ACT 10 - Forget-Me-Not of Rebirth

Seirei Gensoiki 10 - Rin'ne no Wasurenagusa (精霊幻想記 10.輪廻の勿忘草) is the 10th installment of the Seigensou Light Novel Series, it revolves in the aftermath after Rio took Amakawa Haruto as his official name, revealing his Identity to Miharu, and about Takahisa and Aki that tried to take Miharu away from Rio by any means necessary.

Prologue : Determination
I thought vengeance was true justice. I swore to live the path of vengeance. Vengeance was my reason for being. Because I thought vengeance was my only salvation... I couldn’t die until I had my revenge. That was how I was able to endure those harsh days. No matter how ugly and filthy I came out the other end... I was able to cling to life. If I could have my revenge, I thought I didn’t care about what would happen to me. But after I regained my memories from my life in Japan... I started to believe that vengeance might be evil.

But the flames of hatred still burned viciously in my chest. My past and present selves, and their opposing personalities and values, contradicted each other and clashed. Eventually, the fusion of those personalities created a new way of thinking. Seeking an answer to the contradiction, seeking happiness in an unattainable past, seeking meaning in an unsalvageable death... I started to scream soundlessly. Unable to see ahead of me, scared and unsure of what is right, unable to reveal my ugly self to anyone... Then, even someone like me began to feel happiness. The happiness I had lost in the past—my salvation—had taken on the same form and was surprisingly close by. Warm to the touch, reassuring to be with, and comforting to be near... It wasn’t the exact same thing,

but it was a beacon to me all the same. That was why, each time I touched that happiness, each time I saw that happiness, the hatred burning in my chest flickered just a bit. I wanted to touch that warm happiness forever. But I couldn’t forget my painful past. I couldn’t avert my eyes from the unpleasant reality. Because if I forgot, if I averted my eyes... I felt like I would forget the happiness I had lost as well. Because it felt like I would be sealing away my precious happiness along with the problem. Because it felt like I would be lying to myself. I was scared of forgetting. Because I was a coward, I couldn’t avert my eyes. That’s why I swore, on that day in my parents’ homeland... I could carry that contradiction with me.

I could keep screaming soundlessly. In order to bring salvation to the past, I’d sacrifice the present and future. Until the day I had my revenge, I would dedicate my life to living this way. Even now, that hasn’t changed. Even now, though the happiness that shines grows stronger each day, I have no intention of changing that way of living. Even if the flames of hatred burning in my chest flickered strongly, I couldn’t change that. Even if there was no happiness waiting for me after my vengeance... It didn’t matter if I couldn’t be happy, as long as the one precious to me was happy instead. That would be my punishment for the crime I was trying to commit—and it would also be my justification. Thinking of it that way made things a little easier. However, that was a contradiction in itself. That was why my soundless scream grew louder. Both my happiness, and the happiness of the one precious to me, grew further out of reach. And yet, even then...

Chapter 1: After the Audience
The audience isn’t over yet, the heroes are surprised and curious about the name that sounds completely Japanese, Lizelotte is wondering why Rio decided to use that name at this time and place, Satsuki thinks she already heard that name somewhere but it just doesn’t come to her, but then she saw how shaken Miharu is and realizes something up with her, the audience ends and Satsuki drag Rio to go to her room with Miharu to ask him what is happening, Takahisa try to go with them too but Satsuki reject it, then he just stands there worried and vexed about being the only one left out, Christina asks Rui if he’s fine letting Rio go because he looked like wanting to ask him something, Rui says that it’s fine to make his question later and that Rio’s current conversation topic look complicated.

Satsuki is walking towards her room with Miharu and Rio behind her, she asks Rio if Amakawa was his surname in the previous life, Rio says that his previous life was a university student called Amakawa Haruto and asks Miharu if she remembers that person, Miharu says yes, Satsuki asks if they were acquainted, Rio says he will answer after going to Satsuki’s room because it will be troublesome if they’re overheard, he told her too to prepare her heart because he will say several impactful things, now Satsuki is nervous and when she look at Miharu she looks tense too, she notices a strange atmosphere between her and Rio and decides to read the mood and stay silent for the time being, they enter Satsuki’s room and Rio sits facing Miharu and Satsuki, now Satsuki begins to asks him for explanations.

Satsuki tells Rio that she already prepared her heart and to tell her how is it that his previous life was acquainted with Miharu, that she didn’t heard about it, Rio says that’s natural because until now he didn’t say it to Miharu either, Satsuki asks Miharu how is she doing it and she says she’s surprised, for Satsuki it’s a little suspicious, Miharu doesn’t look that surprised for her, she insist on being surprised and tries to excuse herself saying she already expected it a little because it was the same name as Haru-kun, Satsuki is curious and Rio explains that back then he was called like that, Satsuki now asks the relationship between the two, Rio tells to her he was Miharu’s childhood friend and Aki’s brother until they parted with each other after the divorce, this surprised Satsuki in that story Haruto’s age doesn’t match, Miharu confirms that she was the same as age as Haruto but she looks confused about that too, Rio explain again that he died as an university student and that when he was 7 in this world he recovered Haruto’s memories, Satsuki wonders now if Haruto is thirteen years older than then, Rio object that it isn’t the truth, that his life isn’t the continuation of Haruto’s, he’s Rio with Haruto’s memories, just that, Satsuki wonders what is that name and Rio explains that that it’s his real name even if he’s using Haruto’s name in the mean time.

Rio explains again that his body is Rio’s, that at some point Haruto’s memories and personality fused with his but not his conscience, he was a different person from the beginning, he’s different from Haruto and that there isn’t any real proof of the memories and personality inside him were really originally Haruto’s, Miharu feels lonely hearing that and Satsuki isn’t completely convinced either, Rio moves again to explaining Haruto’s life, how he lived the next nine years with his father until he entered the same high school than Satsuki and Miharu, that it turned into a scandal after their disappearance, Satsuki asks how he knows that they didn’t go back, he explains he met his mother after the graduation and that she told him that Miharu was still missing, Satsuki then thinks that maybe returning will take them minimum four years, then Rio adds that when he asked about Aki she said she was fine and he doesn’t know if his mother lied to not worry him or if Aki really came back, or he may be a different Haruto, he has no way of knowing it now.

