Yuu 411-415

Title: Please Let Me Hold It

“Don’t always make such careless jokes.”

“I was just dragging out the tone, what’s careless about it?” Yuu put on an innocent face.

Yukino ignored him. She took off her shoes and neatly arranged them at the entrance.

It wasn’t clear whether she was wearing short socks or slippers. Beneath the sway of her long skirt, her small feet, wrapped in black cotton, caught Yuu’s eye. Small and delicate. Quite tempting to play with.

Of course, Yuu only looked. He had no intention of thinking strange things about his friend.

On the other hand, Yukino, as if her soul had been captivated, slowly drifted toward the little gray cat. She held her skirt and crouched down.

“Meow…”

Keeping a safe distance, she barely dared to breathe. She meowed at the cat as a test.

The cat’s bright, spirited azure-yellow eyes stared at her. Though it didn’t run away in fear, Yukinon tilted its head in confusion and meowed back.

“Meow?”

“!”

Yukino instantly lit up as if she’d won the lottery. Barely containing her excitement, she reached back and tugged hard at the hem of Yuu’s clothes.

Her clear face glowed. The corners of her lips, unable to hold back, curved into a smile. She looked innocent, as if she’d regressed ten years.

“Look! You see! It greeted me. It must be greeting me! It’s way smarter than the ones at the pet store!”

(You’re way dumber than usual…)

Yuu grumbled inwardly. Then he glanced at Yukinon and said to Yukino:

“Want to know what Yukinon just said?”

Her expression returned to calm. Yukino raised an eyebrow slightly. “You can understand?”

“I speak animal language. I can communicate with animals.” Yuu didn’t hide it, straightforwardly stating his skill.

Realizing the other party wasn’t lying or joking, Yukino frowned slightly. After a moment of surprise, she quickly accepted the fact.

Of course, part of the reason was the cat in front of her. She didn’t have time to care about what Yuu said.

“So, what did it say?”

“‘Is there another dumb human who doesn’t know cat language and meows randomly?’… Something like that.”

“…”

Crouching on the floor, looking up with her small face like a sweet Daruma doll hugging her knees, Yukino pressed her soft, pink lips together. She glared at him coldly. “You’re messing with me again?”

“No, not this time, really…” Seeing Yukino’s gaze grow more serious, Yuu quickly changed the topic. “Want to hold it?”

“Yes!” Yukino stood up immediately. Realizing she might have seemed too eager, she cleared her throat twice, her face slightly flushed, and repeated casually, “If it doesn’t mind.”

“Is this what they call cute contrast…” Muttering words she didn’t understand, Yuu turned and ordered Yukinon, “Let her hold you for a bit.”

Under Yukino’s shocked gaze, Yukinon raised its cat head and meowed at him as if being upright:

“Meow! (Is she the new lady of the house?)”

“No, she’s your master’s friend.”

“Meow. (Then no way. The princess’s orders take priority.)”

“Just let her hold you for a bit. If she tries to go upstairs, then whip her with your tail.”

“Meow~ (Fine, this is the life of a house cat. I’m resigned~)”

“Where did you learn words like that? What happened to your old Knight King vibe?”

“Meow. (Watched too much anime with the princess. Forgot long ago.)”

Yuu massaged his forehead helplessly.

(The cat in my house has gotten this weird without me noticing? Is the next step turning human?)

At that moment, he felt another tug at the hem of his clothes.

Looking down, Yukino was staring at him with wide eyes. Her pale face, partially hidden by her scarf, was faintly flushed, like someone in good health.

“Ready?”

“Ready.”

Perhaps influenced by her obedient, sweet demeanor, Yuu instinctively reached out, trying to pat her head.

Then, his hand was swiftly swatted away. Yukino glared at him with a mix of embarrassment and anger.

“What are you trying to do?”

“Nothing, just… there was…”

“Liar.”

“…A hair on your head. I didn’t even finish talking.” Diverting the topic, Yuu pointed at the little gray cat. “It said you can hold it.”

Yukino took a deep breath, calming the inexplicable panic and embarrassment in her heart. She shifted her gaze to the cat.

Then, she carefully reached out, gently supporting the cat’s front armpits and lifting it. A soft smile gradually spread across her face.

“Soft, glossy fur. Clear eyes without a speck of dirt… You take such good care of it.”

