The atmosphere at the dining table gradually turned delicate.
Maki had originally planned to just make up something casual and muddle through, but when she lifted her head and met Mine Shiori's gaze, she suddenly felt as if she'd been pricked by a needle.
She'd seen that look somewhere before.
—It was the look people gave her when they didn't believe she could actually do something.
Even though she was using Mana's name right now, judging from the result, it seemed she had still made Mine Shiori feel, deep down, that this kind of thing simply couldn't be true.
Whether it was because Shiori thought Mana would never behave so intimately with another man, or because she'd simply seen through Maki's stiff bluff, Maki couldn't tell.
All she knew was that the moment she saw that look, a surge of irritation flared up inside her.
"Yeah. The Atami trip."
Her tone suddenly shifted as she spoke in a forceful, stubborn way.
"We left a really deep impression back then. It was during Golden Week—we even went to the summer fireworks festival. The beach was packed with people, and the fireworks started around eight-thirty. They went on for quite a while… what time did they end again?"
"…Around nine-thirty."
Sawamura Haruno answered, his expression complicated.
That part was true. Back then, he really had gone with Miyazawa Mana to the Atami fireworks festival. They'd arrived the day before and gone the following evening, and it had indeed left a strong impression on him.
If that was the case… then Maki actually did know about their trip?
Did that mean his earlier guess wasn't just wild speculation?
"Uh—right. Nine-thirty."
Maki swallowed and continued rambling,
"We were so focused on watching the fireworks that I don't really remember much else. But there was music playing over the nearby broadcast too—it sounded pretty nice."
I'm done for.
What on earth am I even saying?
Maki screamed internally. She didn't know anything about fireworks festivals or background music.
She'd just stitched this together from videos she'd once scrolled past online. Anyone with even a little familiarity could probably spot the holes right away.
No, no—this was the worst time to panic. Even if she was making it up, she had to see it through to the end.
"'The boy I liked…'"
Across from her, Mine Shiori murmured softly.
For some reason, starting just now, her eyelids seemed heavier than usual, like she was even sleepier than normal, her expression distant and dazed.
"Fireworks and music… that's so romantic."
Uemura Rena completely failed to notice her "teammate's" desperation. She clasped her hands together, eyes sparkling with longing.
"That's wonderful. If only I could take a boy I like to Atami to watch fireworks together."
Then she suddenly blurted out a devastating question—
"Did you two kiss while watching the fireworks?"
"…O-Of course! That's obvious!"
The sudden lethal question made Maki feel dizzy, her vision practically spinning.
"Enough."
Sawamura Haruno's eye twitched.
He reached out and grabbed Maki's hand, his grip clearly carrying the meaning: Say one more word and you're dead.
When she met his sharp, threatening gaze, Maki finally "woke up" and hurriedly shut her mouth.
What was I even saying just now?!
Those things she'd almost blurted out—
they were basically last night's delusions!
What should she do now? Should she say something else to patch things up, at least salvage a bit of dignity?
Her original goal had been to get back at Sawamura Haruno and Mana, but this was nothing like what she'd planned.
Well… not exactly different, either.
At the start, she'd wanted to scare this petite girl off by making things awkward in front of Haruno, and maybe stir up a bit of "scandal" for her sister along the way.
But she'd gone way too far, and things were now heading in a completely different direction.
Maki couldn't help feeling a wave of regret.
In the end, she'd never really thought through her "revenge plan" in the first place. After blurting things out in a muddled rush, she'd only pushed the situation beyond her control.
Is this the textbook lesson of acting without using your brain?
"I really envy you two."
Mine Shiori finally spoke again. She was smiling—but the smile looked forced.
After a brief silence, she stood up.
"I'm full. I still have something to take care of, so I'll head out first. You three, take your time."
With that, she turned and left the table.
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