Seeing her own girlfriend, Kotomi Izumi, hugging Yukino Yukinoshita right in front of her was one thing—but Yui Yuigahama still chose to believe that Kotomi wasn't the kind of girl who would cheat. As long as Kotomi explained herself properly, Yui was willing to listen.
However, what she didn't expect was that Kotomi didn't even bother to explain! Not only did she not let go of Yukino Yukinoshita, she actually hugged her even tighter right before Yui's eyes?!
Yui Yuigahama had always considered herself good-tempered, but now, seeing Kotomi holding another girl in her arms, little flames began to flicker inside her chest—sparking, flaring, and growing ever fiercer!
Yet even so, Yui couldn't bring herself to scold Kotomi. Her heart ached, and she felt tears welling up in her eyes.
Just then, Kotomi Izumi, as if perfectly timing the moment before Yui could cry, finally spoke up:
"Because Yukino just had a nightmare. Her face went completely pale, so I hugged her like this to comfort her. Isn't it normal for friends to hug each other?"
As she said that, Kotomi reached out and pinched Yukino Yukinoshita's cheek, showing Yui:
"You didn't see it earlier, but Yukino's face turned ghostly white from the nightmare. I had to comfort her for quite a while before her color finally came back bit by bit."
To be honest, Kotomi could've explained herself the moment Yui saw her hugging Yukino. But instead of rushing to clarify, she had deliberately tightened her hold—just to let Yui see it more clearly.
It wasn't that Kotomi had any bad intentions. She just wanted to see that expression Yui made when she was about to cry from jealousy.
After she'd gotten the reaction she wanted—Yui's teary, jealous face—Kotomi finally felt satisfied and started explaining why she was hugging Yukino.
As a side note, if Kotomi weren't worried about Yukino finding out that she and Yui were dating, she would've shouted right then and there: Yui, Yukino and I are innocent!
It wasn't that Kotomi didn't want Yukino to know about her relationship with Yui Yuigahama; it was just that, for now, she didn't feel like telling her. She wanted to wait until she had successfully won Yukino's heart before saying:
'Yukino, I really love you—so, so much. But before you, I already had Megumi and Yui. Both of them are girlfriends I love with all my heart—and so are you. I'm not saying this to choose one over the other, but to tell you this—you three are my wings!'
What's that? Three wings aren't symmetrical?
No problem. That's a minor issue. After all, the number of wings will only increase from here.
"Eh? Yukino had a nightmare just now?"
Yui Yuigahama thought about how long her phone call had lasted—not too long, but not short either. It was her first time traveling alone, even if she was with Kotomi and Yukino. While on the video call with her mom and little sister, Yui couldn't help chatting for quite a while.
Because her full attention had been on the call, she hadn't looked at Yukino's side at all. Naturally, she hadn't noticed whether Yukino had fallen asleep.
When the call finally ended, Yui looked over and realized Kotomi Izumi was no longer beside her. Then, to her shock, she saw Kotomi hugging Yukino tightly—Yukino practically leaning her whole body against Kotomi's.
As the official girlfriend, how could Yui possibly accept seeing her Kotomi hugging another girl like that?
But once she heard Kotomi's explanation—that she was just comforting Yukino after a nightmare—the fiery jealousy in Yui's heart instantly vanished, like a bucket of water poured over the flames. The small storm of emotion in her chest faded away completely.
Seeing her explanation had worked, Kotomi continued:
"Yeah, it's really Yukino's own fault too. She knew we were leaving today, but she still watched a horror movie last night. Not just any movie either—it was one of those long, super creepy ones full of disturbing scenes. The one she watched was Ju-On. After that, she couldn't sleep. She only managed to fall asleep around 3 a.m.—the same movie I told you about before, the one you were too scared to watch."
After Kotomi Izumi finished speaking, Yui Yuigahama hadn't said anything yet—but Yukino Yukinoshita was already looking at Kotomi with a puzzled expression. She was sure she had said she'd been reading a horror novel, so why did Kotomi say it was a horror movie?
Why change it from a novel to a movie? Yukino thought about it for a long time but couldn't figure it out.
While Yukino was still silently trying to make sense of Kotomi's explanation, Yui Yuigahama immediately understood after hearing it.
No wonder Yukino had a nightmare! So it turned out she'd watched a horror movie last night, got scared, and couldn't sleep until very late. Then, when she felt sleepy just now and closed her eyes for a short nap, she must've dreamed about the horror scenes again, gotten frightened, and instinctively thrown herself into Kotomi's arms.
Yes—that made perfect sense.
After listening to Kotomi's explanation, Yui not only believed it completely but even helped fill in some of the missing details on her own.
That was just how much Yui trusted Kotomi. She truly believed Kotomi wasn't the kind of girl who would flirt around. As long as Kotomi explained things clearly, Yui would believe her without a doubt.