“My sister mostly takes care of it. To her, this cat is like family. No way she wouldn’t pay attention to it.” Yuu glanced at the stairs. The stairwell was dark, with only a few strands of silver hair peeking from behind the corner wall.

“So she’s the one who told Yukinon to guard here and block anyone trying to go upstairs.”

“I see…” With a slightly complicated expression, unsure how to react, Yukino discreetly glanced at Yuu. She unconsciously bit her lower lip slightly. “Should I greet her directly? Or just let it go and pretend I didn’t notice…”

Yuu shrugged. “Greet her. Though she probably won’t respond.”

Yukino nodded. Turning to the stairs with the cat in her arms, she took a deep breath, bowed slightly, and greeted softly.

Her clear, gentle voice carried clearly from below to above.

“I’m your brother’s friend, Yukinoshita Yukino. Sorry for disturbing you with my visit.”

“…”

Of course, there was no response from above.

Straightening up, Yukino glanced at Yuu, then at the little cat in her arms. After some incomprehensible logical deliberation, she said in a serious tone:

“If possible, please let me hold your family member!”

Yuu: “…?”

Yukinon: “Meow?”

Stairs: “…”

A few seconds later, Sora stood up from behind the wall. She glared at Yukino, who still hadn’t realized her mistake, with anger and disdain. She shouted like an enraged kitten, flailing her arms and legs:

“Who do you want to hold?! I thought you seemed polite, but you’re just like the others, already eyeing Yuu! You shameless woman!”

“Eh?”

Yukino froze in place, a bit confused. She didn’t understand why her friend’s little sister was calling her shameless.

She just wanted to hold the cat. What was wrong with a cat lover? She wanted to keep a cat too, but neither her family home nor her apartment allowed it…

Feeling confused and sad, her gaze shifted from the small, teeth-gritting face above to the little cat in her arms, then slowly to Yuu beside her.

Family, Yuu…

Her IQ snapped back from her cat-induced trance. Yukino instantly realized.

(This sounds like I want to hold Tenkuji-kun…)

Realizing this, she quietly lifted the cat, covering her face, which quickly grew hot and flushed. She tried to explain: “Sorry… I didn’t mean it like that. Imouto-san, please don’t worry, I’m not interested in him, not in that… way…”

“I don’t believe you! And I’m not your little sister!”

“…”

Yuu decided to let Yukino deal with the ordeal there. He turned as if it wasn’t his business and returned to the front door to greet the next guest.

As a side note: While being held and petted in Yukino’s arms, Yukinon made the following remark:

“Meow… (Though older than the princess, she’s just as flat as the princess…)”

Yuu nearly burst out laughing.

-

Title: There Are Absolutely No Lewd Books in My House

At one minute to nine, Iroha and Kanade arrived together. The front door of the Tenkuji household grew even livelier.

According to the two, they met at the station first before walking together—because Kanade looked like someone who might accidentally get lost or kidnapped by bad people.

As the first general under the next student council president, Iroha felt obligated to protect her angelic classmate. She was determined to escort her all the way to the wolf’s den… no, to the gentle and handsome senpai’s house. She was resolved to do nothing but learn to cook and leave together unscathed.

What happened at the Service Club back then still left a slight trauma in her—the battlefield of that level wasn’t something innocent, naive chicks like them could step into!

And so…

“Eeeh~ So this is Senpai’s house.”

With the quiet Kanade by her side, Iroha stepped onto the porch. She looked around the clean, tidy, and warm house. Just as she was about to toss out some light compliments, her gaze met Yukino’s in front of the stairs.

“…”

“…”

“…Um, good morning?”

The corners of Iroha’s lips twitched. She didn’t dare laugh and only greeted tentatively.

“Good morning.”

The gentle expression faded. The happy flush on her face dimmed. Yukino moved the little cat away from her face.

The snow-cold, elegant girl stared at Iroha calmly and unwaveringly.

“You’re here. Why didn’t you knock?”

Iroha took a deep breath, barely managing to suppress her laughter and the urge to smirk bubbling in her chest. She replied with an expression as serious as Yukino’s:

“Senpai, it’s Senpai’s house, and Senpai opened the door for us… Pff.”

Sorry, she couldn’t hold it in.

