As the most brilliant and beautiful girl in the world, Eriri naturally wouldn't recklessly jump into a battlefield she didn't understand.
Unless, of course, her mom was feeding her intel from the back lines.
But today, there was no micro earpiece from M16 in her ear.
No one was holding up cue cards from behind the trees.
So, she had no choice but to rely on her secret weapon—something only Sawamura Spencer Eriri could pull off!
"Hey, Kyousuke! Which one do you think is better—wired or wireless?"
Wait a second... you all remembered there is a guy standing here this whole time!?
Yukinoshita silently complained in her heart, though her expression remained perfectly calm and composed.
She picked up a damp towel and gently wiped her mouth and hands with graceful movements.
Then, brushing her long hair behind her ear, she turned alongside Shouko to look at the one who'd been behind the kitchen counter the whole time.
Hojou Kyousuke, standing tall in an apron emblazoned with Mt. Fuji.
The lingering taste of fresh sashimi in her mouth reminded her that everything she'd just eaten came from that one guy—quietly working since the very beginning.
Just like Shouko said, Kyousuke really did seem to find happiness in cooking for the people he cared about.
The ones waiting around the table for food felt happiness, sure—but so did he, right?
Watching Yamauchi Sakura, Eriri, and the others eagerly snatching up his dishes, their faces lighting up with delight—didn't that kind of satisfaction also fill his heart?
Then let's see it for ourselves.
A guy bold enough to gather this many girls in one place—how would he deal with a situation like this?
Would he play favorites and sugarcoat things?
Or speak the unvarnished truth, explaining the pros and cons of both wired and wireless bras—delivering a verdict that might not satisfy everyone.
But would leave no room for objection?
Or… would he play it like a classic scumbag—say something vague and slippery, disappointing both sides without technically being wrong?
Just thirty seconds ago, Yukinoshita Yukino had been silently fuming at herself for voicing her thoughts aloud, and Kyousuke had been smirking shamelessly at her misfortune.
But now, inexplicably, she found the tables had turned—she was no longer the awkward participant in a zoo of misfits, but a spectator.
And the one on stage... was Hojou Kyousuke.
No good.
Just thinking about that made her appetite surge again.
Her mouth itched to eat something.
Even though she'd just wiped her hands clean, she instinctively picked up her chopsticks, grabbed a piece of red snapper sushi, dipped it in soy sauce, and popped the whole thing into her mouth.
'Come on, let's begin. Show me what you'll do.' Yukino smiled, amused.
Rich, fatty snapper danced through the grains of rice, and every taste bud on her tongue felt like it was floating.
Her mood lifted with every bite.
Aside from Katou Megumi, who had been watching Hojou from the start, all the other girls had now turned to face him too.
Their eyes locked on him like lasers.
'Yeah, I get it—time for a little after-meal entertainment.'
Even with all eyes on him, Kyousuke remained calm.
After all, having a full house wasn't exactly new for him.
And c'mon—this was just a debate about underwear.
Forget choosing between wired and wireless.
Even if they lined up in front of him holding lingerie and asking him to put it on for them, he wouldn't even flinch.
Peeling off his disposable gloves—he'd put them on after making sushi to prep rice bowls.
He wiped his hands with a clean towel, then walked out from behind the counter carrying two wooden bowls: one large, one small.
"Megumi, here's your rice bowl," he said.
With this many people around, calling her "Katou-senpai" would've only made her feel distant.
So, he used her name directly.
That's just how Kyousuke was—gentle to the core.
[TL Note – Doubt!]
"Hey! Kyousuke! Answer me already—which is better!?"
Seeing him ignore her question and instead smile sweetly at Katou, Eriri instantly soured.
Her cheeks puffed in frustration.
"This one's yours," Kyousuke said, setting the smaller bowl down in front of Eriri. "I added a bit more lemon juice for you."
He then grabbed an empty chair near Kasumigaoka and squeezed himself in between Eriri and Katou.
