After all, cramming two days' worth of lessons into one was no small feat. By the time today's lessons wrapped up, the sky had already grown dark.
As promised, Yukinoshita asked Mr. Itō to drive her home.
Kasumigaoka could tell that Yukinoshita truly admired Miss Kasushiko-sensei.
In Yukinoshita's eyes, Kasushiko-sensei was a graceful woman in her thirties elegant, warmhearted, and steadfast. A woman who pursued her dreams with clarity and conviction.
She genuinely envied people like that.
The filter through which Yukinoshita viewed Kasushiko was so flattering that it left Kasumigaoka a bit uneasy. What if her identity got exposed?
Would Yukinoshita come after her for sullying her idol's name?
Clearing her throat, Kasumigaoka asked, "Yukinoshita, what kind of person do you think I am?"
Yukinoshita, seated beside her in the back seat, glanced at her in confusion. She then looked at Mr. Itō in the front and fell silent.
Kasumigaoka immediately bristled. "Am I that terrible?!"
Seriously? Was she really so awful that Yukinoshita couldn't even say it out loud in front of others?
Yukinoshita replied serenely, "It's good that you're at least self-aware."
Kasumigaoka let out a short, incredulous laugh. "Have you ever considered that the Kasushiko-sensei you admire might actually be someone just like me?"
Yukinoshita gave her a pitying look. "I know Kasushiko-sensei far better than you do. The fact that she considers you a friend must be due to a momentary lapse in judgment. Don't flatter yourself by lumping the two of you together."
What the hell!
This woman's words were positively venomous!
And yet, because she was both praising and insulting the same person her it was hard to get truly angry.
Kasumigaoka huffed, "I'm mad now!"
"Oh."
"I curse you to forever follow web novels that either get axed or abandoned! The ones you like are all written by chronic quitters using alt accounts! And your beloved Kasushiko-sensei? She's actually a bratty, love-struck high school girl!"
Yukinoshita stared at her. "You're horrible."
If I truly committed a crime, let the law punish me not some evil eighteen-year-old girl bent on ruining my life!
The two bickered wildly in the back seat, while Mr. Itō chuckled softly from the driver's seat.
Feeling embarrassed for losing her composure, Kasumigaoka apologized, "I'm sorry for being so unruly in front of you."
Mr. Itō shook his head with a smile. "Not at all. It's rare to see the young lady this happy. I should be thanking you instead, Miss Kasumigaoka."
Yukinoshita's face remained stern. "Mr. Itō."
Happy?
Kasumigaoka turned to look at Yukinoshita again, trying to detect any sign of joy but the girl's usual icy expression hadn't changed a bit. Her whole aura still screamed "keep out."
She really doesn't look happy at all.
Soon, they arrived at Kasumigaoka's apartment building a sleek and modern complex clearly designed for young single professionals.
Curious, Yukinoshita asked, "You live alone?"
Kasumigaoka nodded. "My parents don't live in this city, so yes, I live here by myself."
Though she kept a calm exterior, a subtle hesitation flickered in her heart.
In situations like this, wouldn't a friend normally invite someone up for tea?
But… were she and Yukinoshita truly friends?
When they first met, Yukinoshita had swiftly snatched away Aki and then discarded him just as coldly. Later, Kasumigaoka herself had nearly gone down a petty path of revenge.
By all logic, the two of them were not destined to be friends.
And yet, Kasumigaoka couldn't deny that, for the first time in ages, being with the current Yukinoshita actually felt… easy. Pleasant, even.
Just as she was mulling over whether to extend an invitation, Yukinoshita's gaze locked onto something behind her.
Following her line of sight, Kasumigaoka spotted a tiny cardboard box. Inside, a calico kitten perched at the edge, peering curiously in their direction.
"Meow~"
"A kitten? Looks like someone abandoned it. Ugh, what a terrible owner…"
In Japan, it was common for people to leave unwanted animals in boxes by the roadside, hoping a kind stranger would take them in.
Kasumigaoka was about to say more, but her eyes drifted back to Yukinoshita's face, which had suddenly gone quiet. "...Do you like cats?"
Yukinoshita immediately turned away. "Don't be ridiculous."
So I was right.
Amused, Kasumigaoka approached the box. "It's not shameful to like kittens, you know… Come on, give it a pat."
She cautiously reached out and gently stroked the kitten's head. Though wary at first, the little creature soon leaned into her touch, nuzzling her palm.
"Aww, it's so sweet…"
Kasumigaoka scooped the kitten into her arms, completely unbothered by the thought of her coat getting dirty. After a few soothing strokes along its spine, she held the tiny bundle out to Yukinoshita.
"It's really well-behaved. Want to give it a try?"
Yukinoshita instinctively took a step back, lips pressed tightly together. She stared at the kitten, her lashes quivering ever so slightly.
Clearly, she was smitten. But she forced herself to look away.
"Forget it. Animals don't like me."
It was true, in a way.
Cats never seemed to take to Yukinoshita. Even this one, which had just cuddled up to Kasumigaoka, immediately bristled and hissed when Yukinoshita drew near.
Kasumigaoka quickly restrained it. "It's fine, I've got all its limbs pinned down! It can't fight back hurry and give it a good petting!"
Yukinoshita: "…No, thank you."
She wasn't one to force herself or others.
Kasumigaoka huffed. "You're always so by-the-book! How will you know if it might warm up to you unless you try?"
That struck a chord.
After a moment's hesitation, Yukinoshita cautiously reached out, her fingers brushing lightly against the kitten's head.
The little thing glared at her with a fierce, squeaky "Meow!"
Face flushed, Yukinoshita leaned in, as if to soothe it. "Meow~"
For someone usually so composed and commanding, she now looked adorably flustered like a child fumbling through her first attempt at affection.
She was trying to meow at the cat, sure but to Kasumigaoka, it felt like something inside her had meowed instead.
They were standing so close now, separated only by the tiny kitten. Her delicate scent, clean and understated, filled the space between them.
In that moment, Kasumigaoka felt as if the aloof girl who had always stood on the icy summit of some distant peak… had finally stepped down into the warm, messy world of the living.
She couldn't stop herself from speaking.
"Yukinoshita, do you want"
Do you want to come up to my place for some tea? You can sit for a while, or feed the kitten, or whatever you'd like.
Yukinoshita, do you want to be friends with me?
Before the words could leave her lips, a familiar voice rang out behind them.
"Kasumigaoka and… Yukinoshita…?"
Kasumigaoka turned around and saw Eriri Spencer Sawamura, frozen in shock, staring at them in disbelief.