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[-Continuation-]
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[-Hachiman's POV-]
The pink envelope finally came to rest, landing at someone's feet.
I didn't need to look up to know whose they were, but I did anyway.
I glanced up.
Yukino.
…and I am dead.
Yuigahama was the first to react, her eyes widening as she slapped her hand over her mouth, muffling a gasp that escaped her lips.
The expression on her face?
Absolute shock, the kind you see in dramas when a secret finally comes to light.
But Yukino?
Her expression remained perfectly neutral, as if this was just another inconsequential moment in her day.
"..." She stared at the letter, then slowly looked up at me, her gaze steady, unreadable.
There was no anger, no confusion, nothing.
That was somehow worse.
"Ah... ha..." I managed, the sound was more akin to a deflating balloon than actual laughter.
But inside, I was panicking.
Full-on, cold sweat, heart racing kind of panic.
Why the hell is there a letter in my shoe locker?
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
My mind scrambled, every curse I knew running on repeat.
This was bad.
Really bad.
Yukino, still silent, bent down to pick up the letter, her movements calm and precise, as if this were just an everyday task.
She examined it briefly, her fingers brushing over the sparkly glitter that adorned the pink paper.
I swallowed hard.
Yuigahama, seemingly regaining control of her vocal cords, managed to squeak out, "H-Hikki, is that... What, I think it is?"
Her question hung in the air like a ticking time bomb.
Yukino's gaze finally lifted from the letter, her eyes meeting mine.
Despite the calm exterior, I could sense a storm brewing beneath the surface. It was that underlying tension that sent my anxiety into overdrive.
"I see." She said, her tone flat and devoid of any noticeable emotion.
Oh, crap... This was not going to end well.
Acting purely on instinct, I moved to her side, my steps slow and deliberate.
I reached for the letter with as much nonchalance as I could muster, trying to make it seem like I wasn't 'taking' it but simply 'picking' it, as if that subtle difference somehow mattered in the moment.
Yukino didn't resist.
She didn't move at all, really.
She just stood there, still as a statue, watching me fumble with the envelope.
The letter felt impossibly light in my hand, a stark contrast to the weight of the situation it had created.
What now?
Tear it?
Pretend it never existed?
Use it as kindling for a small bonfire?
Surprisingly, none of these options stirred even a flicker of guilt within me.
If someone had decided to send this letter knowing full well about Yukino and me - which wasn't exactly a state secret at this point - then their feelings weren't my problem to deal with.
I mean, even Zaimokuza, my socially inept friend, had figured it out, albeit only after I declared it directly. Hmm, what was I trying to prove again?
Anyway, whoever sent this knew what they were getting into.
Then their feelings weren't my responsibility. I wasn't obligated to indulge them.
Because for me, the only feelings that mattered were those of the woman standing before me, her face an unreadable mask.
I will admit, even if our relationship wasn't common knowledge, I would probably have done the same thing.
Call me heartless, but I couldn't bring myself to care about the sender's intentions. Not one bit.
I glanced at Yukino again, hoping for some sort of reaction, something to clue me in on how I should handle this.
But her expression remained a fortress, unreadable, calm, detached.
Not a flicker of emotion crossed her face.
I sighed inwardly. There really was no escaping this, was there?
Whatever I did next would either earn Yukino's silent approval or her equally silent disappointment.
I hated being caught in this limbo, torn between her judgment and my own instincts.
And yet, a small part of me wondered if this could just be an elaborate prank. It wouldn't be the first time someone tried to mess with me.
Before I could fully process my actions, my hands were moving of their own accord, unfolding the letter with a soft crinkle.
I skimmed over the contents, my eyes darting across the page, ignoring every piece of rubbish other than the sender's details.
Guess what? It was indeed a love letter, or at least it appeared to be one on the surface and inside.
Then again, there was always a chance it was a prank, that still wasn't completely off the table.
There was no name, no class, no year or nothing to identify the sender.
Just vague, flowery sentiments about me and a suggestion to meet somewhere tomorrow.
The way it was written… Almost too carefully.
My first instinct was to crush it in my hand and toss it away, but I stopped. The paper was crumpled slightly in my fingers, but I hesitated.
Yukino hadn't moved an inch, still watching me with that unnerving calm.
She wasn't going to tell me what to do, was she?
For some inexplicable reason, I couldn't bring myself to destroy the letter just yet.
Finally, I stretched my hand out, holding the letter back toward Yukino. She remained motionless, her eyes briefly flicking to my outstretched palm.
"Hold onto it for now. I will deal with it tomorrow."
I said quietly, surprised by my own words. It felt like a cop-out, a way to postpone the inevitable decision.
Yukino didn't respond, at least not verbally.
She just took the letter from my hand and, with a fluid motion, slipped it into her bag without so much as a glance at me.
No words of reassurance, no expression of judgment.
I exhaled softly, glancing over at Yuigahama.
She had been quiet throughout, her usual energy replaced with a meek nod as I looked at her.
"Let's go." I muttered, feeling the tension hanging in the air.
Yuigahama nodded, her expression soft, though laced with a hint of confusion.
"Yeah... let's go..." She echoed, her voice a touch louder, as if trying to convince herself of the normalcy of the situation.