Satsuki and Miharu begin to think about different options like Haruto’s mother not believing Aki’s disappearance even if she returned and things like that, Rio now says that he didn’t explain about his previous life to Miharu, Aki and Masato to not take away from them their hope of returning in a situation where they were separated from Satsuki and Takahisa besides other reasons, Satsuki thinks that Rio may be right on that, that for her it may be too hard to hear everything at once, Miharu thinks too that Aki for example would have become quite restless, Rio apologizes for staying silent until now and asks the two how much must they tell of all the conversation right now to Aki, Masato and Takahisa, the two think that it’s impossible to keep this a secret from the other three any longer and that they must tell to Takahisa that Aki and Masato are safe, but to find the timing to talk to him is hard because Liliana is always watching over him and the castle’s security became more strict due to the night attack, so they decide to attempt at asking Takahisa alone somehow about what he will do with Aki and Masato and begin to think if Liliana is really someone trustworthy, for the time being Satsuki decides to call Takahisa and meet to a place with just her and Miharu.

Satsuki feels she needs a little more time for digesting Rio’s story so she changes the topic, she begins to talk about Rio’s previous life being her kouhai if his story is real, Rio says jokingly that maybe they meet each other at the entrance ceremony, Satsuki begins to talk about how she was in charge of making sure that the new students find their way to the ceremony place so it’s likely she saw him, suddenly Satsuki remembers her short conversation with Haruto when he was troubled in front of announce board and says it to Rio, Rio is surprised, he remembers talking with a senpai at that time but he doesn’t remember if it really was Satsuki, Rio praises Satsuki’s memory but Satsuki says it’s natural because it was her last day on earth but she sulks and stares at him because Rio forgot her, Rio tries to defend himself saying that it’s a memory from before dying, Satsuki begins to think that Rio was actually an adult but she kept treating him as someone her age and Rio tells her that it’s fine because he really is sixteen, that he doesn’t have his conscience from earth anymore, Satsuki now asks Miharu if she wants to talk with Rio alone for a while, Miharu doesn’t know what to say but Rio asks Satsuki to let them be for some time and Satsuki enters her bedroom until she is called out again.

Rio calls out to Miharu and asks her if she thought about him as Haruto, Miharu says that due to the similar name and feeling they gave her she was reminded of Haruto somehow, she then explains how she began to wonder if he was Haru-kun due to the story of him calling for Mii-chan in a dream when he arrived at the spirit folk village, Rio asks her if she didn’t thought it was impossible because his previous life was a university student or if she thought maybe he lied, Miharu denies to have thought he lied and says that she certainly thought the numbers didn’t match, that when Rio came back to the village her suspicion that he may be Haru-kun became stronger, Rio begins to think that it’s strange for her to suspect he was Haruto just for that and that when he took her to Lizelotte’s mansion she looked strange too, that she was getting too close to the truth, that it’s as if someone kept giving her hints, Rio thinks now about how Miharu didn’t look too surprised that it’s as if she was almost certain that Haruto was his previous life, now Rio wonders why did she say nothing to him before confessing if she was that certain of everything, now Rio thinks that Miharu’s atmosphere changed a lot since he brought her back from Lizelotte’s mansion.

Miharu noticed how Rio is examining her now and asks “is there something happening, Haru-kun?”, Rio asks her to stop calling him Haru-kun, Miharu asks why with a sad face, Rio says again that because he isn’t him, Haruto is dead, he’s just someone with his memories she doesn’t need to force herself to treat him the same as Haruto, Miharu shouts at him that she doesn’t believe he’s a different person, she says if the person in front of her isn’t the Haru-kun she knows then where is he now, Rio says he doesn’t know, he at least isn’t on earth, he says again to Miharu that he’s just someone with his memories and personality, that he isn’t Amakawa Haruto neither does he have some real proof of his connection with him being real, Miharu says again that she believed that Haru-kun is inside the him of right now, Rio asks her again if she is thinking about him as Haruto or as Rio the person who contacted her using Haruto’s name, Miharu makes a little pause for choosing her words and says that it’s not that she doesn’t want to stay with Rio but she doesn't think that Haru-kun isn’t inside him because of all the times she remembered how it was to live with Haruto for all the time she lived with Rio.

Rio says she feels like that because she's confusing the part of him with Rio's. Miharu says to teach her about that part of him too then, to not decide by himself how she will feel, to not hide things because her feelings of wanting to stay with him won’t change, Rio asks why, she says because during her time together she remembered how important Haru-kun was for her, that important person disappeared but he became someone different and we were able of meeting again and living together again, that she wants to stay like that, Rio asks her if she would still want to stay with him if she hasn’t felt Haruto’s existence in him, Miharu says that asking it that way is unfair and that maybe Haruto’s existence in Rio is the reason she wants to stay with him, Rio explains to her that Haruto always wanted to meet Mii-chan again and that he choose that high school because it was in the city they used to live in, even without knowing that Miharu was going to go to that high school too, but Haruto is dead and he can’t be with Miharu as Haruto, if they continue to live together she will notice too sooner or later that he isn’t Haruto and she will regret it, Miharu says that her feelings won’t change even then, Rio warns her again that he may be different from her imaginations, Miharu says that right now she felt Haru-kun in Rio.

Now Rio asks Miharu if the Haruto she knows would live using anything for survival even if it meant living alongside a gang of criminals, Miharu tries to excuse him saying it was before recovering the memories, Rio says that it’s something he did and even if he became someone different the past won’t disappear, that he doesn’t live as an honorable person, he hit a person until he lost consciousness due to anger, he would even kill if necessary, that he plans to kill the man who killed his mother, Miharu doesn’t know how to answer, Rio says now it’s Miharu’s decision to continue living in the rock house or not, he won’t stop her but she should think deep about it because the man he wants to kill knows about him, that she may become involved and he would hate himself for it, because he thinks that she will be happier if she stays with the people from earth that care about her like Aki, Masato and Takahisa, Miharu can’t say that people are unrelated to her happiness, Rio says he won’t say to Miharu with who she must be with and that she doesn’t have to answer now and changes the topic to Aki.

First he confirms with Miharu if Aki really hates him as he suspected due to seeing how she reacted everytime he used the name Haruto in front of her, Rio says that he thinks Aki should hear from him that his previous life is Haruto, but he wants to hear Miharu’s opinion about that, Miharu asks how much does Rio know about the Aki from after the divorce, Rio says that nothing because his father always blocked all the information about Aki and her mother until he was 20 and he didn’t know Aki was missing too because his mother told him she was fine, Miharu confirms that Aki always gets very emotional when the topic is Haru-kun and her father, that once she made her really furious and talking about him in front of Aki became some kind of taboo so from here is her speculation, Rio asks her to let him hear it, Miharu then tells him how Aki was sad and lonely because they weren’t there anymore without knowing or understanding why they have to live separated now or when they would come back, how no matter what kind of troubles her mother went through raising her alone they didn’t come back yet so she began to change her feelings to anger and hatred.