"What the heck are you doing? Your seat's supposed to be next to Yukinoshita," Eriri grumbled, scooting over with her bowl in hand.
But when she saw Kyousuke already reaching for a piece of sashimi with his chopsticks, she quickly shouted:
"Hey! You haven't answered yet—!"
"Ughhh, I'm starving… I'm literally dying over here," Kyousuke moaned dramatically.
"You didn't answer—ugh, you idiot! Couldn't you have at least eaten something before making that!?"
Eriri immediately forgot all about the underwear debate.
Her blue eyes darted across the table in a panic.
She pushed her sushi plate toward Kyousuke and then grabbed her long chopsticks to fish out the veggies she'd left in the hot pot earlier.
"Sakura! Hurry up and get that beef into the pot already! This guy's starving!"
With just two hands, she couldn't handle it all, so she barked orders at Yamauchi Sakura.
Honestly, what kind of childhood friend forgets this guy has a black hole for a stomach?
If he gets too hungry, his eyes turn into glowing wolf-lights!
"Ooooh, roger that!" Sakura saluted playfully, dumping the marinated beef into the bubbling red broth.
Wait, that's it? That's all it took?
Eriri, did you forget that before talking to you, Kyousuke was smiling all lovey-dovey at Katou!?
No impartial comment, no clever dodge—just completely swept under the rug!?
Yukinoshita's jaw dropped.
The lingering aroma of fish in the air now felt dull and tasteless in her mouth.
Shouko, chuckling at the scene, quietly stood up and placed her plate—stacked with food—right in front of Kyousuke.
He looked up with puffed cheeks, mid-bite, and gave her a grateful smile.
"You've gotta be kidding… this is unreal…" Yukinoshita muttered in disbelief, watching Kyousuke dig in with gusto as food rapidly piled up in front of him.
"But if it's Kyousuke," Kasumigaoka Utaha purred, resting her chin on her clasped hands, "he probably likes both wired and wireless, don't you think~~~?"
There it is! That twisted sense of humor!
'Yes, Kasumigaoka Utaha—channel that mischievous, unreasonable energy you had when you were teasing me!'
Eriri is way too innocent, but you... you just might make it work!
Yukinoshita's eyes lit up again.
The fire of hope reignited in her heart.
"COUGH! COUGH! COUGH!" Kyousuke suddenly choked. "I need water!"
"Can't you get it yourself? Geez," Eriri huffed, but still ducked under the table to grab a can of cola.
She popped it open and handed it to him, then turned her wrath on Utaha:
"You! You're done eating, so go wash the dishes! Quit spouting that nonsense!"
"Yes, yes, I obey, oh great Queen~" Utaha replied in a drawn-out, theatrical voice.
Seriously—Kyousuke really had Eriri wrapped around his finger.
'No, no, no! Sawamura-san, did you not hear that?'
'What Kasumigaoka said was super suspicious! '
'Something's definitely going on between her and Hojou!'
Yukinoshita groaned internally.
She'd already experienced that red-eyed girl's shameless antics firsthand—there was no doubt in her mind that something sketchy had gone on between them.
"Eriri and Utaha seem really close, huh~?" Shouko commented with a gentle smile.
"…Yeah. You'd never guess it, huh?" Yukinoshita replied with a stiff nod, her thoughts still spinning.
Yukinoshita nodded seriously.
If she had spoken to Kasumigaoka Utaha the same way, she was certain the woman would've smashed a dirty plate in her face.
Not that it was a mystery—after all, she and Utaha were practically strangers, and definitely not on good terms.
But the mere fact that someone like Utaha could be friends with Eriri was already baffling.
Birds of a feather… No, that wasn't quite it.
With her keen understanding of people, Yukinoshita had seen through that woman at a glance—sharp-tongued, arrogantly aloof, clearly uninterested in interacting with others.
The type who probably spent her school life in solitude, friendless and shadowy.
Granted, they shared about one percent of their traits.
But fundamentally, they were different.
