Yuu 466-470

Title: Are You a Wicked Woman?

A few minutes later.

“In short, Natsukawa-san wants to help our production team, and she’s offering you benefits you can’t refuse. So you brought her to the Service Club and plan to ask for our opinions?”

While biting her chopsticks, Yuu summarized for Yukino, who had just finished explaining.

“Our production team? It’s starting to feel awfully formal… like we’re actually filming something…”

Beside them, Yuigahama—who was completely missing the point—spoke up while stretching her chopsticks toward the other two lunch boxes. She swiftly and deftly swapped side dishes between the three boxes. She looked utterly delighted.

Seeing her once-neatly arranged lunch box now a colorful mess, Yukino frowned. She had a critique of this dish-swapping habit.

Though it was a way to show closeness, it was slightly unhygienic.

*CRUNCH!*

She took a bite. Juice burst forth. The sweet-and-sour flavor was exquisite. The outside was crispy, the inside tender.

Even after being stored all morning, the sweet-and-sour pork was still incredibly delicious, as if every cell on her tongue was cheering in joy. It made one instinctively swallow and crave another piece.

This was the taste of her own handiwork.

Saliva flowed as her throat moved. Yukino gracefully and quickly chewed a few bites of rice. She suppressed the most primal urge, then quietly exhaled in satisfaction.

…Though unhygienic, it was ultimately a friend’s good intentions. She couldn’t refuse and could only slowly get used to it.

“Yukinoshita, being tempted by benefits doesn’t seem like something you’d do.”

Yuu examined her from head to toe. Her gaze was slightly probing.

Yukino narrowed her eyes slightly. She continued eating her now-mixed lunch. She had already anticipated the other would ask this. She spoke calmly:

“First, I am the Service Club president. As long as the requester’s wish isn’t too unreasonable, I will do my best to offer advice and help them achieve their desires.”

“Second, I’m not a saint with no desires. There are things I want but can’t obtain. Though I believe in acquiring everything through my own strength and try not to rely on others, you once told me that human ability sometimes has limits.”

At this point, those resolute sky-blue eyes stared straight at Yuu. Both her tone and gaze were equally serious.

“Things and information that cannot be obtained alone should be exchanged properly—face all usable resources. Continuously fill one’s shortcomings. That’s how one gradually becomes strong.”

As if imitating someone’s way of speaking, Yukino paused. She gave a faint smile.

“In other words, I’m just doing what you would do. Nothing strange about it.”

Yuu was slightly surprised. She soon shrugged in relief: “True. I didn’t realize you’re no longer the stubbornly-to-the-death Yukinoshita.”

Even though the timeline had been altered three times, accumulated growth wouldn’t vanish—from their first meeting until now, neither was the same as before.

There were good and bad aspects, but in the end, they were moving forward… Yukino was, and Yuu hoped she was too.

Wiping the red sauce from the corner of her lips, Yukino gave him a teasing smile: “You’ve got some nerve. I don’t even know who caused this—who’s the overly stubborn one. I just hope she has a little self-awareness.”

“Me! I’m self-aware. I saved a stubborn minor!” Yuu puffed out her chest proudly. She felt no shame—only honor.

Yukino shook her head with a laugh. Just as she was about to respond, she heard Yuu suddenly change the topic:

“So, what did you trade with Natsukawa-san?”

“…”

After a brief silence, Yukino cleared her throat. She resumed moving her chopsticks, which had paused.

“Personal matter. You don’t need to worry about it.”

She didn’t want to lie to her, but she also didn’t want to tell the truth.

Though not very self-aware, Yukino finally felt a contradictory feeling similar to what Yuu experienced when questioned about various things.

“Normally, when someone says that, it only makes me more curious about the truth.” Yuu rolled her eyes at her. Then, she looked toward Masuzu, who had finished sucking her nutrient jelly and was sitting obediently, listening to their conversation.

“Is there a confidentiality clause in your transaction agreement?”

Masuzu blinked. Her doll-like fake smile instantly brimmed with life. She swung her legs. Her tone was cheerful: “Nope~ So if you want to know, I can tell you everything.”

“Natsukawa-san.” Yukino set down her lunch box. She stared at her with a stern expression: “Don’t forget what you told me earlier.”

Masuzu pouted. She sighed, pretending to be pitiful.

“Fine, fine. Who told me to be the one asking? I’ll obey you.”

She turned back to Yuu. Her face was full of apology: “As Tenkuji-san can see, even if I told you privately, the super-smart Yukinoshita-san would probably figure it out soon and really not forgive me… So I have to keep it secret for her.”

“It’s fine. I was just asking casually.”

Feeling slightly uncomfortable and awkward with her calm yet enthusiastic attitude, Yuu shook her head. After asking, she had no intention of pursuing it further.

But Masuzu had no intention of letting go of the chance to chat with her. She said with a sweet smile: “As compensation, want me to tell you my three measurements? Besides the health room teacher, this is a secret only you’re allowed to know.”

