"No, I am telling the truth."
On the way ho, Yutsuki carried her school bag on her shoulder and explained helplessly to the Yamai sisters.
"Didn't you guys feel it? The gaze of soone staring at us from behind."
Hearing Yutsuki's words, Yuzuru and Kaguya exchanged a glance and shook their heads in confusion.
"Denial. Yuzuru did not feel such a gaze."
"I did not sense any evil ghosts or monsters lingering here either. My comrade, are you overthinking things?"
"Mhm, is that so..."
Yutsuki scratched her head. After all, she was just playing an arcade ga when she suddenly felt like she was being watched. There were too many people in the arcade at the ti, so she couldn't confirm who it was. Being asked like this now, Yutsuki also felt a bit unsure.
"Kuku—I understand now."
As if seeing through the truth, Kaguya curled her lips into an exaggerated smile.
"You are just looking for excuses for your defeat because you just lost to in a match, right? Yare yare—How unsightly, Lightning Shrine Maiden."
"You just killed one more zombie than in co-op mode, look how smug you are."
Dropping her shoulders weakly, Yutsuki looked at Kaguya speechlessly. She wasn't narrow-minded enough to refuse to admit defeat over a can of fruit juice as a bet.
"Prediction. Could it be that Miku is secretly taking photos of Yutsuki?"
"No, if it were Miku, she wouldn't peek in secret. She would shout, 'Honey, your beloved Miku is here~', and then pounce on us."
Yutsuki shook her head in denial.
"...Agreed. Very likely."
Seemingly able to picture that scene, Yuzuru felt a bit awkward.
"And not just just now. When we were at school, I also felt a similar gaze."
"Prediction. Could it be a student from school?"
"But if that is the case, it is nothing to be surprised about. Aren't you always the center of attention at school, my comrade?"
"Mhm... It's slightly different from that."
Yutsuki explained with a subtle expression.
"How should I put the gazes of those people at school? Most of them are admiration or curiosity. But the gaze I felt... carried a hint of hostility, and was intentionally avoiding ."
"An enemy? Could it be the secret union of different abilities from the deep darkness of the academy?!"
Kaguya's eyes instantly lit up.
"No... Even if it was hostility, it wasn't to that extent."
Yutsuki waved her hand in denial.
"What is this, Yutsuki?. You are leaving us hanging."
Kaguya couldn't help but feel a bit unhappy. To this, Yutsuki could only reply with a bitter smile.
Chatting like this, the three had unknowingly arrived at the door of the Itsuka residence. The aroma of dinner drifted out from the house.
"Well, it's probably like Yuzuru said, soone from school. Anyway, let's observe the situation first. If there's any problem, I'll contact Kotori."
Temporarily ending the topic, Yutsuki and the others opened the door and entered the Itsuka residence.
"We are back."
"Yutsuki-nee! Onii-chan has a love letter to give you!"
Slightly different from usual, Kotori, in her "little sister mode" with white ribbons, ran toward her holding an envelope.
"—Ah?"
Hearing Kotori's words, Yutsuki's face was full of question marks.
"Wait a second, Kotori!!!!!"
At this mont, Shido's roar ca from the living room. Moving faster despite starting later, accompanied by the sound of frantic footsteps, he caught up to Kotori. Before she could hand the envelope to Yutsuki, he stopped her a step ahead.
"Iya~ Onii-chan, what are you doing? You can't, we are brother and sister!"
"Stop shouting things that cause misunderstandings, and give the letter back quickly!"
"Hmph, even if it is Onii-chan's request, I will not yield. Take this! Ultimate attack—Little Sister Cross Armlock!"
"Ah—Ow, ow, ow, ow! Kotori, you're actually doing this to your brother—Ow, ow, ow!"
"Hmph, ground fighting techniques are a lady's hobby. You're still too green, Shido."
Kotori smiled very disdainfully.
"When did you change to your black ribbons?!—Ah, ow, ow, ow, ow!"
"Alright, Yutsuki-nee, take this chance... hurry up and take this love letter."
"You siblings really have a good relationship..."
Watching Kotori pin Shido down on the entryway floor with a practiced grappling move, Yutsuki couldn't help but sigh and roast them, picking up the envelope on the floor.
"So this is a love letter..."
Before Yutsuki could open the envelope, the Yamai sisters suddenly crowded around.
"A love letter? My comrade, you actually seduced my property when I was not looking! You thieving cat!!"
"Agitation. Yutsuki actually stole a march. Yuzuru misjudged you!"
"What nonsense are you two spouting..."
Looking at the fuming Kaguya and Yuzuru, Yutsuki sighed speechlessly, casually opened the love letter envelope, and unfolded the letter paper.
"Yutsuki, wait—"
"...Shido."
Briefly skimming the contents of the letter, Yutsuki calmly asked a question.
"When did you change your na to Tsukimichi Kousuke?"
"Ah... It's a long story..."