Yukinoshita wasn't sharp-tongued, she simply saw the world for what it was and spoke the truth, unfiltered.
As for arrogance, well, confidence grounded in self-awareness was healthy.
Only blind arrogance was problematic.
And finally, it wasn't that she disdained talking to unrelated people—it's just that no one dared talk to her in the first place.
That was just human nature.
People instinctively seek out beauty, yet when faced with someone too perfect—like her—they grow intimidated, aware of their own inadequacies.
It wasn't that Yukinoshita Yukino couldn't make friends.
Her standards were just incredibly high.
That was the most important point—and one she had to keep firmly in mind.
"Hehe~ Yeah, the first time I met Utaha, I thought she'd be difficult to get along with. But once I got to know her, I realized she's actually very easygoing," Shouko said with a gentle smile.
"I think that's only true for someone like you, Nishimiya-san."
Yukinoshita shifted her gaze away from Hojou and picked up another piece of sushi.
Even someone like her couldn't help but soften in front of the sweet, gentle Nishimiya Shouko—let alone someone who lived with her under the same roof.
Even Kasumigaoka Utaha wouldn't be able to say the same cutting things to Shouko that she had said to her.
"But isn't that enough?"
Shouko smiled again.
Just like she admired Yukino, she had once looked up to Utaha too—back when she was still trapped in darkness.
She didn't know how much of Utaha's kindness was due to Kyousuke-kun's influence.
All she knew was that as long as she was near him, the world felt like a fairytale.
She'd heard about Yukino's story from Sakura.
She admired how Yukino hadn't been broken by hardship, but had grown stronger instead.
Still, she couldn't help feeling a twinge of sympathy—how lonely it must've been, being bullied without someone like Kyousuke-kun there to stand by her.
Solving everything on your own might look cool from the outside, but… it had to be incredibly lonely too.
Was that really enough?
Yukinoshita glanced at Shouko, who was still smiling so warmly.
How nice, to be so easily content.
She looked over at Eriri, who was simultaneously scolding Hojou and nagging Yamauchi Sakura, bustling around like a storm.
'How nice, to be so simple.'
Then, she turned her gaze inward—paused her chewing, letting the mix of rice and sashimi rest on her tongue.
And what about me?
She had always known that most personal anguish stemmed from the mismatch between one's desires and one's capabilities.
If she could just let go—no, if she could really let go of her fixations, forget the past—maybe she too could live like an ordinary high school girl.
Singing silly songs about youth.
But then… would she still be Yukinoshita Yukino?
As Sakura had once said, a name is not just a label—it carries the weight of all one's experiences.
If she abandoned her ideals, Yukinoshita Yukino would just become an empty shell, drifting wherever the tide took her.
Just as she was about to say something to Shouko, the girl beat her to it.
"I'm not as strong as you, Yukino. Even with Kyousuke-kun by my side, I'm still scared of the future."
"I just want to grow up a little faster… to become stronger, mature—so Kyousuke-kun can rely on me too."
As she spoke, Shouko's thoughts drifted back to Suimon City… to the warmth of Kyousuke-kun's embrace on that bridge.
"Did you know, Yukino? Little kids don't have waists~" she tilted her head, grinning mischievously.
"Nonsense," Yukino replied, though her voice lacked bite—it was almost gentle.
She could already sense the meaning behind the words.
"That's what Kyousuke-kun told me. He said, 'Little kids don't have waists, so they don't need to worry about adult problems.'"
"Twisting logic," Yukino murmured softly.
She understood now, but…
"That's why, even if you have your own principles, Yukino, don't burden yourself with tomorrow's troubles today. Let tomorrow's wind blow tomorrow. Live in the moment, okay?"
Shouko raised her hand and clenched it into a tiny fist.
"一期一会 (once in a lifetime), Yukino. Treasure every encounter!"
Listening to her soft yet sincere voice, and seeing her baby-faced expression full of earnest encouragement, Yukinoshita couldn't help but smile faintly.
