AN: Hello, dear readers! Summer vacation is here, and I'm already wishing that it was over. I don't like summer. It's bright, and hot, and bug-infested. And it gets you all sweaty. Not like winter. In winter everything is... cool, and dark. I'm sorry. But, my point is, summer sucks. The vacation part is nice, but the season itself not so much. It wouldn't be so bad if I could just sit inside all day playing video games, watching anime and writing, but the god-forsaken mosquitoes make that a living hell. Ah, well. Rant over. I'm sure you're all eager to get back to the story, so let us do just that. Enjoy the chapter, and thank you all again for your continued support!

Chapter 7 – Truth and Honesty

"...That will be it for today. Go have your lunch, and we'll see again next week." A collective sigh of relief could be heard as the teacher finished his lecture and collected his things, while the students packed up their study materials and started to form into groups in preparation for lunch break.

"Aw yeah, fiiiinally!" Tobe stretched as he stood up from his seat, then quickly turned to Hayato. "Come on, let's go to the cafeteria before it gets crowded, Hayato!"

"Relax, Tobe, I'm coming. They're not going to run out of food, so we're not in a hurry." Hayato replied, then turned to look in my direction. "You coming, girls?"

Now being the one directly addressed, I lifted my gaze to meet Hayato's. He was smiling kindly at me, but I knew his smile was not sincere. Being able to see past his mask was both a blessing and a curse, as knowing that I had fallen for his tricks made me angry and disappointed at myself. Before, that smile of his made my heart beat faster, now all it did was remind me of just how fragile my fake friendships were. All the more reason to change them. I shifted my gaze to Hina, who gave me a small nod when our eyes met, and I let a small smile onto my face.

"Sorry, but I've got a bento with me today. I need to like, have some girl time with Hina as well, you know? Since she was ill and all." I replied to Hayato, and Hina nodded with me, this time to the whole group. We didn't have much time yesterday, since I had to go and eat with Hikio, but hopefully today we'll be able to make some headway. It would be good to get Hikio and his smarts involved as well, but… I stole a small glance at Hikio, who was just getting up from his seat, but quickly averted my gaze before he noticed me. It's okay, Yumiko. You just have to talk to him. That isn't hard, right?

"...Alright, if you say so, Yumiko." Hayato's voice prompted me to look back at him, and I saw him standing up, with Ooka and Yamato doing the same. "You two don't want anything? A drink?" Hina and I shook out heads, and Hayato gave us a nod, then waved as he began to make his way out of the classroom.

"Always the prince charming, isn't he?" Hina said quietly as she moved a chair to sit opposite of me once the others had exited the classroom, and I let out a sigh. "Though, based on what I know, there's a different prince in your life, now." Hina then continued with a smirk as she shifted her gaze to something else, and I followed it to see Hikio lazily making his way out of the classroom, our eyes meeting as he briefly glanced back at the two of us before exiting.

"I-it's nothing like that, Hina!" I could feel my cheeks heating up, and hoped that the blush was not too obvious. It's normal to be embarrassed about someone implying something like that. Nothing more to it. "He's just… helped me. I… wasn't really supposed to tell you that, but..."

"It's fine, I get it, Yumiko. You did kind of give away his involvement with you to me yesterday anyway." Hina said with a smile. "Is he the one that put you up to all this?"

"No, this is all my doing. I want to change things. He just… gave me the courage to actually do it. I wouldn't have been able to say all those things to you yesterday if it wasn't for him." I looked away from Hina and twirled a strand of my hair around my finger, my gaze wandering over to the doorway Hikio had exited out of just moments ago. "Oh, and there was something I forgot to tell you yesterday. Something… urgent." Hina raised an eyebrow in question, and I glanced around quickly. Pretty much everyone has left already… I leaned closer to Hina, which prompted her to lean forwards as well. "...Back when I confessed to Hayato, I tried to be as discreet as possible, but… It's possible someone saw me when I ran out of the classroom afterwards, and has now spread a rumour about what happened between me and him." I whispered to the girl.

"A rumour? I haven't heard anything like that, though I supposed I was absent for the beginning of the week." Hina whispered back to me and furrowed her brows as she tried to think, likely shifting through her memories of all the things she has heard since returning to school.

"Hikio seemed to think that it hasn't reached the ears of any girls yet, and that's why it hasn't spread. Hayato has been trying to dispel the rumour any time he's been asked about it, but it doesn't seem like he's been having much luck." I explained, and Hina gazed downwards, deep in thought. Since Hina already figured out that Hikio has been helping me, it should be fine if I'm just open to her about everything we've talked about, right? I'll have to apologize to him when I get the chance…

"...Boys aren't really much for spreading rumours, so wouldn't it be fine if we just leave it? If so far only Hayato has been asked about it, he should be able to handle himself, right? If we bring too much attention to it, that will only make the rumour worse." Hina replied to me.

"I would like to believe he can do that, but… I'm not sure how much faith I can have in Hayato any more. Besides, Hikio believes that if we don't make sure to get rid of the rumour, it's only a matter of time before it starts spreading." Isshiki Iroha already knows that something is up, and if she finds out that Hayato rejected me…

"Hmmm… What do you suggest we do, then?" I… guess Hikio's plan is the only one we've got right now… Hopefully we'll be able to make it work with Hina.

"Ah, there you are, Miura!" Just as I was about to explain Hikio's suggested plan to Hina, a voice called out to me from behind, nearly causing me to jump, and I turned around to see Hiratsuka-sensei in the doorway to the classroom, leaning against the door frame. "Looks like I got lucky with my guess of you being here during lunch break… Do you have a few minutes to spare?" I glanced back at Hina, then turned back to the teacher with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, I'm kind of like, in the middle of something here… Can it not wait until after?" I want to get my plan for the rumour sorted out with Hina today, maybe even do something about it, if possible.

"Well… It's kind of important. I won't take much of your time. You can get back to whatever you were doing with plenty of lunch break time left over." Hiratsuka-sensei seemed insistent, so I turned back to Hina.

"Just go, Yumiko. I'll use the time to try to figure out something, alright?" Hina said to me with a smile. I hesitated for a moment, then gave her a nod and stood up from my seat.

"Alright. This better be important, Sensei." I said and walked over to Hiratsuka-sensei, who exited the classroom and motioned for me to follow her.

"Let's get a little privacy, first. I would prefer to talk to you in my office, but since I already went and said that this wouldn't take long, this will have to do." Hiratsuka-sensei briskly walked ahead of me, and I followed her as she turned to the hallway that led to the roof. Once there, she leaned against the wall at the foot of the stairs that lead up and looked back at me.

"Alright, then. What is it you wanted to talk about?" I asked and crossed my arms over my chest. This had better be important.

"Well… Firstly, since it's been a little while since we last spoke… How have you been doing, Miura? Getting along with your friends? Are… things well at home?" Hiratsuka-sensei smiled kindly at me, and I quickly realized what this little 'talk' was about. Oh, so it's one of those sessions. What a great timing. I resisted the urge to shake my head and sigh, as that would no doubt give Hiratsuka-sensei the wrong idea, instead putting on the most neutral expression I could muster.

"Everything is fine, Hiratsuka-sensei. Nothing has…. changed since last time. And things at home are… okay." I replied and looked away, unable to stand Hiratsuka-sensei's kind and caring expression any longer. I'm not in the mood to talk about this stuff. It'll just make me feel all depressed and stuff when I go back to Hina… "What like, brought this on so suddenly, though? Usually you've dragged me to your office after school whenever you've felt like we've needed to talk." I glanced at Hiratsuka-sensei, seeing her scrutinizing me with her gaze.