Yuu felt a bit uneasy. She quickly waved her hands.

“No, no, no. I’m not interested in worldly numbers like that at all…”

But Masuzu acted as if she hadn’t heard and continued happily: “Or do you want to measure them yourself? No problem. Just say the numbers first. I remember my last physical exam, from top to bottom it should be—”

“Beep! Keep talking and you’re out of the game, Masuzu!”

Masuzu wasn’t finished. This time, it was Yuigahama’s turn to set down her lunch box. She took a whistle-blowing stance with a serious expression. Her sharp gaze stared straight at her.

“Right now, I’m giving you one warning card! Flirting with a friend’s boyfriend in front of the friend—only a wicked woman would do that! So, Masuzu, are you a wicked woman?”

“Wicked woman…?”

Masuzu slowly tilted her head. She pressed her lips together and fell silent. She didn’t look away at all and met her gaze.

At that moment, Yuu thought Masuzu would give a cold smile and say indifferently: “Yes, I’m a wicked woman. I’ll do anything to satisfy my desires.”

But after a few seconds, Masuzu just patted her own head. She stuck out her little tongue shyly and showed an embarrassed expression.

“Sorry, Yui. I didn’t realize… Don’t worry, I also really hate wicked women who steal other people’s boyfriends, and I hate wicked men who get tempted by wicked women even more!”

She clenched her fist and declared confidently:

“I don’t mind apologizing as many times as needed for last time. Either way, I won’t become a third party interfering in the emotional relationship between you and Tenkuji-san!”

Those words carried weight.

For some reason, the chewing of rice stopped. Yukino lowered her long eyelashes, as if she hadn’t heard anything.

-

Title: Become My Fan?

“Then…”

Yuigahama unconsciously started to nod, but suddenly remembered Yukino was right beside her.

She didn’t dare agree out of consideration for her friend’s feelings, but denying it felt oddly wrong. She could only freeze her movement stiffly. She touched the bun on her head and let out a few dry laughs.

“T-that… Ahaha, no need to be so serious.”

“I just wanted to reassure you.” As if unaware of their strange reactions, Masuzu smiled: “Just because I have so few friends, I unconsciously want to cling to the people I’m closest to at school. I hope you don’t misunderstand. If it makes you uncomfortable, I’ll try to hold back.”

“Mm, well…”

The other’s attitude was very humble, yet carried an undeniable firmness. This left Yuigahama truly unsure how to respond. After hesitating and stammering, she decided to shift her gaze to Yuu, seeking external help.

Yuu, of course, wouldn’t stay silent.

Even without Yuigahama’s eye signal, seeing Yukino’s gaze—which was surely starting to overthink again—Yuu knew she couldn’t keep quiet.

If she just daydreamed and watched now, forget being an Ideal Boyfriend; she wouldn’t even meet the basic responsibilities of a regular boyfriend.

“Alright. Since Yukinoshita has agreed, then Natsukawa-san, feel free to come to the Service Club after school. You can help with filming or play an extra.” Yuu spoke professionally, correcting the entire awkward atmosphere.

“We won’t give you any compensation. If you really want to help, you must follow our orders and instructions. Basically, there’s no benefit at all.”

“The benefit is that I’ll be really happy. This is my first time making a short film with others~”

Masuzu clasped her hands together. She tilted her head slightly. She smiled elegantly like a noble lady: “I’ll be very obedient. I’ll do anything Tenkuji-san asks. I definitely won’t resist—hmm, just for filming work.”

In her seat, Yuigahama canceled her whistle-blowing motion. She puffed her cheeks. She eyed Masuzu with a strange and slightly wary look.

Yuu acted as if she hadn’t heard. After confirming there was no issue, she turned and looked at Yukino.

“You didn’t actually need to ask our opinions. As long as you think it’s fine, the two of us won’t object—you still have that Club President authority.”

Glancing at her gently, Yukino spoke briefly without emotion: “I’m not a dictator Club President.”

Yuu nudged her lightly: “It’s fine. I’m just talking nonsense. If you were really a dictator, I’d still resist—but now, no need to think about us. Just do whatever you want, President!”

“Enough. Stop saying pretty words there. You really have no self-awareness at all.”

Yukino rolled her eyes at her. Her tone carried thick dissatisfaction. After speaking, she continued eating her half-finished lunch.

But after lowering her head for just a few seconds, she couldn’t help but smile at the corner of her lips. She quickly covered the upturned curve with rice.

[Ding!]
[Congratulations to Host for the reward obtained: Language Proficiency (Status).]

(…So easy to persuade.)

Sighing in amusement at the feeling, Yuu pulled her gaze away from her. She looked again at Masuzu, who was curiously observing the club room.

She didn’t know what her goal was, nor did she know what deal Masuzu made with Yukino for the justice devil to allow someone who forcibly kissed her into the club room…

Too much unknown information.

