It didn't take long for Yui Yuigahama to notice Yukino Yukinoshita's reaction. Faced with the girl with long black hair's shock, she gradually realized just what kind of problem lay hidden in the words that had slipped out of her mouth.
Marry Lin-kun together?
How could she have said something like that out loud?!
This... this was way too embarrassing.
In the blink of an eye, a flush of red spread across Yui Yuigahama's cheeks.
"Yukinon, um, that..."
Yui Yuigahama tried to explain, but Yukino Yukinoshita answered first. "No need to explain. I understand."
Understand what?
Yui Yuigahama only grew more confused.
She hadn't even explained yet!
"You have feelings for Lin Ye. I understand."
Yui Yuigahama: ???
"I do not! Yukinon, I don't, I really don't! Don't go jumping to conclusions!"
She grew more and more flustered, desperate to explain. "I really don't. What I said just now was, was because Iroha-chan's always wanted to be with Student Lin, right? So if Iroha-chan and Student Lin got together, she'd stop bothering me, stop interfering with me, and I could just go back to my normal everyday life."
That really was Yui Yuigahama's true thought. She truly didn't want to keep being pestered by Iroha Isshiki, didn't want to be treated this way and that way anymore, and that was the only reason the idea had suddenly popped out of her mouth.
She really, truly did not want to marry Lin Ye!
Besides, the whole idea of marrying Lin Ye together didn't even exist — it wasn't possible at all.
"If you want to, that's fine too."
Yukino Yukinoshita didn't say anything else, which made Yui Yuigahama keep trying to explain — but then Yukino Yukinoshita shook her head.
"I know what you meant. It was all a joke before."
"Mm-hmm, I knew Yukinon wouldn't get the wrong idea."
At that moment,
Yukino Yukinoshita finally relaxed.
She'd been scared! Scared Yukinon would misunderstand.
"Why would you be worried I'd misunderstand?"
But that next question left Yui Yuigahama looking utterly caught off guard. Staring at the girl with long black hair in front of her, she found herself wondering why she'd cared so much in the first place.
Why, though?
She didn't seem to know.
No —
she did know. She just couldn't say it out loud.
"Student Yuigahama, I want to know what you really think."
Under the weight of Yukino Yukinoshita's earnest gaze, Yui Yuigahama wrestled with herself, and in the end gave voice to the truth buried deep in her heart.
"Stu— Student Lin likes you, Yukinon. How, how could I say something like wanting to marry Student Lin? That's, that's not..."
She trailed off there, unable to continue.
Yukino Yukinoshita filled in the rest. "Is it because you think that since Lin Ye is pursuing me, it's become something that concerns me — and you feel you can't... step in, can't get involved?"
"Mm-hmm, that's it exactly. If I said something like that, wouldn't people think I was trying to steal him? So, so I just... can't."
She'd given her explanation.
Yukino Yukinoshita now understood Yui Yuigahama's true feelings.
She could only conclude that this was a girl who didn't want to damage a friendship, who cared deeply about what the people around her thought.
Under normal circumstances, with Lin Ye pursuing her, as long as she didn't show any fondness or affection toward him, Yui Yuigahama wouldn't need to be so overly cautious at all.
And yet Yui Yuigahama was watching her every word and action for the sake of the two of them's friendship.
"You don't need to worry about it."
"No, I can't do that,"
Yui Yuigahama refused, resolute. "I definitely will worry about it. I can't just not care. Besides, Yukinon, you already told me you like the type of boy Student Lin is, so I, I can't even more so..."
"You actually believed that?"
"Huh?!"
Yui Yuigahama looked stunned. "That was a lie?!"
"It's true."
"Wha—!"
Yui Yuigahama froze again.
She was completely lost.
"It was a lie."
"Yukinon, Yukino, is it true or a lie?!"
At this point Yui Yuigahama desperately needed a clear answer from Yukino Yukinoshita.
She leaned in close, shaking Yukino by the shoulders, needing to know the answer — but in the end, she never got the answer she wanted.
"Yukinon's being mean. We're supposed to be friends, and you still won't tell me."
"What kind of boy do you like?"
Yukino Yukinoshita turned the question right back on her, leaving Yui Yuigahama briefly stunned. She honestly didn't know what type of boy she liked.
When she tried to picture her ideal partner, her mind came up completely blank — there was no clear image at all.
"I, I don't know..."
"Handsome ones?"
"N-not really!"
"Bright and cheerful ones?"
