Yukinoshita took a deep breath, preparing to accept the request, all while feeling Kasumigaoka's teasing gaze on her.
'It's fine. It's fine. '
'Even if I'm not that strong, handling a small dog like this should be no problem.'
'I just need to wear thick boots, leg guards, and bite-proof gloves...'
She had also considered putting a muzzle on Momotarou, but after glancing at the tiny pup—barely larger than Hojou's hand—she quickly gave up on such a ridiculous idea.
'It'll be fine.' Yukinoshita reassured herself once more.
Raising her chin slightly, her pale blue eyes filled with resolve.
"I—"
"—Like hell you will! Kasumigaoka Utaha, you liar! I'm the one who always walks Momotarou, okay? You've never taken him out, not even once!"
Eriri shouted out, startling Momotarou, who drowsily lifted his head and blinked his round, black eyes.
Momotarou let out a few soft whimpers, stretched out his tongue to lick his nose—making it glisten even more—and then flopped his head back onto the carpet.
This time, he even covered one ear with his paw.
Kasumigaoka shifted her gaze away from Yukinoshita's face and glanced at the flustered Eriri, sighing softly in her heart.
'Eriri, oh Eriri... You're such a hopeless idiot.'
If it weren't for a certain someone's favor, a girl like this could easily be tricked into planting trees in the mountains for three days straight.
No need for supervision—just promise her that once she finishes planting ten thousand trees, she can isekai reincarnate with Hojou, and she'd probably ask if her parents could come along too.
"My, my, Kyousuke... isn't there an old saying that the guilty complain first? As Momotarou's rightful owner, after finishing my exhausting work."
"I simply wanted to spend some time relaxing with my little dog... but no matter where I looked in the house, he was nowhere to be found."
"That feeling of disappointment... heartbreak... that unfillable emptiness... I'm sure Sawamura-san, happily parading Momotarou outside, could never understand it."
Kasumigaoka composed herself in just a second and dove into her favorite pastime—bickering with Eriri.
"You—you seriously have no shame saying stuff like that!"
Eriri couldn't even find a retort.
Her face instantly turned red.
After all, she did always take Momotarou out for walks and had fun doing it.
The only problem was... Kasumigaoka Utaha never had the slightest interest in walking the dog.
Eriri's dog walks weren't simple strolls either—she'd always grab some "lucky guest" along the way.
Sometimes Naoka. Sometimes Shouko. But most often...Kyousuke himself.
"Aw, struck speechless by the truth? Trying to claim moral high ground now, Sawamura-san?" Kasumigaoka chuckled softly.
But then she gently covered her mouth with her left hand, her wine-red eyes showing faint regret.
"Oh dear, I'm terribly sorry. I was enjoying my conversation with Yukinoshita Yukino a bit too much and forgot to hold back."
Ahhh~ That line was a little too lethal.
Poor Eriri might lose her appetite for her midnight snack over that.
Hearing her name, Yukinoshita snapped back to reality.
A question suddenly popped into her head:
'Is Sawamura-san an idiot... or just a really good person?'
Kasumigaoka's carefully laid verbal trap had been shattered—by Eriri of all people.
Logic told her that Eriri hadn't done this to help her; she just wanted to pick a fight with Kasumigaoka.
But... no matter the reason, she had been helped.
Yukinoshita nodded inwardly, preparing to back up the struggling Eriri.
"Shouko, what about you? Do you have any wishes you want granted?"
Yamauchi Sakura forcefully cut into the battlefield, stopping the bickering duo.
Late-night fights could lead to bad dreams, after all.
And it's not like they had Kyousuke to tell them cute bedtime stories.
"Me? Even club members can make a wish?"
Shouko naturally chimed in—after all, living at the dorm, she was already used to Eriri and Kasumigaoka's constant squabbles.
"Of course! If even cats and dogs get to be happy, why wouldn't the club members? Right, President?"
Sakura turned to look at Yukinoshita.
"...Right."
Yukinoshita bit her lip, resisting the urge to snap that she wasn't Santa Claus, and forced out a word with a smile.
'As expected... once Yamauchi Sakura gets involved, everything goes off the rails.'
