Sudden Cacophony

"Where are we going?" I muttered.

"I told you, didn't I?" she said. "Wherever I feel like."

"But we've been walking around for ten minutes now, and we haven't gone into any of the stores."

"Suck it up."

Do people actually have fun doing this? Clearly, because all I can see is a bunch of people walking around, talking and laughing. Maybe they are enjoying themselves, and I'm the weird one for not seeing the appeal. 

In fact, the last time I did something was... I actually don't remember. I guess that one hangout I did with Nae counts, but that lasted maybe an hour before the both of us got bored.

"Hm... I'm kind of hungry," Mitsuki said. "What about you, Yozora?"

"Not really.

"Psh... I gave you a suggestion, and you shot it down immediately."

"It's not like I'm telling you what to do. Even if I was, why would you bother listening to what I have to say? If you're hungry, then go get some food."

"Hmph. Forget it. I'm not hungry anymore."

"Wha..."

She stormed off, while I stood there, dumbfounded.

Am I dealing with a child right now? I just said that if she wants to do something, then she should do it. Why should my opinion matter?

"Hey!" Mitsuki shouted from way ahead. "Hurry up!"

I let out a sigh. "Coming, coming."

For a bit longer, we kept walking until we eventually settled on a fancy looking shop. As soon as I stepped in, I knew I didn't belong. The floor was shiny and made of porcelain, the employees were dressed formally in suits, and the clothes... were way too expensive.

"Hm... Not bad," Mitsuki whispered as she pinched the fabric of a thin strap V-neck. "Hey, Yozora. What do you think?"

"How much does it cost?" I asked.

"What... I don't care about that. Just tell me how it looks."

"I'll decide after I see the price tag."

I reached for a small tag towards the bottom of the blouse, and when I saw the number, my jaws dropped in disbelief.

"Fifty thousand..."

"What? It's not even that bad," Mitsuki said nonchalantly.

"Not that bad? That's like a third of my monthly rent."

"Well, sometimes, you have to make some sacrifices to enjoy life, even if it costs more than what you'd expect."

"That's rich coming from an actual rich person."

"Tch, fine. I won't buy it."

As she put the shirt back on the rack, I felt a subtle hint of guilt. She's making that face that Nae makes whenever she's sad and mad at the same time.

"I'm not telling you to not buy it," I said. "I'm just saying that it's not a purchase I would make without a reasonable cause."

"What would you consider a 'reasonable cause,' then?" she grumbled.

"I don't know. Maybe a birthday gift for my little sister, but I'd still hesitate. I need to be able to pay for rent and feed her first."

For a moment, I could've sworn that Mitsuki flinched.

"You... take care of your little sister?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh. Yeah. She's still in high school, so there are a lot of things I have to pay for before anything else. School supplies, food, and if she ever wants to go out with her friends, I give her a bit to spend."

"Aren't your parents supposed to that?"

Upon hearing that question, I neglected to reply. It's not that I didn't want to. Thinking about them makes my head hurt, so my body does everything in its power to avoid dredging up painful memories.

There are a lot of things I wish I could do for Nae, but I just don't have the capability right now. It's one of my biggest regrets in life, but I guess that's why I'm not in school right now—to try and make up for it by myself.

Mitsuki, who had been staring at me this whole time, abruptly snatched the shirt off the rack, before taking my hand and dragging me around.

"W-what the...?! Mitsuki?" I exclaimed as quietly as I could.

"Shut up and follow me," she demanded.

She pulled over to a small changing area and sat me down on one of the benches.

"Wait right here," she said.

"F-for what...?"

"Don't ask useless questions. If you do what I say, I'll consider cutting down your termination notice."

Mitsuki disappeared into one of the changing stalls while I sat there, my body tense and stiff, waiting eagerly. That might just be the most tempting offer I’ve heard in a while, so maybe, just this once, I’ll actually listen.

After about twenty seconds, the wait started to wear on me, and I could feel the exhaustion creeping in. This is exactly why I prefer staying busy, even when Manager Na nags me to take it easy. I can’t. I don’t get enough sleep to just sit around doing nothing. Otherwise, I’ll end up passing out. Maybe closing my eyes for a bit won’t hurt…

"Tch... Don't tell me you're already falling asleep," Mitsuki said.

