Summer vacation.
If we calculated according to the schedule, the animation would be completed by the end of July, and Sobu High School's summer vacation would also begin around the same time.
There was plenty of time.
The problem was, Yuigahama Yui had said that the three of them should travel together.
That felt a little strange.
Akira Fujimiya looked at Yuigahama Yui's, quietly guessing what she was really thinking.
On the surface, it looked like she simply wanted to spend a happy summer vacation with her close friend and her boyfriend.
But if that were the case, why hadn't she mentioned Ebina Hina or Miura Yumiko?
Clearly, this wasn't just a plan for a cheerful summer break with friends.
As Akira pondered, a certain anime plot came to mind.
Date a senior.
Spend summer vacation with that senior.
And then… break up with that senior.
Could it be that Yuigahama Yui also wanted to follow that path?
...
Lunch Break,
Akira watched Hikigaya Hachiman walk out of the classroom with Totsuka Saika.
He nodded.
At least half of the commission was complete.
When Ebina Hina noticed the two leaving together, she leaned toward Miura Yumiko and whispered something.
Miura Yumiko frowned, looking reluctant.
At that, Ebina pushed up her glasses with a grin, then cast a quick glance toward Akira before continuing to speak.
Yumiko's expression froze.
She looked toward Akira, sighed heavily, and finally nodded.
The two of them then left the classroom.
Akira watched them leave and could easily guess what Ebina must have said.
Soon, Yuigahama Yui appeared at his side, carrying a lunch box.
"Let's go to the Service Club," Akira said, taking the file bag and his own lunch box before standing up.
"Yes." Yuigahama Yui nodded with a sweet smile.
The two walked out of the classroom together.
Akira didn't ask about the trip, and Yuigahama didn't bring it up either.
She just walked silently with her head lowered.
After a while, Akira stretched out his hand.
Yui smiled softly and placed her small hand into his.
"I really want to hold your hand for the rest of my life," Akira said quietly, gazing at her.
"That depends on Akira-kun's behavior. If you make me angry—"
"If you leave me, no matter how difficult it is, I'll find you and take your hand again." Akira cut her off firmly.
Yui blinked in surprise, stunned for a moment.
Then, instead of pulling away, she slipped her arm into his.
"What I meant was… if you make me angry, I won't let you hold my hand. Not unless you coax me properly. Only then will I let you hold it again."
"To deceive you with lies?"
"If Akira-kun lied to me, I would still believe him… or rather, I would want to believe him."
"Are you a fool?"
"If you like me as a little fool, then I'm willing to be one for the rest of my life."
"Don't cry, idiot..."
Akira looked at her closely—her face wore a smile, but tears sparkled in her eyes.
He pulled her into a firm embrace.
Yuigahama Yui pressed her cheek against his chest. Tears began to fall, unstoppable.
She wasn't stupid.
She knew Yukinoshita Yukino had feelings for Akira. And she also knew Akira, in some way, liked Yukinoshita Yukino back.
Yesterday, besides giving her advice, Yukinoshita Yukino had spoken well of Akira, almost as though she wanted Yui to treasure him more.
Yui could see through it. She could hear the hidden weight in Yukino's words.
And in that moment, Yui had seen the disappointment Yukino tried to conceal.
When she remembered the times Yukino had quietly stepped back, the truth became clear.
Yukinoshita Yukino wanted to push Akira toward her—to make Yuigahama Yui happy.
So she had suggested the three of them travel together.
Because Yui wanted to do the same thing: to support Yukino, even at her own expense.
But Yui wasn't that strong.
Especially after hearing Akira's words just now. They pierced her heart deeply.
She didn't want to leave him.
Though they hadn't known each other long, her heart was already filled with Akira Fujimiya.
Akira gently stroked her back. He understood—Yui had made her choice.
She chose to stay with him, even if all she got in return were lies.
That was Yuigahama Yui: a gentle and kind girl, fragile inside yet determined on the outside.
...
Half an hour later,
Yuigahama Yui finally lifted her head, wiping her tears. She couldn't meet Akira's eyes.
