On the way to school, Yukino replayed their earlier breakfast conversation in her head. With a hint of doubt, she glanced at Haru.
"I have a question."
"Then please, ask away," Haru replied with an exaggeratedly formal gesture.
Yukino ignored his playful act and went on, "Last time, when Hiratsuka-sensei… did that weird thing, you pretended not to notice. But when my sister did the same thing, you didn't play dumb—instead, you hinted at it openly. Why?"
"Because it's Haruno," Haru answered plainly. "You grew up with her too. You know what she's like."
Yukino paused to think, then nodded. "True. If it's my sister, even if you bring it up directly, she'll probably recover quickly and laugh it off like nothing happened."
"And," Haru added, "what I said was vague at best. I never mentioned anything directly. Worst case, I can play it off with some excuse later."
Yukino gave him a curious look. "Should I be impressed? You thought up such a foolproof strategy in mere seconds."
But Haru didn't sound proud—only a bit tired. "That's not brilliance. That's the result of years of mental warfare with Haruno."
Yukino chuckled softly. "Well, you did used to mess with her a lot."
"Hey now—be honest, Yukino. Wasn't it her who started it every time? I only fought back out of self-defense!"
"But I still remember when you dared her to climb a tree in sixth grade to grab a bird's nest—and the moment she started climbing, you dragged me and ran off."
"That was my counterattack!"
_ _ _ _
The days passed peacefully, albeit with some added busyness. First came the photography club's new film project, and then the upcoming cat commercial audition.
Truth be told, Haru could've used his connections to bypass the audition entirely.
But Yukino and Utaha firmly believed his chunky orange cat could ace it without any special favors.
So, Haru found himself saddled with an extra mission—teaching his cat new tricks.
That evening after school, Haru sat on the floor with a handful of pet treats, trying to coax his orange cat into some training.
Yukino sat nearby, her usual book abandoned, eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Haru activated his [Hypnosis] skill, holding a treat out as bait, hoping to guide the cat into a backflip.
The result? The cat plopped down, locked eyes on the treat… and refused to budge.
Not even a hop.
Yukino tilted her head. "That's weird. I always thought Jelly was really smart."
Haru gave her a pointed look. "Hmm, I wonder who spoiled her into a lazy lump?"
Yukino blushed, lips sealed shut.
She knew he had a point.
She had been generous—with toys, treats, high-end cat food, and bizarre accessories. Even if she'd toned it down recently, years of pampering had left their mark.
"Jelly's basically a useless fat cat now," Haru sighed as he stared at the orange loaf.
Yukino flushed deeper. "I haven't bought her anything for two weeks."
"Yeah, but the damage is already done…"
The training resumed.
Thanks to Haru's hypnosis skill and the power of snack bribery, the lazy cat finally attempted a backflip.
And flopped. Face-first.
Five tries later, the cat finally landed one. Yukino's eyes sparkled as she whipped out her phone to record it.
Haru noticed her excitement and decided to turn up the fun.
Switching up the moves, he guided Jelly to stand on her hind legs and wobble side to side like a drunk boxer.
After thirteen minutes of repetition, they nailed it.
With one gesture and a flash of treats, the orange cat stood up and wobbled her head in rhythm.
"What even is this?" Yukino gaped.
Haru fed the cat with dramatic flair. "I call it: The Pendulum Meow-Fist Champion."
Yukino stared blankly. Then tried to hold back a laugh. "Can you please teach her normal tricks?"
"It's cute though, right?" Haru asked with a grin.
Yukino pursed her lips, fighting a smile. But once she replayed the footage of that chubby cat bobbing back and forth… her heart melted.
Adorable.
And hilarious.
She tried her best to hide her goofy grin while recording more footage.
After that, Haru switched to more standard commands—sit, stay, roll, jump. Under his guidance, the cat performed surprisingly well.
"You done filming?" Haru asked as he watched her happily petting the cat.
"All recorded," Yukino replied, still absorbed in the cuteness.
That's when Haru smirked. "Then it's time to switch stars."
"Huh?" Yukino blinked.