"That... might work."
"Hayama."
Yui Yuigahama froze. She never could have imagined Yukino Yukinoshita would suddenly bring up Hayama Hayato's name like that.
This... made absolutely no sense.
Why would Yukino think of him?
"He's the brightest, most cheerful boy at Sobu High."
That was Yukino Yukinoshita's answer.
"Student Lin's pretty cheerful too."
"So you like Lin Ye."
Yui Yuigahama went blank, fell silent, and finally offered a serious, earnest denial, laying out her true feelings.
"No."
"You don't have to worry about what I think."
The pink bun shook her head, insisting on her own view. "No, really, all I feel for Lin Ye is friendship, classmate stuff. I really don't have the kind of feelings you're imagining, Yukinon."
"Really none?"
Yukino Yukinoshita asked reflexively —
and the moment the words left her mouth, she almost regretted it. But she forced herself to keep up her cool, unbothered composure.
"None. Really none. I really don't have any,"
Yui Yuigahama kept shaking her head in denial. As far as she was concerned, she really had no such feelings.
Of course,
what she actually wanted to know now was whether Yukino had feelings for Lin Ye.
With Iroha Isshiki — the underclassman currently harboring affection and fondness for Lin Ye — no longer around, not here right now, she could finally ask directly. Who knew, she might even get an honest answer she wasn't expecting.
Yui Yuigahama suspected Yukino might have feelings for Lin Ye, maybe even genuine affection, but was holding back from saying so because of Iroha Isshiki.
Because she shared the exact same concern.
So,
with Iroha Isshiki not around right now, this was the best chance she'd get.
"Yukinon, look, I've already told you my true feelings. Now... can't you tell me yours too?"
She stared at her hopefully, waiting for the girl's answer.
"What do you want to know?"
Though Yukino Yukinoshita already guessed what Yui Yuigahama wanted to ask, as long as she didn't say it outright, Yukino would pretend not to know.
"It's, it's..."
Yui Yuigahama hesitated a moment longer before finally speaking up. "It's about Student Lin, of course. Yukino, do you... feel something for Student Lin?"
She asked with eyes full of hopeful anticipation, waiting for Yukino's reaction.
But the seconds ticked by one after another,
and Yui Yuigahama grew more and more nervous. Had she upset Yukino?
She couldn't help but worry.
There was nothing she could do about it!
In front of Yukino, she really didn't have much courage.
She felt inexplicably inferior around her.
"All I can say is even I don't know how things will turn out in the future."
But that non-answer, that refusal to flatly deny it, immediately set Yui Yuigahama's mind racing.
So Yukino Yukinoshita did have at least some feelings for Lin Ye after all.
If Lin Ye kept trying, he might actually succeed in winning Yukino over.
Wow!
It was true!
Who would have guessed that the ice-cold, aloof school beauty Yukino Yukinoshita actually harbored some fondness for Lin Ye deep down, some flicker of romantic feeling — even if it was just the tiniest bit.
"Just let nature take its course. Just let nature take its course. This kind of thing has to happen naturally. Who knows, maybe Lin Ye will end up with some other girl instead."
But the moment the words left her mouth,
Yui Yuigahama immediately realized how completely, utterly inappropriate that had been.
How could she say something like that?!
"I mean, um, Yukinon, what I meant was... right now Lin-kun's relationships with so many girls are so complicated, so actually maybe you two aren't even that well-suited... no, wait, that's not right either..."
Yui Yuigahama immediately took it back again.
She felt like that wasn't right either.
But flipped the other way, it still didn't feel right.
Yui Yuigahama realized she'd completely backed herself into a corner, with no way to fix what she'd said.
Her flushed red face gave away just how tangled up she felt inside.
"I know. Student Yuigahama, you don't need to explain anymore."
Any further explanation would only make things more confusing, so Yukino Yukinoshita signaled for Yui Yuigahama to stop trying.
She could already guess what the pink bun was thinking, and knew the pink bun's words had been sincere.
"Mm-hmm, thank you, Yukinon. I knew you'd understand me."
At last,
Yui Yuigahama's heart finally settled.
"Anyway, I'll definitely respect whatever you really think and however you feel, Yukinon. I'm on your side no matter what — I'm your friend."
The pink bun kept insisting on where she stood, making clear she'd never do anything to get in Yukino's way, never stand against her.
"I'll definitely stop Iroha-chan from getting close to Student Lin — for your sake, Yukinon... no, no, no, this is me keeping my promise to Student Lin, doing everything I can to stop Iroha-chan."
