The Nonfiction That Only You Know

Chapter 30

Original Author: ひのはら (Hinohara)
Date Submitted to Kakuyomu: 2021/06/23

After putting the bulging garbage bag in the designated area, Chiho heads back to her dorm while enduring the cold.

She dressed lightly since she didn't have to go far, but she should have brought a muffler after all.

This is her first time doing a big cleanup before New Year's Eve.
Up until now, she had no time for that but now that she suddenly doesn't have any jobs lined up, she has plenty of time to spare.

Her room was surprisingly full of things she didn't need, so it feels refreshing to finish cleaning it.

Until now, she has not been able to do things that are commonly taken for granted.
The current Chiho doesn't know which path is happier.

Rubbing her hands together while walking, somebody suddenly grabs her arm.

"Ah..."

She turns around to see her gym friend, Seto Anzu.
She knows that they go to the same school, but this is actually their first time meeting on campus.

It's like there's a silent understanding that they would meet at the gym.

They haven't seen each other since the uproar with Love Mill, so it's been a while.

"You'll catch a cold if you dress so lightly."
"I was just taking out the trash. I'm on my way back now."
"If you'd like, why not come to my place? The young mis... my roommate bought some delicious tea."

Chiho will just have free time on her hands if she goes back anyways, so she accepts Anzu's invitation.
Since Anzu belongs to the standard program, she should be sharing her dorm suite with one other person.

Chiho enters with a greeting, but there's no one inside.

"Where's your roommate?"
"It's winter break so she went back to her parents' home. I'm planning to go back as well tomorrow."
"I see..."

Many of the students seem to have returned to their parents' homes and there are indeed few students remaining on campus.

It has been a while since she last visited her parents, so maybe Chiho should do that as well.
Although they have a good relationship, she hasn't been able to see them at all due to being preoccupied with work.

Her parents will surely be delighted to have her back. It would also be nice to spend the New Year with her family for the first time in a while.

As Chiho makes plans to go back after watching the first sunrise of the New Year with Mii, Anzu offers her a hot cup of tea.

It seems to be fruit tea with a clear scent of grapes.

"...Love Mill has ceased activities, right?"
"Yeah... though it will only be for a while. During that time, I can still do solo work."
"...Chiho, what's wrong?"

When Chiho switches her gaze from the tea to Anzu, she meets Anzu's worried eyes.

"Eh..."
"You've returned to looking like before."
"What do you mean?"
"Like you're living with your head instead of your feelings... You have the same face as back when you suppressed your emotions with logic to make rational decisions."

Her grip on the mug becomes tighter.
There's no way Chiho can know what her own face looks like.

However, she can't deny it because it's not like she has absolutely no idea what Anzu is talking about.

"...Is that so?"
"After you met Kisaragi Mii, you seemed so happy. It even made me surprised you could make that kind of face... When you were talking about Mii, you seemed to have the face of a normal girl."

Chiho has accepted that it can't be helped anymore.
She bites down on her lower lip.

The times she spent with Mii were truly fun.
She was so happy. It was like she could feel the joy of living.

"...It's already enough."
"Why? Even if you don't keep holding it in..."
"It's already enough for me that she loves me as an idol, so..."

That is the answer that Chiho came up with.
Mii loves Chiho and admires Minami.

Those two cannot be mixed and the relationships must remain parallel.

Even if by some chance, Mii accepts Chiho as Minami...

The news of a famous actress's daughter dating a Love Mill member will become a huge story.

Chiho can't get Mii wrapped up in this.
There's no way she can act selfishly in this time of crisis for Love Mill.

"I want to protect the Love Mill... the Isuzu Minami she loves."

Chiho's not sure how much of her words are her true feelings and how much is just lip service.

The truth is, she wants to be together with Mii. She wants to be by Mii's side and experience all kinds of things with her.

That desire has been suppressed by fear.
How would Mii react if she found out that Chiho's true identity is Minami?
Chiho does not have the resolve to reveal her true identity to Mii.