"Mochizuki."
Hearing Teio call her, Mochizuki turned to look at her.
"What is it?"
Teio's words earned Yayoi Mochizuki a look that was faintly, disdainfully unimpressed.
Clearly, Mochizuki had noticed a long time ago that Yayoi Natural had been off lately.
She just felt there was no need to get involved.
After all, if it was something Yayoi Natural couldn't solve, there was no way Mochizuki and Teio could solve it either.
So with that in mind, Yayoi Mochizuki hadn't brought it up.
"You knew already?"
Seeing Mochizuki's totally indifferent reaction, Teio froze for a second, then immediately understood.
In response to Teio's question, Mochizuki simply nodded.
"I've known for ages. I knew from the day that Mejiro auntie came."
As she spoke, Mochizuki reached out and pinched Teio's cheeks.
"But even if we know, we can't fix it. If Mom can't handle it properly, we definitely can't."
Letting go, Mochizuki looked at Teio rubbing her face hard, then continued.
"So it's better to just pretend we don't know for now. Anyway, she won't be able to tell."
Hearing that, Teio stopped rubbing her cheeks and looked at Mochizuki.
"So that's it?"
"Mm. That's it. Because we can't solve it."
As she said that, Mochizuki shifted her gaze slightly, until it finally landed on the window.
Outside, the world was already wrapped in darkness.
Looking out at everything beyond the glass, Mochizuki thought for a few seconds, then gave her final response.
"Alright. We've got class tomorrow. Go to sleep."
After that, Mochizuki flopped straight onto the bed.
Watching her collapse onto the mattress, Teio glanced up at the sky outside the window.
She was thinking—was it really okay to not do anything about this?
But after thinking for a few minutes and still not getting an answer, Teio ultimately chose to sleep too.
After all, she wasn't as smart as Mochizuki.
So in this situation, aside from sleeping, there wasn't really anything else she could do.
...
The Yayoi Natural both Mochizuki and Teio were worrying about wasn't thinking about Mejiro Ramonu at all.
At least—after learning that Mejiro Ramonu didn't actually have the ability to do anything to her.
Once Yayoi Natural knew that, she wasn't so concerned anymore.
Of course, if you said she didn't care at all, that was probably a lie.
Because she did still really want to know why Mejiro Ramonu had invited her.
Thinking that, Yayoi Natural quietly let her gaze slide aside.
Noticing the change in her expression, Tokai Roman finished wiping down the table before speaking.
"You're really hung up on Mejiro Ramonu?"
"Kind of. It's just… Mejiro Ramonu's situation is…"
Yayoi Natural sighed partway through.
Honestly, she didn't even know how to put it.
Because just like she'd said, Mejiro Ramonu's situation really was… special.
Thinking that, Tokai Roman let her eyes drift elsewhere.
"Yeah. Her standing is… what it is."
Hearing Yayoi Natural, Tokai Roman fell silent for a few seconds before continuing.
"So it's hard to know how to deal with it, because this…"
At that point, Yayoi Natural scratched at her cheek, a headache already forming.
Tokai Roman caught that troubled look. She glanced around, and only after confirming there was no one nearby did she look back at Yayoi Natural.
"I'd like to say something too, but…"
Tokai Roman sighed.
"The way to solve it still lies with Rudolf."
Tokai Roman wasn't wrong.
Because the way to solve this really did lie with Symboli Rudolf.
If Symboli Rudolf hadn't called off the engagement with the Mejiro Family in the first place, then none of what followed would've happened.
Not what Yayoi Natural went through.
Not Mejiro Ramonu coming to find her now.
In short, the problem was Rudolf.
So after hearing Tokai Roman's words, Yayoi Natural cast a tired gaze over the restaurant.
Now that she knew Mejiro Ramonu didn't have the power to do anything to her, all she felt about it was a headache.
But now there was something else mixed in, too—she was exhausted.
Because Rudolf really had caused too many problems.
If there hadn't been so many, Yayoi Natural wouldn't feel this worn out.
Of course, strictly speaking, the trouble Rudolf caused her couldn't really be called "a lot," but…
Yayoi Natural had never expected that after so much time had passed—
There would still be so many loose ends left behind by Symboli Rudolf, still reaching out to her.
In the end, Yayoi Natural only let out a long sigh and turned her gaze elsewhere.
"Solving it isn't the important part."
That made Tokai Roman look over at her, waiting for what came next.
"What matters is what Mejiro Ramonu is planning to do."
After messing up the hair she'd tied back, Yayoi Natural continued.
"Golden Week's not like I'll have much work, but if I ignore her invitation… it feels kind of wrong."
"Then don't go."
"No…"
As she spoke, Yayoi Natural shifted her gaze slightly.
"I have to go and see. This does involve me, after all."
What she meant by "involve" was that Mejiro Ramonu's marriage had gotten smashed because of her.
Even though it should've been Tokai Roman who smashed it.
But now…
Thinking that, Yayoi Natural sighed again.
"Who told me to marry Rudolf-san."
Her face was full of helplessness.
"If you put it that way, wouldn't it be best if I went instead?"
Following Yayoi Natural's logic, Tokai Roman thought for a moment and arrived at that conclusion.
Seeing the conclusion Tokai Roman had reached, Yayoi Natural stepped on the top of Tokai Roman's foot.
"You didn't marry Rudolf-san."
"True. But the person who was supposed to marry her originally was me, right?"
Tokai Roman shifted her gaze slightly, then added,
"And next time, put some force into it."
As she spoke, Tokai Roman scooped Yayoi Natural up in one easy motion, then continued.
"But you're the one involved. You decide."
"So you're just mocking me for being weak…"
Yayoi Natural turned her head toward the shop door.
"This time, I'll go alone. And… I probably won't run into Rudolf-san."
"Mm."