'The Service Club was never meant to be like this! People with problems should come to them for help—not the other way around, like some door-to-door salesmen!'
'It was supposed to be an urban legend of a club—not a doting mother asking kids what they want for Christmas...'
"Wait... even I can make a wish?"
Shouko said in surprise, her body swaying slightly side to side as she made small, thoughtful hums.
"Would you practice voice acting with me? I mean... using Momotarou works pretty well, but..." As if on cue, Momotarou's ears twitched again.
Meanwhile, in Kyousuke's mind, alarm bells rang:
'So that's the mystery solved! No wonder she's always nervous in the recording booth—you can't replace real human practice with a dog forever!'
No wonder her agency's manager said Shouko's technical skills were solid—after all, she practiced lines at home with Momotarou.
Being able to recite lines to a dog without breaking into laughter... that was a special talent in itself.
"No way, no way! Momotarou's too dumb! Real practice with a person is way better—just like the games we play on the way home!"
Yamauchi Sakura shook her head vigorously, conveniently forgetting that under her guidance, Momotarou had learned to use the bathroom in just a day.
The "games" she mentioned were the odd roleplays between her and Hojou on the walk home.
"Alright, noted! The Service Club now has its second official request! How exciting! Isn't this great, President?"
Sakura instantly transformed into a fired-up sports club airhead, eyes shining with passion as she turned to Yukinoshita.
"...Sakura, I've been wondering—Yukinoshita's the club president, right?" Eriri asked suspiciously.
"Yep!" Sakura replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Then why do you always act like you're in charge?!"
Yukinoshita nodded silently.
Exactly what she wanted to say... but she was too tired to argue anymore.
She'd grown used to Sakura's nonsense.
"Umm..."
Sakura tapped her forehead with a finger, her eyes darting about.
Then, spotting Shouko, she lit up with an idea.
"Because Yukino-chan is too shy, so I'm the face of the club! She's the behind-the-scenes hero of justice!"
"Hero of justice? I didn't want to say anything, but you seriously intend to make that my official nickname, don't you? Yamauchi Sakura..." Yukinoshita sighed, speaking in her usual calm voice.
"Huh? But justice is your principle, Yukino! And you always take on impossible tasks! So of course you're a superhero! Right, Shouko? Don't you think Yukino's like Superman?"
Sakura grinned proudly.
Shouko glanced left and right, then gave a silent nod—not because she feared Sakura's authority, but because, deep down... she genuinely believed Yukinoshita was superhuman.
"I don't agree. And I absolutely refuse to accept that ridiculous nickname," Yukinoshita declared, brushing off Sakura's nonsense completely.
"Aww, Yukino-chan, a name is just a code, you know. As long as it makes people instantly think of you, isn't that enough?" Sakura coaxed playfully.
What the hell? That's not what you said before! Don't tell me... even the Bubble General ranks higher than me in your eyes now?!
Yukinoshita was quietly seething with anger.
"Ah, we got sidetracked again. We haven't even asked Naoka what her wish is yet."
With a sly grin, Sakura skillfully shifted the topic.
"I was starting to think you'd completely forgotten about me," Naoka said, rolling her eyes with a hint of sarcasm.
"No way! Naoka, you're my lifelong rival!" Sakura pouted.
She'd hold a grudge forever over that time Naoka stole Hojo's button.
"Actually, I already told Yukinoshita my wish just now."
Ever since they started watching the movie, Naoka had been sneaking glances at Yukinoshita, a sense of unwillingness in her heart.
As a fashion designer, there was no greater joy than seeing someone perfect wear the clothes she designed.
"Huh?" Sakura blinked in confusion.
"That dress!" Naoka gestured to her own hips.
"Ooooh, I see! Yukino-chan, you're so cruel—crushing a young maiden's simple dream like that!"
Sakura clutched her chest and shook her head dramatically, launching into a mock scolding of Yukinoshita.
"Oh, come on. Dreams aren't so fragile that they'll shatter just like that. Besides, that dress would suit Sawamura way better than me... or maybe Hojo Kyousuke should wear it himself."
Just thinking of that humiliating dress made Yukinoshita scowl.
