Meanwhile, at the Yukinoshita household.
"They've already left? ...Good, now it's my turn to shine!"
Haruno put down her phone, rising from the sofa, her face showing a bright, energetic smile.
As an expert in information gathering, she naturally knew when the second-year Sobu High buses would depart for today's school picnic.
Originally, she had no free time to deal with such trivial matters, nor was she so obsessed that she'd follow her younger sister while she went out to have fun. But there was one boy in that group who increasingly piqued her interest. After thinking it over several times, Haruno finally decided to disguise herself and follow him, using this opportunity to observe his every move.
She stepped cheerfully into the changing room. The mirror reflected her thoughtful expression.
"First, his reaction to the comb on exhibition day. Then, my feelings seeing him intimately with a girl in front of the apartment. And finally, what Shizuka said—"
'That guy said he's been used to dealing with people with twisted personalities since last summer break... For some reason, I instinctively thought of you. After all, not many people have personalities as twisted as yours, right? But it's impossible he ever met you back then...'
It was an outrageous yet accurate comment, possibly a special animal instinct only Hiratsuka possessed.
Indeed, asking her for help gathering information was the right choice...
Brushing the curly hair tucked behind her jacket, Haruno adjusted her beret, then tapped her sunglasses twice. The corner of her lips lifted slightly as she murmured to herself.
"'I' started feeling unwell before summer break ended, and Shizuka also mentioned that the boy's grades began rising sharply and he displayed extraordinary physical abilities after this summer break. He also stopped caring so much about money like he used to..."
She couldn't hold back her laughter, her chest unexpectedly filled with joy: "The timing is so coincidentally perfect—how can I believe my change has nothing to do with you, Tenkuji-chan?"
After expending great effort to gather information, she finally obtained significant results—the clouds shrouding her heart slowly dissipated, and sunlight would pierce through to shine.
"As long as I get closer to him, sooner or later I'll see the light and rediscover the 'lost things' from within me!"
The usually calm and rational Haruno now acted like a child—stubborn and selfishly believing in this idea.
Even if, in the end, she found nothing, even if her transformation had nothing to do with the other party, it didn't matter.
She was simply unconsciously drawn to him, like Earth orbiting the sun.
"No, such a girlish metaphor doesn't suit me... Maybe 'studying him from the inside out' is better?"
Her tongue gently licked her lips as she showed a slightly captivating smile in the mirror. She giggled softly, then gracefully turned around.
Hat, coat, sunglasses... The stalking outfit was ready. Now it was time to begin the investigation!
"Haruno, where are you going?"
At the changing room door, a graceful, soft voice sounded.
Haruno's smile instantly froze on her face.
Her entire body stiffened. Under that woman's gaze, she couldn't move.
"M-Mother..."
"It's too late to use polite language now." Saori Yukinoshita gently placed her hand on Haruno's cheek, narrowing her eyes into crescent moons. She tilted her head, smiling very sweetly.
"My beloved eldest daughter, dressing like this—you're not going to university, are you?"
"...W-why not." The bright gaze felt like a curved blade. That icy stare made Haruno stammer. Carefully shifting her gaze, she spoke with a falsely calm tone.
"Just dressing neatly. There's nothing wrong with dressing like this for university, right?"
"Really? Then could you explain to me the reason behind your frequent absences from class lately?"
"..."
Of course, it's to gather important information about a handsome high school boy~
How could she say something like that to her mother?!
"Nothing to say."
Saori smiled widely, stepping toward the cold-sweating Haruno.
"Refusing an arranged marriage is understandable, but skipping classes... If you don't give me a good reason to convince me, starting today, you won't be this free anymore, Haruno."
"D-listen to my explanation!"
"Yes, yes, I'm listening~ Anyway, first take off that stalker outfit, then follow me to the living room. I'll make some tea."
"...Fine."
Under her mother's unchallengeable command, Haruno frustratedly removed her hat. She was forced to cancel her plan to go out.
Ah, this was such a great opportunity to stalk him...
