After hearing the "friend's" explanation, she had a rough idea of what had happened.
In her words, it was just an unfortunate coincidence.
Though Manhattan Cafe wouldn't normally make a fuss about her 'friend' keeping things from her...
But still...
A lingering sense of discomfort churned incessantly inside her.
This 'friend' who'd been by her side since birth, with whom she shared everything—suddenly there were changes happening that she wasn't being told about, leaving her to slowly piece things together on her own.
Even ordinary matters that could've been mentioned in passing were now being handled behind her back.
Just when she thought they'd finally grown closer...
Why did it feel like they were drifting apart instead?
Now Belno Light and Oguri Cap were mistaking the 'friend' for Manhattan Cafe. If she forced the 'friend' to reject them outright at this point, it would undoubtedly strain Manhattan Cafe's relationship with both of them.
At school, as classmates in the same grade, they often saw each other at the training grounds. Having bad blood between them would only create unnecessary complications.
And Cafe hated complications.
After her friend finished whispering the explanation, she nodded.
This outing wouldn't go as she'd hoped, but it couldn't be helped.
She let go of her selfish demands and began playing along with the "friend's" charade.
"Hello, I'm a friend of Manhattan Cafe."
To make the deception complete, she casually invented a fake name for herself.
"My name is New York Black Tea."
As for why she chose that name...
Whenever Cafe was in a bad mood, an image would pop into her head: someone in a white lab coat, sipping black tea, endlessly making sarcastic remarks, worsening her already gloomy mood.
It annoyed her to no end—exactly how she felt right now.
"Cafe-san, is New York Black Tea perhaps a performer? Or maybe an idol or model?"
After hearing her name, Belno Light whispered behind her hand.
"She seems, sort of, maybe... she already is one?"
Even Sunday Serenity was taken aback by how much Cafe had changed.
If Sunday Silence hadn't been there to prompt her, she might not have recognized her at all.
Fortunately, she'd thought to mention it yesterday just in case, avoiding a situation where both of them would appear together.
Otherwise, things could've gotten messy.
The young girl felt a secret relief.
"No wonder, she's a performer. It's my first time meeting someone so beautiful," Belno Light murmured in admiration.
"Y-yes, right...?" The girl unconsciously tugged at her collar.
Even though she didn't need to breathe, she began experiencing severe symptoms of suffocation.
Cafe, with her bangs swept aside, did look much brighter than before. The light makeup especially accentuated the lovely contours of her cheeks, while the eyeshadow added a touch of mature charm.
No wonder Belno Light couldn't recognize that this "performer" was the same girl she'd met in front of the station.
After introductions, the group walked toward their destination, chatting along the way.
"May I ask when you two met Cafe?" New York Black Tea inquired.
"It was at the station. We'd gotten lost, and were lucky enough to run into Cafe-san. She helped show us the way."
"At the station? That's quite far from the academy."
New York Black Tea nodded, her red eyes subtly glancing toward the black-haired girl beside her.
"I was training, outside training, and happened to run into them," she quickly explained.
"Training by yourself?" That's rare to see.
"Something like that..."
"Hm?" Oguri Cap suddenly spoke up. "But I remember Cafe was also chasing after a really young kid, right? That scene is still stuck in my mind—so thrilling, it was really moving!"
"Oguri!?" Belno Light covered her mouth.
Sensing that "Cafe" didn't want to make a big deal of it, Belno Light wisely stayed silent. But the gray-haired girl beside her, oblivious to the underlying tension, blurted out foolishly.
"Chasing after a young girl..." New York Black Tea's voice suddenly turned low. "Could you tell me what that was about?"
"I think I can explain—"
"'Friend'," New York Black Tea cut in sharply. "Could you please be quiet?"
"..."
It really felt like along with her changed appearance, Cafe's personality had shifted too.
Was it just her imagination...?
Those crimson eyes fixed on her.
Despite her small stature, an intense pressure radiated from her. Cold sweat beaded on Belno Light's forehead under the overwhelming weight.
Seems like their relationship is even more complicated than I thought!
Did I make a mistake? Maybe I shouldn't have bothered them right now.
But it was too late for regrets.
Wanting to repay Cafe's kindness, Belno Light chose her words as tactfully as possible: "That was just Oguri's misunderstanding. That kid was speeding on the road, and Cafe-san was trying to call out a warning from behind. Oguri mistook it for a chase."
"A chase... so that's the kind of 'chasing' you meant?"
What else would it be!?
She turned her gaze to Oguri Cap.
The latter, after having her sleeve repeatedly tugged, finally seemed to catch on.
"Light's right."
New York Black Tea raised an eyebrow.
"I see. So you met through helping others. Being able to do such a thing is quite admirable. Truly worthy of being 'my' friend."
She emphasized the "my" slightly.
"I think so too, truly worthy of being New York Black Tea's friend, ahaha..."
Belno Light forced a stiff smile, her cheeks straining, then looked into the distance and pointed exaggeratedly, as if changing the subject.
"Ah, we're here, we're here! Right there!"
"Finally here?" Oguri Cap was already impatient.
Her mind was completely occupied with thoughts of dessert; the earlier conversation had gone in one ear and out the other.
Having rarely come to Tokyo, she planned to eat something else after the sweets.
Belno Light had mentioned there was a very affordable buffet nearby...
The two hurried ahead.
"L-let's go too. We came out after some difficulty, having fun is what matters most," the black-haired girl stammered after the other two left.
"That's right. We came out after some difficulty. But it seems like only I... am the one who got to come out..."
"Cafe?"
"I'm not Cafe. I'm New York Black Tea."
Her voice was flat. "For the real Manhattan Cafe, today can hardly be called an outing. Much less... an outing for two."
Those red pupils turned toward her.
"'Friend', do you understand what I mean?"
Under that gaze, the girl's neck moved like a rusty gear, nodding stiffly. "I understand..."
"Good."
--+--
"Oguri, sit here."
Belno Light patted the seat beside her, calling Oguri Cap over.
"Light is picking seats specifically?"
"If you sit next to me, I'll feel more at ease..."
The whole way, Belno Light had felt a strong sense of rejection.
That girl named New York Black Tea—the way she looked at them seemed to say, "You're in the way, why haven't you left yet?"
Especially paired with that beautiful face, the pressure felt overwhelming.
Of course, it might just be Belno Light overthinking it.
I hope so, I really do!
After they entered the shop, Belno Light raised the menu like a manual, burying her face in it, avoiding eye contact with New York Black Tea as much as possible.
"Oguri, what would you like to eat?"
"I want to try everything on here."
"Eh!? That won't do. At least pick a few items. What about you, Cafe-san?"
"I'll just have water..."
"Water probably doesn't count, right? Um, Miss New York Black Tea?"
"Let my 'friend' order for me."
After the three had spoken in turn, Belno Light silently closed the menu.
Honestly... I really want to go back to Tracen Academy...
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.