But Yuu could feel that she had no malicious intent toward her. Masuzu also didn’t seem to have recovered her memories and was testing her.

Perhaps it was lingering feelings pushing her forward.

Though a bit troublesome, seeing Masuzu now regain a bit of spirit, Yuu couldn’t help but feel relieved. She no longer had to fear that the blow from memory loss was too great, causing her to start seeking death one day.

If it came to that, she didn’t think she could keep watching from the sidelines, even though completely cutting ties would be the most correct action—she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

After all, logically, even though Haruno and Asuna revived after the timeline changes, why was Masuzu the only one regressing? The residual symptoms left behind were even so severe?

Was it a personality difference, or was the system operating behind the scenes again?

Thinking of Haruno, Yuu recalled Haruno’s weekend visit that brought Masuzu.

It was absolutely not a coincidence, but a carefully engineered encounter… Like someone adding a catalyst to a stable chemical solution to accelerate a process.

Could everything Masuzu had done so far be controlled by her from behind the scenes?

Yuu bit her chopsticks, lost in thought. She narrowed her eyes. Her mood grew slightly gloomy.

Once the seed of suspicion was planted, it would take root and sprout in the heart, becoming hard to uproot.

(Yukinoshita Haruno, you can’t wait any longer…)

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Lunchtime ended in a strange atmosphere.

It couldn’t be called good, nor bad. But with the presence of a silver-haired transfer student who wasn’t very familiar with them, Yuigahama didn’t start topics enthusiastically like before. She focused on eating seriously and occasionally chatted a few words to keep the mood from getting heavy. Her lunch box emptied faster than usual.

After eating, it was time to discuss the first scene’s script and rehearse.

But since only about fifteen minutes remained, the script discussion would finish, and they’d have to return to class. So rehearsal would likely happen after school.

And at that time, two underclassmen would also come to help, though it wasn’t certain if they could stay until the end—including Masuzu, they created a new LINE group specifically for discussing filming issues, sharing free time, and so on.

Of course, the exclusive Service Club group still only had the three of them. There was no fourth member, and there probably wouldn’t be.

“Alright, first, the opening scene is in the hallway. If you’re shy, we can film in the club room. The tentative time is after school.”

Yuu opened her notebook. She pointed to the clear, strong handwriting on it. She slowly explained:

“Girl 1 is the male protagonist’s close friend. One day, Girl 1 complains to the male protagonist that she’s recently been harassed by a crazy fan. She asks for his help to resolve the issue… After the male protagonist agrees, he pretends to be Girl 1’s boyfriend. The two meet the crazy fan, wanting to make him give up in the quickest and simplest way.”

Seeing Yukino frown at the notebook, Yuu quickly added: “I know it’s a bit clichéd, but this is just the framework. We don’t have time to create a masterpiece from scratch. We can only recreate based on clichés—besides, having a script but no acting is a waste of time. Don’t be picky now.”

“I’m not being picky. Stop talking about acting.”

Yukino rolled her eyes at her. She pointed to the words “crazy fan.” Her face was displeased: “Regardless of the story—now in the production team, besides you, everyone is female. The male protagonist, have you found this villain to stalk me?”

She couldn’t be blamed for her sharp tone.

After all, Yukino had been harassed by a crazy fan when she was young, and it wasn’t limited to peers—at that time, Yukino had no male protagonist by her side to help resolve the issue.

“That one, well…” Yuu initially wanted to say she could double-role using makeup techniques and camera editing. It was absolutely not a problem.

But as soon as she opened her mouth, Masuzu suddenly raised her hand. She interrupted enthusiastically:

“May I ask, does the crazy fan have to be male?”

“Hmm? There’s absolutely no rule, but usually male…” Yuu was surprised. Then her gaze turned strange. She saw the enthusiastic smile on her face.

“Natsukawa-san, don’t tell me you want to play this character?”

Masuzu nodded naturally: “Yes, personally, I feel a villain character like this suits me quite well. If you really can’t find someone to act, can you consider me? I’m pretty confident in my acting skills.”

After sincerely recommending herself like that, she narrowed her eyes happily. She smiled with deep meaning.

“Besides, me becoming Yukinoshita-san’s crazy fan and standing on the opposite side from Tenkuji-san… If you think about it, isn’t a storyline like this quite interesting?”

-

Title: Great, I’m Annoyed

The fundamental reason they were making a film—and even planning to turn it into a cultural festival showcase—was simply to distract the audience from romantic gossip. The goal was to stop people from obsessing over who was dating whom and wasting their beautiful youth on idle chatter.

The key was just to have fun. Including them as actors, their real motive for participating boiled down to one word: interesting.

What makes something interesting?

Unexpected, captivating, enchanting, and original things could broadly be considered interesting.

