Yuu 401-405

Title: Your Technique Is Really Lame

On the way out of Class 2-F, they passed by the cultural festival committee just before heading down the stairs.

Since the curtains weren’t drawn, they could see the scene of the meeting inside.

“That’s Yukinon…”

After saying it unconsciously, Yuigahama sneaked a glance at Yuu.

Yuu also looked inside. More precisely, he saw the girl speaking expressionlessly, her gaze so commanding that everyone instinctively listened obediently.

The girl seemed to sense something. Her clear, crystal-blue eyes turned, and she froze for a moment upon seeing them outside the window.

With an almost imperceptible nod, she continued speaking to the other committee members, as if she hadn’t seen anything.

Of course, her gaze never met the person beside Yuigahama.

“Let’s go.”

Yuu’s expression didn’t change. He turned and headed down the stairs.

Yuigahama followed, saying hesitantly, “Yuu-kun, are we just going to leave Yukinon like that?”

Yuu didn’t look back: “It’s fine to leave her be. After all, in her eyes, I’m a reckless guy, and now I’m just admitting it.”

Yuigahama shook her head vigorously: “Yukinon clearly trusts you! Just like I do, trusting that you’re not the type to be unfaithful with your feelings…”

If Yuu hadn’t been in that quiz session where he nearly lost, even if he’d said he would cheat, Yuigahama’s answer would’ve been the same as Yukino’s.

She didn’t know why, but it was just her trust in him. She wanted him to know she believed in him.

Though he was flirty with words, once Yuu liked someone, he’d be loyal and automatically keep his distance from other girls.

Even though she knew he’d never been in a relationship, Yuu had a personal charm that made people trust him like that.

“Yeah, betraying a friend’s trust feels really uncomfortable.”

Though Yuu said this, his tone was completely indifferent: “But sooner or later, she’ll be disappointed. So it’s better to vaccinate her now than let her think I’m a hypocrite.”

Regardless of fidelity, Yuu didn’t want to lie in front of her.

If she considered him a friend, the feeling of having his lies exposed would be worse than being seen as a jerk.

A friend full of lies or a friend who’s a womanizer—which would Yukino hate more?

The first was a crisis of trust. The second was just emotional infidelity… So, naturally, Yuu chose the latter.

“Just because you don’t want to lie to Yukinon…”

Yuigahama muttered. At the foot of the stairs, she asked Yuu the most important question:

“Then, as long as Yuu-kun doesn’t cheat, there won’t be any problems, right?”

She didn’t understand why Yuu insisted he’d cheat in the future. She couldn’t grasp what he was struggling with. Nor could she comprehend where the exhaustion and helplessness in his eyes came from when talking about feelings.

Though she’d been watching him for three years, Yuigahama suddenly realized Yuu was more distant than she’d imagined.

“You’re right, I have two ways to stay a good, loyal guy.”

Yuu stepped onto the first floor. Leaning against the stair railing, he smiled at her.

“First, date you without caring about anything and see how long I can hold out.”

“Second, wait until all the problems are resolved before officially dating you… But that’s clearly not a good idea for you, Yui.”

“What do you mean…”

Yuigahama instinctively stopped walking. She looked into his eyes with confusion, her face full of bewilderment.

“Hold out? Is there some kind of curse that’ll definitely make you cheat? And what problems need to be resolved? Do they have anything to do with me?”

“Please, if you don’t explain, I won’t understand…”

Yuu shrugged as expected. His expression remained relaxed: “Only I can understand. So, just relax.”

He tucked his hands into his pockets and walked toward the shoe lockers.

“No matter what happens, I’ll try to choose the option that hurts you the least.”

Yuu didn’t want to see that disappointed expression again, followed by her trying to act cheerful when he had a girlfriend.

On the stairs, Yuigahama stood silently for a moment before hurriedly catching up to his back.

Yuu suddenly spoke again: “Oh, yeah, Yui. There’s one more thing I haven’t told you.”

Startled, Yuigahama shrank her shoulders nervously: “W-What? Is it about Yukinon…”

Yuu let out a heavy sigh.

