The realization that Yuki and Kaori knew about Megumi, and that Megumi had potentially been working for them all along?? It sent a wave of panic and betrayal crashing over Chie, the room suddenly feeling almost dizzying in the wake of this new information.

  ...And they were watching her. They had eyes and ears everywhere.

  Her mind raced, trying to process all of this new information...until she was snapped out of her thoughts by Juniper placing a hand on her shoulder.

  The touch felt like a lifeline pulling her back to reality, grounding her in the present moment as she glanced back at Yuki and Kaori again. Her heart was still pounding with fear and panic, but there was a flicker of something sharper in her gaze when she met their gazes this time. A steely resolve, and a steely promise as well.

  Yuki simply smirked at Chie's expression, but Kaori's eyes narrowed in response as she studied her closely.

  "You look surprised," she noted quietly, gaze fixed on Chie like a hawk.

  Chie fought to keep her face completely neutral, ignoring how her heart was still racing.

  "I guess you could say that," she replied, voice carefully casual as she met Kaori's gaze evenly.

  "I'm right here, y'know," Juniper quipped with a smirk, tightening her grip on Chie's shoulder.

  It was impossible to miss the way Kaori's eyes narrowed in annoyance at Juniper's interruption, as if irritated at being interrupted when she was trying to analyze Chie.

  Yuki, on the other hand, actually looked amused, almost like she could tell there was more to the two women's interactions than she realized.

  She hummed quietly before asking, smirk still in place: "The two of you seem rather close…”

  Juniper didn't even blink at the question, just grinned like she'd been waiting for Yuki to ask.

  "Oh, we're way more than just 'close,'" she purred, voice dripping with mischief as her grip on Chie's shoulder tightened slightly in a playful squeeze.

  Kaori let out a low huff, looking almost annoyed by how casually Juniper was handling this entire situation... while Yuki’s smirk widened further, as if suddenly realizing something interesting.

  Chie felt her face heat up instantly at Juniper’s words but forced herself to stay composed despite it all.

  She shot them both an unamused glare before muttering: "Really? Now?”

  Yuki actually giggled at Chie's mortified expression, like she found the whole thing hilariously adorable.

  Kaori, however, was still eyeing the two of them like a disapproving mother, almost as if not quite sure what to make of the fact that this was clearly someone Chie actually cared about.

  Juniper, meanwhile, was almost gloating now, the idol looking like she knew exactly how flustered she had made Chie.

  "What~?" She purred, voice laced with mischief. "Can't blame a girl for flirtin'.”

  Chie's face burned at the comment, her grip on her coffee cup tightening so hard she was half-convinced it might shatter.

  Yuki let out a low, delighted chuckle, like this entire situation was just too entertaining for words.

  Kaori, meanwhile, looked like she wanted to reach across the table and strangle both of them with bare hands alone.

  "Really?" Kaori said flatly, voice dripping with disdain now as she stared down Juniper in particular: "You're trying to distract us right now by flirting? How childish."

  Juniper merely smirked wider, as if being called childish only made her want push buttons more.

  Chie wanted die right there on spot but forced herself take a deep breath before muttering again:

  "...I hate you both.”

  Yuki let out a laugh at Chie's muttered comment, almost like she found the whole thing hilarious.

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  Kaori continued to study the two of them closely, as if not missing any little details.

  Juniper, meanwhile, simply smirked wider, her voice dripping with mischief as she wrapped her arm around Chie's shoulders: "No, ya don't.”

  Chie felt another wave of mortification rush over as Juniper's arm wrapped around her shoulders, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

  Yuki, on the other hand, was looking absolutely delighted by all of this.

  "Look at the two of you," she purred, voice filled with mischief. "You're practically adorable together..."

  Kaori, however, simply raised an eyebrow in response, tone still cool and analytical despite a hint of annoyance now creeping in as she remarked:

  "Or just foolish.”

  Chie felt herself blush even more at Yuki's comment, feeling almost like she wanted to sink through the floor and disappear completely.

  Juniper, on the other hand, just chuckled at the insult, the idol's voice laced with amused mischief as she retorted. "Oh, lighten up. We're just having fun."

  Her arm around Chie's shoulders tightened in a light, but still protective, hug.

  Kaori's expression darkened at the gesture, her eyes now almost cold as she studied the two of them even closer now.

  Chie's breath caught in her throat, her body going rigid at the sudden shift.