Once in a lifetime … how like something a high school girl would say.
How like something Sakura would say.
But of course—they were high school girls, living out their once-in-a-lifetime youth.
But behind them was that fool—that… well, they had Hojou supporting them.
This perfect moment they were enjoying now, what would become of it in the future?
When that time came… would Kasumigaoka Utaha still be so kind to them?
How hard would that silly Eriri cry?
As she pondered, the smile that had just lifted her lips slowly faded again.
"Once in a lifetime!" Shouko's voice rang out again.
Yukinoshita looked up.
There was no doubt in that face—just pure, unburdened joy.
Once in a lifetime… Treasure this fleeting moment.
Savor the beauty of the now.
Leave tomorrow's worries to your future self.
Are you a turtle, Nishimiya-san?
Yukinoshita smiled again, involuntarily.
So cute.
Even if she was hiding in a shell, this silly, retreating attitude of hers… was just too adorable.
That innocent, carefree way of living—of diving headfirst into the now—was youth itself, in its purest form.
'But… even if you say that, I still can't do it. At least, not the way I am now.'
Still, she etched those four words into her heart—not as mere knowledge this time, but infused with the warmth of Shouko's perspective.
Yet what Yukinoshita Yukino didn't know was that youth comes in many forms.
Whether success or failure, each moment of youth becomes a precious key that unlocks memories in the years to come.
Whether you fully embrace it or drown in adolescent confusion—both are valid expressions of youth.
Oh, and of course, she also didn't know this: the struggle she was facing now—so painful and heavy—was the kind of problem that, years from now, she'd look back on and laugh at.
Like a child wanting to become an astronaut but worrying about how heavy metal is. It would become a fond memory.
And there was one more thing the girl didn't know…
"Hurry up and eat, Yukino-chan. If you don't, Kyousuke-kun's going to finish everything!"
Seeing the smile on Yukino's face, Shouko laughed happily.
'Huh?'
Before Yukinoshita could object to being called "Yukino-chan," she turned to Hojou Kyousuke—and her eyes went wide.
'Is he… even human?'
The once-mountainous pile of food had been reduced to nothing but empty plates.
All the raw ingredients on the table had been dumped into the hot pot, and now Utaha and Sakura were frantically trying to scoop things out.
But even then, they couldn't keep up with Kyousuke's eating speed.
"Hehehe~~ Pretty impressive, isn't it?" Shouko chuckled softly.
Anyone who saw Kyousuke-kun eating with such gusto would probably be shocked.
"...No wonder you're so full of energy. Looks like we can increase the training intensity from now on," Yukinoshita nodded.
Feeling that although she'd thought she was full a moment ago, she now had the urge to nibble a bit more.
Katou Megumi felt the same way.
Although she knew Hojou-kun had probably said what he did to avoid answering Eriri's earlier question.
She still hesitated, wondering if she should share half of her rice bowl with him.
But before she could decide whether that would draw too much attention, Eriri had already taken a bite from her own small rice bowl and handed it to Kyousuke.
Watching him finish it off in two big mouthfuls, Megumi decided against it, realizing her little bowl wouldn't even be a drop in the bucket for him.
Instead, the sight had sparked her own appetite.
She swallowed, then quickly mixed the fish flakes, chopped green onions, and rice together and began eating heartily.
As an ordinary high school girl, she had an ordinary appetite.
Earlier, she hadn't eaten much because she'd been too focused on watching Kyousuke.
But now… she couldn't help herself.
After all, for a girl, skipping dinner was nothing unusual.
But at this moment, she found herself digging back into the pot.
Kyousuke-kun really did have a knack for infecting others with his energy.
Whew—
When Kyousuke finally let out a heavy sigh and patted his full stomach, it was like an announcement that the feast at the dorm was officially over.
The sun had begun to sink, casting a warm glow across the horizon.
Those who had eaten looked completely satisfied, while those who'd been helping him eat—no, supporting him in his quest—were all worn out.
