"They're here?"
A little nervous, but somehow calm.
With the motion of folding the umbrella, the figure seemed swallowed by the building below, vanishing at the entrance.
Yukino had no interest in the empty rainy scene. She left the window but didn't return to her seat. Unconsciously, she started pacing around the chair as the center, circling left.
She didn't see Yuigahama beside Yuu.
From this single fact, countless guesses flooded her mind instantly.
"Does Yuigahama-san have something? Did she come alone first? Or she doesn't want to meet me, so… No, Yuigahama-san isn't the type to break promises!"
After all, she suggested lunch at the Service Club while talking. She didn't even give herself time to normalize and rushed into an open three-way discussion—though it was their original plan.
But Yukino couldn't understand Yuigahama's actions or feelings. Nor could she prepare by predicting.
The change was too fast. Was this what they call a girl in love?
"Don't worry, Tenkuji-kun said he'd come with her. Maybe they got delayed…"
Though comforting herself, her pacing sped up. Her once-elegant, cool demeanor gained points of lovestruck girl softness and doubt. She bit her lip, looking slightly anxious.
Soon, she realized her panicked, startled-horse behavior. She forced her feet to stop, standing to take a deep breath.
But right after inhaling, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door.
Then, without time to react, warm room air rushed into the hallway.
Banishing silence and fully suppressing it, Yuigahama burst in impatiently: "Yukinon, I have to tell you! …Ehh, you okay?"
"Cough, cough cough… Fine, just choked on saliva."
Pressing her chest to steady her breath, Yukino sat back, slightly drained. Her eyes looked weakly: "What do you want to say? By the way, when did you get here? Main entrance?"
"No, I came with Yuu-kun. I just rushed to see Yukinon, so I sped up the stairs on purpose!" Shaking her head, Yuigahama flashed a thumbs-up. She smiled as if begging praise.
Though Yukino's gaze was speechless, she couldn't hold back a smile. She pursed her lips: "Thanks a lot then. I know I'm charming, but no need to run. I won't escape."
Though she said that, without this impulsiveness and honesty, she might have no true friends until graduation.
And friends—no matter how sincere or close—could still break over small reasons and disagreements…
This was the outcome Yukino desperately avoided.
She didn't want to lose a single friend, of any kind.
"Ugh, forget that! I have something to discuss…"
Yuigahama glanced back. She hurried to Yukino, looking very anxious.
Seeing this, Yukino tensed. Her expression turned serious like an elementary student woken by the teacher mid-nap. She bit her lip, released it. With a sacrificial brave face, she prepared to be scolded thoroughly.
Choosing the opposite sex over a friend usually warrants scolding, even with reasons—so for days, Yukino imagined over ten scenarios of the other mocking her, ready to respond smoothly to anything.
English listening exams might not be this serious.
Sitting straight, Yukino stared at approaching Yuigahama, who finally leaned in to whisper. Her determined expression slowly turned confused, then froze into seriousness and coldness.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"Good afternoon, Yukinoshita… Hmm?"
Placing the umbrella outside, as Yuu stepped into the Service Club, he couldn't help wondering if he'd time-traveled to the polar region, face-to-face with cute penguins.
Though the heater was on, one penguin lowered the temperature with a chilling killing aura. Her thin, soft lips pressed tight. Her gaze sharp like a drill, ready to pounce and shave him into ice.
Soon, the penguin—Yukino said coldly:
"Morning legs, noon chest. After school what?"
"Robert F. Young or Sphinx?"
"Neither. Just a survey of someone's fetish."
"Then butt. Chicken thighs, chicken breast, chicken butt—all tasty." Raising a brow, Yuu easily ignored her killing aura. He closed the door and walked to the long table.
The veiled pervert accusation didn't need serious response—though slightly better than outright calling him a boob-biting pervert upon entry.
Yuu didn't care, but Yuigahama beside him kept shaking his arm. She eagerly fanned the flames: "Yukinon, don't let him off! Make Yuu-kun face consequences for teasing girls!"
Yukino pulled her arm resignedly: "I want to, but there's no open way to punish him."
"How about ignoring him for a day?"
"Then letting him talk excitedly while I can't respond?"
"Ah, true…"
Yuigahama scratched her head. She laughed. Seeing Yuu pull a chair and sit, she said no more. She dragged her chair to her usual spot.
Yukino never expected her serious expression was just to complain about the boob-obsessed pervert. She spoke from behind, as if deciding not to say something:
"Yuigahama-san…"
"Hmm? Ah, we'll talk after eating!" Yuigahama turned. It seemed her first time seeing Yukino so unconfident. She grinned mischievously: "Don't worry, I won't point at Yukinon and call you a thieving cat~ No matter what, we'll stay best friends!"
"Ahem… I-I'm not worried about that."
Quickly fixing her expression, Yukino cleared her throat. She returned to her usual calm, controlled demeanor. She opened her bento naturally.
Honestly, this was also her first time seeing Yuigahama like this.
Confident and relaxed. As if all past anxiety and doubt had vanished. Though not a total change, in just over a day apart, many things about her felt unfamiliar. As if the little girl grew into a woman overnight.
(…Tenkuji-kun, did he really just talk about what he said yesterday with her?)
Yukino unconsciously opened her bento lid. Her hand paused mid-air. Her gaze shifted to Yuu. Her eyes seemed to ask.