Looking at the chibi version of Soga Yura in the [Operator Development] interface, who was clutching the seat back and looking utterly pitiful...
Su Yuzu picked the chibi up by the back of its collar. She watched as it whimpered and sobbed, wanting to struggle, but because they were in a public theater... in the end, it could only tremble, its shoulders and chest heaving as it looked up at her with impossibly cute, watery eyes.
Truly adorable.
Even cuter than the real person.
Being this cute... if she stuffed another [Combat Record] into her, she'd probably cry for a long time, wouldn't she?
Su Yuzu put the chibi Soga Yura back down.
Seeing that the little Soga Yura seemed to be catching her breath, Yuzu gently poked the chibi's soft-looking face. Then... ignoring the gaze that seemed to beg for a temporary respite...
She skillfully clicked [Develop].
Su Yuzu was, of course, a bad person.
A very, very bad person.
What was the fun in a [Combat Record] if she could just shrug it off?
Given their current state of near-estrangement, it was certainly more interesting to make Soga Yura humiliate herself and appear before Yuzu in tears.
For the long years of the past, that girl had held the initiative for nearly a decade.
Every time Yuzu offered her sincerity and softness, it was ruthlessly trampled by Yura.
Even a transmigrator... even the softest and most loyal heart will eventually harden after being cut time and time again, waiting for the scabs to form.
Yet, even so, Su Yuzu still chose to become Soga Yura's unseen guardian.
In fact... a large part of Su Yuzu's persistence in becoming a master of taijutsu was because Soga Yura, a "Mind Control" Esper, was far too frail in close-quarters combat.
On the battlefield against Aberrants, she needed someone to protect her.
Su Yuzu was willing to be the sword that guarded her.
However... while Su Yuzu could accept the girl's rebellion, and could accept her disdain...
At the very least, after crying time and again, and before smiling brilliantly to greet Soga Yura like she did today... Su Yuzu felt she could accept being loathed.
But what she could not accept... was that this girl clearly liked her to death, yet insisted on pretending to be disgusted.
It broke her heart.
Now—
It was time to take back the initiative.
Even in a turn-based game, it was time to switch players.
Su Yuzu hesitated, but finally checked the box for the [Primary Combat Record] and clicked confirm.
Then... she heard a rather cute sound.
And she saw... the tiny figure of Soga Yura teetering, about to fall over.
In that instant, Su Yuzu felt her heart soften after all.
Releasing Kujou Katora's fingertips, Su Yuzu stood up, turned around, and caught the diagonally collapsing Soga Yura.
As for Soga Yura... she only felt herself falling into a warm, soft embrace.
For the first time, she felt the wonderful softness that belonged to a graceful girl.
She couldn't help it... although Yuzu wore a gentle, approachable smile for everyone at school, it was just as Sakura Mai had said—
Soga Yura was equally distant to everyone.
She had no girls around her whose arms she could bury herself in.
At best, Sakura Mai could offer a not-so-soft embrace.
After all... as a user of the "Sword of Will," Sakura Mai was a bona fide martial artist.
Without an ability like young Mihou Sakai's "Perfect Execution"—something all combat-types dreamed of—unless one's genetics were exceedingly powerful, a combat-type Esper's figure was usually defined by clearly defined abs, perfect navel lines, and firm, slender legs without an ounce of excess fat.
Simply put, it wasn't "Justice" enough.
But even so, the curves of Sakura Mai's figure could easily crush Soga Yura's.
Soga Yura's toes were going weak.
Her consciousness was chaotic and messy.
Her lips trembled, unable to close, and her thoughts were so scrambled they seemed to lose all coherence.
If not for the coincidence of becoming classmates and teammates with Sakura Mai, and that boisterous girl moving straight into her dorm...
And the fact that the "Sword of Will" had attributes that slightly countered "Mind Control," allowing their relationship to subtly shift from roommates to something akin to best friends...
Soga Yura truly felt she was destined to be alone until old age.
She hadn't cared, originally.
As long as she had Yuzu.
Watching Yuzu from afar.
Whether Yuzu chose to be a slacker who just ate and waited to die, or chose to use Technology Division gear to substitute for physical enhancement abilities and step into the realm of combat...
She would silently support Yuzu.
If Yuzu wanted to be a slacker, she would provide for her.
If Yuzu wanted to become strong, she would help by providing technological aid under various pretenses.
The Soga family had even begun funding the private Keigunen Academy and the Imperial Capital University's Technology Division labs.
And they had started custom-tailoring equipment based on Su Yuzu's mixed martial arts assessments and training hall analysis.
Greedily, she basked in the warmth and softness of the girl's embrace.
That familiar scent... the fragrance that was identical to Soga Yura's memories, invaded her nose.
Yuzu's bath products and cosmetic aromatics were all handled personally by Soga Yura.
Yuzu's scent... was Soga Yura's favorite scent.
In her hazy confusion, whether she chose this fresh scent for the girl because she liked Yuzu, or whether she liked this scent because of Yuzu... was no longer clear, nor was it important.
Soga Yura just wanted to greedily enjoy this fleeting moment of beauty.
"Uuu..."
"Yuzu."
"My..."
"Yuzu."
At least for this fleeting instant, Yuzu belonged to her.
Sensing the girl's beauty and softness, Soga Yura's heart and lungs nearly stopped.
She hadn't touched Yuzu in nearly ten years.
Let alone sleeping in each other's arms like when they were children, wrapping around Yuzu like a soft octopus.
Even just holding Yuzu, or being held by her.
Soga Yura had almost forgotten what that felt like.
She... hadn't even held Yuzu's hand since then.
The closest she ever got to Yuzu was when she rolled around hugging that body pillow, which was modeled after Yuzu herself.
But a substitute is ultimately just a substitute.
Soga Yura greedily enjoyed this brief moment.
Yes... brief.
The next second—
A terrifying mental storm erupted inside the movie theater.
With sorrowful tears, she pushed Yuzu away.
Just as Soga Yura had told Sakura Mai... it wasn't that she didn't want to embrace Yuzu.
On the contrary... she wanted to hold Yuzu in her arms more than anyone.
She just... couldn't.
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