Sure enough, the moment Sumita Mana casually let those words slip, Misumi Uika beside her instinctively glanced toward the Ferris wheel.
"Mana-chan… our break today has already been quite long. Don't we still have to find our manager later?"
"If we wait for this Ferris wheel ride to finish, it'll take at least another thirty minutes..."
Misumi Uika spoke softly, attempting to gently persuade the brown-haired girl at her side. Her smile appeared calm, but it held a subtle strain that didn't escape Mana the Great Detective, who raised an eyebrow in response.
Hmm hmm~ Looks like this pretty much confirms it, right?
"That's true~ Guess I have no choice but to give up then!"
Sumita Mana's face lit up with her usual sweet and lively smile as she gave a small, cheerful nod, pretending to compromise. Then, without missing a beat, she took Misumi Uika's hand and began to lead her out of the amusement park.
Beneath her seemingly innocent and radiant smile, though, was a barely concealed sense of smug satisfaction.
"In that case, we should head back too, right?"
Misumi Uika, who had just barely managed to brush the issue aside, let out a faint sigh of relief.
Yet no matter how gentle or flawless the smile on her face seemed, the stiffness in her movements completely betrayed the thoughts she was trying to hide.
Kazami Haru was getting on the Ferris wheel with Wakaba Mutsumi. The fact that the two of them had come to the amusement park at this particular time clearly meant they were on a private date. Just the sight of them together like that left Uika with a hollow ache in her chest.
Unease and anxiety churned within her, eventually blending into a swirl of emotions that weighed heavily on her heart.
Misumi Uika knew Wakaba Mutsumi well, because she was also one of Sakiko's childhood friends.
Compared to someone like her, who had only met Sakiko once or twice in childhood, that quiet, doll-like girl had known Sakiko since they were little and had remained close to this day. Their bond was so intimate it was like they were two halves of one whole. The gentle blue-haired girl held an unwavering trust only in Wakaba Mutsumi .
Sakiko treats her so well, and yet, what exactly is Wakaba Mutsumi doing?
As a fellow close friend, surely Wakaba should know how Sakiko feels about Kazami Haru, shouldn't she?
"Ui-chan, your face looks a bit pale."
Sumita Mana's concerned voice drifted gently into her ears. Lost in thought, Misumi Uika took a long moment to snap back to reality, quickly furrowing her brows and offering a warm smile.
"Mm hmm~? Is that so…? Maybe I've just been working too much lately and haven't been sleeping well~"
Though Misumi Uika felt anger and frustration toward Wakaba Mutsumi's actions, there was also a trace of reluctant empathy toward the petite, doll-like girl.
In truth, she had no right to criticize Wakaba Mutsumi. After all, she herself had once done something that was unfair to Sakiko, when she lost control of her feelings for Haru.
Even if Misumi Uika's feelings for Haru were sincere and full of longing, she had chosen to step back for the sake of her friends' happiness and her own rationality.
If Wakaba Mutsumi truly harbored feelings and intended to act on them, she would inevitably clash with Sakiko's emotions. That sort of conflict could easily cause tension within Ave Mujica…
It might even lead to a fracture between friends, a result Uika absolutely did not want to see.
Both emotionally and logically, she needed to find a chance to talk to Wakaba Mutsumi alone and give her a serious warning.
…
The egg-shaped oval Ferris wheel slowly rose into the sky. Sitting across from her, Wakaba Mutsumi placed her hand gently on the transparent glass window, lips slightly parted as she stared blankly at the view outside, now rising steadily above the ground.
From this height, she could look down at the entire amusement park; even the people below seemed to grow smaller and smaller.
It felt like she was slowly breaking free from the prison of reality, floating into a quiet and beautiful dream.
"Nice view from up here, right?"
Kazami Haru sat across from her, mimicking Soyo-san by resting his chin on his hand, his face relaxed into a smug little grin as he stared at the dazed girl.
"Yeah. It's beautiful."
Wakaba Mutsumi's gaze was intense as she fixated on a view she had never seen with her own eyes before. Yet her pale golden eyes seemed to catch sight of something else, and her expression slowly dulled.
Kazami Haru, who was always attentive to her emotional shifts, immediately noticed something was off.
…
The girl with vivid, emerald-green hair slowly lowered her eyes. From the Ferris wheel, she saw an ordinary little family below, a young girl in a dress bouncing along, hand in hand with her parents as they left the amusement park.
Even from this height, though she couldn't see their expressions clearly, she could easily imagine how radiant the child's smile must have been.
To that little girl, this might have just been an ordinary moment of affection, but for Wakaba Mutsumi, even the most basic kind of love had always been out of reach.
As the daughter of the prestigious Wakaba family and a child of celebrity parents, Mutsumi appeared dazzling to the outside world, someone to be envied or admired.
But not once had she ever felt any real happiness.
Because no one ever paid attention to her.