Rio asks if Aki knows the reason of the divorce, Miharu says she doesn’t know and apologizes, Rio says that is more likely that she wasn’t told, Miharu asks why does he think that, Rio explains that his father told him that Aki was the result of an affair, and that her mother the most likely didn’t told her the truth yet, Miharu apologizes for not trying to make something about Aki’s anger despite knowing it was unfair because she was afraid or worsening their relationship, Rio says she doesn’t need to apologize neither does Aki and he doesn’t think he would be able of making things different in her place, he thanks her for being there for Aki instead of him that was gone, seeing Rio like that for Miharu his face overlaps even stronger with Haruto’s face in her dreams and is even less convinced of they being different people despite what Rio says to her, Rio asks her to be present when he tells the truth to Aki in case her rejection is too strong, she says that of course and suggest to call Satsuki back and thinking together in the best way of saying this to her.

François enters his office and after him Michelle and Charlotte. Michelle isn’t happy about Rio becoming a noble and asks the meaning of giving such a title to a commoner, François says that the national interest takes priority, Michelle doesn’t agree with it yet, François says again that the national interest takes priority. He begins to say how the party’s purpose was to find a person that makes Satsuki to want to stay in Galarc and how it was necessary to make Haruto, the only person who earned her trust, someone of this kingdom. Michelle asks why a commoner like him, he asks if Miharu isn’t enough, François says now that making Satsuki wanting to stay in Galarc by her own will is crucial. A hero can be a blessing if well used but otherwise it would be the worst of the poisons when miss managed, and that if he isn’t happy with, it he should have courted Satsuki better, instead of getting seduced himself. Michelle leaves while sulking, Charlotte asks if he’s disappointed with her brother, François says that he lacks flexibility due to the inexperience and that he values traditions too much. He asks Charlotte’s opinion now, she says she has never seen Satsuki as bright as these days and that the cause is clearly Rio, that it may be a good idea to use the relationship between Takahisa and Miharu for pushing him to Satsuki, François says to her to keep watching them and informing him of the progress in their relationship then he allows her to act as she thinks opportune when the time comes.

While Rio talks to Miharu and Satsuki, Takahisa is in his room being anxious and worried about what they're talking about. Liliana tells him to try to sleep a little on his bed to calm himself and he obeys. When he is out of the room Liliana asks Alice if Rio really has more magic power than Takahisa, she then says than last night there was the same magic power coming out from Rio, as that from Takahisa, but he was able of fully control it, and that his technique for it was incredible, beautiful and flawless, that it was the first time she saw someone enveloping himself in magic power in such a beautiful way. He may have more magic power or maybe less than Takahisa, she isn't sure and she says she couldn't see Rio's bottom at all, the other hear that and are terrified of thinking that a sole human has the same magic power as all their court magicians together.

Liliana asks Hilda’s opinion about Rio’s skills, Hilda rates him as first class and says that the rumors about him overwhelming a minotaur with his swordcraft and repelling a dragon’s breath with magic even stronger must be the truth. Liliana thinks that Rio is a good person after talking to him and from talking to Miharu, whoever talked about him respected him, but she’s worried for Takahisa’s feelings for Rio. She realized already that Takahisa likes Miharu. She thinks about her wish to relieve and enliven again the Takahisa that was emotionally broken due to be separated from his loved ones after summoning, by letting him to meet with Satsuki again, but she’s doubting about how to deal with Takahisa from now on, whether to just hear to whatever he says because he’s a hero, or if properly stopping him from doing something stupid as his friend and the princess in-charge of guiding him. While she thinks, Takahisa leaves his bedroom and asks her if he can go to Satsuki’s room already. Liliana understands Takahisa wants to see Miharu, even if he said Satsuki’s name, she says she doesn’t recommend it but they can check if their conversation is over already and if it isn’t they will come back to the room right away.

Miharu talked to Satsuki about Aki’s hatred for Haruto and now they’re going to decide together how much of the truth to say to then. Satsuki says the situations is complicated and that Aki’s matter seems to be the most troublesome, Rio and Miharu apologize to her for involving her in the problem. After thinking about it a little Satsuki proposes to tell to Takahisa just the fact that Aki and Masato came to this world too and right now are safe in a nearby place letting the story about Rio’s previous life for another time, and to tell all the truth to Aki and Masato, Rio accepts and praises Satsuki’s smartness, Satsuki says it’s because she was in the student council and quite used to mediate in others problems, that because she is a neutral part thinking about what to do with Aki is easier for her, now she asks for Miharu’s opinion and she agrees with Satsuki’s idea too, now Rio asks what are they going to do if Aki and Masato want to the castle when knowing that Takahisa is here, Miharu and Satsuki says that it’s better to bring them here, then it’s decided that Satsuki and Miharu will be in charge of talking to Takahisa, at night Rio and Miharu will go to the rock house and will talk to Aki and Masato but Satsuki will stay behind this time for being their alibi if someone comes to the room while they’re away, Rio sends Aisia to the rock house for saying to Aki and Masato, that Rio and Miharu will go there tonight.

Someone knocks the door and when Satsuki opens it and Takahisa is there with Liliana and her escorts, Satsuki says to him that she already told him they would talk later because there was an important talk with Rio, Takahisa just says he couldn’t wait and asks if they are already done, he then sees Miharu sitting next to Rio and grits his teeth. Satsuki says maybe he came just in time because she wanted to say something to him too and asks Liliana to stay out, Liliana wonders why and Satsuki says there’s something she wants to talk about with just the friends that met again after a lot of time, she says she understands but looks strangely at Rio that isn’t from earth but still inside the room, Rio notices it and decides to leave and letting Satsuki and Miharu behind for telling their part of the story to Takahisa.

Rio is in the stairs that lead to Satsuki’s room with Liliana and realizes Alice isn’t taking her eyes out of him, Liliana realizes her escorts’ stares are making Rio uncomfortable and proposes to him to take tea together in her room at the stair’s bottom, when they’re downstairs they find Charlotte and Christina talking about something, Charlotte asks the reason for the unusual combination of people, Liliana explains the heroes asked them for a little of time for talking with just friends and they’re making time until they’re over. Charlotte and Cristina decide to join them if they’re fine with it, in their way they find Flora and she ends up joining their tea party too, after the number of people rose they decide to have the tea party in the garden in one of the roofs, while they walk everyone is looking at all the princesses together and at Rio, the only man with them. Rio thinks he’s already tired even before the party while wondering how it ended like that.

