Chapter 157: A Presence Only He Could See
On the train ride back, the silence between them wasn't uncomfortable—but Mitsuha couldn't stop the question burning in her mind. It had been dancing on the tip of her tongue since the moment they left Toyogasaki.
She finally gave in.
"...What is the relationship between Kato-san and Yukima-san?"
Mitsuha's voice was casual, but there was an unmistakable thread of curiosity woven through it. She turned slightly, her gaze scanning the profile of the girl seated beside her, hoping not to offend but unable to suppress her interest.
Kato Megumi, the girl in question, brought a finger to her cheek, pausing thoughtfully as the scenery blurred past the window.
"Hmm... probably lovers, I guess," she said after a beat.
That response, oddly tentative, struck Mitsuha as strange. Not the content—it wasn't surprising. But the phrasing.
"Probably?"
Mitsuha tilted her head. "That's strange. Aren't you two dating?"
To her, Kato Megumi was gentle, sweet, devoted to the point of quiet loyalty. If a girl like that gave her heart to someone—if someone like Yukima Azuma received that affection and failed to give her reassurance in return—then that was a mistake that bordered on criminal negligence. No, worse. It was a sin against heaven and earth.
Kato Megumi seemed to sense exactly what Mitsuha was thinking. A flicker of amusement softened her eyes, but rather than teasing, her voice remained calm as she spoke.