"...You don't have to hide things from me, you know that, right, Miura? It's my job as a counsellor to listen to your troubles, and help you with them." I saw Hiratsuka-sensei smiling at me compassionately, and had to avert my gaze again quickly. I… I know that. Now is just… not a good time. I don't want to be reminded of everything right now. "But, to answer your question… A little birdie told me that something might have happened in your friend group. I saw you were with Ebina just now, but… Are things going okay with the others?" I froze in place at Hiratsuka-sensei's words, slowly turning to look at her, not even bothering with trying to hide my expression. Someone told Hiratsuka-sensei… Hikio? No, I would trust him enough to not tell. So then…

Has the rumour actually spread enough for her to have heard about it?

How else would Hiratsuka-sensei have known about it? Only Hayato, myself and Hikio know what actually happened, and I can't imagine either of them going to a teacher with something like this – even if that teacher was someone like Hiratsuka-sensei. But, wait… Hayato made that request to Hikio's club… Hikio said that he didn't tell the full truth of what happened, but could one of them have spoken to Hiratsuka-sensei about it? Yui doesn't know what really happened, though, or else she would have talked to me about it already, but Yukinoshita…

"...Who told you that, Hiratsuka-sensei?" I asked after a while of staying silent, but all I got in response was a shrug.

"That's not what's important, Miura." Hiratsuka-sensei said after I didn't continue. "So, has something happened, then? Something relating to Hayama?" How… much does she know..? When I didn't respond, Hiratsuka-sensei sighed and massaged her temple. "Look, Miura, I'm sorry if you feel like I'm digging too deep into your personal relationships, but… I do this because I care about you. If something happened to break you guys apart right under my nose, something that I could have helped with, then I've failed as a teacher. You're all my responsibility. But… If it's something that you need to sort out yourselves, then that's fine with me. Just..." Hiratsuka-sensei bit her lip as she looked away from me for the first time during our conversation, but then looked back at me with a compassionate expression. "...I know what you've been through. We've gone over it all multiple times, and I know you don't like revisiting that time. But because I know what you've been through, I worry about you. So… talk to me, Miura. If it's something I can help with, I will." Hiratsuka-sensei took a step forwards and placed a hand on my shoulder with a smile, and I could do nothing but stare back at the teacher.

"...Thanks, sensei." I said after a few moments of silence and smiled back at the woman. She is right, of course. I shouldn't dismiss her help so easily. But… It is still concerning that she's somehow found out about what happened. If she didn't hear it because of a rumour, someone must have told her. "I'll ask you for help, if I ever need it. Right now, though… everything is fine. You don't… have to worry." I tried to reassure Hiratsuka-sensei. She wouldn't be able to help much with what I'm trying to do… Maybe afterwards there could be something she can do, but not right now.

"Hmmm… Alright, if you say so. I won't keep you any longer, then, so you can go back and have lunch with Ebina." Hiratsuka-sensei smiled and patted me on the shoulder briefly, before pulling her hand back. "Oh, but I do feel like we need to have a longer talk soon. I don't have time today, but I'll give you a nudge at some point next week, so don't make too many plans for after school, alright?" I gave her a reluctant nod in reply. As much as I want to forget… It helps having someone to talk to.

"I'll remember that, Hiratsuka-sensei. I'll… head back now, then." Hiratsuka-sensei gave me a nod, and I turned around and began walking back towards the classroom.

Once Hiratsuka-sensei was out of view, I let out a sigh. I know she's doing all this for me, but all it's really doing right now is bringing back memories I would have been comfortable with forgetting. I shuddered slightly and picked up my pace to get back to the classroom as quickly as possible. Come on, Yumiko. You're stronger than this. You don't want to show a face like that to Hina. Suddenly, I found me feet grinding to a halt. Hina… Am I being hypocritical? The me from a year ago probably wouldn't have thought so, but now… I bit my lip as I stood in the hallway, some students giving my odd looks as they passed by, and I took a deep breath before shaking my head to clear my thoughts. That is an issue for another time. Right now, there are more pressing matters that need attending to. I continued to stride forwards, seeing the classroom not too far away now. Eventually, though, my real friends will deserve to know. He deserves to know. I felt a smile growing on my face as I recalled all my recent interactions with a certain loner, a warm feeling spreading through my chest as I stepped into the classroom, where Hina was still waiting for me. He's helped me so much, so I'm sure he'll be able to help me with that as well. I've learned a bit about his past, so it's only fair…

...That he'd get to learn a bit about mine.

"...And… send."

After seeing that my text message was successfully sent, I pocketed my phone and continued walking down the hallway to the special-use building. I had walked the same path from the classroom to the Service Club clubroom countless times, but today was the second time in a long while when I had done so alone. Yesterday, it almost felt refreshing to not have Yuigahama with me on the trip, but today I was feeling oddly melancholic walking through the halls with only the sound of a single pair of footsteps reaching my ears. Haah… The stubborn part of me that is stuck to my ways doesn't want to admit that Miura was right, that me and Yuigahama are friends, but… I already know what the truth of the matter is. At least things seem to going well for her, which hopefully means less work for me.

I had seen Ebina and Miura at lunch break, so I assumed that they were discussing the current situation and future of their clique, but as the text I received from Miura just a few minutes ago proved, they had managed to do even more than that.

Miura had admitted that she had told Ebina of my involvement with her plans, but I wasn't too fussed about that – as long as she didn't tell Yuigahama quite yet, things would be fine. But, the more significant part of the text message was what they had decided to do concerning the rumour. The girls had decided to go with a modified version of my plan, and had even set it into motion. Ebina had started to spread a rumour among the girls of Soubu – one that she was apparently certain would spread like wildfire but wouldn't bring any harm to anyone, other than perhaps a "certain someone", depending on how well he handled the situation. I was sceptical about the existence of such a method, but was willing to accept it for now. If the job was done using my method, I couldn't complain.

At the end of her message, Miura told me that she would go visit Yuigahama today and explain everything to her. My reply had been a brief acknowledgement of her plans, and a reminder to not tell Yuigahama of my involvement. It does feel bad to keep this stuff from the girls in the club, but soon enough my help will no longer be needed. After that, I can just tell them that Miura had asked me for some advice, if the topic comes up. If she decides to keep up with the whole "friends" thing after that, though… I let my thoughts wander to the things Miura had said to me yesterday. She said that she'd make me admit that we were friends… And she seemed to be rather serious about it. Don't tell me she's going to make me a part of her "new" friend group? No thank you. Then again, the idea of Miura being my friend…

It doesn't feel too bad.

I knew Miura a lot better now than I did a week ago, and held some respect for her. And while I wouldn't say I enjoyed spending time with her… I didn't hate it. I guess it wouldn't be that bad if we continued interacting after her request has been solved. As long as she doesn't drag me to something like karaoke every day, that is. Before I had realized it, I was standing outside the door to the clubroom. I couldn't hear any sounds coming from within, but I could already picture the scene in my head. Right, here we go again. Perhaps today we won't get interrupted, and I'll be able to find out something about Yukinoshita and her thoughts of me. Taking a deep breath, I opened the clubroom door and walked inside.

Just like yesterday, Yukinoshita was reading at her usual spot, and once she noticed me, she lifted her gaze to meet mine. I inwardly let out a sigh of relief, then raised a hand in greeting.

"Yo."

"Good afternoon, Hikigaya-kun." Yukinoshita replied with a small smile, and I made my way over to my seat. "It seems it will be just the two of us again today."