At the same time Satsuki and Miharu have just told to Takahisa about Aki and Masato, Satsuki says to him to keep this between the three and Rio, Takahisa asks why didn’t they bring them to the castle, Satsuki says that because they didn’t know what treatment they will receive once in the castle, so Rio and Miharu left them somewhere safe, Takahisa asks if that safe place is really safe, Satsuki says that if it wasn’t safe they wouldn’t have been fine until today, Takahisa shouts that if they’re fine he can protect them and Miharu too, Satsuki replies that would be Centostella’s protection not Takahisa’s, that by going to the castle they can be used politically or losing their freedom of action, that it may be fine for Takahisa, the older brother, looking after Aki and Masato but Miharu is different, now Takahisa shouts that the castle is safer and that Liliana can be trusted. Satsuki says that if he defends her until that point she may be a good person but that doesn’t mean that Centostella is a good country or that there aren’t any bad individuals there, she asks if Takahisa will take measures if Liliana takes her kingdom’s side, for Aki’s and Masato’s sake, and if he even thought that far to begin with. Takahisa loses his words.

Satsuki continues, she says she doesn’t trust completely in Galarc either, that she understands him wanting his brother and sister with him, but that there’s still some worry. Takahisa says that it’s more worrying for him if they aren’t by his side and he can’t protect when something happens, Satsuki answers she thinks they will safe while living with Rio. Takahisa says with sarcasm to Satsuki that she seem to trust Rio a lot, Satsuki says that Rio already has a story behind him of protecting Miharu, Aki, and Masato, and bringing them to her, that she met him and she understood he’s someone honest. Takahisa shouts again to trust in him too then and in Liliana that kept supporting him and asks if Satsuki doesn’t trust him, she says that of course she doesn’t think that her feelings for Miharu, Aki and Masato are a lie, that she doesn’t deny his feelings of wanting to meet them and to protect them, but she wants Takahisa to swear that he won’t ignore Aki’s and Masato’s will. if he wants to meet them, that he hasn’t any right to decide over Miharu’s actions and to not impose forcefully on them his ideas if they think differently, she asks him to think of this as a favor for her senpai.

Satsuki explains, now that Aki and Masato are living near the castle right now, going out without anyone knowing is impossible for the heroes, so they would need to bring them here, but they will do that just after confirming that they want to come here. She asks now how long can Takahisa stay on Galarc, he says he can stay for a few days more saying that there are conversations accumulated. She says, now that tomorrow morning Rio will go to talk to them and asks if he can wait until then, Takahisa says he will wait. Satsuki asks Miharu if is it fine like this, Miharu says that yes and apologizes for letting all the explanation to her, Satsuki says that it’s fine because it’s her duty as the senpai. Miharu says that, now it’s just to wait until Haru-kun… Haruto-san comes back and wonders about what can they talk now, Takahisa asks if they know where is Haruto staying while getting upset and wondering about the way of calling that means a lot of proximity. Satsuki says that Rio sleeps in her room, Takahisa criticize to have a man the same age as them in their room, Satsuki just says that sharing information is easier that way and that Takahisa is staying with Liliana too, Takahisa says he isn’t the type that attack women (just until two days later though) and excuses himself saying that there’re more people like the escort knight but Miharu and Satsuki are alone with him, Satsuki says that Rio isn’t either.

Takahisa is upset at how much the two trust Rio, he begins to think about things in his head, how even if Satsuki says she’s worried about bringing Aki and Masato to the castle it’s more worrying for him to not have them by his side, Miharu too, he can’t let it be someone else, that he will regret it if something happens, he is convinced that after coming to the castle Aki and Masato will surely want to stay with him and the three siblings will be together again at least, Miharu will come too surely, he’s decided of taking Aki and Masato to make Miharu to want to come with him somehow, then after a little more of conversation they decided to go to look for Rio.

Meanwhile in the castle’s roof the princesses are having their tea party, the four of them congratulated Rio for getting the noble title and now are commentating about the battle last night, it seems how Rio cut the photon bullets left a specially big impression, they begin to ask their escorts if they could do the same. Vanessa says to Cristina she doesn’t even want to try, Hilda says to Liliana that with a magic sword maybe she could but she doesn’t think she would manage with just her own magic. Charlotte talks about how he defeated six assassins in no time when the other knights have problems with just one, then she asks Flora about Rio’s battle in Amande against the minotaurs and against Lucius. Here Flora is troubled because she doesn’t know how much to explain about Rio’s battle’s, Cristina notices there’s something strange between Rio and Flora and is looking between the two, then a maid comes in saying that Satsuki and Miharu are looking for Rio and Charlotte says to bring them to that place.

Satsuki sulks thinking how Rio was surrounded of beautiful girls while she had to be in charge of all the serious talk. Charlotte makes Satsuki sit next to Rio and Miharu with Takahisa and Liliana. Rio and Takahisa stand and help Satsuki and Miharu to sit, Miharu didn’t really want to be with Takahisa but it was hard to say it at that place, Satsuki asks how is it that the group was formed, Liliana explains they just began to find people in their way and it ended like that, Charlotte says that they were talking about Rio now, Satsuki and Miharu are curious about it and Takahisa is annoyed, Charlotte is delighted at all the complicated things that seem to there between anyone and everyone, and thinks tonight’s party will be fun.

Chapter 2: Banquet Day 3
François begins to inaugurate the last day of the evening party, he talks about how the attack from last night and praises Rui and Rio that helped to stop the raider in front of everyone, then he tells everyone how he gave a Rui a medal for his help and a noble title to Rio for his help last night, helping Satsuki’s friend and the things that happened at Amande. The nobles get noisy when hearing about the honorary knighthood and François silences them, he introduces Rio to everyone again as Haruto Amakawa, the black knight. Rio is lamenting how embarrassing is the name no matter how much he hears it, Hiroaki is wondering whether to envying him because the name attracts attention or pitying him because the name is chuunish. François says now that because the raid interrupted the party the will treat this day as the continuation of the previous one for having Rio with Satsuki and Charlotte, and Takahisa with Miharu and Liliana, again with that as a excuse.

Satsuki and Charlotte praise Rio’s looks in his formal clothes, Miharu is envious seeing Rio with Satsuki, Takahisa tightens his fist seeing her like that, François tells to the crowd to enjoy the party without worrying about another attack and ends the inauguration. Reis from the side thinks he won’t do anything for today, and wonders about the name Haruto Amakawa, because in Lucius’ story he remembers the boy’s name was Rio. He remembers now how Rio was the kid that defeated Charles in a duel four years ago and smiles, Silvie glares at him thinking that he’s plotting something again and because she suspects the raider are connected to him somehow. Reis treats her suspicions as nothing and goes to the bathroom for retrieving the magic tools he left there yesterday.

