"If you like cats that much, Yukino-senpai, why not just get one yourself?"
Now satisfied, Iroha tilted her head in confusion as she spoke.
"You live alone, so you don't have to consider anyone else's opinion. And senpai, you probably wouldn't have trouble affording to raise a cat, right?"
Yui nodded in agreement as she glanced around.
"Yeah, and your house is big too! There should be plenty of space for a litter box and a cat bed."
Yukino responded,
"I have indeed thought about getting a cat. But sometimes, before doing something, you need to consider what might happen afterward."
"Like what?"
"I'm a student. I'm out most of the day. If I had a cat but couldn't spend much time with it, I feel like it would get lonely."
"Lo...lonely."
Iroha, seeing Yukino's serious expression as she said this, once again realized just how much she loved cats.
Normally, do pet owners even think about things like this?
People always have various things to deal with. Unless they're total homebodies or retired elderly people, who actually stays home all day?
Yukino continued,
"It's not just loneliness. I also have to consider the various unexpected things that might happen when I'm not home."
"It's not that serious, Yukinon! Cats are actually pretty easy to take care of as pets. Otherwise, so many people wouldn't be adopting them.
As long as you feed them on time, make sure they have water, and take them for regular check-ups at the vet, everything else just happens naturally."
"That may be true, but when it comes to actually doing it, there will always be unpredictable situations. I do love cats...
But honestly, I have no confidence that I could take proper care of one.
Until I feel fully prepared and capable of handling the responsibility, I don't think I'll make a hasty decision to get a cat."
'So heavy...'
Iroha and Yui exchanged glances after hearing Yukino's incredibly serious response.
Was adopting a cat really such a serious and weighty matter?
Why did it feel like, for Yukino, getting a cat was no easier than raising a baby?
Just how much did she love cats...?
"Haha... Haha. Let's not talk about this for now. Um, I'm stepping out for a bit. Gonna visit the neighbors across the hall."
Iroha got up.
Yukino didn't react particularly.
Yui gave her an encouraging look.
"Good luck!"
"I'm just going to say hi, Yui-senpai. What are you even talking about?"
"Yeah, yeah~"
Iroha left the living room, and soon, the sound of the apartment door closing echoed.
Yui picked up a cherry, sat next to Yukino, and with a cheerful "Here!" held it out toward her mouth.
Seeing the overly bright smile on her face, Yukino had no choice but to bite into it and catch it with her hand.
"That person is impressive, sure, but also a huge flirt. I wonder if Iroha-chan's love will actually work out."
Hearing her casual remark, Yukino swallowed the cherry and slowly turned her gaze toward the window.
The sunlight was strong. The sky was a brilliant, unbroken blue.
"Who knows?"
"I heard from her that lately, their contact has decreased a lot.
She feels like he's deliberately avoiding her, but she doesn't have any good way to deal with it. Looks like Iroha-chan still has a long road ahead in her love life."
"..."
Yukino didn't respond, quietly absorbing the information Yui had just shared.
She used to have little interest in conversations about Chisato, but after spending time together recently, her perspective had changed.
Now, she was a little curious about him.
"Let's stop talking about this~ Gossiping about others behind their backs isn't great. Oh yeah, do you have any plans this Sunday, Yukinon?"
"Nothing in particular. Why?"
"Well~ This Sunday, there's going to be a fireworks festival at Meiji Jingu Gaien in the evening!"
"A fireworks festival..."
Yukino imagined the scene, picturing the massive crowds, and immediately shook her head.
"Sorry, finals are coming up. I'd rather stay home and study."
"Oh... I see."
A moment later, the doorbell rang.
"Eh? That was fast..."
Yui got up and walked toward the entrance, with Yukino following behind, somewhat curious.
As soon as she opened the door, Iroha walked in with a gloomy expression, completely silent, her earlier enthusiasm gone.
Yui was about to ask what happened when she made eye contact with someone standing at the entrance of the Suzumiya household across the hall.
It was a blonde girl with twin tails.
Eriri.
The girl had one hand on the door lock. Noticing Yuigahama looking at her, she gave a small, polite smile before gently closing the door.
Yukino also saw this scene.
She lowered her gaze thoughtfully and looked at Iroha, who had taken off her shoes and was now clutching her waist like a child who had been wronged outside and had come home seeking comfort.
Yukino was at a loss, feeling both helpless and resigned.
It seemed that Iroha had just been dealt a serious blow by that girl's words, leaving her in the current state of utter dejection.
As Yui gently comforted her, Iroha gradually let go of her grip and returned to the living room.
"Um… what happened, Iroha-chan?"
Yui asked in an extremely gentle voice, cautious and concerned.
Yukinoshita, on the surface, maintained a detached expression, but in reality, she had perked up her ears.
"It's nothing… but, Yui-senpai…"
Iroha, her gaze dim, didn't want to explain too much about what had just happened. Instead, she asked in a low voice:
"Even if a couple has a really good relationship, there's always a chance they might break up, right?"
"…Huh?"
The question completely caught Yui off guard. But more importantly…
Iroha-chan, what do you mean by that?! That's seriously worrying!
"Um… Iroha-chan, I think if you've tried everything and still see no hope of success, it might be better to stop and let go."
As a senpai, she gave the most sincere advice she could.
But Iroha didn't seem to hear a word of it.
She clenched her fists tightly, looking absolutely furious as she muttered under her breath:
"What the hell… that woman, showing off like that on purpose… As if I'd give up because of that…"
Yui let out a strained smile as she gently patted Iroha's head, trying to calm her down. Then she turned to Yukino with a pleading look.
Yukino silently shook her head. With Iroha's stubborn attitude toward this relationship, it was unlikely that anything they said now would make a difference.
Still, her previous complete rejection of the situation had softened somewhat.
Suzumiya Chisato, if one ignored his womanizing nature, was undeniably an outstanding individual.
He lived up to what people commonly referred to as a "genius."
So, it was understandable why Iroha was so infatuated with him.
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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