"Let's end our talk here. Turns out, we didn't discuss anything important today."
Picking up his empty bento box, Yuu ignored Yukino's piercing glare. He checked the time and prepared to return to class.
"I've got a part-time job after school. We'll talk about the autumn exhibition another time. I'll drop by again if I have a chance."
"You could just disappear, no problem. I can handle it myself," Yukino replied coldly, her tone laced with displeasure.
She looked down at the remnants of her meal, picked up her chopsticks, and ate slowly.
Unfazed by her icy attitude, Yuu stood from his chair and smiled. "Well, thanks for answering my question seriously anyway. It'd be nice if you could be a bit friendlier."
"I'm friendly to normal students." Swallowing her food, Yukino flashed an elegant, gentle smile. "If you're willing to call me President-sama, I might consider giving you the same treatment."
"President-sama."
After saying it, Yuu looked at her with keen interest.
Yukino froze, her expression a mix of shock and adorableness.
After a moment, she raised her hand, helplessly pressing her temple, and let out a soft, resigned sigh.
"I didn't expect you to be so shameless… Fine, since you begged me, I'll adjust my attitude toward you from now on."
"No need. Arguing with you is pretty fun." As she stared at him in surprise and confusion, Yuu added with a grin, "It feels like taming a kid who refuses to admit they're wrong—full of fun challenges, and I quite like it."
"So, even if your glares get sharper, please stay that way, President-sama."
"…"
Yukino rarely hated someone specifically.
Even toward those who'd bothered her before, she only remembered their names, lumping them as trash, feeling equal disdain and disgust for them all.
Even with her sister, her feelings were complex—hating certain aspects but unable to fully hate the person.
But now, watching Yuu's retreating back, her heart churned, and a feeling she'd never experienced quietly emerged.
It was a strange sensation that made her whole body tremble, her blood surge, her mind filled with his every movement, as if she wanted to rush forward, hug him tightly, and then slam him down with a German suplex…
Hating someone so much she wanted to punch them—Yukino felt it for the first time.
Thus, from this moment, Yuu, in a negative sense, was truly etched into her mind.
"I'll bite you to death…"
Taking advantage of the empty clubroom, Yukino bit the head off her panda onigiri, muttering with deep resentment.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"Something important, huh…"
On his way back to class, Yuu looked out at the dark, overcast sky, sighing heavily, his mind full of troubles.
He'd only wanted to find a purpose to enrich his life, but he'd accidentally stumbled into an even bigger mess…
Was this what they called teenage years?
Yuu shook his head and smiled, his expression returning to normal.
"Even if it's called running away, this choice is right… For my own sake, a smart person would do it."
With this firm resolve, the school day passed quickly.
Yuu said goodbye to Totsuka, then chatted casually with Yuigahama, who happened to approach him, while boasting about ranking fourth in his grade, before heading to Angel Cafe.
A new employee was officially starting today, and on her first day, he naturally had to guide her. It was a promise he'd made with the store manager.
Luckily, the new employee wasn't late and was very polite. Though not as proactive or diligent as the previous newbie, Aoyama, she was adept at acting cute, quickly winning over customers and the manager.
Before even learning to brew coffee, she adapted to Angel Cafe's atmosphere, treating it like her own home, even getting the manager to personally pay for a cup of tea and a slice of cake, welcoming her with great satisfaction.
Moreover, as the new employee, Isshiki Iroha was already skilled at calling him "Senpai."
"Senpai, sorry! I can't do this!"
"I'll show you—watch closely. Try it yourself later."
"Senpai, it's too hard~ Please teach me again. You do it first, I'll watch?"
"…Are you trying to slack off?"
"Eh, eh, eh?! That's slander! It's my first day—how could I dare slack off in front of Senpai?!"
"Really? My mistake then, sorry."
"Exactly, exactly! Senpai, how could you misunderstand me, sob sob sob… sneaky glance."
"Don't fake cry. Watch how I do it. I won't teach you a third time."
"Got it~ Understood~"
Cafe matters went something like that. Aside from meeting a slightly mischievous junior, nothing special happened.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Late at night, Yuu returned home.
After dinner, before going online to find Asuna, he played a few mature games with Sora in her room.
Hooking the Nintendo Switch to the big screen, Mario Kart was ready to go!
"Yuu, are you thinking about something?"
Holding the controller, Sora picked the red-helmeted plumber and asked casually.
Yuu chose Princess Peach, then asked, puzzled, "Why'd you say that out of nowhere?"
"Idiot, you're too obvious." Sora suddenly raised her hand, her cool fingers touching the center of Yuu's brow, rubbing it with a hint of worry.
Her small, fair face looked slightly gloomy, her tone clearly concerned. "You've been furrowing your brow since you got home—it's practically wrinkled. Is it something serious?"
"…Not really." Giving up on arguing with his know-it-all sister, Yuu sighed helplessly. "It's just, I know it's fine to ignore, but if I don't resolve it soon, I feel like I'm pathetic."
"Can you speak human?" Sora frowned too.
Yuu thought for a moment, then rephrased, "It's like when you're gaming and pick up a side quest by chance. It's fine to skip it, but you want to complete it before moving to the main quest."
"Why didn't you just say that?"
Sora nodded, satisfied, shifting her gaze back to the screen as the game began: "So? What's actually bothering you? It's not something you can't tell family, right?"
As she spoke, two cars zoomed from the starting line, racing on the track with neither yielding, occasionally tossing banana peels or turtle shells to slow the other down by any means.
"Just teenage troubles," Yuu said casually.
"…"
The red plumber's car suddenly slowed. Sora turned to him, alert.
"Does it have to do with a girl?"