She looked at Tetsu no Sosuke with such a calm expression that he felt a strange flicker of déjà vu.
It felt as though they were back at their first meeting, when the girl's face had always been tense and she had made no effort to hide her hostility toward him.
But now... something seemed different.
Beneath that expressionless face, was there even a hint of disgust?
What the hell? When did she start hating me?
Chapter 289: The Unsolved Mystery
Tetsu no Sosuke stared at Shinobu Kocho, dumbfounded. Somehow, that look had wounded his fragile little heart.
Shinobu Kocho let out a long breath.
"All right, all right. I'll get going," Tetsu no Sosuke said quickly.
He had no idea what had happened to Shinobu Kocho, or how he had suddenly earned her dislike.
Once he got back, he would have to talk to Kanae.
He had just turned away when Shinobu Kocho spoke. "Actually, there is someone I like."
"Huh?" Tetsu no Sosuke stopped in his tracks. His half-turned body snapped straight, and he looked at Shinobu Kocho with open curiosity.
"Want to know who?" Shinobu Kocho asked with a teasing smile.
Tetsu no Sosuke nodded at once.
"I'm not telling you."
Looking rather pleased with herself, Shinobu Kocho waved at him. "Bye!"
Then she turned and skipped out of sight.
"Oh, come on!"
Tetsu no Sosuke nearly threw his back out. He pointed after Shinobu Kocho and said to the Tokito Brothers and Kanao beside him, "That's outrageous, isn't it?"
The Tokito Brothers kept their eyes down and stayed perfectly still, doing an excellent impression of part of the scenery.
As for Kanao... well, she wasn't paying attention to any of this.
Tetsu no Sosuke fumed all the way back. Shinobu Kocho was acting far too strangely.