Yukinoshita had already changed into the traditional red-and-white shrine maiden outfit.
When she was jolted awake by someone calling her name.
Snapping back to reality, she turned toward the human who had interrupted her experiment.
Her adorable face was filled with displeasure, and her pale blue eyes, as cold as a frost demon's, glared with icy sharpness.
"Why are you still standing there? Was there something unclear about what I just said?"
Her slender brows furrowed tightly.
Her tone was as frigid as a professor harshly scolding a student for slacking off on their thesis.
Though her words were delivered with elegant intonation and flawless grammar—fitting the image of a refined lady.
There was an unmistakable chill in them that could make anyone shiver.
"Or have you already glimpsed a future where you can't possibly master this? If that's the case, at least you're self-aware enough not to get drunk on others' praise."
"You've accurately assessed your own limitations, which saves us both some time. We can move right on to the next approach…"
Even in her loose tracksuit, Yukinoshita Yukino's beauty was impossible to hide.
Anyone who laid eyes on her would agree—she lived up to her name.
She stood there with lips like cherry blossom petals, elegantly parting and closing as she spoke.
If a teacher like her were to dedicate herself to helping you succeed, even failing to graduate wouldn't seem so bad.
"Okay, okay! Stop nagging already—I'll go practice now!"
Kyousuke cut in quickly, hands raised in surrender.
Yukinoshita was stubborn, even when being sarcastic.
She never attacked others with baseless accusations—every sharp jab she made was grounded in fact.
Hearing his reply, Yukinoshita shot him another glare—one that was oddly charming despite her irritation.
Still, deep down, she breathed a small sigh of relief.
Cats really do have some mysterious kind of power.
Her thoughts had wandered without her even noticing.
Maybe pulling an all-nighter was too much after all—her focus was slipping, and she kept spacing out.
Thinking this, Yukinoshita covered her mouth with her right hand and stifled a yawn, her eyes subtly trailing Kyousuke's retreating figure.
"But are you okay, Yukinoshita-san?" he asked from in front of her without turning around. "If you're really that tired, take a break while you can. There's a rest room over there—you can use it."
He had noticed her fatigue the moment he first saw her.
She didn't have dark circles under her eyes, thanks to her naturally flawless looks, but his keen observation told him everything he needed to know.
She had definitely stayed up all night.
And now it was noon.
With sleep tugging at his own ankles, Kyousuke could absolutely relate to how she felt.
"Please don't waste your energy on irrelevant matters. If you're trying to change the subject because you're worried about not living up to my expectations—there's no need."
"I've long since prepared myself for the worst when it comes to human limitations. Even if you can't do this, I won't give up on you."
"Excessive confidence and excessive self-doubt are both unhealthy. If you can't find the balance between the two, then just trust me. Since Sakura entrusted you to me, it's my responsibility to make sure you learn how to dance."
Yukinoshita forced herself to perk up as she spoke.
That yawn had done nothing to ease her fatigue.
If anything, it had flipped a switch—her exhaustion from the past two days hit her like a tidal wave. Physically, she was never all that strong to begin with.
"…"
Kyousuke turned around and looked at her expressionlessly. Yukinoshita Yukino's eyelids were still trembling slightly, clearly fighting the urge to shut.
This girl… calling her a tsundere wasn't quite accurate. She was more like… just plain stubborn.
If it were Sakura, she wouldn't hesitate to lean right onto his shoulder and nap the moment she got tired. She'd even pull his arm around her waist like a seatbelt. That was straightforwardness.
If it were Eriri, she'd probably go, "You're the tired one, aren't you? Just say you want to rest, geez—what a pain."
Then she'd snarkily lean on him anyway.
That was her classic routine—tsundere to the core, but still honest in her own way.
But Yukinoshita Yukino?
She didn't deny she was tired, nor did she lie about it.
She just declined his concern in a way even more awkward than Eriri would have.
Maybe… that was her way of saying thank you? Hopefully she wasn't annoyed at him for slowing down her teaching schedule.
"…Whatever you say."
If it were Shouko, he might've put on a serious face and forced her to rest.
But this was Yukinoshita Yukino—a woman of absolute righteousness and precision.
Better to let her decide for herself.
He'd done his part by showing concern as the one receiving her help.
"…"
Now it was Yukinoshita's turn to have ellipses floating over her head.
She tilted her head slightly, her blank, sleepy expression making her look impossibly cute.
Her tired, pale blue eyes held obvious confusion.
From what she knew of Hojou Kyousuke, he should've kept pushing her to rest.
He was the kind of guy who'd immediately buy an ice pack if Nishimiya-san so much as slapped the table.
So why, when it came to her, did he just say "whatever"?
Her drowsy mind couldn't quite figure it out.
"Yukino-chan,Yukino-chan~!"
A cheerful voice suddenly rang out nearby.