This time, Yui Yuigahama had learned her lesson, learned the right way to phrase things, making clear she'd do everything she could to support Yukino.
Yukino Yukinoshita gave Yui Yuigahama a helpless glance. "I don't want you getting the wrong idea about anything."
"No, no, no, I'm not getting the wrong idea, I'm not getting any wrong idea at all,"
she insisted firmly.
Seeing that,
Yukino Yukinoshita decided not to press the matter further.
Yui Yuigahama was the kind of girl whose guilt only deepened the more you tried to reason with her.
So,
Yukino Yukinoshita decided to just leave it there and say no more.
The more she said, the more confused and anxious the pink bun would get.
"It's about time. Let's end today's club activities here."
"Oh, mm-hmm."
Nodding repeatedly, Yui Yuigahama immediately got to her feet.
She glanced reflexively at the clock hanging on the Service Club wall.
It was still pretty early — much earlier than the usual time the Service Club wrapped up.
Yui Yuigahama guessed Yukino must have something going on to end club activities early and leave like this. Otherwise, why would she do that?
Yui Yuigahama was curious, but in the end she held herself back.
What had just happened still weighed on her mind, and she worried that if she kept prying, she might actually annoy Yukino.
At the very least, she'd end up branded as an annoying girl.
That was one label she absolutely did not want.
Yukino Yukinoshita and Yui Yuigahama left the club building together and headed for the school gate.
Today,
no driver had come to pick up Yukino Yukinoshita.
So Yukino Yukinoshita and Yui Yuigahama walked to the train station together.
The glow of the setting sun spilled over the two of them, painting everything a deep crimson.
The two beautiful girls drew the attention of the occasional passerby.
The two of them arrived at the train station and boarded a train.
But this time, Yui Yuigahama noticed Yukino got off at a different stop than usual.
She'd gotten off early.
"Yukinon..."
"I have something to take care of. I need to be here. You should head home early, Student Yuigahama."
That single line made Yui Yuigahama's feet, which had been about to follow her off, stop in their tracks.
At that moment,
the train doors slid shut.
Yui Yuigahama watched through the glass as the girl with long black hair's figure receded, and a wave of intense regret washed over her.
She... should have followed her out!
She shouldn't have listened.
She'd caught the hidden meaning in Yukino Yukinoshita's words just now, and out of a wish not to go against Yukino's wishes, she'd held herself back.
But now she regretted it. She wanted to follow!
"Ugh..."
"There's no way I'd make it back in time now."
"Why on earth did Yukino get off here?"
Yui Yuigahama's curiosity was fully ignited now.
Leaving early, getting off at some other stop — there was definitely something going on.
The pink-haired girl's heart itched with the need to know, desperate to find out what was really happening.
Even if she asked Yukino tomorrow, she knew she wouldn't get an answer.
So who could she ask?
Yui Yuigahama thought it over, and the only person she could think of was Lin Ye — but would Lin Ye actually know?
"Sigh."
She'd ask Yukinon first tomorrow, and if Yukinon wouldn't say, she'd keep pressing her, and also ask Student Lin at the same time.
Student Lin, who liked Yukino, would probably know, right?
But then she remembered that right now Lin Ye was out on a date with Rui Tachibana, and the idea lost its appeal.
Too difficult.
She figured her only real chance of getting the answer she wanted was still through Yukino.
Clack-clack...
With the rhythmic sound of the train moving forward, Yui Yuigahama finally reached her own stop.
But her gaze still lingered in the direction Yukino had gone.
Meanwhile,
Lin Ye was busy eating beef.
The meat was coated in sauce, and he ate with obvious relish.
There wasn't much left on the table,
but in truth, the staff had already cleared away a great deal.
Rui Tachibana had been keeping count — the amount he'd eaten was already a lot, a whole lot.
At the very least, it was definitely more than an ordinary person could manage.
And judging by how Lin Ye looked, Rui Tachibana figured he still had plenty of room to spare. Clearly, Lin Ye eating his way through this all-you-can-eat beef spread was more than enough to get their money's worth.
In fact, he'd even eaten enough to cover her share too.
____
Gift for Everyone: Once we hit 10 Powerstones, I'll release +1 bonus chapter
________________________________________
If you want more chapters, please consider supporting my page on (P). with 50 advanced chapters available on (P)
👻 Join the crew by searching Leanzin on (P). You know the spot! 😉