy lately, so I was thinking of giving everyone a break as a staff perk. What do you think?"

"I agree!" Asami raised her hand. "I've never been to Okinawa before."

“It’s going to Miyako Island, Asami-nee,” Chiai corrected, then a look of longing appeared on her face.

"I've heard that Yonaha Maehama Beach on Miyako Island is known as the 'most beautiful beach in the Orient,' but I've never been there."

"Island...there are lots of jellyfish...I want to go..."

"The jellyfish outside the Seto Inland Sea are quite fierce, so Little Moon shouldn't be careless. Be careful not to get stung by a jellyfish and cry."

The three's eager reactions were exactly what Masumi had expected. As for the heir...

"I'm not going."

Rinne directly refused.

"Huh? Why?" Mami was taken aback. "Isn't a group trip a good thing?"

“That’s right,” Chiai chimed in. “Rinne is coming too. We all went to Kyoto together before and had a lot of fun.”

"That was during the Obon holiday. Now that university has started, everyone has to attend classes. I guess Chiai is the same way?"

"Oh, right."

As if doused with cold water, Chiai's expression instantly changed from anticipation to disappointment, just like a high school student who had just learned that their school trip had been canceled.

"Don't worry about the time, it won't take too long," Masumi replied.

"Miyako Island is not as big as Okinawa Island, so I only plan to go for three days, two days on the weekend, plus Friday or Monday."

"Great! I don't have classes on Friday or Monday." Chiai perked up again.

"If you have the means, you can skip it," the childhood sweetheart silently added to her mind.

"Where's Rinne?"

"I don't have classes next Monday—"

"Great!"

Chia and Asami cheered "Oh oh~", but it was too early.

"But the store still needs manpower to operate."

Rinne spoke these words with her usual indifferent expression, leaving Mami and Chiai exchanging bewildered glances.

“But if everyone goes to Miyako Island, Rinne won’t be able to manage all the work by herself, right?” Chiai said, still unwilling to give up.

"Making coffee, brewing tea, and being in charge of the kitchen and cleaning for three consecutive days is really too tiring."

If it were when Masumi had just returned to Kobe in April, the shop's sluggish customer traffic would have been more than enough for the heiress to handle on her own.

However, given the current popularity of "Stars", the workload is incomparable to what it used to be.

"I will prepare the desserts in advance and put them in the dessert cabinet. I have also been asking Masumi for advice on coffee. If it's just for three days, it should be fine."

To be honest, the heiress's voice sounded a little unsure.

“Rinne, you can’t push yourself like this. If we knew how hard you’re working at the shop, we wouldn’t be at ease on Miyako Island,” Chiai comforted her.

“That’s right.” Asami nodded in agreement. “To exaggerate a bit, what Rinne is doing is practically threatening us!”

"threaten?"

“That’s right.” Mami said seriously, “Using her own health to threaten us.”

“I didn’t think that way,” Rinne sighed. “I was just fulfilling my duties as the shop manager.”

"If people want to travel and relax, I certainly won't interfere, but I don't feel I have the leisure to enjoy that kind of leisure..."

"That's not true at all!" Mami smiled and reached out to grab Rinne's sleeve. "Rinne has always worked very hard, and everyone can see that."

The "Hoshi" coffee shop on the Suma coast in Kobe City has 30 tables.

It's a coffee shop that sells Japanese sweets and blends Japanese and Western styles, perfectly complementing the unique atmosphere of Kobe.

The desserts in the glass display case sell out every day before closing time, which shows how popular they are with customers.

The manager of this coffee shop is a beautiful woman with a dignified air, Ms. Kamishiro...

In a previous feature interview about the "Starry Night" coffee shop, Shiratori attracted the audience by showcasing the barista's good looks, while the interview transcript devoted considerable attention to the heiress.

"And just like Chii said, given the store's recent customer traffic, Rinne definitely can't handle it all by herself."

“Indeed.” Rinne nodded in deep agreement. “To be honest, I even wanted to borrow the cat’s paw.”

"So, it's better if you go on a trip with us to relax."

Mami smiled, her eyes sparkling, and suddenly changed her strategy.

"Moreover, Miyako Island is not far from Iriomote Island, so you might be able to see the adorable Iriomote wildcats there, as well as Taketomi Island, which is a famous cat island."

Masumi listened silently, thinking that a three-day, two-night schedule probably wouldn't be enough to visit so many places, but...

