Chapter 413:
We start with Mini being summoned by Chizuru. Since Chizuru's rehearsal
ended early, but she has to wake up early the next day, both only have a
brief two-hour window to meet.
As soon as they sit down, Chizuru cuts straight to the chase and asks Mini
how "he" (Kazuya) has been doing lately.
On the other hand, we see Sumi at home, sporting a ponytail. She is
agonizing over how to give Kazuya the birthday present she prepared for
him.
Suddenly, Sumi has an epiphany: "If I email Chizuru, she can deliver the
gift to Kazuya for me!"
However, just as she is about to send the message, she notices a new
notification: a rental date request for June 17th from her regular client,
"Aquarium Shinosuke." Seeing this, Sumi is filled with joy.
Back at the Izakaya, the usual crowd of onlookers murmurs about Chizuru's
beauty. Initially, Chizuru wants to limit her alcohol consumption due to
her morning rehearsal, but Mini convinces her to have at least one glass.
In that instant, Mini feels relieved to see Chizuru acting like her usual
self, thinking that Kazuya's recent "stumble" hasn't reached her ears yet.
Nevertheless, Mini is dying to ask her a million questions: Odaiba, the
kiss... but she is terrified that asking too much might seem like an
interrogation.
And as she begins to fall into a Kazuya-style negative delusion, fearing
she might step on a landmine, Chizuru senses Mini's hesitation and takes
the initiative:
"You don't have to be so reserved. You want to ask about the kiss, right?"
says Chizuru.
Faced with this situation, Mini, who felt like she was in the middle of
defusing a high-risk bomb, is left astonished. Then, Chizuru calmly
explains that she doesn't think the incident is a secret worth keeping,
and even adds that it's natural if Mini laughs at her.
"I think the way I acted was pathetic and embarrassing..." Chizuru
confesses.
Hearing that, Mini is surprised, while Chizuru clarifies that she was
simply following the advice she had given her earlier: "try kissing him"
to see how it felt. It turns out Kazuya's "Final Investigation" theory was
right!
Therefore, Mini's jaw drops; she never expected the kiss to be a
calculated experiment rather than a victory lap.
Chizuru continues explaining that the kiss didn't provide a clear answer.
She had promised Kazuya not to be vague anymore, but even in Odaiba, she
couldn't find her "answer." And even after rejecting him on the way home,
he told her he would wait for her forever.
"I simply don't know what to do anymore..." admits Chizuru.
Mini's head is spinning, but she manages to ask with a smile, "So... how
did it feel?"
Suddenly, the usually serene Chizuru lets out a small yelp of surprise and
falls silent, her face completely flushed right to the tips of her ears.
So, sensing a massive opportunity, Mini cuts straight to the chase with a
hypothetical question:
"Hypothetically, if you didn't have your play right now, if you were free
and Kazuya showed up here to confess again... what would you do?"
Chizuru takes a deep breath and says, "I think... I would go out with
him."