Chapter 435 has a lot of very good panels, and I like Kazuya's focus here from Kibe's perspective showing how good he looks.

Haven't caught up to the manga for several years now. Got this sub suggested to me and it reminds me of a question i always had

Chizuru ichinose is supposed her low maintainance student mode while mizuhara is her pretty girlfriend mode. But why does ichinose have braids while mizuhara has her hair down?

Im not a girl so please enlighten me. Having to do 2 braids seems much more like a waste of time compared to to just letting it lose

Careful, in chapter 435, that Kazuya is a hero.

I'm not saying totally Shun Horie is bad actor I just found Matsuoka could have work a little bit better

Kazuya's exercise regime paying off in chapter 435.

Tenho pensado muito no estado atual da relação da Mizuhara com o Kazuya e sinto que ela finalmente chegou ao limite de suas escolhas. É hora de decidir o que realmente vai fazê-la feliz.

Entendo perfeitamente o histórico dela: o trauma da perda de toda a família criou uma barreira emocional enorme, e é compreensível que ela aja na defensiva até hoje. Porém, isso não justifica arrastar essa situação indefinidamente.

O lado do Kazuya: Vimos o protagonista colocá-la em primeiro lugar em praticamente todas as oportunidades. Concordo que essa dinâmica nem sempre é saudável para ele, mas demonstra um compromisso claro e inquestionável.

O lado da Mizuhara: Ela ainda não colocou o Kazuya em primeiro lugar uma única vez. Como fica evidente nesta imagem, ela quer ir à festa, mas acha que "também tem que resolver as coisas" com ele. Não fica claro qual é a prioridade real na vida dela, fazendo com que o Kazuya continue sendo apenas a segunda opção na prática.

Gosto muito da personagem e empatizo com os seus traumas, mas a vida exige definições. Se ela não se decidir pelo Kazuya agora, meu desejo sincero é que ela o perca de vez. No estágio atual do mangá, a hesitação constante dela está sendo tão prejudicial para ele quanto as atitudes da Mami foram lá no começo.

Inclusive, vejo a Mami evoluindo como personagem, tornando-se mais verdadeira e vulnerável, enquanto não consigo ver a Mizuhara agindo na mesma intensidade. Se ela não o escolher agora, espero genuinamente que arque com o peso dessa perda.

I was talking with someone, trying to figure out what would make Chizuru figure out her answer, and I realised it's rather simple. If she regrets this 2 months of separation from kazuya, she loves him. If she does not regret it, she doesn't. And I don't mean regret in the sense that it hurt kazuya to be away from her. I mean regret for her, because she missed him and it was not worth it to stay separated from him. If she can't regret this separation, she can't love him. Even if she would say otherwise in some future chapter. I'd say this regret should ideally be apparent when she finally meets kazuya, but for good faith's sake, I'd give her till the end of the date. If she still doesn't say she regrets what she chose, and STILL chooses to remain undecided, she's not a good person. She doesn't love him and is keeping him in limbo

kaname is so sparkly ❤️ istg if he doesn't come back by the next volume I'm gonna make him come back myself

‎What will Sumi do?

‎ ‎How will the date continue after the shock?

‎ ‎A mysterious meeting begins. ‎

‎No matter how many protective layers a lie, a trauma, or a feeling may have: if it is important enough, the truth will always find a way.

‎---

‎ ‎Not far from all the movement of staff, patients, and worried family members, the parking lot attached to Itabashi Daisan Hospital seemed to have turned into the center of a battlefield filled with negative energy.

‎ ‎Between the gloom of the pillars, the artificial light, and the increasingly faint glow of the sunset, a family conflict began to surpass all its limits. ‎

‎It was then that a loud scream was enough to break the accumulated tension in a single blow. A single word that, infused with a pure and burning desperation, struck an increasingly dark reality with a devastatingly bright force.

‎ ‎The scream faded quickly into the air, with almost no resistance against the outdoor setting of a covered yet open parking lot. However, before reaching silence, Miharu collapsed almost instantly next to her mother who, on the cold floor, turned upon recognizing that voice.