"Yes, Yuigahama is still absent. She'll probably be back by next week, though." I replied as I sat down, reaching into my bag to pull out my own book, while Yukinoshita closed hers after putting in a bookmark, placing the book on the table as she stood up and walked over to the side table. I wonder what she's reading..? The title is in English, but I can't make it out from that stylized font…

"We should hope so, at least." Yukinoshita said as she began the process of brewing tea, then turned to look back at me. "Oh, yes, did you manage to do that errand for your sister yesterday?" She then asked, and I lifted my gaze from my novel to meet her eyes. Hopefully this will be the last time I have to lie to her about this.

"Yeah, it's all sorted out." I replied vaguely, if only to convince myself that I wasn't lying to her. Komachi was very suspicious when I came home later than usual, but she bought my explanation of having been held up by Hiratsuka-sensei, and then stopping by the store on my way home. I feel like I really should apologize to Hiratsuka-sensei at some point for using her as a crutch for covering up my actions…

"Her entrance exams should be coming up soon as well, right?" Yukinoshita asked as she turned back to the kettle, and I let my gaze linger on her back for a few moments before returning my attention back to my novel.

"They're… not too far away, now." I can't actually remember when she has to go and do them… The date probably hasn't changed from when I had to take them, though. "She's been studying hard for weeks, so I'm sure my cute little sister will breeze through the exams with no trouble whatsoever!" I smiled to myself as pride for my dear Komachi welled up in my chest. Soubu High will not be ready for the storm it is about to face! I just have to hope Komachi's cuteness doesn't catch the eyes of too many boys. Hmm… Perhaps I should come up with some countermeasures, just in case…

"Hmm… While I would like to believe in Komachi-chan's skills, Soubu's entrance exams are no joke. And if your sister struggles with mathematics as much as you do..." I glanced at Yukinoshita to see her gazing out of the window thoughtfully with a hand on her chin, before she suddenly turned and looked me in the eyes. "Perhaps I could offer some assistance for her studies, to make sure she's able to pass the exams? Is Komachi-chan studying at home?"

"Uh, yes, she is. Our parents work late anyway, and she knows I won't bother her while she's studying, so staying at home gives her the best environment for it." I replied, a little surprised at the girl's words. "But… If she needed help, she could just ask me. And she hasn't so far, so..." In response, Yukinoshita pinched the bridge of her nose, and seemed to suppress a sigh.

"If Komachi-chan was struggling with mathematics, do you really think she'd come to you for help?" I averted my gaze from Yukinoshita, unable to refute her. W-well, it'd be better than no help, right? Or is she suggesting that I'd somehow make things worse for her..? I don't think my math skills are that bad… "Helping someone else study is no easy feat. It isn't just about explaining to them how something needs to be done, you have to get the other person to figure it out by themselves, otherwise they will never learn it properly. And, just like you won't bother Komachi-chan while she is studying, she will likely not bother you with her studies, so I doubt she'd ask for help." She… does have a point, I can't deny that, but… I would like to believe Komachi would ask me for help if she really needed it. Ah, you wound your brother, Komachi-chan!

"And you think she'd be fine with bothering you, then?" I asked as Yukinoshita turned around to finish her preparations with the tea.

"Since I would be offering my assistance, I wouldn't consider it a bother. And I'm sure Komachi-chan would be ecstatic to receive help with her studies from someone such as myself." Yukinoshita replied and turned around to face me again. "Hmm… Yes, perhaps it would be a good idea to visit her to see how well she is doing, and offer help with anything she is struggling with. I should have time today, but Nee-san might get curious about my whereabouts..." Yukinoshita seemed to fall deep into thought as I stared at her, currently overcome with shock at what she had just suggested.

"W-wait, slow down, Yukinoshita." I said and held out a hand, feeling my heartbeat increasing. Did she… really not realize what she just said? "Do you… understand what you've just implied?" Yukinoshita tilted her head as she looked at me inquisitively, before she let out a sigh – though I could swear I saw the faintest hint of a smile on her face briefly.

"Yes, I am fully aware that in order to go and help Komachi-chan with her studies for the entrance exams, I would have to visit your home. Ara, could it be that you had some questionable thoughts about a girl entering your house, Hiki-pervert-kun? I hope you are aware that I will not hesitate to call the police if you so much as look at me with lecherous eyes. I am also very capable of self-defence, so if you did try anything, it would not end well for you." Yukinoshita released a powerful verbal volley as she returned to her seat and sat down, glancing at me from the side.

"N-no, I would never." I refuted and looked away, feeling my cheeks heating up slightly. Of course, as I cannot deny the fact that I am love with Yukinoshita Yukino, the idea of her coming to visit my home does make me a bit nervous… But, I would never lay a hand on, or take advantage of her in any way. Yukinoshita surely knows that. "Just… It might be on a bit of a short notice if you came to help Komachi today." I replied as I turned back to Yukinoshita, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly.

"Hmm… I suppose you are correct. Well, perhaps not today, then. I'll just have to be in touch with Komachi to see if we can arrange something, if she needs help, that is." Yukinoshita brought a hand to her chin as she gazed upwards in thought. Komachi and Yukinoshita being alone together is a scary thought, but at the very least my sister isn't aware of my feelings towards Yukinoshita. Wait… Could I use my sister's curiosity to find out more about Yukinoshita's feelings? I don't really want to resort to spying on them, though… On the other hand, confessing is not an option, so… This is more difficult than I had initially imagined.

I still had no idea in the slightest as to what Yukinoshita really thought of me, whether the chance my feelings had was non-existent or very slim. Of course, I knew she didn't exactly dislike my company, despite the fact that her words would suggest otherwise, and that she did in fact feel that I was… important to her. Neither of us could call the other our friend, but there was a connection, one that I knew Yukinoshita was aware of. But, these past few days, all I've gotten is more proof of my own feelings towards her. It certainly hasn't aided my plans to have Miura requesting my help, either. Perhaps… She could help me with my problem in return?

…

No, let's not do that. I do not want to find out what her reaction would be. But… if things keep going with no progress… I might have to turn to someone for help. Hiratsuka-sensei is reliable, but with her history with romance, I don't know how much help she could give. Komachi tries her best, and I know she only thinks of what is the best for me, but… her methods are a bit too much for my liking. And Yuigahama… I'm not completely dense, I know she values me, so it might be a bit cruel to ask her. Would Miura really be my only good choice, then? Either Totsuka or Kawasaki could be an option, but I'm not sure how much they could help. Heh, look at me, instantly turning to others for help with a personal issue of mine I know can be solved with just a few words from me.

"Here, Hikigaya-kun." I was pulled out of my thoughts by Yukinoshita's voice, and looked up to see her standing next to me, gently placing a cup of tea in front of me. "You haven't turned a page in a while. Is… is there something bothering you, Hikigaya-kun?" Yukinoshita looked at me with concern in her blue eyes, and I felt myself getting lost in them for a few moments. Yeah, there is. You. Imagining such a lame line coming from my mouth, I averted my eyes from Yukinoshita, my gaze darting around the room until it landed on the open novel in front of me.

"I… No, sorry, I was just spacing out while thinking." I replied, not looking back at Yukinoshita. She can totally see through me. It's not like I can just straight up tell her, though. Unless… It is just the two of use here now… No, I need to prepare further. And directly telling her is something I'm saving as the last resort. Things need to be done delicately. Suddenly, I saw something moving in the way of my vision on the left, and turned to see Yukinoshita sat down on her chair – right next to mine.

