Time slipped slowly toward the weekend.
On the way home after school on Friday, Qiu Mian could already sense the unusually heavy, silent pressure coming from Qiu Kui beside her. Ever since the drama club incident, Shimizu Yuzu had taken a leave of absence and nothing much had happened with Misaki for the time being.
Qiu Kui had become even more clingy—almost to the point of never leaving her side. Even when Qiu Mian went to the bathroom, she would quietly follow and wait right outside the door.
This can’t go on… There’s no way I’ll be able to go out alone on the weekend.
Early Saturday morning, Qiu Mian sat down at the dining table and watched Qiu Kui quietly sipping milk across from her, already mentally rehearsing her excuse.
Qiu Kui was wearing a soft light-blue loungewear set today. Her long hair was loosely tied back, revealing the pale line of her neck.
Her purple eyes were lowered as she took small, careful sips of milk. She looked like a delicate porcelain doll, yet the invisible sense of constant attention radiating from her made Qiu Mian feel like she was sitting on pins and needles.
“Ahem.” Qiu Mian cleared her throat, trying to sound as casual and natural as possible. “This afternoon… I might need to go out for a bit.”
Qiu Kui’s hand paused mid-sip.
She slowly lifted her head and looked at Qiu Mian, simply watching her in silence. Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the glass.
Several seconds passed. Just when Qiu Mian thought she would ask questions, Qiu Kui gave a soft “Mm,” lowered her head again, and continued taking tiny sips of milk.
…That’s it?
Qiu Mian felt even more uneasy inside.
Still, she added a little more, the words sounding a bit too deliberate. “…I’m just going to the bookstore. It might take some time.”
“Okay.”
“Be careful on the way, Jie-jie.”
The overly “normal” reaction left Qiu Mian with an inexplicable pang of guilt.
At one-thirty in the afternoon, Qiu Mian stood in front of the full-length mirror, looking at her reflection in a simple white button-up shirt, light-wash jeans, and a thin cardigan. For some reason she felt nervous.
The outfit was completely ordinary, yet it somehow felt… different from her usual school uniform.
She ran her fingers through her hair one last time and finally tied it into a loose low ponytail.
It’s just an information exchange. Just an information exchange…
She repeated the words silently to herself, grabbed her phone and bag, took a deep breath, and pushed open the bedroom door.
In the living room, Qiu Kui was curled up on the sofa reading. She looked up at the sound.
When she saw Qiu Mian’s outfit, something flickered quickly through her eyes, but it vanished almost instantly and her expression returned to calm.
She closed the book and stood up. “Jie-jie, are you leaving now?”
“Mm.” Qiu Mian avoided her gaze and walked toward the door.
“Come back early.”
“I know.” She didn’t look back, quickly changed her shoes, and stepped outside.
The door clicked shut softly behind her.
Only when she was standing in the hallway did Qiu Mian let out a long breath.
Lying to my little sister… feels awful.
The Sakura Pavilion café sat diagonally across from the school’s main gate—a small, cozy place with a warm, slightly retro atmosphere.
A wooden sign hung above the entrance, and wind chimes dangled by the door.
On a weekend afternoon it was the kind of spot students and nearby residents liked to visit.
Qiu Mian arrived five minutes before two. She peered through the glass window but didn’t see Xia Qingkong yet.
She pushed the door open. The wind chimes gave a clear, tinkling ring, and the mingled scents of coffee and fresh-baked pastries washed over her on a wave of warm air.
The café wasn’t crowded. A few scattered customers chatted in low voices.
She chose a relatively quiet window seat and sat down, flipping through the menu a little awkwardly.
The picture of the chestnut Mont Blanc looked tempting.
“Qiu Mian! You’re so early!”
A sunny voice called out.
Qiu Mian looked up to see Xia Qingkong walking briskly in from the entrance, face bright with a radiant smile.
