The Nonfiction That Only You Know

Chapter 19

Original Author: ひのはら (Hinohara)
Date Submitted to Kakuyomu: 2021/06/13

Since this is the home of a scriptwriter and actress famous throughout Japan, the insides are of course filled with luxurious furniture.

The TV is so large that it makes one wonder just how many inches it is. Each and every piece of furniture seems high-class.

The rooms are so spacious that there's no way this can be mistaken for any ordinary household.

Chiho may be a popular idol, but even she feels uneasy and restless here.

Above all else, she can't help but worry about the two voices coming from the kitchen.

"Hey, mom, what's the meaning of this? You said there was an emergency, so I came home as soon as I could...!"
"Oh, but there was an emergency, wasn't there? Since your beloved Minami-chan was coming here."
"That doesn't mean...! I told you to stop doing this kind of thing."
"Why? Even though you said you love Minami-chan so much..."
"It's because I love her... It's unfair for me to meet her even though I didn't pay... Besides, what would I even say to her...?"
"Isn't it fine if you just think of it as your mom's friend from work coming over to visit? That way, it's not unfair, is it? She's about the same age as you, so you don't need to be so self-conscious when talking to her. Look, dinner will be ready soon so sit down and wait."

Mii comes out of the kitchen, seemingly because Tsubaki pushed her out.

Unlike their meetings in handshake events and on the roof, she's dressed in a casual loose-fitting hoodie.

Chiho glances at this new side of her and their eyes happen to meet.

"..."

Not long after, Mii awkwardly looks away.　

Then, Mii sits on the far left of this six-person table.

Chhiho is sitting to the right, so Mii chose the farthest seat away.

"Mii-chan, was it? Umm... do you have any favorite foods?"
"I like stew..."
"Oh... I see."

Pretending it's her first time hearing that, Chiho engages in shallow conversation with Mii like this is some kind of formal marriage interview.

As for Mii, she never once looks in Chiho's direction so there's no helping the awkwardness.

It's as if she's a completely different person from the girl who happily chats with Chiho on the rooftop.

"Thanks for waiting, dinner is ready."

Tsubaki appears from the kitchen, expertly holding three plates.
Her cheerful voice echoes through the room currently filled with a cold atmosphere.

"Hey, Mii, why are you sitting over there? That's impolite."

Tsubaki grabs Mii's arm and forcefully moves her to a different seat.

Now Tsubaki sits across from Chiho and Mii sits next to her mother. She's closer to Chiho than before, but she's still not saying anything.

During the meal, seemingly unable to just watch the two of them continue like this, Tsubaki breaks the ice.

"You know, Mii has loved Minami-chan for a long time."
"Wa-wait a minute, mom...!"
"What's wrong? Isn't that the truth?"
"It's because it's the truth that I don't want you to say it!"

This is Chiho's first time seeing Mii pout her lips in anger.
Chiho feels pleased with her new discovery that Mii can make this kind of face.

So Mii speaks back to her parents in this kind of way.

"I'm really happy to hear that you love me, Mii-chan. You often come to my handshake events, don't you?"

The corners of her mouth naturally lift up. Mii nods shyly at Chiho's words.

Like this instead of through her bangs.

This is Chiho's first time getting a good look at her and facing her like this.
Even if it's as Isuzu Minami, her heart flutters with excitement at the opportunity to talk with Mii in private.

Chiho checks her appearance in the washroom mirror.
She wiped off her lipstick to eat, so she takes out the lipstick from her skirt pocket to reapply it.

After carefully washing her hands, she walks back towards the living room again.

Tsubaki is a really good cook, so Chiho quickly finished her homemade cheeseburger.
Mii's cooking skills might be due to her mother's influence.

"Hm...?"

The door to one of the rooms is open with light shining out of it.
When she takes a peek, she sees Mii inside.
Just like Mii's room back in the dorms, this room is filled with Minami merchandise. It's pretty safe to assume this is Mii's room.

She really loves Isuzu Minami and cheers her on.

"Mii-chan."

When Chiho calls out to her, Mii turns around in surprise.
Then, she quickly hides something behind her back.

She responds in a small voice as she backs away.
Looks like she's completely different compared to when Chiho sees her on the roof after all.

"What...?"
"You know, Mii-chan... it's okay to not watch yourself around me so much, you know? We're basically the same age, so you should just relax..."
"To me, Minami-chan is the person I admire so... it's impossible for me to treat you like a friend."

Why does Chiho feel so frustrated after hearing that?

Even though Mii can just treat her as Chiho when she's hiding her face, or even when she's meeting Minami at events...

For some reason, Chiho can't help getting extremely irritated.

"Well then, I'm going back..."

Chiho grabs Mii's arm as she tries to leave.
She wasn't done talking yet and she wants Mii to face her properly.

"Wait."
"Let go..."

As Mii struggles in response, she drops the object she was holding.

The thing Mii hid from Chiho earlier when she called out to her seems to be a campus notebook.

Chiho reaches out to pick it up when a loud voice stops her.

"Don't look!"

Before Chiho could grab it, Mii snatches it up and leaves the room in a panic.

The remaining person just stands there vacantly.

"Why...?"

What on earth was Mii trying to hide?

She wants to know, but even if she asks, Mii wouldn't answer Isuzu Minami.

Mii will not unreservedly speak with the person she admires.

Chiho can see the fashion magazines she appeared in and the magazine where her gravure photo shows up on the opening page of a seinen manga.

The room also has many other items related to Minami that Mii collected.

Unconsciously, Chiho's nails dig into her palms.

"...I don't get it."

She thinks about the ghostlike Chiho that everyone fears and regards as creepy.

It's strange to feel jealous of her ghostlike self.