Yukinoshita hadn't actually forgotten anything in the dorm.
Mori Shinra knew this.
So, after they had walked a short distance and were out of sight of the others, Mori Shinra said:
"Come on. Forgetting something as important as your phone in your room."
Yukinoshita froze, instantly understanding Mori Shinra's intent.
The girl pursed her lips and said, "I'm not like you, playing on my phone whenever I'm free."
After speaking, under Mori Shinra's smiling gaze, she turned and walked back in the direction they had come from.
Cute.
Because they needed to arrive at the orienteering finish line early to prepare lunch, the others had already departed.
So, on the way to the finish line, if the two of them didn't run, they would most likely not be able to catch up to the main group.
So, should they run?
Only a ghost would run!
Having finally gotten a chance to be alone together, Mori Shinra would have to be crazy to want to rejoin the group.
Coincidentally, Yukinoshita Yukino had no intention of rushing Mori Shinra either.
She just walked alongside him at an unhurried pace.
Everything was understood without words.
The so-called orienteering was actually a competitive sport.
It's an outdoor sport where participants use a map and compass to find checkpoints in sequence in a natural environment, often sprinting at full speed.
However, considering the participants were a group of sixth-graders, the originally intense competition could become very casual.
The elementary schoolers were divided into small groups to enter the mountain, answering questions at various checkpoints marked on the map.
They competed based on the number of correct answers and the time taken.
In short, it was a competition that was very unfriendly to Yukinoshita Yukino.
After all, just finding the checkpoints was enough to give Yukinoshita trouble, let alone the fact that this was a team event.
"Speaking of which, Yukinoshita, did you participate in similar activities when you were in elementary school?"
When Mori Shinra asked this question, he could clearly feel the temperature around Yukinoshita drop by several degrees.
"I did."
Yukinoshita's words were sparse, as if she was recalling some bad memory.
Her face was frighteningly grim.
Hmm. It seems elementary school really is a wound that Yukinoshita Yukino can never get over.
Mori Shinra didn't even plan to ask what had happened.
Considering Yukinoshita had learned Aikido since she was a child, he could basically rule out physical bullying.
So, what remained was, without a doubt, social exclusion, the cold shoulder, and other methods of psychological bullying.
Just like... just like that elementary schooler.
Mori Shinra saw a group of elementary schoolers not far ahead.
There were five of them.
Four of them were walking in a tight bunch, while one girl, carrying a small backpack, lagged two steps behind.
Normally, a five-person group like this would either walk five-abreast, or split into two smaller groups, moving in a looser formation.
But overall, you could still tell they were a single group.
This group's formation, however, was very abnormal.
It's a 4-1 split push, so to speak.
Perhaps it was the principle of 'Stand users attract each other', but Yukinoshita also noticed this unusual group.
"Tsk."
She's 'tsking' in annoyance.
"Want to go ask what's going on?" Mori Shinra asked, seeing Yukinoshita's concerned expression.
"It's useless for us to go." As someone who had been through it, Yukinoshita knew very well that 'outsiders' like them interfering would not solve the problem.
On the contrary, it would only make things worse.
Coincidentally, the small, isolated girl also had straight black hair.
Her limbs were healthy and slender, and she had a delicate face.
She looked a bit more mature than others her age, and her clothes were cute.
You could tell her family was well-off.
She was the type of girl you could pick out of a crowd at a glance.
Mori Shinra could actually see a trace of Yukinoshita Yukino in this little girl.
If he had a daughter with Yukinoshita in the future... she would definitely be cuter than her.
"Are you sure you don't want to go?" Mori Shinra asked again.
Yukinoshita glanced at Mori Shinra and said, "If you're not afraid of trouble, you can try. The result will be the same anyway."
"Since you put it that way, I'll trust the professional's judgment." Mori Shinra was good at taking advice.
As the saying goes, a long illness makes a good doctor. Given Yukinoshita's situation, she's practically a medical academic on this subject.
So, he should listen to her.