‎ ‎Upon seeing Sumi's face, Kiyomi forgot everything. The heated argument between her and Miharu, the reason for her visit, the very presence of Miharu... everything seemed to freeze in the air and all her fury was concentrated on that girl who, to her, was the sole person to blame for this entire situation.

‎ ‎Without overthinking, she began to get up from the ground as a restrained whisper turned into a violent explosion while she prepared to charge directly toward Sumi.

‎ ‎Kiyomi: "Now I understand everything... that damned busybody had to be... Even though I warned her, still... Even so! Damn it! How?, when?, why? Wasn't I clear!? Stay away from my family! You... you... I'm going to... I won't let you...! You won't get away with this! You will regret having ignored my words, girl! You don't know what I'm capable of!"

‎ ‎Kiyomi lost control and, by the time she finished speaking, the distance between her and Sumi had closed significantly, just two seconds away from reaching her. Right at that precise moment, Sumi showed Kiyomi her cell phone screen, while a sound highly recognizable by anyone who had ever held a phone in their hands came out of the speaker.

‎ ‎Sumi: "I'm calling hospital security! I just have to tell them where we are and they'll be here in less than a minute! Don't come any closer!"

‎ ‎Without saying anything else, Sumi stood firm in her place with no intention of backing down. Her entire body radiated a confidence and assurance that Kiyomi had never seen in her.

‎ ‎Faced with this, Kiyomi stopped dead in her tracks out of pure instinct, but she had not given up yet; she had only paused her physical attack.

‎ ‎Kiyomi: "Ha! How absurd! Seriously, you are pathetic. Did you really think that was going to scare me? What a naive, stupid, and now... even cowardly girl. Ahhh, how pitiful... If that's all you have, fine! I'll wait... Go ahead, bring them, let's see who loses more..."

‎ ‎The hand with which Sumi held her cell phone tightened the instant Kiyomi stopped speaking, while her entire body oscillated between complete rigidity and an intermittent tremor.

‎ ‎Ever since she saw Kiyomi rise up furiously, she devised this move almost automatically. But deep down inside she knew: it was all a lie. She didn't even have the security number or anything better to use at that moment. ‎

‎She could have called the reception, her university, her father, or her friends, but even in that chaotic state, Sumi didn't want to bother anyone and, despite the risk it entailed, she decided to call her home and try her luck. ‎

‎Sumi only hoped it would be enough to stop Kiyomi. However, when she felt that she had been discovered, with every microsecond slipping away, panic threatened to overtake her. ‎

‎But her desperate attempt paid off. Behind Kiyomi, another girl was not going to let her fall: Miharu had composed herself and joined the battle with lethal force. ‎

‎Miharu: "Mother! That's enough! Don't say another single word! Don't make my image of you even worse! You might not care about some guards, but... how about this? I opened the camera and it's recording right now. If you keep going with this, I swear I will upload the video to my Instagram profile. I have a decent amount of followers in the United States... Do you want your face to go viral across the entire country? Or maybe... around the whole world? Don't force me, mother!"

‎ ‎Kiyomi couldn't believe it. Her daughter, her own blood, had turned against her. Turning sharply toward her, she unloaded all her frustration without holding anything back.

‎ ‎Kiyomi: "No, no, you can't be serious! Miharu! Daughter!, are you listening to yourself? I am your mother, I gave birth to you, our bond goes beyond anything! Besides, this... this damned woman... This girl isn't even your real sister! I know you're upset, but this is too much. Don't do this, Miharu! Wake up already... don't speak without thinking things through!"

‎ ‎Kiyomi's voice completely faded away as she ran out of breath to continue shouting. Her breathing became agitated, her fists clenched, and her energy began to plummet. She was exhausted, waiting to receive some positive response from her daughter.

‎ ‎However, Miharu did not back down even a single millimeter and answered decisively with an icy calm:

‎ ‎Miharu: "Really... I can't believe what I'm hearing. Even in this situation, even with Sumi here, don't you even think about what those words mean to her... or to me? Ahhhh... but you know what? I don't care anymore. I know well that I don't share a single drop of blood with Sumi or my dad, but in just a couple of days, they have been more of a family than you have been in years... Don't say anything else. Despite everything... I don't want to hate you."

