Haru had no idea what was discussed between Yukino and Utaha.
Nor could he have known that their impressions of each other had drastically shifted after that conversation.
Earlier, Utaha had used Yukino's curiosity as leverage, convincing her—albeit reluctantly—to allow her to be alone with Haru.
And yet, even in Yukino's worst-case predictions… she hadn't expected this outcome.
Fake acting?
No, this was premeditated!
Despicable, shameless woman!
Yukino delivered a scathing verdict in her heart.
She found Utaha's underhanded tactics utterly contemptible and infuriating.
And yet, this time, the mistake was hers.
She wasn't the type to shy away from admitting her shortcomings.
There's a saying in Chinese: Eat a loss, gain some wisdom.
This was her lesson learned.
From that point onward, Haru was glued to Yukino's side—serving as her personal bag carrier, never straying a step away.
And once Yukino openly displayed her possessiveness, Utaha had no counterplay left.
"Yukinoshita-san is angry," Megumi quietly observed, catching the unmistakable frustration in Utaha's expression.
Utaha let out a quiet sigh but kept her face composed.
"Did you two get into a fight just now?" Megumi asked.
"Not exactly. We just had… differing opinions."
"Oh."
Megumi could tell she was lying.
But since Utaha clearly didn't want to elaborate, Megumi wisely chose not to press the matter.
To the rest of the Photography Club, she had always been the gentle and well-mannered girl.
Of course, even the most mild-mannered girls have their own little secrets.
As the initial excitement of attending a convention wore off, Yukino, Utaha, and Megumi gradually lost interest. Only Haru remained fully engaged.
While walking through the venue, Haru's sharp eyes suddenly spotted an all-too-familiar figure—Furukawa, in cosplay, being photographed by a group of photographers.
Without his mask, Furukawa looked a little shy but was clearly enjoying the attention.
Just as fate would have it, Furukawa's gaze briefly met Haru's. His smile froze instantly.
Haru immediately sent him a meaningful look—Dude, the Photography Club is right here!
Catching the silent warning, Furukawa flashed a grateful look before quickly shifting his posture—angling his face sideways to avoid recognition.
And just as Yukino and the others glanced over, Furukawa casually raised a hand to fan himself before covering his nose, as if reacting to a bad smell.
All of this happened in the span of a few seconds.
Haru observed the scene and thought, Not a single wasted movement. Every action calculated to maintain his disguise.
Their eye contact had been brief yet perfectly discreet.
So when Yukino's gaze briefly landed on Furukawa before moving on, it didn't raise any suspicion.
Haru let out a breath of relief.
As a friend, he still couldn't quite accept Furukawa's unique hobby.
But as long as it wasn't illegal or unethical, he was willing to respect it.
"That guy looks kind of familiar…"
Megumi's voice suddenly broke the silence.
Both Yukino and Utaha were surprised—Megumi rarely took the initiative to comment on things like this.
Haru, however, reacted instantly.
"Him? Oh, you mean the Kamen Rider guy? Yeah, that's Kuuga—the one who was giving a thumbs-up in the group photo earlier."
Megumi paused for a moment, as if she wanted to say "Who asked you?"
But when she noticed Haru's expectant gaze, she simply nodded.
"So that Kamen Rider's name is Kuuga, huh? Good to know."
Yukino and Utaha didn't even bat an eye.
They were well aware of Haru's love for tokusatsu. Hearing him mention Kamen Riders again, they simply couldn't be bothered to comment.
By the afternoon, the Photography Club wrapped up their time at the convention and headed back.
Before boarding the return train, Megumi quietly approached Haru and whispered, "That guy… was Furukawa Tetsuya, wasn't he?"
Haru's eyes widened. "You actually recognized him?"
He had assumed Megumi, like Yukino earlier, had only thought he looked familiar.
Megumi tilted her head slightly. "So it was him."
"How did you figure it out?"
"Well, during the group project for the Photography Club a while ago, he was always helping out—bringing tea, setting things up. I figured he must be close to you, otherwise, why would he be so willing to help?"
"So you started paying more attention to him?"
"Mhm. Like I said before, I observe people closely."
As she spoke, her small hands, which had been resting naturally at her sides, clenched into tiny fists. She let out a soft sigh, almost as if expressing regret.
"I even took notes… but I didn't bring them with me."
