Normally, she wouldn't have admitted it, and there was no need to.
In truth, even she didn't think what she felt for Lin Ye counted as genuine liking — at most, she simply didn't dislike him, because of their relationship.
Because Lin Ye was her boyfriend, her fiancé.
So the intimate things Lin Ye did with her —
holding hands, embracing, kissing —
she allowed all of it. After all, he was her boyfriend, her fiancé. She could even accept things further than that,
as long as Lin Ye kept his end of the bargain.
But even so, when Yukino Yukinoshita asked herself honestly whether she liked Lin Ye, she still couldn't give a clear answer.
Did she like him?
A little?
Did she not like him? That wasn't true either.
So when Rui Tachibana asked her just now,
Yukino Yukinoshita found herself caught in hesitation and confusion.
She didn't know whether to affirm it or deny it.
But her failure to respond immediately had already given Rui an answer.
"I see,"
That single line pulled Yukino back to reality.
She saw it?
The girl with long black hair looked at the girl before her, thought it over, and understood — her own hesitation to answer had already told the girl everything.
"I'm just surprised. I didn't expect Student Yukinoshita likes Lin-kun. He confessed to you so many times before, and you never accepted. I thought you really didn't like him at all."
Yukino really had refused him many times.
Rui had asked around and learned from classmates that Yukino had received confessions from many people, but most boys confessed once and never tried again — except Lin Ye.
The fact that he'd confessed to Yukino repeatedly had become a hot topic around Sobu High. And later, when Miura Yumiko confessed to Lin Ye and he'd accepted, it only raised his profile at Sobu High even further.
Because of that,
Rui had easily picked up bits of the story about Lin Ye and Yukino from other people's mouths.
But now,
hearing it from Yukino herself —
she'd actually just learned that Yukino liked Lin Ye.
It really did feel like some cruel joke of fate.
Liking each other but not being together — was Yukino just being coy, putting on airs?
This cold, aloof girl — it was entirely possible.
Of course,
given her first impression of Yukino, Rui leaned more toward thinking Yukino simply didn't know how to respond, and was instinctively refusing Lin Ye's confessions out of reflex.
In just a few seconds, Rui had already formed her own rough analysis.
She had no romantic experience herself, but she still had plenty of theoretical knowledge on the subject.
"It's complicated between us,"
Yukino sighed. Since Rui had already reached her own conclusion, Yukino figured explaining further wouldn't get her anywhere better.
"Having feelings or not having feelings — isn't that actually a pretty simple thing?"
As far as that question went, it really was simple.
Yukino thought silently to herself.
"Does the answer matter that much to you?"
"It matters,"
Rui answered without a moment's hesitation, stating her intent plainly.
If this didn't matter, then what would!
"It matters a lot. I want to know if I have a rival,"
Rui said earnestly. "Whether you have feelings for Lin-kun affects whether the two of you might end up together."
The gap between mutual feelings and one-sided feelings wasn't small at all.
Rui absolutely did not want to face the worst-case scenario.
If Yukino liked Lin Ye too, the pressure of competition would grow exponentially.
For Rui, that would be hell-mode difficulty.
Was there anything more exciting and joyful than the girl you liked also liking you back?
Clearly not.
Even Rui herself, if she'd been in that position, would feel the same.
So,
what could she do!
She wanted to know Yukino's true thoughts and feelings toward Lin Ye —
liked him, or... didn't.
Even though Yukino's earlier reaction had already amounted to an answer, Rui, while there was still a chance, still hoped to get a clear, definite confirmation from her.
"If I did have feelings for him, would you give up?"
That counter-question left Rui speechless for a moment.
Would she give up?
The answer was obviously no.
After Lin Ye fulfilled his promise tonight, she'd break up with him as agreed — but that wouldn't stop her from staying connected to him. She had no intention of ever fully cutting ties with Lin Ye. If anything, she planned to draw closer.
Even if Lin Ye didn't want that, she wouldn't stop reaching out to him.
