"It's an orca!"
Inside the aquarium, Toru and Hayasaka walked around like a couple.
When they reached the orca exhibit, Hayasaka's eyes lit up. She rushed forward, pressing her hands against the thick glass, happily watching the orca swim by.
Toru glanced at the sign next to him and said, "There's an orca show in half an hour. Want to go see it?"
"Orca show? Only half an hour?"
Hayasaka looked at the sign, grabbed Toru's hand, and urged, "Young Master Fujiwara, we have to hurry, or we might not get seats!"
Toru chuckled and let her pull him along. The two jogged toward the performance hall.
They were lucky. Though the front row seats were already taken, they managed to find spots in the middle section and sat down to wait for the show to begin.
Staff walked around carrying drinks and snacks. Toru bought two drinks and handed one to Hayasaka.
Hayasaka took the cup, thanked him softly, then sat there eagerly waiting for the orca show to start.
Soon, the trainer entered with the orca. The host gave a long introduction about orcas, drawing impatient reactions from the audience, before finally starting the performance.
As highly intelligent marine mammals, the orca and the trainer coordinated seamlessly, earning cheers and applause from the audience. The children especially were screaming with excitement.
Hayasaka, sitting next to Toru, also cheered at the top of her lungs, even standing up as if she were part of the excitement.
Maybe it was the energy from the audience, but the orca suddenly dove underwater, and when it surfaced, it sent a massive curtain of water flying into the air.
"Ah——!"
The crowd screamed and laughed. Many curled up, laughing as their clothes got soaked by the playful orca.
Unfortunately, the splash landed right in the direction of Toru and Hayasaka's seats. That wave came straight at them, making Hayasaka scream as well. Judging by her expression, though, it was more excitement than distress.
Besides the orca, other marine mammals also performed. The entire show lasted a full hour.
Hayasaka was drenched, but she didn't get upset. On the contrary, she excitedly took photos with her phone.
An hour later, the performance ended. The two followed the crowd out of the performance hall.
Once they reached a quieter area, Hayasaka still seemed caught up in the thrill. She stretched out her arms with a yawn and said, "Ah, that was so refreshing. It's been so long since I felt this relaxed."
She stood on her tiptoes and stretched hard. Her school uniform lifted slightly, revealing her flat, fair stomach and her cute little navel.
Then, as if just realizing Toru was beside her, her face turned red and she quickly said, "S-sorry, Young Master Fujiwara, you saw something indecent."
Toru smiled. "It's nothing. Is working at the Shinomiya household that tiring?"
Hayasaka hesitated for a moment, but after spending the morning with Toru, they felt a lot closer.
Though she didn't say it outright, whenever she wasn't working, Hayasaka had started to view Toru as a friend—mainly because they were close in age.
She complained, "As Kaguya-sama's personal maid, I have to wake up at five every morning. To keep myself in perfect condition before facing the Young Lady, I also have to spend a lot of time on makeup, bathing, and all that."
"I can handle most of the work. The only thing I can't deal with is waking up early. I usually finish work around midnight, so I only get five hours of sleep at most. I really can't take it long term."
She touched her face. "...Thankfully, I'm still young, so my skin's not in bad shape yet. But if this keeps up, I don't know how long before I turn into a haggard woman."
"I just want to be like a normal person and sleep in sometimes... even if it's just on weekends!"
Her frustration had reached its peak.
If her family wasn't under the Shinomiya family's control, she would've quit a long time ago.
As for money? Is money really more important than sleep or quality of life? Besides, with her skills, she could easily get a decent job after college. That ten million yen salary wasn't irreplaceable.
Hayasaka wasn't the type to spend extravagantly either. She was extremely frugal, and nearly all the money she earned as a maid had been saved.
You could tell just from her clothes. They weren't from luxury brands, just niche fashion similar to what you'd find on Takeshita Street.
Toru quietly listened to her vent.
After she finished, he finally said, "Hayasaka, you've really worked hard, especially still being in high school."
"I want to say I'm used to it... but I really can't get used to it. Young Master Fujiwara, please don't tell Kaguya-sama. Don't tell the Shinomiya family either. Otherwise, I'll be punished."
Hayasaka suddenly got nervous, blaming herself for being too careless just now and letting her true thoughts slip.
