"Katou-senpai, if you keep looking at me like that, I'm going to get embarrassed," Kyousuke said with a smile, staring into those deep black eyes that mirrored his own.
"Eh~~ Really? But wasn't everyone just watching together a second ago?" Kato Megumi blinked innocently.
She wasn't the type to fall for easy tricks.
"Haha, of course I'm just kidding," Kyousuke laughed. "But seeing that expectant look in your eyes, I couldn't help thinking, if this rice bowl doesn't live up to the 'imagined taste,' then that'd be a disaster. Talk about pressure."
"Whoa, Kyousuke, you're totally showing your age. Don't go dropping grandma-tier lines like that," Sakura chimed in with a playful jab, even while still chewing.
"Exactly! And if you're gonna flirt, can you at least wait till there's no one around? I'm getting goosebumps here!" Eriri joined in with her usual snark.
"Eh~~? So this counts as flirting? Then doesn't that mean we've all been flirting with Hojou-kun just now~~?" Megumi nodded serenely.
But inside, she was quietly panicking.
Just a moment ago, she'd been practically invisible, and now somehow she was the center of attention.
"Megumi, you're surprisingly good at banter!" Eriri's blue eyes glanced at her with amusement.
"I just figured... if it were Eriri, that's exactly what she'd say, probably~"
Weird... it was just a regular comment, no different from usual.
Normally, no one would even notice she'd spoken.
But now—everyone was suddenly reacting.
The girl known as Kato Megumi was inwardly freaking out.
Just moments ago, Eriri and Sakura were battling over food, no one noticed she skipped the sashimi, and even when she was staring at Kyousuke, no one paid her any mind.
But now...
Oh. Right.
Because Kyousuke-kun spoke to her.
Just one sentence—and suddenly, it was like a spotlight had been turned on her.
Her mind drifted back to their first meeting at Toyonozaki's school gate.
Back then too, people had turned to look at her—not because of her, but because of Hojou Kyousuke.
One lingering question in her heart was finally answered.
When she first met Sakura, she wondered how such a seemingly ordinary girl could stand side-by-side with people like Eriri, Kasumigaoka-senpai, and even the incredibly formidable Yukinoshita—without being overshadowed.
If it were her standing next to them, she'd fade into the background like the blue sky behind a skyscraper.
Of course, after getting to know Sakura better, Megumi came to appreciate her personality.
But that wasn't the point now.
Her conclusion was simple:
No matter who you are, the moment you stand next to Hojou Kyousuke, the spotlight finds you.
Because the one beside the protagonist... is always the heroine.
"No no no, if it were Eriri, she'd be shouting, 'Hmph! Quit staring already! If you keep this up, this beautiful maiden is gonna starve to death!'" Sakura teased with a grin.
"Oi! Sakura! Just what kind of image do you have of me?!" Eriri snapped.
"Well, a super cute upperclassman, obviously," Sakura replied with a tilt of her head.
"Cute like Shouko?" Eriri's sapphire eyes darted sideways at Yamauchi Sakura as she popped two slices of sashimi into her mouth.
Yeah... that's how it is.
A simple line from the protagonist puts her in the spotlight—briefly—but soon, she fades back into the background like a side character.
Inside, her thoughts were a roaring waterfall.
On the surface, Megumi's elegant, heart-shaped face remained calm—serene like a still sea before a storm.
She just sat quietly, watching Kyousuke prepare her food, listening to the conversation that had started because of her, but was now carrying on without her.
"Hm, I guess it's a little different," Sakura said, pinching her fingers together to show a tiny gap.
"Of course. Probably because I give off a more mature vibe," Eriri lifted her chin with pride.
"Pfft—!"
"Hey! Kasumigaoka Utaha! Don't spit your water on me! What's so funny about what I said?!"
Eriri stood up, glaring at the shameless woman beside her.
"Hahahahaha~~ I'm sorry. I just remembered this morning when Momotarou was playing rock-paper-scissors with the waterweed manager at the pond."
"It was too hilarious."
Kasumigaoka took a tissue from Sakura and dabbed her mouth.
"Momotarou... playing rock-paper-scissors with a pondweed manager?" Eriri repeated, glancing down at the dog loafing by her feet, then at the koi pond beside them.
"There's no way! You're making that up again, you witch!"
She turned sharply, blonde ponytail swinging as she yelled.
"Hahaha, yes, I totally made that up~" Kasumigaoka admitted cheerfully, setting off another round of laughter around the table.
Even Yukinoshita quietly raised a hand to her mouth, giggling softly.
"Huh?" The only one not laughing, Eriri looked around, confused—then after three seconds, realization hit.