Based on this, when Masuzu proposed her idea, Yuu suddenly realized—for the audience, this would likely be far more interesting than her double-casting as the stalker.

Sometimes, just swapping a character’s gender could turn a boring cliché into a fresh trend.

If they kept thinking along these lines, the clichéd later plot points like [Their dating news is spread by the stalker; Girl 2 voluntarily leaves the club to support their relationship] could be reworked into an ending like [Hearing her rejection of the female stalker, Girl 2—who has yuri tendencies—feels sad but refuses to give up. She decides to test their relationship by leaving the club. In the end, she not only rejects Male Protagonist 1’s confession but even declares war on him].

Ideas poured out like Mentos dropped into Coca-Cola. The script in her mind instantly transformed.

Quickly organizing her thoughts, Yuu felt editing on paper would be too tedious. She directly dictated the revised script to them.

“In essence, the core theme of friendship born from misunderstanding remains unchanged. However, compared to a clichéd male-female romance, in this ten-minute short film, we should focus more on depicting the subtle, bittersweet emotions of the girls—like oranges. We also need to reflect values that counter contemporary mainstream trends… We can even proportionally reduce the male protagonist’s role. By spoiling the biggest twist in the PV, we’ll strive to maintain audience interest and viewing experience.”

Spilling all her thoughts without pause, Yuu unconsciously slipped into a lecture-report tone. She fluently addressed the group at the table, spouting many grand-sounding but vague terms.

After finishing, Yuu wasn’t even breathless. She saw the girls in front of her with slightly stiff faces, as if digesting all the essence. Only then did she realize. She quickly reined in her slightly overexcited emotions, cleared her throat, and pretended to be calm.

“Anyway, I think acting like this will be more interesting than before. If you have different ideas, feel free to share, and we’ll discuss together.”

Masuzu was the first to snap out of confusion. She clapped sincerely: “I think this is super interesting too. Tenkuji-kun is amazing!”

“Overpraising.” Yuu nodded calmly, not feeling awkward at all.

As usual, Yukino and Yuigahama sighed in unison. They exchanged surprised glances, then looked away with inexplicably flushed cheeks.

Masuzu stopped clapping. She asked with slight curiosity and hope: “But if the focus shifts to the girls’ emotions, won’t the stalker’s role increase?”

Remembering she had just praised her, Yuu thought seriously. She smiled gently:

“Time is limited, so we won’t add roles for extras. Sorry.”

“…”

(Great, I’m annoyed.)

Yet even the choking frustration Yuu stirred with a few words made her feel a strange nostalgia and happiness—her whole body tingling like ants crawling. Masuzu unconsciously craved more, yearning for her to fill the emptiness in her chest with warmth.

Her face still held a slightly awkward smile, but Masuzu’s heart was calm. She reaffirmed to herself.

She was indeed the same as Haruno.

Something had happened between her and Yuu. Only, for some mysterious reason, she had lost all memories—no, not just memories; even the traces of time they spent together had vanished completely.

Finding a reason to approach her was indeed the best choice.

Watching the young man explaining the next plot to the other two, Masuzu pressed her lips together. She secretly clenched her fist, digging her well-manicured nails into her palm.

…Right. If she kept bothering her, sooner or later she’d remember everything.

From childhood until now, she was used to losing things. But she refused to lose the source of these feelings.

Whether she could remember or not, Masuzu wouldn’t regret her current choice. Like clutching the only plank in an endless ocean without hesitation, she cried out her instinctive refusal to give up from the depths of her being.

Now, she had just taken the first step.

Even after filming ended and the cultural festival was over… No matter which of those two was actually her girlfriend, she would shamelessly follow Yuu until that empty heart was filled completely.

“Ahh, a future like this… is actually pretty exciting…”

Lost in thought, Masuzu slowly grinned. She chuckled softly with vacant eyes.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Lunchtime soon ended. After wrapping up script matters, everyone returned to their classrooms.

Though they promised to gather at the Service Club after school, due to class and committee duties, they couldn’t set an exact arrival time. They could only confirm they’d head to the club room as soon as their tasks were done.

Masuzu seemed to have nothing else to do. She rushed to the Service Club right after school ended. Unfortunately, she didn’t have a key, so she had to wait outside the door for a long time.

Only after Yuu, Yukino, and Yuigahama appeared together did Masuzu snap out of her blank, bored expression. She followed them into the Service Club.

Soon after, the two underclassmen helping with photography entered the club room. They were startled by the sudden uninvited guest. After Yuu’s explanation, they reluctantly accepted that this person would also be filming the short film with them.

Kanade had no issue. She remained innocent and simple. She showed no hostility or alienation toward Masuzu.

Iroha grumbled a bit. But she had little influence and no chance to persuade Yuu. She could only force herself to forget the forced-kiss scene she’d witnessed before. She befriended the beautiful, fairy-like senior as if nothing had happened.

