Without any prior arrangements or external conditions, running into each other on a crowded street truly counted as a coincidence.
That said, given her outstanding appearance and aura, Yukino was striking enough to draw attention even when she did nothing.
Practically no one passing by could resist casting her a look—be it one of admiration or amazement.
So it was only natural that Chisato would notice her once he entered her vicinity.
At first, when Chisato spotted her from a distance, she was sitting alone on a bench by the roadside.
As usual, she wore a blank expression and seemed completely unbothered by the stares around her.
Originally, he had no intention of going up to greet her.
But upon seeing her press her fingers to her temple with a soft sigh, his body acted before his mind could object—his legs moved of their own accord and brought him closer.
The moment he greeted her, Yukino shot him a sharp, guarded glare, brimming with hostility.
But once she realized the person who approached was her neighbor, that aggressive look quickly faded into one of mild surprise.
And once she accepted the hot drink he offered, her entire demeanor visibly softened.
The sequence of expressions she showed brought to mind a fluffed-up cat slowly calming down as it's gently stroked.
"Are you thinking something rude, Suzumiya-kun?"
"!"
"..."
Chisato's brief look of guilt was all Yukino needed to confirm her suspicion.
The next moment, that familiar look of elegant disdain appeared in her eyes—one that Chisato oddly found... comforting.
Strange. Why do I find this kind of look comforting?
That fleeting thought led his mind to spin rapidly until he found the answer.
Come to think of it, when I first started getting close to Kazusa, she used to look at me with that exact same expression.
And in a way, Kazusa and Yukino share quite a few similarities—striking beauty, long black hair, a slender waist, and flawlessly shaped legs...
Of course, there are differences as well.
For instance, Yukino's bust size is... well, a rather regrettable shortcoming. In that regard, Kazusa absolutely dominates.
But aside from figure and piano skill, Yukino seems to surpass her in most other areas…
Chisato seemed to have found the reason why he subconsciously approached her.
Aside from the guilt over troubling her not long ago, maybe it was also because he saw a glimpse of Touma Kazusa in Yukino.
All things considered, that might be why he couldn't maintain his usual indifferent attitude in front of her—why he felt… concerned.
"Out for a walk?"
"If I were taking a walk, I wouldn't have chosen such a noisy street."
There was a quiet park near their apartment—rarely visited during the day, with only a few elderly people or evening joggers showing up at night.
If one were going for a walk, that park would've been the obvious choice.
"If it's not a walk, then… it must be what we talked about on the train yesterday. You're still working on Chairman's request, huh?"
"Mm."
Yukino gave a brief reply, as if she thought there was no point in discussing something she'd made no progress on.
Then, she took out her panda-themed wallet and looked at Chisato.
"How much was the drink?"
Chisato chuckled at her.
Seriously, even this kind of reaction is exactly the same.
Yukino looked confused.
"What are you suddenly laughing at?"
"Sorry, just thought of someone I know… You don't need to pay me back. I've had so much of your coffee and tea at your place—you never charged me either."
Yukino seemed to accept that reasoning and didn't press the matter.
Then she stood up.
"Well then… I'll be going. Goodbye."
Not wanting to engage in a deeper conversation and having rested enough, Yukino intended to say her goodbyes and continue chasing that faint sliver of possibility.
"Wait. Mind if I come along?"
As she was about to leave, Chisato voiced his request.
Yukino's expression wavered between surprise and confusion.
She seemed unable to make sense of his sudden request, which clashed with the lazy persona he usually displayed during committee discussions.
Chisato explained,
"It's Saturday, and I don't have much going on. Just consider it some social experience. Besides, I'm curious to see how the Yukinoshita-senpai that Isshiki always praises handles
other people's requests."
He said a whole bunch of things, but Yukino quickly distilled his real intention down to just three words:
To watch drama.
For some reason, that pissed her off a little.
She didn't notice how, in Chisato's gaze, her cheeks had puffed out slightly.
"So basically, Suzumiya-kun wants to follow along and learn?"
"You could say that."
"Then as a student seeking guidance, shouldn't you be a bit more respectful?"
"What do you mean?"
"Call me Yukinoshita-sensei. Like a proper teacher."
Looking at Yukino's smug expression, Chisato was reminded of that delightful summer meeting—the four-hands piano session in the First Music Room, and the moment he called out, "Touma-sensei."
That might've been the turning point in their relationship.
"Got it, Yukinoshita-sensei."
With a light smile, Chisato complied without hesitation.
The fact that he agreed so readily took Yukino by surprise. She had expected him to resist a little, giving her a reason to refuse him.
But with things as they were, she had no choice now.
And so, as a matter of course, Chisato ended up tagging along with Yukino for the rest of the day.
Incidentally, his original plan had been to check in on Kesshoku Band after their recent performance ended.
The snacks and drinks in his bag were meant as a small token of appreciation for when they met later.