"...Call your other two friends along for the summer trip. Let's spend a happy summer together," Akira said softly, gently.
".. Okay." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"My relationship with Yukinoshita is just friends...for now. It hasn't reached the level you're imagining. As the second daughter of the Yukinoshita family, it won't be so simple for her to like me....So don't worry too much." Akira patted her hair gently.
"I… I understand." Yui looked up, her gaze meeting his, and saw he was telling the truth.
"Also… actually, I can't live without you either. I want to keep you by my side. That thought you had—it was only because I deceived you a little." Akira said after a pause.
"I…" Yui opened her mouth, but no words came out.
"Although it sounds bad to say this, I do like Yukinoshita Yukino. I want to pursue her." Akira finally admitted, taking a deep breath.
"If I were a boy, maybe I would also fall in love with Yukino." Yui answered softly.
"...Are you trying to give me an excuse?"
"No… no, I really mean it. Yukino is so beautiful. Everyone likes her."
"As a girl, do you like her too?"
"It seems… I like her a little bit...."
"Yui, I actually like seeing the friendship between girls."
"Akira-kun, you're so weird."
"That's not strange at all. Yukinoshita is the cold beauty at Sobu High School, and you're a lovely girl yourself. If this were an anime, the story would go like this: you didn't join a club at first, but your teacher insisted. Then you saw the Service Club recruitment ad and joined. When you opened the door, you saw Yukinoshita Yukino. She turned around, your eyes met, and at that moment—your heart was moved."
"Akira-kun... is this your new story idea?"
Akira was momentarily stunned.
Actually… it wasn't a bad premise.
His thoughts drifted to Ebina Hina and her particular hobby.
If Ebina became an anime screenwriter, she would definitely write the kinds of stories she loved. And if Akira wrote about friendship between girls…
"Yui, thank you for the inspiration. I've just thought of a new type of story to write." Akira smirk.
"Yukinon will definitely hate that kind of story," Yui reminded him.
"Even if she hates it, I still want Yukinoshita to be the animation director. Watching a heroine who looks just like her—now that would be interesting."
"Akira-kun, you…" Yui looked at him, at a loss for words.
"Let's go. I want to tell Yukinoshita about this story and watch her reaction." Akira took her hand and headed toward the Service Club.
"..." Yui blinked.
She really wanted to text Yukinoshita Yukino right then:
Yukinon, run. A strange man is coming.
...
When Akira arrived at the Service Club room,
Yukinoshita Yukino had just finished brewing black tea.
She noticed the two entering and greeted them with a faint smile, pouring each a cup of tea.
"Where are Ebina-san and Miura-san?" she asked.
"Ebina took Miura to the theater," Akira replied as he sat down—this time, right beside Yukino.
Yukino blinked, clearly surprised. Her gaze flicked toward Akira's usual seat, then back to him sitting so close.
Yui sat on Yukino's other side.
"What's wrong, Yukino-chan?" Akira asked.
"That's not a name you can call me by," Yukinoshita Yukino glared at him.
"You already acknowledged me as your friend. So why can't I?" Akira said, opening his lunch box.
"Even if you are a friend, you're just an ordinary one." Yukino glanced at Yui thinking she would be upset, only to see her smiling brightly.
"We held hands, didn't we? How is that just ordinary friendship?" Akira teased with feigned innocence.
"You…" Yukino's cheeks flushed pink.
Her eyes darted to Yui, as if to explain.
"Yukinon, can I trouble you with something?" Yui suddenly asked, blinking at her.
"What… what is it?" Yukino's hands clenched slightly, a bit anxious about what Yui might say.
"I just read Akira-kun's comic, and it made me really want to travel during summer vacation....Somewhere in the quiet countryside, with fresh air. Yukinon, do you know such a place?" Yui asked.
"Well… I can ask my sister about it," Yukino said after a brief pause.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Yukinon! When the time comes, we'll go with Akira-kun, Hina, and Yumiko, and have a happy summer vacation together." Yui's face glowed with expectation.
"You… why are you…" Yukino looked at Yui, words caught in her throat.
She wanted to ask something, but couldn't bring herself to say it.
...
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