Hearing Mori Shinra's words, Yukinoshita rolled her eyes at him, slightly speechless.
"But then again, with your personality, you wouldn't just ignore this, would you?" Mori Shinra asked again.
He knew very well that with Yukinoshita's nature, if she hadn't seen it, it would be one thing.
But now that she had, and she had the ability to help, she would absolutely not just leave it alone.
"It depends on the situation." Yukinoshita didn't answer him directly.
After all, a 4-1 split doesn't necessarily mean it's the '4's' fault. It could also be the '1's' problem, like throwing a tantrum. Rushing in without understanding anything could make her look like a clown.
Precisely because they needed to understand the situation, Yukinoshita and Mori Shinra both slowed their pace, following the group from a distance.
From afar, the girl who was lagging behind was only about one body-length behind the other four.
From an outsider's perspective, this distance was almost negligible.
You could still tell she was a member of their team.
However, both Yukinoshita and Mori Shinra knew very well that sometimes, what looks like a small gap is actually a high, invisible wall.
The seemingly isolated girl wasn't crying or making a fuss.
She just quietly followed behind her teammates.
Perhaps she found this too boring, as she would occasionally fiddle with the digital camera hanging around her neck.
But she was only fiddling; she had no intention of taking pictures.
"..."
Although they had only followed for a short distance, Yukinoshita had basically confirmed that the little girl was being isolated by her companions, not just throwing a tantrum.
The four girls in front would huddle together and whisper from time to time, their gazes occasionally falling on the girl behind them.
This was clearly them talking about her.
They were pretending to be discreet, but they weren't at all.
They seemed to be deliberately using this method to tell the girl, 'You are not welcome'.
It was subtle yet direct. Killing the person and twisting the knife.
Elementary schoolers truly are a very cruel species.
Perhaps this loneliness isn't a bad thing. The more a person grows, the more lonely they become. No one can completely understand another person, so loneliness is inevitable. Getting used to such loneliness early might not be a bad thing for that little girl. At least it will make her stronger. Yukinoshita thought to herself, temporarily deciding not to intervene.
But just because Yukinoshita thought so, didn't mean Mori Shinra would do the same.
"Excuse me, could you use your camera to take a picture of me and her?"
"...Okay."
The little girl clearly hadn't expected Mori Shinra to suddenly talk to her.
Perhaps it was because Mori Shinra didn't look like a bad person, or perhaps she recognized him as one of the volunteer "big brothers" from the camp.
In any case, she did not immediately refuse Mori Shinra's presumptuous request.
Their conversation quickly attracted the attention of the other four teammates.
They didn't come over, but rather watched from the side like they were watching a show.
They probably thought the little girl wouldn't be able to handle Mori Shinra.
"Thanks, I'll leave it to you. My name is Mori Shinra, and this is Yukinoshita Yukino. What's your name?" Mori Shinra introduced himself and smoothly asked for the girl's name.
"Tsurumi... Rumi." Tsurumi Rumi hesitated for a moment, but still gave her name.
"Rumi? That's a very pretty name." Mori Shinra showed a very approachable smile, one that rivaled, or even surpassed, Totsuka Saika's.
Yukinoshita Yukino, standing beside him, was momentarily dazed when she saw that smile.
By the time she snapped back, she found Mori Shinra had already pulled her to a signpost, to pose for the girl named Tsurumi Rumi.
The photo was taken.
Tsurumi Rumi checked it and was surprised to find that the photo she took this time was better than any she had taken before.
Was it a stroke of genius?
No, the composition and lighting were the same as always. Nothing had changed.
...Then it must be the people.
Mori Shinra and Yukinoshita Yukino were both in the top tier of human attractiveness.
Therefore, any photo of them, as long as it wasn't too ridiculous, was guaranteed to look good.
Doesn't the photography circle have a saying about the three elements of photography? Good-looking subject, good-looking subject, and good-looking subject.
But a digital camera wasn't a Polaroid. How could she give the photo to this big brother and big sister?
