C46 Igarashi-san is truly terrifying.
Hoshimori Shion, Igarashi Rie, Kazama Nanami, and Iori Shigure sat around a table.
Hoshimori Shion kept her head down, her face flushed as if it might ignite at any moment. Igarashi Rie was in a better mood, leisurely sipping coffee. Kazama Nanami was fiddling with her camera, clearly having captured something interesting. Iori Shigure looked around nervously, finally settling her gaze on Hoshimori Shion, finding comfort in her presence.
Just moments ago, Hoshimori Shion realized that Iori Shigure hadn’t managed to smooth things over with Kazama Nanami and Igarashi Rie. Left with no choice, she stepped in herself. In front of her three acquaintances, she performed a charm to make an object delicious, adding a playful spin and forming a heart shape with her hands. Despite her forced smile, her eyes welling up with tears were impossible to hide.
What made it worse was that Kazama Nanami, armed with her expensive camera, and Igarashi Rie, with her equally pricey smartphone, recorded the entire episode. Only Iori Shigure, the ‘sunny’ one, gently patted Hoshimori Shion’s head.
The morning had been torturous, and now it was finally time for their shift to end. Although Iori Shigure could rest during her break, Hoshimori Shion, as the store’s mascot, had only about fifteen minutes of rest.
If it weren’t for Igarashi Rie insisting she sit here, Hoshimori Shion would have loudly complained to the Class Monitor and demanded triple compensation for her extended work hours.
Something felt off. Despite knowing everyone at this table, Hoshimori Shion felt uneasy, as if sitting on pins and needles, with the tension primarily emanating from Igarashi Rie.
‘Igarashi-san,’ Hoshimori Shion replied, her voice trembling slightly as Igarashi Rie’s lips, tinted with a pinkish hue, parted.
‘Is there something you need, Igarashi-san?’ Hoshimori Shion asked, feeling a bit flustered.
‘I was wondering if you could introduce us,’ Igarashi Rie said, taking a sip of her coffee. For someone accustomed to premium hand-brewed coffee from tropical regions, the instant coffee served at A-Class seemed like bathwater.
Hoshimori Shion nodded. ‘Of course, Igarashi-san.’
‘I mean, aren’t we all friends here?’ Igarashi Rie’s gaze was sharp as a blade.
‘Ah…’ Hoshimori Shion hesitated, ‘You and Kazama-san have been sitting together for a while now, and I saw you introduce yourselves. Plus, Iori-san and I have known each other since the etiquette training… Is there anyone else you don’t know?’
Kazama Nanami chimed in, ‘I also talked to Iori-san earlier, so we’re all acquainted, right?’
Igarashi Rie nodded, though it was clear she wanted to ignore Kazama Nanami. ‘You’re right, but I’m curious to hear it from you, Hoshimori Shion. How did you all meet?’
Hoshimori Shion’s mind raced, trying to remember. ‘Iori-san sits behind me, so we became friends. And Kazama-san… I went on a boat trip with her family once.’
‘Seminar boat trip,’ Kazama Nanami corrected, ‘It’s a new project my family started. Feel free to join us sometime!’
Kazama Nanami’s offhand invitation eased some of the tension, especially since Iori Shigure seemed intrigued by the idea.
Hoshimori Shion’s explanations were brief, almost too much so for Igarashi Rie, who felt that significant details were being skipped.
‘So, Hoshimori Shion, how did you and Igarashi-san meet?’ Kazama Nanami suddenly asked.
‘I helped her out when some thugs were bothering her a few weeks ago,’ Hoshimori Shion replied, keeping it simple.
Igarashi Rie sighed, realizing that Hoshimori Shion had a knack for condensing complex stories into single sentences, leaving out crucial details.
Iori Shigure looked at Hoshimori Shion with even greater admiration. ‘Hoshimori Shion is truly amazing!’
Hoshimori Shion smirked, enjoying the admiration.
‘I see Hoshimori Shion has quite the social circle,’ Igarashi Rie commented, her voice cold as she examined her nails, not looking at Hoshimori Shion.
‘Hmm, I guess so?’ Hoshimori Shion replied cautiously, worried about saying the wrong thing.
Despite her efforts, Igarashi Rie’s intense gaze remained fixed on Hoshimori Shion, like a predator eyeing its prey.
‘She’s got a good social life, which is normal for someone like Hoshimori Shion,’ Kazama Nanami interjected, trying to lighten the mood. Even Iori Shigure, who had been quiet, shifted her chair slightly, as if to distract from the tension.
‘I suppose I need to reassess Hoshimori Shion’s social interactions,’ Igarashi Rie said, finally breaking her stare. She reached for her coffee, only to hesitate, remembering how it tasted like bathwater. With a sigh, she put it down and left, saying, ‘I’ll see you later, Hoshimori Shion.’
The three of them exhaled in unison, relieved.
‘Igarashi-san… she’s a bit intimidating,’ Iori Shigure whispered.
Kazama Nanami nodded. ‘That presence… no wonder she’s the heir to the Igarashi family. It’s impressive.’
Hoshimori Shion couldn’t help but wish her break would end soon so she could return to work, eager to escape the awkwardness of the situation.
****