“I was standing below earlier and saw your pink underwear.”

“…?”

“Remember, don’t shorten your skirt too much… Luckily, no one else was there. Otherwise, with my strong possessiveness, I’d have to go through the trouble of erasing their memories one by one.”

What a hassle.

Yuu shook his head, ignoring Yuigahama’s increasingly flushed face. He grabbed his sneakers from the shoe locker and changed into them.

The atmosphere fell silent for a moment.

“…No matter how many times, I have to say it.”

With a flushed face, Yuigahama gritted her teeth. Covering her skirt, she glared at him with anger and embarrassment.

“Yuu-kun, you idiot! Your technique for changing the mood and deflecting the conversation is really lame—so lame!”

In the school courtyard after hours, the girl’s complaints seemed to echo endlessly.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

(Your technique is really, really, really lame—)

While walking Yuigahama home, Yuu suddenly received a call from a friend he hadn’t seen in a while.

“Hello, Yuu, how’ve you been lately?”

“Oh, it’s Kou-nii. Long time no see. How’s college life?”

“Pretty great. Next time, let’s hang out. Nii-san will take you to have fun at places kids can’t go. Hehe~” A sleazy laugh came from the other end of the phone.

Had this guy been out of touch for so long that he was this excited and couldn’t hold back?

“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll pass.” Yuu said, rolling his eyes.

Though she couldn’t hear clearly, Yuigahama beside him still furrowed her brow. She asked in a small voice, “Who’s that?”

“My friend, a college otaku.” Yuu said bluntly.

This also let Yuuki Kouichirou on the other end know someone was with him. He quickly cleared his throat twice and got serious.

“That introduction’s too much, you know. I’m at least a riajuu. I go on blind dates all the time… Anyway, back to the point.”

Kouichirou suddenly adopted a mysterious tone.

“You know what? I just heard some shocking news from my mom. It’s about my little sister.”

“Your sister?”

Yuuki Asuna?

Yuu raised an eyebrow.

Yuigahama also instinctively leaned closer to him.

As everyone knew, the thing Yuu cared about most usually involved the word “sister.”

“Yeah. Last week, Asuna suddenly told my mom…”

-

Title: Long Time No See, Yuuki-san

Right after his words fell, a soft, warm voice interrupted their conversation with force.

“Brother, who are you talking to on the phone?”

Kouichirou was caught off guard. He said in a panic, “A-Asuna?! Why did you barge into my room without knocking!”

“Ara, that was indeed rude. But after hearing my name mentioned, I got curious and came in to check the situation. That shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Your ears are too sharp… No, don’t act like that’s normal! Get out, get out!”

“Alright, before I leave… You’re talking to Tenkuji-kun.”

“Eek!”

Startled by something, Kouichirou let out an embarrassing squeak. He forced out his dignity as an older brother: “So what? Alright, you can leave now.”

Asuna seemed to still be standing at the door. Her voice grew softer:

“You’re not planning to secretly tell him about that issue, are you?”

“…”

The sudden silence was so palpable that even Yuu could guess what he was thinking.

Asuna’s tone turned cold: “Give me the phone.”

“Why should I!”

“Why should I…” Asuna laughed. The pressure in her tone seemed to travel through the phone. “Those places kids can’t go to?”

A suffocating silence, where even breathing couldn’t be heard, lasted for a moment.

“…It’s not like I’m giving in to you. I just suddenly want to look after my little sister.”

“Mhm mhm, fine. Hurry up!”

Kouichirou sighed helplessly. His voice came closer again. He said to Yuu, “Sorry, my sister suddenly wants to talk to you.”

“No problem. A guy submitting to his little sister isn’t embarrassing.” Having roughly grasped the situation, Yuu comforted him gently.

For some reason, Yuigahama’s gaze beside him turned a bit strange.

“Huhu, you’re the warmest, buddy.” Kouichirou pretended to sob a few times. Soon after, the familiar soft voice of a girl came through.

“Tenkuji-kun, long time no see.”