Tsurumi Rumi held the camera, a little troubled.
Seeing Mori Shinra and Yukinoshita walk over, she tensed up, but still gathered her courage to show them the finished product.
"You took a great picture!"
With his skill level, Mori Shinra could naturally see the flaws in Tsurumi Rumi's photo, but he praised her without hesitation.
After all, she's just an elementary schooler. Is lighting and composition something an elementary schooler should be worried about?
Besides, Mori Shinra could also tell that this child, Rumi, had some talent for photography. To be able to take a picture like this just by feel was already quite good.
"The photo... how do I give it to you?"
"There should be a place to develop photos at the camp, right? I'll take you there later. You can also take this opportunity to take more pictures with your friends. I'll help you develop all of them at once, as payment for you taking our picture.~"
Clearly, Mori Shinra had anticipated this, and even used the photo developing as a way to establish a second contact with Tsurumi Rumi.
It was as smooth as a Dove chocolate bar.
Yukinoshita Yukino, who had watched the entire process from the side, couldn't help but be puzzled.
Wait, why are you so skilled at this?
"Also..." Mori Shinra glanced at the other four girls and gave them a relatively kind smile, "As a reward, I can tell you the direction of the next checkpoint. Don't tell anyone, okay?"
Hearing this, the other four girls immediately perked up.
Ho ho, you can cheat like this?
"Thank you, big brother~" the girls said in unison, bidding Mori Shinra farewell.
Yukinoshita watched the children's departing backs and said coolly, "Just doing this won't change anything."
She understood what Mori Shinra was doing. He was just trying to increase Tsurumi Rumi's value to the team through these means, so the others would accept her again.
It's not that it won't have an effect, it's that it will have no effect.
As if to prove Yukinoshita's words, after Tsurumi Rumi rejoined the group, the smiling faces of the other girls tensed slightly.
Although none of them showed any overt rejection, like avoiding her, stamping their feet, or clicking their tongues, anyone slightly sensitive could feel that something was off.
They still hadn't accepted Tsurumi Rumi.
They had only made symbolic small talk because of Mori Shinra's help, and then went back to ignoring her.
Everything was back to how it was at the beginning.
Yukinoshita, watching from a distance, crossed her arms.
Her cold, pretty face showed no expression, but Mori Shinra could understand her meaning.
—'See? I knew it.'
"Is that what Hayama did back then?" Mori Shinra asked.
"More or less... How did you know?" Yukinoshita instinctively started to say 'more or less', but cut herself off halfway, realizing something was wrong.
"Just a guess. After all, you two were elementary school classmates, and your families are friends. With Hayama's personality, it's not strange for this to have happened," Mori Shinra shrugged.
Yukinoshita was silent for a moment, then said, "This matter..."
"I won't ask about it. If you want to tell me, I'll be happy to listen. If you don't want to, that's fine too. I'll just go hide under my blanket and cry by myself," Mori Shinra said, winking at Yukinoshita.
Hearing the young man's slightly playful words, Yukinoshita couldn't help but relax.
The corners of her mouth lifted slightly. "Then you can go cry."
"So heartless. But crying aside, I still believe that 'living with loneliness' isn't the only solution to this situation." Mori Shinra glanced at the golden exclamation mark above Yukinoshita's head.
His tone was casual, but full of confidence. "Perhaps I can show you another possibility?"
"..."
Perhaps sensing Mori Shinra's sincere and ardent gaze, Yukinoshita looked away, her eyes drifting to the woods in the distance.
Her voice came out, ethereal, "Suit yourself. But I will also help that child in my own way."
Hearing this, a giant lightbulb seemed to appear over Mori Shinra's head.
"Ah, I have an idea!"
"You're not going to make another bet with me, are you?"
"Scared?"
"Heh. I'm not going to pay for you to go to the zoo."
The implication was clear.
Yukinoshita had once again accepted Mori Shinra's challenge.
But unlike in the past, this time, Yukinoshita was going to be at full power.
Tsurumi Rumi? She was just her past