In the dimly lit bedroom, Yukino sat up against the headboard, clutching the blanket to her chest. She remained there for a moment, letting the lingering haze of sleep gradually clear from her mind before seriously thinking back.
She was sure she hadn't taken off her nightgown last night.
"I remember him using hypnosis to help me sleep because I said I hadn't been resting well lately. And yes… I did sleep incredibly well. But I definitely don't remember asking him to take off my nightgown."
A deep blush spread across Yukino's face, her eyes filled with a mix of embarrassment and frustration.
Like any normal girl, she wouldn't wear a bra to bed.
Which meant… right now, she was only wearing underwear.
"He must have gone for his morning run. I'll ask him when he gets back."
Yukino couldn't figure out why Haru had taken off her nightgown. After sitting on the bed for a while, she finally got up.
The room was dim, with no lights on and the curtains still drawn.
Stopping in front of the wardrobe, she recalled how she had brought four sets of clothes over after deciding to stay at Haru's place frequently.
She opened the wardrobe door. As expected, her clothes were neatly arranged inside.
After picking out a light blue ruffled dress, she smoothed her hair in the mirror, making sure she looked as composed and elegant as always before heading off to wash up.
The living room was silent. As she had guessed, Haru must have left early for his run.
The orange cat, however, trotted over affectionately, rubbing its head against her leg.
A soft smile appeared on Yukino's face as she crouched down to stroke its head. She muttered to herself, "Did you see your owner's crime last night?"
"Meow?"
"Your master is an idiot who occasionally does dumb things. You should be careful around him."
"Meow~"
Jelly rolled over, revealing its belly in absolute trust.
Yukino's heart melted.
She'd always had a soft spot for cute cats—whether at pet exhibits or when spotting stray kittens on the street, she would always stop to admire them.
Unfortunately, since she wasn't familiar with those cats, she never had the chance to pet them.
This chubby orange cat, though… It was a bit plump, but at least it was well-behaved.
And it actually let her pet it.
"What a sweet little thing."
She praised it softly, her mood visibly improving.
After washing up and returning to the living room, she found that Haru still hadn't come back, so she decided to make breakfast.
Sure, his cooking skills far surpassed hers, but that didn't mean her skills were bad.
Among people their age, whether it was cooking meals or making desserts, she was undeniably in the top tier.
Just as she finished preparing breakfast, the front door finally made a noise.
Sweat-drenched from his morning run, Haru changed his shoes and stepped inside.
"Morning" he greeted her with a smile.
Yukino glanced up, responding with a composed, "Morning." Her gaze followed his movements as he crossed the room.
"Why are you staring at me? Is there something on my face?" Haru asked, rubbing his cheek.
Yukino didn't answer immediately. Instead, she stretched lazily, her waist arching slightly as she moved toward the dining table and took a seat. Unlike her usual composed posture, today, she crossed her long legs beneath the table.
This was a battle stance.
Haru recognized it immediately. He sighed, grabbed a napkin to wipe his brow, and obediently sat down. "Did I do something shameless again?"
"Again?" Yukino raised an eyebrow. "Well, at least you have some self-awareness."
"Of course. No one knows me better than myself."
"Do you think I was complimenting you?"
Yukino shot him a glare before casually gesturing for him to eat. Her voice carried an unmistakable trace of suspicion and dissatisfaction. "Why did you take off my dress?"
"Oh, that?" Haru responded nonchalantly. "You kept clinging to me in your sleep, curling up against me. Your nightgown strap slipped down, and you looked uncomfortable, so I just helped you take it off."
Yukino took a slow bite of her toast, expression unreadable. "Tell the truth."
Haru cleared his throat. "Because you were too cute, and I couldn't resist."
"..."
Yukino knew he was complimenting her, knew that he was utterly captivated by her.
But why didn't that make her feel happy?
A faint blush crept onto her face. "Did you do anything else?"
"Of course not. I just took off your nightgown and then held you properly in my arms."
"That's it?"
"Really, that's all."
She studied his face, searching for any sign of deception. Once she was certain he wasn't lying, her blush deepened, and she huffed, "You're seriously that much of a pervert? You couldn't even let a sleeping girl rest peacefully?"
"I swear I was incredibly careful. I didn't disturb you at all." Haru declared his innocence.
Yukino refused to dignify that with a response. If not for the fact that she'd had the best sleep in a long time, she would have definitely noticed him removing her dress in the middle of the night.
But since he confessed so readily, she decided to let the matter slide—for now.
"When did you go running this morning?" she asked.
"Around five-thirty."
Hearing that, Yukino instinctively glanced at the time, her eyes widening slightly. "You ran for an hour and a half?"
"Yeah. I've built up a lot of endurance over time. Honestly, an hour is just my warm-up."
"...Are you even human?"
"Thank you for the compliment."
Yukino didn't think he was lying about something like this. But if that were true… didn't that mean the difference between their physical abilities was ridiculously vast?