That was her resolve.
"No,"
"Then my answer doesn't really mean anything to you, does it?"
"I still want to know. It matters — knowing lets me figure out how seriously I should treat you,"
Yukino could feel how genuinely serious Rui was about this.
This girl meant it. She was being sincere.
"Student Yukinoshita, please tell me how much you like Lin-kun. I want to know, and don't worry — I won't tell anyone."
Rui volunteered the promise herself,
determined to extract more information through it.
"I don't dislike him. I don't mind physical contact with him,"
Yukino still hadn't given a direct answer,
but honestly, this answer wasn't much different from a direct one.
Not rejecting physical contact with a man — that already counted as liking him.
From Rui's own perspective as a girl, if she ran into a guy she didn't like, how could she possibly want physical contact with him?
Only if she liked him would she not object,
and if she could accept normal contact, then there was basically some kind of intimate undertone to it.
Rui thought once more of that scene in the infirmary.
Had the two of them really been about to do something intimate in there?
Gulp.
The suspicion Rui had dismissed countless times, the possibility she'd told herself was impossible, was now being further confirmed.
This was bad.
This was really, really bad.
Rui felt certain now that there was real emotional exchange between Lin Ye and Yukino.
Yukino refusing Lin Ye didn't mean she didn't like him — maybe there was some unspoken understanding between the two of them.
Yukino refused, but Lin Ye didn't seem to mind at all.
"Student Yukinoshita, if you don't even mind physical contact with him, why did you turn down Lin-kun's confession?"
Rui finally voiced the question that had been nagging at her.
Why refuse?
If they liked each other, shouldn't she just accept?
"I didn't want to become gossip among the students of Sobu High. I didn't want to be talked about,"
Yukino continued, "Him confessing doesn't mean I have to accept. His confessing is his business, and my accepting is mine."
Yukino drew a firm line between the two.
Hearing that, Rui already had something close to a definite answer.
This girl in front of her did have feelings for Lin Ye — and not shallow ones, either.
"Normally, most people would just accept, wouldn't they!"
"You said it yourself — normally. If I don't want to accept, I don't have to."
"That's how Lin-kun ended up with Student Miura,"
Rui pressed on,
"Being together doesn't preclude breaking up — not to mention Lin Ye and Miura Yumiko aren't even really a couple."
Rui wanted to keep asking, but sensing how serious Yukino's tone had become, she realized Yukino had essentially already confirmed it.
Given that,
there wasn't much point pressing on this particular thread anymore.
So then...
"What about me and Lin-kun? We're lovers — a relationship established right in front of you,"
Rui looked at Yukino, waiting for her response.
That day in the infirmary, when she and Lin Ye had become a couple — Yukino had witnessed it with her own eyes. Surely she couldn't deny even that much.
"You two are about to break up,"
The words landed like a heavy blow on Rui's heart.
"Yes. Once Lin-kun fulfills his end of the promise, we'll break up. But you know what our agreement involves — spending the night together."
It was obvious what spending the night meant.
What else could a man and woman possibly do, spending the night together?
Anyone with normal intelligence knew exactly what that meant.
"It's just a night. I don't mind."
Rui froze, her eyes going wide.
She didn't mind?
How could she not mind?
The boy she liked, sleeping with another girl, and she just... didn't mind?
Rui found it almost unbelievable.
"You're... sure?"
"Yes, I'm certain. As long as he doesn't force any girl into anything, and doesn't get involved with anyone shady, I don't mind."
That answer stunned Rui all over again.
It really did sound outrageous.
Rui wondered if Yukino was joking — what girl had this much tolerance for a man she liked?
No matter how she looked at it, it seemed impossible.
But Yukino had said it right to her face, leaving no room to think she'd misheard.
"Don't you think... this is a bit inappropriate?"
"What use would it be to think so? He's going to spend the night with you regardless — what am I supposed to say? I can't stop him."