Iroha covered her mouth, her shoulders trembling as she turned her face away. “Senpai, you’re so cute…”

(Why are you laughing? What’s so funny…)

Yukino, of course, wouldn’t say that out loud, as asking would only embarrass herself further.

She pressed her lips together, trying to maintain her calm expression, but her pale ears still showed a deep red. Not to mention her beautiful, makeup-free face, already adorned with two rosy blushes from embarrassment.

“I just got a little excited seeing the cat. That’s normal. There’s nothing to overthink.”

After explaining herself like that, Yukino reluctantly placed the cat back on the stairs. Then she looked at Yuu beside her, who made no effort to hide his smile.

Her gaze sharpened instantly. She crossed her arms over her chest. Her face was cloaked in frost, her aura like a fierce snowstorm blowing before an avalanche.

“Stop that lewd smile, or I’ll call the police.”

Yuu: “???”

(There’s a junior laughing her head off in front of you, why don’t you scold her, but turn around and scold me?!)

(What kind of discrimination is this? Do I look like an easy target?)

Unable to stand this injustice, even though he knew Yukino was just hiding her embarrassment, Yuu cleared his throat, preparing to spar with her verbally as usual.

At that moment, Yuigahama came jogging in, right at the nine o’clock deadline. Her eyes widened upon seeing so many beautiful girls already gathered in the house.

“Even though it’s only nine, everyone’s already here. So punctual!”

“You live the closest but arrived last. You’ve got some nerve saying that.” Temporarily letting Yukino off, Yuu said to Yuigahama with a smile, briefly ruffling her hair tie.

“Even if you’re not late, since you’re the last one, your punishment is washing the dishes today.”

“Eh? No way~ You didn’t say the last one would be punished. If I’d known, I would’ve slept over at your place yesterday…”

“Just kidding. Come in.”

They laughed and chatted there. But only Iroha quietly heightened her guard, preparing for the battlefield that could erupt at any moment.

The players were in place. A chemical reaction was bound to happen again.

Though the two seniors didn’t seem like the jealous type, if she accidentally got too close to Yuu while they were bickering, she’d likely get dragged into their tug-of-war storm. That would make things even more complicated…

Wait, why did she reflexively put herself as the victim?!

What she should be watching out for was Kanade, who couldn’t read the room and didn’t know how to keep her distance from the opposite sex!

Iroha couldn’t help but sink into deep thought. Standing in a corner, she observed the expressions and atmosphere of the three Service Club members as if nothing had happened.

Then, as she kept watching, she was shocked—

No way, why was there no sense of an impending storm or the low-pressure atmosphere like before?

What’s with this “let’s pretend nothing happened” vibe from you all?!

“Yukinoshita-senpai, have you made up with Senpai?” Iroha couldn’t help but ask.

Yukino looked at her, puzzled. “Made up? Did we ever fight?”

Yuigahama nodded, naturally hugging Yukino’s arm. She said confidently, “Exactly. Our Best Friends Club would never fight!”

“Uh, this…”

Iroha blinked in confusion.

(I don’t know if you fought or not, but Yukinoshita-senpai, your mood back then was clearly awful, almost cutting ties with Senpai!)

(And Yuigahama-senpai, you didn’t consider that cold “don’t show up in front of me” expression a fight? Then why did you try so hard to defuse the situation back then?!)

As Iroha’s thoughts spiraled into chaos, Yuu stood beside her and patted her shoulder.

His gaze looked into the distance, his tone carrying a mix of amusement and deep emotion.

“Women’s feelings do change often… So, Isshiki, don’t overthink the small stuff. You’ll go bald.”

“Um, Senpai…”

The “small stuff” he mentioned briefly vanished from her mind. Iroha slowly clenched her fists, turning her face with a forced smile.

“I’m a girl, you know? A young, pretty high school girl, you know?”

“You’ll go bald.”

“No way!”

“I heard shaving suits high school girls better.”

“I don’t have a mustache to shave either! I don’t understand what you’re talking about!”

Meanwhile, in the lively porch area, as if in another world.

Kanade crouched in front of the little gray cat, blinking her pale golden eyes. Her cherry-red lips parted slightly:

“Meow~”

Yukinon stared back at her. Though it felt humans always acted foolishly, since her meow was soft and pleasant, it joined in happily:

“Meow~~”

Kanade squinted as if soothed. Then, she continued expressionlessly:

“Meow~~~”

They kept meowing at each other.