The little gesture was oddly adorable.
Haru found himself thinking.
On the train ride home, everyone chatted about their experiences from the convention.
Haru had prepared five power banks beforehand, and by the end of the day, three of them were completely drained.
The only two remaining belonged to Yukino and Utaha—since they had used their phones far less.
After getting off the train, Yukino did something unusual.
She turned to Haru and said, "I'm coming to your place to rest today."
"…Okay."
Haru knew he was at fault. He didn't dare crack his usual jokes.
"You're being awfully well-behaved today."
Of course, Yukino saw right through him. Without hesitation, she took the opportunity to mock him.
"What do you want for dinner? If we don't have the ingredients at home, we can pick some up on the way." Haru swiftly changed the topic.
Yukino stared at him for a few seconds before letting out a sigh. "Today was my mistake."
"…Then, better luck next time?"
"Shut up."
"Got it."
"…"
When they arrived home, Yukino didn't go straight to pet the cat. She merely acknowledged the orange cat, who sauntered over with a slow, bobbing gait, before heading off to tie an apron around herself.
Haru blinked, momentarily caught off guard by how smoothly she moved. "You're cooking?"
"No, I'm assisting you." Yukino sounded composed and matter-of-fact. "Your cooking skills have already surpassed mine. Unless you don't feel like cooking, I won't take your place as head chef."
"That sounds so formal. Should I be taking this more seriously too?"
Ignoring him, Yukino opened the fridge and started picking ingredients. "I'll probably be coming over every day for a while."
Haru nodded. "To relax?"
He assumed that his [Drugging] skill had helped her recover from exhaustion, making her reluctant to leave.
But Yukino turned back to him with a knowing smile and said, "Wrong. I'm here for inspections."
Such a blunt confession!
Haru was stunned. He suspiciously looked her up and down. "Wait… what's with you?"
"I used to overthink everything. I thought I could always stay in control. But today was a wake-up call."
She paused for a moment, then flashed a radiant, confident smile—one filled with her signature presence and charisma.
"The greatest distance in the world isn't between two places. It's between thinking and doing. Among my peers, I might be excellent. But I'm not so exceptional that I can handle everything with complete composure."
Haru's jaw dropped. "You've… evolved to your final form?!"
Yukino's smile twitched. The refined, dignified aura she had just built up was instantly shattered.
Yukino didn't want to talk to him anymore. She throws a tomato at him.
Haru caught it with ease.
"Fire on. Start cooking."
"Yes, ma'am. Fire on. Fry tomato cubes!"
Hearing those words in Chinese again, Yukino slowed her steps slightly and asked with a puzzled expression, "I meant to ask you last time—why do you always cut tomatoes into little cubes?"
She had another question she almost asked:
Why do you always sound so weirdly serious when you say 'fry tomato cubes'?
"It helps the flavors soak in better," Haru said smoothly, lying through his teeth.
Yukino let out a dry chuckle.
Oh? Not answering, huh?
The more he avoided the question, the more suspicious it seemed.
Conveniently, she had both the time and the curiosity to investigate today.
And so, in the kitchen…
While Haru anxiously focused on cooking, Yukino tied on a perfectly fitting apron and started searching for answers on her phone.
Unfortunately, she was too serious and thorough for her own good. Even after carefully comparing various sources, she still couldn't figure out what he had meant.
If Utaha had been here, she probably would have looked it up, connected the dots, and immediately figured out that it was a Chinese pun.
That evening, after her bath, Haru helped blow-dry her hair as usual.
She still hadn't forgotten about what had happened earlier.
So she waited—waited until Haru had taken his own bath and returned to the living room. Then, out of nowhere, she fired a sudden shot:
"While I was searching for information, I happened to check the news. Guess what I saw?"
Haru knew her too well. He could tell she was just trying to mess with him.
This was what Chinese speakers would call a bluff.
"I'm not guessing."
Haru decided to stay on the defensive.
Yukino wasn't disappointed. She slowly continued, "There are two fireworks festivals in Saitama on October 4th."
Haru's eyes flickered slightly.
Pretending not to notice, Yukino went on, "The second one is on Saturday. If I make the trip, I can attend it."
Haru raised his hand. "Miss Yukino, student Amamiya requests permission to speak."
She shot him a disapproving look. "Go on."
"How about we go together?"
