Mori Shinra and Yukinoshita stood side-by-side, watching Tsurumi Rumi walk back to her small group.
The gloomy aura emanating from her was almost visible to the naked eye.
Although Yukinoshita had helped Tsurumi Rumi see reality clearly, she had also blocked her path of escape.
The cruelty of reality was a bit too much for Tsurumi Rumi to bear, leading her to naturally feel like giving up.
"Did I do the wrong thing?"
Seeing Tsurumi Rumi's reaction, Yukinoshita couldn't help but doubt her own decision.
She subconsciously wanted to seek an answer from Mori Shinra.
Yukinoshita Yukino didn't even realize when she had started to become so reliant on him.
"Why would you think that?" Mori Shinra sensed Yukinoshita's confusion and asked back.
Yukinoshita pursed her lips and turned her face away.
She suddenly regretted asking him this question.
They are competitors right now. Who asks their competitor if their strategy is correct?
But since she had already asked, she might as well make it clear.
"If I had been able to say it more tactfully, maybe she would feel better right now?"
"That doesn't sound like you."
Hearing this, Mori Shinra shook his head with a chuckle.
"Doesn't sound like me?"
A puzzled expression appeared on Yukinoshita's beautiful face.
"In my impression, Yukino is extremely strict with both herself and others, and her words are merciless. Why are you suddenly doubting yourself now?"
"Because Rumi's situation is different from mine."
At first, Yukinoshita thought Tsurumi Rumi's experience was the same as hers.
But after hearing her story, Yukinoshita clearly realized that although Tsurumi Rumi was being ostracized like she was in elementary school, the circumstances were completely different.
"In essence, it's all the same thing," Mori Shinra interrupted.
"Whether it's because you're too outstanding or because you were backstabbed by a friend, in essence, it's just a large-scale compliance test. It's nothing more than bullying, implemented by trampling on someone's dignity to solidify a small group's relationship."
"Even if you hadn't said it, Tsurumi Rumi would have realized it sooner or later. In fact, she already has. She's just been avoiding it."
"...Avoiding it is also a method. But my actions just now blocked that path," Yukinoshita said in a low voice.
This couldn't help but make her think of herself.
Back then, when she listened to her mother's arrangement and went abroad for middle school, was there an element of escape in that decision?
I clearly chose to escape back then, but now I'm blocking someone else's path. What does that make me?
Realizing this, Yukinoshita suddenly felt a wave of nausea.
The feeling of disgust washed over her almost instantly.
Seeing the girl's face suddenly turn deathly pale, Mori Shinra knew this girl was getting stuck in her head again.
So, he decided to drop a heavy dose of reality.
Mori Shinra raised his voice a little and said, "Yukinoshita Yukino, are you overestimating yourself?"
"A person who is determined to escape will not be swayed by a few words from others. Besides, how long have you known Tsurumi Rumi? An hour? Two hours? And how many words have you spoken? Probably not even ten! You are, at best, a stranger to that child. Why would you arrogantly assume she would develop exactly as you predict? In the end, both you and I are just bystanders. All we can do is guide her with words. The only one who can decide what to do is Tsurumi Rumi herself."
"Besides, you just used your method to help her. I haven't even made my move yet. You believe it's impossible for Tsurumi Rumi to rejoin the group, so you want to help her adapt to 'loneliness'. But I don't think so."
Mori Shinra's "word therapy" seemed to be having some effect.
After listening, Yukinoshita was silent for a moment.
She met his eyes again and asked, "What do you plan to do?"
"Since this group won't accept her, can't we just find a group that will accept her?"
No one in this world is indispensable, and no group can claim the world will stop turning without them. The principle of "If you can't get Mr. Zhang's pork, you don't have to eat unbutchered pig" applies everywhere.
"Can you find one?"
"Then let me ask you, Yukino. Do you know what the most important part of 'going out to play' is?"
"...Having fun?"
"Wrong. It's 'going out'."
Mori Shinra felt that Tsurumi Rumi's situation was affecting Yukinoshita more than he had thought, to the point that this girl, who had always been so brilliant and clear-headed, had lost her footing.
Perhaps this is a case of 'the onlooker sees most of the game'.
"You can't get anything done by being timid. If you keep this mindset, Yukino, you should just admit defeat now. Surrender and you only lose half. Then you'll only have to wear half a maid outfit," Mori Shinra said.
Only wear half? Is that even broadcastable?
Hearing Mori Shinra's words, some R-rated images unconsciously flashed through Yukinoshita's mind.