I blinked twice for my eyes to readjust. "I'm not. I'm just rest—...!"

The moment I saw her, I almost let out a gasp, barely managing to hold it in.

Mitsuki stood at the edge of the changing stall, one hand resting on her hip. She had ditched the jacket, leaving her in that thin shirt I’d said was way too expensive. Honestly, I still think it is—especially since it’s showing way more skin than I’m comfortable with.

"Oh~?" she smirked. "Why're you making that face, Yozora? Does it look good on me?"

"W-why are you asking the obvious?"

"Hm? You didn't seem to have that hard of a time saying it before. What was it again? I looked nice today, right?"

"Anyone would think so..."

"Weren't you the one who said that you're not just anyone. Hm... You know, you can admit that you have a crush on me, Yozora. I won't be offended."

"What? That... was a huge leap."

"Hah. Maybe, but I wouldn't put it past a young boy like you."

"You're not even that much older than me."

"Hah. Trust me. I would know... all too well."

She changed back into her normal attire and went to pay for the shirt, along with an assortment of clothes that she picked off at random.

"Here you go," she said as she handed me the bags. "Now, let's move."

I followed her outside of the store, but all the while, my mind was drifting. This one image wouldn't disappear from my head no matter how hard I tried to think about something else. And that image... was the way Mitsuki was posing for me just then.

"Oi, Yozora," Mitsuki called out.

"Hm?"

"That blue bag... Give it to your little sister."

"Uh... W-wait... What?"

"Didn't hear me the first time, or are you just pretending?"

She tucked her hands behind her back as she turned around with... with a...

"I said, give it to your little sister," she smiled beautifully. "Don't mention anything about me, and just say that it was from you. Should help out a little, hm?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. People were passing by in a blur, but all I could see was her. In that moment... I glimpsed a side of her I never thought I'd see.

"Ah..." Mitsuki let out as her smile disappeared.

Her face morphed into a look of shock, but it wasn't directed at me. It was... behind me. I turned around and see a group of people standing there with their mouths wide open.

Oh, no. I just realized... Mitsuki forget to put on her sunglasses after changing.

"It's Mitsuki Mira!" someone shouted.

And just like that, a mob had formed. They converged from all directions, their comments and praises meshing together in an incomprehensible cacophony.

Mitsuki took a deep breath and put on a calm look, while her bodyguards were keeping the crowd away. I readied myself to push through to her, but we locked eyes. She shook her head discreetly, a signal for me leave her be.

What...? How can I leave her like this?

Suddenly, I felt a hand snatch my wrist right as I about to step in. I turned around, and it was Yoshino. Although her head was covered by a hat, her long red hair now tied into a ponytail was way too noticeable. I'm surprised she hadn't been recognized yet.

"Yoshino...?" I mumbled.

"Don't interfere," she said. "Let Mira and her bodyguard deal with it."

"But—"

"I'm not going to say it again, Yozora. I know you're our assistant now, but this is the one thing that you can't handle. We don't want Mira to be caught up in another scandal."

As Yoshino's hand tightened around my wrist, I looked back at Mitsuki.

In those eyes, I saw a reflection of the fear I’d known all too well—surrounded by people yet longing for solitude, terrified but unable to act.

No... Even though the feelings are similar, the situations were worlds apart.

Endless stares, desperate faces, and mouths moving frantically, all straining to catch her attention. Amidst the crowd, the relentless flashes of cameras battered her, forcing her to raise her arm to shield herself from the blinding lights.

This is her story—her struggle. I have no right to intervene.

"Alright," I finally replied.

"Good. Now, let's go," Yoshino said.

We walked away, but I couldn't keep myself from turning back around one last time.

'Another.' That's what Yoshino had said before. Whatever it was that Mitsuki went through, it involved a scandal that cut deep enough for Yoshino to ignore her obvious dilemma. Well... Maybe 'ignore' is a strong word, but... At the very least, she is walking away.

Since that's the case, then even if I wanted to, I can't help her. Otherwise, I might dredge another problem, and I'm certainly not willing to cause more headaches than I already have.