Two and a half hours ago, Yukinoshita Yukino opened the door.
"Mhm! What are you doing here?"
Outside, a cute girl, also with long black hair, walked in.
"Sorry for the intrusion, Yukinoshita-san~ I had to ask Yokoshima-sensei for your address."
Looking into those lovely purple eyes, Yukinoshita Yukino just smiled. "It's alright. Please come in, Chitanda-san. What can I do for you?"
After changing her shoes, the first thing Chitanda Eru saw was the cat plushie on the sofa.
"So cute~"
Seeing Chitanda pounce onto the sofa as soon as she came in, Yukinoshita Yukino sighed and went to the kitchen to brew her a cup of black tea.
"Thank you."
Chitanda sat up properly and took the tea.
"Because you said you were going to spend the weekend researching the secret of 'Hyouka', I came to help!"
Yukinoshita was stunned for a moment, then also broke into a smile.
"There's a lot of material recorded in 'Hyouka'. I've organized it a bit, we can look at it together later."
Chitanda nodded, then looked around Yukinoshita's apartment. "Do you live alone, Yukinoshita-san?"
"Yes, I moved out of my family's home when I started high school."
"Why don't you live with your family! Living alone is so boring!"
Yukinoshita shook her head. "Because I'm no longer a child who needs their discipline. I can be independent."
Looking at Yukinoshita's expression, Chitanda Eru suddenly stood up.
"Yukinoshita-san, are you not on good terms with your family? If that's the case, then you need to communicate more often!"
Yukinoshita thought of her strict and outstanding mother, and her genius older sister who had loved to tease her since childhood and surpassed her in every skill.
As she thought, Yukinoshita felt a wave of heat in front of her face.
Snapping back to reality, Yukinoshita's eyes widened, because Chitanda Eru had appeared in front of her at some point, her equally cute face less than two centimeters from her own.
If she moved even slightly, the tips of their noses would touch.
"That's too close!"
Yukinoshita leaned back against the sofa, while Chitanda continued to stare at her with sparkling purple eyes.
"Your relationship with your family isn't good, Yukinoshita-san. I can see it! But why is that? Why is your relationship with your family not good! I'm very curious!"
Yukinoshita Yukino: "....."
Chitanda stood up straight, then suddenly giggled and took out her phone to make a call.
"Mom~ Yes, I've arrived at my friend's house. By the way, can I stay at her house tonight? She's just a girl, and she's all alone at home...."
Yukinoshita looked up in surprise as Chitanda handed the phone to her.
"Yukinoshita-san, just say hello to my mom."
Yukinoshita subconsciously took the phone, and an incredibly gentle voice immediately came from it.
"Are you Eru's classmate? Yukinoshita... that surname sounds a bit familiar. I'll leave Eru in your care tonight."
"Um... Auntie."
"What a lovely child. Please get along well with Eru!"
The call ended, and only then did Yukinoshita Yukino realize what had just happened. How did she end up agreeing to this?
Chitanda Eru, however, sat down next to Yukino with a grin. "Well then, Yukinoshita-san, I'll be in your care tonight!"
Yukinoshita rubbed the space between her eyebrows. "Chitanda-san...."
Chitanda's eyes focused on her.
Yukinoshita's expression was a bit stern. "I haven't said you could stay at my place yet."
Chitanda's gaze turned slightly pitiful.
"Only for one night...."
....
Two and a half hours later, Yukinoshita, who was in her room, heard another knock on the door.
"Who could it be now?"
Yukinoshita walked out of the bedroom and glanced at the steamy bathroom. Chitanda was still taking a shower.
When the door was opened again, Yukino's expression changed, because the person standing outside... was a very serious-looking Yukinoshita Haruno.
Just as Haruno knew her sister, Yukino also knew her sister. Why was her sister, who usually greeted people with a smile, looking so serious? Something must have happened!
"Sister, what are you doing here?"
"Am I not allowed to come? Or do you not want me to see something? Are you well-rested? Where is he!"
Yukino frowned. What on earth was Yukinoshita Haruno talking about? Why couldn't she understand?
The moment the door opened, Yukinoshita Haruno first noticed that Yukino's clothes were in perfect order, then immediately began to search for his figure.
Not here? How is that possible! He must be hiding because someone came!
Yukinoshita Haruno scanned the living room and finally saw the two cups of black tea on the table. "Yukino, you have someone else here, don't you?"
Yukino walked forward and turned her head away nonchalantly.
"That has nothing to do with you, does it, sister?"
Haruno was silent, her gaze fixed on the steamy bathroom. He's showering? Then what has he been doing for the last two hours!
"Yukino, you've learned to entertain guests since moving out. Why didn't I ever see you bring friends over when you were at home?"
Yukino walked over with a freshly brewed cup of tea. "It's just a new friend I made in high school."
"Oh....."
Haruno just couldn't understand it. What kind of love potion did Uchiha Ryo give you? How did he win you over in just one week, and he's even showering at your place!
If he weren't in the shower, Yukinoshita Haruno would have rushed in and dragged him out, no matter what.
"It's been a long time since we sisters have chatted and eaten together. When is your friend leaving?"
Yukino snorted lightly. "Then you should just leave. My friend is staying here today and leaving tomorrow."
The teacup in Haruno's hand trembled and nearly fell to the floor. Are you kidding me? Letting that brat stay alone with Yukino for a day?
"I don't approve!"
"Huh? Sister, my inviting a friend to stay at my place has nothing to do with you!"
Yukino really suspected that Haruno had taken the wrong medicine today. What was her purpose in coming here?
"Yukino.... Fine. Are you planning on letting Mother know?"
Yukino: "???"
Know what? It's not like Mother doesn't know I moved out. Could it be about me inviting a friend to stay over?
Yukinoshita Yukino laughed, out of anger. The whole purpose of her moving out was to be independent, and now she needed her parents' permission for a friend to come over! Did they really think she was still an elementary school student!!
"My friend is staying at my place today. This is the apartment I rented, and I allow it. Even if she wants to stay tomorrow and the day after, that's perfectly fine!"
"Yukino, you! Eh? She...."
The bathroom door was pushed open, and Chitanda Eru slowly walked out, wrapped in a bath towel.
"Sorry, Yukinoshita-san, could I borrow some of your clothes to wear?"
Yukinoshita Haruno looked at Chitanda, then at Yukino, who was glaring at her.
"A... a girl?"
Yukino gritted her teeth. "A girl... of course it's a girl! Who else did you think it was!"