Chapter 5: Mask
Stardust Salon, a special building, built for children coming from influential families in the country, is located nearby the standard cafeteria.
While a standard cafeteria had a common dining hall as students no matter their status could have their meal here, Stardust Salon was designed like a bar for many children could communicate and corporate about their relationships between families.
In the upper floor, it had many private rooms for those children, who preferred to be alone or needed more privacy. Right now, Japan has 5 pillars in the financial world. Each family occupied their specialized field.
For example, the Shinonawa family was in charge of gas, oil, charcoal, and petrol import and export. Hoshiyuki family was related to estate and some hardware technologies as they monopolized the most common use GPU, and CPU all over the world. When it came to Hoshiyuki, they would think about hardware in PC. The other three were related to Royal Blood like the Naruhito family as they came from the Royal family in the Heisei era. or the Konoe branch family. The last one should be the Minamoto family, who were in charge of daily life's tools over Japan. They wanted to move to the technological field as they sought through engagement with the Hoshiyuki family.
If it was in the original plot, 'Suiri' would suggest their parents engage with the Alpha daughter of the Minamoto family. However, with 'Haruto' arrival, this engagement could only exist in a verbal deal between the parents of the two families.
Now, in the private room of the Hoshiyuki family, the atmosphere could be said to be rather awkward. No one in the room spoke out. Suiri couldn't help but feel trouble with this blonde-haired girl...
Maria sat next to Suiri, as she took advantage of her little sister. Their distance was so close that their skin and thighs were in contact with each other. It was so intimate that outsiders doubted if they were really sisters.
Of course, this was Maria's operation to test Charlotte's character and intention as she suspected this girl wanted to take her angel away. Actually, she simply found her excuse to touch those soft thighs legally. Her little sister was quite defenseless against her.
'Guehuehue~. All of my efforts in the past had been paid'. Maria thought in her head. At first, Suiri was quite resistant to her physical contact. Gradually, this barrier had been completely broken by her excessive moves as Suiri eventually let her do whatever she wanted. However, her little angel turned into Omega, she was afraid of losing control...doing something that couldn't turn back.
She was pleased but felt this girl would meet danger in the future. Since she could do that, it meant someone else was able to do it as well.
Charlotte frowned and looked at this situation in front of her. Were they really sisters? Her heart was about to be wrenched so hard when she saw another Alpha touching her Goddess brazenly although they were sisters.
However, in front of Suiri, Charlotte had to swallow this jar of vinegar from her 'future sister-in-law'. In the next month, she would be differentiated into Alpha. In addition, she would be limited to contact with her Goddess in the future. She had to be thick-skinned and be hurried in the process. Then, her family would propose engagement with Suiri as she had dreamed about this for 2 years.
Suiri on the side was helpless against this older sister. In the plot, the sister of the villainess went abroad and didn't appear much in the storyline. She didn't know her character at all, but in her impression, Maria was so cool when in school, and a lovely doting sister when at home. Such a perfect sister, every boy in her previous life had to dream about it. Except for her excessive physical contact with her, everything else was perfect. She understood the reason why 'Suiri' in the original was blackened.
'Suiri' must have felt an inferior complex toward her older sister, as she tried desperately to prove her existence. However, her method went astray as she became a heinous villainess, who bullied others to prove her higher position.
Suiri didn't care about the broken engagement's plot because as long as she didn't urge or hint her parents to engage Minamoto Mio, the high-spec beautiful, and smartest Alpha in the harem of the male protagonist, she would be fine.
Suiri didn't even have the mind to deal with the death flag or destruction route, because she understood the thought of those heroines in the original. As long as she avoided the minefield, she would be safe.
Soon, the waiter brought out several dishes to this room and broke this awkward atmosphere.
Beefsteak, Salad, Orange juice, and tiramisu dessert. All high-end dishes were cooked by professional Michelin chefs.
Suiri couldn't help but drool over them. In her past life, those things were extravagant for a poor boy. Now, they had become her daily meals.
Maria just smiled happily because of that expressionless face of her sister drooling over food. Behind that mask was an innocent, pure little girl. She seemed like a perfect little sister for her, but her sister couldn't change clothes, clean her room, or take a bath herself. Except for music and study, she was completely useless and hopeless.
Maria had a reminiscence of her past. In elementary school, her little sister was the first and the only one, who had to take a physical examination again despite being top 1 with perfect scores in other subjects. She couldn't help but curl her lips at this funny sister. Was this what people called gap-moe?
Not only did she have weak physique, but she also sucked at sport. Like soccer, the football was miraculously kicked under her sister's foot and flew straight to her own face. What kind of operation was this? At that moment, Maria realized her sister was still a human being, not perfect like outsiders saying and comparing her with her sister.
Maria had to teach and train this little sister to improve that hopeless situation.
Now, in middle school, no one knew about the black history of the Ice Queen of Stardust Academy except for Maria and her family.