The jealousy that had been simmering moments ago vanished instantly, replaced by relief and affection. The little ball of sunshine, once upset, was now all smiles again. Her mood improved so much that she even spoke to Yukino in a gentle, caring tone:
"Yukino, if you're easily scared, maybe you shouldn't watch horror movies at night anymore. Getting frightened is one thing, but it'll mess up your sleep too."
Yukino still couldn't quite understand why Kotomi had changed "horror novel" to "horror movie" in her explanation—but hearing Yui say that, she realized the misunderstanding had already been smoothed over. So, she simply went along with Kotomi's story, nodding slightly and pretending to understand.
"Thank you. I'll remember that. Next time, I'll drag you and Kotomi to watch a horror movie together."
Her last sentence was meant as a lighthearted joke—but Yui, being her adorably honest self, took it seriously. Her face went pale in an instant, and she frantically waved her hands in refusal.
"M-Me? I can't! I'm too scared to watch those!"
Yukino could only sigh helplessly and resist the urge to cover her face. Did Yui really have to be this pure and gullible? She'd only been joking!
Could it be that this simple-minded innocence was exactly the kind of thing Kotomi loved about her? Yukino couldn't help but think so.
And just like that, what had seemed like a crisis ready to explode into a full-blown love triangle showdown was effortlessly defused by Kotomi Izumi.
Watching the atmosphere return to normal, Kotomi couldn't help but think to herself with pride: I'm amazing!
Kotomi had originally wanted to hold Yukino a little longer—after all, chances to embrace her so openly were rare, and she wanted to savor it while it lasted.
Yukino, on the other hand, didn't really want Kotomi to let go either. She wished Kotomi would keep holding her tightly like this. But since Yui had already seen them, the ever-composed Yukino was too embarrassed to stay in Kotomi's arms any longer.
Reluctantly, she gave Kotomi a gentle push and whispered softly:
"Kotomi… thank you. You don't have to keep holding me now…"
"Oh, okay."
Kotomi released her immediately and stood up from her seat, preparing to return to her own spot.
She let go so quickly that Yukino felt an unexpected pang of disappointment in her chest. Deep down, she had hoped Kotomi would loosen her hold just a little more slowly—so that the warmth of her embrace could linger a little longer.
"My shoelace came undone…"
After standing up, Kotomi Izumi suddenly glanced down at her shoes and muttered that her shoelace had come loose.
Yukino Yukinoshita also stood up and crouched down beside her. She knew Kotomi wasn't very good at tying her own shoes, so she intended to help her tie the laces.
However, before Yukino could even take a proper look, Kotomi leaned down close to her ear and whispered softly:
"Next time you make up an excuse, remember to think it through in your head first. Saying you couldn't sleep because you were scared after reading a horror novel isn't a bad excuse—but don't go into too much detail about the plot, unless you can be sure it actually exists in a real book, and you can name the title when asked.
"Otherwise, just do what I did—keep it simple. I said I watched a horror movie instead, and if someone asks for the name, I can just answer right away."
"Eh?!"
That was when Yukino finally noticed that Kotomi's shoelaces weren't even untied. At the same time, she finished listening to Kotomi's whispered words. When she lifted her head, she saw Kotomi looking down at her with that smug little grin of hers.
Seeing Kotomi's mischievous smile made Yukino's cheeks grow noticeably hot.
Smack.
Yukino lightly tapped Kotomi's thigh with her small fist, her gaze darting away in embarrassment as her delicate face turned bright red.
"Why are you hitting my thigh?" Kotomi asked, laughing softly, amused by Yukino's shy little gesture.
Smack.
Yukino gave her another small tap, her ears turning red this time.
"Pfft…"
Kotomi couldn't help laughing out loud. Now she understood—this was Yukino's way of expressing how embarrassed she was.
"Yukino, I didn't expect you to have such a cute, bashful side," Kotomi said, eyes gleaming with satisfaction. Seeing Yukino flustered and shy was so rare—it was simply adorable.
It was like watching a proud little cat suddenly turn into a human.
I really want to put cat ears on her! Kotomi screamed in her heart.
For a moment, she even wanted to say it out loud—but she stopped herself. If she really did, Yukino the "kitty" in front of her would definitely explode in embarrassment, puff up like an angry cat, and start swinging her claws at her.
"D-Don't laugh!"
Seeing Kotomi's lips curve into such a beautiful smile as she spoke, Yukino's already shy heart burned even hotter—like pouring oil on an open flame.
"I'm not laughing," Kotomi said, trying to hold back her grin, pretending to sound innocent.
"You so are laughing!"
"That's because you're too cute~" Kotomi said, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze, yet the words themselves were a direct hit.