Yuu’s expression didn’t change: “Long time no see, Yuuki-san.”

Yuigahama blinked, tilting her head. She muttered curiously, “Yuuki-san? Not the otaku college student?”

Yuu glanced at her. He rubbed the dango hairstyle on her head with his palm: “Didn’t I say earlier? Asuna’s older brother is my friend. It’s just a change in who’s on the phone.”

“Oh, right… Hehe.”

Nodding in understanding, Yuigahama smiled with slight embarrassment. Then she consciously kept her distance—though doing so now seemed a bit late, Yuu didn’t mind. He wasn’t going to say anything embarrassing anyway. Whether she eavesdropped was up to her.

As he thought this, a flash of realization hit him.

(…Wait, Haruno already regained her memories. Could Asuna have too?!)

Yuu’s pupils shrank. He held his breath, his heartbeat quickening unconsciously.

Before Yuigahama could notice his odd reaction, he quickly calmed himself and lowered the call volume.

“Sorry for interrupting your chat with my brother.” The polite, distant tone made Yuu slightly relieved. “I think I heard Yuigahama-san’s voice just now. Is she with you?”

“Yeah. We just finished after-school activities and are heading home together.” Yuu paused, then said casually, “We’re dating, by the way.”

“…”

Though a bit confused, Yuigahama genuinely showed a joyful, sweet smile. Her round cheeks flushed.

Their shoulders drew close again. Her fingers, like a little sparrow seeking a nest, gently hooked onto his.

After a brief silence on the phone, the reaction wasn’t very enthusiastic. Asuna only replied softly, as if thinking: “I see. That’s unexpected… Congratulations on your relationship.”

“Thanks. I’ll remember to send you a wedding invitation when the day comes.” Yuu joked.

“You’re only in your second year of high school. Thinking that far ahead.” Asuna laughed softly. Her voice showed no emotion. She quickly changed the topic: “I’ll be coming to Chiba soon. How about we hang out again? Me, you, Yuigahama-san, and Yukinoshita-san.”

“No problem. I’ll let Yukinoshita know. We’ll make a group chat later and figure out everyone’s free time.”

“Mhm, sounds good then.”

Then Asuna hung up, as if unwilling to say another word to him.

Yuu didn’t care how Kouichirou was feeling now. After the call ended, he slipped his phone into his pocket and looked at Yuigahama beside him.

“You were eavesdropping.”

“No. What were you talking about?” Something soft and round pressed against his arm. Yuigahama averted her gaze, her face flushed. Her guilty expression was obvious.

Yuu chuckled and pinched her cheek: “Talking on the phone with another girl, maintaining transparency is a boyfriend’s responsibility. I almost put it on speaker so you could join in. Small things like this don’t need to be worried about.”

Yuigahama sighed in relief. Then she said in a low, slightly worried tone: “But, even though we’re not really dating, is it okay to do this?”

“What?”

“Claiming ownership, acting like a couple, and stuff…” Her round, bright eyes looked at him. Yuigahama seemed to want confirmation. She stared straight into his eyes. “Yuu-kun, what are you really thinking? If you really want to date me…”

“If I confessed to you right now, would you accept it?” Cutting her off, Yuu asked with a smile.

Yuigahama thought for a moment, then shook her head: “I feel like it wouldn’t be a confession out of genuine love. That makes me a bit upset.”

“I do like you. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t care so much about your feelings.” Yuu looked at the road ahead. He spoke casually.

“I want to date you, but I feel like something’s missing… In the end, it can only be this half-hearted approach. Establish the relationship first, then slowly fill in what’s missing later.”

Yuigahama muttered, pondering. Then she interrupted with one sentence: “You mean, get on the train first, then buy the ticket?”

“Is that not allowed?”

“…I don’t know how to answer that question either.”

Yuigahama sighed in frustration. Her fingers, dangling at her side, went from hooking to grasping, then tightly interlocking with his.

“Honestly, I’m understanding less and less what Yuu-kun is thinking… Even though you’re right beside me, I feel you’re getting more distant, like you’re carrying a lot of heavy burdens.”