But having run into Yukino, he altered his plans midway and sent a message to the group chat with the band, saying he'd be late due to something urgent.
Then he pocketed his phone without sparing a glance at the disappointed replies that likely followed.
Lately, the four members of Kesshoku Band had been under severe pressure from Seika's ruthless training schedule.
They finally understood how she earned her nickname: the "Great Demon King of Ochanomizu."
With her absolute authority and zero tolerance for opposition, their once carefree practice sessions full of jokes and pizza had become nothing but lessons and ensemble rehearsals.
They had hoped that, by relying on the food chain—big fish eat small fish, small fish eat shrimp—Chisato, as their club president, would show up, listen to their complaints, and maybe convince their manager Seika to ease up a little.
But now he said he had "something urgent" and would come later.
Who knew if "later" meant that evening, tomorrow, or several days from now?
Which meant—more days of torture.
Ughhhhhh…
As for the current suffering of Kesshoku Band on the other side of town, Chisato wasn't thinking about that right now.
His focus was on Yukino.
Truly worthy of being the second daughter raised under the elite standards of the Yukinoshita family.
Her approach to Chairman's request differed from most.
Chisato had seen his own student council try to negotiate sponsorships with local businesses before, but those conversations usually ended with the shop owners impatiently waving them off within minutes.
That was to be expected—why would any business take a bunch of students seriously?
Yukino recognized that too. So instead of representing herself, she used the credibility of Soubu High School as the front when approaching businesses.
That gave her a better shot at a meaningful conversation.
It was a clever tactic—using an institution's reputation to avoid being dismissed outright. The merchants, seeing potential benefit, were at least willing to listen.
However, despite her intelligence and methodical approach, the reality hadn't changed much.
Simply put, her win-win proposal lacked compelling appeal.
If she had exaggerated a little—talked up how lively the joint campus event would be, how far-reaching its influence might spread—her chances of success might've gone up significantly.
But her personality made such embellishments impossible.
And so, the results were inevitable.
By around 3 p.m., Yukino walked out of yet another store visibly drained.
If people in real life had a battery icon over their heads like smartphones, when Chisato first saw her, hers would've been at around 50–60%. But now?
It had dipped into the red—below 20%.
Yukinoshita's stamina seemed even weaker than that of my Utaha.
Seeing this, Chisato casually had such a thought.
Since the morning, they'd been running around seeking opportunities, hadn't had a proper lunch, and with her physical strength running out, Yukino decided to take a break and replenish some energy.
So she took the lead and walked into a tea restaurant.
It happened to be afternoon tea time, so she ordered the staff-recommended tea set.
"Suzumiya-kun, you really weren't lying."
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"You really are free."
Yukino made a small jab.
Chisato didn't mind.
"Though I may be idle, I did witness some interesting things, so I wouldn't say my time was wasted."
Yukino's gaze sharpened a bit, and she set down the cake fork she had just picked up.
"Are you implying that everything I've done today has been pointless?"
"That's not what I meant. On the contrary, seeing how seriously you handled the student council's assignment helped me understand why Isshiki respects you so much.
Maybe if I ever need help in the future, I'd want to consult the Service Club too. After all, the president's attitude is quite reliable."
The hostility on Yukino's face faded. After a brief silence, she cupped her chin with her hand and smiled thoughtfully.
"I see. So that's why you're so popular with the girls."
"Wait, is that what we're talking about now?"
Yukino smiled brightly as she summarized and drew her conclusion.
"In short, any effort to make a move on me will just be wasted."
"What are you even saying? You're misunderstanding something."
"Even if it's a misunderstanding, consider it a fair warning. After all, I am excellent and cute."
She gently brushed her hair with her left hand, wearing a look of satisfaction.
Maybe it was the food helping her recover a bit of strength—her previously frail demeanor vanished, and her expression became much livelier.
As for her words, Chisato found himself unable to refute them.
Because the truth was just as she said—Yukino was a beautiful girl. That was indisputable.
Her chest was a bit underwhelming, but judging by her older sister Haruno, there might still be a chance for a comeback in the future.
Wait, no, now's not the time to be thinking about that…
"What are you planning to do next? You know as well as I do that continuing like this is a long shot."
"…I'll try to come up with other ways."
She said that, but at this moment, Yukino's expression clearly carried a sense of confusion that didn't match her usual self.
Yet even though she looked lost, the stubborn defiance in her was still burning.
Seeing her like this stirred a complicated emotion in Chisato's heart.
What he had just witnessed following behind her—the determined expression, the unyielding gaze, and her clumsy but persistent attempts to communicate with different shop owners…
It's already been almost half a year since Kazusa went abroad.
I wonder if she's eating well over there, taking care of herself.
After a momentary daze, Chisato tapped the table lightly.
"Before that, I actually have a few ideas. Want to hear them?"
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Yeah they're pretty similar, but still, Kazusa > .
She's thiccer and doesn't have an annoying sister.
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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