"You don't… have to hide your troubles from me, Hikigaya-kun." Yukinoshita said as she settled down, her shoulder nearly bumping into mine as she angled herself to look at me. What is..? Why is she..? Up this close, her smell invaded my nostrils and caused my heartbeat to rise. All of a sudden, my body felt very hot. "Er, from us, I mean. The club. So, please… If there is anything we can help with, tell us. You should know that you don't have to shoulder things alone any more. Not… not after what happened during christmas."

Yukinoshita's words stabbed at me, but I couldn't look away. The guilt overwhelmed my other feelings momentarily, but I couldn't bring myself to look away from Yukinoshita. That's… That's what I'm doing right now, right? No, but helping Miura is nothing compared to the christmas event. I've barely done anything, though I guess Miura insists otherwise. Still… I have taken on a request behind the backs of the girls once again. Could this even be something the two of them could help with? Yuigahama, definitely, but… Agh, I had convinced myself that I wasn't doing anything wrong, but now Yukinoshita's making me feel guilty… I should probably just tell her. I have nothing to hide, really, when you think about it. Then again, would just telling Yukinoshita everything betray the trust Miura has put into me? I should probably ask her first before telling anything to anyone else, she deserves at least that much. I let out a sigh and looked away from Yukinoshita, knowing that she was aware that something was "bothering" me.

"...Thanks, Yukinoshita. I… I know that, and… I'll remember it." I glanced back at Yukinoshita to see her gazing at me expectantly. Won't be able to shrug it off, huh? Yuigahama will be in on Miura's scheme today, so afterwards, I can tell both the girls that I've been helping her out. It's not like I've done anything wrong, they'll understand. But, for now… "And… I guess I have been… working on something recently. But it's no big deal, nothing that you two have to worry about. Really." Yukinoshita narrowed her eyes at me slightly, then allowed a small smile onto her face.

"Alright. I just… don't want a repeat of what happened before. Just… be honest with us, Hikigaya-kun. That's all I'm asking for." A twinge of guilt flashed through me as I recalled all the white lies I've told her these past few days. Don't do that, woman! You're making me question the validity of my actions!

"…I will." I replied, and after noticing a small smile on Yukinoshita's face, returned my gaze to my book. I'll tell them both on Monday, after I've talked with Miura. Haah… Her request has caused nothing but trouble for me so far… At least I got to eat a free meal. A few silent moments had passed, and I became aware that Yukinoshita had not moved from her position next to me. Slowly, I turned my gaze back to her and saw the girl awkwardly fiddling with her tea cup, before she suddenly turned to me, her cheeks slightly flushed, the sight causing my own cheeks to heat up as well.

"M-moving on… I-I assume you are still reading that… isekai thing from yesterday?" Yukinoshita asked and gestured at my novel, her elbow brushing against my arm in the process. Alright, Hachiman. You need to calm down. Yes, the person you have romantic feelings towards is sitting very close to you, but you need to calm down. Breathe in, breathe out. Be like water. Like the surface of a lake on a serene day with no wind. Right, here we go.

"Y-yeah, I am." I replied – failing to prevent the stutter despite my best efforts – and quickly flipped the book so the cover was visible. Though, I haven't really gotten any further since yesterday… "We… kind of got interrupted as I was telling you about it yesterday." I continued as I scratched my cheek awkwardly, assuming that was where Yukinoshita wanted to steer the conversation towards. I'm still a little surprised she was so curious about Light Novels when she's openly dismissed them in the past… Heh, maybe this is my chance to convert her. Just watch, in no time she'll be shouting praises for OreImo and complaining about the decline of the Isekai genre. Wait, that just sounds like Zaimokuza, though…

"We… did, didn't we? I... did take some time yesterday to look into the series when I got home, though." I turned back to Yukinoshita, who had paused to take a sip from her cup, and I reached for my own to do the same. "While it wouldn't be something I would read myself, I was pleasantly surprised to see it wasn't more of the same I had encountered before. It seems you were right, not all Light Novels are 'utterly revolting'." She continued with a small smile as I placed my cup back down. Hmm… Perhaps she will be open to some recommendations, then? She did say that she hoped we'd get to talk about literature again, and that's what sharing recommendations is… "Oh, and it did also get me to scour through my bookshelf for some fantasy novels, and while I didn't find much..." Yukinoshita reached for the book she had been reading and brought it close, turning it so I could see a cover. "...I did stumble across an old classic."

"Dune?" I feel like I've heard that name before… Wait, isn't it… "...That's… That one old Sci-fi novel, isn't it? I think my dad also has it in his bookshelf..." I didn't really know what exactly my dad had in the form of literature – I respected his privacy, after all – but I have a vague memory of seeing the name on one of the books in his shelf during one of the few times I've looked through it for something to read. I think that one was in Japanese, though, but the copy Yukinoshita has is clearly in English.

"That is correct, Hikigaya-kun." Yukinoshita replied with a smile as she placed the book on the table, letting her hand rest on top of it. "I would have been quite disappointed if you hadn't recognized one of the most well-known science fiction novels of all time. I'll assume I do not have to tell you what it is about, correct?" I nodded in response. I can't recall ever reading it myself, but I know it's set in the far future in a feudal interstellar society, on a desert planet, which is where the name comes from. "Good. I bought this copy when I was overseas, and read it to help my English studies. I've read the sequels as well, but there's something special about the first book." Yukinoshita had been looking down at the book, her expression telling me she had been reminiscing about the past, but then turned to look at me again. "I highly recommend it. If your father owns a copy, you should definitely ask him if you could borrow it." Well… I don't think I even need to ask. I rarely go to his bookshelf, but I've always picked up a book without asking and then returned it. I know he sometimes picks up one of my novels as well, since I know Komachi isn't the one taking them.

"I'll keep that in mind." Yukinoshita gave me a nod and then lifted her teacup up to her lips again. For a moment, my eyes were glued to them, but I quickly averted my gaze once I felt my cheeks heating up again. No good, I need to distract myself from her… Though with her sitting so close, that might be difficult. "Ahem, so… Speaking of recommendations… If you want to, I could… recommend some good Light Novels for you." Yukinoshita placed her teacup back down on her right, then looked back at me.

"Go on, then. I am open for recommendations, but I do hope you keep my preferences for proper literature in mind." Yukinoshita crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for me to speak. I guess that means nothing like OreImo, then. A shame, since it is actually a good story, I feel. But, something that Yukinoshita might like… I shifted my gaze to my own tea, gazing into the liquid as I recalled all the various novels I had back at home, and the ones I had read or skimmed through in libraries and bookstores. Maybe that one..? No, I don't think she'd be able to enjoy it fully, even if it is written really well, given the genre. That one has too much fanservice for a casual reader… Oh, how did I not think of that first?

"Have you ever heard of Ōkami to Kōshinryō?" Yukinoshita looked upwards in thought for a moment, then shook her head at me. "It's a light fantasy romance novel set in a medieval Europe-esque world with a plot focusing on economics and trading. The main character is a young travelling merchant who meets a mysterious girl with a pair of wolf ears and a matching tail while he is trading wheat in a town called Pasloe. The girl then reveals herself as the town's deity of harvest, though her worship has long since been abandoned, the only reminder of her legend being a yearly harvest festival. The two of them then begin a journey north, as she wishes to return to her homeland." I briefly explained the premise to Yukinoshita, who was listening to me intently. "I've only read the first couple of volumes, and I wouldn't exactly call it my first choice of what to read, but… It's a… beautiful story, to say the least. I think you'd enjoy it."

