While Tokai Shizen and Manchester Cafe were talking,
Maruzensky, with a visibly displeased expression, was sitting in a clothing store.
Watching Chiyo O choose clothes.
"Maruzensky-senpai, do you think this white one is better or the black one?"
Holding two pieces of clothing with completely different styles and color schemes, Chiyo O raised this question to her senpai.
Seeing Chiyo O making her third choice between different garments, Maruzensky just sighed and then shifted her gaze away.
She knew who Chiyo O was going out with.
And it was precisely because she knew who Chiyo O was going out with that she looked so dejected now.
Seeing Maruzen's reaction, Chiyo O didn't know why.
But she still put the two clothes in her hand back on the hanger, then sat down beside Maruzensky.
With Chiyo O's movement, their gazes met at the same level.
At this moment, they both saw the same scenery and objects at the same horizontal line.
And as if sensing Chiyo O's action,
Maruzensky, whose expression had not been very good, turned her head to look at Chiyo O.
"Sorry, I should be the one accompanying you."
A voice with a hint of apology reached Chiyo O's ears.
"Uh, it's okay, really. I'm the one who should apologize for not realizing Maruzensky-senpai was in a bad mood and still dragging you out."
Saying this, Chiyo O looked at Maruzensky: "Maruzensky-senpai, is it because I'm asking Tokai-nee out?"
"Eh? How did you..."
"Anyone can see the open and secret struggles between Maruzensky-senpai and Chiaki-senpai."
Saying this, Chiyo O scratched her face with her hand.
Actually, Chiyo O hadn't seen through this; the one who truly saw through it was Mejiro Ardan.
If the other party hadn't told her, Chiyo O would definitely still foolishly think she had no rivals.
However, fortunately, Chiyo O's words were not seen through by Maruzensky, who was currently troubled by love.
"Yes, because of this."
"Then the sound I heard last night was also because of this?"
Hearing this, Maruzensky just turned her head slightly: "Well, I suppose so."
When she received Chiyo O's call last night, Maruzensky was speeding.
Although answering the phone while speeding wasn't a good thing,
For Maruzen, an experienced driver with many years of driving, it was no big deal because her skills were excellent, and she didn't have to worry about car accidents or similar incidents.
However, upon hearing that Chiyo O was going on a date with Tokai,
She made a mistake in controlling the car.
Although she barely managed to pull it back in the end, she still inevitably crashed into the road guardrail, resulting in numerous scrapes and dents on the car body surface.
And this was why Maruzensky couldn't give Chiyo O a direct answer.
However, Chiyo O didn't care about this; she just thought along with Maruzensky's words, and then,
As Maruzensky's junior, she just turned her head to look at Maruzensky.
Maruzensky's expression, after a brief moment of shyness, returned to its original state.
It was even more severe than before.
Looking at Maruzensky like this, Chiyo O opened her mouth but didn't know what to say.
Because Chiyo O knew almost nothing about what happened between Tokai and Maruzensky.
Especially that night, the incident where Maruzensky took Tokai but still chose to accelerate violently.
So, Chiyo O didn't understand why Maruzensky had this expression.
But even so, Chiyo O had other ways to solve the problem.
Although it was a clumsy method, although... she herself wasn't too keen on using that method.
But, if it was Maruzen,
Perhaps... "Maruzensky-senpai, are you worried that I'll steal Tokai-nee away?"
Even if Maruzensky didn't say it, Chiyo O could roughly guess the answer.
But... "No, it's not."
Clearly, Chiyo O guessed wrong.
"Eh! Was I wrong?"
Her voice was full of surprise; clearly, Chiyo O thought this should be a guess that couldn't possibly be wrong.
Of course, it was natural for her to guess wrong, after all, Chiyo O hadn't experienced those things, so it was natural for her not to guess the result.
The real problem Maruzensky was concerned about was another one: last night's car control error reminded Maruzensky of what happened that day.
Although Tokai chose to forgive her at the time,
But, what about later? Just hearing the news that Tokai was going on a date with someone else had already made her like this.
What then?
Some thoughts flowed through her mind.
Looking at Maruzensky's unchanged expression, Chiyo O just stood up: "Maruzensky-senpai, what is it that's making you like this?"
Seeing Chiyo O's behavior, Maruzensky just adjusted her expression slightly.
Then she showed her usual smile and looked at Chiyo O: "Alright, alright, let's choose clothes for now. After all, it's almost time in a few days, isn't it?"
"Eh? But Maruzensky-senpai, you..."
"It's nothing~"
Facing Chiyo O's concern, Maruzensky simply picked up the two clothes Chiyo O had carefully chosen, which were placed on the hanger.
Looking at the two clothes Maruzensky held in her hand, Chiyo O just looked at Maruzensky: "Maruzensky-senpai?"
A certain intuition made her feel that Maruzensky was not recovered; she was just putting on a brave front.
"Don't worry about me."
Saying this, Maruzensky looked at the two garments in her hand. After a simple thought, Maruzensky put down the black garment: "If it's going out with Shizen, wearing this one would be better."
Looking at the white-themed outfit Maruzensky held in her hand, Chiyo O didn't respond; she just looked at Maruzensky: "Maruzensky-senpai?"
The repeated question made Maruzensky look at her: "What's wrong?"
"Maruzensky-senpai, you..."
"Hmm?"
"What are you doing?"
Chiyo O was not a perceptive person, but even she could sense that Maruzensky was not herself right now.
So, she asked the question.
"Just helping you choose clothes. After all, if you're going on a date with Shizen, you should wear something suitable, right?" Maruzensky said, looking at Chiyo O, who was frowning deeply.
It was as if she was waiting for the other party's next words.
And in a simple gaze.
Chiyo O raised the most crucial question about Maruzensky's current behavior: "Maruzensky-senpai, haven't you always been the closest person to Tokai-nee? Why now..."
The overly direct question made Maruzensky pause for a second.
"Just getting in the way of a rival, that's all."
Saying this, Maruzensky picked up the white outfit, then looked at Chiyo O, with a hint of melancholy in her eyes: "Will you wear it? The clothes I chose?"
Then, just as Chiyo O had guessed the answer to the question incorrectly earlier,
Maruzensky also guessed Chiyo O's reply incorrectly.
"I will wear it, as long as it's Maruzensky-senpai's choice!"
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