An absurd interspecies dialogue quietly unfolded on the stairs.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Second floor.

“One, two, three, four… Brother brought home so many girls. What’s a little sister to do?”

After counting the heads below, Sora muttered, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

“How about I slip some lewd books under Yuu’s bed and lead them upstairs… the heavy stuff too.”

That way, they’d be disgusted and leave immediately. And their good feelings toward Yuu would diminish, right?

Acting on her thought, Sora stood in the shadows, her expression resolute as if ready to bear the risks—then she kept crouching low so the people below wouldn’t notice her.

But after a few steps, she discovered the fatal flaw in her plan.

“There are absolutely no lewd books in the house…”

After all, it was the 21st century. If you wanted to watch something, you just downloaded it online. Most people—including her and her brother—wouldn’t bother buying lewd books at a bookstore and keeping them at home!

She couldn’t exactly turn on her brother’s computer, pull up his hidden folder, and remotely play it when the girls entered his room…

With no other choice, Sora knelt on the floor, bowing in despair.

-

Title: Cooking Class at the Tenkuji Household

After everyone entered, Yuu closed the front door, blocking out the chilly air outside.

At this moment, the purity of the girls inside the house had surged dramatically. He felt as if he could smell the scent of blooming flowers everywhere… This was the first time Yuu had brought four girls to his house at once, and he felt a bit emotional.

But it was fine. He wasn’t taking them to his room. He just treated his house as a borrowed venue for a party. Let everyone have fun downstairs lively.

After they hung up their coats, scarves, bags, and other items on the rack and sofa, Yuu led the four girls to the kitchen. Watching them curiously observe his home’s decor, he suddenly realized something.

“Too many people. The kitchen’s not big enough… We’ll have to take turns.”

It was the first time he felt his house was so small that it couldn’t support one guy and five girls working in the same room—maybe it could be forced, but it would definitely overwhelm everyone, with people bumping into each other, making it uncomfortable to work.

*CLAP!* *CLAP!*

After thinking it over, Yuu clapped his hands twice, drawing everyone’s attention and gazes.

“Since the kitchen’s only this big, I’ve decided to split us into two groups.”

“Group one, Isshiki and I will do the initial prep for making sweets in the living room.”

“Group two, Yukinoshita will teach Tachibana how to make proper Mapo Tofu.”

“Yui, you can choose whichever group you want to learn from. It’s fine if you want to play games, but you’ll need Sora’s permission first.”

“That’s it. Any objections?”

“…”

Yukino crossed her arms, giving him an annoyed look.

(You didn’t ask for my permission first?)

Yuu smiled at her. She sighed in resignation and didn’t press the issue further.

“Yuu-senpai, is there a difference between making proper and improper Mapo Tofu?”

Next, with confusion in her eyes, Kanade asked seriously.

A long-sleeved red dress with white trim wrapped around her slender frame. A white shawl with patterns on her shoulders made her look elegant and sweet. She didn’t look like she came to learn cooking but rather like a little Christmas girl just taking office, ready to climb through his window to deliver gifts—or sneak in herself.

Why dress so beautifully just to learn cooking… Kanade had asked this question. Initially, she planned to wear her school gym uniform. Its long sleeves were warm, comfortable to move in, and she wasn’t afraid of getting it dirty.

This idea was ruthlessly shot down by her staff, Iroha.

“Of course a girl should wear nice clothes when visiting someone’s house, especially a guy’s! Even if you don’t mean to make him praise or woo you, you should wear cute casual clothes out of courtesy. Anyway, gym uniforms are an absolute NO! As for getting dirty, just wear an apron!”

Thus, under advice that was somewhat complicated but unwilling to let go of teenage girl stubbornness, Kanade wore this red-and-white dress to the Tenkuji household.

After taking off her winter coat, the delicate, sweet curves of her body, her pale thighs peeking from under her skirt with knee-high black stockings, and the faint outline of her collarbone at her neckline were all exposed in the warmth of the house and under Yuu’s gaze.

Of course, aside from thinking she looked quite pretty, he had no lewd thoughts whatsoever.

