"Mom, Tatsu-kun has always ranked first in our grade, and he's also the student council president!"
Yui proudly boasted about Tatsuki's achievements.
"Eh! That's really impressive."
Mrs. Yuigahama already had a great impression of Tatsuki, and now she was even more surprised.
She glanced at Yui and sighed softly. "Handsome, gentle, thoughtful, top of his class, and caring... I wonder how many lifetimes of good karma my Yui must've saved up to meet a boy like Tatsuki-kun."
Tatsuki shook his head. "Not at all. Yui is an adorable and wonderful girl. Being liked by her is my fortune."
"Tatsu-kun..." Yui looked at him with such heart-eyes, they were practically turning into sparkles.
Mrs. Yuigahama could only smile wryly at their exchange.
They continued chatting for a bit—well, not just a bit. Mrs. Yuigahama's conversation topics were broad.
From comets to bizarre downpours across Tokyo, to supernatural rumors and even the recent string of missing girls in Tokyo.
Her interests spanned surprisingly wide.
Tatsuki checked the time. It was already 3 p.m. "It's getting late. I've stayed long enough—I should get going."
"You're leaving already?" Yui clung to his hand, reluctant.
Tatsuki ruffled her hair gently and smiled. "We'll see each other at school tomorrow."
"Mmm… okay…"
But just as he stepped out the door—
"WHOOOSH!"
A torrential downpour slammed down without warning. It was as if a giant bucket of water had been dumped straight from the sky. Thick raindrops pounded the ground with deafening force.
Within seconds, the entire street shimmered wet under the lamplight. Even the glow from the lamps was blurred in the downpour.
CLANG!
A metal sign from a nearby shop was crushed by the rain and slammed onto the ground.
"Wah!"
The sudden noise startled both Yui and her mother.
Mrs. Yuigahama looked confused. "There wasn't any forecast about this, was there? Why such heavy rain all of a sudden?"
Then she recalled, "Oh right, a lot of places in Tokyo have been hit with weird sudden rain like this lately. Are we next?"
Yui wasn't concerned about the weather at all. She tugged Tatsuki back inside excitedly.
"Tatsu-kun, the rain's way too heavy! An umbrella won't survive that. Just stay here until it stops, okay?"
"She's right, the rain is too intense. We've got an extra room—you're welcome to stay the night." Mrs. Yuigahama offered warmly.
Even she had never seen rain come down like this.
Tatsuki frowned and glanced up at the sky—only to be pulled back in by Yui.
She led him to her room.
After all, they were just two young people hanging out. Yui was a little shy at first—this was her first time letting a boy into her room. But she quickly got used to it and started showing him her stuffed animals and little collectibles.
Suddenly she remembered something.
"Oh right, my cookies! Tatsu-kun, wait here!"
She bolted out the door in a hurry.
"..."
Her flustered departure made Tatsuki chuckle and shake his head.
He casually looked around the room.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a hint of blue sticking out from the drawer Yui had just opened.
"Hmm?"
Curious, Tatsuki pulled the drawer open.
He picked up the blue item—and froze.
A small square package, with a round ring in the middle... a condom?
Why would Yui have this in her room?
Meanwhile, in the kitchen—
"Huh? Where did it go?" Yui rummaged around the table.
She swore the cookies she had made especially for Tatsu-kun were right here!
Her searching caught Mrs. Yuigahama's attention.
Opening her door, she asked, "Yui, what are you looking for?"
Yui lit up like she'd found her savior. "Mom! Did you see the cookies I left here?"
"Cookies?" Mrs. Yuigahama blinked, then suddenly recalled something.
"You mean those really bad-tasting ones? They were spoiled, so I threw them out."
Yui froze. "Really bad-tasting...?"
Mrs. Yuigahama winced apologetically. "Yeah, they were really bad. Tasted like burnt bricks from ten years ago—completely inedible. Why were you looking for them?"
"..."
["They were so sweet and tasty!"]
["My sweet little Yui made them for me!"]
Tatsuki had praised her cookies before.
He'd even stopped Marin from taking one.
Memories from the Paranormal Club played in her head like a highlight reel.
After a brief silence, Yui murmured, "N-Nothing. It's fine... if they're gone, they're gone. Go back to what you were doing, Mom. I'm fine."
Mrs. Yuigahama looked at her a bit strangely but nodded and left. She wasn't too worried about the two being alone—after all, she was still at home. No way Yui would be that bold.
…
"Tatsu-kun..." Back in the room, Tatsuki tossed the condom onto the table and looked up—Yui had just walked in, head bowed.
"What's wrong?"
"..."
Yui suddenly threw herself into his arms, tears glimmering at the corners of her eyes.
"Tatsu-kun, why did you lie to me?"
Tatsuki blinked. "Lie about what?"
Yui clutched his shirt tightly, choking back a sob. "My cookies were obviously so bad… but you said they were delicious..."
Tatsuki understood immediately—so it was about that.
He gently embraced her and spoke with quiet warmth.
"Because what I tasted... was your love."
"You must've put in so much effort to make those cookies for me. That's what I was savoring. It was truly sweet."
"Tatsu-kun..." His words were like a healing breeze, and Yui melted into his tenderness.
"Thank you... Tatsu-kun."
Yui beamed happily and sat beside him—until she noticed the condom on the table.
"This is..."
She picked it up.
As soon as she saw it, her face flushed crimson. Her eyes widened in shock.
"Eh?! Tatsu-kun! Is... is this yours?!"
Tatsuki shrugged. "Not mine. I found it here."
He opened the drawer to show her.
Yui looked inside—only to find several more condom in there.
"B-But I never bought any! Tatsu-kun, I swear, I didn't! I've never used one either!"
She was on the verge of tears from panic, terrified that Tatsuki would misunderstand.
Tatsuki couldn't help but smile. He gently patted her head to calm her down.
"I believe you. Just think—has anyone else been in your room recently?"
Feeling reassured by his trust, Yui gradually calmed down.
She racked her brain—and her eyes suddenly widened.
"It was... Mom!"
Yui remembered.
That day she came home with a fever and confessed, her mom had gone to the supermarket alone. And after returning, she had entered Yui's room once.
"But... why would she...?"
Yui couldn't understand why her mom would put those in her drawer.
Tatsuki had already figured it out.
She probably sensed something was going on, guessed Yui had a boyfriend, and wanted to make sure nothing... unexpected happened.
A very thoughtful mother indeed.
Yui held the balloon in her hands, blushing even harder—she looked like she wanted to bury herself in a dumpling.
"Give it to me. I'll put it back."
Tatsuki sighed and reached out to take it.
But Yui suddenly tightened her grip. She looked up at him, her cheeks glowing like ripe apples, lips trembling as if whispering something.
A normal person wouldn't have heard her clearly.
But Tatsuki wasn't a normal person.
He heard it perfectly.
"Tatsu-kun... let's use it..."
"!"
Tatsuki stared at her in shock. "Are you... sure?"
"Mm..."
A barely audible hum.
Yui slowly leaned back—
"All right."
There was no way Tatsuki would let a girl who had made such a bold decision down.
Yui, shy but full of love, gazed into his eyes.
The moment she learned how terrible her cookies were, her emotions had burst through the dam.
She realized she could no longer resist the warmth and love Tatsuki gave her.
She wanted to give him everything.
Tatsuki's lips slowly moved closer.
...
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