He went into the room and came back with his camera. "Next up: the solo debut of Catgirl Yukino."
Yukino froze.
Oh no… I actually promised I'd do that.
Her cheeks turned red. She couldn't go back on her word—but the thought of wearing cat ears and posing for him was so embarrassing!
"Now?" she asked, voice wavering.
"Of course. I've got to cook later," Haru said, grinning at her bashfulness.
Yukino bit her lip, about to go change, when her phone rang.
Saved.
"It's Hiratsuka-sensei," she said, playing it cool. "She probably needs to talk to me about something."
"No problem," Haru replied easily. "I've got plenty of patience. We can take photos tonight."
Yukino glared at him. Tonight!?
If it's tonight, that means… after the photo shoot comes their "co-op gaming session."
She knew Haru's lecherous brain too well.
But then she remembered Utaha's bunny girl cosplay and immediately felt annoyed.
Catgirls are totally cuter than bunnies!
Utaha's version was just pure indecency!
As Yukino took her call, Haru started prepping dinner. Soon after, his phone buzzed.
Yukino: Senpai just messaged me. She's coming over to talk about the cat audition.
Haru: Got it.
About 20 minutes later, Utaha arrived, bags in hand.
"I brought fruit and drinks—Yukino likes this flavor, right? Huh? She's not home?"
"She didn't tell you? She went to dinner with Hiratsuka-sensei," Haru explained as he took her coat.
Utaha blinked. "Oh… she just replied with 'Got it' when I messaged her."
Then her eyes lit up.
Yukino's gone.
That means… this is my chance to shine.
Her lips curved into a sly smile.
Haru didn't notice—he was facing away. "Anyway, make yourself at home."
"Sure." Utaha plopped down and scooped up the orange tabby.
The cat, freshly traumatized from all the petting, flopped belly-up in defeat.
Life is hard. Being cute is a full-time job.
Utaha gently rubbed the cat's tummy and purred, "Since Yukino isn't coming back tonight, I guess I'll just have to keep you company for dinner."
Haru glanced over. "You're scheming something again, aren't you?"
"Not at all," Utaha smiled serenely. "Actually, I just remembered—Megumi wants to go shopping for new clothes. Since Yukino's out, why don't we skip the audition talk and you come with me?"
"You mean… as your bag-carrying tool again?" Haru deadpanned.
Utaha simply smirked.
Beautiful girls always loved options—store after store, trying things on, browsing endlessly.
Haru had experienced this more times than he could count. He used to kill time in the park near the mall just to escape the endless browsing sprees.
"You don't want to come, do you?" Utaha saw through him in an instant.
Haru decided to be honest. "If you and Kato can make your decisions quickly, I'd be more than happy to carry your bags."
Utaha let out a soft laugh. "Knew you'd say that."
She gently set down the orange cat and sauntered over, taking a seat beside him. That alluring scent of hers instantly enveloped the air between them.
Her lips curved into a slow, sly smile, and her elegant eyes shimmered with mischief. "Then how about this? Let's play a little game. If I win, you come shopping with us."
"What kind of game?" Haru asked instinctively.
Utaha didn't answer. Instead, her gaze smoldered. "Just tell me—do you dare or not?"
That look in her eyes—equal parts daring and flirtation—set Haru's brain into overdrive. He mentally ran through the usual tricks and challenges from daily life.
If he prepared himself mentally, there was no way he'd lose.
"I'm in," he said confidently.
But the moment he said it, he saw her expression shift.
A subtle flush spread across her cheeks, and her already luminous eyes shimmered with an extra layer of heat and hesitation.
Then—he saw it.
Utaha rose gracefully, her fingers reaching back to gather the cascade of her dark, silky hair. With a practiced elegance, she pulled a hair tie from her bag and began tying her hair up into a sleek ponytail.
Wait a second—
Haru's confidence wavered.
Oh, hell.
Now he understood exactly what kind of "game" she had in mind.
Utaha's talents didn't stop at her razor-sharp tongue.
And when she tied her hair like that—it never meant anything innocent.
~~~~~~~~~~
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