Many people said her sister was Ice Queen with no emotion. They were both right and wrong at the same time. If you clearly watch her performance in music, you'd realize that Suiri was not an emotionless or icy-cold woman at all. Maria suspected that her sister was some kind of anti-social person. She didn't show her true self to anyone except for music. In her performance, Suiri had become an angel bringing warm, loving, soft, and gentle feelings. However, this side was extremely subtle, you had to be sensitive enough to notice it. Maria was proud because she was the only one who knew it.
Charlotte also ordered her food with France's cuisine. She also had to observe this pair of sisters. Obviously, after 2 years, she admitted herself that she loved Hoshiyuki Suiri, but she didn't know much about the other party except for some well-known information.
Every time she approached Suiri, the other party built a high ice barrier to block her. She couldn't do anything to break it.
She was seduced by Suiri's smile and aura at the piano competition 2 years ago. She wanted to monopolize that smile for herself. Just only for her.
Suiri picked up her knife and fork. Then, she ate her lunch elegantly as she wanted to fulfill her hungry stomach. As for Charlotte, she didn't want to think anymore. Since the other party was so persistent, she had given up the idea of chasing this heroine away. She wouldn't go extremely hurting Charlotte to stay away from her. She would keep this ice barrier, and the heroine would feel bored soon and spare her.
The room right now was filled with eating sounds as no words were needed. They came from top-notch families. They knew the polite manners at dining table.
No talk.
After a while, Suiri finished her meal and her stomach was filled. She was satisfied with this delicious and juicy meat. The dessert had its yummy adequate combination of sweet milk and the bitter flavor of coffee as Suiri tried to savor this taste.
"Hoora, your mouth hasn't cleaned yet"
Maria gently took out dining paper to swipe the food stain on the side of Suiri's mouth. It should've been normal, but there was a third person here. Suiri was ashamed to show her useless side to outsiders. She closed her eyes as she tried to hide embarrassing emotions. Even though her face was emotionless, but her eyes weren't. Her mother Natasha could read her emotions through eye contact, because she was once a professional actor. It became a habit of closing her eyes when she tried to hide her mom something.
Maria chuckled slightly. Was she just shy??? So cute, like a cat. Maria couldn't help but caress her sister's head.
As if she saw an illusion, kemonomimi and the tail of a cat protruding out of her sister's body. A cat, definitely a cat.
Charlotte looked envious, but Maria caught it. Sure enough, this premature Alpha had loved her sister. No doubt about it. Imagining her sister in the arms of others, her heart was so uncomfortable, and annoying, as if she drank some bitter juice. Maria felt that her heart was gloomy.
The atmosphere once again returned to its awkwardness. No one talked.
"..."
"..."
Charlotte needed some topic to break it. She used her excuse to initiate her conversation with her Goddess.
"Sui-chan, I'm waiting for your request, but don't make me separate from youuuuu~"
Suiri was helpless. Why was Charlotte so stubborn? She didn't have anything to give the other party. Or she had some ulterior motive like the way her 'best friend' did in the past. Suiri couldn't help but raise her vigilance.
"Shinonawa-san, we don't know each other very well. Please, don't call me Sui-chan. Others will misunderstand"
Hurt. It was so painful. Charlotte was startled when Suiri did reply that. Her effort through 2 months couldn't move the other party's heart at all? However, Charlotte couldn't blame the other party. Imagine if she, herself, was in Suiri's shoes, she would've mercilessly cursed and rejected those annoying people, who just suddenly appeared and jumped into her life.
Unfortunately, Charlotte now seemed to be one of those troublemakers. However, she couldn't step down, she wanted to know Suiri better, the true face behind that emotionless mask. The face had attracted her 2 years ago. She wanted to see that face and monopolize that side for herself.
"There is also another Hoshiyuki here. Just let me call you Sui-chan. Later, we will know each other better as friends, won't we?"
Charlotte's reply could be said shamelessness. She smiled and sent out an expectant gaze toward Suiri.
Suiri's eyes swam to another place. She found that this heroine was so troublesome. What to do?
'Friend' was a term that Suiri had always avoided and ran away from it for 12 years in this world. When the other party mentioned 'friend', she always felt fear and scared. Her heart was beating fast as she remembered how friends in her previous world treated her...
The adrenaline went up as she was tense and suffered a headache. In her heart, as human nature, she needed someone, but that person was reliable? Or they would betray her and feed her sincerity to a dog. The connection of trust through 23 years in her previous life was so fragile and vulnerable. The third-party could break it easily.
'Should I give my trust to you?' Suiri thought. Her parents and older sister in this life could only earn her half-sincerity. She didn't wholeheartedly devote her emotion foolishly like her previous life.
'Will you betray me like them?'
'Are you willing to stay by my side despite my situation being unfavorable?'
'Will you blame and accuse me with those cold eyes?'
Suiri couldn't forget that experience. It was hell when the world turned its back to her. No person spread out their helping hand. No one...She realized that she could rely on herself, as her trust and love for music had responded for her, but it was no use.
