Could it be that all this time he's been into Maki, not Horie-san? That thought first wormed its way into my head after I overheard a gaggle of girls gossiping as the blonde-haired dude strolled past. Now, it's stuck on repeat in my brain, like a broken cassette. I gotta find out if there's any truth to it or if it's just another baseless rumour cooked up by folks with too much time on their hands. But sitting around and stewing in my own assumptions isn't gonna cut it. That's why I decided to go straight to Maki herself.
"Hah? Likes me…? That's impossible." Maki's face twists into a frown, her expression screaming how grossed out she is by the idea.
But I'm not about to drop it just like that. "Who knows? I mean, a guy doesn't just touch a girl unless he finds something about her… appealing, right? If he touched you, could it mean he's actually into you?"
Maki goes pale as a ghost—did I just strike a nerve? Not about whether that guy likes her, but maybe something else, something buried deep and tangled up with Horie-san's past.
Yet, she clams up, throwing up walls instead of answers. She even gets defensive, rolling her eyes as she shoots back, "If he likes me, then what do you want me to do? Let him off the hook and forgive everything? Or what? Break up with you and date him instead?"
Tch, what's with that response? Honestly, I wouldn't mind calling it quits. Part of me wishes I could just dump her right here and watch her stew in her own mess. But I don't. Not because I'm some saint filled with empathy for her, but because I need to peel back the layers of secrets she's clutching so tightly.
"Oh, right… if that's the case, then we're talking about an incest scenario here," I throw out, eyes locked on Maki to catch her reaction. And as expected, her eyebrows pinch together in disgust, though it's clear she's trying to mask her gut response. "But then, wasn't that incident more like an accident? I mean, considering he's your stepbrother and all."
Maki clamps up, doesn't say a word, but the roll of her eyes tells me she's not buying what I'm selling. Something deep down tells me she's not about to let this guy off the hook, no matter what.
So, I press on, "Besides, I don't really think he's the problem child everyone makes him out to be. Sure, his hair colour breaks the rules, but that doesn't make him a bad guy, right?"
"Hmph, whatever."
This bitch… she still couldn't give a damn about my take. She takes a deliberate sip of her tea and jabs her dessert fork into a piece of cheesecake, avoiding engaging further. I mimic her, sipping my tea, but my gaze doesn't leave her as I try to read deeper, to see past her façade. All I can see, though, is a smouldering need for revenge that seems to have little to do with whatever went down at the Miyamoto Festival.
I wanna take a drastic approach, like telling her my assumption, but for sure, it will turn out bad especially since we're in public.
So, what's my best move here? How do I get her to spill the beans without landing myself in hot water, ending up a punchline like the blonde-haired dude? I sure as hell don't wanna be the next laughing stock before I even snag what I'm after. I'm chewing on that thought when suddenly, Maki's phone buzzes with a notification. She glances at it without missing a beat.
"My dad is here," she mutters, shooting me a quick look before she starts grabbing her stuff.
Right… so today's a bust, huh? I'm ticked off for not snagging the scoop I needed, but I keep my cool, hiding the irritation behind my usual easy smile as we step out of her favourite coffee spot. We make our way to the nearby parking area where a sleek black luxury car idles quietly under a large tree, waiting for Maki.
She's about to slip into the car when she pauses, turns to me with a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes, and drops a request, "Please, Tetsurou-kun… Next time we hang out, can we just skip the chat about that guy? He totally grosses me out. Really."
Oh? Now why would that be? That's got to mean something, right?
"I understand," I respond, my smile fixed in place though inside I'm irked by her laying down rules.
Being told what to do and what not to dig into? Yeah, that really gets under my skin.
And just like that, our brief date wraps up. Maki pops open the passenger door and slides in. As she rolls down the window to drop a quick goodbye, I catch a peek of the middle-aged man behind the wheel. I give him a quick bow, and he shoots back a nod and a friendly smile. Then, as Maki pulls up her window, the man shifts the car into gear and they zoom off, disappearing from my sight.
So that's the dad, huh? Seriously, his son doesn't take after him at all.