Hearing Hozuki Nozomi's words, Yuki Suo's expression froze in comical disbelief. She quickly feigned composure and pulled her faithful maid, Ayano Kimishima, aside for a hushed interrogation.
"So, Ayano… exactly what did you do when I asked you to wake Brother up every day?"
Ayano Kimishima blinked her large, guileless eyes. "It was merely the standard procedure of a maid rousing her master. That is all."
"Standard procedure? Be specific."
"I would simply lean in close and whisper to awaken Hozuki Nozomi-sama."
Yuki Suo: "…"
That's it? She was deeply skeptical. Could Brother truly be swayed so easily by something so simple? It didn't seem like him at all.
Listening to their conversation, Yukino Yukinoshita's cheek twitched imperceptibly. Yuki Suo, it seems you have no idea just how cunning your little maid truly is. That innocent, doll-like face was a masterful disguise for a sly fox—or perhaps a sly cat!
Yukino couldn't help but recall the rather… thorough method Ayano had employed to fulfill her wake-up duty just that morning. Not that Yukino herself was unfamiliar with the technique… but seeing someone else administer it so diligently still sent a wave of flustered heat to her own cheeks. She shot another glance at the placid maid and muttered under her breath, "Sly cat…"
"Ah! Yukinon, did you just say 'cat'? Let me tell you, dogs are actually way better!" Yui Yuigahama interjected loudly, completely missing the subtext.
Yukino Yukinoshita felt a familiar headache begin to pulse at her temples. She did not like dogs. In fact, the sight of one was enough to make her freeze, her legs trembling with a deeply ingrained apprehension. A dog would never be a pet in the Yukinoshita household.
Sanshokuin Sumireko remained serenely absorbed in her book, the surrounding chatter nothing more than a gentle white noise that failed to disrupt her literary immersion. Her lookalike friend, Nichiji Sumire, had taken the day off, so Sumireko hadn't gone to their usual spot in the library.
Hozuki Nozomi observed the scene of harmoniously interacting beauties and couldn't suppress a wistful pout. He found himself missing the earlier days of the Service Club, when it was just him and Yukino.
In those quiet moments, he could shamelessly corner Miss Yukinoshita, savoring the adorable, flustered expression on her face as she stammered, "Don't… not here…" It was a look that never failed to delight him, inevitably spurring him to further mischief.
As these fond, roguish memories played in his mind, he suddenly felt a firm pressure on his foot.
It was Miss Yukinoshita, stepping pointedly on his shoe.
"Uh, Yukino? Why the assault on my foot?"
"Hmph. I simply had a feeling you were thinking of something improper," she stated, her tone matter-of-fact.
"Hehe, I was thinking of wonderful things. Wonderful things from when it was just the two of us."
Yukino Yukinoshita rolled her eyes with practiced elegance. "Then it was definitely improper. Mr. Mischief-Maker, I'm feeling rather parched. Would you be so kind as to fetch some beverages?"
"At your command! I'll go right away!" Hozuki Nozomi replied with exaggerated, fawning enthusiasm, and dashed out of the clubroom.
Yui Yuigahama watched him go, then pouted, a note of undeniable sourness in her voice. "He really does listen to everything Yukinoshita says…"
Yukino Yukinoshita's cheeks tinted a delicate pink, but she straightened her posture, a hint of pride in her bearing. "Naturally. The President's directives are absolute within the club."
Of course, she understood the deeper truth. Hozuki Nozomi's compliance stemmed from a place of profound care and affection. And in just a few days, the Yukinoshita family's engagement banquet would formally announce to their social circle that she, Yukino Yukinoshita, was to be his fiancée. The knowledge warmed her from within.
…
Hozuki Nozomi strolled through the school corridors in high spirits. In the past, Yukino would never have made such a casual request of him. It was precisely because she now considered him part of her innermost circle—family—that she could act with such unguarded familiarity. If he were a mere stranger, she wouldn't spare him a glance even if he offered her the stars, let alone ask him for a favor.
Lost in these warm thoughts, his mind drifted back to Yukino's tender affections from the previous night. A blissful, somewhat goofy smile spread across his face without his conscious consent.
Of course, I wouldn't forget Mahiru. And Mashiro, our little angel, is impossibly cute too. I truly do adore them all…
A flicker of self-awareness crossed his mind. I really am becoming more and more of a scoundrel, aren't I?