Washing brushes, walking dogs, wearing dresses...
Is everyone in this house insane?! Don't they have any worries other than these trivial things?
...Or do they?
That final question drifted softly through Yukinoshita's mind, its certainty slowly fading until it no longer felt like a question at all—but a quiet truth.
Ruyi Dormitory.
That name appeared again in her thoughts—gleaming gently like polished jade, glowing with warm golden light.
Yukinoshita blinked, ignoring Eriri and Naoka who were now fiercely debating whose figure was better, while Sakura measured them with a stick and Shouko stood off to the side like an official judge.
She rested her right fist under her nose, deep in thought.
Even without knowing them well, Yukinoshita could easily imagine Eriri asking her to help drive Kasumigaoka Utaha away from the dorm—that would've come as no surprise, and she'd probably have accepted without protest.
But no—Eriri's wish had been nothing but a childish joke.
Kasumigaoka Utaha, with her spiteful nature, could've easily made some cruel request like asking Yukinoshita to leave Ruyi Dormitory forever.
But she hadn't.
Her "trap" had been no more than a silly dog-walking favor.
As childish as Eriri's.
Sakura probably saw the whole thing as a joke—but Shouko?
Shouko understood the club's purpose, knew Yukinoshita would sincerely help fulfill any real wish.
Yet even her wish had been simple and silly.
And Naoka... she'd looked disappointed, but not deeply so.
She hadn't taken it to heart.
'Ruyi Dormitory...'
Yukinoshita mentally repeated the name.
The Service Club had taken its first steps beyond Sobu High—and gotten stuck here.
They weren't mocking her. They weren't stupid. They simply had no real worries—nothing so overwhelming they'd need help solving it.
How could that be...?
'Even I...' Yukinoshita thought, slightly stunned.
Why? She almost wanted to hire the Service Club herself to answer that question.
Lifting her head, she realized the living room was brightly lit—the LED lights above casting a warm glow into every corner.
The metal blinds on the sliding glass doors to the garden had been drawn open, revealing the immaculate glass.
The garden beyond looked like a painting, perfectly framed.
It was already night.
She gazed at the moonlight falling softly onto the cherry trees and whispered in her heart.
Laughter and chatter still filled her ears.
Turning her head, she saw Kasumigaoka sprawled across the entire sofa like a queen, while Naoka and Eriri stood side by side in front of her, letting Sakura measure their figures with a stick.
Shouko stood a little apart, acting as referee.
There's no need to measure... anyone could see the difference at a glance, Yukinoshita thought with a wry smile.
These girls really are having fun.
'Hmm? Where's Hojou?'
She noticed the "answer" was missing.
Rising quietly, she didn't glance around immediately—that would be too obvious.
Instead, she casually stepped back and sat on the shorter sofa, scanning the room slowly.
Then she spotted him—in the tatami room beside the dining area.
And next to him...
'Ah, I forgot about Katou again!' Yukinoshita widened her eyes.
There they were, sitting side by side on the tatami floor, facing the garden.
Katou Megumi held a cup of yogurt, a little white smear on her lips, while Hojou sat beside her, smiling and chatting.
When did they slip over there?
As soon as Sakura started handing out business cards, Hojo Kyousuke knew his ghost story session was over.
When the conversation turned to Naoka, he'd already pulled out his phone and turned on the lights.
By the time he and Shouko brought yogurt from the kitchen, Katou Megumi had vanished.
Looking over at the others—Eriri engrossed in battle, Sakura gleefully fanning the flames, Yukinoshita zoning out (no, thinking)—it was clear no one had noticed Katou Megumi's absence.
She'd been swallowed by the gaps between their attention.
Soon, even the last person who remembered her—him—would forget, too.
Yeah, right.
Kyousuke spotted her immediately—sitting alone on the tatami, hugging her knees, quietly gazing at the garden.
After a moment's thought, he grabbed two cups of yogurt and walked over.
It was a clear night.
The moon hung generous and bright, spilling borrowed sunlight without restraint.
A silvery river of moonlight flowed gently down the dark sky, passing through the spotless glass doors, softly touching Katou Megumi's cheek—blending with her pale skin.
