"Um, Hiratsuka-sensei, is there anything else I need to do?"
Hozuki Nozomi's voice broke the silence.
"No, you can go home now," Hiratsuka Shizuka replied with a tired wave of her hand.
"Alright."
Nozomi nodded but hesitated, glancing at the cat nestled in Yukinoshita Yukino's arms.
"Uh, Yukinoshita-san… my cats…"
"How exactly are you planning to take them back?" Yukinoshita asked, her tone serious.
"Well… I was thinking of stuffing them into my schoolbag. That's the only way."
Yukinoshita's icy gaze lingered on him for a moment. "You think three cats can fit in your schoolbag?"
"It's possible if I squeeze them in."
"No," she said firmly. "I'll go with you later."
"Huh? You're coming to my house?"
"What, am I not welcome?"
"No, no, I'd be honored."
And just like that, Yukinoshita Yukino had decided on her next destination.
Hiratsuka watched the two of them, a pair that seemed oddly compatible, and sighed inwardly. She thought of her own failed blind dates and felt an inexplicable bitterness rise in her chest. Clicking her tongue, she waved them off in irritation.
"Yukinoshita, Nozomi, just go home already."
Then, as if remembering something, she turned back to Yukinoshita.
"By the way, Yukinoshita, I'll seriously consider your application for the club. Exceptional students like you do deserve the chance to establish one."
"Thank you, Hiratsuka-sensei," Yukinoshita replied politely before turning to Nozomi.
"Let's go."
"Ah, right. Goodbye, sensei."
Hiratsuka merely waved them off with a dismissive hand.
==============
As they walked together, silence stretched between them. The atmosphere felt somewhat awkward, neither of them making an effort to break it. The only sounds were their footsteps and the occasional soft mewling of the cats.
After a long pause, Yukinoshita suddenly stopped and turned to him, her sharp eyes scanning his face.
"Hozuki-kun, do you have a secret?"
"Huh? A secret? What do you mean?"
Nozomi looked genuinely confused.
A faint pink dusted Yukinoshita's cheeks, but she maintained her usual composed expression.
"Well… I meant, how do you make cats like you so much?" she clarified, averting her gaze slightly.
"Ah, that?" Nozomi chuckled. "Honestly, I have no idea. Cats just seem to stick to me."
Of course, he knew the real reason. It was all thanks to the cat bag, a secret tool that allowed him to attract felines effortlessly. But there was no way he was going to reveal that. How else would he keep teasing Miss Yukinoshita?
"Tch. How enviable," Yukinoshita muttered, her jaw tightening slightly as she turned away, clearly a little frustrated.
Nozomi smirked but kept his laughter in check. "I take it you really like cats, Yukinoshita-san?"
She didn't respond, but she also didn't deny it.
Nozomi tilted his head before shifting the conversation. "But are you really coming to my house?"
Yukinoshita gave a small nod. "Don't get the wrong idea. I just don't feel comfortable leaving the responsibility of carrying three cats to you alone."
"I get it, I get it," Nozomi said, raising his hands in surrender.
Wanting to keep the conversation flowing, he asked, "By the way, you were applying to start a club earlier, right?"
"Why do you ask?" Yukinoshita responded coolly, clearly not eager to entertain small talk with him.
She didn't like being overly friendly with boys—it often led to misunderstandings, and those were nothing but a hassle.
"Oh, just curious. I was thinking that a club run by someone as beautiful as you would probably be super popular."
"Hah?" Yukinoshita gave him a sharp look. "Are you implying that being beautiful automatically makes someone popular?"
"Well… generally speaking, yes. Who wouldn't want to join a club run by a stunning girl?" Nozomi answered matter-of-factly.
Yukinoshita sighed, clearly unimpressed by his reasoning. "Let's just focus on getting the cats home. Once that's done, I'll be leaving."
Nozomi shrugged. He didn't push the conversation further. They had just met, after all. Making a good first impression was enough for now.
==================
When they arrived at his residence, Sakurasou, Yukinoshita slowed her pace, taking in the scenery.
Soft pink petals fluttered in the air as cherry blossoms swayed gently in the evening breeze. The entire area was bathed in an ethereal glow, the sight resembling something out of a dream.
For the first time that day, Yukinoshita's cold mask cracked.
"You live here?"