The time for greeting the important guests has just began, the nobles are going to where Rio is, and giving their congratulations for getting his own title when Huguenot appears. He just says his congratulations to Rio, while praising his achievements of protecting Amande, saving Flora, finding and helping Miharu and the raider from last night, then he introduces two girls to Rio expecting them to be able of seducing him, two friends of Roana and Rio's former classmates and bullies - Dorothy and Elise (that was the other girl in Rio's group in the field practice, the only one that saw that Rio didn't push Stewart against Flora but lied afterwards due to fearing Stewart and his family. "We tried to speak up" she confesses to Rio, but because of all the bullying from her, Rio didn't believe her words and just reacted with a cold shoulder, she didn't like this and feels unjustifiably angered, started making rumors about Rio seducing a female junior along with the boys who were envious of the girls preferring Rio over them). All of this attentively watched by Flora, who was more worried than Rio himself about her other former classmates finding out his real identity. After Dorothy and Elise, it’s the turn of another lot of girls that for some reason get really happy with the most simple lip service from Rio. Satsuki and Charlotte ask him if there’s some girl who caught his eye, Rio says he doesn’t want to talk about that. Charlotte says that if there’s someone he wants someday her father may help him if he asks, the greeting time ends and the time for dancing follows.

Rio and Satsuki prepare for dancing together to the first song and Charlotte goes to the waiting place until her turn for dancing with Rio comes, Satsuki says to Rio that she learnt salon dance in earth but because the dance in this world is different she isn’t sure of doing it well, Rio says he isn’t that good either, they talk now about the martial arts the two learnt, Satsuki is interested in Rio’s martial arts and asks him to teach her if there’s a chance, now Satsuki talks about Rio refusing to let Miharu to keep staying with him, Rio excuses himself again with the story about him being different from Haruto, he says that because Miharu is Japanese and he someone from another world there are a lot of differences between them that would make her regret to be with him when she notices, Satsuki isn’t convinced yet and Rio talks about how he killed and wouldn’t hesitate to do it again if necessary, how he committed a lot of crimes as a child and his desire for revenge. Satsuki is vexed because she can’t deny the logic of his point, but she still refuses to believe those are Rio’s feelings and asks to him to say the truth while putting her face at almost kissing distance from Rio’s for making sure he wouldn’t lie to her. Rio points out to her, how noisy their surroundings have become and Satsuki tries to separate red faced. Rio makes her to keep dancing saying to her it would be worst if they stop now, Satsuki sulks at Rio but she doesn’t look discontent at him, the song ends and they go back to Charlotte.

Charlotte receives them with a beaming smile saying how their dance was wonderful, how she didn’t expect Satsuki to court Rio is such a way and how she gathered there all the heroes and princesses for them to have a good look of it. Satsuki begins to say to Rio red faced that it was a misunderstanding, that she wasn’t courting him, Hiroaki is shocked while saying a real tsundere, Flora and Roana at his sides wonder what the word means. Charlotte now asks Takahisa and Miharu if Satsuki and Rio looked like a good couple, Takahisa just says that Satsuki looked like having fun and Miharu doesn’t say anything while wondering in her head if Satsuki likes Rio, Satsuki wants to end the conversation now and says Rio to just take Charlotte to dance already, Takahisa tries to ask Miharu to dance too but Satsuki takes her away for talking just the two during the second song, Hiroaki decides to dance too and Roana says to him that first with Flora, Liliana asks Takahisa to dance together too to make him forget about Miharu that went somewhere with Satsuki, Rui notices he may give Cristina an embarrassing moment if she is the only princess who wasn’t asked to dance and asks her for a song too, Cristina thanks him and accepts.

Charlotte asks Rio if he has any idea of what Satsuki and Miharu are talking about, but Rio denies it, she begins to talk about how Rio was able of getting closer to Satsuki in three days that the royal family in several months, that if it’s him Satsuki surely would tell things she wouldn’t to the royalty and tries again to ask if Rio has any idea about Satsuki’s and Miharu’s conversation right now, she talks to Rio about how Satsuki doesn’t really trust them, how they want to change that, how they wouldn’t do anything that would make Satsuki distrust them because of that and how she wants Rio to say that to her, Rio accepts to repeat Charlotte’s words to Satsuki and Charlotte thanks him with a kiss on the cheek.

At the same time Satsuki went out to a balcony with Miharu, she says to Miharu that she asked Rio his reasons for not wanting her to live with him anymore, she says Rio’s words of him not being Haruto anymore and that Miharu would regret to be with him sooner or later due to the differences between the people born and raised in different worlds, she asks Miharu if she still wants to be with Rio now that he heard about his previous life and if the one she wants to be with is Haruto or Rio, Miharu says that both, she says that she doesn’t believe that Rio and Haruto are different human beings even if Rio refuses to admit it, Satsuki find her answer funny because she didn’t expect it and laughs, Satsuki says to her to just tell her answer with confidence to Rio, Miharu is worried about her answer not being right and being something that came from wanting to see Haruto in Rio no matter what as Rio said and that that may hurt Rio, but she makes up her mind and decide to talk with Rio once more.

After the dance with Charlotte, Rui approaches Rio and asks him about the place his parents are from due to how similar his family name sounds to a Japanese one, Takahisa and Hiroaki hear this and get near them too because they were curious about Rio’s name too, Rio explains that his parents were from the Yagumo region, Rui is convinced now thinking that Yagumo sounds very Japanese like too, they know about how far Yagumo and Stralh are from each other and how to travel between them was really difficult, in the middle of that Satsuki and Miharu come back, Satsuki tries to make Rio to dance with Miharu for they to talk about their feelings again in the middle of it, Charlotte gets in the way saying that it would be bad if Miharu doesn’t dance first with Takahisa that is her partner tonight, Miharu is disappointed, Rio doesn’t say anything but Satsuki is glaring at him as if saying you absolutely have to dance the next song together.

A little after Takahisa entering the dancing spaces with Miharu, Lizelotte goes towards Rio and asks him to dance with her and he accepts, Satsuki is conflicted, she wants Rio to dance with Miharu so they can talk again about their feelings but she doesn’t want Lizelotte to be embarrassed publicly making Rio reject her, in their way to the dancing space they find Takahisa and Miharu, Takahisa has satisfied smile but Miharu isn’t really happy seeing him like that, Takahisa asks Rio if he’s going to dance with Lizelotte now, then he thanks her for her help for bringing Miharu to the evening party, Takahisa says to Miharu to let the two go to the dance space already but Miharu doesn’t move and asks Rio if he can talk with her later, Rio says that yes and goes with Lizelotte to the dancing space, Miharu looks longingly at Rio’s back and Takahisa is annoyed.