“You seem to smile and be honest, but you’re more insincere than anyone.”

Yuu looked at her blankly for a moment. Then he pursed his lips and gazed at the sky.

The winter breeze blew through the gap between them. Dry branches swayed under the dim twilight. Occasionally, a crow flew by.

“Maybe.”

“If you don’t say anything, I won’t know how to help you.”

Her warm, soft palm tightened slightly. Yuigahama lowered her head. As if wanting to clear all the confusion in their hearts, she took a deep breath and said firmly:

“But I’ll always be by your side!”

“Just like you helped me through tough times studying before. No matter what Yuu-kun is worried about, no matter what problems are holding you back, no matter what you’re considering… I, Yui, will always be by your side. When you don’t know who to complain to or vent your frustrations to, I’ll be your shoulder to lean on.”

As if breaking the shackles in her heart, she suddenly let out a small laugh. She looked up high, gazing in the same direction as him.

“Even if we don’t end up dating.”

“Just because I like you, I can do all this.”

-

Title: Tired of Studying, Just Go to Sleep

Night had fallen at the Tenkuji household.

After cleaning the dishes, Sora called out to Yuu, who was about to head upstairs.

“Yuu, you’ve been busy with cultural festival stuff lately.”

“Yeah, what’s up?” Yuu turned around, puzzled. “Didn’t I already tell you?”

“Your cultural festival…” Sora hesitated. She twirled her white hair and looked away, saying casually, “When does it start?”

Yuu quickly understood what his little sister was getting at. He couldn’t help but smile. He walked over and patted her head.

“The first weekend of December. How about I turn down all invitations and spend the whole day exploring the school with you?”

“You said it. Don’t you dare ditch me halfway!” As if not giving him a chance to back out, Sora looked up, her eyes sparkling. “Besides, I’m not really that interested in the cultural festival. I just want to see how popular you are at school and how many girls are always clinging to you… So, be prepared.”

“Hahaha, Sora’s such a tsundere!”

As if ignoring her glare, Yuu vigorously ruffled her hair. He laughed heartily: “Just admit you want to visit the cultural festival. It’s normal for a hikikomori to crave a riajuu school life. No need to be shy, no need to be shy. Your big brother’s actually happy about it~”

Sora gave him a cold stare. Her soft, sweet lips seemed to curl in disgust.

After being stared at for a few seconds, Yuu stopped laughing and cleared his throat twice. He pulled his hand back and quickly headed upstairs.

Sora followed him up and asked, “Besides Yuigahama Yui, you have other girls.”

Yuu denied it firmly: “No, absolutely not. At school, I always keep my distance and never flirt proactively!”

“Really?”

“You know I’d never lie to you.”

“So, the ones who approach you passively don’t count?”

“I reject everyone who confesses to me! At least for now, Yui’s the only one I have an ambiguous relationship with. If you don’t believe me, you can ask her.”

“Fine, forget it then. You know I’ll always choose to trust you.” Sora huffed unhappily. Though still a bit reluctant to accept it, she didn’t chase him into his room. “Anyway, I’ll find out when I visit your school… Besides that dango girl, how many more shameless girls are after my Yuu!”

“Your word choice is extreme…” Yuu shook his head helplessly. Before closing his bedroom door, he remembered something and said to Sora, “Oh, right, Sora. This weekend, some friends are coming over for a cooking class.”

“Cooking class?” Sora stopped walking toward her room, tilting her head in confusion.

“Yeah. I’m the instructor. I’ll teach two people how to make mapo tofu and some desserts… Yui’s coming too.”

“I see. What a hassle…” Frowning reluctantly, Sora didn’t oppose the idea of outsiders coming to their house. She only muttered, “Fine, I won’t come downstairs then. Don’t make too much noise.”

Yuu laughed: “Join us. Learn to cook, boost your feminine charm.”

Sora shook her head.

“First, I don’t like cooking.” She said flatly, as if it were obvious. “Second, no matter how well I learn, could I cook better than you? Only people who can’t even make miso soup need to bother learning to cook.”