“Proper refers to the most standard version. One you can achieve by following a recipe. It’s best for Yukinoshita to teach you from the very basics.”

Yuu explained seriously: “As for me, after you roughly know how to make proper but ordinary Mapo Tofu, I’ll teach you how to make improper but deliciously radiant Mapo Tofu… I don’t guarantee you’ll master it.”

Feeling subtly mocked, Yukino shot him a cold glare. But since his cooking skills were indeed better than hers, she couldn’t retort.

“Proper but ordinary. Improper but delicious…” Kanade muttered with her small face.

She raised her eyes. Though her expression remained largely unchanged, her pale golden eyes seemed to sparkle. A strong conviction flowed within them like a tangible substance.

“I’ll work hard to learn! Please guide me, both of you, Sensei!”

Her words were directed at both Yuu and Yukino.

Her expression softening, Yukino nodded gently. “Don’t hesitate to ask if you don’t understand something during the process. This is my first time teaching someone. Chinese cuisine isn’t my specialty either. I can only try to tell you how to make it delicious.”

“That’s enough.” Kanade placed both hands in front, bowing slightly to her. Her voice was soft yet solemn. “To make delicious Mapo Tofu with my own efforts, I’m willing to face any trial.”

Nearby, Iroha couldn’t help but whisper, “When it comes to Mapo Tofu, Kanade-chan gets fired up for no reason.”

Before she could react, Yuu pulled her out of the kitchen by her ear.

“Isshiki, out you go. This kitchen is for them. I’ll teach you how to make delicious sweets in the living room… Want to start with biscuits or five-nut mooncakes?”

“That second option’s kinda weird, isn’t it?! No, let go, Senpai… My ears are sensitive!”

“Don’t make things up. I’m clearly not using any force.”

“It’d be better if you used some, but not this half-hearted strength…”

“What?”

“N-nothing, nothing! Yuigahama-senpai, I’m telling! Senpai’s messing with my sensitive spot!”

“Eh? Um… Yuu-kun didn’t mean it. He wouldn’t pull your hand or hair, right?”

“That’s not the issue?! Argh… I give up. I give up on this world full of senpais protecting each other. Do whatever you want to me. I know, cute juniors are always the ones getting bullied…”

“No, you forgot Tachibana—”

“Senpai, if you keep this up, I’ll go down with you, you know?”

Seeing Iroha’s empty, cold eyes and her sweet voice devoid of any joking tone, Yuu realized a fact—teasing a cheerful, cute junior was indeed very fun.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Throughout the morning, the five of them split into two groups, bustling in the living room and kitchen.

Yukino’s lesson went very smoothly. Kanade, who was smart, quick to learn, and had decent practical skills, swiftly mastered the basic method of making Mapo Tofu. Though it was her first time holding a kitchen knife, her cutting skills were so good that Yukino suspected Yuu had secretly taught her.

Meanwhile, the sweets group outside struggled, largely due to Yuigahama’s involvement. Occasional mishaps occurred.

“Yuu-kun, why isn’t my dough hardening?”

“Yuu-kun, why can’t I add coffee beans to it? Not even Oreos? I went through so much trouble bringing them…”

“Yuu-kun, why are my biscuits different from yours? I followed the steps exactly!”

“Yuu-kun, my biscuits seem to be glowing black. They’re also wriggling and screaming… Is this a success?”

Yuu: “Yeah, you’ve successfully broken through the lower limit of human cooking skills…”

Regardless of whether some strange Evil God was baked midway, in short, under Yuu’s strenuous control, Iroha finally learned to make sweets like colorful macarons and marshmallow egg tarts. They tasted decent too. With the added value of being made by a high school girl, they might sell well if put on the market.

As for Yuigahama…

Forget cooking. For the sake of humanity, Yuu banned her from attempting sweets in places he couldn’t supervise.

For some reason, after hearing this subtle criticism, Yuigahama seemed a little pleased.

“Then I have a reason to come to Yuu-kun’s house every day…”

And so, the Tenkuji household was lively all morning. Laughter and joy seemed to pierce through the windows, illuminating the gloomy, gray winter.

Before they knew it, it was past noon. After temporarily cleaning up, Yuu, as the head chef today, put on an apron.

He shooed the others out of the kitchen, rolled up his sleeves, and prepared to show off his skills to his friends and kouhai.