No wonder he's always so strong. It's not that I'm weak—it's that he's absurdly powerful.
She brooded over this revelation before recalling Kasumigaoka Utaha. That girl probably hadn't realized this fact yet. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so eager to test Yukino at the convention.
After finishing her breakfast, Yukino suddenly declared, "Utaha-senpai is not allowed to join us at the October fireworks festival."
Haru blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the abrupt statement. Isn't this just straight-up American-style exclusion?
He frowned. "Where is this coming from—"
"It's time to do the dishes."
She cut him off, picking up the dishes and walking toward the kitchen, making it clear she wasn't interested in answering.
Haru followed her, curiosity still nagging at him. "Is your relationship with her really that bad?"
Yukino glanced at him with an unreadable expression. "Would you rather I treat her like a dear sister?"
"No way. I'd never want that."
Haru shook his head rapidly. That was a dangerous question, and he wasn't about to answer it wrong.
A faint smile curved Yukino's lips, as if she was pleased. "She always says she doesn't want to compete with me. That she no longer cares about winning against me. But deep down, that's not true."
She was referring to how Utaha had been discreetly probing her physical abilities, trying to find some sort of edge over her in a… more personal setting.
Haru didn't quite catch the implication. "What exactly are you talking about?"
Yukino didn't answer. "I don't care for such pointless competitions."
Haru nodded in agreement. "Yeah, if you're going to compete, it should be something with actual skill involved."
"Oh? Like what?"
"For example… a backflip competition? Even my cat can do backflips."
"...If you keep talking, I might actually scold you."
"After you scold me, can I kiss you?"
Haru's words hit her out of nowhere, leaving Yukino momentarily speechless.
It was a completely unexpected attack—one that was devastatingly effective.
Her face turned a deeper shade of red, but she didn't look away, nor did she refute him. Instead, she sighed as if he was exhausting her. "You've been saying more and more ridiculous things lately."
"You think that was ridiculous?"
"What else would you call it?"
The rest of the morning passed at home.
Haru invited Yukino to play It Takes Two with him. He was good at games, while she was quick-witted. With their years of mutual understanding, they cleared the levels at a ridiculous speed.
The game revolved around a couple working together to mend their broken relationship, incorporating puzzle-solving elements that Yukino found intriguing.
She even commented thoughtfully while watching the cutscenes, "Many books I've read discuss how married couples face all sorts of conflicts and challenges. This game captures those details well."
Haru grinned. "That won't be a problem for us."
Yukino froze, her cheeks heating up again.
But this time, she didn't argue.
They played until just before lunch. When Haru got up to cook, Yukino, still holding the controller, asked, "How long does it take to finish this game?"
"Not long. At our pace, maybe twelve hours."
She nodded, looking at the screen. "Then let's finish it today."
Haru smirked. "You really like stories about fixing relationships, huh?"
"No." She turned to face him, her fair cheeks tinged pink but her gaze unwavering. "I just really liked what you said earlier."
Haru paused.
Then he sat back down, feigning hesitation. "What should I do? I still really want to kiss you."
Yukino shot him a glare, her cheeks puffed slightly in irritation.
Did he really have to say that out loud?
Look at me right now. Do I look like I'd refuse?
Idiot!
Haru remained silent, his lips curving into a knowing smile as he admired her beauty.
A girl like Yukino—there probably wasn't another like her in the entire school.
Wherever she went, she effortlessly became the center of attention.
Slender and elegant, her youthful radiance was like a flower in bloom. Her long, graceful legs were wrapped in white thigh-high socks, and the hem of her skirt had lifted ever so slightly due to her posture—just a tiny gap, like the gentle unfurling of petals. Her delicate waist, mirroring her soft and youthful charm, seemed almost fragile. Though her figure wasn't particularly voluptuous, it in no way diminished her allure.
The blush that had steadily spread across her cheeks now threatened to reach her delicate collarbones, only to be halted by her porcelain-like skin. Her expression, a mixture of shyness and irritation, was utterly breathtaking.
Haru leaned in, wrapping his arms around her slender waist.
Yukino didn't resist. Instead, she shyly closed her eyes, as if surrendering to the moment.
And then… she waited.
And waited.
A full ten seconds passed, and yet—nothing.
Puzzled, she cracked her eyes open, only to find the idiot grinning mischievously at her.
The realization hit her like a wave.
He was toying with her!
Her irritation flared, and she prepared to retaliate—only for Haru to suddenly lunge forward, catching her off guard.
In one swift motion, he pulled her into his arms, completely disrupting the momentum she had built up.
And then—
He kissed her.
"Keep your eyes open."
His voice was low and commanding.
Yukino, who had instinctively shut her eyes the moment their lips met, trembled slightly. Her long lashes fluttered before she hesitantly obeyed, her gaze locking onto his.
Her cheeks burned a deep shade of red, her eyes shimmering like autumn pools, breathtaking beyond words.
Fine.
I won't close them.