White Lie

As we were on our way to the hospital, a sudden thought crossed my mind.

“Is it really okay for us to show ourselves in public?” I asked. “After what happened last night, I mean.”

Yua-san answered calmly, as if it were nothing to worry about.
“Don’t worry. He doesn’t have the guts to do anything. As far as I know, he’s just a coward who relies on his father’s influence. His father is one of the most powerful politicians in Japan. Even if he tried to embarrass us, I’d make sure his secrets were exposed to the public first.”

Her confidence reassured me—but at the same time, it was unsettling how much she knew about him.

“If you’re wondering why I know so much,” she continued, “he’s the younger brother of my former teammate—Nakamura Maika.”

That hit me like a bomb.

“W-what? But their surnames are different.”

“Yamada is his mother’s maiden name. It’s his stage name,” Yua-san explained. “And you know how close Maika and I used to be. I know everything about Aki. By the way, how’s your car? Is it already at the service center?”

“They said I can pick it up tomorrow,” I replied. “This month is going to be rough after paying for the repairs.”

A few minutes later, we arrived at the hospital. Thankfully, the bus wasn’t crowded, and we managed to get seats.

When we reached my sister’s room, we saw Kanzaki-san sitting outside.

“Kanzaki-san? What are you doing here?”

Looking closer, I realized she was asleep. Slowly, she opened her eyes.

“Oh—you’re here already?” she said, stretching. “I feel refreshed after that nap.”

“Why were you sleeping outside?” Yua-san asked.

“About an hour ago, Mayu asked me to wait outside. She said she was expecting someone. I sat down—and somehow fell asleep. I didn’t see who visited her.”

I peeked into the room and saw only Mayu lying in bed.

Smack.

“Why did you hit me, Yua-san?” I protested.

“It’s rude to peek into a lady’s room! Don’t you know basic manners?”

“She’s my sister,” I argued. “I think I’m allowed.”

“You’re a terrible big brother,” Kanzaki-san said bluntly.

“Fine, fine. My fault. Can I talk to Mayu alone first? I’ll call you both in afterward.”

“Go ahead,” Yua-san replied.

I knocked.

“Who is it?” Mayu asked.

“It’s me. Can I come in?”

“Souma-niisan? Of course.”

I entered the room, unsure where to begin.

“You can sit there,” Mayu said, pointing to the chair beside her bed.

“Thanks.”

That’s when I noticed a bouquet of flowers on the table.

“Who sent those?” I asked. “Did your boyfriend come?”

“Boyfriend?” Mayu blinked. “I don’t have one. Those flowers are from Director Ogawa. He visited earlier.”

My chest tightened.

“Why would he come here?” I asked sharply. “Did he do something strange? If he did, I’ll report him to the police.”

Mayu looked genuinely confused.

“Why would you do that? What’s wrong with Director Ogawa?”

“Don’t you know his reputation?” I said. “He’s known for bad behavior.”

“You heard that from Aki, didn’t you?” she said calmly.

“Aki… your boyfriend?”

“No,” she replied firmly. “He’s my stalker.”

My mind went blank.

“A stalker…?”

“Yes. Last night, I was trying to get away from him, but I was too exhausted. That’s why I collapsed.”

I clenched my fists.

“I really thought you were dating him.”

“As usual, that’s coward’s imagination is impressive.”

Yua-san stepped into the room, having overheard everything.

“Is that true?” Kanzaki-san asked in disbelief. “But I thought Director Ogawa was dangerous.”

“Of course not,” Mayu said. “He’s the one who taught me how to improve my acting. He always gives me solid advice.”

“But so many actors have dropped out of his projects,” Kanzaki-san insisted.

“Most of them had scheduling conflicts,” Mayu replied. “It was bad timing, not harassment.”

That settled it.
Yamada had lied to us—completely.

“Enough about unrelated people,” Yua-san said smoothly, changing the topic. “Mayu-chan, what do you feel like eating tonight?”

“Hmm… pizza, fried chicken, burgers…” Mayu smiled. “Give me a moment to think.”

“Tonight’s dinner is on Souma, right?” Yua-san said, smiling sweetly at me.

That smile told me everything. This was planned.

“M-Mayu, you just recovered,” I said weakly. “Shouldn’t you eat something light?”

“No,” Yua-san replied firmly. “A gentleman should treat his sister—and women—with proper care. This should be easy for you.”

She sounded like a queen issuing a royal decree.

“Can I join too?” Kanzaki-san asked hesitantly.

“Of course!” Mayu said brightly. “The more, the merrier. Right, Souma-niisan?”

I surrendered completely.

There was no winning against this woman.