"Iriomote Lynx...Cat Island..."

The heiress looked completely absorbed. "This person really loves cats," Masumi thought.

It seems like a distant memory, but the fact that she shared all her cat-teasing skills might actually hold a surprisingly large place in Rinne's heart.

To break the silence, Asami stood up with great enthusiasm and uttered a powerful line from her lips.

"So, let's go to Miyako Island together! Let's Go!"

She raised her fist toward the ceiling and let out a powerful shout.

Perhaps persuaded by Mami's loud appeal, Rinne adopted a defeated expression and sighed in surrender.

"Okay, I'll go."

"Little Rinne is the shop manager, her word is law, you can't go back on your word."

After confirming that Rinne had agreed, Mami beamed with joy.

"Speaking of which, since we've decided to go, we should buy swimsuits."

Mami nodded deeply, looking completely satisfied.

"Huh? Didn't we just buy a swimsuit last summer?" Masumi asked, puzzled.

"I'll poke—"

Her long, slender arms and soft fingertips poked at Masumi's face across the dining table as she pursed her lips in displeasure.

"Hey Masumi-kun, you saw it last time, right? Our swimsuits were all pretty daring, you know. Do you really want us to wear those to a public beach?"

“That’s not what I meant,” Masumi explained, shaking her head. “I just never intended to go to a public beach.”

“Not planning to go to a public beach…” Asami repeated his words, muttering to herself thoughtfully, “That means…”

"You...you booked the whole place!?"

She stared wide-eyed in disbelief. "Whoa! Masumi-kun, did we find oil under the land of this coffee shop?"

"That's too much, Asami-nee."

Seeing her pathetic state, Qian'ai sighed with some disdain.

"I think it refers to renting a beachfront guesthouse. I heard from a senior member of the diving club that they rented one during their summer diving training camp, which allowed them to have a small section of the beach to themselves."

“That’s right.” Masumi nodded.

Chiai then asked, "But this is no small amount, Masumi-nii. Can you afford it? It's probably better if we split it among ourselves."

“I agree,” Rinne said calmly.

"I just checked the cost of traveling to Miyako Island and renting a guesthouse for the whole island. If there are six people, it will be quite affordable."

Huh? Masumi blinked. She had just firmly refused. No wonder she was a coffee shop manager who valued efficiency above all else.

Asami: "I have no objection."

“I… am very rich…” Kurokawa Mio nodded quietly, which was taken as an admission.

“Oh, then everyone can pay for their own travel expenses. I'll take care of the guesthouse, since I was the one who suggested this trip,” Masumi said.

“Eh—Masumi-kun really wants to ‘take care’ of us, huh?” Mami said meaningfully.

"Because it was Masumi-kun who paid for the room, he has absolute control over it, just like the Ōoku of the Shogunate."

She wore an evil smile.

"Please don't portray me as so bad."

"However, although the private beach is great, it's a bit of a shame that we can't see any swimsuit-clad beauties on the beach, so..."

"so?"

"Everyone needs to wear even cuter swimsuits!" Asami said excitedly, clenching her fists.

His eager expression left the people around him speechless.

Such a shameless line would definitely be considered problematic if it were spoken by Masumi.

"Sister Mami, you could have used a much more refreshing way of saying it. Saying it like this makes you sound like an old man." Chiai sighed and rubbed her forehead in exasperation.

Mami pouted, "Anyway, we're talking about the same thing, so what does it matter?"

"I'm also planning to buy a new one."

"Eh?"

To everyone's surprise, it was Rinne who responded to Mami's call, and Chiai was slightly taken aback.

"The swimsuit I bought before is a bit too tight to wear."

Does "勉强" mean...?

No longer fits?

Chiai has a vivid memory of Rinne's swimsuit outfit, but not because of the style.

Her swimsuit was a simple white bikini, the simple design of which made her quite revealing, the kind that enhances her figure.

Wearing it, Rinne naturally looked radiant.

Through a layer of clothing, Qian Ai pressed her hand to her chest, feeling the emptiness between the fabric and her breasts, and couldn't help but sigh softly: I am a disgrace to Latin America.

No, it's because the girls around me are all unreasonable monsters; they are the shame of the island nation, except...

"Ok?"

Noticing her own furtive gaze, Kurokawa Mio turned her head slightly to the side, her expression unchanged.

"Uh, nothing."

Qian Ai humbly lowered her eyelashes.