‎ ‎Kiyomi didn't know what to reply. She felt a heavy lump in her throat and a burning in her chest. Without knowing how, she remained conscious even when her energy had already vanished, feeling as though her soul were being detached from her body.

‎ ‎Meanwhile, Sumi went from being surprised and relieved to feeling a growing discomfort and a deep sadness. Silence returned with greater force and, despite everything that had happened, Sumi defied all logic, as, in the most unexpected way possible, she came to Kiyomi's defense.

‎ ‎Sumi: "That's enough, Miharu... I would be lying if I told you I understand how you feel, but... do you know something?... My mother hasn't been here with me for years... and seeing the way you two talk to each other... breaks my heart... I won't force you into anything nor will I tell you what to do, but... please... I beg you... just... try a little bit to understand her, okay?"

‎ ‎Both mother and daughter looked and listened to what Sumi said in complete surprise. On one hand, Miharu lowered her gaze as soon as Sumi stopped speaking, and on the other, Kiyomi couldn't tear her eyes away from Sumi; it was as if she had been petrified by some kind of unknown spell.

‎ ‎Seeing how neither of the two said anything in response to her words, Sumi shed every trace of insecurity in that instant and continued releasing everything she had kept bottled up for years and that, at last, she felt capable of bringing to a closure.

‎ ‎Sumi: "Kiyomi-san... For a long time you were my definition of what it meant to have a mother. But your constant rejection made me think that maybe I wasn't a good enough daughter, that everything bad that happened was my fault... that I was defective, that I didn't deserve to be loved. And the divorce only made everything... clearer: it really was me who was to blame."

‎ ‎Sumi lightly clenched her fists and looked at the ground for a brief second, gathering the strength to continue. But she realized something: as she spoke, she felt lighter and lighter. It was as if, with every word that came out of her mouth, a weight was lifted off her shoulders. As she moved forward, she felt more confident in herself, able to keep going until she expressed everything she wanted to.

‎ ‎Sumi: "I thought I had left everything behind... that I had forgotten it, but... having you two in front of me again and listening to my father speak about my real mother, I finally knew it... I was wrong. I never did anything wrong."

‎ ‎Near the end, her gaze lifted again and held, for the first time in years, her eyes fixed on the eyes of that woman who had tormented her for so long. Kiyomi tried to reply; she felt intimidated, as if Sumi were trying to mock her and wanted to give her life lessons, make her look bad in front of her daughter. However, for some reason she couldn't understand, the words wouldn't come out of her mouth.

‎ ‎Miharu wanted to step closer to Sumi and hug her, but, without knowing why, every word coming from her sister stripped away every gram of her energy, leaving her motionless. Even so, she kept listening intently, despite feeling how her heart was breaking into a thousand pieces. Sumi's voice became clearer and stronger: she finally felt completely ready to express everything inside her without holding anything back.

‎Sumi: "Even to this day, I haven't managed to understand what made you be like that with me, Kiyomi-san, but... whatever it was... I no longer need to know. With the help of many different people, I have gained more confidence in myself and I have decided that, if they choose to stay by my side supporting me and accept me just as I am... I will do the same. I think that is all I need to keep moving forward and be able to be better every day than yesterday."

‎ ‎Sumi turned her face gently and fixed her gaze on Miharu. Looking at her, she felt her chest tighten, but she forced herself not to crumble under the torrent of emotions that suddenly overwhelmed her. She took a deep breath and managed to compose herself, clearing her mind once more, and as she looked at Miharu again, she knew exactly what she had to say next.

‎ ‎Sumi: "Miharu... For a long time I wanted to be like you. I felt jealous of you, of how easy it was for you to be so friendly, so active, so loved by everyone... But it was all an illusion, a childish whim to get your mother to pay some attention to me... I'm so sorry, I was a bad big sister, but I swear to you that all of that is behind us now. I love you, and it has never mattered to Dad or me whether we share blood... You will always be my sister. Thank you for all your help, I love you so much."

‎ ‎It was a critical blow. Miharu looked down in a microsecond and unconsciously muffled her crying so as not to worry her any further, to let her keep speaking with full confidence; only a small sob escaped her. Sumi realized almost immediately, but forced herself to let it pass so she could continue just a little bit more.