As Yuigahama took the lead, Yukino fell into step behind her.
I seized the fleeting moment as she passed, my movements careful and deliberate
Without a word of warning, I pressed a light kiss directly to Yukino's lips.
It was brief, a whisper of a touch, but enough to feel the warmth of her breath mingle with mine.
?!Yukino blinked in surprise.
Her carefully constructed composure cracked, revealing a softness rarely seen. But as quickly as it appeared, it vanished, replaced by her usual calm demeanor, though now tinged with something warmer, something unspoken.
Right then, as if some unseen force had pulled, or maybe that infamous 'woman's instinct', had nudged her, Yuigahama turned around abruptly.
"What…. Just happened?" She asked.
Her eyes searched, suspicious, scanning us for... something.
But it was too late.
By the time her gaze locked onto me, I was already a safe distance away from Yukino, one hand casually tucked in my pocket, the other loosely holding my bag strap over my shoulder.
My face, of course, wore that trademark expression of nonchalance.
"Nothing... Nothing happened." I replied, flashing an innocent grin as I subtly shifted my bag behind me, making sure I looked as unbothered as humanly possible.
Meanwhile, Yukino remained where she stood, her posture rigid and stunned.
Her lips parted slightly, still processing the sudden kiss.
She didn't move, didn't speak, just stood there, absorbing the gravity of what had just happened.
Yuigahama's curious gaze lingered for a moment before she shrugged it off, turning back around and continuing her awkward trek forward, blissfully unaware of the silent romance unfolding behind her.
Blink.
Yukino, still beside me, finally blinked.
That's all it took for Yukino to finally stir from her trance-like state.
But still, no words came.
No scolding. No biting remarks.
Just a silence that felt strangely comfortable, as if we both understood that a line had been crossed, but neither of us was eager to retreat.
Safe... for now. I exhaled quietly, my heart slowing down a bit.
A small victory, I thought to myself. But as always, triumph was short-lived.
A soft "Aha..." from behind shattered the fragile moment.
My heart leapt into my throat as I spun around.
Crap.
Was I caught?
Turning around, I froze.
There she stood, Kawasaki Saki.
Her blue hair slightly tousled, her face a mix of embarrassment and surprise.
Her bag hung loosely from her shoulder, her hand gripping the strap as if she wasn't sure whether to drop it or hold on for dear life.
Her eyes darted between Yukino and me, wide and guilty, like she had just walked in on something she clearly wasn't supposed to.
The realization hit me like a bucket of cold water.
She saw.
She definitely saw.
Her expression said it all.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice coming out more severe than I intended, laced with a hint of panic.
She's not the one, right? Nah, who am I kidding?
I mentally kicked myself for not thinking about it earlier.
The person who left the letter could be here, watching the whole thing unfold.
And now, with Kawasaki standing there, it all felt... wrong.
My eyes darted around the entrance, scanning the area for any suspicious faces or anyone who seemed too interested in us.
But there was no one else.
Nothing but the fading echo of footsteps and the usual after-school chatter in the distance.
On the other hand, Kawasaki's embarrassed flush deepened at my tone, but she quickly collected herself.
"I was with Ms. Hiratsuka." She explained, averting her gaze. "She wanted to talk about something... Career counseling, I think?"
Wait. Ms. Hiratsuka?
Was she here too? Did she see?
Agga… just forget.
I quickly pushed the thought aside.
If she saw, she saw. No use dwelling on it now.
The reason I hadn't mentioned anything about Yukino wasn't due to a lack of information.
But because it seemed that simply too much was going on with her at the moment.
And speaking of Yukino, she was glaring daggers at me. Her eyes narrowed with that familiar mix of annoyance and intensity, especially since Kawasaki might have witnessed that kiss.
It was like she was silently chastising me for being reckless.
"Anyway, I should get going. My siblings are probably waiting for me at home..." Kawasaki mumbled, eager to escape the awkward situation.
As she passed by, she cast a fleeting glance my way before shifting her gaze to Yukino, then hurried off.
"What was that about?" I feigned ignorance, turning to Yuigahama.
She looked at me, her brow furrowed in confusion, but her attention quickly drifted to Yukino, who remained flustered and speechless.
Was that a bit too much?
Nah… I shrugged off the thought almost instantly.
What was I supposed to do when faced with Yukino's unreadable expression and silence?
This was better than the alternative, I reassured myself.
Besides, a part of me couldn't help but savor the lingering …sweetness of her lips on mine.
Yuigahama approached Yukino and gently nudged her shoulder, trying to gauge her state.
"Yukino… are you okay?" Yuigahama asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Yukino snapped back to attention. "I am okay…"
"No, you are not! Your face is all red. Did you catch a fever?" Yuigahama insisted, concern etching her features as she checked Yukino's forehead with the back of her hand.
Right… she did seem a bit 'feverish' in a way.
Seizing the moment of distraction, I spoke up. "You two wait by the gate. I will grab my bike."
I turned towards the parking lot, feeling a sense of relief as I walked away, ready to put some distance between us and the lingering awkwardness.
Nice.
I felt a sense of relief as I walked away, ready to put some distance between us and the lingering awkwardness.
.
….
[To be continued…]
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