"Um... well, that..."
She carefully weighed her words, stealing a glance at Koto Satsuki's expression as she tentatively countered with a question.
"Are you asking this... for yourself, Satsuki-san? Or... are you asking on someone else's behalf?"
She stared intently at Koto Satsuki, trying to find any clues on that impassive face.
Koto Satsuki seemed caught off guard by the question. After a moment of silence, she replied with a question of her own:
"What difference would the reason make?"
The difference was huge! If you want to know the answer yourself, doesn't that mean every single member of the 'Quintet' might have some special feelings for Amaori Renako?!
This isn't a group centered around Oozuka Mai anymore, it's clearly the invincible harem of the succubus Renako!
So... 'Renako-All' is the hidden top-tier choice?! Have I been supporting the wrong ship all along?! Have I been looking in the wrong direction?!
This sudden, utterly shocking line of thought nearly made her gasp aloud.
She forced herself to calm down, but the shock and curiosity in her eyes were impossible to hide.
"...I'm asking for myself."
Unable to explain why she was asking, Asakura Mio simply gave a straightforward reason without any explanation.
I just want to know! Are you going to tell me or not?!
The two stared at each other for a moment, Asakura Mio looking like she wouldn't back down without an answer. Finally, Koto Satsuki was the one to relent.
She let out a nearly inaudible sigh and, as if compromising, shifted her gaze back to Asakura Mio's face, a faint, almost resigned tone entering her voice.
"It's for a certain idiot," she seemed to choose her words carefully, her voice lowering slightly.
"She's obviously terribly concerned, restless and hesitant all day, but she can't bring herself to step up and ask directly."
"I can't stand seeing her looking so indecisive and pathetic, like a lost puppy... so I thought I'd take the initiative to find out for her."
That person—! Asakura Mio's heart leaped, her eyes instantly lighting up.
That person absolutely must be Oozuka Mai! Just as I thought! It's true! Koto Satsuki really does care about Oozuka Mai's feelings after all!
She can't bear to see her troubled and tangled up over Renako, so she's lowering herself to ask an 'outsider' like me for information!
This scenario where she clearly cares herself, but acts because she can't stand the other person's state... isn't this a subtle form of 'MaiSatsu'! This awkward way of showing concern is so good too!
Asakura Mio felt her dormant shipping heart begin to smolder once again. An understanding smile crept unbidden onto her face.
"Satsuki-san~ You're really concerned about Oozuka-san, aren't you!"
Her eyes curved into smiling crescents, her voice and tone becoming several degrees sweeter, like a little girl who'd just gotten a full basket of her favorite Halloween candy, laced with slyness and teasing.
Invisible black lines seemed to instantly pop up on Koto Satsuki's forehead, her tone darkening.
"...Are you deliberately trying to provoke me?" She never expected Asakura Mio to suddenly serve such a direct hit.
In her first impression, Asakura Mio was supposed to be a somewhat withdrawn, quiet girl. But this first proper conversation completely overturned that perception.
"No, no, no~" Asakura Mio quickly waved her hands, but the smile on her face didn't diminish in the slightest, instead growing even brighter.
"I genuinely understand why you're so concerned about Oozuka-san's matters~ After all, even among the other members of the 'Quintet,' you two seem to be the closest and have the best chemistry!"
She tried to find evidence for her ship.
"That... that's just because we've known each other since we were kids... Tch."
Koto Satsuki refuted out of habit, but the moment the words left her mouth, she realized her slip-up. She clicked her tongue in annoyance and turned her face away.
Why did she explain that?
"Ehh—?! So you're childhood friends?!"
Asakura Mio's eyes widened instantly, shining with the light of discovering a new world, her voice full of delight.
An unexpected surprise! I previously just thought they interacted more naturally than the others, having a kind of unspoken understanding and an old-married-couple vibe, which was the main reason I shipped them!
To think they actually are childhood friends!
Intel level +11! Hooray!
The immense happiness instantly overwhelmed Asakura Mio's mind. Pressing her advantage, she eagerly followed up.
"So how did you two meet? What was Oozuka-san like as a child? Was she just as perfect from a young age?"
Bombarded with such excited and persistent questioning, the cool facade on Koto Satsuki's face finally began to crack.
The tips of her ears turned slightly red, and her tone carried a hint of flustered irritation.
"...That has nothing to do with our current topic! So, what exactly did you and Renako talk about yesterday? What is your relationship?"
Koto Satsuki forcibly dragged the derailed conversation back on track.
Seeing that Koto Satsuki seemed genuinely somewhat annoyed, Asakura Mio finally realized her own performance had been too excited and over the top.
She quickly covered her mouth with her hand, gave a light cough, trying to suppress the wildly rising corners of her mouth, and calmed her excited mood slightly.
"Amaori-san and I—we just became friends."
She answered honestly, then carefully chose her words, cautiously revealing a bit more.
"As for why we walked home together... well, it actually is related to Oozuka-san."
She paused, observing Koto Satsuki's reaction, then continued:
"Probably today... Oozuka-san herself will find out what it's all about. Of course, I was just listening to the idea itself, it definitely wasn't my idea! I'm just an innocent listener and... uh, a friend."
She almost let the word 'cheer squad' slip out, barely stopping herself in time.
Her explanation was somewhat vague and disjointed. Koto Satsuki listened with a slight frown, completely failing to grasp the main point.
"...What in the world are you talking about?" Her clear voice held obvious confusion.
Asakura Mio couldn't very well directly reveal Amaori Renako's shocking plan about the 'Friend/Lover Mode Switch,' especially since the person involved hadn't officially 'confronted' Oozuka Mai about it yet.
She definitely wasn't the right person to spill the beans ahead of time.
Besides, in her opinion, given Oozuka Mai's personality, she'd most likely share it with her childhood friend Koto Satsuki anyway; there was no need for her to interfere.
Rather than explaining that complicated and suicidal plan, another question was currently making Asakura Mio's heart itch with unbearable curiosity.
"It's just that..."
She tilted her head, her eyes sparkling with pure curiosity and inquiry, and finally asked the question she cared about most, the one most crucial to her shipping faith.
"If... and I'm just saying if, okay? If Oozuka-san were to become closer with someone else, even closer than she is with you, Satsuki-san... what would you think about that?"
--+--