"Carry this with you… I understand."
Yukinoshita Yukino carefully put away that black feather — her actions looked almost exactly like when Matou Sakura had first received the black feather back then.
Of course, while the appearances were similar, their thoughts were entirely different.
The reason Matou Sakura cared so much about the black feather Shin had given her was because it was the only "keepsake" he had left her, so naturally she treasured it deeply. But the reason Yukinoshita Yukino so seriously put away the feather was because this feather was an important "link" between her and Shin — and also her chance to awaken her Stand.
"Then… if I go to the Paranormal Research Club to find you now, I shouldn't be stopped outside anymore, right?"
After putting away the feather, Yukinoshita Yukino lifted her head again, her gaze locking straight onto Shin. She suddenly showed a faintly meaningful smile as she asked this.
It seemed she still cared quite a bit about this matter — after all, just now when asking Shin about Stand abilities, she also learned that the reason she could never get near the Paranormal Research Club was essentially because Shin hadn't yet considered her as "one of his own."
Thinking about it, that made sense. Before, though they could exchange a few words, their relationship wasn't exactly close — calling them friends would even be questionable.
But now it was different. Shin had given her something that could grant Stand aptitude, and he had also admitted that Yukinoshita Yukino was his friend.
In that case, she should be able to gain the right to approach the Paranormal Research Club now, right?
"You're still hung up on that?"
Shin felt a mix of amusement and exasperation. Yukinoshita Yukino had previously wanted to go to the Paranormal Research Club only to have a talk with him.
Now that she had used LINE to call him to the Service Club and had that talk here, why was she still thinking about going to the Paranormal Research Club?
"If you want to come, I don't mind. But there's nothing to see in the Paranormal Research Club… that club exists just to give a few of us a place to eat lunch."
Shin shrugged. Since he had already handed over the feather of "Black Bird Requiem" to Yukinoshita Yukino, if she wanted to approach the Paranormal Research Club now, naturally she wouldn't be stopped anymore.
However, just as he said, the Paranormal Research Club didn't have club activities — every day, they just gathered at noon to eat lunch.
If Yukinoshita Yukino went, she wouldn't see anything real… if she truly wanted to see something, perhaps she could try talking with Yotsuya Miko instead.
Although, without Stand ability, having eyes that could see paranormal events wasn't exactly a blessing — Yotsuya Miko was a victim of exactly that situation.
"I know, they're all girls, right?"
Yukinoshita Yukino glanced at Shin, instantly guessing what kind of people he had lunch with in the Paranormal Research Club.
Recently, Shin had been close with quite a few girls, even some from other schools — these things were often discussed in the classroom, so Yukinoshita Yukino couldn't avoid hearing about them even if she wanted to.
Before, when hearing such talk, she had merely updated her perception of Shin's "romantic luck."
But now, bringing it up again, Yukinoshita Yukino for some reason felt a faint, indescribable irritation.
She lowered her head to glance at the phone on the desk in front of her, and her mood improved a little.
At least Shin had said that in the coming days, he would check her Stand aptitude every few days… which meant she would still have plenty of chances to see him.
The opportunity to change Stand aptitude had been given to her by Shin, but whether it would succeed in the end still depended on the subsequent checks.
After all, Matou Sakura's situation was very different from Yukinoshita Yukino's — it couldn't be crudely assumed that just because Sakura had succeeded, Yukinoshita Yukino would too.
Things like the length of time carrying the feather, the differences between the Type-Moon world and the everyday world, and individual constitution could all be influencing factors.
But this was, after all, just an experiment — even if it failed in the end and Yukinoshita Yukino's Stand aptitude never changed from start to finish, it wouldn't do her any harm.
After giving the feather to Yukinoshita Yukino, Shin left the Service Club.
But just as he closed the Service Club's door behind him and turned around, he unexpectedly saw someone he knew standing right there at the entrance.
"Eh…? Shin-kun?"
Standing at the Service Club's doorway was none other than Yuigahama Yui. From the look of it, she seemed to have been just about to knock, only to have Shin open the door right then.
Upon seeing Shin, her face flushed slightly red — she looked rather shy. One couldn't help but wonder how someone with such a timid personality had managed to fit into the normie crowd.
"Yuigahama? Here to request something from the Service Club?"
Shin looked at her in mild surprise, not having expected to meet her at the Service Club's door.
In the original story, Yuigahama Yui had indeed come to the Service Club, requesting Yukinoshita Yukino to teach her how to bake cookies — and eventually she even joined the club.
But in this world, the plot had long since changed. Yuigahama Yui shouldn't have any reason to bake cookies out of gratitude now, right?
"That's right… but why is Shin-kun here?"
Yuigahama Yui looked at Shin, her expression a bit muddled — she clearly hadn't expected to run into him here and wasn't mentally prepared.
Deep down, she had always held a certain faint admiration for Shin.
Even earlier today, when Miura Yumiko had invited Shin, she had volunteered to include herself as well — precisely because she wanted to be around him.
"Could it be that Shin-kun and Yukinoshita-san… have some sort of relationship?"
Her mind in a whirl, Yuigahama Yui's thoughts spun rapidly, and she unconsciously asked the question.
After all, she knew very well that Shin was the president of the Paranormal Research Club — if he had no relationship with Yukinoshita Yukino, why would he appear at the Service Club?
"Can't I also be here to make a request to the Service Club?"
Shin chuckled helplessly, reaching out to rub Yuigahama Yui's head — and even gave her bun-shaped hair a flick.
"Don't let your imagination run wild. If you've got business with the Service Club, go on in. Yukinoshita's still inside."
With that, Shin left without paying much attention to Yuigahama Yui's reaction.
But Yuigahama Yui remained standing at the Service Club's doorway in a daze — she stared after Shin as he walked away, then raised a hand to touch her head.
Maybe it was just her imagination, but she could still feel the warmth of Shin's palm lingering on her hair.
"Maybe… I just won't wash my hair today?"
An admittedly unhygienic thought popped into Yuigahama Yui's mind.
To be continued…