The next day.
Shuchiin Academy.
It was time to go home from school.
In the window seat of the last row in Class 2, Grade 3, a shy girl in black stockings lay slumped over her desk, breathing heavily…
Kasumigaoka Utaha, a bestselling light novel author writing under the pen name Kasumigaoka Utako, was considered by some in the industry to be a literary talent capable of mastering modern traditional literature—but for some reason, she had strayed from that path.
To such comments, Kasumigaoka's own response was simple: "What does that have to do with me?"
Bored, disinterested… The world was full of shallow, tedious things and people. She found it impossible to calmly accept the changes of reality. She had ideals and ambitions, and she would only be herself—never yielding, no matter what.
"Kasumigaoka-san, someone's looking for you."
Kasumigaoka Utaha rubbed her sleepy eyes and yawned.
After spending a brilliant night with her kouhai the day before yesterday, inspiration had surged. She stayed up until midnight pouring her thoughts into words, and now she was exhausted.
Anyone who dared disturb her rest—no matter who—would be dealt with accordingly…
"Yukinoshita… Yukino?"
Kasumigaoka blinked, a little dazed.
She had expected some reckless, lust-driven male beast to come spouting vulgar lines, but instead, it was a black-haired female passerby.
"It's me, senpai."
"What is it?"
There was no way she'd return a smile. Not only had her rest been disturbed, but this girl was one of those who had stolen something precious from her. She couldn't be kind just because of that.
"I want to talk to you… about Natsukawa-san."
"What about the younger generation…? Come with me."
The two of them found a more secluded spot and began their formal conversation.
"If you have something to say, make it quick. I'm very busy."
"It won't take long."
Yukinoshita shook her head.
"About Natsukawa-san… I want to know what kind of person he is."
"What kind of person?"
Kasumigaoka was a little surprised, but soon chuckled with a hint of meaning.
"Shouldn't you know very well what kind of person you are, kouhai?"
Yukinoshita fell silent. If she truly knew the answer, she wouldn't have come to ask Kasumigaoka.
"Senpai, do you remember how you misled me? How about returning the favor?"
"I misled you?"
Kasumigaoka was momentarily confused, but then recalled what Yukinoshita meant.
I didn't lie. I only said, "My subordinate demanded too much of me, and after being rejected, never bothered me again." Maybe you misunderstood me back then, but now you should understand what I meant, right?
She was the proud Kasumigaoka—she disdained deception to block others' love. At most, she'd use words to mislead. If it affected her, it was only because she didn't trust her kouhai enough.
Just like Eriri, like Yukinoshita before her… and like her former self.
"Senpai, are you trying to dodge responsibility?"
Kasumigaoka frowned, tempted to walk away and ignore her.
Forget it. Consider it a gesture of goodwill. If you want to know something, just ask.
"Yes."
Yukinoshita nodded, thought for a moment, and decided to rephrase her question in a way Kasumigaoka might accept.
She might not be willing to share information outright, but if it involved herself, she probably wouldn't resist the urge to boast, right?
"Natsukawa-san… did he ever do anything for you while he was pursuing you? Don't worry, just tell me what impressed you the most."
Does this have anything to do with what you want to know?
"Is that hard to answer?"
"You're really hard to deal with."
Kasumigaoka sighed.
It was fine to tell her. After all, it was something she was proud of.
As memories from the past resurfaced, her eyes gradually softened.
"If I had to say… it would be that he started an argument with countless people just for me…"
It's true there was an ulterior motive from the start. Kasumigaoka knew well that her kouhai didn't love her novel Love Metronome as much as she had imagined. He only defended it because he admired and loved her so much.
That was enough.
After all… how many people would willingly argue online for hours, sacrificing sleep, just for the person they liked?
Even if there was another reason, it made her happy.
Yukinoshita nodded.
Kasumigaoka's expression was unmistakable, so the truth was clear. She had misled her back then because she liked Natsukawa Kanade.
Out of jealousy or unwillingness, when Yukinoshita approached him, Kasumigaoka deceived her, making her believe Kanade was an irredeemable flirt and a womanizer.
But Yukinoshita didn't really care about that.
If it were just about promiscuity, she wouldn't mind—she believed she could change someone. What mattered was whether that person truly loved her…
Yukinoshita Yukino had never experienced love.
Though she had glimpsed it in literature, those weren't her own feelings. To understand her true emotions, she had to rely on her own heart.
She could sense the special treatment Kanade gave her, but she wasn't sure if that meant he loved her.
Shared identity? Shared pain? Camaraderie seemed more accurate. Trust? A united front? If that were the case, why did she trust Hikigaya Hachiman more?
Kanade gave off a strange feeling—like he was trying to please a superior, seeking approval, or more like… longing to be needed and wanted.
Either way, he placed himself in the lowest position… just as she once longed for her mother's approval.
So she wasn't sure if Kanade's feelings for her came from affection or from a sense of kinship. At the same time, she was confused about her own feelings—whether they were compassion or something more.
So she rejected his confession:
"I'm sorry. I'm not ready to date yet…"
If we're not ready, we can't make a judgment.
But after that, Natsukawa Kanade quit the club.
She wanted to blame him for leaving without saying goodbye, for being a coward—but thinking about it, she was no different. Unable to gain her mother's approval, she chose to run away and live alone.
Unable to overcome her depression, she poured herself into club activities, as if that would ease her pain. But in the end, innocent club members got caught in the fallout.
She hadn't meant to do that, but once she came to her senses, she realized she had done something wrong…
Her thoughts returned to the present.
"Second question—has Kanade ever dated someone older?"
"That depends on your definition of dating…"
"That's all…"
Yukinoshita nodded and gave a slight bow.
"Thank you, senpai. That's all I wanted to know. Sorry to bother you."
Watching Yukinoshita Yukino's figure disappear down the stairs, Kasumigaoka Utaha remained silent for a long time.
Only the subtle trembling of her thighs betrayed the unease within her.
"Idiot, playboy… how many girls have you gotten involved with?"
Maybe she could comfort herself before, thinking Eriri wasn't a real threat. But now there was a black-haired passerby whose traits clashed with hers—and who knew how many more were secretly in love with her kouhai… Weren't there too many rivals?
The only thing she could be thankful for was that, including the black-haired passerby, she hadn't seen anyone who could compete with her in that one particular area.
Kasumigaoka Utaha placed a hand over her chest, a faint sense of relief in her breath.