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
On his seat, Yuu suddenly shivered, a chill crawling up his spine.
"Is some evil person trying to harm me again? System, just admit it!"
System: "?"
"Oh, we've arrived." The bus slowed down. Hiratsuka beside him leaned forward, pressing her face against the window to look outside. "The weather's so nice! If it still rains, how about I treat you to super luxurious ramen?"
"We must always stay alert..." Yuu looked at his teacher's prominent chest. So close, so fragrant—it made his appetite rise. "But since Sensei said so, I won't hold back."
As he said it, he raised his hand.
He rubbed his nose, frowned, and turned his face away.
"You're so confident." Hiratsuka didn't notice his disgusted expression. She pulled her body back and stood, grabbing her bag full of items. "We're getting off the bus. Clean up your trash."
"Fine, fine~"
Yuu sighed resignedly, gathering all the empty drink cans and snack wrappers into a convenience store plastic bag. He planned to throw them in the trash bin at the park after exiting the bus.
Hiratsuka stood in front of the bus, not using a microphone. She shouted loudly to the students inside:
"Kids, get ready to disembark—"
"Ooo!!"
Under the clear blue sky, ten buses slowly stopped at the Shimizu Scenic Area parking lot.
Soon after, hundreds of high school students poured out of the buses like fish whose bellies had been split open, their eggs flowing out. They gathered in shaded areas for roll call, then walked toward the scenic area plaza in slightly chaotic but orderly fashion.
After a series of pre-departure instructions, they distributed maps, emergency phone numbers, and other information. Teachers began announcing groups, and students split into smaller groups. Some groups were deathly silent, others as loud as festivals—the contrast in atmosphere was everywhere.
Yuu briefly chatted with Totsuka, then walked toward Yuigahama—the two girls were in the same group. He couldn't let two girls come looking for him.
"Yuu~ Hurry, hurry! Let's decide where to start walking!"
Holding the map, Yuigahama happily waved at him. Her pink dango-style hair shimmered softly and beautifully under the sunlight.
Yumiko beside her only glanced at Yuu, then returned her gaze to the map. She extended her decorated fingers and said bluntly, "Let's go here, to the shopping street."
"Eh~ Shouldn't we walk around the scenic area?" Yuigahama pouted, seeming slightly reluctant. "We can go there after walking around elsewhere, right? And making Yuu accompany two girls like us shopping—wouldn't that be too..."
"Who cares about him? If he doesn't want to shop, let him go somewhere else alone."
"But Yumiko, Sensei said we have to move in groups..."
"Sensei also said she wouldn't care too much!" Yumiko cut her off impatiently, her eyes sharpening. "Yui, if you want to walk with him, just say so. If not, I'll go find someone else to have fun with. Pick one—simple as that!"
"..."
Yuigahama fell silent. She looked at her friend, slightly confused, then unconsciously glanced at Yuu, who was walking over.
Oh no, Yuu's angry!
Though there was still a smile on his face, his eyes held no smile at all. Yuu truly looked like he'd humiliate someone until they couldn't move!
Yuigahama instantly realized it. Though she was happy Yuu was angry for her sake, when he was angry at her friend, she felt conflicted.
Yumiko too—why did she have to glare back so defiantly?!
(An angry Yuu is so scary. I don't want to see you scolded to tears... Hic hic hic, is this the battlefield between my friend and the one I like?)
"Remember your name, Miura, right? You—"
"Ahhh! Right! How about this!" Yuigahama quickly stood, blocking their fiery gazes. She shouted to cover the awkwardness. "The three of us pick one place, then play rock-paper-scissors to decide where we go. Then we plan a route to visit all places. That way, no one will regret it!"
"Hah? Yui..." Yumiko raised an eyebrow, still wanting to say something, but Yuu spoke first, his voice overpowering hers.
"Fine. If Yui thinks it's a good way, I don't mind going anywhere."
Sitting in front of them, Yuu smiled, looking at Yumiko's increasingly terrifying expression, his tone extremely gentle: "After all, I deeply respect my friend's feelings."
