Five minutes later, the tram arrived, and due to the crowd, the distance between the two of them naturally closed.
Yukino was pushed to the side of the tram, and Chisato braced himself against the wall in front of her, trying to avoid them becoming too close in the crush of people.
However, as the tram began to leave the station, the crowd shifted backward due to inertia, and they inevitably ended up making slight contact.
"Sorry."
After the tram returned to a steady pace, Chisato looked up and apologized.
"…"
Yukino's face flushed slightly. After hearing the apology, she immediately understood what the other person meant and quickly shook her head to indicate that she didn't mind.
Everyone knew that the situation just now was beyond their control.
However, when she saw the slight tilt of the other person's head, she realized that her response might not have been communicated well, so she added, "It's fine."
"Earlier in the meeting, it seemed like President Shiromeguri was a bit upset. But this can't be helped.
Actually, she's already done the best she could within her capacity.
The other students will likely be moved by how much she considered them, even if they didn't receive any tangible rewards."
Yukino looked up at Chisato with some surprise.
He said this with an expressionless face, still maintaining the posture of holding the wall with his arms and his head tilted slightly up.
From her perspective, she could clearly see the loosely tied tie he was wearing, the casual look of it.
If it were anyone else, it might look a bit sloppy, but on Chisato, it somehow didn't seem out of place—it gave off a lazy vibe, revealing a different kind of charm.
However, even so, Yukino, who was accustomed to taking everything seriously, felt a slight urge to straighten his tie and button the top button of his shirt for him.
But considering that this action might be too intimate, she decided against it.
His words came somewhat unexpectedly, but looking beyond the surface, she could roughly guess his intentions.
It seemed like he was talking about Shiromeguri, but in reality, he probably didn't want her to take it too seriously.
Was this... comfort?
Yukino sighed lightly and lowered her head again, with a slight upward curve at the corners of her mouth.
She understood the good intentions, but she wasn't ready to give up yet.
"No need to say that. Although President Shiromeguri and the others said it like that earlier, I think there's still some time. It's a bit too early to give up now."
"Hmm?" Chisato looked down at her in surprise.
"You don't plan to continue trying, do you?"
"President Shiromeguri's request to the Service Club hasn't been completed yet. So, until the situation is completely irreversible, I need to try everything I can."
"…"
"What's wrong? You're looking at me like that... it feels kind of inappropriate."
"You're still in the mood for jokes, huh. Looks like you still have some confidence."
"I wouldn't call it confidence. It's just that I'm not used to giving up halfway through. That's all."
During their conversation, they gradually regained that sense of familiarity they had during the summer break, and it slowly aligned with what Yukino had explained to Iroha—that their relationship was just one of friends.
"What are you planning to do?"
"That's for you to think about with your brilliant mind."
It was an indescribable feeling. Despite the train being unusually crowded on the way home today, Yukino didn't feel dizzy or fatigued in the crowd like she usually did.
How strange.
She thought.
…
The next day, Saturday.
She didn't need to go to school today, but Yukino still followed her usual routine.
She woke up around six in the morning, brushed her teeth, had breakfast, and read a book until just past nine before stepping out of the house.
The things Chisato said on the way home yesterday weren't some sort of act or pretense. She really wanted to fulfill Shiromeguri's wish, pure and simple.
However, on the other hand, she didn't feel as confident as she appeared. The difficulty of securing sponsorships for the event from a student's perspective was undeniably high.
But difficulty wasn't a reason to give up. She would try her best first, and if it didn't work, though reluctantly, she might have to find another way.
So, Yukino spent the next two or three hours walking around nearby shops, trying those she thought might be able to provide sponsorship.
But, unfortunately, there was little progress.
Most of the shops, upon hearing her intentions, either waved her off disinterestedly or politely declined.
At noon, Yukino returned from yet another unsuccessful visit.
She sat by the street with a slightly tired look, lifting her right hand to gently rub her temples.
Then, she slowly took out her phone, swiping up to bring up her contacts list, where the names "Sister" and "Father" were visible.
Although Yukino usually kept a low profile at school and didn't act conspicuously, her family was quite well-off and influential.
Her father was a county councilor, and her mother was both the president of a construction company and held executive roles in several other companies, giving the Yukinoshita family influence in both political and business circles.
If she sought help from her family, her current problem would be easily resolved.
But the issue was... Yukino didn't want to rely on her family to solve this problem. It went against her beliefs and life principles.
However, as of now, there seemed to be no other way to break through.
She had always adhered to the mindset that "as long as you try hard enough, you can come up with a solution."
But this time... it seemed there really was no other way.
Sigh...
"Yo."
As Yukino gazed up at the cloudy sky in a daze, a light greeting reached her ears from not far away.
At first, she thought it was some frivolous person, but when she turned her head, she realized it wasn't.
"What a coincidence, Yukinoshita-san."
Chisato casually walked up to her.
Under Yukino's gaze, he took a bottle of coffee drink from the convenience bag he was carrying and handed it to her.
"If you don't mind, please take it."
"...Thank you."
Yukino hesitated for a moment, then lifted her cold hand and accepted it.
The drink seemed freshly bought from the convenience store, and it felt warm in her hand.
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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