Eriri didn't even care about the dirty little paws of Momotarou as she scooped the dog onto her lap, leaning back against her chair and absentmindedly stroking its fur while staring dreamily at the cherry blossoms.
Yamauchi Sakura also stretched her long legs out and rested against the back of her chair, one hand casually toying with Eriri's golden hair.
Noticing that no one was paying her any attention, Megumi discreetly glanced down at her slightly bulging stomach.
She took a deep breath and forced it to flatten out—though it only stayed that way for a second before she had to let it out, and her small belly poked out again.
Her slender eyebrows drew together as she let out a tiny sigh of distress, her pale, heart-shaped face showing a hint of worry.
'Ah… tonight, I'll have to do some extra exercise.'
'Oh, and I could use that bath powder my sister gave me—it's supposed to help with digestion and slimming down.'
Eat too much, you gain weight.
Don't move enough, you gain weight.
Such a normal girl's problem.
But… she was so happy.
Megumi snuck a glance at the people around her: Eriri, Sakura, Naoka, Shouko, Yukinoshita, Kasumigaoka.
Everyone's faces were glowing with contentment.
'I guess mine probably is, too…' She wasn't sure.
She'd always been so calm and even-tempered; a look of satisfaction wasn't something she usually wore.
Still, to not show a satisfied expression in this moment would be the greatest disrespect to Hojou-kun, who had treated them all so warmly.
She fretted for a moment.
Just as she was about to pull out her small compact mirror to check, she met Hojou-kun's eyes.
He smiled at her, and she blinked, then gave a small smile back.
'Oh~~ that confirmed it. I must be wearing a satisfied smile, too.'
Some time passed…
Who knew how long, but by then, the red oil in the hot pot had congealed, and delicate cherry blossom petals had drifted down to rest on its surface.
The bright red oil dotted with soft pink petals looked just like cherry blossoms painted onto luscious red lips.
Yukinoshita stared blankly at the table, not because she was thinking about who would wash the dishes, but because she was listening to the sounds around her.
At this hour on a normal day, she'd be packing away her bento box and lounging on the sofa with a book.
Now, though, with the heat of the spicy broth still on her lips, she felt like the heroine in a story—challenging the spiciest hot pot in the world to secure a legendary antidote.
Around her, her friends had collapsed in the effort, and she alone carried their hopes, determined to defeat the great Hot Pot Demon King and claim the cure to save the male lead.
What a wonderful fantasy—friends who stood with her, a male lead worth risking everything for, and a version of herself who was so strong.
She thought with a smile.
If she'd been at home, she'd probably be wondering:
Why is the final quest for the antidote eating hot pot?
Is the demon king from Sichuan? Even if she saved the male lead, wouldn't she end up sick from eating such spicy food and need him to rescue her all over again?
She glanced at Shouko, whose face was a picture of lazy, adorable contentment, and then at Sakura across from her, who was grinning and winking with the warmth of the setting sun in her eyes.
Yukinoshita's heart was warm and soft, even a little sleepy.
It's true—when you have people to rely on, you inevitably grow a little soft yourself.
But… that's not so bad.
The sunset grew richer and more brilliant, pulling them all from their seats.
"Mosquitoes are coming~" Kyousuke called out.
"Eh!?" Megumi jumped, immediately glancing down at her legs.
Wrapped in her black cotton socks, her slender calves shimmered in the light, the skin smooth and flawless.
'Whew—good, no mosquitoes after me yet!'
"You dummy, didn't we install those… whatchamacallit things? No way there are mosquitoes in here!" Eriri's voice snapped Megumi out of her relief.
For a moment, she thought Eriri had caught her admiring her own legs.
But when she turned her head, she saw Eriri was scolding Kyousuke-kun instead.
"You shouldn't rely too much on technology, Eriri! If you do, it might end in disaster!" Sakura declared dramatically, standing up.
'Yes, I agree with that.' Yukinoshita gave a serious nod.