The dance begins and Lizelotte asks Rio why did he choose the Amakawa surname, Rio tells her that he wanted to let himself with no more option than telling the truth to Miharu about his previous life once and for all, and he tells her that they were childhood friends in the previous life, she is surprised, they talk about they knowing each other’s faces due to seeing it in the bus, Lizelotte, says she was present when he helped Suzune that was crying in the bus and she wonders if she was reborn too, Rio tells her about Latifa, Lizelotte asks Rio to talk to Latifa about her and if is it possible to meet her.

They begin to talk to each other about things they miss from their previous life, Haruto's part time jobs, in what clubs were Rikka in, while giving to the surroundings the impression that there is a lot of intimacy and complicity between them that they're really enjoying their conversation, Lizelotte asks Rio why was he always looking through the window and what was he looking at, Rio says he wasn't looking to anything in particular, that he simply didn't have anything to do so he looked through the window, Lizelotte is happy because she finally solved the mystery, the music ends and they're leaving the dance hall, Rio tells Lizelotte "there wasn't direct contact in the previous life, if we haven't had the accident maybe we wouldn't have talked to each other but I'm glad we were able of meeting in this world", he completely shoot through her heart with this words of him, Lizelotte is surprised of hearing that but she begins to look happily at Rio's profile while thinking ( Maybe you don't remember me but we met in the middle school Amakawa-sempai).

Miharu is jealous of Lizelotte, Takahisa is annoyed seeing her like that and Hiroaki is jealous seeing Rio and Lizelotte together, Rio and Lizelotte leave the dancing space and go towards Satsuki and Miharu, Satsuki says to Rio to invite Miharu to dance now but before he does Charlotte, that just came back from telling François to end the evening party the moment Rio and Lizelotte go out of the dancing space, says to Satsuki and Rio to come with her next to François because he’s waiting for them for giving the closure speech, Miharu is sad because she wasn’t able to dance with Rio at the evening party in the end.

Chapter 3: Their Respective Feelings
It's the night after the last day of the evening party, Satsuki is talking with Rio in her room about what Charlotte told him earlier while they were dancing, she isn’t sure yet about trusting in the Galarc kingdom or not but decides to give them a chance because they have helped her until now and because her only friends in this world, Rio and Lizelotte are in that kingdom too, Rio says to her that making him an honorary knight may have had the purpose of making her to think like that, hearing this Satsuki thinks if that’s true then they may be worst than she thought, Miharu joins them while bringing tea and after a little more of talk and a visit from Takahisa, that was worried about having Rio in the same room that Satsuki and Miharu, Rio and Miharu go to the rock house.

While Rio is carrying Miharu to the rock house she takes this chance to talk to Rio again about her wish of staying by his side, Rio talks to her again about his revenge, about how she can get involved in it if she is with him, that it’s better for her to not be with someone like him, Miharu is upset hearing Rio to talk about himself that way and asks him if he really thinks that way why did he help her, Aki and Masato to begin with, why did he became the other girls’ friend or Latifa’s older brother then and finally she reminds Rio of his promise of respecting her will, Rio doesn’t really agree with what Miharu says yet but Miharu decides to conform herself with him not saying no to her again at the moment.

Rio enters the house and gathers everyone in the living room, first he tells to Sara, Ouphia and Alma the fact that he has memories from the previous life and he apologizes for not having told it yet to just them, he says them that the reason he chose Haruto as his alias was because that was his name in the previous life, Aki feels a little complicated about this, then Rio says that thanks to defeating the people that attacked the evening party he was given nobility, he tells them while looking directly at Aki's face that when he was asked what will be his family name he decided to use the family name from his previous life too.

Aki hears this and sees Rio looking at her and thinks that she doesn't want to hear more and having a really bad feeling, he then tells the surname Amakawa and Aki falls in silent, he explains that in his previous life he was Miharu's childhood friend and Aki's older brother and everyone goes "Eh?" at the same time, Aki screams "that person isn't my brother, I'm Sendo Aki my older brother is Takahisa, that person that didn't came back when mum was crying alone and when mum collapsed at work isn't my brother".

Miharu tries to tell her that it isn't Haruto's fault that things happened that way and to stop hating him, but Rio stops her at the beginning of the sentence saying "Me not doing anything older brother like for her in the previous life it's the truth and I won't that say that I'm going to do it from now on, such an arrogant thing ", everyone is confused by this, Masato asks Aki if it's true that she has one more brother, Miharu tells him that yes, that she's witness, Aki then asks screaming and angered "Why, why did you have to tell me this? Why not let things end with him being just her savior ?Why did you have to tell me the truth?" .

Rio says her that there were things she needed to know?, she asks him what things, and he explains her that a year before his death he visited their mother and then he asked her about Aki's condition and she told him that she was fine, because of that he didn't knew Aki was missing too until he met her in the other world, he didn't met his mother again but he's certain that Miharu was still missing when he died, so he doesn't know if their mother lied to not worry him or if Aki was actually able of going back.

Aki takes this as taking at least four years to go back to earth, but Rio tells her to prepare for the possibility of no going back, she asks why, and Rio tells her he died four years after the summoning but he was born sixteen years ago, it's unknown if the timeline can be trusted, he then says her that if she has any question she can do it now, while afraid she would ask the reason for the divorce and having to explain to her that their mother cheated on Haruto's father and she wasn't his daughter, but Aki doesn't ask anything, she goes to her room and locks herself there, Miharu tries to enter and talking to her a little more but she tells her to leave, Masato is surprised of knowing Haruto was his brother but he's happy for it, the next morning Takahisa was surprised too of knowing he had one more brother, but it wasn't said his opinion about it, he was just worried about Miharu and Masato not wanting to go with him to Centostella kingdom and about Miharu's feelings for Rio.

Chapter 4: Family Reunion
The day after the evening party ends, in the morning.

Rio picks up Aki and Masato and takes them to the castle, at first Takahisa is very happy for being able of meeting them and a conversation with the three sendos, Miharu and Satsuki begins. Aki tells first thing that she is going with Takahisa to Centostella, but Masato and Miharu tell that they will stay with Rio, Takahisa is angered, he doesn't understand why, Masato tells him that because he doesn't want to live in a castle, that he prefers to keep living with the friends he made in this world, and to keep learning swordcraft under Rio.

Takahisa is even more angered, he asks what is he doing learning something as dangerous as swordcraft, that it's something to kill others, he won't let him learn something dangerous and he will take him to the castle with him, Masato refuses and says he learned swordsmanship knowing it was something to kill and that he refuses to live just protected by others (you aren't just the only good brother Masato, you're the one with more guts too), then they tell Takahisa that Rio is a reincarnator, his relationship with Amakawa Haruto and the fact that they may not being able of going back to Japan going by Rio's story, he is very surprised and angered because he was the last to know and the only one left alone out of the circle, they decide to call Rio back into the room.