"Hmm… Alright, you've caught my interest. Do you happen to own the first volume, so I could borrow it?" Yukinoshita then asked. Why is she asking me that so casually? It's not like I'm opposed to it, but… Isn't she embarrassed, or something? Or is it just me? N-not that I'm embarrassed or anything, baka!

"Oh, umm… Sure, I should have it somewhere. I could… bring it with me on Monday?" I replied, and Yukinoshita brought a hand to her chin briefly, before nodding to me.

"Yes, that would work. Thank you. I shall return it to you as soon as I've read it, and share my thoughts on it. If I find it adequate enough, I might just seek out the rest of the volumes myself." Yukinoshita said with a small smile, and I found myself nodding to her with a smile of my own. Heh, it's like we've turned into a literature club, now… So, when do we all get superpowers, then? Though, participating in the fairy war sounds like it would be a handful… "How many volumes does the series consist of?" Yukinoshita's question caused me to look at her again, and I saw her cutely tilting her head as she expected an answer from me.

"A-ah, it's… still ongoing as a series, I believe. The first volume was released… quite a few years ago. It's fairly long-running. But currently… I don't know the exact number, but there's probably well over a dozen volumes by now." Yukinoshita's eyes seemed to widen for a moment, before she looked downwards, seemingly in thought.

"...Quite impressive, though I guess in turn the page counts aren't as grand as some proper novels… It's a very successful and popular series, then, I presume?" Yukinoshita turned her gaze back at me, raising an eyebrow inquisitively. She's really asking the wrong person, here, as I've only really casually read it… I think it's a fairly well-known series, though.

"It's gotten a fair few prizes, as far as I'm aware, and anyone who is at all invested in Light Novels has heard of it at some point, so… It's fair to say that it is popular. Maybe not as popular as something like Death Note, but still popular nonetheless. Though, that one is a Manga, so I guess it's not really fair to compare the two..." I crossed my arms as I tried to think of other popular Light Novels, and noticed Yukinoshita looking at me intently with a smile on her face in the corner of my eye. "W-what is it?" I felt my cheeks heating up again under her gaze, which was not cold like usual, quite the opposite.

"O-oh, nothing." Yukinoshita quickly averted her gaze, as if she'd been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to. W-what's with that reaction? And are you blushing as well? D-don't show me something like that, woman! The gap moe is too much for me! "I was just… T-this is clearly something you're passionate about, so seeing you talk about it..." Yukinoshita trailed off, her gaze darting around the room, likely unable to find the words she wanted to say. A-and now she's acting all cute? T-this is not good for my heart!

"W-well, it's nothing spe-" I raised my left hand in an attempt to rub the back of my neck, which felt sweaty all of a sudden, but midway through, it bumped into something, cutting my sentence off. Freezing in place, I looked down to see the back of my hand currently pressing against Yukinoshita's right palm.

In other words, her hand was on top of mine.

Did her fingers just curl slightly inwards, as if to grasp my hand? Or am I hallucinating due to my blood pressure skyrocketing because of my poor heart overworking itself? I'm not even sure myself.

Curse you, Gods of romantic comedies!

I raised my gaze and met Yukinoshita's surprised eyes.. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, but she made no moves to avert her gaze or move her hand away. Okay, Hachiman, calm down. She's just momentarily surprised because you accidentally touched her hand. I'd be surprised too, it's a normal reaction. Now you just need to pull your hand back, and we'll be out of this awkward situation. Then Yukinoshita will scold you for touching her without her permission, and accuse you of taking advantage of her closer-than-usual position. At least, that's what I'm hoping, because if she does anything else other than that, I'll be at a complete loss. I took a sharp intake of breath and was about to pull my hand away, but the sudden sound of the clubroom door opening caused both me and Yukinoshita to jump in surprise, and I felt her fingers clasping around my hand. Soft! Warm! Danger!

"Yahhallo!" As if the situation couldn't get any worse, the one who had burst through the door was none other than Isshiki Iroha – yet again managing to appear when Yukinoshita and I were alone in the clubroom. Didn't I recently monologue about coincidences, and how when one happens enough times, it ceases to be a coincidence? "Ah! W-wait, again? I'm sorry if I interrupted, I'll go now and leave you senpais to it, ahahaa… But I never would have believed you two were doing these kinds of things while Yui-senpai is away..." For a brief moment, I felt Yukinoshita's grip tightening, before she let go of my hand and moved hers away.

"Ahem. There seems to be yet another misunderstanding, Isshiki-san." Yukinoshita spoke to the younger girl, glancing at me briefly. The remains of a blush could still be seen on her face, but she was much more composed than I was – my rapid heartbeat was proof of that. Haah… This is getting more and more dangerous. Yukinoshita breaking character definitely doesn't help either. If only she kept to her ice queen persona more, everything would be much easier, but… Just as I've opened up more to the girls, Yukinoshita has opened up more to us… "…I do not know what you are thinking, but we were simply discussing literature together." I shifted my eyes to Yukinoshita, who met my gaze with her own, then returned to look at Isshiki, who was still standing by the door.

"That's right. We were giving each other some recommendations." I followed up after Yukinoshita, managing to keep my voice calm and feeling my heartbeat steadying itself slowly. A part of me feels disappointed that Isshiki is here, but I'm also somewhat glad, as being alone with Yukinoshita makes me nervous… Love is scary.

"O-oh, is that so? I was like, totally thinking you two had a secret relationship or something!" Isshiki replied as she closed the door and walked over to us, glancing between Yukinoshita and I. "Why are you two sitting so close together, though?"

"Because it is easier to discuss things this way." Yukinoshita replied and picked up her teacup, bringing it up to her lips for a sip. Sasuga Yukino-sama. As calm as ever, with no signs of the previous awkwardness. She was definitely embarrassed a few moments ago, but… Is she just better at controlling herself than I am, or was she not even that embarrassed in the first place? Of course, anyone would be embarrassed in that kind of situation, but what if there was something… more to it than that..? She really is an enigma.

I know a lot about Yukinoshita Yukino, but at the same time, I know nothing about her. And because of that, I don't know how I should act regarding my own feelings. But, I know nothing beyond what could be counted as "the obvious" for us. You cannot calculate emotion, I know that much, as attempting to do so ultimately resulted in my request – my search – for something genuine, something real.

But what of the emotions of other people? We cannot know what the people we see are thinking, so how could we ever hope to find out what they are feeling? And yet, that is what I am hoping to do. I want to – need to – find out what Yukinoshita's feelings are, so I know what to do with my own. Perhaps it is a fool's errand. Even so, I must keep trying, for my own weakness prevents me from doing the obvious, but also perhaps because I want to cherish what I have right now. The new and unknown. Many would choose to rather stay on their own placid island of ignorance than to take a leap of faith into the black seas of infinity.

I am no different.

And yet I want to dip my toes into the darkness.

But if I do, will I ever return?

Is it worth it leaving behind the safety of the island for something not guaranteed? Any sane person would most likely say no. But… Staying behind risks that which we have already faced once: Stagnation. They say ignorance is bliss, but that bliss is a double-edged sword. I know that things must change in order to move forward, but I am afraid of making that change happen. I wonder…

...Is Miura wrestling with these same questions?

"...That was simply because you surprised me, Isshiki-san. You really should knock before you enter. What are you doing here today anyway?" I was suddenly pulled away from my thoughts as I wondered why I had thought of Miura, and noticed that Isshiki had now taken a seat on the other side of the table, with Yukinoshita still sat next to me. I guess our circumstances are somewhat similar… Well, fundamentally, our situations are completely different, but they evoke the same kinds of problems. Still… Why did she come to my mind so suddenly?