After equipment and script preparations were complete, Yuu and Yukino stood at the club room door. One in front, one behind, they took positions to push the door and enter.

“Then, three, two, one… Action!”

As soon as Iroha gave the cue, Yuu instantly embodied the role. Subtly, she influenced the surrounding atmosphere.

She naturally changed her expression. She looked at Yukino with slight helplessness. She comforted her as if coaxing:

“Come on, Yukinoshita. I get how you feel. Do you think I’ve never been chased? Tons of perverts wanted to be my girlfriend. Just surviving until now is lucky enough…”

Following her back, Yukino entered the Service Club with an annoyed face. She said coldly: “What do you know? Talk like that after you’ve been stalked by guys.”

Yuu shrugged helplessly.

“That’s exactly what I’m doing now.”

Yukino’s footsteps halted. She opened her mouth slightly in shock: “…So you’ve actually had some?”

“Cut!”

Iroha shouted immediately. Then she slammed the rolled notebook in her hand.

“Yukinoshita-senpai, I totally get your genuine shock. I want to ask Tenkuji-senpai right now if she’s zero or one… But please stick to the script while filming! If you want to improvise, wait until later. We don’t have much time!”

Iroha, a year younger than them, struck a smug pose. Her gaze was sharp. She lectured a certain senior without any respect, as if she were the greatest director here.

Yukino, aware of her mistake, obediently accepted the scolding. Only after Iroha finished saying everything did she stare at her coldly and say word by word:

“S-sorry, Director Isshiki. There won’t be a next time!”

“Uh…”

Snapping out of her high, the wandering crab quickly retracted its large claws. Iroha flashed a fawning, flattering smile. She shrank her neck, as if becoming a different person. She waved her fist without a shred of courage.

“O-okay, okay~ Go ahead. Fighting spirit!”

Yukino ignored her further. After self-reflection, she returned to her starting position at the door. Her expression was serious and solemn, like stepping onto a battlefield.

Thus, the acting continued.

-

Title: What I Fear Isn’t Walking at Night

After school, in the Special Building corridor.

Winter night draped the entire campus early. Flickering pale bulbs pierced the silent, isolated atmosphere.

After agreeing on time and place with the crazy fan, Yuu and Yukino arrived early, waiting for the other party. They prepared to make them completely despair by pretending to be lovers.

Even if the person was extremely stubborn, they could still use subtle methods to subdue them in this secluded spot.

“But aren’t you afraid they’ll spread rumors everywhere that you have a boyfriend?”

Yuu asked casually while stretching her muscles.

“I don’t care.” Yukino stood with arms crossed. She spoke coldly from the heart: “If rumors spread, it’ll actually deter other arrogant people.”

“I have no plans for a boyfriend during school. Let them misunderstand and ignore it.”

“You really do as you please…” Yuu wasn’t surprised. She just sighed: “Don’t you consider my feelings? How can I get a girlfriend after this?”

As very close opposite-sex friends, they naturally knew everything about each other.

So when Yuu asked this, Yukino shrugged. Her face was indifferent:

“I’ll just explain to her later. But if it’s her, she should understand our relationship isn’t like that at all and won’t misunderstand.”

“True.”

They smiled at each other. No worried expressions on their faces.

Soon, footsteps echoed from the stairs.

Stopping their chat, they turned to look. Both put on blank faces, ready for battle.

In the still air, a figure slowly emerged from the corner. But it wasn’t the perverted male stalker they’d imagined.

Instead, a beautiful silver-haired girl with an elegant, calm demeanor—like a fairy princess.

“How could it be…”

Yukino’s eyes widened in shock. She asked incredulously: “Natsukawa-san? Why are you here…”

“You can see. Asking about the obvious isn’t a good habit.”

Masuzu flicked her silver hair over her shoulder. She smiled faintly and said frankly: “As you guessed, the letters, chocolates, and photos in the shoe locker were all from me—the crazy fan you’re looking for is me, Yukinoshita-san.”

“You’re a girl. Why do something like this?” Yuu asked, frowning.

Masuzu slowly tilted her head. She shifted her gaze from Yukino to her. The smile on her face seemed to vanish momentarily.

“A girl, so what?”

“Don’t you understand? To be with the one you love, regardless of male or female, you should do anything.”

The girl’s eyes were deeper and dimmer than a dry well. Every word seemed cloaked in dark, profound emotion, yet she spoke them lightly.

“Be it time, space, identity, morality—what transcends all barriers and clings persistently no matter what. Only emotions reaching this level can be called love—let alone mere gender.”

Looking at Yuu, Masuzu showed her sweet, bright smile again. She asked politely: “So, may I know who you are?”

“Are you a new obstacle here to stop me from pursuing true love?”

“If the answer is yes, killing you on the spot is fine—”

That emotionless cold voice seemed to declare it.

Rarely did Yuu feel fear from someone. She couldn’t suppress the chills no matter what.

