On the way to school, Yukino suddenly brought up the topic of skincare.
At first, she was only praising how effective the products Haru had given her were. But as their conversation went on, her voice carried a trace of curiosity that she could no longer hide.
The last time, Haru had told her that those products came from his parents, and that he wasn't sure which company made them. Yukino's memory was sharp, and she didn't want to force the boy she liked into an awkward position by pressing too hard. So she hesitated over and over again, and in the end, her shyness kept her from asking directly.
"If you want to ask, you can just ask," Haru said.
He wasn't sure if she felt conflicted, but watching her wrestle with it made him feel worse, so he spoke up.
Yukino's cheeks tinged with pink. She turned her face slightly and admitted, "What I really wanted to say was… the effect of that skincare was even better than I expected."
"For example?" Haru prompted.
Seeing how willing he was to play along, Yukino's lips softened into a small smile. "The day you were called away by my sister, the three of us kept discussing the skincare you gave us…"
Then, as if by instinct, she lowered her voice. "After trying it, I realized it's not just excellent for brightening—it even makes the skin itself healthier."
Haru already knew as much, but he still nodded. "If it works that well, then it's only right that I gave it to you girls."
Yukino shot him a glance, her expression calm but her words sharp. "'You girls,' huh? You said that awfully naturally."
She was clearly referring to Megumi.
Utaha had already gotten close with her, and the two girls were more or less friends now—though they still enjoyed sniping at each other in words.
As for Shizuka, who had also received the products… Yukino hadn't thought much about her.
In Yukino's eyes, Shizuka was nothing more than a dependable and caring elder. And only that.
So the "other girl" Yukino pointed to was clearly Megumi.
That was a question Haru wasn't sure how to answer. He was still searching for the right words when Yukino beat him to it.
"Forget it. Don't skulk around looking suspicious."
The conversation circled back to skincare.
Not only was the product effective, it worked fast. For a girl, that kind of thing was lethal. Yukino had studied Utaha and Megumi closely before—they were pale-skinned, yes, but not as fair as her.
After using the product, though, their complexion had caught up with hers completely.
Even more surprising, they had discovered it could be mixed with other skincare products without losing its effect. Which meant that even if the supply was limited, it could be stretched much further.
Seeing Yukino grow more animated, Haru couldn't help but mutter, "Actually, that skincare is edible. Works pretty well that way, too."
Yukino froze, her smile stiffening for a heartbeat. Then her beautiful eyes filled with wordless question marks.
She didn't speak, but her gaze said everything: Are you messing with me?
"I'm not joking," Haru said, lowering his voice further. "Supposedly, it's a tonic."
Yukino took a deep breath, waited three seconds, and finally gave him a look full of pity—as though humoring an idiot. "That's very amusing. Don't ever say it again."
"So you don't believe me." Haru chuckled. He had expected as much.
"No matter who told me—my mother, my aunt—if they said skincare was edible, I still wouldn't try it."
Her face stayed expressionless as she said it.
She had used plenty of brands and done plenty of research. The ingredients inside were obviously never meant for consumption.
For a fleeting second, the word "tonic" had tempted her. But it lasted only a heartbeat before her iron self-control crushed the thought.
By then, they were almost at school. More and more familiar faces appeared along the road.
A few outgoing girls from Haru's class suddenly ran over, laughing as they shoved chocolates into his arms. "Don't forget to return the favor next month~"
Then they dashed away before he could even respond.
Haru glanced down at the chocolates now in his arms, then at Yukino's calm expression beside him. "So the rumors were true after all."
When they reached the shoe lockers, Haru found another box of chocolate inside his.
This one came with a delicate little card. The message was short—just a name and a note that the sender looked forward to his White Day return gift.
"You're even more popular than I thought," Yukino said lightly.
Haru swapped into his indoor shoes. "Must be thanks to that karate tournament last year."
"Not just that." Yukino shook her head. "It's everything you've done, stacked together. That's why your reputation is what it is now."
"Fair point. You're as sharp as ever."
After that little flattery, Haru asked, "So… how about you take care of all this chocolate for me?"
"Not interested," Yukino said flatly.
Yukino refused outright.
She understood perfectly what Haru was implying.
At the same time, she felt slightly irritated by the other girls.
But thinking carefully, those girls were probably just venting a little, or maybe dreaming about it at night—so she let it slide.
Better to focus on how much of my own skincare stash is left, she thought.
The last batch had been rather small. Everyone had received the fairest portion, which in principle was a good thing.
But as a girl, and a beauty-conscious one at that, Yukino naturally wanted more. At the very least, she wanted to make sure she had enough to last the entire year.
Over the past few days, she had even considered finding a moment to ask Haru if he had any stock left.
Of course, if Yukino ever figured out the exact ingredients in the skincare, she would realize one thing: Haru had plenty of it in reserve.
By Valentine's Day, the atmosphere in the school had changed noticeably.
Even students like Hayakawa, who were usually single and close to Haru, had sought him out in class, excitedly talking about the in-game Valentine's Day events.
When Haru asked what kind of surprises awaited, they mentioned all the new skins.
Haru inquired whether the skins could be acquired for free.
They shook their heads—some would require payment.
"So… Valentine's events are supposed to be a gift from the developers, right? Why should we have to pay?" Haru asked, half amused.
Hayakawa and the others defended themselves boldly. "Without Valentine's events, how else would I buy a ring to marry my wife? Wait—wives? Plus, the skins come in multiple colors, and the quality keeps getting better."
Haru couldn't argue with that logic. He quickly joined the discussion, intending to critique their reasoning—but secretly enjoying the banter.
~~~~~~~~~~
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