  Yuki and Kaori both froze too, their expressions shifting from amused or annoyed to something more... calculating.

  The air in the room became thick with tension, like a predator sensing its prey had just stepped into a trap.

  Then Yuki let out another low chuckle, voice dripping with dark amusement now as she murmured: "Oh?~ And who exactly do you think would be able to stop us?"

  Kaori remained silent but her eyes narrowed further, as if waiting for Chie’s answer like it was some kind of game.

  The question hung in the air, a clear challenge lurking behind it.

  Chie forced herself to stay perfectly still despite the way her heart was pounding like a drum now, mind racing with a thousand different thoughts.

  One part of her wanted to just keep her mouth shut and end this dangerous line of questioning.

  But another part of her, the part that was pissed at the way Yuki and Kaori were looking like predators who had found their next prey, wanted to snap back.

  And that's exactly what it did.

  "All of us," Chie finally answered

  The moment Chie's voice cut through the room, sharp and unflinching, Yuki’s smirk froze in place.

  Kaori’s eyes widened just slightly, her expression flickering with something almost like... shock.

  Juniper let out a low whistle beside Chie, clearly impressed by how bluntly she'd just called them out.

  But Yuki recovered fast, tilting her head with a slow, dangerous smile now as she leaned forward on table slightly: "Ohhh? So you think you and your friends could stop us?"

  Her tone was light, but there was an edge to it now, one that made air feel even heavier than before.

  "I do," Chie repeated, voice steady despite the way her heart was still pumping. "If we had to, we would."

  Yuki's smile turned into a dangerous, challenging smirk now, almost like she was enjoying this.

  Kaori leaned forward as well to join in, her tone just as cool and measured as before, but with a flicker of something new:

  "Is that so? And how exactly would you do that, my dear?”

  The way Kaori stressed the word dear sent a shiver down Chie's spine, but she held her ground.

  "We have skills. And tools. We'd be able to figure something out," she replied coolly, voice carefully neutral to hide the fact that her heart was still racing.

  Yuki let out another low chuckle, her eyes almost glinting with dark amusement now.

  "Ohhh, I see," she purred, almost sounding like she was enjoying this conversation. "And where would you get these tools, hm?”

  Chie felt another wave of panic rush through as the questions continued, but she fought to keep her voice flat and unbothered this time.

  "We have connections. We could get our hands on what we need," she replied, tone carefully neutral despite how her heart was still practically racing now. "But I don't want to fight. You want the Echo Bell, right? Then you'll have to talk to Alice, but she's asleep right now, I think.”

  For the first time since she'd shown up, Kaori actually looked slightly surprised by Chie's words, a flicker of something almost like curiosity crossing her face for a moment.

  But Yuki looked completely unfazed, tilting her head slightly further as if genuinely interested now.

  "Alice, huh...?" she purred, voice still as cool and calculating as ever. "You're right, I do want that Bell. But what makes you think we'll be able to get it from her?”

  Chie fought to keep her expression neutral despite the way her heart was still pounding, mind racing with all the different ways the conversation could go now.

  "She's a reasonable person," Chie noted coolly, voice carefully careful now as she studied the two women closely. "If you approach her and make a good deal, she'll listen.”

  The room went dead silent.

  Yuki's smirk froze in place, her entire body going rigid as if Chie had just slapped her across the face.

  Kaori, meanwhile, actually flinched slightly at the accusation, her expression shifting into something almost like... shock? Guilt? Something else entirely?

  For a second, it looked like Yuki was about to snap back with some sharp retort, but then she slowly exhaled and leaned back in her chair instead, voice eerily calm now when she spoke:

  "...You don't know what you're talking about.”

  Chie's hands clenched into a tight fist under the table, her heart was still racing with panic, but she forced her expression to stay calm and collected.

  "You'll just have to trust me on this one," she said quietly, voice carefully neutral despite wanting to scream. "Alice can be trusted, I promise.”

  Another low chuckle escaped Yuki's lips at the reassurance, as if enjoying the way this was going.

  Kaori, on the other hand, didn't seem quite as amused, her expression almost suspicious as she said in a flat tone: "And I suppose we're just supposed to take your word for it?”

  The question felt like a sucker-punch right in the gut, Chie's heart tightening like a vice as she tried to keep her emotions in check.

  But her voice stayed steady and even as she replied:

  "You'll have to.”