Meanwhile, an assistant chef stood beside him without his consent. Yukino wore a cute apron with a cat paw print pattern.

“Any objections?”

In the quiet kitchen, the two alone locked eyes.

-

Title: A Kitchen with Only Two People

Yuu voluntarily averted his gaze and shrugged.

“None. It’s an honor that the club president is willing to help me. How could I possibly have objections?”

Hearing this, Yukino rolled her eyes gracefully—proof that a beautiful person still looks stunning even when rolling their eyes.

(Next time, I’ll ask her to make a cute expression.) Yuu thought.

“If you have no objections, get to work and stop talking so much.”

“An assistant chef daring to order the head chef? Watch me skin you… Alright, alright, I’ll start.” Under her genuinely cold glare, Yuu smirked and tapped the kitchen counter with his knuckles.

The light yet firm force reverberated. The knife on the cutting board suddenly jumped, spinning several times in the air before being effortlessly caught by him.

“This will be a perfect cooking show. Don’t get too mesmerized.”

Glancing at his smugly smiling face, Yukino walked toward the fridge with a calm expression. “Relax. I wouldn’t look at you even if I had nothing to do.”

“Alright, I get it.” Not too disappointed, Yuu dropped his playful demeanor, turned on the stove, and got serious with his cooking.

Yukino had just taken out meat and vegetables from the fridge when she saw him swing the knife. At a speed she couldn’t even follow, Yuu sliced a block of tofu into neat, perfect little white cubes.

“…”

Then Yuu picked up a large green onion and began chopping it for use. This time, his speed wasn’t so fast as to be invisible. But what puzzled her was, despite using the same cutting technique, why did the green onion slices he cut fly off the cutting board and land in a small bowl, like a school of fish leaping into water?

“…”

Flashing knives, flying ingredients, roaring stove flames, and tantalizing aromas.

His skilled, spontaneous cooking was indeed a feast for the eyes, nose, and tongue. It made people unable to help but stare and admire deeply.

Fortunately, this wasn’t Yukino’s first time seeing him cook. Though still quite surprised, she wasn’t overly shocked or left speechless.

After pausing for a moment, she walked to his side and placed the ingredients in her hands.

Yuu didn’t turn. He focused solely on the sauce seasoning in his hands. But his smug voice faintly reached Yukino’s ears.

“Said you wouldn’t get mesmerized. Heh.”

“…”

(Be patient.)

(No need to argue with this childish person. Be magnanimous and tolerant, like a mature older sister…)

After taking a deep breath, Yukino turned around expressionlessly, busying herself with small tasks like peeling and washing dishes.

She knew her place. His cooking was clearly not something an ordinary person could interfere with. Though she thought her cooking skills were decent, there was still no room for her to step in.

Fundamentally, he didn’t need anyone’s help. That was a fact both of them understood…

(So, why?)

(Why did he let me stay and help so casually?)

(Why, when I came to my senses, had I already closed the kitchen door and stood beside him like it was the most natural thing?)

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

The stove flames occasionally flared and dimmed. The aroma of cooking gradually spread.

The water in the pan was still simmering. While stirring with a spatula, Yuu casually glanced at the black-haired girl busy at the sink.

Though he always said Yukino was flat, there was a subtle curve to her chest under the apron.

The curve of her hips was also visible beneath her long skirt. Sweet and cute. It would probably feel nice to spank.

…So, why?

Since when had he become so fixated on noticing women’s figures, unable to control his eyes?

Yuu silently reflected, quickly repenting—he stopped looking downward and shifted to above her shoulders.

When it was just the two of them, he had to avoid behavior like this. Otherwise, the atmosphere would get awkward, and he’d easily be labeled a pervert.

But for some reason, as if admiring her face was only natural, Yuu didn’t care at the moment. He just comfortably and casually let his gaze linger.

He actually preferred short hair over long hair.

If asked why, short-haired girls were very cute.

The white nape visible beneath the strands of hair like a skirt was cute. The forehead revealed when bangs were clipped back was cute. The ears peeking out were even cuter.

But seeing Yukino with her ponytail tied up, focused on washing dishes, Yuu suddenly wanted to revise that statement.

Long-haired girls with ponytails were nice too…

If asked why, the rarely seen white nape adorned with a few strands of hair was very alluring. The wise wife vibe brought by the apron was very alluring. Her ears, reddening as she looked down, were even more alluring.