“What you said makes sense.” Yuu shrugged helplessly.

Sora finished speaking and turned to head back to her room. But as her hand touched the doorknob, a thought flashed through her mind.

“Wait, feminine charm… Yuu, the two people you mentioned—are they both girls?”

Sensing the pressure and chill in her voice, Yuu instinctively cleared his throat. Then he puffed out his chest and nodded with utmost sincerity:

“Yup. They’re both juniors. Same age as you.”

“Cute?”

“You could say… cute? You’ve met one of them. The white-haired girl we saw at the doctor’s visit.”

“…”

At her bedroom door, Sora slowly turned around. Her soft, delicate teeth bit down slightly. A transparent flame seemed to ignite in her pale eyes. She glared at him angrily.

“Yuu, didn’t you just say it’s only Yuigahama Yui?”

Yuu hurriedly raised both hands and slowly backed behind the door: “Just looking after juniors, that’s all. I swear I have no bad intentions toward them!”

Her flat chest heaved. Sora pulled the corner of her lips into a fake smile: “Bringing them home to learn cooking. What’s next, bringing them to your room to learn something else? Tired of studying, just go to sleep? Heh, what a kind, caring senpai to your juniors.”

“No, trust me. I’m really not a sleazy guy who flirts with anyone cute!” Yuu’s body slowly disappeared behind the door. “Right now, I only like Yui. Bringing them over is purely for practical reasons…”

Before he could finish, Sora rushed forward. She angrily yanked at his bedroom door, trying to open it.

“No use arguing! Get out here, and let’s have a family meeting. Explain your relationship with those two juniors clearly!”

The noisy argument chased away the night’s tranquility.

Even in the corners untouched by light, the siblings’ voices swept away the gloomy dust. For a moment, the silence left the luxurious house occupied by just the two of them.

So, before bed, Yuu looked at the ceiling cloaked in darkness. He thought silently.

“With them around, I’m not alone.”

“That’s the one thing I don’t need to fear at all…”

Slowly, he closed his eyes.

Yuu looked forward to opening them and seeing the morning light fill the sky.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

At Yukino’s luxurious apartment, where she lived alone, on the same night.

Having been caught skipping school by her domineering mother, Haruno was temporarily banned from visiting Yukino to catch up. Even with her whereabouts closely monitored, she couldn’t sneakily tease a certain ex-boyfriend either. Right now, she was playing the part of an obedient student and daughter with a sad face.

Regarding this, Yukino only wanted to say: good job, her mother should’ve done this ages ago.

However, being restricted didn’t mean Haruno lost her channels for gathering information.

Thus, Yukino became the victim.

Every night, she had to deal with Haruno’s calls, all asking about that guy at school. It made her increasingly irritated. Several times, she wanted to hang up and ignore her.

The reason she didn’t wasn’t because she feared her overly free-spirited sister. It was just that she didn’t want to create more trouble for herself.

“I feel like you’re in a bad mood today, Yukino-chan.”

On the phone, Haruno asked with keen interest: “Did something happen? With Yuu-chan?”

“You’re overthinking it.” While drying her long, wet hair, Yukino replied coldly, “Even if I’m in a bad mood, it has nothing to do with that guy.”

For some reason, hearing her sister call him so familiarly only added to the irritation weighing on her heart.

Haruno clicked her tongue, dismantling her pretense without hesitation:

“It’s rare for Yukino-chan to lie.”

-

Title: Yukinoshita Yukino’s Unease

“I’m always professional, so there’s no way I’d be mad at him.”

Answering calmly, Yukino tucked the phone against her shoulder and walked to the kitchen.

After brewing a cup of hot tea, she picked out a book and sat on the sofa.

Her half-dried hair was wrapped in a bath towel, fully revealing her soft, captivating white neck. Moisture kissed her clear, slender collarbone. The graceful curves of her slim figure were faintly visible through her pajamas. She looked like a beautiful statue freshly carved from ice crystal, enough to make any man feel parched just looking at her.

“If there’s nothing important, don’t disturb my reading.”

