Chapter 287: Reconciliation
“Then Shinomiyai, we won’t disturb your rest anymore. If you can’t keep up with the classes when you return, you can come to us for notes!”
After chatting for a while, Sato Shinichi, being tactful, pulled Kazumi and stood up to say goodbye to Mai Shinomiyai beside them.
Actually, to be honest, the reason he came to visit Mai Shinomiyai this time was more at the suggestion of Tsukasa Hamano. After all, if they were to talk about the relationship between the two, they were just ordinary classmates. Moreover, the other party had hidden the fact that they were injured from the class, clearly not wanting classmates to know.
Therefore, in terms of visiting the sick, it was more of a gesture of goodwill towards the other faction. Both the young boy and girl were inheritors of their respective traditions. Thus, Tsukasa Hamano also actively indicated to Sato Shinichi to maintain a good relationship with Mai Shinomiyai, even if it was just some superficial courtesy.
“Mhm, you two also rest well this weekend.”
Listening to their farewell after the preamble, Mai Shinomiyai also nodded understandingly. Although the relationship between their fathers was quite close, it was still inconvenient for Mai Shinomiyai to casually chat with Sato Shinichi about what happened at the time, let alone with Kazumi, a civilian, present.
Therefore, their conversation mainly revolved around studies and some trivial matters in school. Additionally, out of Kazumi’s curiosity, Mai Shinomiyai took the initiative to give some popular science explanations about Shikigami.
Watching the two wave goodbye and leave, a flicker flashed in Mai Shinomiyai’s blue eyes. Thinking about her previous thoughts, the hesitation in her eyes finally turned into determination, and she called out to their turning backs.
“Kiyomizu-san!”
“Hm? What is it?”
Mai Shinomiyai’s call surprised Sato Shinichi. The boy felt that he had done a decent job with the etiquette. His old man had specifically instructed Aunt Mieko to supervise him while practicing.
Now, he just wanted to send Kazumi home as soon as possible. This restless little guy didn’t sleep well yesterday, yet insisted on coming with him early in the morning today. No matter how much he persuaded her, he couldn’t stop her.
“Um… I have some things I’d like to discuss with Kiyomizu-san privately. Would that be convenient?”
Mai Shinomiyai blinked, gathered her thoughts, and then smiled as she spoke to the young boy and girl before her.
“Privately? With Kazumi?”
Mai Shinomiyai’s request truly surprised Sato Shinichi. Their relationship had never been very good, so why would she want to talk privately now?
However, given the girl’s sincere gaze and her clasped hands, Sato Shinichi felt he had no standing to refuse her. He could only look at Kazumi, who had been silent all along.
“Kazumi, can you?” “Mm.”
The girl’s usual cold response told Sato Shinichi her attitude. The boy had no choice but to obediently leave the space to these two girls who seemed to not get along.
Sato Shinichi walked towards the outside, looking back repeatedly. His gaze moved away from Mai Shinomiyai’s kind face and then saw Kazumi’s unchangeable stern expression. Finally, he gently closed the door with concern.
They… won’t fight, right?
……..
“Kiyomizu-san, do you dislike me?”
The silence in the room, broken by Sato Shinichi’s departure, was proactively shattered by Mai Shinomiyai’s sweet voice. The blue-eyed girl sat up straight. Even the hospital gown couldn’t conceal her prominent chest. Instead, the sickly feeling on her body added a special aura to the girl.
“Mm.”
Kazumi didn’t know why the other party had specifically asked her to stay and talk. She sat back down on the previous chair and simply nodded.
“Ah, Kiyomizu-san really is a very special person.”
As if she had already anticipated her reaction, Mai Shinomiyai was not surprised by Kazumi’s somewhat impolite answer. Instead, she smiled and continued.
“The world seen by Psychics might be different from that of civilians. Although Kiyomizu-san appears difficult to get along with on the surface, in my opinion, you are not a bad person.”
Not a bad person?
The girl’s evaluation couldn’t help but make Kazumi raise her eyebrows. After all, she had planned to gather information about Psychics and then find an opportunity to capture this annoying woman and make her pay.