That guy had already slept with Mai Sakurajima,
Yukino had already come to terms with that.
If he slept with another girl too, she'd just have to accept that as well.
In the end, Yukino believed she had no way to stop Lin Ye. She could offer a word of caution, but whether he listened to it was an entirely separate matter.
"If you can't stop him, you just don't stop him... you're really not like most people."
"Student Tachibana, right now you're technically Lin-kun's girlfriend in name. Do you think you could stop him from doing something he's set on doing?"
Rui fell silent after thinking it over.
Honestly,
she really couldn't stop him.
She had no power to do so.
In a normal relationship, if the man wanted to cheat, the woman's objections would only work if the man cared about her feelings, if he didn't want to lose her.
But right now, Lin Ye had no such concern toward her.
That meant she had absolutely no way of restraining Lin Ye — a simple lover's bond couldn't hold him back.
"But even so, that..."
"That's just reality, Student Tachibana. All you can do is accept it,"
Rui felt like Yukino gave up far too easily. Far, far too easily.
There wasn't even a hint of a fighting spirit in her.
"..."
Rui fell silent for a moment.
"He wants to break up with you, and you're accepting the breakup — but you said you'd keep in touch with him afterward. Can he stop you from doing that?"
Clearly, he couldn't either.
That kind of thing could only be self-restrained.
"There's a junior,"
"Student Isshiki, you mean,"
Rui remembered her.
"Right. She likes Lin Ye a great deal — practically throwing herself at him — but he hasn't accepted her. Student Isshiki hasn't given up either; she keeps clinging on, dropping all sorts of hints. Her persistence honestly stunned even me. Just from how relentless she is, I'd say Iroha Isshiki's feelings for Lin Ye run quite deep — she likes him a lot."
Rui listened, turning the words over carefully in her mind.
That much was true.
But,
she still felt a lingering sense of resentment.
She could already sense what her own future might look like.
Iroha Isshiki was quite cute too — exactly the type plenty of boys liked. That junior had thrown herself at him, and yet Lin Ye remained unmoved, unaffected. How was she supposed to feel about that!
"How far did Student Isshiki throw herself at him?"
Rui suddenly asked, feeling it necessary to press further.
She wanted to know the degree — whether it matched her own.
"I believe she was willing to spend the night with him,"
Rui fell silent once more.
She herself had reached that same point, and Lin Ye had refused her too.
And that junior had reached the same point too, with the same result from Lin Ye.
"So maybe..."
Rui looked at Yukino and couldn't help but sigh. "Maybe if Student Yukinoshita threw herself at him, Lin Ye would actually be willing."
As if.
That bastard wasn't that infatuated with her.
He liked her, but not to the point of giving up everything for her.
Otherwise, why wouldn't he break up with Mai Sakurajima? That alone proved she wasn't the most important person in Lin Ye's heart, nor irreplaceable.
"Isn't that so?"
"No,"
Yukino thought it over and gave her answer. "Lin Ye actually has another girl he likes."
"Huh!"
Rui's eyes flashed with shock.
Besides Yukino, Lin Ye liked another girl? Who?
Could it be... her own sister?
The thought suddenly struck Rui.
This wasn't the first time she'd considered this possibility.
She'd thought she was probably overthinking it,
but her sister was so beautiful, it really was possible.
And even though Lin Ye and her sister had only grown close because of the Strange, her sister was so beautiful, gracious, and gentle, so popular with boys at school.
As a healthy, normal young man, surely Lin Ye must like her sister too.
Otherwise,
Rui thought there'd be something wrong with him.
"Who is it."
Rui swallowed, holding out high hopes and no small amount of nervousness for the answer.
Her heart raced, betraying just how unsettled she was.
She wanted more and more to know the truth — who else Lin Ye liked.
This, she guessed, was probably one reason Yukino had been unwilling to accept Lin Ye's confession — perhaps even the main reason.
She had no idea why Lin Ye hadn't hidden this from Yukino, and Yukino had found out anyway.
