Chapter Fifty-Two: Three Matters

Mana Mizuhara was breathing heavily.

She gasped for air, her breaths ragged and desperate.

Bent over, hands braced on her knees, she felt a wave of unprecedented dejection wash over her.

From beneath her lowered gaze, she stared resentfully at the shop’s entrance before her, biting hard on her lower lip.

…She had run as hard as she could, all to prevent exactly this outcome.

And yet, how had it come to pass that, even after rushing all the way here, she found the bookstore already closed?

At the front entrance, the sign reading “Sugami Bookstore” was already dark and lifeless. A heavy iron chain hung from the door handle, and behind it, a notice was plastered tightly to the doorframe, printed in bold type:

“From today, this store is permanently closed. There is no date set for reopening.”

“Oh, what a shame…”

“We’ll never see that handsome bookstore owner again.”

“Seriously, why did they have to close?!”

“—Maybe some rich lady took him in, and he’s gone to live as a kept man in the countryside?”

“No, please, why didn’t he let me take care of him instead? I’d even work as a hostess if it meant giving him a life of luxury!”

Girls passing by expressed their regret, sighing as they left one after another. Surely, they saw her—biting her lip in frustration—as just another lovesick admirer.

But…

“—I am not some lovestruck fool!”

Mana screamed inwardly in indignation.

Her eyes remained fixed on the locked door, her fists clenched tight.

But just as she shouted in her heart—

“…Huh? Mana?”

An unexpected voice sounded not far away, tinged with surprise and uncertainty.

Yet, when she heard that voice, Mana Mizuhara felt a jolt no less intense than the one its owner betrayed.

“…Ryoko?”

Mana turned her head, her expression complicated, and saw the girl standing at the edge of the street.

Ryoko Okuyama, tanned, dressed in a miniskirt with voluminous curls, stood among a group of girls dressed in the same flashy, rebellious style, her eyes alight with something difficult to decipher.

But that look lasted only a moment. In the next instant, Ryoko’s face broke into an easy smile.

“Ryoko, she called you Ryoko! Lucia!”

“Hahaha, who’s this fresh-faced little sister?”

“She can’t be your friend, can she?!”

The girls giggled and laughed, chiming in, and Ryoko Okuyama’s smile took on a sly edge as if to match their teasing.

“Not just a friend—she’s my childhood friend!”

“Wowww~~~”

Their exaggerated exclamations rang out in unison, but Mana remained utterly unaffected, her earlier complicated gaze locked firmly on Ryoko’s face.

“…Ryoko, why did you betray me?”

“Betray you?”

“Eh, what’s this about?”

“Are we in some teen drama now?”

Their laughter bubbled on as Ryoko tilted her head, looking at Mana with an innocent, confused air.

“Betrayed you? What makes you say that? I know you’re upset, Mana, but—”

“When I was at the abandoned factory, Senior Miya Mineyama already told me everything.”

The moment the name “Miya Mineyama” was uttered, the rowdy laughter died in an instant. The girls fell silent, their eyes darting fearfully between Ryoko and Mana.

Ryoko herself hadn’t expected Mana to say this. She frowned, then, as if letting something go, she smiled again with practiced ease.

“Who would have thought that senior would spill everything so easily? Just goes to show you can’t trust the upper crust… But really, Mana, you’re fine, aren’t you? Your clothes are torn, sure, but you’re not hurt, not a scratch, and you seem lively as ever. You’re not even wearing your glasses anymore. So it didn’t affect you at all, did it?”

“I’m not hurt—”

Mana tried to retort, but suddenly realized she really didn’t feel any pain. And if Ryoko hadn’t pointed it out, she wouldn’t have noticed she wasn’t wearing her glasses.

—But if I’m not wearing my glasses, why can I see everything so clearly?

Mana stood frozen.

Ryoko saw her hesitation and took it for a sign she was being convinced. With a smile, she continued,

“See? I’m right, Mana. Besides, you made mistakes too, didn’t you? You said you were going home, but then you snuck back here to the bookstore and got involved with the owner. You even saved Mio Ito and drew the attention of Senior Miya. If I hadn’t noticed all that, would you ever have told me? The first to betray was you, Mana.”

Hearing this, Mana forced down her swirling doubts and looked at Ryoko.

“…Is this how you truly feel, Ryoko?”

“Isn’t it?” Ryoko answered, tilting her head as if trying to be cute, her voice innocent.

“I always thought we were friends…”

“Friends? Don’t be ridiculous.” Ryoko laughed, pointing at Mana.

“Everyone—this Mana Mizuhara has offended Senior Miya Mineyama so deeply that the senior hates her. Anyone who sides with her will be targeted by the whole school’s delinquents. But hand her over, and you’ll gain Miya’s friendship, become part of the in-crowd. If she were your friend, what would you do?”

The girls got excited, laughing as they replied:

“Grab her! Throw her out!”

“Miya is the real friend!”

“To show respect, we could hesitate for ten seconds, but any longer and we’re just insulting her—”

“But what if she lied to you first and betrayed you?”

Ryoko pressed on, stoking the flames.

“Then we’d tear that sneaky cat to shreds!”

“Wait, did she really cross Miya that badly?”

“Might as well grab her now!”

Their eyes gleaming, the girls lunged at Mana. She thought she’d panic at a scene like this, but even as they closed in, her heartbeat stayed calm, unruffled.

Maybe, after all these days, she’d simply been through too much…

Her eyes never left the girl standing to the side with a bright, mocking smile, watching as if she were at a show.

“…Ryoko.”

Mana whispered the name in her heart.

The girls were upon her now, swinging their fists. Ryoko sauntered over as Mana was swarmed, speaking in a breezy tone,

“Mana, let me tell you three things—

“First, you’ve always annoyed me. The only reason I kept close was because we lived nearby and you’re smart—you’re useful sometimes. That’s the only reason we were ‘friends.’

“Second, friendship is a kind of asset. Being friends with you is a marginal gain. Miya’s friendship is a high-value asset. But someone like Mio Ito? That’s pure liability. She brings nothing but trouble and drags you down.

“Third, for people like us, if there’s a chance to get close to the upper class, forget about friendship—forget about your body, your family’s love… there’s nothing that can’t be sacrificed.”

As she spoke, Ryoko suddenly sensed something was wrong.

Mana should have already been knocked down by now, yet she stood unmoved, like a stone, calm and unwavering.

A chill crept into Ryoko’s heart. She turned to flee, but just then, a cold touch hit the back of her neck.

Someone had grabbed her by the collar, yanking her clean off the ground. Ryoko immediately began to beg.

“Mana, Mana, I’m sorry… remember, I even bought you lunch once…”

Ryoko pleaded, but the hand holding her didn’t budge. Mana’s voice, simmering with anger, came from behind:

“Thank you for sharing your wisdom, Ryoko. Now, let me tell you three things—

“First, I truly considered you my friend. But starting today, I think I’ll only have one left—the only friend I truly want to save.

“Second, to me, friendship isn’t an asset. It’s pure feeling—a resonance between hearts. When you chase only high-value friendships, haven’t you thought the other side might see you as worthless? That way, you’ll never earn their respect or real friendship—at least, that’s how Miya Mineyama saw it.

“Third, and most important—the upper-class contact you chose, your ticket into the school’s elite—Miya Mineyama, is dead!”

Ryoko’s pupils shrank, the shock only just dawning on her, but before she could react, Mana flung her away with both hands, sending her crashing to the ground.

“…Let’s go!”