The "Wakaba Mutsumi" others saw was like a puppet, her limbs manipulated by invisible strings. She had learned from a young age that if she behaved, she might draw a little more attention from her parents. That habit had long since stripped her of any independent will.
Even when she was with her closest friend, Togawa Sakiko, she couldn't help but wear the mask of a "good girl."
"Mutsumi, want to come sit over here with me?"
A gentle voice tinged with laughter reached her ears, and the dazed girl slowly turned her head.
Kazami Haru, his long dark hair brushing past his cheek, rested his chin on one hand and smiled with narrowed eyes. Even in her eyes, his handsome face carried a certain smug charm.
"Okay."
She didn't hesitate for even a second, nodding softly.
Wakaba Mutsumi quickly stood and moved to sit beside Kazami Haru. Lowering her head slightly, she seemed to sense something, and slowly inched even closer to him.
She didn't stop until they were nearly touching, though she refrained from crossing any further lines.
"Letting go of your worries once in a while and just having fun like this... It's pretty relaxing, right?"
"Mutsumi, you haven't had enough fun today, have you? If something ever gets you down again, just message me right away! Whether it's a one-time thing or a thousand times, even if it's not a date and you just want to see me, don't hesitate. Just send the message."
Kazami Haru reached over and gently smoothed the messy emerald hair behind her ear, patting her head like a soft reassurance.
At this distance, Wakaba Mutsumi couldn't help but rest her forehead lightly against his chest, quietly listening to the sound of his heartbeat.
"If I message just because I want to see you, won't that bother you?"
She pursed her lips slightly, her voice low.
"…Even if I say nothing now, you already know what I'd say, right?"
Of course she did.
Just as Kazami Haru had come to read this "Cucumber Fairy" like an open book, Wakaba Mutsumi had grown to understand him as well. She knew what kind of words he would offer her in a moment like this.
"Mm…"
Her golden eyes shimmered faintly, and she nodded slightly with determination.
Only Haru was different.
Only Haru made her learn what it meant to take initiative, made her realize what it was she truly wanted. When she found her goal, she didn't need to stay silent; she could pursue it for herself.
It was through their relationship that this doll-like girl, once moved only by the will of others, finally came to possess a heart of her own.
From the very beginning, Kazami Haru had never seen her as the dazzling "Lady Wakaba" admired by all. He had always been looking at "Mutsumi."
Seeing the small, doll-like girl regain that blank, adorable expression as he comforted her, Kazami Haru relaxed a little. Unable to resist, he reached out and pinched her cheek, then straightened his back slightly and asked gently:
"Mutsumi, is there anything you want to do right now?"
Something she wanted to do?
The question made Wakaba Mutsumi tilt her head slightly, her golden eyes locking with Haru's.
As someone who wasn't good at expressing herself, she was always afraid that her words or actions would have unintended consequences. But in front of Kazami Haru, she never needed to worry.
He was like a wish-granting chalice, the holy grail. Whatever she asked for, he would accept without hesitation.
The girl stared up at the sky, bathed in the soft orange of the setting sun, and quietly spoke her honest desire:
"I want a kiss."
Kazami Haru: …Huh?
Kazami Haru, who had been gently smoothing her hair, suddenly froze mid-motion. His thoughts scrambled as he turned to face the cucumber fairy sitting beside him, her expression unreadable.
Always quick to catch her emotional shifts, he found himself completely thrown this time. Her porcelain-like face was calm and still, betraying nothing.
Two seconds passed. When no reply came, the cucumber fairy assumed her voice had been too soft and that Kazami Haru hadn't heard her. Without changing her posture or expression, she repeated herself.
"I want a kiss."
The words, spoken as casually as breathing, landed squarely in his ears.
"…It's not that I didn't hear you. Mutsumi, you do understand what you're saying, right?"
"I do. I like you, Haru."
The cucumber fairy reached out and lightly grabbed the fabric of Kazami Haru's shirt at his chest. As she spoke the word "like," a flicker of vulnerability stirred behind her ever-calm gaze. Her quiet, expressionless face was tinged now with a faint, barely noticeable blush.
Even so, her voice remained steady, her words firm.
Wakaba Mutsumi had summoned her courage to speak from the heart. Though her head tilted downward in embarrassment, though unease and nervousness now danced across her doll-like features, she didn't take her words back.
"I see…"
At that moment, Kazami Haru's heart pounded as if it had been wired with plasma sparks, like he might turn into a giant of light the very next second.
Even though he was already used to these kinds of situations, his nerves now were no less intense than Wakaba Mutsumi's.
Seriously, who could possibly handle this?
No one could, not a single person!
Because he had never run a simulation involving Wakaba Mutsumi before. Even Kazami Haru, who fancied himself a "heartthrob," didn't dare assume the little blockhead liked him. Maybe she was just heavily dependent on him because she lacked love in her life, or perhaps their relationship was more like that of siblings…
But now that Wakaba Mutsumi had directly confessed to him, the emotional impact of it hit with the force of two million Taro Ultramen all firing their Ultra Bombs at once.