"Mai Sakurajima,"
"Huh!"
Rui let out a shocked sound the instant she heard it.
Mai Sakurajima?
Wasn't that the famous star?
It had to be that celebrity.
There was no other possibility she could think of. Sure, there could theoretically be someone else with the same name, but coming from Yukino's mouth, Rui didn't think that was the case.
"You mean the celebrity, Mai Sakurajima?"
"Yes,"
Yukino nodded firmly to confirm it.
"That... isn't that just a fan's admiration for a celebrity? Plenty of guys have a favorite actress, but that's very different from liking a real person — a big difference,"
For some reason,
this time Rui found herself making excuses for Lin Ye.
She figured that must be it.
Mai Sakurajima was gorgeous, elegant, and a big celebrity — of course it was perfectly normal for a guy like Lin Ye to like her.
Wait...
Rui suddenly realized that Mai Sakurajima and Yukino actually had very similar auras.
Both were the textbook beautiful girl with long black hair — aside from certain differences in one particular area, the rest was strikingly similar. If anything, Mai, being a public figure, came across as a bit warmer, smiling more often, while Yukino rarely did.
Could it be that Lin Ye saw Yukino as a substitute for Mai Sakurajima?
It seemed... it seemed entirely possible.
Because Mai Sakurajima, as a major celebrity, was distant and unreachable, way out of his league.
So,
Lin Ye had ended up falling for Yukino, who shared such a similar air with Mai Sakurajima.
Men who liked a certain girl tended to be drawn to similar types afterward — you could say it was simply a type he was into.
And Yukino's words only reinforced this theory in Rui's mind.
As for herself, she clearly didn't fit into that category — which was why Lin Ye felt nothing for her, didn't like her.
Rui had figured something out.
"You think so?"
Yukino asked back.
"Is there... something wrong with that theory? Mai Sakurajima is a huge star — there's no way for Lin-kun to actually get close to her, no matter how much he likes her. His feelings for her are more about admiration, or to put it bluntly, just physical attraction. But Lin-kun also knows nothing could ever happen between them, so he can't possibly hold onto any real hope or fantasy about her."
But Yukino was different.
She was right there, close by. Sure, as the second daughter of the Yukinoshita family, she wasn't exactly easy to approach either,
but at least she was nearby, at least he could see her, could actually have contact with her.
That was completely different from Mai Sakurajima.
Physical distance alone meant Lin Ye and Mai Sakurajima would never have any point of contact.
The occasional chance encounter was just that — a single brush of contact. The two of them never would, never could, go deeper than that.
That was how Rui saw it.
"How should I put this — if Lin-kun really likes Miss Mai Sakurajima, doesn't that actually mean he likes you even more?"
Rui pointed at Yukino, continuing, "Student Yukinoshita, you and Mai Sakurajima have such similar auras — both beautiful girls with long black hair. Lin Ye liking Miss Mai Sakurajima must be because... he's treating her as a substitute for you."
In truth,
Rui actually leaned more toward the opposite theory — that Lin Ye treated Yukino as a substitute for Mai Sakurajima — but how could she possibly say that to Yukino's face?
She had enough basic tact to know what could and couldn't be said.
Rui knew exactly what she could and couldn't say.
Nobody wanted to be treated as someone's substitute.
Yukino wouldn't want that. Rui herself wouldn't want that either.
If someone told her she was just a substitute for her own sister, she wouldn't be able to accept that either.
The thought reminded Rui — if Lin Ye had accepted her right from the start, she might have wondered if he was treating her as a substitute for her sister,
but Lin Ye's repeated refusals proved that wasn't the case; she'd just been overthinking it.
"You really think that?"
Yukino was taken aback, her face registering genuine surprise.
She hadn't even considered this angle herself, and yet here Rui was, thinking exactly this.
True or not, she found herself rather pleased, a little happy.
Because it meant Lin Ye valued her more than Mai Sakurajima.
