Kamizawa had been chatting with Ono about which beauty filter style worked best on the photos they'd taken during last week's outing when Miura's sudden, earth-shattering message nearly made her jump out of her seat.
She couldn't figure out what Yumiko was up to, but anything that could make her this fired-up and this dumb had to be related to Yukinoshita.
Yumiko had always been the type to take pride in her image. Even within their close-knit circle of friends, she naturally took on the role of the dependable big sister.
But ever since she and Yukinoshita had become... well, friends, Yumiko had started asking for help and showing vulnerability a lot more than before.
Though Kamizawa already knew Yumiko was utterly hopeless when it came to anything involving emotions, she still couldn't help sighing.
To Yumiko, Yukinoshita was probably just too difficult a question to solve.
Kamizawa:
…What the hell were you thinking, trying to tear down the school bulletin board????
Your teenage romantic drama is seriously out of control!
Miura:
Come on, Junko, just help me out… please?
Kamizawa:
…If you really insist on doing it, it's actually not that hard. You could anonymously report the bulletin board and a few other crumbling school facilities to the Parent-Guardian Committee. The school will probably get a warning call by tomorrow.
Miura:
Junko, can you make the bulletin board disappear before the end of the morning classes?
Hey, I'm Kamizawa Junko, not Kamizawa-Doraemon!
Kamizawa:
Seriously, why do you want to do something this stupid???
This time, Yumiko hesitated for a while before finally replying.
Miura:
The bulletin board's going to have the test results posted by the time morning classes end. If Yukinoshita didn't do well, a lot of people are going to laugh at her…
Kamizawa paused.
As ridiculous as Yumiko's whole "tearing down the school" stunt was, she did have a point.
There were a lot of people just waiting to see Yukinoshita fall flat on her face.
Over the past month, Yukinoshita had been quietly studying and keeping to herself. She'd stopped labeling people and picking fights. With Miura around, no one dared to openly provoke her.
But that didn't mean people had let go of their grudges. After all, Yukinoshita's past reputation as the "Romance Terminator of Sōbu High" wasn't something people easily forgot.
Many were just lying in wait, ready to mock her as soon as the test scores came out.
Kamizawa figured Yukinoshita probably wouldn't even acknowledge such childish taunts. To her, they were just noise.
But Yumiko wasn't as composed.
Kamizawa:
Forget the bulletin board plan. It's too dumb. I'll try to get some intel from Hiratsuka-sensei later.
Kamizawa offered a counter-proposal:
If Yukinoshita really did bomb the test, it's the perfect excuse to invite her over for a study session at your place~
Invite her... invite Yukinoshita to her house?
Just the two of them?
Alone, in her own room?
Wait. Wait a second.
Wouldn't that be basically… living together?!
In that instant, Yumiko's heart nearly burst from her chest.
But she quickly shook her head, blushing furiously.
Miura:
No, no, no, Yukinoshita's feelings come first!
Still thinking about demolishing school property, are we?
Sōbu High really must've used up all its good karma.
Kamizawa sighed.
Kamizawa:
Even if you did destroy the bulletin board, it wouldn't help. They'd probably just post the results in every classroom. That'd make things worse.
Miura:
So there's really no way to take it down…?
Kamizawa:
Start by doing exactly what I say. First, take three deep breaths.
Yumiko was confused but followed the instructions anyway.
Miura:
Okay, now what?
Kamizawa:
Now empty your mind. Empty. Emptier. Emptiest.
Miura:
And then?
Kamizawa:
Do you feel a little calmer now? A bit more peaceful?
Miura:
Actually, yeah. Junko, then what?
Kamizawa:
Now ask yourself: do you still want to tear down the school?
Miura:
...…No.
Now that her adrenaline had worn off, Miura finally realized just how idiotic she'd almost been.
She might usually come off as confident and in control, but at the end of the day, she was still just a seventeen-year-old high schooler.
Biting her lip, Miura slumped over her desk.
She thought to herself: Yukinoshita is such a good person. Why can't people just… like her properly?
Yukinoshita, meanwhile, was struck by how unusually gentle Miura seemed today.
Sure, she always had a maternal vibe about her, but today she was practically the poster child for the Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars.
"Yukinoshita."
After the first period ended, Miura dumped all the snacks and candy from her bag onto Yukinoshita's desk in one big clattering heap.
"All for you."
She didn't even like sweets that much. What was Miura doing?
Miura, however, said earnestly, "Candy and snacks are good for boosting your mood."
Yukinoshita: ?
Do I look like I'm in a bad mood today?
But watching Miura pile every last piece of candy in front of her, Yukinoshita couldn't help remembering the first time she met Haruno when they were very young.
Back then, Haruno had done the exact same thing pushed all her favorite things in front of her.
Yukinoshita had to admit she was a difficult person with a complicated personality.
She'd thought Haruno hadn't recognized her and had gotten stuck in her own head, stubbornly deciding that if Haruno never figured it out, then she'd never talk to her again either.
But after seeing that protective charm Haruno had been carrying, Yukinoshita realized Haruno had probably had a much harder year than she'd imagined.
Just like when she learned the truth about Haruno's feelings, her heart softened now too.
She opened her textbook and said, "I don't like candy. Too sweet."
Miura looked alarmed. "This is chocolate candy it has a slightly bitter taste. It's not too cloying, I swear!"
"Oh, really? Prove it. Try one for me."
Miura quickly unwrapped a piece, shoved it in her mouth, and swallowed it in a few bites. "See? So sweet!"
Because of her weight worries, Miura usually carried candy but rarely ate it.
Though she really, really loved sweets.
Yukinoshita narrowed her eyes. "You ate that way too fast. Did it taste bad?"
She picked up another unwrapped one and held it out. "Try one more."
Miura obediently accepted it, mumbling as she chewed, "It's really good, I swear…"
Halfway through her sentence, she suddenly froze.
She looked up and saw that Yukinoshita had raised her textbook to cover her face, leaving only a pair of eyes peeking out.
Those eyes usually distant, like snowflakes frozen midair were now gleaming with quiet mischief.
"Miura, you really are an idiot…"
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