At the same time Charlotte asked Rio to keep her company for a while after leaving the room, then the two of them went together to see of the people from the Beltram kingdom, a soldier asks them their purpose and when Charlotte says that saying their farewells the soldier allows the pass, Rui and Christina approach them and thank them for coming to see them off, Rui then to Rio that he would like to meet with him again as a friend if possible, that Satsuki aside the rest of the heroes always kept their distance from him but Rio treated him normally, Rui offers Rio a handshake, while shakes Rui hand Charles said to them that they have to leave already, Christina then says that Rio has dust on his shoulder and while pretending to clean it she whispered thanks for saving Flora in Rio's ear, after that Bertram group left and Charlotte asked Rio to go with her to drink tea with Liselotte now, when two sit with Liselotte Charlotte explains to her about Aki and Masato, Rio apologizes to Liselotte for not telling her before about them, Liselotte says it doesn't have any importance and Charlotte asks Rio if he knows about what the Japanese group is talking, Liselotte then says that the most likely about who stays with who, Rio doesn't confirm or deny anything and then Satsuki came looking for him and saying that they need him present for continuing the conversation, Rio then follows after her.

When Rio enters and sits Aki and Takahisa begin to try to emotionally blackmail Rio, how can you separate us, we are all brothers, how are you going to separate Miharu from Aki with how important she is for her, Rio tells them that he prefers Miharu and Masato to go with them because he thinks that is better for them to stay at a safe place, that he isn't Amakawa Haruto anymore, and that if they go with him expecting him to be Haruto or the same as when he was Haruto they would live being disappointed, besides there are his feelings of him not deserving happiness because of his revenge, Satsuki gets angered listening to Rio and makes him have a duel with her, Rio wins and after the duel there is a little of conversation with just the two.

She says that if Rio makes Miharu go with Takahisa and Aki and ignores her feelings she won't find happiness, to not hold back his own feelings and emotions too, that she understands Rio's point, that she thinks that it's the most adult, reasonable and right thing to do going by logic, but that someone that never acts and just thinks is just a loser (hater), that she wants a happy ending with the six laughing together at the end, that if he yields to Takahisa's and Aki's selfishness that won't be possible and she ask him to properly face those two in order to reach that happy end someday, that if can do that for her he will a real hero and says that she will properly thank him for it while blushing.

Chapter 5: A Duel and the Result
Evening of that day, Rio goes to the Sendo siblings' room and tells them that he isn't going to force Miharu or Masato anymore to go to Centostella if they don't want it, Masato is happy but Takahisa is angered, he calls Rio a hypocrite for changing his words, he asks why is he stealing them from him if he doesn't really want them to be by his side.

Aki asks the reason for the change while upset, if he doesn't believe anymore that he and Haruto are different people, he says he still believes it, Aki says then why? Rio says he understood that with his actions he wasn't really respecting their freedom to choose, and that he has done already plenty of things that goes against the Japanese moral and valors, Aki asks what things, Rio says like killing people, Masato is slightly surprised, Aki freezes on the spot, partly for the revelation and partly because she's at least beginning to realize Rio and Haruto are different people, Rio continues and talks about his revenge.

Takahisa is angered, he says Rio deceived Miharu, that is impossible for her to want to go with Rio while knowing that, Rio says that Miharu and Satsuki already know everything, Aki gave up on convincing Miharu while thinking "Are you idiot Miharu onee-chan?".

Takahisa is surprised of knowing that Miharu and even Satsuki that was always the reliable and wise senpai accepted such a thing and says that he won't allow Miharu and Masato to go with the kind of dangerous person that killed someone and with a criminal saying that is going to kill other people, Rio says very clearly, calmly and directly to his face "I don't need your permission" (this part was really pleasant to read).

Takahisa asks for a duel and if he wins Rio will refuse to have Miharu and Masato with him, Masato joints the bet completely convinced of Rio's victory and says he will have to give up too if he loses, Aki is terribly flustered hearing this because she thinks that like that the brother relationship will break irredeemably.

Takahisa in his head just thinks he needs to beat Rio one way or another, that he can't let Miharu and Masato with a criminal like him, that he's murderer, that he said he's going to kill another person too... more hypocrite blabbery despite the only thing he cares about is that Miharu loves Rio instead of him.

The duel begins and Takahisa begins to slash at Rio, but Takahisa has just begun to learn swordcraft so his attacks don't reach him at all, he begins to move faster and faster but Rio just keeps parrying all his attacks while wondering if ending the match right away because he's full of openings but he thinks that if he defeats him too fast without showing him the difference in skill he may not admit defeat, so he decides to let him attack for a while for him to understand the gap between them.

Takahisa keeps increasing the speed and strength of his attacks and running around Rio in the search of an opening, he tries to slash several times at Rio's back but Rio just stops his attacks without turning back to face Takahisa, he begins to get more and more impatient and heated while raising his attack speed and strength little by little because he doesn't see a way of connecting a hit.

Takahisa stops running around and just tries to attack Rio from the front with the attack he is capable of putting more strength into, Rio parries the first attack, when Takahisa attacks like that for a second time Rio throws his sword to the ground, Takahisa saws this and gets scared of his attack killing Rio if he receives it because he finally realized that even with training swords and using magic with the strength he put in the sword he may really kill Rio, Rio catches the sword between his hands and makes Takahisa let go of it.

Everyone in the audience is speechless and very surprised of seeing Rio's show, Satsuki can't avoid to scream the name of the technique, Shirahatori, white blade's catch, Rio was expecting Takahisa to give up with this, but he refuses, Rio gives him the sword back and picks up his, after receiving Takahisa's attacks a little more Rio cuts Takahisa's sword with his, Takahisa refuses to give up yet and begins to say that now with the fist while taking a stance but Rio puts the blade on Takahisa's neck and the duel ends.

Takahisa still refuses to acknowledge it, he isn't in his right sense anymore, he begins to say he has to kidnap Miharu and that once she separates her from Rio she will go back to her senses again, that if he confesses to her she will surely follow him and threats Liliana with not being a hero anymore if she doesn't help him, Liliana asks Aki for help to calm Takahisa and she says,"onii-chan I will go with you, isn't it fine if it's just me", Takahisa stays silent, saying no with action rather than words.