"…Haru, do you hate me?"
Maybe because her serious confession hadn't been met with an immediate reply, even this usually expressionless cucumber fairy furrowed her brows tightly. Her brilliant golden eyes were now dimmed by sadness and disappointment.
She lowered her head like someone abandoned, the falling strands of her hair hiding her face from view.
A human being couldn't lie under these circumstances.
Kazami Haru was no exception.
Staring at the little blockhead in front of him, someone he had long since developed feelings for, he took a deep breath and forced himself to settle his emotions. In less than half a second, he raised his head and gave her his firm answer.
"Of course I like you, Mutsumi. No matter what you do, I would never hate you."
"But I also like other people the same way. Even knowing that, would you still like me?"
That calm statement made the little blockhead slowly lift her head. Her calm, beautiful face began to change visibly.
Just then, as Kazami Haru turned his head, the petite girl beside him leaned in with the faint scent of cucumbers drifting through the air. Bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun, she was enveloped in its radiant warmth. Without hesitation, her delicate cherry lips kissed him directly.
The sky in the distance burned like fire, as if it mirrored the flames already ignited in the girl's heart.
That immediate, decisive action was her truest answer.
…
After a long while.
Wakaba Mutsumi's cheeks were slightly flushed as she slowly parted from Kazami Haru. A faint smirk curved on her lips, as if she were triumphant, like she had just "won" against him.
Of course, this adorable display didn't sit well with Haru, who wasn't keen on losing. He gently pulled her over to sit on his lap.
So this little blockhead dared provoke him like that? Time to teach her what it meant to face the Cucumber Supreme.
Several minutes later, her face red from lack of air, the little blockhead was finally released from his grasp. Though her delicate face remained as calm and unruffled as ever, their relationship had already shifted dramatically.
Suddenly, she seemed to notice something. Her gaze drifted downward, a touch of curiosity in her eyes.
"Come to think of it, why did you suddenly think of wanting a kiss?"
Realizing it himself, Kazami Haru quickly helped the little Mutsumi back to her seat and immediately changed the topic. Wakaba Mutsumi, who seemed to be lost in thought, momentarily set aside her curiosity and responded in a serious tone.
"The Ferris wheel legend."
As soon as he heard that, Kazami Haru understood what she meant.
In many cultures and stories, the Ferris wheel had been imbued with romantic symbolism. The most classic legend goes: If you kiss at the highest point of the Ferris wheel, you and your lover will be together forever.
Probably the same sort of thing as the "golden candied apple" myth.
"So Mutsumi even knows that kind of story… I'm a little surprised."
"Sakiko told me."
Oh dear, that topic's officially off-limits.
Feeling a bit complicated inside, Kazami Haru took a deep breath and continued chatting with Wakaba Mutsumi about various things.
Even when he mentioned that he had confessed to his former bandmate Takamatsu Tomori, the little blockhead beside him didn't show any particular emotion. She just kept nodding obediently.
But when Kazami Haru brought up Soyo-san, whom he also liked, the quietly listening Wakaba Mutsumi finally raised her gaze.
"Soyo wouldn't agree to Haru being with anyone else."
"I figured…"
Seeing that even Wakaba Mutsumi would say something like that, Kazami Haru, who had already been mulling over the issue, rubbed his temples with a bit of a headache.
Soyo-san, his "ex-wife number four," had a possessiveness that could practically turn lead into gold. In a derby, she'd make even Rudolf stop running. In simulations, even when they were a couple, nothing changed.
Especially given her obsessive devotion and extraordinary ability to act, those two traits combined were a real force to be reckoned with.
…
Wakaba Mutsumi simply watched everything quietly. Deep in thought, she said nothing more.
The Ferris wheel finally slowed to a halt after twenty-eight minutes in the sky. Kazami Haru led the little blockhead down hand-in-hand. The evening had arrived, and it was clear they could no longer stay out having fun.
As the daughter of the Wakaba family, Mutsumi had to return home now.
With a calm face, Wakaba Mutsumi hugged Kazami Haru tightly, rubbing her head softly against his chest. Then she slowly rose on tiptoe and gave him a light, fleeting kiss on the lips.
After soaking up enough "Haru energy," the girl finally waved goodbye.
"Haru, bye-bye."
A soft curve rose on the girl's pretty face, her farewell no different than usual.
Except that from today on, it might include a little "extra step" in the routine.
Kazami Haru, whose heart had already been completely captured by the little blockhead, waved back at her with a smile. What he didn't notice, as they parted, was a petite girl with short gray hair squatting in the bushes not far away, picking up stones.
When she caught sight of the two, she clearly blinked.
Then she gently held the stone in her hand.
"Haru… and Mutsumi?"