When returning to the classroom, Shiina Mahiru's cheeks still burned with a soft crimson. No one would suspect the truth beneath her composed deanor— that the angelic honor student had just been led astray by none other than Hozuki Nozomi.
Afternoon arrived, signaling club activity ti, and the school atmosphere was filled with the usual bustling energy.
"Nozomi-kun, catch~!"
A lively voice called out from behind. Startled by the nickna, Nozomi instinctively caught the object tossed his way. It was a small, clear bag tied with a ribbon, containing cookies with a slightly golden-brown hue.
It had the unmistakable charm of a homade treat, the kind lovingly prepared in a warm kitchen after school hours. Most likely the handiwork of Yuigahama Yui herself.
Nozomi examined the cookies with a mix of amusent and caution. Last ti, Yukinoshita and the others had wisely inspected Yui's culinary creations for surprise "extras." He could only hope no mysterious ingredients made their way into this batch.
Suppressing a chuckle, he smiled. "Thanks, Yui. I'll enjoy them… But, um, about that na you just called …"
"Hmm? Is it not okay?" Yui tilted her head adorably, her big eyes shimring with concern. The look she gave him was like a stray puppy abandoned in the rain. She was clearly using her ultimate weapon—cuteness overload.
Nozomi clutched his chest dramatically, as if hit by a charm jutsu. "No, no—it's fine! Just caught off guard, that's all."
"Hehehe~ Then I'll keep calling you Nozomi-kun from now on!"
He felt his cheeks flush slightly. Even though the nickna embarrassed him, he couldn't bring himself to ruin her excitent. After all, the brightness in her smile was a rare kind of spell he didn't want to break.
"You heading to the clubroom now?" she asked as they walked side by side.
"Yeah."
"Then let's go together! I wanna thank Yukinoshita-san and the others again for helping out."
"Sounds good," Nozomi replied with a nod, then gave her a teasing glance. "By the way, I gotta ask… What did your mom say when she caught you in the kitchen?"
Yui giggled. "She thought I'd lost a bet or sothing. She was like, 'I'll make whatever you want! Just don't blow up the kitchen!'"
She pouted playfully. "She totally overreacted. It's just cookies! I an, I'm a girl, I can do basic stuff like this, right?"
"She even hovered behind the entire ti like a hawk, worried I'd mix up the sugar and salt."
Nozomi chuckled, clearly more relieved than he let on. If Mrs. Yuigahama personally supervised the baking, then there was at least a 90% chance the cookies were safe to eat.
Silently, he thanked her mom. If it were just Yui on her own... well, he wasn't eager to roll the dice on potential food poisoning. Still, he'd never tell Yui that. Not when she looked so proud.
Better to let her keep believing she'd successfully crossed the baking battlefield.
After all, cuteness was her ultimate skill.
Yui hadn't gone off with Miura Yumiko and the others this ti—her sole mission today had been to deliver this gift. anwhile, Ogiwara Sayu had blended effortlessly into their social circle, and with Yumiko's protective aura shielding her, no one dared bully or exclude her.
Soon, Nozomi and Yui reached the familiar door of the Service Club. Yui cheerfully pushed it open, waving like a breeze of spring cherry blossoms.
"Hellooo~ Yukino-chan, Sumireko, I'm back again!"
"Hello, Yuigahama-san," Sumireko replied with a soft smile.
Yukinoshita Yukino, caught off guard, almost let a strange noise escape her lips. "Aha—"
She cleared her throat, regaining her graceful composure. "Good afternoon, Yuigahama-san."
But then her brow twitched slightly.
"…But could you please not call that?"
"Eh? Why not?" Yui blinked, confused.
Yukino sighed. "Honestly, I'm just not used to it."
Translation: she didn't like it.
The nickna "Yukino-chan" was one her younger sister used, and hearing it from Yui only stirred complicated feelings. But Yui didn't notice the tension.
She pressed on, her voice as bright as ever:
"I think calling you 'Yukino-chan' makes us feel closer! We've been hanging out for a while now, right? I'll even give you so pro cookie-making tips next ti!"
Then, with the flourish of a stage magician unveiling her grand finale, she pulled out two small, plastic-wrapped cookie bundles and handed them over.
"Here! A special gift for you and Sumireko!"
Yukinoshita Yukino instinctively flinched, eyes narrowing at the slightly charred edges of the cookies.
"I… might not have much of an appetite right now," she said as diplomatically as possible.
She wanted to scream, "I don't want to eat this!" But that would be too harsh. And Yuigahama's smile was too radiant.
"It's okay! Just try it later when you're hungry," Yuigahama replied, completely unfazed. Her good cheer was like a magical barrier deflecting any form of rejection.
Yukino sighed in silent surrender.
anwhile, Sumireko smirked mischievously as she accepted her own bag of cookie-crisps. Her mind was already plotting—once Yuigahama left, she'd offer them straight to Nozomi for a taste test.
Boyfriends were for poison testing. That was a known rule in ani love triangles.
She giggled quietly at her own wicked thoughts. If he got mad, so be it. He'd just have to spank her or sothing.
Yukinoshita Yukino, cornered and helpless, sent a silent SOS look toward Hozuki Nozomi. She couldn't outright reject Yuigahama, not when the girl was being so friendly and eager. People like Yuigahama—overly familiar and clingy—were the hardest for her to deal with.
Why does she have to be so nice and enthusiastic?!
More importantly, she didn't trust those cookies. Who knew what strange ingredients might be hiding in them?
Seeing her troubled expression, Hozuki Nozomi chuckled.
"Don't worry, President. I already tried one earlier. It's not poisonous. Actually… they're pretty decent."
Not the point, Yukino's puffed-up cheeks practically scread. Why can't you understand my suffering?!
Why were the people around her so persistent?
"And hey, where's Yuki?" Nozomi asked casually. "Didn't she also join the Service Club?"
Yukino's tone returned to normal as she replied, "She went to the student council office. She said she's going to run for president so she can protect our club."
"Uhh… Who's Yuki?" Yuigahama tilted her head in confusion.
"My little sister—Suou Yuki. She transferred in just yesterday."
"Wait… why is her last na Suou?"
"Because I was adopted. Yuki is the main family's daughter."
"Ah… sorry, I didn't know…"
"It's fine. Really. It's not sothing I'm ashad of," Nozomi waved it off with a light laugh. "So don't worry about tiptoeing around it, Yui."
Yuigahama's smile returned. "Got it!"
"Still, they say that transfer student is ridiculously beautiful… and now both the new girls at school are sohow connected to you, Nozomi. Isn't that a little suspicious?"
Was that a hint of jealousy?
He grinned as he glanced at her pout. "I didn't plan any of this. Maybe it's just fate?"
With no commissions today, the Service Club was unusually quiet… until Yuigahama arrived and stirred things up with her energy.
Perhaps, sowhere deep down, Yuigahama Yui was drawn to Yukinoshita Yukino's blunt, independent charm. As soone who often played the cheerful peacemaker, always agreeing just to smooth things over, she probably found Yukino's directness refreshing—maybe even a little inspiring.
It made her want to grow closer to the icy beauty of the club.
Of course, there was another reason.
If I stay here… I can spend more ti with Nozomi-kun… naturally.
Two birds, one cookie.
But she might've forgotten one small thing…
"By the way, Yui," Sumireko interjected with a glint in her eyes, "If you want to stick around, you have to submit an official club mbership application~"
"Ehhh?! Really?!"
Yes. Club rules are still rules—even in the world of fateful encounters and accidental love polygons.
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