"You devil woman!! At the very least, I look way more mature than you! Immature people are the ones constantly trying to start fights!"
"Eh-eh~ That's not quite right. The ones obsessed with growing up are the real children," Naoka chimed in calmly.
"Hah? You're the second least qualified person here to say that!" Eriri huffed, chomping down on another piece of sashimi.
"Oooh, the topic's shifting! So then, who's ranked number one least qualified, hmm? Could it be... Megumi-senpai?" Sakura raised her chopsticks like a mic.
"Hm~?" Suddenly called out, Kato looked down at her chest and replied calmly with quiet confidence:
"Eh~ I don't think it's me~~" Her movement made Yukinoshita finally get the joke.
'Haaah… Sakura's sounds like some old man. Did she get it from Hojou?'
Yukinoshita side-eyed Hojou and sighed.
Still... the sashimi really was delicious.
If only she were old enough to enjoy it with a bit of sake—it'd be the perfect combo.
But alas, she was underage.
She settled for a sip of lemon water instead.
She had to admit: Hojou really was something else when it came to cooking.
Even the drink pairing was spot on.
Spring sea bream had rich, fatty flesh, and after a few pieces, the lemon water was the perfect palate cleanser.
Around her, the atmosphere was buzzing.
Earlier, they were just swapping school stories, but once Katou joined in, the girls' chatter exploded in all directions.
It really did feel like an izakaya…
Yukinoshita picked up a slice of translucent sashimi and held it up to the cherry blossoms outside.
The sunlight filtered through the petals and shimmered in the fish.
Her lips parted slightly—just enough to slip the sashimi in.
All around her, the "new friends" were lively and loud.
Eriri was now furiously sticking her tongue out at Kasumigaoka, who retaliated with such force that her saliva missed its mark and landed squarely on poor Yamauchi Sakura.
Beside her, Nishimiya was quietly chatting with Ueno and Katou Megumi, occasionally being dragged into the chaos by Eriri's sudden jabs.
The flame under the hot pot had been turned down low, but it still boiled steadily.
The sound of bubbles popping, voices chatting, the rustling of leaves in the wind, even the distant murmur of passersby outside… all of it drifted into Yukinoshita Yukino's ears.
And yet, the girl didn't find it noisy.
On the contrary, she smiled softly, savoring it all. Such lively scenes had no place in her memories.
This joy… it was even better than what novels described.
Just quietly sitting here like this was already—
"Hey Yukino, what kind of underwear do you usually wear?"
The energetic voice cut through the air—one that stood out even among teenage girls.
Without a doubt, it belonged to Yamauchi Sakura.
Only that idiot could casually toss out such a question that reeked of middle-aged-man energy.
"Sigh…"
Yukino let out a deep breath. This is why I was content just quietly listening.
Ignore it.
Just pretend I didn't hear.
Anyway, this idiot will forget she even asked in a few seconds and start pestering someone else instead.
…Or so she hoped.
"Come on, tell me, Yukino-chan~ I'm genuinely curious. A girl like you—what kind of lingerie would you wear?"
'Ah… right. I forgot one very important thing.'
There's no way anyone could ignore someone as flawless as me.
After all, I'm just that cute.
With a resigned sigh, Yukino accepted the curse of her own charm.
She slowly turned her head, her gaze drifting toward the people around her.
Even Katou Megumi, who rarely showed strong interest in anything, was looking at her now.
The only exception was—
Hojou Kyousuke.
That guy was still completely focused on scraping meat off a fish bone with a spoon, like he hadn't heard a single thing the girls were saying.
Whew… thank goodness.
'—Yeah right!'
With Sakura's booming voice, there's no way he didn't hear.
This guy could pick up on the subtext of Sakura's nonsense with laser focus—he was definitely paying attention.
No doubt he was eavesdropping under that serious facade, waiting in anticipation for her answer like the rest of them.
But… was that really who Hojou was?
Would he really associate "girls' underwear" with "pristine white bedsheets"?
No, of course not.
Even if the girl in question was the high-and-mighty Yukinoshita Yukino, he wouldn't stoop that low.
Now, if it were Kasumigaoka Utaha… maybe.
Though, to be fair, he'd already seen most of hers.
Just this morning, when he went to wake her up, she'd pulled him in front of her wardrobe and asked him to help her choose.
Going with his usual frugality, he'd reached for one with so little fabric it could barely cover a smartphone—black lace with red frills, sheer and almost sinful.
But then he paused.
It wasn't the weekend, and Utaha still had to go to school.
Under a white blouse, something that dark would be painfully obvious.