Toru was Kaguya-sama's fiancé, after all. Maybe she was just too tired and accidentally let her guard down.
"Don't worry, my lips are sealed. I really admire girls who work as hard as you. Compared to Kaguya, I actually like you more, Hayasaka."
"L-like me?!"
"Yeah. In terms of looks, you're just as beautiful as Kaguya. She's more of a traditional Japanese beauty, but you have an exotic charm. In terms of ability, you're way more capable, and you're skilled at all kinds of housework. You're basically the ideal wife most guys dream of."
"Plus, you're more cheerful and proactive. You know how to make people happy. That's something Kaguya doesn't really do."
Hayasaka's face flushed with embarrassment.
It was the first time someone had praised her so directly and sincerely.
Especially coming from Toru, who was supposed to be Kaguya-sama's fiancé... and he was comparing her to Kaguya!
Although she had always seen Kaguya as a sister after years of serving her, Hayasaka didn't harbor any resentment.
But sometimes, she did feel a bit of unfairness and envy.
She'd think, if she were in Kaguya's place, if she were still the old Miss Hayasaka, she would definitely be better than Kaguya. More outstanding. More lovable.
And now, Toru was saying she was indeed better than Kaguya.
Her mind went into a whirl, full of strange thoughts.
Like becoming a mistress and taking over the top position, pushing Kaguya aside.
Like a forbidden romance between a maid and her master.
Kaguya-sama returning home only to see her in her clothes, exclaiming: "Why are you wearing my clothes?!"
That scene would definitely be hilarious.
Hayasaka quickly shook her head, trying to push those thoughts away. She calmed herself and said, "Kaguya-sama isn't useless. She's a fast learner, always at the top of Shuchiin Academy. If she wants, she can always be number one."
"Just like Tokyo University, where you go. If she performs normally, she'll definitely get in."
In this regard, Hayasaka really wasn't as good as Kaguya. Her academic performance was only slightly above average.
She didn't even dare to dream of Tokyo University.
After praising Kaguya a few times, Hayasaka finally felt more at ease. Otherwise, she was worried she'd end up badmouthing her too much.
"You've been bouncing around for a while now. Hungry?"
Toru looked at Hayasaka's little belly.
Hayasaka checked her phone. It was already past one in the afternoon.
"A little."
"Then let's go eat."
"Okay~"
She followed beside Toru, walking together toward the aquarium's restaurant.
She snuck a glance at the tall figure beside her. Or rather, the young man beside her?
As a high school girl, she'd already experienced the stirrings of first love and had fantasized about what her Prince Charming would be like.
And Toru... in every way, he was too close to her ideal boyfriend.
No, not just hers. He probably fit the ideal image of a boyfriend for most girls.
Handsome. From a good family. Gentle and considerate. Excellent grades. A top student.
Any label you could think of—ascetic, aloof, academic, warm, rich second-generation—he fit them all.
A feeling of romantic fantasy rose in Hayasaka's heart, along with a trace of a forbidden impulse.
There were many restaurants in the aquarium, but the lines were long. After waiting a bit, they finally got a table.
Seated by the window, Toru glanced outside and happened to see Conan and the others walking by in the distance.
At the same time, his phone vibrated in his pocket.
"I'm going to take a call."
Toru pulled out his phone and said to Hayasaka.
He stepped outside the restaurant to an empty area, took out a small advanced telescope from his pocket, and looked into the distance.
"As expected, it's Conan and the others. Are they taking Curacao to ride the Ferris wheel?"
"I don't remember all the details about this case, but I vaguely recall that Curacao's memory recall method is similar to the four-color memory technique. She starts regaining memories on the Ferris wheel."
The reason Toru hadn't interacted too much with Curacao was because... he needed her to turn good.
Only by being around children with genuinely pure hearts could she be influenced.
If he got involved, it might not trigger her awakening. Because, to her, he was just using her.
It could only be said that Curacao had already started thinking about leaving the Black Organization. The real catalyst that would help her take that step and awaken her conscience... was with those kids.
"Spencer's mission was to at least kill one core member of the Black Organization as a warning. But first, we have to locate them."
"Curacao is the bait."
Thinking about the things he had prepared in the car, Toru chuckled lightly. "Heh, I hope you guys from the Black Organization enjoy the show this time."
He put on his earpiece and said, "Haibara, any progress?"
(To be continued.)