By the pillar in front of the apartment entrance.
A girl with delicate features, snow-white skin, and hair that seemed to sparkle in the sunlight leaned against the pillar, occasionally glancing at the road before the entrance.
At that very moment, a black Mercedes slowly approached from the distance and gradually came to a stop in front of the apartment building.
Noticing the car's arrival, Mahiru Shiina glanced curiously before turning her attention back to the distant road.
However, a cheerful female voice suddenly rang out:
"Mahiru-chan."
Mahiru visibly froze for a second before being engulfed in an overwhelmingly warm embrace.
What followed was an excessively intimate cheek-rubbing attack.
"Ah~ No matter how I look at it, Mahiru is absolutely adorable~ If only you were my little sister~"
A beat later, Mahiru finally realised who it was and blushed furiously: "Mira-nee~ Please wait a moment, stop... don't rub my face... we're outside..."
"Hmm?" Mira Tsubakihara immediately paused, intrigued. "Does that mean it's fine indoors?"
"Mahiru-chan is unexpectedly shy, isn't she~"
'It's not fine indoors either...' Mahiru wanted to say, but then she heard Mira's meaningful words:
"If Mahiru-chan doesn't resist, big sister might forgive that private account incident."
Hearing this, Mahiru's eyes widened in shock.
She remembered clearly - just days ago, she'd accidentally shown private messages from Mira's personal account to the very man Mira had been secretly admiring, exposing her crush.
This was precisely why Mahiru hadn't dared refuse when Mira offered to help with her move today.
Moreover, Mahiru had hoped to properly apologise and explain the situation during this meeting.
She'd even mentally prepared herself to perform a dogeza.
But why was the matter exposed ahead of time?
Shouldn't this have been known only to her, Luo Shu, and that Miss Sharon?
How did Mira-nee find out about this?
Just as Mahiru Shiina was panicking internally—
"Ahem."
An unfamiliar male cough made both Mira Tsubakihara and Mahiru Shiina turn towards the black Mercedes parked by the roadside.
When Mahiru saw Luo Shu in the driver's seat, everything suddenly made sense.
At that moment, noticing Mahiru's stunned expression, Luo Shu raised his hand in greeting:
"Long time no see, little Mahiru."
"Yep, no need to overthink it. I'm the one who sold you out."
Hearing this, Mahiru's gaze at Luo Shu instantly filled with resignation:
"Mr Luo Shu, could you give me a heads-up next time? Of course, as the one originally at fault, it might be inappropriate for me to make such a request, but still..."
'At least give me some mental preparation...' Mahiru thought tearfully.
Meanwhile, as if hearing the girl's internal complaints, Luo Shu gave an awkward chuckle:
"Sorry, I used this to come clean with Mira."
Without explaining what exactly he'd come clean about, he added:
"How about I owe you one?"
"It's not about owing favours, but about me not being mentally prepared..." Mahiru pouted, her expression slightly aggrieved. "There's a big difference between confessing voluntarily and being exposed!"
Hearing this, Mira unsurprisingly nuzzled against Mahiru's cheek:
"Oh? So little Mahiru was planning to confess to me today?"
If anyone else had said this, Mira might have doubted them. But coming from the honest and adorable Mahiru she'd known since childhood, she believed it without hesitation.
"Well, since Mahiru had the intention to apologise, I'll forgive you for now."
Then, pressing close to Mahiru's ear, she whispered:
"If there's ever a wedding, I'll definitely make little Mahiru our witness."
Mahiru's eyes widened at these words. She looked up intently at Mira's face for a moment, taking in her radiant smile, before suddenly understanding:
"I—well... um, congratulations to you both!!"
Neither Luo Shu nor Mira objected to this, tacitly accepting the congratulations.
Yet amidst her joy for her neighbour's successful confession, Mahiru sensed something slightly off.
If Luo Shu and Mira-nee became a couple, what about that Miss Sharon from last time?
At this thought, Mahiru's expression froze. What should have been a happy occasion instantly transformed into an unspoken psychological burden.
Just then, Mira remarked casually:
"Though please keep quiet about Shu-kun's other girlfriends, little Mahiru. Our situation here is... somewhat special."
Mahiru jerked her head up to stare at Mira beside her, her expression turning utterly bewildered.
'What's going on? What does Mira-nee mean by telling me this?'
'Wait—more importantly, she knew about it all along?'
'She became his girlfriend despite knowing he had others... and wants me to keep it secret?And, judging by Luo Shu's calm demeanour, was this something both parties had tacitly agreed to?'
At that moment, Mahiru Shiina suddenly felt that their social circle was truly chaotic.
Originally, she thought her father and mother getting married for family interests while having their own affairs was already outrageous enough.
But compared to Luo Shu and Mira's situation, Mahiru realised she was still too naive.
The historical case of two sisters marrying the same man – how could someone with Mira's personality and background possibly accept such an arrangement?
This...
Just as Mahiru was stunned by this revelation, Mira Tsubakihara suddenly added:
"Though from what I understand now, perhaps before long, little Mahiru might become my companion too."
"By then, Mahiru might truly become my younger sister."
"Eh?" Hearing this, Mahiru couldn't even keep her thoughts hidden anymore, her face openly displaying a dumbfounded expression in front of Mira Tsubakihara.
'What did Mira mean by that?'
'The younger sister in that historical pairing?'
'Did she think I would be the best candidate?'
Mahiru stood frozen in shock.