Although exam results wouldn't be released until next week, everyone already looked like sun-scorched leaves wilted and lifeless.
Teenagers, still inexperienced in life, felt like the sky was falling when they flunked a test, got dumped, or were rejected by their crush.
In the classroom, Miura grabbed the collar of Yui Yuigahama, who was trying to sneak away, and growled, "This weekend. You're coming to my place for review, just like we agreed!"
The pink-haired bun let out a pitiful whine of protest.
"...Can we make it next week instead?"
Miura let out a cold snort. "Retakes start next week. Or do you want to be the first person in our class to fail a makeup exam?!"
Yuigahama flushed with embarrassment. "Okay, okay! I'll study, alright?!"
Her expressions were always vivid and full of life whether she was happy or sulking, she had that irresistible charm of a cheerful, energetic beauty who could brighten the mood just by being there.
Yukinoshita had heard that Yuigahama was popular not only among their classmates but also with underclassmen and seniors alike.
It was easy to understand. People liked things that were cute and sweet.
Unlike herself cold, sharp, and difficult to get along with. She was like a shard of transparent ice: beautiful, but biting.
Whenever that adorable little rice cake bumped into Yukinoshita's gaze by accident, she always looked guilty and uneasy, quickly looking away.
[System recommendation: Best option to improve image Offer comfort to Yuigahama.]
Comfort?
Was she upset?
That question circled around in Yukinoshita's mind a few times before she finally understood: Yuigahama was probably still feeling guilty about what happened in the storage room a few days ago.
Kamizawa and Ono had somehow ended up chasing each other through the hallway. Ono even shouted something chuunibyou-esque, leapt up like a cannonball, and tackled Kamizawa in a dramatic body slam that nearly sent them both crashing into the wall.
The two of them were always like that childish and oddly affectionate. Miura's brow twitched in alarm, and she rushed after them.
"Hey! No acrobatics in the hallway!"
"You're gonna trip and break something!"
Though immature in many ways, Miura acted like a fussy mom when it came to certain things.
That left only Yukinoshita and Yuigahama standing there.
After a moment's thought, Yukinoshita spoke. "Yuigahama-san."
Yui snapped to attention like a soldier. "Yes!"
Yukinoshita tilted her head slightly at her. "What happened that day was an accident. You don't need to take it too hard."
Yuigahama froze, then lowered her head and murmured, "...Okay."
But it wasn't an accident. It had all been the result of her own stupid, misguided actions.
That day, after Yukinoshita passed out from sheer terror in the pitch-black storage room, Yuigahama and Yumiko had rushed her to the infirmary.
The school nurse was already used to seeing the same few girls show up so often, she barely batted an eye.
Yuigahama still remembered the way Yukinoshita looked lying there on the cot her brows furrowed in pain, even in sleep.
Her forehead was damp, her face streaked with tears.
She'd nearly broken down in that sudden, suffocating darkness.
The guilt gnawed at Yuigahama. No matter how much pain she herself had endured, she never wanted Yukinoshita to suffer like that.
By the time she snapped out of her thoughts, Miura had already finished lecturing Junko and Zekka, and was stomping back toward them just in time to hear the tail end of the conversation.
"What accident?"
Without missing a beat, Yukinoshita pushed her head back down. "You're one to talk. You were running wild in the hallway just a second ago."
"Ugh, well it's not like Hiratsuka-sensei was around, right? It's no big "
Yuigahama smiled awkwardly to help smooth things over. "It's about that thing the other day... in the storage room…"
Miura's expression stiffened for a second, then she laughed. "Ah, right, that. Yeah, total accident. Don't overthink it, Yuigahama."
After Yukinoshita was taken to the infirmary that day, she'd regained consciousness quickly. She explained that the storage room door had accidentally slammed shut because of the wind.
She'd apologized, saying she had a mild fear of the dark, though it was mostly under control. That incident just caught her off guard the room was pitch black.
She told Miura not to worry.
At the time, Yuigahama thought: She never used to say things like that 'don't worry' to anyone but herself.
Yukinoshita had never mentioned the brief confrontation between them, so naturally, Miura had no way of knowing.
She twisted a strand of her golden hair around her finger, glancing away awkwardly.
"Junko, Zekka, and Yui are all coming to my place for a study session this weekend, so... um, Yukinoshita, do you... wanna come too?"
Even though she'd prepared a decent excuse, she still looked painfully shy.
Or maybe it was just that Yukinoshita always made her nervous.
"I can't. I'm going home this weekend."
Miura blinked. "Wait so you normally don't go home?"
Yukinoshita nodded. "I rent a place off-campus."
Miura was genuinely curious about Yukinoshita's life, but the timing wasn't right. She could only murmur a weak, "Oh."
"Well, uh... have a good weekend, Yukinoshita."
Yuigahama, who'd been standing nearby the whole time, giggled. "What the heck? Only telling Yukinoshita to have a good weekend?"
Miura flared up at once. "You? Have a good weekend? Not a chance! You better be reviewing, Yui!"
The pink-haired girl let out another defeated, adorable whimper.
"I'm home..."
Miura's parents weren't around. They were both high-level executives in the city's medical group and had been especially busy lately. But they always found ways to show they cared about their one and only daughter.
When she opened the fridge to grab a cold drink, she found a sticky note on the door:
"Don't drink too much cold stuff. Dinner's in the kitchen."
In the kitchen, another note was stuck to the rice cooker:
"Made your favorite chicken wings. Surprise behind the sofa."
Back in the living room, Miura knelt on the couch and reached behind it, pulling out the hidden surprise.
It was a complete set of brand-new makeup from a well-known luxury brand probably worth around 50,000 yen in total.
She brought the box to her room and started unwrapping it, but before she got halfway through, her thoughts drifted to Yukinoshita again.
She had grown up surrounded by her parents' love, showered with affection since childhood. She couldn't begin to imagine what Yukinoshita's life must've been like.
That elegant rich girl clearly came from a terribly complicated household like someone caught between a distant father and a cold mother, unloved and alone.
Yukinoshita was going home this weekend.
Would something awful happen?
...I can't stop thinking about it.
Halfway through unwrapping the gift, Miura tossed it onto her bed and picked up her phone, opening her chat with Yukinoshita on Line. She typed a few words, deleted them, typed again, then deleted once more again and again until nothing remained.
Even as friends, was it normal to cling this much?
She let out a long breath and flopped sideways onto the bed, her gaze falling on a lone can of cola on her nightstand.
It was the first gift Yukinoshita had ever given her.
The memory of that day came flooding back when she saw Yukinoshita clinging to Yuigahama in the storage room, her mind had gone completely blank. Her eyes had stung as tears welled up uncontrollably.
Why?
She asked herself.
Why... did I cry?
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