Reluctantly, he went with a flesh-toned, seamless bra instead.
If it were an average girl with a warm undertone to her skin, darker colors might not show through.
But with Utaha's almost glowing pale complexion, wearing black or red underneath would've been… visually overwhelming, to say the least.
"Oh~ I thought you were into that kind of thing, Kyousuke."
'Of course I'm into it! But that doesn't mean you can just walk out the door wearing it! Be a little more sensible!'
With that thought, Kyousuke made a firm decision—to let Eriri sleep five more minutes.
And he needed to educate Kasumigaoka Utaha, and maybe get a little payback for the embarrassment she caused him last night.
He pulled her, dressed only in a silk nightgown, into his arms and pressed his lips against hers—dry from the morning air, needing a little… moisturizing.
His tongue swept in, claiming her mouth, while his hands boldly cupped the softness that offered no resistance.
The sensation was incomparable to touching through fabric.
So soft.
So smooth.
The silk barely provided any friction, slipping through his fingers, forcing him to grasp her again and again.
Despite their size, the youthful elasticity of her body was palpable.
His large hands had to fully spread to contain her.
They were huge—proudly perky, yet yielding.
No matter how he squeezed or shaped them, they would bounce back the moment he let go.
Driven by curiosity, he tried to compare the feeling to known textures.
A blanket?
No—the bounce-back made all the difference.
A water balloon? Closer, but it lacked the satisfying weight and tactile feedback.
There was a sense of dominance in each squeeze, triggering a primal thrill—especially when Utaha let out a soft moan through her nose, inflaming his desire to tease her further.
While his hands explored, his tongue resumed its relentless pursuit of the one that had run wild in his mouth the night before.
He wove around it, chased it, suckled on it.
And as for the myth about morning breath—he proved it wrong.
Their mixed saliva had long blurred the line between his and hers.
By the time Utaha was barely able to stand—her legs weak, clinging to his good buddy for support—the impromptu "lesson" finally came to an end.
The only witness? Momotarou, who had somehow nosed the bedroom door open and was now sitting at the threshold, watching with great interest.
"Haah… haah…"
Released from his grip, Utaha panted breathlessly.
The sultry sound alone almost made Kyousuke pounce again.
"I only wear those for you," she whispered into his ear, her arms wrapping tightly around his back, pressing her entire body into his.
"Mhm." Feeling her soft curves pressed into his chest, Kyousuke let out a satisfied grunt.
"Want to help me put it on?"
"Absolutely!" he replied without hesitation.
Then he caught sight of Momotarou still at the door, and gently nudged the dog out with his foot before stepping out himself.
"…Actually, we're running late. Better if you put it on yourself today."
He shut the door and gave himself a mental pat on the back.
Well done, Kyousuke.
Your brilliant brain may occasionally go offline, but it never truly crashes.
You didn't completely drown in lust. Remember—you're here to wake Eriri up.
If you'd actually helped Utaha put on that bra, Eriri would definitely smell it on you.
That girl has a terrifying nose for this kind of thing.
He still remembered how, during one of their "space rocket" rides, Eriri kept sniffing the inside of the helmet. Even Sakura wouldn't go that far.
Sakura really was too trusting.
Careless like an old man. An old man…
Ah. Kissing Utaha had been the morning highlight.
Now it was time to hear about Yukino's taste in underwear—though he wasn't exactly expecting much.
Kyousuke lifted his head and found himself locking eyes with Yukinoshita Yukino's icy gaze.
He flinched, immediately offering her a sheepish grin, showing eight perfectly aligned teeth.
Damn it.
She definitely knew he was imagining something perverted just now.
That face… it wasn't just spring-like—it was absolutely drenched in lust.
No… that wasn't just lust.
That was pornographic.
Faced with that dazzling smile, Yukinoshita shot a sharp glare.
Was this woman's "reading people's hearts" skill just a chunibyo fantasy?
Kyousuke kept smiling.
He prided himself on being a master of facial expression control and didn't believe for a second he could be read by outsiders.
The only people who ever got past his defenses were Sakura and her crew.
In front of strangers, he was supposed to be… emotionless… untouchable…
Wait, couldn't he come up with a cooler nickname for that persona?
Something shout-worthy, like when he wanted to look badass!
Maybe he should ask Zaimokuza and Hikigaya to brainstorm one every day at school. Even a cringey chunibyo name would be better than something dumb.
"Yukino-chan? Yukino~?" Sakura chimed in cheerfully.
"Why on earth would I tell you something that personal?!" Yukinoshita snapped back.