"Oh, the Student Council didn't have a meeting today, and the soccer club can manage without me, so I came here instead." Isshiki replied to Yukinoshita, and I glanced down at my tea. Well, I can think of all this a different time. With Isshiki here, I have very little chances to find out anything about Yukinoshita's feelings anyway.

"So you're just blatantly slacking off, then?" I asked as I brought the cup to my lips, noticing Isshiki pouting at me.

"That's mean, Senpai! I'm not slacking off. I need a bit of time to relax too, you knooooooow?" Uh, that's literally what slacking off is, though. It restores half of your maximum Hit Points when used, as well. "Oh, but like, you were recommending books to each other or something, right? Do you have any recommendations for me?" Isshiki glanced between Yukinoshita and I excitedly as she leaned forwards on the table.

"I didn't take you for someone to enjoy literature, Isshiki-san." Yukinoshita said, and Isshiki let out a small sigh.

"Well, like, I'm not really that into reading or stuff, but I figured that it's cute when a girl is reading something, right? What do you think Hayama-senpai likes to read?" Isshiki locked gazes with me, and I furrowed my brows. Why are you looking at me? How should I know what he likes, or if he even reads at all. Also, you just like, totally gave away your true intentions by saying that, you knoooooow?

"Hmmm… I wouldn't know about that, but… I guess I could think of a few books that will be easy for someone who doesn't read as much..." Yukinoshita looked upwards in thought as she brought a hand to her chin, and I rested my head on my right palm as I leaned away from her slightly. Well, at least Isshiki's appearance helped us get out of that awkward situation… But it will be pretty much impossible now to try and find out anything. Guess I'll just sit back and keep my eye out for things.

With Isshiki now present, Yukinoshita and I couldn't really get back into our "book talk", though she didn't move her seat back to its original position. Her close proximity made me overly conscious of her, so I couldn't make use of my Zone Out skill and just read, but it seemed that Isshiki wouldn't let me do that anyway, as due to Yuigahama's absence, she pulled me into conversation far more than usual. At the very least, it helped me with not being overly aware of Yukinoshita constantly, though I also couldn't quite concentrate on my reading because of her. I did notice something peculiar about Isshiki, though, as if there was something off about her. Sometimes her conversation felt stiff, and she seemed to get lost in thought every now and then. She also kept glancing at me when she thought I wouldn't notice, and I got the feeling she wanted to say something to me, but never spoke up directly. At first I figured it was because she wanted our – or just my – help for something, but she made it very clear that this was simply a social visit, and that everything was going well with the student council. With my plate full of my own problems with Yukinoshita, and Miura's request, I didn't really feel like I was in a position to help Isshiki with whatever was clearly troubling her, but I couldn't help being curious. I didn't know whether or not Yukinoshita noticed the same things about Isshiki that I did, but if she did, she didn't comment on the subject, so I kept quiet as well. Whatever Isshiki had on her mind, she didn't want to share with us.

Isshiki's troubles didn't seem to affect her too much, as she kept the conversation going, asking us about Hayama's request and the rumour he had mentioned a couple of times, but we told her no details, just what we had told her already. Judging by her still asking about it, though, I got the feeling that either Ebina's plan hadn't worked out as well as she had thought, or then the rumour she planted had yet to reach the ears of the first-years. I was just now getting sceptical about her plan, as the rumour might not survive through the weekend, at which point they only had to hope the rumour about Miura faced the same fate. Things not going as planned would likely lead to more work for me, but there was nothing I could do about it right now.

Soon enough, it was getting close to club hours ending, and just before they did, Hiratsuka-sensei came to us in the clubroom, While initially she was surprised to see Isshiki with us, even giving her a bit of scolding – which I do not admit taking pleasure in seeing – she let her off the hook just this once. Interestingly, she made no comment about mine and Yukinoshita's seating arrangement, which had not changed since she initially moved to sit next to me, and instead just told us to go and start our weekend, offering to lock up behind us. We saw no reason to refuse, and packed our things (or, in the case of Isshiki, head back to pick up her things) before heading out and leaving Hiratsuka-sensei muttering to herself about her evening plans, which seemed to include drinking, then going to a bar for some more drinks, before returning home to have a drink to wash down the sadness of having to drink alone. Please, someone just take her already, I can't stand hearing my precious teacher being so miserable!

Yukinoshita and I ended up walking together through the halls, which were mostly empty as we had left just a little before club activities had actually ended. The silence between us could have been interpreted as awkward by some, but to us, it was comfortable. Even with my feelings towards her, I was able to feel at ease when I was with her like this, and I could tell even Yukinoshita was relaxed. If… If I do by some slim chance change things, will something like this become the norm..? It doesn't feel too bad… No, I can't get ahead of myself. I glanced at the girl walking next to me, suddenly feeling overly conscious of her again, despite her not being that close to me. I might need to resort to asking someone else for help regarding this… Or ask for some advice, as apart from observing her, I have no idea how I could find out anything about Yukinoshita's feelings.

…

Well, there is one obvious way of doing it, but I don't want to. Confessing is out of the question.

"I… guess this is where we part ways, then." Yukinoshita suddenly spoke out, and I realized that we were already outside, the two of us currently standing in front of the bike racks. Yukinoshita had stopped in her tracks, but took a few steps forwards and turned back to look at me, her grip on her bag tightening. "I really… enjoyed today as well. I'm looking forward to being able to read your recommendation."

"O-oh, sure. I… I enjoyed it too… I guess." I looked away from Yukinoshita and brought a hand up to rub the back of my neck. "I'll… see you on Monday, then."

"Yes… See you then, Hikigaya-kun." Yukinoshita smiled at me, then, after a few moments, turned around and started making her way to the gates. I let my gaze linger on her until she reached the gate, at which point she stopped, turned around, and upon seeing me still looking at her, raised her hand for a wave. I smiled to myself and raised a hand in return, then watched as Yukinoshita walked off, disappearing from sight. Right, guess I'll just head straight home, now. Not like I have anywhere I need to go. Hmm… I could see about contacting Miura, though, to ask how things went with Yuigahama. Though, if she had already finished with her, she would have likely sent me a message already…

"Senpai!" I was pulled out of my thoughts by a familiar voice coming from behind me, and I turned to see Isshiki Iroha running up to me. "Ah, good, you were still here. I'm glad." She continued as she stopped in front of me, panting slightly. Knowing what was coming next, I prepared myself for her usual routine, but the girl simply stood there catching her breath for a few moments, before raising her gaze to look at me. "There was… something I wanted to… ask from you." I raised an eyebrow in question at Isshiki's words. What's gotten into you now? And why are you fidgeting that much? It's not cute. Well, I mean, it is kind of cute, but you won't get anything out of me by doing that.

"Hm? Go on, then. Oh, but if you're going to ask me for help, I'm sorry, but I kind of have something going on at the moment, and I would prefer it if you asked the whole club." In response, Isshiki shook her head at me.

"No, it's nothing like that. Just..." Isshiki bit her lip, and I saw that she was shaking slightly. Hey… What's going on..? "I just… wanted to ask..." Isshiki glanced around rapidly, which prompted me to look around as well. Despite club hours just ending, there wasn't really anyone around, likely due to everyone rushing home as quickly as they could, or people leaving early – it was a Friday, after all. When I looked back at Isshiki, I was shocked to see the corners of her eyes glistening, as if she were about to cry. "I… Just… Senpai..."

"...Do you… like Yukino-senpai?"