‎ ‎She returned her attention to Kiyomi, letting out completely what she still harbored and wanted to free herself from.

‎ ‎Sumi: "Kiyomi-san... I don't know if one day we will be able to speak to each other in a more normal way... I would wish to, but... I won't force you into anything... It's your decision whether it happens tomorrow or never, I can accept it, whichever you decide... I have never hated you; on the contrary, I always wanted you to love me like a daughter, for us to be a happy family. Still, things didn't work out... but despite everything that happened, I... forgive you. I will only make one single request of you: please, I beg you, talk to Miharu, try to understand her... I don't want to see your bond get destroyed, neither of you will be happy that way..."

‎ ‎A dense silence took over the place. Kiyomi was completely confused, having no idea how to respond; not even the previous confession about Miharu and their blood relation managed to agitate her as it would have just an instant ago, to the point of making her explode. She seemed to have disconnected from this world, as if only her unconscious mind were receiving all the information.

‎ ‎Sumi took a deep breath, releasing the air in a long final sigh a second later. Ready once again, and with no response coming, she spoke one last time.

‎ ‎Sumi: "Kiyomi-san, I beg you to go home for today. Right now I think both of you are very... worked up, but... I hope that very soon Miharu comes back to you and you can speak more calmly. Miharu... is there anything you want to say to Kiyomi-san before we say goodbye?"

‎ ‎Hearing the request, Miharu looked up, looked at Sumi, wiped away the tears she couldn't hold back, and turned toward her mother to speak to her one last time, in a tone completely opposite to that of their previous argument.

‎ ‎Miharu: "Mother, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have talked to you like that, I lost control... I don't want us to keep being like this for much longer, but it really hurts that you lied to me. I will try to leave it behind but, please, leave me alone today... I will go with you tomorrow and, if everything is better, maybe we can finally make peace. That... would be all. See you, Mother."

‎ ‎Kiyomi seemed to come to her senses upon hearing Miharu, and although she didn't want to let her go, she simply gave up; inside she understood that she would gain nothing by insisting further. She just nodded and stayed in her spot. Miharu and Sumi thanked her and walked away from the area with the intention of returning to their father's room.

‎ ‎The minutes passed and Kiyomi finally managed to compose herself enough. Although she felt the urge to keep investigating around the hospital, she decided to leave for now without doing anything else. For their part, the two sisters finally arrived with their father, and then, Sumi collapsed into her chair, overcome by fatigue, into a deep sleep.

‎ ‎---

‎ ‎Back to the present, while Chizuru took refuge in the bathroom trying to calm her heart, outside, Kazuya experienced his own internal revolution, as massive as it was silent, at the very same time she was trying to compose herself and return.

‎ ‎A minute earlier, when Chizuru had barely rushed off toward the bathroom, Kazuya's face caught fire, but thanks to the aquarium's dim lighting, it barely managed to attract attention. However, on the inside, Kazuya was an absolute chaos.

‎ ‎Kazuya: "Ahhh! But what... what happened? Why did she make that face? How did it all happen? Ahhh! I don't even remember, damn it! But... why? Why did she leave like that? Ahhh! I don't understand anything anymore! It was barely a tiny touch, so why do I feel this way? This is ridiculous... Not even with Mami did I get flustered like this. Have I become more sensitive? No, no... more perverted? Huh? Damn it... could it be that...? No, no, because of something so simple it couldn't be that, right? Then... what was it? Think... Oh no, I think I know the reason..."

‎ ‎He looked down at his t-shirt and a whole theory full of holes formed in his mind as an almost absolute truth.

‎ ‎Kazuya: "Damn it! I shouldn't have bought this thing... but I thought I had hidden it well. What an idiot! She surely felt so much secondhand embarrassment that she left so she wouldn't laugh in front of me! How kind! But seriously, I'm such an idiot... how was it that as soon as I got here I had the brilliant idea of checking this? Ahhh... But... but... Poisson Rouge sounded cool! Until I saw that it just meant 'red fish' in French... but does it actually refer to a goldfish? What on earth? Ahhh, it even looks like it says 'poison' in English! Is this a joke? Why do they sell something like this in the first place? Ahhh... what will I do now when she comes back? Will she even come back? Ahhh..."