She wasn’t in uniform today. Instead she wore a loose goose-yellow hoodie, a light-blue denim overall skirt, white knee-high socks, and little leather shoes. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail that bounced with every step, radiating weekend energy and youthful vitality.
“I just got here too.” Qiu Mian set the menu down and unconsciously sat up a little straighter. Xia Qingkong’s outfit and smile seemed to make the warm café lighting even brighter.
Xia Qingkong slid into the seat across from her, naturally placing a cute-patterned canvas bag beside her. She rested her chin in her hands, eyes sparkling as she looked at Qiu Mian. “Did you wait long? My mom caught me before I left and lectured me forever—I almost ran late!”
“Not at all.” Qiu Mian shook her head.
“That’s good!” Xia Qingkong picked up the menu and started flipping through it enthusiastically. “I heard their cherry-blossom latte is a spring limited edition. It has real salted cherry blossoms on top—super pretty! Want to try one, Qiu Mian? We have to get the chestnut Mont Blanc! Oh, and this matcha muffin looks amazing too!”
She kept talking to herself about the menu, voice bright and lively. She didn’t need Qiu Mian to reply at all; the atmosphere simply warmed up on its own.
Qiu Mian’s originally tense nerves gradually relaxed under the influence of Xia Qingkong’s effortless cheerfulness.
“I’ll have the cherry-blossom latte and the chestnut Mont Blanc,” Xia Qingkong decided quickly. Then she looked at Qiu Mian and winked. “What about you, Qiu Mian? What do you want to drink? My treat!”
“A regular latte is fine.” Qiu Mian wasn’t interested in anything fancy.
“Eh—? You don’t want to try the cherry-blossom latte? It’s seasonal! Miss it and you’ll have to wait until next year!” Xia Qingkong tried to persuade her, but when Qiu Mian remained unmoved she laughed again. “Okay, okay. How about we add a matcha muffin too? We can share!”
Qiu Mian looked at those expectant eyes. The refusal on the tip of her tongue somehow turned into, “…Whatever.”
“Yay!” Xia Qingkong immediately raised her hand to flag down the server and placed the order with practiced ease. While they waited for the drinks, she cupped her cheeks in her hands, leaned forward slightly, and looked at Qiu Mian. Her smile stayed bright, but her tone grew a touch more serious. “Qiu Mian, your outfit today looks really good! It feels different from how you look at school.”
Qiu Mian instinctively glanced down at herself, her earlobes warming. “…At school it’s just the uniform.”
“I know!” Xia Qingkong’s smile grew even wider. “That’s why seeing a different side of you feels so fresh! Hmm… how should I put it? You seem less distant. Like… it’s easier to get a little closer?”
Qiu Mian awkwardly looked away and took a sip of the free lemon water on the table, saying nothing.
Fortunately the drinks and desserts arrived soon.
Xia Qingkong’s cherry-blossom latte was exactly as she had described: a perfect salted cherry blossom floated on the snowy-white foam, surrounded by scattered pink sugar crystals.
She immediately took out her phone, found the best angle, and snapped a photo with a soft click. Only then did she lift the cup and take a careful sip.
“Mmm! So good!” She squinted in pure happiness.
Watching her open, unfiltered delight in the food, Qiu Mian’s own mood inexplicably lightened.
She picked up her plain latte and took a sip. It was rich, slightly bitter, and perfectly warm.
She also tried the matcha muffin Xia Qingkong had pushed toward her. It was soft and fragrant, with the characteristic slight bitterness of matcha that melted into a gentle sweetness.
“Good, right?” Xia Qingkong watched her expectantly.
“…Mm.” Qiu Mian gave a small nod.
Soft background music drifted through the café, and the air was filled with sweet scents.
In this moment there were no mask mysteries.
It felt like nothing more than an ordinary Saturday afternoon where two high-school girls had simply met up for tea and dessert.
For a brief second Qiu Mian even felt a flicker of disorientation, nearly forgetting the real reason she had come here.