The feeling of drowning...The oxygen of the body was out of the source, as the fierce water crushed every vein of her body. The muscular pair of hands pressed her head and body down to the bottom of the pool.
It had become her trauma from her past life to this life.
Suiri's body shuddered when she recalled it. Maria also noticed her sister being uncomfortable, but she didn't know why.
Maybe she was annoyed because of this premature Alpha? But she thought it was not the case. Her sister needed friends. She also agreed with Charlotte about this problem. She has lived for 12 years without a single friend.
Suiri touched her chest to calm down the adrenaline in her brain. She had suppressed those feelings and emotions without sharing them with anyone. She was always alone. A true loner. She knew if she continued to run away like this, the situation wouldn't get better.
Death God might want to see herself suffering from the memory of 'Haruto'. Why did you keep my memory intact?
"I...." Suiri spoke...but those words couldn't escape her lips 'I want friends, I don't wanna be alone'.
In her mindscape, the figure of 'Haruto' questioned her over and over again.
'Is friend worth it?'
'Is family that important?'
'Are you willing to suffer once again to relieve your lonely heart?'
'Do you want to stick to those paper characters?'
'Are you....'
Suiri yelled in her mind: "Shut up!!!".
Suiri's mentality was awfully unstable, as another 'her' appeared.
Suiri knew this person, she was her, and her was she. The other party was extremely cold and icy. That was her mask from the moment she was born...and she relied on her many times. The identical figure with the same exact appearance as her gradually approached, then hugged and comforted her. She liked this feeling.
"I'll protect you"
It helped her calm down and have reasoning ability.
To the eyes of outsiders, the atmosphere of Suiri suddenly was colder than ever. Even her sister Maria was also surprised to see this change. However, it was not the first time she had seen this phenomenon.
Charlotte felt that those ice barriers had been taken down by her for 2 months, and rebuilt itself again.
Suiri emotionlessly and coldly said.
"Do whatever you want"
Charlotte was stunned as Suiri implied that you weren't related to her. Charlotte felt that she would cry... She felt that the Goddess she knew was no longer here and moved out of her reach.
Suiri quickly stood up and stepped out of the salon to return to class. Maria could only watch helplessly. She chose to stay because she had something to talk to Charlotte.
Sasaki escorted her master back.
--Charlotte's POV--
I try to hold back my tears... She was cruel like that??? It was definitely not her, the Goddess I knew was warmer, gentler, and much more charming.
I could only look blankly at the entrance door.
The black-haired mixed race girl hands me a tissue paper.
"Sorry about that, that girl has always been like this since childhood"
"Maria-senpai...."
Maria assures.
"I knew you loved her"
"What? You knew!!"
"Yeah, you are clearer than the sky. You're about to be Alpha like me right?"
What? She knew!! My cheeks heat up, but soon fall into depression.
I timidly ask.
"Senpai, was that really her?"
"Hmm..."
"...If I have to say, both yes and no"
"That was her mask, I knew you must be one of the people seeing a glimpse of her true self so that you could ask this question~"
"Mask....true self...???"
The icy cold Ice Queen was a mask of Suiri? I knew this, but according to the implication of Maria, Suiri's sister, is she suffering from a personality disorder?
"I don't know why my little sister is afraid of having friends ~"
Maria-senpai spits out an absurd reason. She had grown up with Suiri but didn't know the exact reason of Suiri.
"You could consider 'that girl' playing a role of killing all emotions of Suiri"
"What?"
I'm so surprised. Killing emotion, then what is the point of living?
"She only appears when Suiri was so resistant to 'friend'"
"That's why I said she is just a mask, not quite personality"
I understand now. I seemed to step into the minefield without knowing it.
"That's because of me...."
"No, your fault lies in the excuse you wanting to chase her, but use 'friend' to approach"
"Ugh...It hurts senpai"
I feel guilty and can't retort that. My ulterior motive has been seen through by her sister.
"It's also my sister's fault because she always runs away from the problem"
"That mask was born because of it..."
"Haah...."
Maria-senpai sighs a long breath.
I'm also curious about that.
"Did she encounter something in the past?"
Maria-senpai shows a helpless expression: "Nope, Don't talk about the unfortunate 'friend's event', she hasn't had a single friend until now"
What was her reason? It's still a mystery about my Goddess.
"You should return to class soon. Your thick skin and persistence are quite recommendable to peel off her mask"
"Can I take that as a compliment?"
I tsukkomi Maria senpai.
"Yes, but if you hurt her, I won't forgive you"
Maria-senpai's expression turned serious when she said that. I also don't have the intention to hurt others. I'm not that vicious.
"It meant am I qualified to chase your sister?"
"You brat, I just want to find a person who could change her way"
"You may be one of those candidates"
"Ouhohoho~"
I laugh heartily. Maria-senpai, the saint of Stardust Academy, is a siscon. No doubt.
Can I be the first person to face your true self, Sui-chan?