It was like a beautifully carved work of art. It made him unconsciously divert half his attention to admiring his friend’s clear, pleasing appearance, blessed by nature.

“…”

The faucet suddenly turned off. The washed dishes were placed on the rack.

Yukino didn’t turn around. She just calmly brushed the hair by her ear with her slightly wet white fingers.

A faint pink blush quietly spread across the exposed side of her face. Her smooth skin glowed with a clear, water-like sheen under the light. Her small cherry lips were lightly pressed together, glistening, making her look even softer.

Under Yuu’s still-unaverted gaze, she let out a light sigh, as if resigned. But her tone carried a hint of mockery.

“The lame mocking the lame. Heh.”

“…”

He froze with a strange expression.

Without waiting for Yuu to respond, Yukino took a porcelain plate from the rack and handed it to him calmly.

“Time to plate the food, right?”

“…Indeed.”

Yuu took the plate, flipped the pan, and served the steaming Mapo Tofu onto it.

Yukino covered the plate to keep it warm, planning to bring it out once all the dishes were ready.

After that, they didn’t speak. They just quietly did their respective tasks. The finished dishes piled up.

Occasionally, their shoulders brushed, or their fingers touched. Their expressions didn’t change at all. They seemed indifferent to each other’s presence. Their emotions remained stable and calm, as they should be while working.

Before the final dish was done, Yukino opened the rice cooker and scooped out roughly ten portions of rice into a wooden container.

White steam rose. She let out a soft sigh, a bit of sweat on her forehead.

“Taste it.”

A spoon was extended from the side. Yukino tilted her small face and tasted it. After tasting, she nodded gently.

“It’s good.”

“Okay.”

The spoon was pulled back. Yukino plunged the rice scoop into the rice and carried the wooden container out.

Her steps paused midway, as if she suddenly realized something. But she didn’t turn or speak. She prepared to open the kitchen door to greet the guests who had peeked in several times, claiming they were nearly fainting from hunger.

“By the way, Yukinoshita.”

At that moment, Yuu suddenly called her.

Yukino instinctively wanted to turn, but since her face still felt a bit hot, she held back. Facing away from him, she asked in a flat, soft voice:

“What is it?”

“I want to ask you something.”

Yuu’s tone was unexpectedly serious.

-

Title: The Final Choice

Like the world at large, the kitchen gradually fell silent.

The neon light became the only sun, stretching the shadows of the two in opposite directions.

The exhaust fan stopped spinning. Yukino’s gaze settled on Yuu.

“What’s the question?”

She asked, but inwardly, she sighed softly—That expression again.

(Last time, he said he felt relieved. This guy is truly full of lies.)

(By the way, what kind of issue could make him hesitate for so long? Is it related to family or feelings?)

“Maybe it’s a multiple-choice question?”

She answered somewhat off-topic, placing the dish she had just picked up back on the kitchen counter.

Suddenly feeling her arms a bit sore, Yukino also handed the wooden container of rice to him, letting him store it.

Then, Yuu slowly leaned his back against the fridge. He crossed his arms and looked at her, who now appeared confused, as if choosing his words carefully.

{Say it, I’m listening}—after signaling this silently with her eyes, Yukino immediately received a much more relieved smile from him.

Even so, his voice still carried a heavy burden, so serious that she couldn’t miss a single syllable.

“I have a friend…”

At this point, Yuu suddenly paused. He looked at her with a curious gaze, as if waiting for her to offer an opinion or a quip.

But with just that sentence, what was there to quip about?

Yukino tilted her head in confusion. After thinking for a moment, she gave a serious, neutral response: “I won’t ask which friend. What happened to your friend?”

“…Alright, looks like that trick didn’t lighten the mood.” Muttering something hard to understand, Yuu sighed softly. His gaze shifted to the corner of the kitchen. He continued in a flat tone:

“My friend is pretty amazing. At first, he was just an ordinary guy. He doesn’t know when his knowledge grew…”

“Wait a second.”

Yukino frowned slightly, feeling inexplicably displeased. “Isn’t it basic etiquette to look at each other when discussing something serious?”

(Why am I afraid to look at him? Does what I want to say make me feel guilty toward him?)