Now, being given a “good person” card like this was somewhat interesting.
“I’m just not used to interacting with people.”
Lowering her head slightly to prevent the other party from seeing her now somewhat strange expression due to her words, Kazumi organized her thoughts and replied.
Although she didn’t know why the other party had such a misunderstanding about her, if it could be beneficial to her, a misunderstanding wasn’t necessarily bad.
“Perhaps Kiyomizu-san has some misunderstanding about me, which is why you are so hostile, regarding Sato-kun.”
Looking at the girl who had lowered her head, a trace of pity flashed in Mai Shinomiyai’s eyes. Previously, for the matter of divine revelation, Mai Shinomiyai had investigated all of Kiyomi Kazumi’s information and knew what kind of ordeal the thin and small girl before her had experienced.
The appearance of the boy was like a ray of light in the girl’s life. And now, in her eyes, she was probably the enemy who wanted to snatch away that only ray of light.
“Hm?”
Kazumi originally intended to listen quietly to what the other party had to say, but the suddenly mentioned name made the girl alertly raise her head and look sharply at Mai Shinomiyai before her. Even the death aura within her body began to stir involuntarily.
“Ah, that’s what I wanted to say. Although I have a pretty good impression of Sato-kun, I can’t possibly interfere with someone’s feelings. Moreover, your relationship has always been so good!”
“Sato-kun and I need to maintain a certain level of cordiality due to our fathers’ relationship. If you two get married in the future, we will definitely have contact, so I still want to have a good relationship with you.”
As a woman, Mai Shinomiyai knew what kind of pressure her appearance would put on the girl before her. Although Sato Shinichi’s rescue at that moment made her young heart flutter uncontrollably a few times, he did have a girlfriend, and Mai Shinomiyai was very clear about what should and shouldn’t be done.
She might be able to become good friends with the boy, but actively breaking up a stable relationship was a bit too despicable.
“It’s not… that far yet…”
Kazumi nodded. Her lips couldn’t stop curving upwards upon hearing the girl’s final words, and she explained happily without even realizing it herself.
“Then the misunderstanding is cleared! Please take care of me in the future, Kiyomizu-san!”
Even with her injuries, Mai Shinomiyai’s words couldn’t hide the youthful spirit unique to girls her age. Her tone was filled with the joy of resolving a misunderstanding.
“Mm…”
“Please take care of me.”
The girl’s overflowing youthful spirit seemed to have dispersed the gloom around Kazumi. The indifference on the ice-cold girl’s face gradually melted away, revealing a hint of appropriate friendliness.
After a moment of silence, she still extended her hand and gently clasped the other party’s outstretched palm.
………
The door of the hospital room was gently pushed open. Sato Shinichi, who had been anxiously waiting outside, quickly looked up. What met his eyes was his girlfriend’s harmless and aloof face.
“Kazumi!”
“Hm? What is it?”
Kazumi walked out of the hospital room and saw Sato Shinichi’s silly face. The stiff smile on her face instantly became natural.
“Are… you alright?”
“What could happen from just chatting?”
Reaching out to hold the boy’s approaching head, she habitually ruffled his soft hair. Kazumi looked at her boyfriend, who was becoming more and more like a dog, with a hint of helplessness.
“Oh, that’s good.”
Nodding, as if believing the girl’s explanation, he planned to escort Kazumi home to rest. However, he noticed that his girlfriend was walking directly towards the end of the corridor. Sato Shinichi quickly called out.
“Kazumi, the exit is this way!”
And on the other side, where the boy couldn’t see, the smile on the girl’s face instantly faded, replaced by her usual coldness.
She looked down at her right hand with disgust, then waved her hand with her back turned, as a response to the boy.
“I’m going to the restroom.”
“My hand… is dirty…”
(ps: I have an interview this afternoon. Also, I found a problem with the materials when I was checking them last night. I don’t know if it will affect the exam. My mental state is completely broken… Sigh, I hope everything goes well. More than a year of effort depends on today. Brothers, cheer for Yugan! QAQ)
