>>5641323<span class="mu-g">“No,”</span> says Chigusa Iki flatly, placing down her clay cup, <span class="mu-g">“Repeated hot baths will damage my skin, so I’ll refrain.”</span>
Enatsu Mari looks to Kaiba, <span class="mu-g">“Aoi-chan…?”</span>
Kaiba has been continuously nodding off during breakfast, just bobble-heading.
Aside from that she’s also still wearing yesterday’s yukata, which isn’t odd, but it looks like she hasn’t taken it off at all.
She blinks a few times, <span class="mu-g">“Eh?”</span> she says, <span class="mu-g">“Uh, eh… No, I’m sorry. I don’t feel so good.”</span>
Enatsu Mari nods, visibly dejected, <span class="mu-g">“Okay…”</span>
She then excuses herself and heads off.
Chigusa Iki stands and bows, <span class="mu-g">“Then, I’ll be leaving to gather my things and get ready for departure.”</span>
There are hours left until you leave, so of course she’s gonna get ready right away.
As they both leave, you turn to Kaiba.
<span class="mu-g">“How are you holding up?”</span> you ask.
<span class="mu-g">“Ah, manager-san,”</span> says Kaiba with a tired smile, <span class="mu-g">“I’m well enough…”</span>
<span class="mu-g">“You don’t look it,”</span> you say, <span class="mu-g">“Get any sleep at all?”</span>
<span class="mu-g">“Well, I was up for almost the entire night checking online to see if my career was over, but I found a way to make myself stop,”</span> says Kaiba, <span class="mu-g">“After that I got some sleep.”</span>
That’s quite the mental fortitude.
You would’ve thought this would overwhelm her, but she seems to be handling it well.
<span class="mu-g">“How’d you manage that?”</span> you ask.
<span class="mu-g">“I threw my phone in the koi pond,”</span> says Kaiba, then takes a sip of her tea, <span class="mu-g">“It’s still in there.”</span>
It appears Kaiba isn’t handling things all too well.
It’s such a waste, too, because fish can’t use phones.
What kind of thought is that? Man, you feel so hungover.
You set aside tea for now and focus on nursing your headache with water and juice.
The both of you simply sit for a while, Kaiba trying to stave off sleep and you fighting your hangover.
Occasionally, you notice Kaiba glancing at you, her mouth briefly opening as she gathers the courage to speak.
The courage doesn’t come, instead becoming flustered.
After a while, it seems like her mind settles on a different subject that doesn’t tilt her as much.