"Of course. Miss Mai Sakurajima is a big star — Lin-kun surely wouldn't think he stood any chance with her. Besides, Miss Mai Sakurajima already has a boyfriend — that's public information."
But those words made Yukino's heart sink.
It was true — but that truth meant that Mai Sakurajima and Lin Ye had already become a couple, become lovers.
It hurt. She wanted to cry.
Yukino felt like her own experiences could fill an entire book by now.
"Mai Sakurajima already has a boyfriend — even though we don't know exactly who — and that boyfriend surely can't be anyone ordinary. Lin-kun is impressive, sure, but compared to a guy like that, he must fall short. So really, Lin-kun probably likes you, Student Yukinoshita, more than he likes her."
The theory was airtight, link after link,
the logic seamless, chain after chain.
Yukino was almost ready to believe it herself.
She really was starting to believe it.
It was just that the blue-haired girl's explanation, while quite logical, was missing a few key pieces of information — otherwise she never would have reached this conclusion.
"But does that even matter?"
Yukino's tone carried a note of melancholy. "It's pointless. He wouldn't do that for me..."
The words abruptly seized Rui's full attention.
That Yukino would trail off mid-sentence like that was more than enough proof that her feelings for Lin Ye ran deep.
"Do what for you?"
Yukino looked at Rui, then shook her head. She didn't want to continue.
But,
Rui simply couldn't accept that.
To stop right there, after getting this far — how could she stand it.
She had to know. She had to hear the rest.
"Student Yukinoshita, tell me. Maybe I can help — right?"
Rui tried persuading her once more.
If she did nothing and just accepted the silence, she'd never know — but if she pushed for it, there was still a chance of success. That was Rui's thinking right now.
In that moment, curiosity consumed Rui entirely, body and soul.
Yukino could clearly see this, but seeing it was one thing — she still had no intention of finishing that unspoken half-sentence.
No need. Absolutely no need.
Going any further would mean revealing far too much more.
That wasn't something Yukino wanted, so she chose to refuse.
"It's nothing,"
"There's definitely something. Don't I know you by now?"
Since when do you know me that well?
We're not even that close.
The thoughts surfaced in Yukino's mind unbidden.
She did want to be friends with Rui — based on Rui's character and conduct, that selfless spirit and attitude that made Yukino feel Rui was a girl worth befriending for life, someone she'd regret losing the chance to know. But that didn't mean Rui truly understood her.
Their relationship hadn't reached the point of real understanding yet.
"You don't understand me,"
"But I know whatever you were about to say is important — critical information. Tell me, and I'll help you figure something out. Besides, Student Yukinoshita, you don't have anyone else to discuss this with, do you!"
That struck a nerve with Yukino.
Just as Rui said, the people she could actually discuss such things with were painfully few.
Some matters she could discuss with Lin Ye — after all, he was her boyfriend, her fiancé —
but certain things really couldn't be discussed with him. He wasn't the right person for it. And other girls — Iroha Isshiki, Yui Yuigahama, even her own sister — none of them were suitable either.
Thinking it over, the most fitting person really did seem to be Rui.
This girl who had just shared a life-and-death crisis with her, who had gone through hardship together with her.
She trusted Rui, and Rui already knew a great deal by this point anyway.
"Just consider it satisfying my curiosity. I was ready to sacrifice myself for you just now, wasn't I,"
Rui added another reason,
not that she was doing this to demand gratitude in return.
But to find out that thing Yukino refused to say, she decided to keep pressing, using that as her justification.
Only this way did she feel she could actually persuade the girl.
"Besides, right now there's nothing else for us to do. We're just here waiting for Lin-kun to arrive — this can help ease the tense, dangerous atmosphere, too."
Rui offered yet another reason.
At this point,
Yukino was starting to waver.
Rui could tell, and she knew that if she just pushed a little more, she'd get the answer she wanted.
Come on.