'Huh? Disaster? Like… a terrifying electric bill?' Megumi wondered.
But when she noticed Hojou's half-suppressed laughter, she immediately understood—Sakura was just teasing Eriri again.
"Disaster? It'll just make us super happy!" Eriri set Momotarou on the ground and shot Sakura a sideways look.
She wasn't that easily fooled anymore.
"Huh? How could you say that, Eriri!" Sakura wailed in theatrical despair.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Eriri asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It means ultimate happiness! Imagine—no fridge, no ice-cold cola, no TV, no anime…" Sakura wailed, flinging her arms wide.
"Yes, yes, I get it already—just help clear the dishes," Eriri said, waving her off.
"Eh? That's it?" Sakura pouted, disappointed.
"Yeah, Sawamura-san, weren't you supposed to shout, 'Sakura, you idiot!!!'?" Kasumigaoka teased from the side.
That's exactly what I was thinking, Megumi nodded in quiet agreement.
"Hmph, you two dummies—quit stalling and start cleaning up!" Eriri snorted, though for some reason, her voice didn't have much bite.
Megumi gave her a curious look—and then she noticed Eriri's own small belly, rounded just enough to stretch her pleated skirt into a gentle curve.
Oh~~ so she's holding back because her stomach's too full! That makes sense~~
"I'll help too~"
With that, Megumi stood up and began stacking the bowls together.
Her movements were so natural and unassuming that aside from Kyousuke, no one even noticed her.
Seeing Shouko and Naoka also stand up to help, Yukinoshita twisted her head this way and that, unsure of what to do.
'What do I do? What do I do? Should I help too? Probably… right?'
"I'll help too—"
"Hey, Yukino-chan!"
She had just picked up her own bowl when she heard Yamauchi Sakura shout from across the table.
Huh? Was it improper for a guest like her to help clean up?
Would it seem disrespectful to the host?
But hadn't Sakura just said not to worry so much?
That this was just a casual visit to a friend's house, and being overly formal would only make everyone uncomfortable?
Oh no—had she gotten so relaxed earlier that she'd forgotten her manners?
Before Yukinoshita could finish sorting out her thoughts, she heard Sakura's voice continue:
"Don't underestimate Kyousuke! He's not just a great cook—he's also a master at cleaning up. So let's leave this to him and go watch some TV!"
"Hehehe~~"
A chorus of cheerful laughter filled the room.
Eriri was laughing too as she reached out to tug on Sakura's sleeve.
"Don't think you're getting away with that. Help out, or else!"
Normally, Kyousuke would never be stuck with cleaning up after cooking.
But today, there were so many dishes that he was helping out too.
Well, honestly, it was more because every girl was pitching in.
Even if he retreated to the living room now, he'd only have Momotarou the dog for company.
He figured it was better to help clean up quickly and move on to the next fun thing they had planned.
Earlier, they'd been talking about lingerie—sure, listening to that had been entertaining, but it hadn't quite satisfied him.
Next up, maybe they'd watch a horror movie or play a game of Hyakumonogatari, and that would definitely be more than just something to listen to.
Last time they'd played Hyakumonogatari, Eriri had curled up right in his lap, small and soft, clinging to him with a sweet scent that made her feel like a living doll.
When he'd mimicked a monster and threatened to gobble her up, she'd been absolutely terrified.
But still hadn't let go of his neck, pleading in the softest voice he'd ever heard, begging him not to "eat her up."
She'd been impossibly cute.
For context, Hyakumonogatari is a traditional ghost-story game:
You turn off the lights, shine a flashlight up from your chin to make a spooky face, and take turns telling ghost stories.
In the more authentic version, you light a hundred candles and blow one out with each tale—legend has it that when the last candle goes out, a real spirit will appear.
But Kyousuke suspected that by the time they'd told a hundred stories.
The only spirits showing up would be the ghosts of those who'd died of boredom—because who in the world had the patience to sit through a hundred ghost stories?