Yukino sipped her tea. Her tone remained cold and distant.

“Of course there’s something important.”

Knowing that if she kept teasing, her moody little sister might hang up on the spot, Haruno dropped her playful tone and said casually, “Same as always, how was school today? Was he flirting with other girls?”

“…Nee-san.” The teacup was set down slowly. Yukino frowned and asked seriously, “If you really care, why not just ask him yourself? You must have his number. I only see him for less than an hour a day. Why do you always ask me?”

Haruno replied cheerfully, “There are plenty of reasons. Which one do you want to hear?”

Her words were almost equivalent to pick which way I’ll fool you. Whatever she said definitely wouldn’t be the truth.

“…Forget it, this is the last time.” Yukino sighed in resignation, her voice slightly lower. “Do whatever you want if you’re going to be a creepy stalker secretly gathering info on others. At most, I’ll just pretend not to see… But my debt to you ends here. From now on, I won’t answer any more questions about him!”

Haruno muttered with a disappointed tone, “Haiz, fine. I’ll have to spend time and money cultivating spies at Sobou High. Falling in love from afar is such a hassle…”

Yukino instinctively pressed, “Besides, I don’t understand why you’d fall for him. Just because of his performance at the autumn exhibition?”

“Why do I like him? For a lot of reasons, you know. But you wouldn’t understand if I told you, so I won’t~”

It was always like this whenever Yuu was brought up.

Her laugh, like a little girl hiding a secret, was cheerful and mischievous.

It made Yukino feel like this person might have gone crazy from falling in love.

“Truly incomprehensible…”

Lowering her gaze, her fingers gently traced the words on the book’s page. Yukino let out a faint sigh. “I suggest you give up quickly. Not to mention he doesn’t seem interested in you at all, that guy is…”

(A reckless guy who admitted he’s unfaithful with feelings.)

(A scumbag who betrayed her trust and casually said he’d cheat alongside Yuigahama-san.)

(Someone like that, no matter how capable, doesn’t deserve to be pursued…)

“A what?”

Her sister’s curious voice rang in her ear. Yukino blinked, as if waking from a dream, and bit her lip unconsciously.

“…A guy surrounded by girls every day. Dealing with women is easier for him than eating. Just as insincere as you.”

She still couldn’t believe the friend she acknowledged would give the worst possible answer in that situation.

There had to be something hidden.

Unless she saw the truth with her own eyes, with Yukino’s character, she wouldn’t jump to conclusions about her friend.

…Her mockery of him didn’t count.

“That’s great. Doesn’t that make him perfect for me?”

Haruno hummed happily, as if oblivious to the pause.

Yukino firmly ignored her. After briefly recounting how she chatted during lunch with him, Yuigahama, Iroha, and Kanade at the Service Club today—without mentioning a word about the compatibility quiz—she ended the call.

Setting down her phone, Yukino leaned gently against the sofa’s backrest. She closed her eyes slightly, exhaling all the silence in her chest.

“That guy… What is he really thinking? Did he give that answer to make Yuigahama-san tie with me, or because he didn’t want to lie to me…”

She didn’t understand, didn’t know.

She suddenly realized she didn’t actually know him.

She’d only been fooled by an unconscious sense of compatibility…

Amid her flowing black hair, Yukino quietly opened her eyes. She looked at her own palm.

Fragments of memories flashed through her mind. The moments she’d experienced since meeting Yuu seemed to appear in the lines of her hand.

Two major events were the autumn exhibition and the Kyoto competition. But the ordinary days of interaction were countless—during lunch breaks, after school, she’d occasionally argue with him in that small, well-ventilated classroom about their differing ideologies, trying her hardest to shut him up.

Gradually, just with a glance, they knew what the other was thinking. They also acknowledged each other’s strengths and talents.

“That’s exactly why I got my first male friend…”

Yukino gently clenched her hand. A confused murmur slipped out unconsciously.

“Then why does it feel like I’ve forgotten so much? The him from before and the him now are different. So unfamiliar, as if he’s not the same person?”