———————————
"So logically speaking, you accepted a romance consultation from a junior who admires you. After giving him a bunch of advice, things turned out like this. You realized his crush was , and then you helped him pass this love letter to ?"
At the dining table, having figured out the cause and effect, Yutsuki summarized while confirming with Shido.
"...Yes."
Shido nodded.
"And then, after coming ho, Kotori took the love letter and intentionally used that misleading line to trick , right?"
Yutsuki turned her gaze to Kotori.
"Sorry about that~ Yutsuki-nee~ Tehe ☆."
Kotori, who had changed back to her white ribbons, blinked her big eyes, trying to play cute and act her way out of it.
"I wanted to see Yutsuki-nee's flustered, shy expression when she mistakenly thought she received a love letter from Onii-chan—Ouch!"
Yutsuki angrily gave Kotori a flick on the forehead.
"That newly debuted codian level performance you two just put on isn't even qualified to make laugh. Besides, what's there to be shy about receiving a love letter from Shido?"
"I-Is that so..."
Although Shido was a bit relieved that Yutsuki didn't misunderstand, her completely unperturbed attitude also made him feel a faint sense of defeat as a man.
"Don't mind it, Onii-chan."
Beside him, Kotori rubbed her forehead with one hand and patted his shoulder with the other to comfort him.
"You're annoying."
"Kuku—Let take a peek. What does it say... Hello, Ryougi-senpai. I am Tsukimichi Kousuke from Year 1 Class 2. For soone like you who has many admirers, you might have long forgotten my existence. But I will never forget the day I t you..."
"Hey, hey, don't just read soone else's love letter out loud in public."
Yutsuki snatched the love letter back from Kaguya's hand.
"Oh my~ What is wrong, my comrade? What are you hiding? Could it be you cannot stand the sweet words confessing to you in the love letter and feel shy?"
Kaguya teased with a wicked smile.
"It is a matter of character and politeness. How would you feel if a love letter you wrote to soone else was read out loud in public?"
"...Tch, stingy."
Kaguya mumbled a complaint, but didn't insist further.
"Another bowl! Shido."
And while Yutsuki and the others were chatting, Tohka had already finished a large bowl of rice.
"Alright, wait a second, Tohka."
After handing her empty bowl to Shido, Tohka took advantage of this free mont to ask Yutsuki a question.
"Right, Yutsuki, what did the love letter say?"
"Did you not hear our conversation just now... Forget it."
Looking at Tohka, who was different from Kaguya and just purely expressing curiosity, Yutsuki sighed in compromise and briefly summarized the content of the love letter.
"Mhm... Simply put, I helped a junior before, and he got a good impression of . So he wrote this letter to confess to , hoping I would give him a chance to prove himself."
"Peek. The handwriting is quite cute."
Yutsuki turned her head to look, and Yuzuru quickly pulled her head back.
"Well, that's what happened."
"Wow, as expected of Yutsuki-chan! Reliable, gentle, and cool! You must be a heart throb loved by both boys and girls at school!"
"That is amazing...Yutsuki-san..."
Yoshino widened her big eyes, looking at Yutsuki with eyes full of admiration.
"Well~ Being praised like this makes a bit embarrassed."
Yutsuki scratched her cheek, feeling a bit floaty.
"And then? After receiving this love letter, how do you plan to handle it, Yutsuki-nee?"
"Mhm, let see..."
"Are you going to date him?"
"Wha———Hot!"
Scared by Tohka's shocking answer, Shido accidentally placed the hot rice onto his hand.
"Wawa! Are you okay, Shido!?"
"Onii-chan, what are you doing?!"
"Proposal. Hurry up and go to the bathroom to rinse it with cold water."
"Kaguya, Yoshino, help get the bandages and burn ointnt from the cabinet!"
"O-Okay."
"I-I understand!"
...
"Alright, ergency treatnt complete. It shouldn't be anything serious. Be careful, Shido."
"Sorry. I zoned out a bit."
Looking at the bandage on his hand, Shido apologized ashadly. Although Kotori's flas could help him heal those fatal, severe injuries, they had no reaction to minor stuff like this.
However, compared to this, he cared more about sothing else right now.
"And then, Yutsuki, how do you plan to reply to Kousuke's love letter?"
"Mhm... let see..."
Yutsuki thought for a mont and turned her gaze to Tohka.
"Tohka, why did you say date just now?"
"Mhm... Because didn't the person who wrote this love letter say he likes Yutsuki and hopes you give him a chance to prove himself?"
Tohka tilted her head and answered as a matter of course.
"Isn't that an invitation for a date?"
"Hoh... I see, you can understand it that way too..."
Hearing Tohka's words, Yutsuki unfolded the love letter again.
(—My eyes always involuntarily follow your figure...)
Looking at the words on the paper, Yutsuki couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
"Yutsuki?"
For so reason, an ominous premonition surged in Shido's heart.
"Well, whether we date or not can be discussed later. Going on a date with him first shouldn't be a problem."
"—Ah!?"
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