"If it's just the two of us, I might consider it."
She made her conditions clear: No Kasumigaoka Utaha allowed.
Before he could respond, she threw another question at him. "Do you like fireworks festivals?"
"Not really. I'd rather stay home and play games. But if you're there… I guess I'd like it."
Haru knew he couldn't fool her, so he simply told the truth.
Yukino smiled in satisfaction. "Then… what did that sentence actually mean?"
Haru hesitated. "Can I not say?"
Yukino smiled sweetly. "Can I not go to the fireworks festival?"
"That's dirty, Yukino!"
"It's called strategy."
"You're actually using tactics against me? So that book was right after all?"
"What book?"
"A classic gaming novel. It says, 'People who play tactics have dirty minds.'"
Yukino had never heard of such a saying before.
She didn't really care. Leisurely, she picked up a grape, popped it into her mouth, and savored the sweet and sour juice. "Take your time deciding whether to tell me the truth. Meanwhile, I can take my time deciding, too."
Haru looked at her, amused.
Take time to decide?
This was blackmail.
Of course, he knew she was probably just joking.
But since she was this curious, there was no point in keeping it from her.
"It was a Chinese pun."
Haru coughed and explained as tactfully as possible.
Yukino's smile gradually faded. After a long silence, she pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Please return my ears to the way they were before I heard that."
"I told you not to ask…"
Haru chuckled, moved closer, and sat beside her, legs neatly together, beckoning her over.
Yukino muttered, "Chinese is terrible."
Dressed in just her nightgown, she quietly rested her head on Haru's lap.
Nearby, the orange cat, sensing that no one was paying attention to it, jumped down and left.
Yukino was a well-mannered girl. Even when lying on a man's lap—even when that man was someone she liked—she didn't deliberately pose seductively.
Her smooth, fair legs were hidden beneath the fabric of her dress. Her slender calves stretched out, soft and graceful, pressed neatly together to avoid any wardrobe malfunctions.
But what caught the eye the most was not her legs, but her waist—delicate yet youthful, still carrying a hint of childish softness, yet refined by her composed and mature demeanor.
On a night like this, Haru had no stray thoughts.
Looking down at Yukino's bare-faced beauty, he asked, "Tired?"
Yukino shook her head.
Dinner had left her feeling cozy and relaxed. His 'cooking skills' were definitely to blame.
"I've been studying video editing lately. Haven't had much rest these past few days," she said casually.
Haruka thought for a moment. "Want me to help you get a good night's sleep?"
Yukino met his gaze and suddenly had a thought. "If I say yes, are you going to tell me, 'The best cure for insomnia is a punch to the face'?"
Haru looked embarrassed. "I mean… that does sound like something I'd say. But no, I wasn't thinking that this time."
"Seeing you panic like this makes me feel so much better," Yukino giggled.
After a few seconds, she folded her hands neatly over her stomach and looked up at him. "Go ahead."
Haru said nothing.
Maintaining eye contact, he reached out and gently stroked her soft cheek.
Yukino thought he was about to kiss her. Her face flushed slightly, and she instinctively closed her eyes.
"No need to close your eyes."
His voice was calm.
Then, he activated his [Hypnosis] skill.
"Imagine that you're lying in a soft, cozy bed, with no distractions. You're a little tired, and all you want to do is sleep."
Yukino's eyes gradually lost focus. Sleepiness crept into her mind, then slowly spread to her entire body.
"It's… actually working?"
That was her last drowsy whisper before she drifted off completely.
Haru stayed still, keeping her in that position for nearly twenty minutes before carefully lifting her into his arms and carrying her to her room.
Thanks to [Steel Body], he didn't feel sore or numb from staying in the same position for so long.
The next morning…
Yukino slowly woke up.
She stared at the familiar ceiling and bedside lamp, the sunlight filtering in through the curtains. A warm smile appeared on her face.
That was such a good sleep.
She turned her head and noticed the pillow beside hers had faint creases, but no one was there. That meant Haru had woken up already.
"He was the one checking on me, and yet he ended up falling asleep first."
Yukino imagined how carefully he must have carried her back to bed and felt a sweet warmth in her chest.
Since he'd been such a good boy, she could go to the fireworks festival with him.
Smiling, she sat up.
But the moment her blanket slid off, she froze.
"Where's my nightgown?!"