Recalling—

What was missing, something important from Yuu’s life, that made him the way he is now?

Constantly questioning and answering herself, Yukino still couldn’t find the right way out. Everything felt like a mirage. Even she couldn’t be sure.

After sitting and daydreaming on the sofa for a while, she sighed helplessly. She closed the novel she hadn’t read a word of, finished her half-cold, bitter tea, and stood to head to her bedroom.

“Overall, that guy’s character is reckless and good at attracting attention. That’s definitely true.”

As for whether he was a two-timing scumbag, purely as a friend, Yukino didn’t have much right to comment. At most, she could only criticize him a bit.

(Romantic relationships don’t define everything. Besides, he hasn’t done anything concrete—since when did I start convincing myself like this?)

Thinking while walking, thinking while eating, thinking while showering, thinking while brushing her teeth…

Even before bed, Yukino was still thinking about things related to Yuu.

After grappling with unease for half the day, she finally relaxed the furrow in her brow, as if relieved, pulling up the blanket and closing her eyes. She murmured faintly:

“Tomorrow… I should be able to talk to him properly.”

An anxiety she wasn’t even aware of. A hope to return to normal.

After all, Yuu was one of Yukino’s few friends.

“Tenkuji… kun.”

The night enveloped her fragile form with gentleness.

-

Title: Only a Pure and Sweet Girl

The purpose of this trip was to have a one-on-one talk with Yukino.

Yuu was going to have lunch at the cafeteria with Totsuka today. Upon learning this, Yuigahama declined Miura’s invitation and left the classroom as soon as the break bell rang.

As for what to say, Yuigahama had already rehearsed her speech in her mind on the way.

“Yuu-kun deliberately answered the last question yesterday like that to make the match a tie!”

“You mentioned his reaction before the answers were revealed? That’s because he once told me that after getting into a relationship, he might cheat, at least twice… But it’s obviously just a joke, right? Who plans how many times they’ll cheat before even dating?”

That was roughly her reasoning.

(Though it has plenty of flaws, and with Yukinon’s intelligence, she might spot many inconsistencies, I can’t explain it clearly myself. In this case, I have to rely on Yuu-kun himself. So, I need to explain to her first that Yuu-kun doesn’t really intend to be unfaithful.)

(After clearing up the misunderstanding a bit, I’ll slowly ease their relationship and give them a chance to talk openly and honestly.)

Though this cold war hadn’t even lasted half a day—or if counting only face-to-face time, not even half an hour—seeing Yuu’s demeanor yesterday, Yuigahama didn’t want to delay any longer.

The Yuu she liked included the version of herself who smiled so happily when debating with Yukino.

Thus, Yuigahama quickened her pace, entering the special building. She steadied her breathing in front of the unmarked empty classroom, placed her hand on the door, and prepared for a fierce battle.

In the quiet corridor, she flashed her usual cheerful smile and opened the classroom door.

“Yahallo! Yukinon—Eh?”

The door wouldn’t open.

Upon closer inspection, it seemed the lights inside weren’t even on.

Her expression froze. Yuigahama stood awkwardly in place, her ears slowly turning red.

“Hahaha, I forgot. Yukinon doesn’t always eat lunch here every day…”

(I prepared so much, but it was for nothing. So embarrassing…)

(Good thing no one knows. Let’s head back!)

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆ Yukinoshita Yukino

“I’m heading to the tennis club, Yuu. You go back to class first!”

“Alright, bye-bye, Totsuka.”

After a rare lunch with Totsuka, they talked about a lot of trivial things that had happened recently.

After parting with the galaxy-level pretty boy in front of the cafeteria, Yuu didn’t head straight back to class. He went to the shoe lockers, changed into his sneakers, and leisurely walked toward the sports field.

There were still about ten minutes before class started. The weather was nice today, so he decided to stroll around the campus to calm his mood, which hadn’t exactly been bright lately.

Sometimes, without thinking about anything, letting his mind go blank amid familiar scenery, he might notice things he usually overlooked.

Like urban legends.