"I…"
That one simple sentence hit Yukino like a critical blow. Her face turned redder, and she lowered her head, her lips slightly parted as if she wanted to say something—but her shyness made it impossible to form words.
Kotomi had never seen Yukino so adorably flustered before. The sight filled her heart with warmth and satisfaction. It was, in a word—delightful.
If only Yukino were already her girlfriend… Kotomi thought with regret. If that were the case, she wouldn't hesitate for a second—even with Yui sitting nearby—she'd pull Yukino into her arms and kiss her right there.
In fact, Kotomi had already planned what she'd do if Yui got jealous. She'd just hold Yukino in her left arm, Yui in her right, and kiss them both in turn—left, then right!
A perfectly balanced embrace on both sides—that was Kotomi Izumi's ultimate dream, and one she was determined to achieve someday.
With gentle care, Kotomi helped the shy, blushing Yukino back to her seat. Today's progress, she thought, had already exceeded expectations.
Mastering the perfect balance of pace and intensity in her "romantic strategy" was Kotomi Izumi's signature style.
Push too lightly, and it's like hitting someone with a puff of cotton—no effect at all. Push too hard, and it might backfire. Only by strengthening the pace at the right moment could she achieve the most perfect results.
And until that right moment came, Kotomi would keep her advances at just the right level—neither too soft nor too strong.
Normally, that would be the case—but for Kotomi Izumi, there was one more rule to add. While maintaining a moderate pace in her romantic "strategy," she also believed in developing multiple routes simultaneously—pursuing several targets at once, each with its own rhythm and intensity.
Kotomi knew she liked a lot of girls. But she wasn't the type to agonize over which one to choose. She hated multiple-choice questions. If she liked them all, then she would simply have them all.
If you placed a basket full of fruit in front of Kotomi and told her she could only pick one, she wouldn't hesitate—she'd take the whole basket. After all, she had the stamina of the Queen of All Females. She loved apples, sure—but why shouldn't she also have pineapples, oranges, mangosteens, peaches, and watermelons too?
Why should she have to choose one thing she liked and give up the rest? Kotomi despised that kind of logic. If she liked something, she wouldn't let go of it. She wanted everything.
After helping Yukino Yukinoshita back to her seat, Kotomi couldn't resist noticing the faint blush on Yukino's ears—and reached out to pinch one gently.
If Yui Yuigahama hadn't been sitting nearby, Kotomi would've leaned down and given Yukino's little ear a playful bite.
The light pinch made Yukino's whole body tremble slightly. Still red-faced and looking down, she didn't dare lift her head. Even if she wanted to say something, her shyness had rendered her completely speechless.
Satisfied after teasing Yukino, Kotomi didn't push any further. She knew Yukino too well—her thin-skinned, easily flustered nature meant she'd need a bit of time to calm down.
So, as the "culprit" responsible for Yukino's embarrassment, Kotomi smoothly turned around and went back to Yui's side, acting as if nothing had happened. She gently wrapped an arm around Yui, letting the girl rest her head on her shoulder. After a moment, she secretly leaned in and planted a kiss on Yui's cheek.
Yukino was still looking down, so she couldn't see a thing. And even if she did look up later, all she'd see was Yui leaning against Kotomi's shoulder. Kotomi could easily brush it off with a casual line:
"Yui's tired. After dinner, we'll all turn in early, okay?"
Crisis avoided. Perfectly natural.
"K-Kotomi… Yukino's still right there…"
Yui's heart fluttered when Kotomi kissed her cheek—happiness and embarrassment mixing together. Her voice was soft, barely audible to anyone but the two of them. After all, her best friend Yukino was sitting right beside them.
Yui actually wanted to tell Yukino everything—to say, Yukino, Kotomi and I are dating! She believed that as her best friend, Yukino would be happy for her and give them her blessing.
When people fall in love, they want the blessings of their family and friends.
Yui also wanted to tell everyone she loved—her mom, her little sister, Kotomi's uncle and aunt, Yukino, Megumi, and Mashiro. She wanted them all to know and to bless her relationship.
But Kotomi always told her, "Don't tell anyone yet. Keep it a secret for now. When the time is right, I'll let you say it."
Yui didn't understand why—but she always listened. If Kotomi said not to speak, she stayed quiet. And when Kotomi said she could speak, she would.
Kotomi's fingertips brushed lightly through Yui's soft, pink-tinted hair. Then she leaned in and kissed her lips firmly.
"Don't worry," Kotomi whispered with a sly smile. "Yukino's got her head down—she's resting. She can't see us."
Then she kissed Yui again, this time longer, deeper—and when she finally pulled away, her tone was a little more possessive, a little more domineering.
"You're my girlfriend—my future wife. I'll kiss you whenever I want."
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