Sakura, who had been hiding up until now—appeared out of nowhere, brimming with energy and joy.
The lively aura around her stood in stark contrast to the sleepy atmosphere that had settled between the other two.
Hearing her voice, both drowsy parties straightened up a little.
"Kyousuke, why are you still slacking off? We're about to hold a public vote to kick you out of the performance group."
Even in the dimly lit practice room, Sakura's golden eyes shone like the sun.
She poked Kyousuke on the nose as she teased him.
"Oh? Sounds like a great deal!" Kyousuke replied with a grin.
"Of course I'm joking. That was just a little daydream I cooked up for you. So technically, you have had a nap. Now get it together and go practice!"
Sakura laughed even harder, then playfully pushed him forward with both hands on his lower back.
"Meanwhile, I'll borrow little Yukino here for a quick break~"
She looped her arm through Yukinoshita's.
"Hm? No way" Yukinoshita immediately refused.
This was no time to rest, Hojou would run off the first chance he got.
Since she'd finally caught him, she had to make the most of it.
"Whether it's as the Service Club president entrusted with this task, or as your assistant director, I can't afford to leave right now."
Every inch of her body was screaming for rest—even standing felt exhausting—but she held firm.
Improvement only came through challenging your limits.
If she wanted to achieve her goals, she'd face many more days like this in the future.
Might as well start getting used to it now.
Yukinoshita Yukino knew her flaws and shortcomings well.
Just as she always said—everyone has them.
Facing them honestly was something she took pride in.
That honesty would help her overcome any obstacle and grow even closer to perfection.
Hearing that, Yamauchi Sakura tilted her head thoughtfully before cheerfully saying,
"Then come with me to the break room. Let's hold a little strategy meeting—on how to keep Kyousuke from making a total fool of himself in front of the whole school."
At the mention of the break room, Yukinoshita felt a shameful flutter in her chest.
Even as she scolded herself for being so soft, she hesitated.
"But what about Hojou? Without someone watching him, will he actually practice properly?"
This guy was just telling her to take a break, yet he looked like he could barely keep his eyes open himself.
Of course, her own exhaustion came from staying up late, while his was simply the result of poor life habits.
As someone well-versed in human behavior, Yukinoshita understood all too well how terrifying "habits" could be.
Deep-rooted habits could become second nature—almost instinct.
On the scale of sleepiness, she figured Hojou Kyousuke was probably on the same level as her.
"Yukinoshita-san, just what kind of image do you have of me? I'm not that lazy, you know," Kyousuke protested.
While he was never above taking shortcuts, once it came down to moments where real effort was required, he never slacked off.
"Yep! I can vouch for that!" Sakura chimed in with a bright smile.
No one understood Kyousuke's willpower and tenacity better than she did.
He might normally resemble a hibernating bear, but when it came to things he truly cared about, his stubbornness could rival—even surpass—Yukinoshita's.
Yukinoshita recalled the line he'd muttered earlier: "Whatever, do as you like."
She was about to criticize him for lacking the persistence to persuade others—but then she glanced at Sakura by her side and Nishimiya next to Hojou, and she suddenly felt as though she were witnessing some invisible bond tying them all together.
"…Fine. I'll come by later to check your progress."
With a slight bow—perhaps her version of saying "Good luck in battle"—she allowed herself to be led away by Sakura.
One of them was the team captain, the other the assistant leader.
They weren't just leading one drama club subgroup—they were overseeing the entire Red Team.
Sakura had gone around inspecting the other group leaders earlier, and the only reason she kept hovering around the drama team was… well, because of someone in particular.
"Yukinoshita-san is really amazing,"
Shouko murmured in awe, watching their backs disappear down the hallway.
The moment she entered the clubroom earlier and saw Yukinoshita and those sketches, she'd been completely stunned.
Faced with Kyousuke-kun—who seemed cursed with a "thou shalt not dance" spell—Yukinoshita didn't explode in frustration, nor did she give up.
She just kept searching for a different approach.
And now, in just a single day, she'd managed to create something this impressive.
Sakura even said Yukinoshita probably hadn't slept last night.
She looked just as sleepy as Kyousuke-kun, who hadn't even had a nap.
She was just… trying so hard.
"Yeah, almost too hard," Kyousuke said, chuckling as he looked at Shouko's earnest expression. "Like someone's whacking her on the butt with a stick every five minutes."
Shouko pouted and tugged gently on his sleeve. "Kyousuke-kun, you should start practicing. Don't let Yukinoshita-san's efforts go to waste."
No one had told her to, but she had taken it upon herself to stay and help Kyousuke practice.
"Eh? I was hoping you'd let me nap in your lap, Shou-chan." He put on a mock-wounded expression.
"Ugh" Shouko puffed her cheeks and let out an indignant whine.
If she let him keep talking, she knew she'd end up going from observer to accomplice.
