Chapter 41 – A Thank-You Gift from Yui Yuigahama!
The afternoon sun hung low outside the windows—
As the final school bell rang, the day's classes finally came to an end.
Inside the quiet Service Club room, Yukinoshita Akira and Yukinoshita Yukino sat across from each other in total silence, each immersed in their own thoughts.
"Yahallo~!"
The clubroom door suddenly burst open with a bang, revealing a familiar girl with fluffy pink hair and an equally fluffy smile—Yui Yuigahama, the ever-bubbly "mochi ball of energy," made her usual loud entrance.
But her enthusiastic greeting was met with absolute silence from the club's two most stoic members—both famously known as "snow princesses with hearts of ice."
The atmosphere in the room stiffened instantly. Even Yui's ever-sunny smile faltered a little.
What the heck…? No one's reacting to me?
Okay, I know my cookies were kind of bad, but do you really have to look at me like that…?
"Yukinon! Akki-kun! I just said hi, you know! Don't just ignore me like that… You're making me look dumb!"
Yui pouted and marched in, crossing her arms in exaggerated disappointment.
"That's not 'making you look dumb.' You are dumb, pink mochi. And stop calling me Akki-kun."
"Humph! If I'm dumb, then you're a dumb pig, Akki-kun. And no matter what, I'll keep calling you that~ Akki-kun~ Akki-kun~!"
"St—"
Akira clamped his mouth shut, trying to hold back a sigh. His face twisted in frustration, clearly defeated by Yui's chaotic energy.
Yukino, who had remained silent until now, let the corner of her lips twitch upward ever so slightly. Watching Akira getting overwhelmed like that… was oddly entertaining.
"Yukinon, you smiled! You should smile more often—it's really pretty!"
Yui suddenly turned her attention toward Yukino.
Yukino, who had just barely begun enjoying the show, froze instantly. Internally, she sighed.
Why is the attack suddenly coming my way now…?
"Don't call me Yukinon. And Yuigahama-san, your request was already fulfilled, wasn't it? Unless… you've come with a new one?"
"Nope! I just came to say thank you! To both you and… Akki-kun."
The way she added his name at the end made Akira feel slightly offended.
It was like she had almost forgotten about him, only tagging him on as an afterthought.
"Aaaaand~ here's my thank-you gift!"
With a dramatic flourish, Yui reached into her bag and pulled out a small pouch filled with homemade cookies.
The cookies were… a deep, suspicious shade of brown. Like cocoa powder that had been baked for far too long.
Yukino eyed the pouch warily, a trace of unease crossing her face.
Despite her strict guidance in previous baking sessions, Yui's creations had always been… unstable. She often added strange ingredients out of nowhere, "just to see what happens."
And this time, these cookies were entirely self-made. Just imagining the taste made Yukino hesitate.
"…I'm sorry, but I'm not hungry at the moment."
Yukino still accepted the pouch, though. But her body language screamed I am absolutely not eating this.
The trauma from last time was still too fresh.
"This one's for you, Akki-kun~!"
Yui tossed another pouch in Akira's direction.
He caught it midair and gave the contents a quick glance. Just one look told him everything he needed to know.
"…Yuigahama-san."
"Y-Yes? Why do you sound so serious?"
"…I just need to ask—have I wronged you somehow?"
"Eh? Of course not! What's with that question!?"
"Then why… why would you repay my kindness… with poison?"
Akira held the pouch like it was a live grenade.
"You're being so dramatic! Okay, maybe they're not great, but it's not that bad! There's no way I'd do something so mean!"
"Are you sure…? You know what they taste like, don't you?"
Akira gave her a look full of suspicion. Yui, now visibly deflated, looked away.
She had, in fact, tested these at home the night before… and nearly sent her mom to the ER.
"Akki-kun, you meanie! You're the worst!"
"No, you're the worst. Trying to sabotage the Service Club with toxic sweets and seize control."
"Ugh! That's it!!"
Yui charged at Akira, swinging her tiny fists at his chest in protest.
Unfortunately, her attacks lacked any real strength. To Akira, it felt more like a light massage.
But the close proximity allowed him to catch a soft scent—something floral and sweet. Was it her perfume? Or her natural scent?
"Yuigahama-san, you should stop. Are you sure this is an attack? Because it feels more like you're giving him a reward."
Yukino's voice rang out coldly from behind.
"EHH?! Akki-kun, you perv! HENTAI!"
Yui quickly realized how close she was, pulled back in a panic, and pointed at Akira with flushed cheeks.
Akira, however, looked completely unfazed. He had already accepted his winnings.
"Yukinon! Akki-kun's being a big meanie!"
Yui turned around and threw herself into Yukino's arms, whining like a spoiled child.
Yukino was not used to this level of physical contact. She froze, completely unsure how to respond.
Worse yet, Yui's… generous softness pressed directly against her.
Yukinoshita Yukino had two silent regrets in life.
First: she could never catch up to her older sister, Yukinoshita Haruno, who was perfect in every possible way.
Second: her body. Even as the graceful and refined "Snow Girl," she was still a teenage girl who had her own insecurities—especially when standing next to someone like Yuigahama.
"Waaah~ Yukinon, you smell amazing~!"
Sniff, sniff~
Yui buried her face into Yukino's shoulder, happily nuzzling her like a puppy who found its favorite blanket.
Akira, watching the scene unfold from a distance, could only stare with thinly-veiled envy.
Girls being close to each other like this… was a special kind of emotional damage to lonely guys everywhere.
"Yuigahama-san, please let go. This is… too much."
"Nooo~ You're just so nice to hug, Yukinon~"
"Don't say things that can be taken the wrong way!"
Yukino's face turned red. She clearly had no idea how to handle the pink-haired menace clinging to her.
Yui was like an affectionate dog who found a new favorite human.
And Yukino, with her aloof cat-like nature, was utterly unprepared for this kind of attention.
Maybe that's just how the world works. One creature always finds a way to tame another.
Eventually, the little chaos storm subsided.
Yukino's cheeks were still faintly flushed. From the outside, it might've looked like… something that couldn't be aired on daytime TV had just happened.
BANG!
The clubroom door slammed open.
"So, this is where the party's at… Yukinoshita."
Standing in the doorway with her signature white coat was none other than Shizuka Hiratsuka, their homeroom teacher.
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