Yuigahama turned around
and sure enough, it was Ryan.
A wave of joy rushed through her chest.
She had mentally prepared herself to meet him again someday
but she didn't expect it to happen this soon.
"Ah it's you!
Thank you so much for saving Sablé this morning.
I didn't even get to thank you properly before you left.
Right, um I'm Yuigahama Yui."
"It's fine.
It was nothing.
I'm Ryan Hoshino."
Yuigahama repeated the name internally
Ryan Hoshino.
Like she wanted to carve it into her memory.
"So… Yuigahama-san…
could you move aside?"
"Ah ! S-sorry!"
Her face flushed bright red.
She finally realized she had been blocking the doorway the whole time
and hurried to step aside.
Ryan walked past her straight to his seat.
Yuigahama also entered and found her own desk.
For the rest of the day, she didn't get a single chance to talk to Ryan
too busy getting to know new classmates.
After all, in Japanese schools,
if you don't find your friend group within the first week,
you'll basically be socially dead for the entire term.
But a month later
Yuigahama realized she couldn't keep going like this.
So she asked the teacher about the Service Club,
a group that helped students with personal problems.
She walked to the clubroom and knocked.
A cold voice came from inside.
"Come in."
"S-sorry to intrude.
Hiratsuka-sensei sent me "
She opened the door.
Inside the large, empty classroom
sat two people.
One was the infamous "Ice Queen" of their grade
Yukinoshita Yukino.
The other one
completely stunned Yuigahama.
"Eh?!
Ryan-kun?
Why are you here?
Shouldn't you be at soccer practice?"
Yukino pulled out a chair.
"Yuigahama-san, right?
Please sit."
After Yuigahama sat down, she blinked.
"Em… do you know me?"
Ryan answered instantly:
"Yukino here memorized the entire school roster."
"Wow… amazing.
So you and Yukinoshita-san are close?"
Yukino glanced sideways at Ryan
her eyes saying: We're close? Since when?
Ryan noticed and explained himself.
"Don't you remember my class?
She's my classmate."
Then he looked at Yuigahama.
"And soccer practice is boring.
So I ditched."
Yukino sighed.
"You're not even afraid the coach will kick you off the team?"
"Would he dare?
I won nationals three years in a row in middle school.
Without me, our soccer team wouldn't even qualify.
Besides
I came here because I didn't want you sitting all alone."
Their casual friendliness stung Yuigahama's chest
for some reason she didn't understand.
"Haha… Ryan-kun feels kinda different from how he is in class…"
"Don't mind him," Yukino said.
"He's quiet with people he doesn't know.
Once he's comfortable, he acts like an idiot."
"So, Yuigahama-san what do you need help with?"
Yuigahama flushed and sneakily glanced at Ryan.
"I… want to thank someone.
But I don't know how."
"Is it a boy or a girl?" Yukino asked.
"A… a boy."
"Then ask Ryan," Yukino said instantly.
"He understands what boys want more than we do."
Feeling targeted, Ryan pointed at himself.
"Me?
Huh… let me think.
Do you like him?"
Yuigahama's face turned bright red
red like a tomato left out in the sun.
"N-no!!
It's not like that!
He just… helped me a lot… and I want to thank him…"
"So you do like him."
Smack.
Yukino karate-chopped Ryan's head.
"Don't say weird things.
She said she wants to thank him."
"But look at her face.
If that's not love, I don't know what is."
Yukino studied Yuigahama for a moment.
"…Her face is indeed much redder than before."
Steam practically rose from Yuigahama's head.
She wanted to sink into the floor.
Even she didn't understand her feelings yet.
Why did she always find herself glancing at him?
Why did her heartbeat jump when their eyes met?
Is… this… what liking someone feels like?
Ryan leaned forward.
"So who is the guy?
Hayama?
He's popular with girls, sure
not as handsome as me,
not as good at soccer as me
in the team he's a total small fry compared to me,
but he's a decent guy.
Kinda like an AC unit
treats everyone the same."
"Are you complimenting him or insulting him?" Yukino muttered.
Yuigahama panicked.
"No! Not Hayama!
Yumiko likes him!
And I definitely don't like guys like him!"
"Yeah, poor Yumiko
liking someone who only uses her as a shield."
Ryan said casually.
Yuigahama froze.
If Yumiko heard this I'd be dead.
Yukino flicked Ryan's forehead again.
"Stop talking behind people's backs."
"What?
Am I wrong?
Hayama just tries not to offend anyone."
"We are NOT here to evaluate Hayama.
Give Yuigahama proper advice."
"Okay, okay.
So she wants to give a boy a thank-you gift."
Yuigahama nodded.
Ryan smirked.
"I know.
If you're giving a gift to a boy
it HAS to be cookies."
"Cookies…?
That could work."
"But…" Yuigahama mumbled,
"I've never baked before.
I only help my mom sometimes…"
"No worries!
We have the all-knowing, all-powerful Yukinoshita-sama here!
She'll teach you."
"'All-powerful' is too much…
but I can teach you," Yukino replied.
"You two are so close…" Yuigahama blurted.
"Are you… dating?"
Yukino's face turned red this time.
"N-no!
We've just known each other since we were little…"
"Oh!
Childhood friends?
I'm so jealous!"
For some reason, Yuigahama felt relieved.
The three of them moved to the home ec room.
Yukino began instructing Yuigahama step by step.
After a long while
The final product emerged.
A tray of pitch-black lumps.
Ryan immediately scooted his chair back.
"Uh… Yuigahama… did you add too much chocolate?"
"W-wait, are you making fun of me??
And stop calling me Yuigahama!
Call me Yui!"
"What kind of nickname is that?
Sounds silly."
"I thought… we got closer… so maybe we could use nicknames.
Otherwise calling each other formally feels distant…"
"Do whatever you want.
What do you call Yukino?"
"A-Yuki."
Yuigahama burst into laughter.
"Ahaha! A-Yuki!
That's hilarious!"
She didn't notice Yukino's dark aura rising behind Ryan.
Yukino placed a threatening hand on his shoulder.
"What's so funny, Ryan-kun?
Now eat the cookies Yui worked so hard to make."
Ryan slowly turned,
meeting Yukino's terrifying smile.
"Yukino…are you trying to murder your future husband?
If I eat that, you won't see me for a month."
"Oh hush.
It's just a cookie.
Watch, I'll eat one first."
Yuigahama stared at the coal-black cookie in her hand.
She swallowed, steeled her nerves…
and took a bite.
" cough! cough! cough!"
She ran to the trash can, coughing violently.
Yukino patted her back.
Ryan handed her water.
"You didn't have to risk your life, you know."
"Enough," Yukino sighed.
"She's learned her lesson."
Yuigahama, embarrassed but determined,
resolved to make edible cookies.
Hours later, the sky had turned sunset red.
Yuigahama held up a bag of freshly baked cookies,
this time actually looking like real food.
"I did it!
I finally made them!"
Ryan inspected them.
"Yep.
They look edible.
Give these to the guy you like
taste doesn't matter as much as your feelings."
"Thank you both
really.
These bags are for you."
They accepted them, praying they wouldn't die.
Over the next few days,
Yuigahama kept visiting the Service Club
and eventually, she officially joined.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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