This thought flashed through her mind. Yuu, standing before her, finally turned his eyes back. As if in retaliation, he stared into her eyes expressionlessly, with a burning gaze that seemed to pull her in.

Yukino wasn’t afraid at all. Her resolute gaze met his deep black eyes head-on, allowing no evasion.

“And then?”

“…And then, he’s now facing a multiple-choice question.”

In a flat tone, as if stating a fact, Yuu said calmly: “He’s made many choices before. Though he’s been sad and suffered along the way, he never regretted it. He believes everything he did was right. Precisely because it was more right than anything else, the reality he lives in today is worth cherishing, with no room for doubt.”

His words paused. Yukino fell silent for a few seconds, narrowing her eyes with slight doubt. “Even though you used ‘he,’ are you talking about me?”

“No, though it’s very similar, it’s not you.” Laughing self-deprecatingly, Yuu stretched his fingers, making his unconsciously tense body feel light again. “He’s much smarter and more amazing than you. But he’s growing more hesitant. Despite support from those around him, he still wavers when facing the fourth obstacle. He’s shown no progress at all.”

“You’re talking about yourself,” Yukino confirmed immediately.

If asked why, she caught a familiar whiff of narcissism.

“Continue your story.”

Yuu didn’t answer directly. As his gaze shifted an inch toward the ceiling, his neck suddenly froze, and he obediently locked eyes with her again.

With her palm beside her mouth, Yukino curved her eyes into crescents, chuckling softly as if teasing: “Mhm, go on. About your friend.”

(For some reason, his gaze gives me a sense of relief, like I finally figured out this trick.)

(But, the fourth obstacle?)

(Someone who can easily win a national championship and seems omnipotent is facing four obstacles. This is really…)

“Forget the past for now. Right now, he’s facing a problem.”

The briefly relaxed atmosphere turned serious again due to Yuu’s heavy tone. Yukino also dropped all her smiles, returning his gaze calmly and seriously.

Even the laughter outside the door seemed to fade from her ears. Only the sound of his breathing was clear in front of her.

“If he chooses everyone, he’ll hurt more people… If he chooses one person, he’ll hurt himself and that person.”

“He’s always made choices passively before. He could calmly blame fate. He was even prepared to do it twice more… But when it came time to make a choice himself, even though he knew what was right, he couldn’t decide right away.”

These words were like a riddle. Honestly, Yukino didn’t understand at all.

(Tenkuji-kun doesn’t seem to intend for me to understand. He’s just talking to himself, venting all the hesitation and sadness he’s been bottling up. The veins in his clenched fist are bulging from gripping so tightly.)

(…But he’s somewhat managed to touch the heart he’s always hidden.)

(So, he can show an expression like this too?)

(So, there are so many things about him I don’t know?)

Yukino listened quietly, gazing at him calmly.

Her eyes never left his. Her gaze gradually softened, as if comforting the boy in front of her, who suddenly didn’t seem so tall anymore.

“…Even so, he still has to make a choice.”

“He has to move forward. He has to be strong. He promised her. He also swore to himself.”

The turmoil vanished like ripples. The well water returned to calm.

The fragility briefly revealed was firmly covered up by Yuu again.

Yuu took a deep breath. His clenched fist slowly relaxed. His gaze, so intense it stung slightly, looked straight at her.

“Yukinoshita, I promised Yui I’d be in a relationship with her… Or rather, I’ll definitely fall in love and definitely be in a relationship with her.”

“…”

Yukino forgot to breathe for a moment.

After a brief shock, Yukino unconsciously bit her lip, harder and harder.

An unfamiliar pain spread in her chest like a virus, making her feel suffocated and dizzy for a moment. She forced herself to calm down quickly.

Because Yuu wasn’t done talking—that was just the premise, not the point.

“And then? What does that have to do with me?”

Realizing her voice was slightly hoarse, Yukino cleared her throat a few times and took a deep breath while holding her chest.

Yuu’s next words made her open her mouth and widen her eyes in shock.

“And then, starting now, I’ll be in a relationship with you, Isshiki, Tachibana…”

Pausing briefly, Yuu seemed to swallow a name he nearly spoke. He tried his hardest not to look away from her gaze.

“…One of you.”

“Or rather, be the ideal boyfriend for one of you.”