"Alright, alright. You should rest too, Shouko. Didn't you get up really early today?"
Kyousuke reached out and gently patted her head, stroking her hair softly.
"I'm fine!" Shouko shook her head firmly.
Waking up an hour earlier than usual wasn't tiring—it was more like charging up.
After all, that quiet time alone with Hojou-kun was special… just like this moment now.
"Haha, okay then."
————————————————————————
Meanwhile, Yukinoshita had followed Sakura to a small door in the southeast corner of the clubroom.
"This is Hojou's private break room? As the kendo club's advisor?" she asked, looking at the door.
"Yep. Don't worry about cleanliness—Kyousuke's a total neat freak."
Sakura pulled out a key from her pocket and slipped it into the lock.
She hadn't changed into gym clothes either, still wearing her skirted school uniform.
Clearly, she had never intended to participate in the rehearsal.
"That's not what I meant. This is the faculty break room, isn't it? Are we really allowed to use it?"
"Huh?"
As the lock clicked open, Sakura glanced back at her in confusion.
Wasn't that a bit too uptight?
"We got permission from the teachers, didn't we?" She waved the key for emphasis.
"…Then I guess it's fine." Yukinoshita gave a small nod.
If it was authorized, then she had no objections.
For a girl named Yukinoshita Yukino, this was one of the rare moments in her sixteen-year life when she felt like she was going against the grain.
The only other time she had rebelled against her strict upbringing was when she moved out of her family home to live alone.
Everyone who met her instinctively saw her as a proper, well-mannered young lady. And upon getting to know her, that impression only deepened.
Why? Because it was true—she'd followed her mother's teachings, her family's expectations, every step of the way.
That's why, even when school started, she didn't leverage her family's connection to the school board to fast-track the approval of the Service Club.
Sakura shrugged off Yukinoshita's rigidity after a few seconds.
Like Yukino herself said, everyone has their quirks—and that's what makes people normal.
"Need slippers? There's disposable ones here." She slipped into host mode, even though she'd only been here once before herself.
"Thank you." Yukinoshita nodded and stood demurely in place, her eyes scanning the small, roughly 4.5-tatami room.
A spotless desk with no signs of use.
A single bed with pristine white sheets.
Large storage drawers underneath.
Sakura crouched down to fetch the slippers, and at the back of the room was a private shower.
It looked exactly like you'd expect a faculty rest area to look.
Like a minimalist cell—but, you know, the kind in a country with good social welfare.
"Don't just stand there. The bed's super comfy. I bought the mattress and sheets myself—perfect for a nap." Sakura gestured invitingly.
"…Mmm." Yukinoshita's pale cheeks flushed slightly.
Aside from school infirmaries and hospitals, no one had ever offered her rest like this.
She didn't have any friends, so sleepovers or late-night hangouts at someone's house were completely foreign concepts to her.
But she had heard about them.
Not from eavesdropping—her class, 1-J, was an international education class, mostly filled with wealthy girls.
Their after-school conversations typically revolved around new clothes, shoes, or art their families had just bought.
Inevitably, they'd all end with the same phrase:
"Come hang out at my place this weekend."
As she sat on the soft mattress, Yukinoshita felt her thoughts slipping out of control.
"Come over to my house after school, Yukino-chan."
Yeah… she was actually starting to hallucinate.
Logically speaking, missing one night of sleep shouldn't mess her up this badly.
Was it because she hadn't been exercising at all lately?
Probably. Ever since high school started, she'd been pouring way too much energy into all sorts of unrelated things.
She really needed to—
"Yukino?" Yamauchi Sakura called out again.
"Huh?" Yukinoshita jerked her head up.
So it wasn't a hallucination after all.
"I asked if you want to come over to my place after school," Sakura repeated.
"Your place?"
'…Do you have a cat?'
The moment that thought crossed her mind, Yukino was stunned.
Why was that the first thing she thought of?
Shouldn't she be questioning why she was being invited to Sakura's house in the first place?
After all, they weren't exactly close enough to casually hang out at each other's homes.
"Yeah, isn't it normal for high school girls to visit friends' houses after school?"
Sakura sat in the desk chair, clearly amused by Yukino's confused expression.
This was way too entertaining.
Even though Kasumigaoka-senpai didn't really have friends either, she would never react like this.
Guess you can't generalize people just because they're friendless.
Senpai had deliberately built walls around herself, keeping away anyone she deemed weak.
But Yukino… she was different.
She wanted friends.
Leaning over the back of the chair, Sakura narrowed her eyes playfully as she stared at the dark-haired girl across from her, grinning.
"W-What?" Yukino stammered, clearly flustered.
"Of course I know that kind of thing is normal."
Even her pale blue eyes started to drift away, trying to escape Sakura's gaze.
So cute.
Sakura could barely contain her curiosity—
She really wanted to see what it would be like when little Yukino finally met Kasumigaoka-senpai.