For Aki, it was already a trauma big enough to have to part with Haruto, she barely held on for his mother's efforts and because Miharu was there, and his new older brother even with unreliable parts still on him her wounds finally get cured, she was sad because Miharu wasn't with her, but because her brother was still there she was somehow still fine, so when Takahisa her only important person left said he would abandon her too something broke inside her and in the end she helped Takahisa because it was necessary in order to not be left alone by her important people again.

The evening after losing the duel Takahisa says to everyone that it seems to be better for him to go back already to Centostella to cool his head, he gathers Rio, Miharu, Satsuki, Aki, Masato and Charlotte in one of the castle gardens.

Takahisa gives false apologies to Rio for the things he said about him and lowers his head, Rio accepts the apologies while worried that the place where they were called has almost no guards, then after everyone says farewell Charlotte takes Satsuki and Rio with her saying there is something they need to talk about, Rio leaves Aisia behind because he's worried about the lack of guards around, then Aki takes Masato with her to somewhere else with the excuse of having forgotten something in her room while making it look as Takahisa wanting a little of time to talk just with Miharu, Masato that just thinks that his brother has something to say to Miharu because he likes her agrees to leave the place with Aki, and so Takahisa and Miharu are finally left alone with Aisia watching them in her spiritual form while linking her five senses to Rio to make him hear the conversation of the two.

The action changes to Rio talking to Satsuki and Charlotte when suddenly their conversation begins to resound in his head, then he hears Takahisa confessing to Miharu.

Miharu won't you come with me? I love you, I have always loved you, you always were the number 1 for me, if Lili is the number 2 then you're the number 1 by a great margin, No, I won't go, I'm sorry but I can't answer your feelings.

Rio is flustered in his head, Aisia stop, why are you showing me this? this is too intimate, respect their privacy.

Why? is it because you love him?, yes, why? is it because the him now or because of the him of the previous life? Both, I love both, I fell for the same person twice, because of the part of him that is Haru-kun I like more the part of him that is Haruto-san and because of the part of him that is Haruto-san I like more the part of him that is Haru-kun,why? he's deceiving you, he killed someone, he isn't a good person.

Miharu gets sad when realizing that Takahisa's apologies to Rio before were false and she tries to leave the place while saying she won't see Takahisa again until he reflects and apologizes to Rio for real, but Takahisa grabs her body and begins to run towards the magic ship, in their way Miharu makes a big noise and a luminous sign with spirit arts to alert the people of the kidnapping.

Satsuki realizes the scandal and looks under the ball of light, there she sees Takahisa carrying Miharu to Centostella's magic ship and gets worried, next to her Rio pretends to control the wind with the sword and flies to Miharu's rescue.

Takahisa boards the magic ship carrying Miharu on his shoulder and orders to the crew to take off, Miharu is scared but Aisia says in her head to not worry because Rio is already coming here and she calms down, when she sees Rio landing on the ship's deck she screams Haru-kun happily, Rio says is fine already I came to help you, Rio smiles wryly when he realizes those are the words he said when they met for the first time.

Takahisa screams to him why did he appeared here again to steal Miharu from him and attacks with his divine weapon, a red colored two-handed sword one meter long, Rio ignores Takahisa, passes through him and asks miharu if she is hurt anywhere, she says she is fine, Takahisa gets more angered and attacks Rio again, Rio parries his sword with his in his left hand and with the right hand he punches Takahisa's face breaking his nose and making it point to another direction, Takahisa bounces against the ground, crashes with a wall and is left unconscious, Rio carries Miharu back while pretending to use the sword's magic to fly again.

Epilogue: Rebirth of Childhood Friend
Rio is flying in the sky holding the sword on his right hand and Miharu on the left hand, Rio is flying back to where Satsuki and Charlotte were, he's making a trouble face while commenting that explaining the kidnapping to François and Liliana, Miharu is thinking too that somehow it became a ridiculous situation, Rio now wonders why smiling wryly if it was really fine to punch Takahisa, Miharu says that she thinks it's fine, that sometimes it's necessary, the violence too, but because she doesn't really likes it she says a little forcedly, Rio says that it's fine because he will make it so she doesn't need to see violence, Miharu says now that she wants at least to learn self-defense from Haru-kun ehh from Haruto-san, she looks at Rio a little scared of his reaction for her calling Haru-kun now and when he appeared to rescue her before, Rio says that he doesn't care about it and Miharu goes "EH?" because of the surprise, Rio says that again that he doesn't care about being called Haru-kun from time to time, that sometimes he feels like wanting to talk about his memories too, Miharu asks Rio what about not being able of facing her as her childhood friend while approaching her face to Rio's, Rio tries to shake off Miharu's question laughing for not particular reason, Miharu approaches her face a little more to Rio's and says while pouting a little that trying to shake off the questions laughing that way was always Haru-kun's bad habit, Rio says that at least he will put effort into granting her wish of staying together in the future and ask if that isn't fine, while turning to look at Miharu in the eyes and approaching his face a little to hers, now Miharu is returning Rio's gaze a little embarrassed while thinking that doing that was Haru-kun's habit too.

While Miharu and Rio were looking at each other Aisia says in their minds that Miharu's feeling properly reached Rio, that she made him hear the conversation with Takahisa, Miharu tilts her head while thinking about her conversation with Takahisa, then Miharu got red faced when she remembered her conversation with Takahisa and asked Rio if he had heard it in fluster, Rio tries to shake off Miharu's question laughing like before but Miharu insist and says him to answer please, Rio changes the topic saying to Miharu that before using the Amakawa family name she already had heard something from Aisia, Miharu tries to deny it but Rio sees through her at the moment, then Rio says that he will asks Aisia about it later then about the love confession, Miharu interrupts Rio saying that it wasn't a confession at all in a fluster, now Miharu wonders in her head if that really wasn't like a confession, then she puts herself the excuse of that no counting because she didn't say it in front of the person in question while getting more red face, finally Rio says to Miharu "then please forgive this, Mii-chan" with a mischievous smile and getting a little red faced himself too.

Trivia

 * The volume titled as Rin'ne no Wasurenagusa (輪廻の勿忘草) with Rin'ne more to reunion rather than reincarnation or rebirth, while Wasurenagusa are a Japanese name of a flower from a plant called Forget-Me-Not flower, or Scorpion Grass with latin name Myosotis Scorpioides, in Japanese language of flower, it also has meaning of True Love, so it's more of "Myosotis Reunion" or "True Love Reunion", but somehow the official translation prefer the direct, right-from-dictionary translation
 * In WN, this is the start of the infernal infamous "letter incident" where Takahisa manages to take Miharu to Centostella
 * In WN, Haruto clearly confess to Miharu in the middle of party, without leaving anything to strange misunderstanding, while in LN, they left it vague with Haruto overhearing Miharu's confession while rejecting Takahisa's confession