"After finally being in a group with a friend and getting to walk together, I won't act like a childish, sulking, selfish brat."
Yumiko slightly tugged the corner of her lips. She gritted her teeth, glaring as if wanting to retort. But she saw Yuigahama beside her, looking awkward, her fingers gripping the map tighter. She reluctantly suppressed her anger in her chest and snorted, her golden drill-twin-tails swaying.
"...Whatever. I wasn't that interested in the school picnic anyway. We can go anywhere."
"Great... Thank you, Yumiko!"
"Huh."
Yuigahama placed a hand on her chest, sighing in relief. She glanced at Yuu with deep gratitude, then placed the map between them.
"Yumiko picked the shopping street, I want to hike Mount Mosum. What about you, Yuu?"
Yuu looked at her, pointing to a spot on the map: "There's a small Ferris wheel here. We should go there early. Otherwise, we might have long lines, delaying our schedule."
"Ah, you're right..." Yuigahama bit her soft lip, hesitating between the mountain and Ferris wheel icons.
Yumiko also frowned. She seemed very eager to ride the Ferris wheel. As she opened her mouth to speak, she saw Yuu smirking at her.
So she closed her mouth, crossed her arms, her fingers impatiently tapping her elbow. She didn't want to give her opinion.
"...How about we just play rock-paper-scissors?" Yuigahama quickly decided. "But Yuu and Yumiko play. After all, hiking the mountain can be done anytime, so I'll step out."
Yumiko looked back at Yuu. She still looked deeply hostile, fists ready at her sides.
Yuu observed her, then suddenly asked bluntly:
"It seems I've never done anything to upset you, right? Or do you just have a bad temper?"
Yumiko was momentarily stunned, then showed a cold smile, her eyes staring icily.
"I just dislike seeing certain people who think they're popular—already have a girlfriend but still flirt with other girls. They don't consider how others will see that girl!"
Yuu blinked, then pointed at himself, saying disbelievingly: "Me? Popular? Flirting with other girls?"
Yumiko shrugged, turning her gaze away as if it had nothing to do with her.
"I didn't name anyone. Seems you're self-aware."
"..."
As Yuu fell silent with a strange expression, Yuigahama also stared at her friend in shock, finding it unbelievable that this was the truth.
"Yumiko, could it be you're hostile toward Yuu because of me?"
Yumiko lifted her chin proudly, looking perfectly normal. "Why? Isn't he the reason you became gossip? Didn't those annoying rumors start because of him? He already has a transfer student girlfriend who's stunningly beautiful, yet he still drags you—a plain girl—around. If we don't teach him a lesson, he'll keep hurting other girls!"
Yuigahama quickly waved her hands to explain. "N-no, it's not like that! Yumiko, you misunderstood... Wait, did you just call me plain...?"
Yuu nodded in agreement. "Yui is quite plain. That's the only correct thing in your entire sentence."
"Yuu, shut up!"
Yuigahama glared at him.
They stared at each other for several seconds, then suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha—"
"I never expected... I thought there was some complicated reason, but it's so simple, hahaha..."
The previously tense atmosphere suddenly turned cheerful.
"W-what? What are you laughing about? What's funny?!"
Yumiko looked back and forth between the two smiling people, not reacting yet. But Yuigahama lunged at her, nearly knocking her backward.
"Waaah! Yui, are you a dog? Don't tackle me like that!"
Cheek to cheek, Yuigahama laughed joyfully and calmly.
"It's fine~ I just feel... it's such a relief to have Yumiko as a friend!"
"Hey, why suddenly say such sentimental things..."
Yumiko awkwardly struggled to break free. Her cheeks slightly reddened. When she faced Yuu, who was smiling, and saw the scene, she couldn't help growling, her blush deepening.
"What are you looking at! You bastard, stay away from Yui!"
"What bastard?"
"You, the bastard!"
Yuu nodded. "I see. So you're the bastard who's already changed gender. Stay away from Yui!"
"..."