After agreeing to Mahiru's request, Yukino Yukinoshita and the others picked out several well-known light novels to recommend to her.
Writing comes down to two things: talent and intake. You have to read how others write. Once you've read enough, many techniques start to feel instinctive. It's also a field with an extreme gap between success and failure—some reach fame with a single book, while others remain unknown, supported only by passion.
Ren allowed Mahiru to pursue this not only because it was the first dream she had clearly voiced, but also for a simpler reason… he could afford to support her.
Whether Mahiru eventually succeeded as a writer didn't matter. Anyone who chases a dream deserves respect, and those experiences would become some of her most precious memories.
Of course, if he couldn't afford it, it would be a different story. Without financial backing, Ren would first observe whether Mahiru actually had the talent. If she didn't, he would advise her not to throw herself at a wall she couldn't break.
There was an old saying: trying to talk someone into becoming a writer is practically a sin. It wasn't only a joke. Dreams are easier to chase when you're already fed. Without talent, stubbornly clinging to writing is a fast way to end up hungry.
"Thank you, Yukinoshita-san."
Holding the light novels Yukino had selected, Mahiru began flipping through them. She hadn't had much exposure to light novels before. In the little free time she had, she spent every minute improving herself, leaving no space for hobbies. Naturally, light novels—something meant for relaxation—were something she'd kept at arm's length.
Now, with her body and mind finally able to relax, Mahiru found herself sinking into the stories almost immediately. Tales she could only imagine in real life were laid out perfectly on the page. That was the unique charm of light novels.
I believe… there must be another "me" somewhere in this world.
Doing the things I don't dare to do.
Living the life I wish I could live.
As her fingers brushed over the passage, Mahiru smiled. And then, even as she smiled, her nose stung for no clear reason. She believed it too. She believed there was another version of her out there—a version who had never met Ren.
That version of her would have drifted through life in a daze. Maybe even until the day she died, she would never have truly understood what a "dream" was.
"Shiina-san, please have some tea."
Yukino handed her a freshly brewed cup of black tea at just the right moment, cutting off Mahiru's thoughts and pulling her back from the world in her head.
"Thank you, Yukinoshita-san."
"You're welcome."
After giving Mahiru a cup, Yukino brewed one for Yui Yuigahama, then one for herself, and only at the very end for Hachiman Hikigaya. It was rude—and somehow completely normal for her.
Hachiman awkwardly rubbed his nose, pretending he hadn't noticed. It seemed his earlier look of pity had hit Yukino's pride harder than he expected.
"HikIgaya-san, what terrible thing are you thinking now?"
Yukino's instincts were practically screaming at her. Without hesitation, she aimed her words at him. From a psychological standpoint, rubbing your nose was often a tell—an attempt to hide something. That tiny gesture was more than enough "evidence" for her.
"Cough… you're imagining things, President Yukinoshita."
Hachiman surrendered immediately, even pulling out the title "President." Leaving the Service Club wasn't an option; Shizuka Hiratsuka's iron fist still hung over his head like a threat. If he wanted his life in the club to be even slightly bearable, "integrity" was a luxury he couldn't afford.
The price of being extremely rational was this: you lose your dignity. You become someone who'll do anything necessary just to protect yourself. Without Ren's guidance, Hachiman would have slipped back into that lonely maze again.
"Yukinon, this is really good!"
After blowing on the rim of the cup and testing the temperature with the tip of her tongue, Yui let out an honest compliment. Compared to other teas, this one had a rich honey-fruit aroma and a fuller body. Without thinking, Yui praised Yukino's brewing.
"Yuigahama-san, I don't believe our relationship has reached the point where you can use my nickname."
That question had been sitting with Yukino ever since Mahiru's earlier knock interrupted them. Now that the library was quiet—and they wouldn't disturb anyone—Yukino finally asked it. She was socially awkward herself and had spent too long without friends. She genuinely didn't understand how Yui could be so… familiar so quickly.
"Eh? Aren't Yukinon and I friends?!"
Yui's eyes widened in disbelief. In her mind, she and Yukino were already close, and friends calling each other by name felt completely natural.
"Or… does Yukinon not accept me as a friend…"
Rejected by the person she admired, Yui instantly looked like an abandoned puppy, shoulders slumping as she stared at Yukino in disappointment.
"I didn't say that, Yuigahama-san."
"Then why won't Yukinon call me Yui?"
"Th—" Yukino hesitated, then finally gave in. "…Yui."
Like Hachiman, Yukino also longed for a friend.
"Yay! Yukinon!"
Yui's happiness was immediate—like a puppy that only needs to hear its name to start wagging its tail. She leaned in to cling to Yukino, only to be stopped by a hand pressed firmly against her forehead.
"Please be quiet in the library, Yuig… Yui."
"Oh, right!" Yui immediately corrected herself and sat neatly beside Yukino.
"Yukinoshita-san… would you mind if I became your friend as well?"
After seeing the exchange between Yui and Yukino, Mahiru chose to step in. She could tell Yukino's personality was awkward more than cold, and she understood Yukino wasn't actually the "Ice Queen" people whispered about.
Ren had given Mahiru warmth, and Mahiru wanted to pass a little of that warmth to others. Of course, she would only offer that warmth to girls. If her fiancé got jealous, she would be the one suffering for it. Mahiru understood her place clearly—she knew exactly what she could do, and what she shouldn't.
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