(Amazing acting… No, is this really acting?)

Taking a deep breath, she suppressed the slight tremor at her fingertips. Yuu subtly observed Yukino beside

Her. She found Yukino was also shocked by the acting and frowning involuntarily. Her expression was even worse than hers.

Like a cat targeted by a giant python, though not the target, Yukino unconsciously stepped back. She gently tugged Yuu’s jacket hem. She seemed afraid to swallow.

The fear here felt real—none of the slightly raw impression from earlier scenes.

Yuu naturally understood that the better someone’s acting, the more they could influence other actors’ states and raise overall immersion.

Even if it wasn’t acting, she couldn’t worry about it during filming. After those lines, she was only shocked for two or three seconds. Yuu quickly wrapped her arm around Yukino’s slender shoulders. She looked up confidently:

“She’s mine. You’re the obstacle!”

Before she could react, Yukino’s entire body fell into her embrace.

“Wait?!”

Yukino’s eyes widened. She leaned against her chest with a shocked face. Her white skin gradually flushed. She instinctively struggled slightly. She whispered in slight panic:

“Y-you didn’t say it’d go this far! And you’re hugging too tight, idiot…”

It hadn’t been mentioned.

This was Yuu’s improvisation—a counterattack to Masuzu’s acting.

She whispered in Yukino’s ear: “Actions speak louder than words. Bear with it.”

“Ngh…” Yukino’s body stiffened, then went limp as if drained. She gently bit her lower lip.

“Fine, I’ll bear it. But don’t talk near my ear.”

“Okay. Next time I’ll use telepathy.”

Yuu whispered. After confirming the camera captured it, she looked up at Masuzu and showed a mocking smile.

“See? Just give up openly. With me here, you have no chance!”

“…No chance?”

Masuzu muttered to herself.

She glanced at Yuu, then at Yukino in her arms—struggling to suppress embarrassment with a blank face. Slowly, the fake smile truly vanished. Her expression darkened like water.

“No chance?”

She repeated the same line, as if asking someone or just expressing indifference. Her hand slowly reached behind. Her upper body leaned forward slightly.

The next second, a glint reflected off the blade flashed in those dim, cold eyes.

“Don’t talk nonsense. As long as you disappear, my chance… isn’t it now?!”

Accompanied by sharp, manic laughter, silver hair suddenly flew. The kitchen knife drew a silver arc, quickly reaching them. Then it was raised high.

“Hahahaha, just die!”

Masuzu grinned without a trace of beautiful-girl elegance. With a crazed, enthusiastic smile, she swung her arm toward Yukino without hesitation.

Though knowing it was acting, Yuu instinctively protected the girl in her arms. She let the blade hit her arm.

“Cut! Cut! Cut!”

Behind them, Iroha holding the camera shouted immediately. She jumped in slight frustration.

“Aaaah! That was a perfect one-take scene. Why did Natsukawa-senpai swing the knife wrong at the end!”

“I didn’t swing wrong?”

Her expression changed instantly. Masuzu tilted her head innocently.

The prop kitchen knife in her hand swung at Yuu’s strong arm multiple times. She seemed to find it amusing. A smile unconsciously appeared.

“The villain is smart too. She knows he’ll definitely protect his girlfriend over himself. So she deliberately swings at Yukinoshita, leaving him no escape… No, if he actually runs, it’s even better—she can destroy their relationship.”

“B-but the script…”

“This is my understanding of the character, Isshiki-san.”

Masuzu stared at Iroha. After silencing her with aura, she softened her gaze toward Yuu.

“What do you think? Is my acting worthy of improvisation? Or am I just stiffly following the script like them?”

Yuu frowned slightly. She saw her bright eyes expecting praise. She also thought of Yukino beside her. She really couldn’t give dishonest judgment.

In the end, she could only nod and honestly acknowledge:

“Unexpected but logical attack. In the later part, just add ‘I knew you’d do this’—it’ll explain the character’s crazy psychology while surprising the audience. Let’s act like this going forward.”

“Hmm, Senpai… Hmph!” Iroha sighed in slight disappointment. She puffed her cheeks and turned away, grumbling like sulking.

Meanwhile, Masuzu naturally wouldn’t care about the underclassman’s reaction or feelings—just a tool.

“Thank you for the recognition. I’m truly flattered.”

After bowing respectfully with hand on chest, Masuzu suddenly pointed the knife tip at Yukino. She smiled:

“Ara, Yukinoshita-san. The director already called cut~ Why are you still in Tenkuji-kun’s arms?”

“…Because she’s hugging too tight.”

Yukino glanced at her coldly. Then she looked up and ordered Yuu:

“Let go.”

“Okay.”

Yuu released her hands. She didn’t step aside. She just stood there. Her fingers unconsciously brushed Yukino’s flushed, warm cheek.

Taking a deep breath, Yukino touched her hair as if nothing happened. Her expression returned to cold calm. She began fixing hair that wasn’t actually messy.

