"Haute couture?!"
When Uika received the call from Sakiko, she couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
"Eh? Is it really for me? Not for Ai?"
"Mhm... Actually, his design concept for Hoshino Ai this time will lean towards a simple, conservative style."
Sakiko said over the phone.
"But according to him, it seems to be a necessary compromise to protect Hoshino Ai."
"...He's saying the same thing as the manager."
Uika nodded.
"It seems that day's events had quite an impact on Tetsuya-san."
"Tell me about it..."
Sakiko couldn't help but sigh.
"He's started to intentionally keep his distance from me now. That's never happened before."
"Being aware of it is probably a pretty big step forward compared to being oblivious all the time..."
Uika thought back to the experience of riding the train with him that night.
Although she could feel his respect and consideration for her, it always felt like an older brother treating his younger sister. Even when they were sitting shoulder-to-shoulder, there was absolutely no atmosphere of being peers of the opposite sex.
And from all the stories Hoshino Ai had told her, it seemed he had been like this since he was very young.
He wasn't the dense type; on the contrary, his perception were sharp and his thinking was quick, surpassing most people. Looking at it now, the reason he had never been in a relationship was probably just because he simply lacked the awareness. ((T/N: ??? Isn't this the same thing basically 😭))
His experience in the orphanage had led him to channel all his emotions into a longing for family affection. Without Hoshino Ai's forceful intervention, he probably would have never realized that he, too, had desires and needs in that area.
"I really don't know whether to call him precocious or a late bloomer..."
Uika shook her head with a laugh.
"Anyway, I just need to find some time to go to your studio next, right?"
"Yes."
Sakiko replied.
"In order to create a haute couture outfit that won't lose to the last one, Chihaya-nii needs to confirm a few things with you."
I see. So just my body measurements aren't enough...
For an idol, her three sizes were public information, so she was sure that Tetsuya wasn't asking her to come just for her measurements.
Besides, Sakiko had just said, "won't lose to the last one."
That meant the piece he was making this time would also be an outfit exclusively for her.
At this thought, Uika's heart instantly filled with anticipation and joy.
"I understand. In that case... let's set it for the day after tomorrow! I'm still out on a shoot right now. I can't get back until then."
Sakiko sounded a little curious.
"Away on a shoot? Where did you go?"
"Okinawa. It's for a summer photoshoot, after all."
"Eh? Don't tell me it's swimsuits?"
"Nope. Because of Ai, our group probably won't have another chance to do a swimsuit photoshoot."
Uika shrugged helplessly.
"But that's fine. It just so happens that I don't really like doing shoots with too much exposure anyway."
"...Wait a minute."
On the other end of the line, after hearing all this, Sakiko suddenly realized something.
"You and Hoshino Ai... are on this away shoot together?"
"? Isn't that obvious?"
Uika said, as if it were a matter of course.
"It's a summer photoshoot for [Summer Zodiac], after all. If it were my personal work, I would've postponed it and rushed to the studio immediately."
"So that means... Hoshino Ai is with you right now?"
"Mhm, that's right."
Uika said, glancing over at the purple-haired girl who had been staring intently at her from the next bed.
"And we're staying in the same room."
"Then everything I just said..."
"Mhm, she heard pretty much all of it."
"..."
Sakiko fell silent for a moment, then let out a deep sigh.
"I should have checked the situation with you before making this call..."
"It's no big deal."
Uika glanced at Ai's gaze, which was practically boring a hole through her, then said calmly:
"Anyway, even if we didn't say anything, she would have definitely tracked Tetsuya-san herself and found out."
"Ugh..."
Hearing this, Sakiko felt as if something was caught in her throat.
She knew this lawless, mad woman had done a whole host of unforgivable things to Tetsuya, yet the man himself had no intention of blaming her, and was even indulging her in continuing...
So, did Chihaya-nii properly reject her or not? What exactly is the relationship between those two now?
While Sakiko was still stewing in her indecision, Uika asked:
"Is there anything else you need? Saki-chan?"
"...No, nothing."
Compared to the emotionally stable Uika, Sakiko's voice was quite weary.
"It's getting late, you should get some sleep too..."
"Do you want me to bring you back a souvenir?"
"No, it's fine... Just as long as you can make it the day after tomorrow..."
"Mhm, got it! Goodnight then, Saki-chan."
"...Sigh, goodnight."
...
Uika hung up the phone with a smile.
The next second, the fresh scent of shampoo wafted over from her side—
"...The day after tomorrow, I'm going too."
Ai said with a blank expression.
"I can't let you be alone with Tetsu."
"We won't be alone..."
Uika explained with a look of resignation.
"Sakiko will be at the studio too. Nothing will happen between me and Tetsuya-san."
"Does it really make a difference whether she's there or not?"
Ai tilted her head.
"If anything, having her there might just make you even more motivated, right?"
"Ahaha... When it comes to Tetsuya-san, you really don't give an inch, do you."
Faced with Ai's relentless advance, Uika could only spread her hands in surrender.
"I understand. I'll call you to come with me when the time comes..."
She paused for a moment before continuing.
"But even if you do come along, Tetsuya-san won't be designing an outfit like the last one for you this time."
Uika met Ai's sharp gaze.
"And all of this is because you were too hasty."
"Hmph... Say whatever you want."
Ai moved away from Uika's bed.
"I received more than enough 'payment' that day anyway. And the reason he's changing the design concept is for my sake, so I don't care at all."
"...I see. Well, I'll just take it as that for now."
With that, Uika also got up from the bed and took a hairdryer from the nightstand—
"Come here. Your hair isn't dry yet, you can't go to sleep like this."
"...Why?"
"It's bad for your hair."
"I never dried it when I was at the orphanage."
"Then that's all the more reason to start taking care of it now. You don't want Tetsuya-san to think your hair isn't pretty in the future, do you?"
"..."
Hearing this, Ai, who had already crawled into her covers, silently slid back out.
"Then please be quick about it. I'm very sleepy."
"I know."
As the hairdryer was switched on, a gust of warm air carrying a fresh floral scent instantly dispersed the incredibly subtle, gunpowder-like tension in the room.
[Summer Zodiac], harmoniously at odds again today.