"Yup. This is Sakurasou. There's also a school nearby—Suimei University of the Arts Affiliated High School."
She remained silent, her gaze lingering on the delicate petals floating around her.
"What's wrong? Not a fan of the place?" Nozomi asked, watching her reaction closely.
"No, quite the opposite," Yukinoshita murmured. "It's… beautiful."
Compared to the cold, high-rise building where she lived alone, this place exuded warmth—a feeling she had nearly forgotten.
Nozomi noticed her dazed expression as she continued to watch the petals dance in the wind. A small smirk played on his lips.
"Since you're already here, wanna come inside?"
Yukinoshita snapped out of her thoughts and turned to him. "Hah?"
"I mean, you did come all this way to make sure the cats got home safely," Nozomi added nonchalantly. "Might as well come in and check out their living conditions."
Yukinoshita hesitated for a brief moment before nodding slightly.
"Fine. But just for a little while."
Nozomi grinned as he led the way inside.
Yukinoshita Yukino mainly wanted to check on the cats' living environment.
As they stepped into the first floor of Sakurasou, a familiar voice called out.
"Oi, Nozomi, bringing home another cute girl? Are you sure you're not two-timing my Mahiru?" Chihiro Sengoku, the dorm supervisor, teased while rolling her eyes.
Hozuki Nozomi sighed, already used to Chihiro's jabs.
"Senpai, this is Yukinoshita. We're just classmates."
"Anyone home?"
A soft voice came from the kitchen. Moments later, Shiina Mahiru emerged, still wearing an apron, and her eyes widened slightly at the sight of their guest.
"You're Yukinoshita, right?"
"You're Shiina?"
For a brief moment, both girls stared at each other in surprise. It wasn't every day that the two top students of Sobu High found themselves in the same room outside of school.
A while later, the two sat across from each other, a cup of tea in each of their hands.
After listening to the reason why Yukinoshita had come to Sakurasou, Mahiru's face showed mild astonishment.
"Nozomi didn't bring the cats to school this morning… Did they really find their way there on their own? That's amazing."
Yukinoshita Yukino nodded, her expression filled with a rare sense of envy.
"I wish I had that kind of affinity with cats," she admitted.
"Oh, by the way, Shiina-san," Yukinoshita suddenly asked, "are you dating Hozuki-san?"
"Huh? No!"
Mahiru shook her head hastily, her face flushing slightly.
"Nozomi is the owner of Sakurasou. My cousin, Chihiro-sensei, is the dorm supervisor here. She introduced me to this place, so I moved in."
"So you're just housemates?" Yukinoshita asked, tilting her head slightly.
"Well, we also happen to be classmates, seatmates, class presidents, and we go to school together," Mahiru added with a small smile.
Yukinoshita Yukino was stunned.
A coincidence?
No, this was basically the setup of a rom-com anime.
Still, something about Mahiru's demeanor put her at ease. Unlike her older sister, who was always guarded around her, Mahiru treated her like any other classmate. There was no pretense, no hostility—just pure, casual conversation.
The two continued chatting, bonding over academics and daily life. Despite their different personalities, the conversation flowed smoothly, largely thanks to Mahiru's natural ability to make others feel comfortable.
As the discussion went on, Yukinoshita found herself warming up to Mahiru.
This girl… she really is like an angel.
Finally, it was time for Yukinoshita to leave.
"I'll walk you out," Nozomi offered as they stepped outside.
"That's unnecessary—"
"Before you refuse," he cut in, "there have been some sketchy guys lurking around this area lately. You know the librarian at our school, right?"
Yukinoshita nodded.
"She lives nearby. Not long ago, she got surrounded by some delinquents. I happened to be there and helped her out."
Yukinoshita hesitated. She wasn't the type to accept unnecessary help, but his reasoning was solid.
"…Alright then. Thank you."
"No need to thank me," Nozomi said with a casual wave. "You came all this way for my cats, so at the very least, I should make sure you get to your car safely."
As they walked, Yukinoshita stole a glance at him. There was something disarming about the way he spoke—casual yet sincere. He wasn't trying to impress her, just treating her with genuine consideration.
For a brief moment, she pursed her lips, as if contemplating something.
In the end, she said nothing.
But somewhere deep inside, she acknowledged that she had developed a slightly better impression of Hozuki Nozomi.
*************
Attached is the Yukinoshita sisters.