「Desperate times call for harsh measures, and chronic illnesses need strong medicine. Looks like Yukino finally realized that continuing to pity Hikigaya, or even arguing with him, would only encourage him to keep going down the wrong path.」
「So she simply cut straight through the mess and hit him where it hurt most. Clean and decisive.」
「Still, with the story changing this much, can she even end up with Hikigaya anymore?」
Saku thought the chances were probably pretty low.
「Forget it. That's not important. Yukino is my chief administrator now. How could I let someone steal her away?」
「Besides, Yukino and Haruno as a sister pair? Who wouldn't want that? Hehehe!」
Yui looked at Saku, who was completely lost in his own fantasy, and gave him an expression of pure disgust, as though she'd just spotted something filthy.
Yukino's reaction was almost identical.
In short, it was the classic old man on the subway staring at his phone expression.
'Forget it.'
It was only a fantasy.
There was no point getting angry over every thought that passed through someone's head. If merely imagining something counted as a crime, the annual crime rate would multiply several times over.
Seeing Haruno sleeping soundly, Yukino also lost interest in conversation and returned to her book.
It was no longer Natsume Soseki's Kokoro.
This time, she was reading study material about modeling.
Once the school trip ended, it would be time for her to resume learning modeling techniques and throw herself back into their intense but strangely exciting work.
Yui looked around.
Nobody was talking.
Saku had tilted his head back with his eyes half closed, gradually drifting toward sleep beside Haruno.
Suddenly, Yui felt like the only person left out.
With nothing else to do, she pulled out her phone and started chatting with Mai.
More accurately...
She started tattling.
She intended to tell Mai exactly how outrageous Saku had been these past few days, openly flirting with other girls behind his girlfriend's back.
As a proud warrior of pure love, Miss Yuigahama Yui absolutely refused to let Saku wander down the wrong path.
Meanwhile, watching Haruno sleep so peacefully made Saku sleepy too.
Before long, he started dozing off.
What he never expected was that Yui was currently digging a pit for him behind his back.
...
Three hours passed in the blink of an eye.
By the time the Shinkansen pulled into Chiba Station, it was around ten in the morning.
Maybe Kyoto's environment had spoiled him, because the air in Chiba suddenly seemed slightly worse than he remembered.
"That was such a good nap."
Haruno stretched on the platform, completely refreshed.
"Thank you, Saku-kun."
Her slight stretching motion fully revealed the curves of her waist and abdomen, and even the future baby cafeteria was emphasized by the movement. Clearly, her assets were impressive — comparable to Utaha's, at least a D-cup. In contrast, her younger sister Yukino's were...
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Yukino immediately went on the offensive.
"I have this terrible feeling you're thinking about something inappropriate."
"What? Of course not."
Saku rubbed his numb right shoulder without the slightest hint of guilt.
"I was thinking about whether future generations will have enough food."
"After all, you know what agriculture is like in Japan."
Yukino had every reason to believe he was spouting complete nonsense with a perfectly serious expression.
Unfortunately, she had no evidence.
She hadn't even heard an incriminating inner thought.
"It had better be that."
"Oh, how cruel!"
Haruno gave Saku an aggrieved look.
"Why are you only interacting with my little sister? You don't want to be close to Oneesan anymore?"
Saku studied her expression.
He couldn't tell whether she meant it or was simply teasing him again, so he chose not to respond.
"All right."
"The trip's officially over. Let's all go home and find our mothers."
Saku rolled his neck.
"Yukino, Yui, see you Monday."
He slung his luggage over his shoulder, picked up the bags of souvenirs, and started walking toward the station exit.
"Hey! Don't be so cold."
Haruno called after him.
"Oneesan has a car. I'll give you all a ride."
"Wouldn't that be too much trouble?"
Haruno immediately doubled over laughing.
"You really are hilarious."
"If you genuinely thought it was too much trouble, you'd have kept walking."
"Why did you stop?"
"Ahem."
Saku straightened himself.
"I was giving you a chance to show your sincerity."
"Don't waste the opportunity."
"Go get the car, Big Haruno-oneesan."
"Fine, fine."
Haruno waved.
"Wait outside the station. I'll be right there."
...
After riding in Haruno's sports car and being dropped off outside his house, Saku said goodbye to the Yukinoshita sisters.
Looking at the familiar family home, a quiet sense of security settled over him.
He opened the gate, crossed the front yard, stepped through the entryway, changed into indoor slippers, and entered the living room.
The house was so quiet that even a pin dropping would've sounded loud.
A single beam of sunlight streamed through the window and fell across an armchair.
Saku glanced at the clock.
10:56 a.m.
Since it was Sunday, Michiru and Utaha were probably either sleeping in or doing their own things upstairs.
"I'm home!"
Saku called out.
Almost immediately, the sound of a door opening and closing came from the second floor.
Then two girls could be heard arguing as they rushed toward the stairs.
The first one downstairs to greet Saku was Kasumigaoka Utaha, dressed comfortably in loungewear.
Perhaps because she'd already been "developed," there was an added hint of mature allure in her expression.
"Saku-kun, welcome home!"
After everything that had happened between them, Utaha no longer felt any need to hide how attached she'd become.
She naturally rushed into his arms and kissed his cheek.
"I thought you wouldn't be back until tonight."
"I missed you so much!"
"I missed you too."
"Did you?"
Utaha clearly didn't believe him.
And she had evidence.
Only a little while ago, she'd heard Saku internally fantasizing about the Yukinoshita sisters.
Then her eyes narrowed.
"More importantly..."
"What's that smell on you?"
Before Saku could answer Utaha's interrogation, Michiru finally made it downstairs.
She immediately squeezed Utaha aside and copied her move almost perfectly.
"I missed you too, Saku."
"Mi↗chi↘ru!"
Utaha exploded.
As far as she was concerned, her relationship with Saku had taken a major step forward.
And now Michiru was clinging to him right in front of her?
That was practically a declaration of war.
"You'd better get off him."
Utaha glared.
"Otherwise, I'm taking this as a challenge."
Michiru didn't care in the slightest.
If anything, she went even further, wrapping herself around Saku like a koala and refusing to let go.
"A challenge is a challenge."
"What are you going to do about it?"
"Wait, wait!"
Saku nearly folded under her weight.
"Michiru, how are you this strong?!"
His back was practically screaming.
He reached up and patted Michiru firmly on the butt, which startled her so much she turned pale and dared not hold onto him anymore, thus saving his life.
「You two can fight all you want, but why am I the one taking damage? My poor back almost got snapped in half!」
The girls listening: '⁄(⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)⁄ ???'
"All right, stop fighting."
Saku raised the bags in his hands.
"I brought presents for both of you. Come take a look."
"Presents?"
That single word immediately weakened the hostile atmosphere between Utaha and Michiru.
They looked at each other.
A temporary ceasefire was silently declared.
"As expected of Saku-kun!"
Utaha's expression brightened.
"I love you!"
Saku nearly stumbled.
As expected of someone who'd "reached base," her words had become much bolder. Before, she'd always circled around with indirect remarks; now she was throwing straight pitches.
"Shameless."
Michiru pouted unhappily.
She already knew what had happened between Utaha and Saku.
Not only did she know...
Utaha had spent practically the entire previous day relentlessly bragging about how much closer she'd become to him.
There was only so much a person could tolerate.
If Utaha hadn't shown off so excessively, Michiru probably wouldn't have been nearly this determined to oppose her.
…