Haru accompanied Megumi to the bookstore. Watching her browse through textbooks with such quiet determination, he finally realized—she was seriously committed to learning Chinese.
After they picked out a few suitable books, he checked his phone while saying casually,"There are actually a lot of great resources online. If you're interested, I can compile something for you. I've got time."
Megumi gave a soft smile and gently replied, "Holding a book in your hands just feels different. No matter how convenient videos and websites are, they can't replace that."
Haru blinked. "That… makes sense. So you're right."
Megumi didn't say anything. She simply looked at him for a few seconds, then quietly asked,"Has Utaha-senpai been talking to you recently? She's been messaging me a lot less lately."
"I've seen her a couple of times lately, yeah… but she didn't say anything about that…"
Halfway through, Haru paused.
Could it be…?
Utaha and Yukino had been spending more time together lately. Their conversations seemed more frequent too.
Ever since that It Takes Two session, something about their dynamic had shifted—into something… stranger.
They weren't quite friends. They argued constantly, and yet—it was like a daily mission. If they didn't bicker, the world might collapse.
He suspected Utaha had redirected her focus to Yukino, which might explain why she was messaging Megumi less often.
But he couldn't exactly say that. What was he supposed to tell her?
Senpai's too busy trying to win a boss fight against Yukino, so she forgot you exist?
Even those bunny and cat ears she brought up a few days ago—he was pretty sure she meant every word.
She might genuinely be planning to get a photo of Yukino in cat ears.
She might already have her phone camera on standby.
"You're quiet," Megumi said softly, blinking her clear, calm eyes.
Haru snapped back. "Nothing. I just remembered she's been chatting with Yukino a lot lately."
"I see."
She sounded indifferent.
But in her heart, Megumi quietly thought: So I've been left out again.
Whether it was the hot spring trip or this—on the surface, it seemed like everyone was part of one circle. But the truth was, she was always standing just outside of it.
Haru noticed the shift in her mood and quickly changed the subject.
"I'll still make you a list of online resources. Even if you don't use them right away, it'll be useful to have on hand."
"Thank you."
They walked back together, Megumi carrying the bag, clearly distracted.
Haru tried to lighten the mood, but she only offered flat responses like "Oh" and "I see."
It was clear—she wasn't in the mood to chat.
That made him wonder.
Did Senpai and Megumi have a falling-out?
It wasn't impossible.
But he didn't know enough yet. He figured he'd ask Yukino when he got home.
At a street corner, Megumi suddenly spoke up.
"By the way, Utaha-senpai showed me a video the other day."
"What kind of video?" Haru paused mid-step.
Megumi turned to face him, her delicate features calm."It was of you in that tokusatsu costume. I noticed she had it saved in a private folder."
Haru blinked. "So what? Maybe she just didn't want anyone else seeing it. I mean, I'm embarrassed by it myself."
Megumi's eyes remained clear and steady.
"Isn't it possible she wanted me to notice that?"
"…Huh?"
But Megumi didn't elaborate. She only said, "She also mentioned Yukinoshita has a video like that too. Honestly, seeing you out in public wearing that suit—it was kind of funny."
Then, Haru understood.
She wants her own copy.
"That's easy. I can borrow the suit from Furukawa again. He probably won't say no."
A faint smile flickered in Megumi's eyes."Then invite Yukinoshita too."
"Huh? Yukino?"
"Yes. I heard her voice in the background of Utaha-senpai's video. She clearly enjoyed teasing you."
"…So this is just a setup for her entertainment now."
Still, Haru found the idea amusing. He had been meaning to ask Yukino about it anyway.
If he wore the suit again, she'd definitely be the first to show up.
"Then let's do it tonight," Haru offered. "No need to wait a few days—it's still break, after all."
"Sounds good."
After parting ways, Haru contacted Furukawa, who agreed to lend the suit almost too enthusiastically.
"My build doesn't do justice to the Ultraman Zero suit," Furukawa declared. "Take my place and embody the light, Haru!"
Embarrassing? Sure. But Haru loved it.
Only among the guys in their private group chats could they truly let their nerdy flags fly—rambling about anime, games, or "wholesome" artwork that eventually derailed every single conversation.
Back at home, Haru brought it up with Yukino.
She quietly listened, petting a cat with practiced elegance.
When he finished, she asked in a neutral tone, "Just the three of us?"
"Yeah. Just the three of us. Megumi said she liked the first video and wanted one for herself. You probably wouldn't mind keeping a second one either. As for me…"
He shrugged. "There's a saying—some things only happen once or infinite times. I've already done it once, so what's one more?"
It sounded logical. But Yukino lifted an eyebrow thoughtfully.
"You forgot one thing."
"What?"
Yukino lifted her delicate face, voice calm and precise. "Kato never mentioned Utaha-senpai—not once. But the video she saw? Was from Senpai."
Haru froze, starting to realize what she meant.
Yukino, always perceptive, continued, "You said she noticed Senpai kept it in a private folder, right? But a normal person showing a video would just play it. Why show the folder?"
She smiled faintly. "It was intentional. Senpai and I have the first tokusatsu video. Megumi wasn't part of that. Now, she wants to create a second—without Senpai."
Haru stared at her, stunned.
Yukino smiled in satisfaction. "In short, Megumi and Senpai are about to go to war."
Haru muttered, "And you… were never excluded from either video."
He hadn't expected this many layers.
Yukino tilted her chin up proudly. "Who do you think I am?"
I am Yukinoshita Yukino—the main heroine.
Megumi could challenge her, or she could challenge Utaha.But she wouldn't dare challenge both.
Yukino remembered something Haru once said while watching a cartoon:
You can bully Tom. Or you can bully Jerry. But never both at once.
That's the Tom and Jerry principle.
Haru pressed a palm to his forehead in disbelief.
Yukino rarely saw him this flustered. She teased, "There's a saying—true understanding of the world is wisdom. Mastering social dynamics is art. So… what did you learn from all this?"
Haru sighed. "I finally understand what they mean when they say that a dormitory for four girls can have more than a dozen groups."
Yukino blinked. Then she caught the meaning—instantly.
"You're ridiculous."
A dozen group chats?
She wasn't that childish.
Just as that thought passed through her mind, her phone buzzed.
[Yukinoshita Yukino has been added to a new group chat by Yukinoshita Haruno.]
Followed by:
[Amamiya Haru has been added to the group.]
Haruno: Good afternoon~ I'm finally free. Want to hang out?
Yukino stared blankly at the new chat. Then glanced at the "family" group chat where her sister also lurked… and the three-person group chat their mother had created with her and Haru.
She fell completely silent.