Yuigahama also walked out from her supposed hiding corner. She stood beside Yuu. She smoothed Yukino’s clothes while praising their acting.

As if sidelined by the atmosphere among the three, Masuzu stood alone in front. No one paid attention.

But she still smiled. She even stretched comfortably.

“Haah—acting truly is a great civilization~”

Getting close to her and venting heart complaints at the same time. She really wished for more of this interesting work…

Unfortunately, night fell, and today’s filming ended smoothly.

Masuzu had no more chances to perform. The remaining time belonged to the three of them.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Despite many small interruptions, busy time passed quickly. Suddenly, it was time to go home.

The school only allowed students to stay for cultural festival prep. Otherwise, latest until 6 PM.

After packing, everyone left before the gate closed.

“Then, see you.”

“Tomorrow~”

They parted at the station and turned to leave.

From the corner of her eye, she saw silver hair flutter. Her steps involuntarily stopped. Yukino suddenly realized she and Masuzu were on the same path—or rather, they’d only part after taking the elevator to the tenth floor.

Originally, no issue.

Though completely incompatible with Masuzu, she was frank, arrogant, and had Aikido and self-defense skills.

No matter who, Yukino felt no need to worry or fear—after all, this was a law-governed society.

But recalling the afternoon corridor filming—where the person beside her carried a prop kitchen knife, laughing maniacally while charging; though knowing it was acting, the vivid madness still clung to her bones. Just remembering made her shiver.

So though no need to fear, Yukino suddenly wanted someone to escort her home.

“Tenkuji…”

Right before speaking, a hand suddenly landed on her shoulder. A face drew close. Up close, the person stared curiously.

“Yukinoshita-san, what’s wrong? I feel you’re a bit anxious—are you afraid of walking at night?”

“…”

Masuzu smiled friendly. Streetlights illuminated only half her face, shrouding the other in shadow.

She clasped her hands and narrowed her eyes. She tilted her head slightly: “Don’t be scared. I’ll walk with you—after all, we live in the same apartment, it’s natural to look out for each other.”

“On the way, I can also tell you about Haruno-san.”

Standing there, Yukino fell silent.

-

Title: Sisters’ War (1)

Late at night.

After finishing dinner, Yukino sat on the sofa, staring at her phone with a hesitant expression.

“Should I ask…”

Recalling Masuzu’s words, recalling every action she had taken so far.

Her wavering heart gradually steadied. Yukino took a deep breath. She picked up her phone and opened her contacts.

Her sister’s number appeared. Her fingers paused for less than half a second. She immediately pressed call.

She slowly pressed the cold receiver to her ear. The tuuut busy tone seemed to ring in sync with her heartbeat. The surroundings were so silent she couldn’t hear anything else.

At this point, Yukino actually calmed down.

She closed her eyes slightly before the call connected. She silently organized the questions she wanted to ask in her heart.

Based on the information Masuzu revealed, her sister didn’t just love Yuu—she considered her hers. She acted from the perspective of a girlfriend in handling everything related to her.

This included eliminating rivals, placing spies, and even deliberately bringing Masuzu to meet Yuu that day—all to show her the consequences of playing around with so many girls…

The last point felt like Masuzu’s fabrication, so Yukino temporarily didn’t believe it.

Overall, it was precisely because of the delusion that Yuu was her boyfriend that Haruno showed an extremely angry expression for the first time when she said, “You’d better give up on her soon.”

If put in another scenario, it was like telling a wife, “Your husband prefers his mistress. You should divorce him.” It’d be strange if she wasn’t angry.

Even so, Yukino felt no remorse toward her sister and had no intention of retracting her words.

Treating herself as the girlfriend was still understandable. But Haruno sent Masuzu to interfere with their relationship. She had pulled so many petty tricks behind the scenes—like a real crazy fan.

As Haruno’s younger sister, Yukino truly couldn’t stay silent.

That’s why she decided to call, to clearly ask her thoughts and stop her before she went too far.

Not just for the two of them, but for herself too…

To prevent the request Yuu gave her from being disrupted by that extremely troublesome person, Yukino felt she had to talk properly with her sister.

TUUUT—

The phone rang about seven times before being picked up.

“Yukino-chan? What’s up so late?”

Haruno sounded lazy and relaxed, as if resting in her room. The faint sound of keyboard typing could be heard.

“Mm, you’re free to talk now.”

Yukino spoke calmly. She had no intention of making the atmosphere heavy like an interrogation.

As if nothing had happened before, Haruno chuckled. She still used that teasing tone: “Of course I’m free~ What is it, what is it? Have you missed your big sister after so long and want to whine to me?”

“Seems your life is still in kindergarten.” Yukino replied with a faint smile. Then the curve at her lips vanished. She got straight to the point.

“I want to ask—are you really in love with Tenkuji-kun?”

