Chapter 173: June 18!
The world really was small.
Luke had not expected to run into acquaintances even on a day this hot, though it made sense. For students with both free time and energy, high temperatures were hardly enough to keep them indoors.
'Yukinoshita Yukino loves cats so much that she might be here too…'
Luke suddenly sucked in a breath.
'Wait. Didn't Yui invite both me and Yukino to this Cat and Dog Exhibition before?'
In that case, there was actually a very good chance they were here.
Luke had already turned down Yui's invitation once. To avoid an awkward encounter, he adjusted his [Inconspicuous Glasses], carefully scanned his surroundings, and hurried back toward his group.
Then, in the passage along the far-left side of the exhibition hall, he spotted exactly the two people he had just been thinking about.
Instead of their school uniforms, both girls wore simple, lightweight dresses and sandals. Their colorful outfits and attractive faces made them unusually easy to pick out from the crowd.
Luke watched them for a few seconds. Yui looked exhausted, hanging her head and sighing while clinging to Yukino's arm, practically leaning against her shoulder.
Yukino held the exhibition guidebook and looked exactly as she did in the Service Club. Ignoring everyone around her, she surveyed the area, lowered her head to study the guide again, then confidently closed it.
"This time, we'll definitely find it."
'Oh.'
'They're lost.'
The venue was not even that large. Getting lost here was honestly impressive.
Luke knew Yui was not particularly good with maps or directions either, but compared with Yukino, she was much better. They probably would not get into any real trouble even without his help.
"Will we really… make it this time?"
Yui sounded thoroughly defeated as she clung to Yukino's arm.
Even in this scorching heat, the two were still that close.
'What an enviable friendship.'
All the more reason not to interrupt their outing.
Luke properly adjusted his glasses again and prepared to slip away without making a sound.
"Please trust my judgment, Yuigahama-san," Yukino said calmly, then confidently turned left without even looking back.
Luke stared at her.
"That's the exit!"
He simply could not hold it in.
'Just how bad is this girl's sense of direction?! Even if she were a fish migrating with a school, following the direction everyone else was swimming should still get her somewhere!'
"Eh?"
Hearing the familiar voice, Yui instantly regained her energy and spun around. Since her arm was still linked with Yukino's, she dragged the other girl around with her like an excited puppy pulling its owner by the leash.
"That way leads outside. What are you two even doing?"
Luke removed his glasses and looked at them speechlessly.
Yukino had initially turned with an irritated glare, but the moment she recognized him, the threatening look disappeared and was replaced by surprise.
"My, if it isn't you, of all peo—eh?"
Before Yukino could finish, Yui charged straight toward Luke while still towing her along. Yukino's comparatively frail body stumbled several steps behind her.
"Hey! Didn't you say you weren't coming to the Cat and Dog Exhibition?"
Yui stopped directly in front of him and stared up with obvious dissatisfaction.
"I couldn't help it. I already had plans with someone else."
Luke pushed Yui's boundary-less head away before she could accidentally headbutt him.
Yukino raised an admonishing eyebrow. "Yuigahama-san, if you suddenly decide to run somewhere, please warn me first. Dragging someone along without warning is extremely rude."
"O-okay."
After lecturing Yui, Yukino turned toward Luke.
"You actually came to an event like this with friends?"
"I'm lazy about socializing, not incapable of it. Besides, what's wrong with coming here with family?"
Yukino nodded in understanding.
"That makes much more sense."
"…Hold on. You can come here with Yui, but somehow me coming out with friends is unbelievable?"
"T-that's only because I couldn't refuse Yuigahama-san's invitation."
The moment Luke pointed it out, Yukino's face suddenly reddened. She struggled to maintain her composure while answering, then immediately turned her face away afterward.
'Heh.'
'What a dishonest girl.'
If there were not so many people around, Luke would have laughed at her without mercy.
"You two are saying some pretty weird things," Yui muttered, clearly failing to understand their exchange.
'That's because the people involved are weird.'
"Whatever. Can you show us the way for a bit? We got lost."
Yui released a deep sigh.
Luke stopped teasing them and simply pointed ahead. "Go straight. See that sign? Turn left at that intersection and you'll reach the cat area."
Whether because he understood Yukino or because the exhibition guide in her hand had [Cat Area] visibly marked, Luke had already guessed where she wanted to go.
"What about the woof-woof area?" Yui asked.
"Dogs? Isn't Yukino afraid of dogs?"
"F-for the record, I am not afraid of dogs. I merely… don't know how to deal with them."
"I need to go check on Sablé."
Yukino and Yui answered one after another.
"Sablé?"
Luke searched his memory, then asked, "Your dachshund?"
"Yeah. Since Yukinon is kind of… um, not great with him, I left Sablé in the woof-woof area for now. I also need to get his fur trimmed. Long-haired dogs are pretty troublesome to groom."
"The dog area is that way too, right beside the cat area. The grooming section is behind both of them."
Luke gave them the directions in one breath.
"Then let's go, Yukinon…"
"Wait, Yuigahama-san. You go ahead. I need to speak with this person for a moment."
"…Okay."
Yui gave the two of them a puzzled glance, then pointed toward the nearby corner.
"I'll wait for you over there."
"Mm."
Once Yui had walked some distance away, Luke looked curiously at Yukino.
"What did you want?"
"A-are you free tomorrow?"
Yukino took a small breath before asking.
"Tomorrow? Yeah. Why?"
Luke had no idea what she was planning. The opening sounded vaguely suggestive, but he knew better than to expect anything romantic to follow when Yukino was the one saying it.
"Do you know what day June 18th is?"
Yukino stepped slightly closer and lowered her voice.
'Shopping festival?'
"At least it's not a public holiday."
Luke answered immediately. If it was not a holiday, he had no reason to remember it.
From farther away, Yui had already started impatiently calling for Yukino.
Yukino glanced back at her, then turned toward Luke again.
"Then… could you wait near the entrance for a little while after the exhibition ends?"
Her tone remained as calm as ever, but there was a seriousness behind it.
Luke nodded.
"Sure. Though I might finish looking around earlier than you."
"Then send me a message. I'll come over as quickly as I can."
After saying that, Yukino headed toward Yui.
Luke remained where he was, watching her leave.
'So…'
'What exactly happens on June 18th?'
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