Delicate, elegant features.
A small, proud nose. Perfect cherry lips.
And her dark eyes—clear and pure as the night sky—reflected either the cherry tree in the garden or perhaps a sky full of hidden stars.
What a beautiful and unique girl, Hojo Kyousuke thought.
But why... why was her presence so faint?
She'd been the first to join the conversation, yet was so easily forgotten by everyone.
He sat beside her, following her gaze toward the little, carefully tended garden.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" he said. Of course it was—Shouko and Yukinoshita had worked hard to make it this way.
"Mmm. It really is," Katou Megumi replied softly, turning her calm, serene eyes toward him.
To her surprise, her heart felt unusually still. If any boy had once told her that, even when surrounded by seven or eight beautiful girls, he'd still notice her... she would've called it the worst kind of lie.
But now, looking at Kyousuke sitting quietly beside her, Katou Megumi realized she was already getting used to this feeling—of being seen, being noticed.
The joy in her heart hadn't faded at all.
But now... she could face it in her own way—as Katou Megumi.
Still... this isn't good, Megumi. You mustn't get "used to" this.
If Hojou-kun weren't here, you'd probably go back to how you were before.
You can't let this kind of situation become your norm.
You have to stay the way you are—calm, composed, and properly balanced in how you express yourself. Like always.
"Senpai, you really remind me of these flowers." Kyousuke's gaze rested on a pale purple balsam flower growing at the edge of the garden.
Each petal and leaf stretched gently toward the moonlight, as if trying to drink in its glow.
Hearing this, Megumi's reaction was adorably subtle.
Her dark eyes shifted slightly to the upper left, then she slowly tilted her head, her neat bob swaying gently with the movement.
That tiny, hesitant motion spoke volumes of her quiet surprise and shy curiosity.
"Yes, Hojou-kun… are you saying I'm as pretty as a flower?" she asked softly, her usual gentle, neutral tone carrying a hint of quiet joy.
It was Megumi's signature skill—only certain people could pick up on the genuine emotion hidden in that calm voice.
Kyousuke chuckled.
His eyes were still focused on the flowers in the garden, but the edge of his vision caught every detail of Megumi's small, cute expression.
"Well… Senpai is as beautiful as a flower, no doubt. But that's not what I meant."
"Oh… I see~" Megumi murmured softly.
"Flowers grow quietly, just like that… becoming beautiful all on their own. Whether anyone notices or not doesn't change their beauty or uniqueness."
"But when someone finally looks—really looks—they realize just how stunning they are.
"And that beauty… it doesn't depend on anyone else. It's just part of what the flower is, naturally."
Kyousuke's gentle voice washed over her like moonlight, clear and calm, seeping into Megumi's heart and wrapping around her from the inside out.
"…Mm… mm." She gave a small, breathy reply.
Her voice stayed soft, but inside, her heart was racing wildly.
Just like the first time they met in that quiet café… Hojou-kun wasn't just looking at her face—he was seeing into her heart.
The noisy sounds from the living room felt distant now, as if an invisible wall had sealed this little space off.
In the quiet of the tatami room, there was only the sound of two people breathing... and her heartbeat.
'Thump. Thump. Thump...'
She wanted to lift her hand, to feel her chest and check—was this racing heartbeat really hers?
"Then, Hojou-kun... what kind of flower do you think I am?" she asked softly, nervous and expectant.
What kind of flower?
Kyousuke blinked, pausing for a moment. Then he sniffed lightly, as if catching a scent in the air.
Fragrance.
That was the only word in his mind. Not the fresh scent of dew.
Not the sweetness of fruit. Not the woody warmth of a cigar...
Oh, come on. You just said her beauty was natural and unique—don't start thinking weird stuff now.
He glanced over at Megumi again, only to meet her dark, clear eyes staring straight back.
Neither of them looked away.
And in that moment... an image popped into Kyousuke's head—bright, vivid.
"A dandelion!" he blurted out.
"Dandelion?" Megumi blinked, her gaze still fixed on Kyousuke's lips.
She repeated the word, her expression slightly blank in the cutest way.