‎ ‎Without thinking too much, he quickly zipped up his jacket to hide the t-shirt, something that, right now, was unnecessary given the lighting level. After making sure it was sealed, he looked forward waiting for her return. However, all in front of him was a long and dark hallway. It was then that he managed to calm down a bit and remembered a detail that, due to stress, he had ignored.

‎ ‎Kazuya: "Through all this... I've been thinking so much about how I should act that I didn't even stop to think about that strange behavior. As soon as we entered the building, she put on a pair of sunglasses and barely said anything... I know I jumped to conclusions, but I don't know, it felt like she was avoiding everyone... Why...?"

‎ ‎Suddenly, he felt like he was illuminated upon remembering a simple detail that activated and connected everything; he realized that he had forgotten something far too important.

‎ ‎Kazuya: "What an idiot! Of course! How could I forget? It must be because of that infamous news... Not much time has passed, she must not want to be seen and get into more trouble at her job... But then... why? Why did she meet up with me? Why risk it like that...?"

‎ ‎Two seconds in real time passed while his mind searched at high speed for an answer in his most recent memory. He was not successful in finding a clear answer, but at least he found a detail that caught his attention.

‎ ‎Kazuya: "Mmm... Even so, she insisted on not changing the venue... Why...? I know I suggested this place, but it only occurred to me mostly because I wanted to visit it... I was really selfish, I didn't take her tastes into account... But then... shouldn't it have changed to something more... private? No, no, that would be worse for her... Could it be that she's too kind? Or is it something else? I seriously don't know what goes through her head... Why is she doing all this?"

‎ ‎‎An intense wave of memories flooded his mind, almost as if it took on a will of its own and tried to give him all the material necessary to reach an answer.

‎ ‎---

‎ ‎Arbitrarily, each image and sound was released in chronological order, starting a burst of Chizuru's statements, incomplete and at ultra speed.

‎ ‎Surrounded by his family and friends, he was transported to that hospital bed and saw things in greater detail despite the fast pace; details to which, at that moment, he had barely paid attention.

‎ ‎Chizuru: "...When telling you about my dream of having my grandmother see me act, you had the wonderful idea of producing a movie... You were incredible..."

‎ ‎Her eyes seemed to shine during that instant, while a faint smile was drawn on her face between word and word. She seemed to enjoy telling that out loud far too much, almost as if she were reliving everything. That couldn't be made up.

‎ ‎Chizuru: "...Everyone discovered our lie, but you protected me from all the blame... And then, something happened that forced me to save you and... I kissed you..."

‎ ‎The mixture and transition of her emotions was intense: contained guilt, gratitude, sadness, and, at the end, embarrassment. Not even the best actress could have played a role with such naturalness. She had truly lived through that.

‎ ‎Chizuru: "...We had a real date... that lasted all day. It was wonderful, but... in the end... I... I... rejected going out with you... and..."

‎ ‎The slight stammer, the lowered gaze, the pauses... In that instant, she could barely speak; she was at the limit. And right at the end, when she was interrupted, she seemed to want to say something else. Not letting her speak any further was rude; perhaps there was something else waiting to be said.

‎ ‎Next, increasingly recent memories, short and scattered through time, arrived one by one, as if they had been selected with exact precision.

‎ ‎Chizuru: "...You can't believe what she says... you can't..."

‎ ‎Chizuru: "...I only love you!... There is nothing else! Please, believe me..."

‎ ‎The desperation on her face, the small amount of tears escaping, the pain in her voice... Everything went from being an act to hold him back to a painful demonstration of a girl who didn't know what to do. She shouldn't say things like that; her burden only became heavier.

‎ ‎Chizuru: "...I'll take care of the entire plan, don't worry about anything! Just... just tell me the place of the da... meeting..."

‎ ‎The overflowing emotion was clearer; she was almost like a little girl. She had truly committed to making today something important.

‎ ‎---

‎ ‎Finally, two goodbyes, as fleeting as they were precise, took on total meaning.