Honestly, Yuu really wanted to see if Hanako in the toilet could actually grow bigger and smaller as the stories claimed. Whether Mary who called was a blonde foreign girl. And how good Hachishaku-sama’s figure was.

Unfortunately, it seemed such things didn’t exist in this world.

Otherwise, with the system’s style, he’d probably have been given self-protection skills like Exorcism (Expert Level) or Spiritual Power (Status) beforehand. So he wouldn’t die to supernatural forces mid-mission.

If that happened, the novel’s style would change… Defeating urban legends and making them disappear. Yuu didn’t want to be on the wrong side.

…He said he’d empty his mind, yet he was still thinking about pointless things.

Yuu sighed. His footsteps stretched from the school building’s entrance to the edge of the sports field.

As far as the eye could see, he and the sweating students playing ball or running were under the same blue sky.

Looking again, the curved signboard at the school gate shivered in the cold breeze. Then, it swayed and slowly fell.

…No, it was being taken down.

He walked closer and saw a group of people with Cultural Festival Committee armbands gathered in front of the school gate. Two male students stood on a ladder, removing the topmost curved part of the arch-shaped signboard that read: [Welcome! Sobu High School’s XXth Festival!]

Each carried a heavy-looking wooden board and slowly descended the ladder.

“So it can be taken down…”

Yuu muttered softly. His steps paused slightly. He walked toward the long, straight-haired girl standing outside the crowd, clearly the leader.

“Careful. Don’t rush, prioritize stability. If it breaks, we’ll have to make a new one, and we don’t have much time…”

“Don’t just stand there watching. Check if the pillars below are damaged. Though this is for promotion, I’ll communicate with the school about why the signboard was put up so quickly, getting exposed to wind and rain.”

He heard the girl’s clear, transparent voice from afar. Still as haughty and mercilessly commanding as ever.

Recalling that it seemed to have rained lightly last night, Yuu looked at Yukino. For the first time, he observed her seriously and carefully from head to toe.

Standing upright there. Her slightly pointed chin tilted up. Yukino gazed attentively at the top of the school gate.

Her black hair, like graphite powder, fluttered in the breeze. Her stubborn, proud back always stood tall. Her slender, straight legs. Her short skirt revealed a small patch of snow-white skin. And her slim figure, though not curvy, still made people unconsciously pause to admire her.

Her expressionless, sweet side profile. The corners of her pink, moist lips slightly pursed. Her blue eyes, bold and bright like the sky, seemed to reflect a brilliant cold light from their depths.

Yuu admired her silently like that. A smile unconsciously appeared on his face.

This girl was like a cluster of crystals. Beautiful and transparent. Radiating a clear, cold light. So delicate and lovely. But also incredibly intimidating.

“Yukinoshita-san, is this good enough?”

“Yukinoshita-san, anything else we need to watch out for…”

“Yukinoshita-san, the left pillar has no issues…”

“I understand. Some of you pack up the equipment and take photos of the site. The rest…”

Facing the questions and reports coming from around her, Yukino remained calm and composed. She handled the signboard removal methodically, giving straightforward, polite instructions to everyone.

The aloof, cold demeanor seen by outsiders—its true nature had now been understood by Yuu.

Yukino never pretended to be aloof. Her heart was simply purer than her peers’.

She genuinely didn’t care about things she wasn’t interested in. She didn’t entertain unnecessary thoughts or intend to go along with the mood or force herself to compromise.

And when dealing with people or things she truly cared about—like when she turned and found Yuu watching her with that mysterious, sweet smile on his face—the panic and helplessness she tried to hide in her eyes were like a killer whose identity was pointed out by a detective before she could prepare to turn herself in.

All those simple, pure, genuine reactions were caught by Yuu’s eyes. The corners of his lips unconsciously lifted slightly. He felt an inexplicable sense of clarity, as if a storm had passed. A subtle warmth flowed in his heart.

After all, a girl this sweet, inside and out, was one of his few friends.

“You… why are you here?”

Tucking her hair behind her ear discreetly, Yukino averted her gaze to the ground and spoke as if nothing had happened.