"Oh, if it isn't Yumiko-chan! Did you come here to see Yui? Come in, come in!"

As I was ushered in by Yui's mother, I took a deep breath to calm myself. It's alright. You've got this, Yumiko.

After planning some more with Hina after school, I had told Hikio of our plans and headed straight for Yui's place. The whole way there, I had gone through multiple scenarios in my head of what could happen when I told Yui about everything, and I was sure I had envisioned every single one of her possible reactions. Even so, I was feeling nervous. I wanted to believe that Yui would agree to help me, and perhaps deep down I knew she was going to, but a part of me kept saying otherwise.

What if she doesn't?

What if Yui wants to go her own separate way after graduation?

I had always thought of Yui as a good friend, and now I thought of her as one of my only possible "real" friends, but the pessimistic part of me I thought I had locked away long ago kept gnawing at me. Ugh, this won't do, Yumiko. Hina believes and trusts in you. Hikio thinks everything will go okay, and he's… he's… Hikio. Do you really want to betray their expectations? No, you don't. You'll crush those expectations and come out triumphant!

"Bark!" I was pulled out of my thoughts when Yui's dog, Sablé, jumped at me as I was taking off my shoes, beginning to excitedly lick my hands while his tail swished back and forth.

"Hey, Sablé, long time no see." I said to the little dachshund and started to pet it, which seemed to only further his excitement as he continued attempting to climb up my knees.

"Oh, dear me. Sorry about that, Yumiko-chan. Come here, Sablé, don't jump on the guest." Yuigahama's mother scolded the dog, who simply ignored her, instead choosing to run around my ankles.

"It's fine, don't worry about it." I said to Yui's mother with a smile, running my hand over Sablé's fur. I wish I could have a pet, too… Suddenly, Sablé stopped and tilted his head as he looked at me with his button-like eyes, and I realized that I had stopped petting him. Ah, no good. I can't be getting gloomy now. I shook my head to clear my thoughts, gave Sablé a few scratches behind the ear, then stood up. "Is Yui in her room?" I asked from my friend's mother, to whom Sablé ran to after finishing two laps around my ankles.

"Yes, she is. Been in bed the whole day, the poor girl. Do you want to me bring you something to drink?" I shook my head, and Yui's mother nodded to me in return, before she disappeared around a corner to where I knew the kitchen was. Right, here we go, then.

I had been to Yui's house multiple times in the past, so it only took a moment for me to find her room. The door was closed, and no sounds could be heard from the inside, but I hesitated for a moment before I knocked on the door. There's no turning back now. Let's do this.

"Yui? Are you awake? It's me, Yumiko." I said as I knocked on the door, then, hearing some shuffling from the other side, I stepped back before the door opened.

"Ah, Yumiko! You came to see me!" Yui said to me with a sparkle in her eyes. It wasn't enough to mask away her illness, though, as her flushed face and slightly raspy voice made it clear, not to even mention her general dishevelled appearance. "Come in. Oh, but be careful, I don't want to make you sick too, ahahaa..." Yuigahama moved out of my way, and I stepped inside of her room, which hadn't changed from the last time I had seen it.

"How are you feeling?" I asked after Yui had closed the door and made her way back to her bed, where she sat down.

"I think I'm feeling a bit better, now. It's nothing too bad, so I'll be back in school by Monday. How is Hina doing?" I placed my bag on the floor next to the table in the centre of the room, then sat down next to it.

"She's made a full recovery. This is probably just like, the seasonal flu or something." I replied, and Yui leaned against a particularly large stuffed toy on her bed.

"Yeah, that's probably right. I do miss all of you guys, though… Oh, I know! How about we all go somewhere together on Monday?" Yui proposed excitedly, and I felt a small smile growing on my face. This girl…

"What about like, your club?" Yui's eyes widened suddenly, as if she hadn't thought of that, before her brows furrowed.

"Hmm… I-it should be fine! I can ask Yukinon to let me leave early. But then, I wouldn't get to spend that much time with her and Hikki, and I miss them too…" Yui's face scrunched up as she agonized over her choices, and I watched her with slight amusement. Oh, Yui… Right, I think it's time to do what I came here for.

"Ahem. We can discuss that later, Yui." The girl looked back at me, and looked like she was about to say something, but stopped, likely due to seeing my serious expression. "Right now, there's… There's something we need to talk about." Yui looked at me in silence for a few moments, then smiled at me.

"Of course, Yumiko!" Yui replied cheerfully, leaning closer to me on the bed, but her smile seemed to fade away as I kept staring at her with the most serious expression I could muster.

"Yui. This is… something very important. I want you to be fully serious about this." I stared the girl directly in the eyes, until she gave me a nod. "This… concerns… us. I mean, all of us. In the clique." I paused to take a deep breath while Yui continued to stare at me intently. "You know about it, don't you? How… fragile our clique is. How shallow our friendships are. And how Hayato keeps to the status quo so that things stay the way they are, unchanging. You're… You're aware of it all, right?" Yui stared at me wide-eyed, her mouth slightly ajar, and I stared right back at her. I know Yui is more perceptive than she lets on. She is an airhead, but she catches on things easily. She's not like Ebina, but I'm certain that she must know what's been going on with our clique. She's friends with Hikio, so she must know. After some time, Yui looked away and bit her lip, and I saw her hands balling up into fists.

"I..." Yui began, her gaze flitting around the room, never quite meeting mine. "What… Why now? Aren't… Things going well for us all..? Didn't you… want things to stay this way, Yumiko?" I grit my teeth, but took another deep breath and let out an audible sigh to calm myself.

"Hayato came to your club with a request on Monday." Yui's surprise was clear on her face, but she didn't say anything. I'm sorry, Hikio… This might be a bit close to revealing that you've helped me, but as long as I don't mention your name, things should be fine. "He asked you to deal with a rumour about him and me, right?" Yui nodded quickly to me, so I continued. "He… He did that because of what happened between us. I… I confessed to him, Yui. And he rejected me, albeit indirectly. Do you know why I did that?" Yui's eyes seemed widen even further, and I noticed that my hands had balled up into fists, and my heartbeat had become more rapid. It's okay, Yumiko. You've gotten over it. Yui didn't answer me, seemingly at a complete loss for words, so I breathed in shakily to calm myself once again and continued. "It's because I don't want things to stay the way they are, Yui. Not any more. I… I admit, I was a little… desperate when I did it, hoping that there was a chance, but… The situation is as I feared. Our clique… It's going to fall apart. It's eventual. But Hayato doesn't care – that's exactly what he wants. He isn't being honest with us, Yui. Did you know that? He lies to us about himself, he wears a mask to hide his true self from us. He's… He's used us, used me for almost two years, now. Things need to change, and I want to be the one to change them. Do you… Do you understand me, Yui?" My hands were shaking as I stared the girl in the eyes, and she looked down with an expression I couldn't read.

"I… I sometimes feel like… I'm always the one carrying the most weight on my back out of anyone." Yui finally spoke again, still not looking me directly in the eyes. "But… what I'm carrying feels like a bunch of ceramic vases. The moment I slip, they'll all break. And I… though that was fine. That was… my role, given to me by you and Hayato." Yui sheepishly glanced at me, letting her gaze stay on me for a few moments. Yui was always the mediator of our group. Her cheerfulness got us out of tough situations that threatened the fragility of our clique. Damn it, Hayato has been just using her too… Though… I guess I'm not completely innocent in that regard either… "Joining the club, and talking with Hikki and Yukinon… it's gotten me to understand some things better. But I always still thought that I… valued our clique. It's always been great to hang out with you guys, and even if… even if I can't always speak my mind..." Yui trailed off and bit her lip, then looked back at me. "Aren't things… fine this way? Even if… things might be like you say, we're all still having fun, right? Isn't it fine for everyone to get along with each other?"