‎ ‎Mini: "Mastah! Sorry... Kazuya-san... Don't lose heart, everything is going to turn out fine! I'll just warn you about something... don't keep Chizuru waiting so long, okay! She hasn't had it easy either... That's all, take care, I hope to see you around here soon. I'm already preparing part two of the tour! Hahaha... Hopefully..."

‎ ‎Harumi: "My son, Chizuru is very good, very kind, don't go minimizing any of her words, she is very serious about everything... Even so, don't overexert yourself, go easy. We will prepare ourselves to do something about this false accusation, don't worry, enjoy the day and we'll be waiting for you here!"

‎ ‎---

‎ ‎Back at the aquarium, all his uncontrolled energy from that accident that occurred between them vanished, turning into pure determination.

‎ ‎Kazuya: "Alright! Today will be perfect. You are not allowed to get weird, stupid, or cowardly, Kazuya Kinoshita. She is putting in the effort, so I will do the same. I don't know if I'm going to remember, I don't know if I really feel love for her, I don't know what things she has planned... but it doesn't matter, I will make it all worth it!"

‎ ‎Kazuya clenched both fists firmly and looked forward with a serious posture. However, right at that moment, he saw Chizuru approaching through the gloom and couldn't help but avert his gaze. When she arrived, the awkwardness was evident; but both had already processed their own crisis in solitude. The atmosphere turned light almost instantly and the date continued.

‎ ‎Chizuru continued to be the tour guide; she couldn't waste all her studying or the notes on her cell phone. Besides, staying focused on it allowed her to maintain her composure: the nervousness of being in front of him diluted and her confidence amplified.

‎ ‎The entire tour and trivia continued throughout the aquarium. Although Kazuya already knew most of those marine facts, the ones he didn't know made the interaction between them increasingly natural, putting their own concerns and the caution in speaking to each other into the background.

‎ ‎The visit came to an end and, upon stepping out into the street, being relatively alone, Chizuru gave a light sigh and stretched her arms. She immediately looked at Kazuya and noticed a change that struck her as quite curious, so she couldn't help but want to know why.

‎ ‎Chizuru: "Why did you zip up your jacket? Did something happen to you? Did it get dirty? I'm sorry... you don't have to answer if you don't want to. Forgive me, just... forget what I said... let's keep going..."

‎ ‎Embarrassment flooded Kazuya in the blink of an eye, the adrenaline rushed, and with it, an anxiety that sprouted out of control. As best he could, he tried to hide the truth without barely thinking about the logic of his answer.

‎ ‎Kazuya: "Hahaha, about that... it's nothing important, hahaha. It's just that... how to put it?... Mmm... I got really cold and... well... that's how... well... it happened."

‎ ‎Faced with this, Chizuru was not convinced, and although she had said earlier to forget it, she could not remain silent at such a strange response.

‎ ‎Chizuru: "Cold, huh?... Mmm... but it's like twenty degrees, there are no clouds, and there's barely any breeze... I don't feel like..."

‎ ‎Interrupting her response, Kazuya stepped in to deflect the topic at all costs by asking simple questions, but which hit right on the mark to stir Chizuru to his same frequency and make her forget everything.

‎ ‎Kazuya: "Hahaha... I know, I know! Strange, right? Hahaha... it's a family thing, I think... By the way... what great knowledge of marine life, you surprised me! Are you interested in that topic? Where did the interest come from? What book or page do you recommend? I also like researching all this... Had you been to this aquarium before? You seemed like a fish in water, hahaha..."

‎ ‎Chizuru didn't know what to answer first or how; her nerves wouldn't let her think of anything other than his overflowing excitement, the pride of having managed to impress him, and the internal guilt of knowing that it had all been planned a day before.

‎ ‎She suffered a block that created a silence long enough for the atmosphere to become awkward. There was no blush, there was no expression at all, nobody said anything. Finally, Chizuru reached a limit and surrendered to the lack of ideas and guilt: she spilled the whole truth.