"Then it's settled, let's head to Miyako Island this weekend."

"It's Masumi," she said softly.

◇

At the next dinner table, several girls enthusiastically discussed their itinerary while referring to travel guides for Miyako Island on social media.

But since it was only a three-day, two-night trip, there was nothing special to prepare. In order to travel easily, the group didn't even plan to bring suitcases.

After dinner, Chiai said goodbye to everyone, and Mami offered to take her to the station, a task that originally belonged to Masumi.

"Hey, Masumi-nii is still sick, so you should rest first. Mami-nee can take me."

"Get well soon before you go to Miyako Island."

After saying this with a smile, Chiai left the coffee shop with Asami.

Rinne was washing dishes in the kitchen. The heiress was always busy and could never find a job to do.

Masumi hopes that occasional trips will give her some time to relax and rest.

Haiyue sat in a chair with her phone on her lap, freeing her hands, and was munching on an apple, her movements resembling those of a rodent eating.

Masumi took her medicine with plain water and left the first floor with Kurokawa Mio. However, instead of going straight back to their room to rest, they chatted in the corridor on the third floor.

Because Kurokawa Mio looked at her, indicating that she wanted to talk... or rather, requested to talk.

"Is there anything you want to say to me, Mio?" Masumi asked.

"Also, your hands... are gripping too tightly."

Her fair fingers dug into Masumi's skin; it hurt. Mio gripped her hand tightly, as if she would escape if she didn't hold on tight.

The force was so great that Masumi almost couldn't breathe.

"Hey, Masumi."

The corridor lights on the third floor were off. Masumi lowered her eyes slightly and met a pair of dark, lifeless eyes.

"What does that trip mean?"

She still held onto Masumi's arm and asked anxiously.

Masumi could understand this feeling; it was the anxiety that arose from her fear that her desired daily life would fall apart.

Mio's recent strange behavior is driven by this feeling.

To ensure the gears function smoothly and reliably in daily operation, it is necessary to maintain proper gear maintenance.

After carefully considering her words, Masumi slowly began to speak:

"I've thought about what you told me before carefully, and I need a little more time to consider it."

"I will give you an answer after this trip to Miyako Island."

Kurokawa Mio, who had seemed to be in a daze, let out a soft "Huh?"

A glimmer of light shone from his dark, lifeless eyes, as if leaking from a crack.

"No, I just..."

The more he tried to cover up, the more hesitant and fragmented his words became.

"Um... I just want to travel with Masumi, that's all."

Her eyes remained uneasy, and her rosy lips pursed slightly in protest.

If it's not just the two of them, Mio will get upset.

Masumi remained silent, perhaps deliberately avoiding the question, and quietly shook her head.

"Well then, I'll go back to my room to rest first."

"Ah."

"that……"

Masumi raised the arm that was still being held tightly by her.

Her hands were like moist spider silk, warm and damp, a web that slowly opened and then desperately tightened.

"Can I let go of your hand?"

Kurokawa Mio was speechless, her brows furrowed as she stood frozen in place.

It was as if you could hear the faint cracking sound of her arms.

Seeing Kurokawa Mio's expression: the beauty with honey-gold hair stretched out her other hand and placed it on the hand that was gripping Masumi's arm, slowly prying her fingers apart from the gaps in her skin.

She seemed serious, not playing a prank, which left Masumi dumbfounded.

"What's this?"

He subconsciously curled the corners of his mouth into a smile. "Is it really that hard to let go of my hand?"

"Have."

Kurokawa Mio answered without hesitation.

If she could, she would never let go of that hand.

Masumi was speechless in the face of her intense feelings.

I even...feel a bit used to it.

"Then let Mio hold it for a little longer."

"..."

"Let's forget it." She shook her head. "We can't disturb Masumi's rest."

She tried to pry her fingers open, letting them relax in mid-air, then hesitated whether to open her palm or clench her fist.

Finally, he simply maintained the half-open, half-closed posture and slowly waved to Masumi.

"Good night, Masumi."

Masumi also lightly waved her freed hand, leaving a clear red mark on her arm. Because she had gripped it too tightly for too long, it probably wouldn't fade away anytime soon.

Goodnight, Mio.

The door to the room opened and closed again.

Stunned, Kurokawa Mio stood there for a long time, watching the figure disappear from sight.

In the dimly lit corridor, nothing could illuminate her face.

(End of this chapter)