“…” After a brief silence, Haruno seemed to smile helplessly: “Why this question again? Geez, is it weird for me to like a guy? Or should I get a girlfriend and bring her home for Yukino-chan to think it’s more normal?”

“That’s not what I meant. I just want to confirm.” Yukino sighed softly. She asked carefully: “Is your liking for Tenkuji-kun the kind where you want to be his real girlfriend, or the kind where you treat him as a toy or possession?”

“Hmm—” Haruno dragged out the sound, as if thinking how to answer.

But Yukino felt her sister wasn’t pondering the answer to the question, but whether to tell the truth or dodge.

Though they were the closest family, it wasn’t the same as when facing Yuu—when Haruno lied, Yukino had a high chance of not noticing. She would evade all questions with her explanations.

“I hope you’ll answer honestly.”

In the end, Yukino could only plead like a little sister.

“Ara?” Haruno sounded slightly surprised. Then she burst into laughter, as if finding it amusing and a bit indifferent. The keyboard typing truly stopped.

“What’s this, sisterly heart-to-heart time? And the awkward Yukino-chan is voluntarily starting it? Waaah, scary, scary~ Is tomorrow the end of the world? I need to tell Mom right away~”

“…” Yukino bit her teeth, cheeks slightly flushed. She fought the urge to hang up. She said coldly: “If you don’t talk, this will be the last time I try to communicate normally with you.”

“Yo, even using threats? Yukino-chan’s grown up too.” Haruno didn’t care at all. She laughed casually: “Alright, let’s share our hearts. Come to think of it, this is something sisters in normal families do, and it’s our first time experiencing it.”

Yukino retorted sarcastically: “It wouldn’t happen if someone’s personality wasn’t so annoying.”

“Same thing. Okay, I’ll answer your question.” Haruno’s tone became slightly more serious: “It used to be the second, but after going through so much, my feelings have long become the first—the desire to be his real girlfriend hasn’t changed at all.”

“Used to…”

(Why does it sound like they’ve known each other for a long time and gone through a lot together?)

(This completely contradicts what Tenkuji-kun said at the front door.)

“I’m not lying.” As if guessing her sister’s confusion, Haruno laughed mischievously: “How you interpret it is up to you~”

“…I understand.” Yukino decided to set aside this confusion for now. She made her first conclusion: “Though it’s one-sided, your feelings for him are serious.”

“Don’t talk about one-sided.” Haruno’s tone was light but carried undeniable firmness.

But this time, Yukino didn’t back down as usual. She stared straight ahead with a determined gaze. She countered with a harder tone: “Nee-san, please face reality. The person Tenkuji-kun likes is Yuigahama-san, not you who thinks of yourself as his girlfriend!”

“I don’t think he’s a jerk who’d be cold to you in front of us but secretly date you behind our backs!”

“Tch…” Haruno’s voice suddenly lost emotion. She wasn’t angry, just said in a bored tone: “That’s it? If that’s all you wanted to say, I’ll hang up.”

“I’m not done!”

Yukino unconsciously gripped her phone tightly. She immediately stated the second core issue. In her excitement, she unconsciously used an interrogative tone:

“Nee-san, since you really like him, why don’t you pursue him properly instead of observing his school life through others? Even placing a spy beside him, trying to stop him from dating Yuigahama-san?! Can you only use petty tricks like this?”

This was the first time in her life she questioned someone so sharply.

The slightly unsteady voice still seemed to echo in the empty room. After speaking, Yukino took several deep breaths. She gently bit her lip, suppressing overflowing emotions.

“…”

The phone on the other end suddenly went silent. As if even breathing froze in the spreading cold air. Only the call timer ticked calmly.

Suddenly.

“Hah—aah—”

Haruno let out a heavy sigh, as if expelling all the air from her lungs. She did it with disgust and annoyance.

“You high school girls, really. Being childish isn’t enough—why do you always trouble others?”

Yukino said heavily: “Don’t change the subject.”

“I’m talking about the same thing.”

There was no longer any initial gentleness or cheerfulness. Haruno didn’t hide her mocking, indifferent attitude: “Yukino-chan, Masuzu-chan said something to you today. And you, believing her words, couldn’t wait to come confront your big sister that very night?”

“I can judge if she’s making things up. Precisely because I don’t blindly believe, I called to ask you.”

Yukino answered calmly. She added: “If you’re willing to explain, I’m willing to listen. As long as you deny—”

“No need to explain. It’s exactly as you think.”

Without waiting for Yukino to finish, Haruno admitted it frankly, in a casual tone, like a killer flaunting their crime method:

“I monitor Yuu-chan’s school life in various ways. After learning she’s involved with Danggo-chan, I decided to send Masuzu-chan—who’s also interested in her—to mess things up, so the two wouldn’t secretly taste forbidden fruit… I’m still a virgin—how could I let another girl steal Yuu-chan’s first time.”