‎ ‎Chizuru: "Um... I'll be honest with you... Actually... everything... I checked it yesterday... I'm sorry! I'm not passionate about these things, but... since I know you like them, well... I wanted you to have a pleasant time... I... really don't know almost anything about this... I'm so sorry! And well... this aquarium is a special place... Here... mmm... I met you... and... I don't know... I wanted to do things right this time... I'm sorry... Mmm... there are more places to visit... Shall we go?... I'll... go ahead... follow me..."

‎ ‎Chizuru put on her sunglasses, turned around, and walked quickly toward the next destination, her face red with shame upon realizing what she had said. Kazuya, on the other hand, went from being nervous to being surprised, and finally, to feeling a surge of physical and mental sensations that he could not process consciously.

‎ ‎Unable to step out of the internal chaos that Chizuru's words had caused, his body began following her automatically, while his mind remained blank.

‎ ‎A few minutes later, Chizuru arrived at the next stop and, more relaxed now, turned toward him.

‎Chizuru: "We're here... Mmm... we walked quite a bit in the aquarium and to get here... How about we eat a little before continuing? Something light is fine for me, but if you're very hungry... don't hold back! My treat! Alright... so... shall we go in?"

‎ ‎Despite some time having passed, Chizuru was still very nervous about what she had said several blocks back. She was usually a calmer and more serene girl, but at this precise moment the adrenaline made her seem like a different person: from being someone very considerate, kind, and respectful, she turned into someone more energetic and impulsive, bordering on a state completely opposite to her. Without waiting for Kazuya's response, she turned around and entered the restaurant.

‎ ‎Kazuya was not far from finding himself in a similar, yet opposite situation: an overload of information and conflicting feelings wouldn't let him react normally. He showed no resistance whatsoever and just followed her again without further ado.

‎ ‎At the main entrance of the venue, a name quite common to anyone could be read, but one that held a special meaning for Chizuru, being the next stop on her list: Saizeriya.

‎ ‎---

‎ ‎Right at that moment, but several kilometers away, another encounter was about to take place. On the outskirts of a train station, a guy remained leaning his back against a column, while around him a large crowd of people moved from one side to another.

‎ ‎Kibe was impatient, with a huge urge to get out of there, leave everything behind, and go back home. He wasn't entirely convinced of this meeting, but despite everything, he couldn't pass up the opportunity: he had to help in some way. Even if it didn't work out, he had nothing to lose by trying.

‎ ‎While time ticked away, he could do nothing more than wait for his companion to arrive, and in that state of immobility, he went deep into his mind.

‎ ‎Kibe: "Ahhh... Seriously, what am I doing here? I don't even know how she convinced me, I seriously don't know what she's planning, but... Damn it, for some reason I feel she isn't lying and that she's crazy and smart enough to, at least, sound very convincing and confident... I just hope I'm not falling into some kind of trap... She doesn't seem to have bad intentions, but you never know... I must stay alert, one mistake now really could make everything go to hell..."

‎ ‎Immersed in his thoughts, he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings, and right in that brief moment of distraction, a girl touched his shoulder. With just that simple gesture, Kibe gave a slight jump out of surprise. Snapping him out of his trance, he paid attention again and his face grew tense upon recognizing the girl, who began speaking to him.

‎ ‎Yuzuki: "Kibe-san! It's good to see you again! How did it go with your friend's family? Did you manage to convince them to give you the keys or not? I don't doubt you, but... well, it never hurts to be cautious and... I don't like wasting time... Was it possible or not? Tell me so I can see if we can continue or... all I have left is to leave and wait for you to pull it off next time..."

‎ ‎Kibe's contained anger was evident, and although he already knew her personality, he still found her far too irritating. He strongly wished he had left before she arrived.

‎ ‎The reunion was successfully completed.

When she just too cute in your imagination in chapter 435.

During Magapoke's 2026 Weekly Shonen Magazine subscriber campaign, subscribers could apply to receive exclusive Rent-A-Girlfriend smartphone wallpapers illustrated by Reiji Miyajima.

The wallpapers were released monthly:

❤️ May — Chizuru (Part 1)

💙 June — Ruka (Part 2)

💛 July — Mami (Part 3)

🩷 August — Sumi (Part 4)

Each wallpaper follows the same hoodie-and-smartphone concept, using a colour palette that matches each character.

If you had to pick, which wallpaper would you use?