She instantly forgot all her melancholy and retorted, annoyed:
"The sun hasn't even set, and you're already daydreaming. We only have three days. Setting aside whether you can even find a circle of friends for her, it's still a question whether they would even accept her."
"Don't you worry about that. There's no time limit. Tsurumi Rumi's elementary school is an affiliate of Sobu High. Barring any surprises, she'll move up to Sobu's affiliated high school. It's all in Chiba City. There will be plenty of chances to meet in the future."
"In that case, how will we determine the winner?"
"Simple. When we next meet, we'll just see if she has friends around her," Mori Shinra said.
He wasn't planning on dragging this out forever.
Both he and Yukinoshita knew very well that a situation like Tsurumi Rumi's could not be solved in a three-day, two-night summer camp.
Therefore, pushing the judgment to their next meeting was the most stable option.
"However, if you can make Tsurumi Rumi 'super-evolve', I'll count that as my loss too," Mori Shinra added.
Again, he didn't care about winning or losing this bet. He only cared about Yukinoshita Yukino's feelings and the golden wish power request above her head. If wearing a maid outfit would allow him to accept her golden request, Mori Shinra would do it without hesitation. Even wearing half wouldn't be a problem. Of course, if photos were involved... he'd have to hesitate.
To be honest, after knowing Yukinoshita Yukino for so long, Mori Shinra still had no clue about that golden request hanging over her head. Well, it wasn't that he had no clue. He had some ideas, but he didn't know how to act on them. He felt the powerlessness of a 'sleeping husband'.
Not long after Tsurumi Rumi left, Hayama also managed to escape the elementary schoolers surrounding him.
It wasn't that he had become unpopular, but rather that it was time for the kids to return to their dorms.
Although they wouldn't go to sleep right away—they would probably run around visiting other rooms, burning off their excess energy for a while—they would eventually be herded back to their rooms to rest by the teachers.
But none of that had anything to do with the high school volunteers anymore.
At least from now until tomorrow morning, they were free.
Hayama spotted Yukinoshita and Mori Shinra.
While he was surrounded by the kids earlier, he had actually been paying attention to the situation over here.
"Is she alright?" Hayama asked.
"Hard to say," Mori Shinra said truthfully.
Yukinoshita, however, showed no intention of speaking to Hayama.
Her expression was completely different from when she was chatting with Mori Shinra, becoming cold and full of rejection.
Yukinoshita Yukino's indifference to ordinary people was just a means of isolation.
But her coldness towards Hayama was a tangible chill.
Anyone could see that Yukinoshita very much disliked this famously "nice guy" of their class.
"So she did run into trouble... Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Not at the moment."
"If possible, I'd like to help her in any way I can."
Hayama once again expressed his intention to help.
Hayama is, in essence, a kind person. But it was precisely that kindness, which he distributed equally to everyone, that led to the tragedy. Seeing Hayama's stubborn 'entanglement', Yukinoshita finally spoke.
"You can't do it with your power. Isn't that right?"
"...That's right... But this time is different," Hayama replied, looking at Yukinoshita.
Hayama knew very well why Yukinoshita treated him this way. It was indeed his fault back then. His actions hadn't improved Yukinoshita's situation; on the contrary, they had made it worse. But Tsurumi Rumi and Yukinoshita were different. And he himself had grown a lot over the years. If he had another chance...
"It's the same. In essence, it's the same." Yukinoshita's beautiful eyes were devoid of any emotion, her words cold and flat.
What you couldn't do back then, you can't do now. Compared to Hayama, Yukinoshita Yukino now trusts herself more... and Mori Shinra.
"If you want to do something, you can. But only on the premise that you are absolutely certain you can."
With that, Yukinoshita Yukino turned and left without hesitation.
Mori Shinra shrugged at Hayama, then followed her back to the camp.
Hayama just had bad luck. He could have shown up any time, but he had to show up right at that moment.
Didn't he just walk right into Yukinoshita's line of fire? And he even offered to help. What's the difference between that and rubbing salt, cumin, and chili powder into her wound? Faced with this situation, Mori Shinra naturally and unhesitatingly stood on Yukinoshita's side. As for Hayama... they weren't close.
One, Hayama wasn't his brother. Two, he doesn't drop wish power points. Why would Mori Shinra get on Yukinoshita's bad side for him? Even if Hayama did drop wish power points, Mori Shinra wouldn't do it. Wish power points are great, but Yukinoshita is his friend, and a potential mother of his children in the future. How can you compare the two?