He arrived at the bank of vending machines. Just as he was about to make his selection, movement in his peripheral vision caught his attention. A familiar figure was crouched in an alcove nearby, peering around a corner with an expression of intense, almost gleeful focus.
Hozuki Nozomi approached quietly, then reached out and tapped her shoulder. "Ebina Hina? What has you so captivated?"
"Wah!"
The girl jumped, startled. She whirled around. "Oh! It's just you, Hozuki-kun!" She placed a hand over her heart, shooting him a playfully reproachful glare. "You scared me half to death!"
"My apologies. So, what's so fascinating over there?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"Shhh~!" Ebina Hina immediately brought a finger to her lips, then used the same hand to cover his mouth, her eyes wide with conspiratorial excitement. She pointed discreetly.
Following her gesture, Hozuki Nozomi spotted Tobe Kakeru and Hayama Hayato. The two boys were sitting on a bench some distance away. Tobe Kakeru's posture was awkward, his face noticeably flushed—a combination that did seem peculiar.
"See? I've always felt there was something… special about their dynamic!" Ebina Hina whispered, her voice vibrating with the fervor of a dedicated scholar observing rare wildlife. "It's so clear now! Tobe-kun is the quintessential uke, and Hayama-kun is the perfect, cool seme! The chemistry is undeniable!"
Hozuki Nozomi was rendered momentarily speechless. Seme? Uke? Good grief. There was no stopping the spread of her fujoshi culture.
He looked down at her animated face, at her pink lips moving rapidly as she spun her fantastical narrative. Almost without conscious thought, acting on impulse, he leaned in and silenced her with a kiss.
Ebina Hina's eyes flew wide open in shock. She stared at him, utterly stupefied. Was she… just kissed? Is this real?
She blinked rapidly, her brain short-circuiting, momentarily forgetting even to struggle.
Seizing the opportunity, Hozuki Nozomi raised a hand to cradle the back of her head, deepening the contact. As Yumiko's boyfriend and Ebina Hina's friend, he reasoned with spectacularly flawed logic, it is my solemn duty to correct this bad habit of hers. Direct, physical intervention is clearly the most effective method.
His other arm snaked around her slender waist, pulling her firmly against him, leaving no avenue for escape.
A deep flush spread from Ebina Hina's cheeks down her neck. Her body, initially tense, gradually softened, going pliant in his embrace. The distinctly masculine scent of him enveloped her, so potent it was almost dizzying, yet strangely, no nosebleed ensued. Unconsciously, she found herself captivated by his domineering, confident aura. Her hands, which had been hanging limply at her sides, slowly rose to loop around his neck.
In truth, she had often envied Yumiko for being able to officially claim Hozuki Nozomi. Among all the boys she knew, he was undeniably special. She was even vaguely aware that he possessed mysterious abilities, which only amplified the profound sense of security she felt in his presence.
After a considerable while, Hozuki Nozomi finally broke the kiss, pulling back just enough to meet her dazed gaze. "Well, Ebina Hina? How was that? Compared to watching BL from the shadows, isn't it infinitely better to have a real boyfriend right here?"
Ebina Hina came back to herself with a start. She gave him a light, pretend glare and stuck out her tongue. "You're clearly Yumiko's boyfriend, and now you're trying to play the scoundrel with me too?" She paused, then a mischievous, knowing glint returned to her eyes. "But if you really want my review… I'd have to say… you truly are the most formidable seme I've ever encountered."
Hozuki Nozomi's face darkened. Enough with the 'seme' nonsense!
In response, he simply lowered his head again, reclaiming her lips, effectively silencing the objectionable terminology at its source.
This time, however, Ebina Hina offered no resistance whatsoever. Instead, she melted into the kiss, her arms tightening around his neck as she reciprocated with surprising passion.
The truth was, her initial interest in BL had largely been a social facade—a way to make friends and, conveniently, to deter other boys who might express interest. But faced with Hozuki Nozomi, with his boldness and the inexplicable pull he exerted, she found she had no power to refuse him at all.
As she kissed him back, a soft, gentle light flickered deep within Ebina Hina's eyes. She looked at this boy who was ostensibly trying to 'correct' her but was undeniably taking full advantage of the situation, and felt a wave of tender, complicated affection.