The most important

Sumire recalled the words of the girl from the previous day. Despite how harsh those words were, she took them to heart. Ru has truly done a lot for her. But what has she done for him in return? What does Ru want to do in the future?

He always encourages and motivates her regarding her dreams, but where does that leave him?

"Sorry, forget I said that. Even I understand that he is doing this for you."

"Say Asuka, do you think Ru has feelings for me?"

At those words, her usually stone-faced friend looked strange. "What-what makes you ask that?"

"It's just recently I have thought about everything he has done for me, and thinking about it, it is very excessive." Sumire trailed off. "Would he do this for a normal person? Maybe he has feelings for me."

Asuka patted her shoulders. "I don't think you should worry about this now. The reason I stopped you is this." Asuka took out the emblem and gave it to her. "I already took photos, so you can keep this for now."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. If the captain thinks we need to examine it in person, I can just ask you to return it. So keep it safe."

"Mm."

Her thoughts broke off when somebody placed their cap over her head and grabbed hold of her arm. Sumire looked over at the source and spotted Masato. Ah.

"The crowd is getting larger; let's go."

"Okay."

Sumire quickly hurried away with Masato. Masato only let go of her arm when they were safely away from the crowd.

"Mamoru asked me to get you since it would attract more attention if he went back."

"I-I see. Thank you."

Masato exhaled deeply. "Why do you two always find trouble wherever you go?"

"It was a coincidence." Sumire trailed off when she saw Masato's expression. It seems like he isn't going to let her go until he gets an explanation. "After I finished at the shooting range, Ru was waiting for me, and we went off to have a meal. But afterward, we- no, I got ambushed."

Masato's expression didn't look any better.

"Did you do something again? Why are people always after you?"

"H-hey, it's not my fault. I didn't do anything." Sumire protested. Okay, so maybe she stopped that ruckus on the streets the other day, and she did kill that guy. But she was very careful to hide her tracks for the last one. Surely none of his underlings realized- unless it was the group that chased her?

Was the guy just now one of those men? It was dark, and she was too busy trying to run away, so she couldn't tell.

Masato sighed. "You really did do something."

Sumire fidgeted with her fingers. "I mean, school has been suffocating recently. I was feeling anxious."

"If that's the case, you should release all that tension into creating our solo songs."

"I-I haven't forgotten," Sumire exclaimed. "It's just. I have had a lot on my mind recently and also-"

"You were avoiding Sei and Daiki."

How does he know that?

At those words, Masato sighed again. How many times has he sighed already?

"I'm sorry for making you and the others uncomfortable. It's just some strange person who said something about Sei-kun to me."

"-and Daiki confessed to you."

This is so not fair! Is she that easy to read? How come even Masato knows?

"For your information, only me and Masaru know. I was with Masaru at the time."

Sumire lets out a relieved sigh. She doesn't know how the others would react to the news, but there will surely be friction somewhere.

"Masaru-senpai seems to think Daiki-sama imposed his feelings on me."

"You shouldn't listen to everything that guy says, even if you do respect Masaru as an artist. The reality is that guy has a bad personality."

"It's not like I have a good one either, so I can't criticize him for that."

"Even so, you have the right to make your own decisions. You don't think Daiki imposed his feelings on you, right?"

"I don't."

"Then that's all. About that stranger who said that about Sei, I can guess who it is."

"You can?"

"Just leave him to me and don't worry about it, okay? You seem to have a lot on your plate right now. It's a real mystery how you haven't collapsed from overexertion with the amount of work you have."

Sumire smiled. "My stamina has improved recently. So you don't have to worry."

Masato took something out of his pocket and extended it towards her. Sumire gazed at the ticket now in her hands. Her eyes brightened.

"You're holding a recital? I will definitely come to see it."

"It was just decided recently. I haven't taken the lead before, so-"

"But this is you, Masato. I am sure you will do great."

"Your the only one I know who would say that." Masato took out another ticket. "You can give this to Mamoru-san too. You might get lost if you go on your own."

Sumire sighed. "I'm not that clumsy."

But Masato's piano recital, since he is the only son of the senna corporation head. Then there will surely be loads of elites gathered in the audience. An event like that is the best place for spies to mix in. Indeed, it seems like it's better to go with Ru.

She is confident that she can handle anything that comes her way. But her ability seems unstable recently. She ought to be careful.

"Right now, I'm more interested in what is going on over there."

Sumire looked in the direction Masato was pointing and saw Ru chasing a dog down the river bank. Despite being a distance away, she spotted the ten yen coin in the dog's mouth.

'I was right; he really did blow his savings for me.'

She quickly parted ways with Masato and went down the steps. She planned to bribe the dog to come over, but surprisingly it just went to her on its own. Sumire took the ten yen coin from it's mouth and wiped it with a handkerchief before letting the dog go.

"Ki!"

"I can't believe you using your ability to chase a dog."

"H-hey, I didn't use it."

"Weren't you about too?" Sumire questioned, and Mamoru remained quiet. She placed the handkerchief with the coin in his hand but immediately tossed it into a trashcan nearby.

"Ah my dinner-"

"Dinner is on me. Let's go grocery shopping, and you can teach me how to cook."

"I see you haven't given up that idea."

"I haven't, so let's hurry up and do some shopping now before the sun sets."

It was already three pm if they delay shopping now the shops will be crowded later. Her thoughts broke off when Mamoru grabbed hold of her hand.

"Y-you might get lost. It's a busy place."

Her gaze softened when she heard his fumbling words. It doesn't matter right now. Whatever Ru feels towards her does not matter, she understands that right now, he is the most important person to her.