It was lunchtime.
On the school rooftop, Minamoto Senya asked Yukinoshita, who had just tasted his homemade bento:"So, how is it?"
Yukinoshita Yukino nodded, offering a restrained compliment."For a boy's cooking, I suppose it passes."
Senya chuckled."Really? How does it compare to yours?"
"I once went with my mother to a parent-child cooking class. The professional instructor there—who used to work at a Michelin two-star restaurant—praised my talent as extraordinary."
Saying this, Yukinoshita lifted a strand of her long hair with subtle pride.
"And that was back when I had just entered senior kindergarten. Next time, perhaps I'll let you taste my cooking for yourself."
"Sure, we'll see when the chance comes," Senya replied, hiding a smile.
So proud at such a young age.
Did she really think he didn't know how good she was? His current cooking skills were copied directly from her through the system!
Senya suddenly said, "Your sister's here."
Yukino blinked in surprise, and sure enough, the next moment Yukinoshita Haruno appeared on the rooftop.
Seeing the two sitting side by side, Haruno's lips curved upward, and she walked over at once.
She plopped down right next to Senya, deliberately squeezing them closer together.
Leaning against him slightly, she teased, "I heard about it, little prince—how you stood up for Yukino the other day."
Senya was speechless at the embarrassing nickname and glanced instinctively at Yukino.
"I didn't tell her," Yukino said immediately.
"Figured as much," Senya muttered.
But Haruno had already slung an arm around his shoulder, poking his cheek with her finger."Thanks for helping my little sister. By the way, you're kind of famous now. All the fourth graders are talking about you."
Senya wasn't fond of physical contact and quietly pushed her hand away."It wasn't a big deal. I just hate bullying—picking on others for no reason and disrupting their studies."
"Good answer," Haruno said, eyes twinkling. "We should think of a way to thank you… Oh, I know! This weekend, our family is holding a celebration. You should come too, Senya."
"Celebration?"
From the side, Yukino explained, "My sister won first prize in the junior calligraphy competition last week."
Haruno herself didn't seem the least bit smug about her achievement. Her expression stayed light and casual as she continued,"Tell me what you'd like to eat, and I'll have my family prepare it for you."
Senya hesitated for a moment, then shook his head."No thanks. I have other things that day."
What business does an outsider have attending another family's celebration?
"Really? What a shame."
With that, Haruno waved breezily and left, as straightforward as when she had arrived.
But Yukino remained unsettled, her mind stuck on something Senya had said earlier.
Finally, she couldn't hold back."When you said… 'I figured as much,' what did you mean?"
"Exactly what it sounded like," Senya replied calmly. "I don't think you'd ever tell your family about that incident."
"Why not?"
"We've known each other long enough. I understand you at least that much."
Yukino fell silent, frowning slightly, but said no more.
Senya sighed softly and packed up the remains of his lunch. Then, to be clearer, he added,"Your attitude toward things that happen around you—it's obvious enough."
Yukino's clear eyes flicked toward him, silent but attentive.
Senya shifted the topic."Your sister is amazing, right? Cheerful, confident, talented—always the leader of the group."
Yukino's gaze wavered."…What does that have to do with her?"
Everything, Senya thought.
In his past life, watching the anime as an outsider, he had struggled to fully understand the sisters' complicated relationship.
But now, spending nearly every day by Yukino's side—and seeing how transparent children could be—he understood instantly.
Looking up at the sky, he spoke slowly,"Yukinoshita Yukino is proud, stubborn, and has a strong sense of dignity.
Because she constantly measures herself against her incredible older sister, she subconsciously compares herself in everything, refusing to lose.
With that mindset, of course she doesn't want her setbacks or troubles at school to be known by her sister or her family."
This explained why, whenever she faced other students' pranks, Yukino always chose to deal with it herself.
She pictured how her sister might handle such things. She didn't expect to match her perfect sister, but at the very least, she wanted to slowly close the distance.
Telling teachers or parents about her problems felt like admitting defeat—so she endured, keeping everything to herself.
Senya had realized this about her long ago. He'd just never found the right moment to say it.
But today, the words had slipped out. And maybe that was for the best. If she could change because of it, she wouldn't suffer as much in the future.
And if she couldn't… well, that was fine too.
As her bound "study goddess," her success was tied to his. He would shoulder the responsibility of easing her burdens.
To protect her. To make sure she could study well and move forward.
Yukino's expression grew complicated. Shock, confusion, even helplessness flickered across her face.
She felt completely exposed before Senya—like he could easily touch her heart and pull out the secret she'd hidden deepest inside.
"…I'm going back to class."
Yukino stood up, unsure what to say or how to face him now.
"Working hard is a good thing," Senya said to her retreating figure. "But sometimes, you don't need to push yourself so much."
Her steps faltered, but she didn't turn back. She just walked away.
Maybe I shouldn't have said that… Senya thought, watching her leave.
He opened his bento again and quietly resumed eating.
By the end of the semester, the first-year final exam rankings were posted.
Minamoto Senya easily claimed first place, firmly above Yukinoshita Yukino's name.
However, by the terms of their previous bet, the result was technically a draw.
Excluding P.E., both of them had scored perfect marks across every subject—Japanese, Math, English, Social Studies, and more.
Senya had originally intended to declare the match a tie.
But Yukino stubbornly insisted she had won, and relentlessly pressed him to name his prize as the victor.
Backed into a corner, Senya finally gave in—barely containing his laughter as he told her to crouch by the roadside and talk to a stray cat.
Of course, he borrowed a friend's cell phone and secretly recorded the whole humiliating scene. Later, he sent the file to the email address he had set up during computer class.
After that, Yukino challenged him again, staking the second-year finals on their new bet.
Her determined gaze said it all. Besides her sister, she now had someone else she desperately wanted to surpass.
But after the second-year finals, nothing had changed—the result was the same as the year before.
And so, Senya's email inbox gained another gem: a video of Yukino pinching her nose, blushing furiously, and imitating a cartoon character's voice.
By the time they entered third grade, Senya was greeted by a sight he hadn't seen in a long while—
A bright golden exclamation mark appearing before his eyes!