At the school gate.
Yuigahama and Yukino walked ahead while Yoru followed quietly, keeping a safe distance behind and watching the two beautiful girls walk in front of him.
The nearest train station to Shuchiin was at the end of the nearby shopping district.
On the way, Yuigahama was messaging Yumiko.
Their popular kids' group had made plans to go to karaoke together.
Yuigahama had apparently invited Yukino, hoping she could mend her relationship with Yumiko.
But Yukino declined and left first.
Yoru, following behind, heard the gist of it.
"Sigh… Yukinon and Yumiko…"
Yuigahama sighed and sent Yumiko her location—she couldn't find the karaoke place.
"Kitakami-kun, wait a second."
Yuigahama called out as Yoru passed by.
"What is it?" Yoru stopped.
"Well… um…"
"Why does Yukinon call you a Peeping Tom?"
Yuigahama nervously poked her index fingers together, cautiously testing the waters.
She was really curious.
"If I told you, Yukinoshita would probably kill me, right?"
Yoru exaggerated in his mind, giving a troubled smile.
"Ah, really? You can't say?" Yuigahama stepped forward with a disappointed look.
"I just found out a little secret of Yukinoshita's. It's nothing big," Yoru said, spreading his hands.
"Alright, see you then." Yuigahama didn't ask further.
Pushing it more would be rude.
Yoru nodded and left.
Across the street in the shopping district, not far away, Yumiko and Ebina had received Yuigahama's message and came out to meet her.
Just as they walked out and found Yuigahama, they saw her talking with Yoru.
"Isn't that Kitakami-kun?" Ebina murmured curiously.
"What the heck? Why is Yui with him?"
"Don't tell me she's being harassed?"
Yumiko pursed her glossy pink lips and twirled her golden hair with a finger.
She knew her best friend Yuigahama very well.
She was the kind of person who bottled things up and never spoke her mind—just silently enduring everything.
"Hina, let's go." Yumiko said to Ebina.
After Yoru left, Yuigahama, standing across the street, looked a little downcast from not getting an answer.
She wanted to build a better relationship with Yukino—to understand her, to become true friends.
Like how she and Yumiko were.
But she always felt there was a quiet distance between herself and Yukino.
"Yui."
Yumiko and Ebina appeared behind her, waving.
"Yumiko, Hina~" Yuigahama greeted, still a bit dispirited.
They noticed it right away.
"Hina, don't ask her directly later. Try to feel her out."
"If you're too direct, and something really is going on, Yui will just hide it from us," Yumiko warned.
Despite her strong, overbearing personality on the surface, Yumiko really cared about her friends.
Standing before Yuigahama, Yumiko looked at her best friend's expression and casually asked, "Yui, club activities took that long?"
"There was a bit of a delay, that's all," Yuigahama said while scratching her head.
The three crossed the street together.
"Yui, why don't you look happy?" Ebina hugged Yuigahama's arm tightly, her ample chest squishing without restraint.
"Really? I'm fine, totally fine," Yuigahama replied, a little baffled.
She was just a tiny bit disappointed, not anything that obvious, right?
Since it involved Yukino, she wouldn't bring it up with Yumiko.
Yumiko and Ebina exchanged a glance and thought to themselves—
'Maybe we misunderstood?'
'That fatty loser probably wouldn't dare mess with Yui, right?'
"Alright, let's go sing!" Ebina hugged Yumiko's arm and forced a smile.
A moment later, Yumiko and Yuigahama also smiled.
---
Soon after, Yoru returned home.
Still taking off his shoes at the entrance, San-san came running out from the living room, meowing loudly to welcome her owner.
"Good girl..."
Yoru slipped on his slippers and scooped San-san up into his arms.
Her fur was shiny and smooth, her body round and soft, with bright amber eyes.
"When people get fat, they're ugly. When cats get fat, they're adorable..."
Yoru sat down on the living room sofa, still holding San-san.
"You're so cute—how could someone abandon you? Who was your previous owner?"
"Or maybe you were naughty and snuck out, then couldn't find your way home?"
He turned on the TV, lifted San-san's front paws with his fingers, and rubbed his forehead against her round, fuzzy head.
"Meow meow~" San-san meowed twice.
On the TV, a Japanese news station was previewing the upcoming World Cup.
Tonight at 11 PM, Croatia gives a one-goal handicap to Japan.
Samba football wins 2:0 against South Korea.
Netherlands loses 2:3 to Argentina.
Yoru put San-san on his lap and let her curl up quietly, then changed the channel.
Still World Cup coverage—this time about Japan's coach, Moriyasu-san's wild journey, and fan reactions before and after the match.
Toggling between "useless," "fire him," "change coach," and "genius," "great manager," "competent."
Yoru chuckled and kept watching the news a little longer before starting his review.
"With Yukinoshita tutoring me, I should improve quickly, right?"
He sat at his desk, opened his textbooks and notes, and muttered to himself for comfort.
Still, he felt uncertain.
"Kaguya Shinomiya..."
"Phew—"
Yoru's eyes gleamed dangerously as he muttered with a touch of self-mockery, "If only I had the invisibility powers of a hentai protagonist."
---
Meanwhile...
In the Shuchiin Student Council Room.
After finishing her student council duties, Kaguya was chatting with Fujiwara when she suddenly sneezed.
"Did I catch a cold recently?" she murmured, covering her mouth.
"By the way, Shinomiya, that student named Kitakami—did you handle his case back then?"
Drawn by the sneeze, Shirogane looked up from the school forum. He had just seen the prank confession video between Hayasaka and Yoru and asked about it.
At Shuchiin, the student council held immense power, managing almost all school matters. They could even propose changes to major school regulations, call school-wide votes, or alter minor rules.
"I handled it, President," Kaguya replied.
Shirogane simply nodded.