Rui gave her the most sincere look she could manage, and finally, under that persistent, pleading gaze, Yukino let out a small sigh.
"You don't want to know,"
Yukino genuinely didn't believe Rui wanted to know this.
"You're better off not knowing."
"I want to know. Whatever it is, I can accept it,"
Rui swore solemnly,
the promise made now, that she could handle whatever the truth turned out to be.
Rui was completely consumed by curiosity at this point, with no intention of backing off or letting it go.
If she gave up now, she was certain she wouldn't sleep a wink tonight.
So,
no matter what, she had to know — she had to get Yukino to finish that unspoken sentence.
"He... wouldn't give up other girls for me."
In the end, Yukino spoke the words aloud,
though she held some things back, not intending to reveal everything — nor was there any need to.
But even this much was already quite a lot of information.
Because to Rui, this made it clear that Yukino had actually already been willing to accept Lin Ye, but because he still liked other girls, Yukino kept turning him down again and again.
This...
Rui swallowed and continued, "You... if Lin-kun gave up the other girls, would you be willing to be with him, Student Yukinoshita?"
Her heart was racing.
How could there be such a thing.
This was beyond anything she'd imagined.
She'd thought before that it was just Yukino being reserved, or her cold personality getting in the way,
but she never would have guessed it was actually this.
The problem wasn't Yukino — it was Lin Ye. Lin Ye couldn't manage to like only Yukino; he wasn't willing to give up the other girls, so Yukino kept refusing, never giving him the chance.
Who would even believe this if she told them?
The school belle of Sobu High had actually already fallen for someone, already had a boy she liked, and was even willing to be with him — but because the man was too greedy, Yukino had never accepted his confession.
"You could put it that way,"
The moment those words left Yukino's mouth,
Rui's theory was completely confirmed.
It really was true.
Right now, Yukino genuinely was willing — it was Lin Ye who couldn't let go.
"Who can't he let go of, so that he..."
"Mai Sakurajima,"
Yukino said it with utter seriousness. "He won't let go of Mai Sakurajima."
This was for real.
Did that bastard Lin Ye really like Mai Sakurajima that much?
Rui was inwardly stunned.
"Lin-kun told you he'd keep liking Mai Sakurajima even after being with you?"
"..."
If that were the case, she supposed she could actually accept it.
Liking someone was one thing — that was just a matter of feelings, and she couldn't control anyone's feelings.
The real issue was that the bastard wanted to keep a physical relationship going too.
"If it were only that, it'd be fine,"
Hm?
Rui thought it over for a moment and then it clicked.
So Lin Ye actually intended to make something real happen with Mai Sakurajima!
"That's just Lin-kun's fantasy. He's got way too much confidence in himself! That's Mai Sakurajima we're talking about — and he still holds onto hope for her? Isn't that basically dreaming?"
Rui certainly acknowledged Lin Ye was impressive, already quite accomplished — but the gap between him and a huge celebrity like Mai Sakurajima was simply too vast.
The two of them lived in completely different worlds — how could they possibly end up together!
"Miss Mai Sakurajima already has a boyfriend, and Lin-kun still won't let go."
"..."
How was Yukino supposed to respond to that.
Should she say that Mai Sakurajima's boyfriend was Lin Ye himself?
If she said that out loud, it would probably shock the girl in front of her all over again — leave her utterly unable to believe it.
"That's just how his mind works — the greed of a man. He can't promise otherwise, and neither can I."
Yukino's thoughts and feelings had already made the general situation clear enough to Rui.
"He really is something else..."
Rui didn't even know how to describe him at this point.
Turning down a perfectly available girlfriend right in front of him, insisting instead on chasing some celebrity who was as distant as the horizon —
any normal person would choose the girl right in front of them,
and in terms of looks, Yukino was every bit a match for Mai Sakurajima, honestly, not one bit inferior,
both of them beautiful girls —
clearly there was one right there for the taking, someone he could actually date — wouldn't that be so much better!
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