"No, it's not fine!" I slammed a fist on the table next to me, surprising both myself and Yui, who visibly jumped back. "What we have… It's not fine. It's not real. Hayato isn't real, and the clique isn't real. I've seen our clique for what it truly is, now, and the same goes for Hayato. Things can't keep being like this. What will happen when we graduate? Hayato will go to like, some special university for rich people or whatever, and the rest of us will scatter like leaves in the wind and never see each other again. Hayato is only keeping the status quo intact because he doesn't want our fake friendships to break down prematurely. But that's not 'fine'. I don't… I don't want that, dammit! I don't want to lose you all and be alone… again." My vision got hazy, and I wiped the corners of my eyes, not even caring that I was letting out all my emotions again. "I don't want to lose you guys, but I know that letting things continue like this will only guarantee that. That's why I want to change things. I don't want any more superficial relationships. I want…"

"...I want something real. Something genuine."

By the time I had finished with my emotional outburst, I was gasping and shaking. I hadn't planned on going so far with Yui, but her words had ticked me off. I know that Yui has always abided the status quo, but I also know she wouldn't want for us to get separated. She's the type who would try to keep in contact with all of us even after graduation, but without Hayato, without ever becoming real friends… It wouldn't be the same. But if we change things now, before it's too late… If we all became honest with each other… Yui was staring at me with a completely dumbfounded expression, and slowly, I started to see tears form in her eyes.

"Yumiko..." Yui said quietly as she began sobbing, wiping her eyes with her sleeves. "Saying that line… It's not fair..." I didn't really get what Yui meant, but her crying didn't seem to stop. After what felt like a minute, Yui seemed to regain control of herself, and she looked me in the eyes again, hers now reddened from crying. "So… How are you going to change things? You said that… Hayato rejected you..."

"...Yes. I had wished that there was still hope, but…" I remembered Hikio's words, and how he believed that there was no hope for Hayato ever opening up to us. I'll… I'll have to at least try. But if he doesn't want to be honest with us… Then that's that. "...I want everyone to be more open with each other. What we have… what we're doing… None of it is genuine. Can we truly say that we know each other well? We all keep things from each other, and any threat to the stability of our clique is enough to break us apart. That's… That's not real friendship. Our bonds are shallow, and they're only there because of Hayato. If he decided to one day leave us, that would be it. We'd drift apart and never talk to each other again. But, we can change that." I looked at Yui with my most serious expression. "Hina is already with me. She's willing to open up to us, if we do the same. Hayato will oppose us, but we need to get everyone on our side, willing to start being honest, so we can replace our shallow bonds with genuine ones. And if that can't change Hayato, if he still won't take off his mask… Then we'll just have to leave him. So… Are you going to help me, Yui?" I stared the girl dead in the eye, and after a few seconds, she looked away, then let out a sigh.

"I-I don't know much about that… real or genuine you talk about, but… I don't… I don't want to lose you either, Yumiko. Or anyone, for that matter." Tears formed in the corners of Yui's eyes again, but she wiped them away quickly, then took a deep breath. "I-I'll do it, Yumiko. I'll change things with you." I felt a wave of relief wash over me, and smiled at Yui, but my smile disappeared once I saw her serious face. "But… If we're going to be honest with each other from now on… I need to get something off my chest."

"Huh? S-sure, of course." I didn't really know what to expect, but readied myself as Yui took another deep breath.

"I'm… I'm tired of shouldering everything on my own! Any time there was anything wrong, I was always the one to smooth things out, to make everyone comfortable and happy. But it takes a lot of energy to always be all smiles and please everyone! I'm tired of having to adjust to what others think, and having to hide what I truly feel like because everyone else feels something different! I want to voice my own opinion for once, instead of just going along with everyone else! I want to… I want to just be myself, instead of what others want me to be!" I stared blankly at Yui as she let everything out. All… this time… Yui has been feeling this way..? I'm… I'm so sorry… If only I had realized the truth sooner… I could have noticed all this as well… "Haah… I'm sorry, Yumiko, for shouting at you, but… I feel much better now." I looked back up as Yui flopped down onto her bed, then adjusted herself so she was lying on her side, looking at me. "I don't… usually get this heated up, ahahaa… I guess just… I could feel all your emotions, and then just kinda..."

"Don't be sorry, Yui. I should be the one saying that." I replied with a smile, which Yui returned to me. "But… I can promise you, you'll get to… be yourself. We won't have to hide things any more. Friendship isn't about keeping things secret and appealing to others, it's… It's mutual trust and honesty." ...I think. That's something I've read somewhere, I think? But… it sounds good. "...I'm not the best person when it comes to that, but… If we're all honest with each other, and trust each other, I'm sure things will work out."

"Yeah, I'll do my best, Yumiko! Though… You really kinda sounded a bit like Hikki, there… I've always envied his honesty..." Yui said and turned onto her stomach, kicking her feet lazily.

"O-oh, d-did I? Haha, that's… funny." I averted my gaze from Yui. I promised Hikio I wouldn't tell her about him, and I won't betray him. Mutual honesty and trust… I guess… we definitely have that between us.

"Well, just a little, with the whole… genuine thing..." Yui trailed off, her gaze not quite focused on anything. "...Yeah, I really envy Hikki. Both him and Yukinon just say whatever they want, without caring what other people might think. And they always seem to be in their own little world. I find it hard to strike up conversation sometimes, but when they talk with each other… everything just comes out so naturally, and it's difficult for anyone else to join in. Yeah, I really envy… them..." Yui's expression became melancholic, her feet stopping. That's… right. Yui, she… She likes Hikio, I'm pretty sure. I never really understood what she saw in him, but… As I rapidly recalled all of my recent interactions with Hikio, I felt a slight blush rising to my cheeks.

"...Hey, Yui." Yui focused her gaze on me, but our eyes met for only a brief moment before I looked away, beginning to twirl a strand of my hair around my index finger. "You… You like Hikio, don't you?" I saw Yui's face exploding into crimson, and she brought her hands to cover it. "What… What do you like about him? Like… What's so… special about him?" I felt my own blush deepening, and couldn't look Yui in the eye, but saw her moving her hands away in the corner of my eye. I-I can't believe I'm asking this… It's n-not like I… O-or anything…

"Eh? W-what do I..? W-well… He's… like… really kind, and helpful, though he'd probably never admit that. Hikki is… reliable, and he puts his all into helping others, even going so far as to sacrificing himself… W-which isn't really that good all the time, but he's sort of promised to stop doing it now… And… Like… Umm..." ...He's funny, and gentlemanly, and handsome, and kind of cute when he's embarrassed. I felt a smile growing on my face, and looked back at Yui, who was still trying to come up with good qualities about Hikio that she liked. I… I don't think I can keep lying to myself much longer. I'll just have to accept it. I'm sorry, Yui…

...I think I might have fallen in love with your crush.

AN: And that's a wrap, folks! A bit of a longer chapter this time, to make up for it taking so long for me to finish this. The next chapter I have mostly planned out already, so it shouldn't take too long for it to come out, but I will most likely start one of my other planned writing projects before I start working on it, so we shall see.

The plot thickens, as they say, and things start to click into place with each move made. But, there is still more to come, and it will be a long time before this game of chess ends. That was a cool line, right? It was in my head, at least. In any case, I bid you all farewell, until the next chapter!