"Because if we don't sort this out, our clothes might get mixed up when we hang the laundry to dry," Sakura replied matter-of-factly.
"As if that could happen. Our sizes are clearly different," Yukinoshita retorted.
"Oh, true! Hehe~" Sakura scratched her head, accepting the correction without a hint of shame.
"Honestly… even if your brain turns to mush after a meal, that's no excuse. Even if we bought the exact same brand and design, you could still tell them apart at a glance. Besides, from both a health and privacy standpoint, it's better to dry them separately…"
As Sakura nodded repeatedly, Yukinoshita's voice gradually trailed off—because she had just noticed the stunned stares of Kasumigaoka Utaha and Eriri.
"Wait a second… Yukinoshita Yukino, don't tell me—you've decided to move in?"
Eriri had set down her chopsticks.
Her smile vanished, and she addressed Yukino by her full name now—like she was facing off against another Kasumigaoka.
And who could blame her?
Yukino was someone who could push Utaha to reveal her true abilities.
In terms of sharp tongues, she was every bit the rival.
"I could give up my drying space. We could hang her laundry in Kyousuke's room instead," Kasumigaoka said with an elegant smile, playing the long game.
She wasn't as easy to provoke as Eriri—clearly, Yukino had been led astray by Sakura.
"But, Senpai, haven't we always used the dryer at home?" Sakura chimed in innocently.
"Pffft—hahaha!"
Naturally, it was Kyousuke who burst out laughing.
When it came to teasing people—no, helping others fit in—Sakura was a natural.
"You knew that and still said all that nonsense?! And anyway—there's no way I'm moving in here!"
Yukinoshita had originally wanted to say, "I'd never live in a place like this," but her instincts for survival kicked in at the last second.
Everyone else present lived in the Ruyi Dorm.
Saying that would make her the enemy of the entire group—she'd be painting a target on her back as the new common foe.
"But even if we use the dryer, stuff could still get mixed up," Sakura said, still pushing.
"Enough already!" Yukino shouted.
"Wahaha~ Alright, alright. But hey, sharing tips on good underwear is totally a normal conversation among friends, Yukino~" Sakura laughed.
Yukinoshita thought back.
Come to think of it, there had been moments in class where the girls chatted as if she wasn't there, and that topic had come up.
Things like which designs were sexier, or what their boyfriends preferred.
Absolutely indecent.
If you were going to talk about it, it should be about comfort and health during development!
Like hers—no underwire, no pointless padding or lift, front clasp, made of practical materials instead of flashy lace.
The whole point was comfort.
Her body looked sleek and well-balanced that way…
"As expected of Yukino—she even puts this much thought into choosing her underwear," said Shouko with a perfectly serious face.
'Wait—had I said that out loud just now?'
Yukinoshita's eyes widened. Or had Nishimiya already mastered the art of reading hearts too?
"But it's not just about boyfriends. Wearing pretty underwear can make you feel happy, too, right, Eriri?" Sakura said.
"Exactly!" Eriri agreed eagerly.
Having just graduated from "princess flats" to "teen girl lingerie," Eriri nodded emphatically, trying to show off her knowledge.
Copying Sakura's style, she turned to Katou Megumi for support:
"Katou-san, what about you?"
"Hmm, let me think… Lately I've been wearing ones with underwire, since, well, it's about that time to start paying attention to those things~"
Kato shifted her gaze away from Kyousuke.
The fish bones on her plate were clean—she'd already scraped off all the meat, now sitting on her plate like a mound of pink strawberry ice.
But Kyousuke still had his head down, seemingly engrossed in his food.
Amused, Katou shared her own experience without hesitation.
At home, Katou's sisters often talked about this stuff. In fact, she was wearing a style her younger sister had recommended.
"Yep yep, that's true!" Eriri nodded again, although she had no idea what the difference between underwire and non-underwire even was.
Her mom still bought her bras. It was embarrassing, but as long as no one found out, it was fine.
Wait… aren't underwire bras supposed to be super uncomfortable? Why would Katou-senpai…?
'Oh, right.' Yukinoshita's eyes widened again.
Katou didn't live in the Ruyi Dorm either.
So she wasn't the only outsider here!
Was Sakura just messing with her head this whole time?
Still—how could Katou say those things so casually?
Was this really normal girl talk? But standing right over there was the ultimate playboy himself!
"Yes, once you reach a certain size, it's hard to go without underwire," said Kasumigaoka with a pained sigh.
But no matter how she said it, the teasing glint in her wine-red eyes was unmistakable.
Given that she truly didn't understand the difference, Yukinoshita didn't speak up right away.
But across from her, Eriri had already lost her cool.