A little past seven in the morning, the school was already bustling.
Many clubs had arrived early, setting up their booths in the club building.
Cultural clubs displayed writing tools, ink, paper, and various collections of works, trying to attract as much attention as possible with posters and slogans. Sports clubs showcased award certificates, focusing on trial activities and challenge competitions, attempting to let outsiders feel the thrill of their sports.
Yuigahama glanced left and right, suddenly remembering something and nudging his shoulder.
"Oh, right, Yuu-kun, is Sora-chan coming to watch you perform?"
During their time as friends in middle school, Yuu had told her about his family.
His parents had passed away, and he was only taking care of his younger sister, Sora—that was all.
"Nah, that kid doesn't like leaving the house." Yuu answered casually, turning his head. "What's up?"
"Well, then…" Yuigahama opened her bag, pulling out a digital camera, speaking enthusiastically. "Let me record your best moments! It'd be such a shame if Sora-chan missed her cool big brother's performance in front of everyone!"
"Hmm, that's true." Propping his chin, Yuu thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, I'll leave it to you, Yuigahama the recorder."
"Yay!" Yuigahama immediately beamed, her three hair buns and chest bouncing with excitement.
"Why are you that happy?" Yuu looked at her, puzzled.
"Ehehe, I'm just really happy…" Though a bit shy, she scratched her flushed cheek, answering honestly. "After all, this is the first time Yuu-kun's seriously asked me to do something."
Reluctantly looking away, Yuu sighed and continued walking toward the special building.
"First time? Didn't I just ask you and Yukinoshita to handle external communications together?"
Yuigahama puffed out one cheek, muttering as if complaining, "That wasn't for me. It was clearly mainly for Yukinon…"
"That's true." Without consoling her, Yuu spoke bluntly. "But it's proven lately that letting you join was the right choice… Without you, things would've been much more troublesome."
"Even if your reason for joining the club was a trade-off, for the current Service Club, you've become an irreplaceable member."
It wasn't sweet talk; he genuinely felt that way from the bottom of his heart.
Since Yuigahama joined, she'd indeed helped lighten a lot of the workload related to Yukino—it wasn't an exaggeration to say she'd worked hard.
"Hmm!"
Gazing at his handsome profile with its flat expression, Yuigahama hugged her camera, responding softly.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Without stopping by the classroom first, the two carried their school bags and headed straight to the special building.
Since no other clubs were based there, the old five-story hallway felt quieter than usual.
As they stepped into the building, increasingly steeped in an autumnal atmosphere, a captivating girl emerged from the multimedia room on the left side of the first floor, and their eyes met.
Both paused for a moment.
"Good morning~" The girl greeted first.
Her beautiful silver hair flowed down to her waist, her long legs slender and straight beneath her short skirt, and her mixed-race face beamed with a bright smile.
Natsukawa Masuzu glanced at them, then fixed her gaze on Yuu, waiting for his response.
"Good morning."
Nodding politely, Yuu didn't stop, heading straight for the stairs.
"M-Morning, Natsukawa-san…"
Yuigahama felt a bit flattered, but seeing Yuu had no intention of lingering, she reluctantly abandoned her desire to chat more, hurrying to follow after a quick greeting.
"…"
Without saying another word, Masuzu turned her gaze away only when they reached the staircase corner, her fingers gently touching her cherry lips, the corners of her mouth slightly curving.
"The Service Club… A weird club like that has an event too? Could it have something to do with renting boyfriends or something…"
Muttering with interest, her smile faded as she recalled why she'd been called here, and she couldn't help but grumble in irritation.
"Tch, those daily love confessions and dating invitations are so annoying… Don't they know the last guy called 'boyfriend' got 'ORA ORA'd to death by Jōtarō in three pages? They still want to be my boyfriend? Even Coccolatte's better than trash like them…"
Her leather shoes stomped the floor twice, her low grumbling devoid of any ladylike grace.
After venting, Masuzu took a deep breath, looking up the stairs, her eyes suddenly resolute.
All her tasks were done, and her observations over the past few days were satisfactory—so starting tomorrow, it's time to act!
Find a shield to end these days of constant harassment by lovesick idiots!
Clenching her fair fist, the girl tossed her silver hair, striding boldly like a meteor toward the outside of the special building.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
In the hallway, Yuigahama asked cautiously.
"Yuu-kun, do you know Natsukawa-san?"
Yuu said casually, "Not really. Maybe she's just friendly. She's greeted me in the hallway before."
Yuigahama frowned, still skeptical. "I've run into her a few times in the hallway too, but she's never greeted me."
Yuu put on an innocent face, spreading his hands. "Maybe she's charmed by my handsomeness and wants to use this to get closer to me?"
"Pfft!"
Holding back laughter, Yuigahama raised her camera, quickly snapping his expression, then said with mock seriousness, "Nice, first shot: Yuu-kun's narcissistic face!"
"You're so boring…" Yuu sighed, reaching out to flick her hair bun again.
Yuigahama ducked to dodge, but too slow. "Ow, my hair's gonna get messy!"
"Who told you to put your bun there? Tie it tighter so it's fine."
"You're too selfish…"
Yuigahama muttered unhappily, but couldn't hold back her laughter—her words and actions were completely at odds.
…Could bickering with a friend make her this happy?
Reaching the door of the classroom without a nameplate, Yuu suddenly held out his hand to Yuigahama. "Let me borrow the camera for a sec."
"What for?" While asking, Yuigahama handed him the digital camera.
Yuu didn't answer, instead opening the unlocked classroom door.
Inside, as expected, was an elegant, flawless girl like snow.
She sat by the window reading a book, her posture upright, her black hair flowing.
Summer had turned to autumn, and the green leaves outside the window fell with the breeze, as if this palace-like scene would remain unshaken until the end of the world.
Yuigahama held her breath, while Yuu didn't care as much.
He roughly and directly broke the silence.
"Yukinoshita, how pretty do you think you are?"
Her translucent white hand closed the book. The black-haired girl slightly furrowed her brows, looking at him oddly.
Though she didn't understand why he asked, she answered frankly and honestly.
"There's no other girl in the world as honest, beautiful, outstanding, sweet, smart, gentle, and knowledgeable as me… Probably only to that extent."
Taking the camera, Yuu snapped a photo of her pose as she said those words.
—Black history captured!
If they're still in contact ten years from now, this photo could be used to embarrass Yukino.
"There's no one else like you in the whole world—you forgot to add that."
Only after snapping the photo did Yuu add the line.
Her expression soured instantly. Yukino glared at him unhappily. "What did you take a picture of?"
Yuu ignored her, showing the photo to Yuigahama.
"This is true narcissism, got it? Delete my photo—it can't compare to hers."
"No way! No way! I worked hard to take it!"
Snapping out of her daze, Yuigahama stood on tiptoes, lunging to grab the camera back.
But before she could collide, Yuu stepped back, then, with perfect muscle control, held the camera steady and snapped a shot of the slightly panicked bun-haired girl's expression.
"Alright, now all three of us have one. No deleting—fair, right?"
Shrugging, Yuu handed the camera back to her.
Yuigahama took it in a daze, looked at the photo, then raised her head to stare at him.
Finally, she lowered her face, closing her eyes slightly.
Hugging the camera to her warm chest, she giggled. "Hmm, this is ours—the Service Club's trio memory!"
As soon as she finished, a chilling breeze from the Ice Age blew from the window, instantly cooling the warming air.
"Could you two, who are ignoring me, the club president, kindly explain—what do you mean by 'memory'?"