"Unexpected… Except for Kanade-chan, everyone gave the same serious answer."
Iroha sighed helplessly, ignoring Kanade's unsurprising response. "Well, since everyone knows this senpai is a siscon, when faced with a question like this, he'd definitely use his little sister to deflect."
"What do you mean? This is my genuine thought, you know?" Yuu crossed his arms over his chest, speaking with displeasure. "Are you saying you're more likable than my sister?"
"No way, no way. Tenkuji-senpai's sister is the best in the world."
After giving a perfunctory reply with cold, emotionless eyes, Iroha erased the writing on the whiteboard.
"Now, two to two to zero, a tie~ Alright, next question!"
[Is senpai a dog person or a cat person?]
Yuu: [Likes both.]
Yukino: [Cats.]
Yui: [Dogs.]
Kanade: [Both are cute.]
"Those are the favorite animals of each senpai! And it turns out only Kanade-chan got it right… Wait, does this count as correct?"
The fourth question—[Does senpai prefer big or small?]
The question was immediately rejected by Yuu for being too ambiguous. Amid Yukino's sneers and Yuigahama's stifled laughter, Iroha had no choice but to replace it with another.
"Team Western food or team Japanese food is too ordinary… Ah, let's go with this instead."
[An elite career woman or a capable wife, which type of woman would senpai want to marry?]
As soon as the question was posed, Yuu's gaze toward Iroha was so gentle it almost felt like he'd hug her on the spot and give her a German Suplex to bond.
Ready to receive her senpai's 'affection'—Iroha, terrified but unable to resist stirring trouble, seemed to hear those words in his lip movements.
Meanwhile, behind the long table, Yukino and Yuigahama instinctively glanced at each other. They then averted their gazes like they'd been shocked by electricity, lowered their heads as if nothing happened, and wrote their answers in their notebooks.
"Ahem, well then, let's announce the answers!"
Yuu: [Doesn't matter. I'll only marry someone I like.]
Yukino: [Could be both. I'll only marry someone I like.]
Yui: [A capable wife!]
Kanade: [Someone who's good at cooking (mapo tofu).]
Looking at them in surprise, Iroha announced: "Only Yukinoshita-senpai gets a point for this question!"
"Is that so? Nothing to be smug about."
Clenching her fist out of sight, Yukino brushed her hair off her shoulder. She flipped her notebook page calmly and naturally.
"Just one question left, right? Hurry up and end this boring game. Lunch break is almost over."
Yuigahama groaned, clutching her head: "I knew how I should've answered, but I couldn't help mixing in my personal feelings. I'm such an idiot, uwuwuwu…"
As for Kanade, she looked at her own answer, then at Yuu. As if solving a puzzle, she muttered softly with wide eyes: "Indeed, someone good at cooking doesn't need a wife who's equally skilled… Hmm, it's so hard to answer correctly."
(No, no, Kanade-chan, it's fine if you don't answer this one correctly), Iroha thought to herself.
Her gaze swept over Yuu, who was quietly observed by the two beautiful senpais. She suppressed her somewhat complicated emotions and sighed silently.
"Alright, the score is now three to two to one. Yukinoshita-senpai is in the lead. The final question will decide the winner of this contest!"
"But it seems the result will either be a tie or Yukinoshita-senpai's victory. There doesn't seem to be enough time for overtime…" She glanced at her watch and turned. "Kanade-chan, do you still want to play?"
Kanade shook her head. She put her notebook back in her school bag and tidied the trash on the table.
"Then let's decide the winner between the two lady senpais~" Iroha spun the whiteboard marker in her hand. Her gaze toward Yuu carried a hint of schadenfreude. "The winner will earn the title of Tenkuji Yuu's True Best Friend, the officially verified person who understands senpai the most—how's that? Isn't it exciting?"
"Not at all." Yukino set down her notebook. Her expression was cold and uninterested. "I'm not interested in a boring title like that. Let's end it here…"
A suddenly raised voice cut her off: "Wait, let's finish the match!"
"…Yuigahama-san?"
"Didn't Yukinon always say we should finish what we start?"
Turning halfway, Yuigahama looked at her seriously. Her firm, clear eyes held no trace of worry despite trailing in the score.
"As long as I win the final question, there won't be a winner in this match—Yukinon and I will be on the same level. So, we have to compete until the end."
"…"
As if not understanding, Yukino furrowed her brow and fell silent for a moment.
"It doesn't prove anything."
"It does."
"That title, whoever wants it can take it. I'm not going to fight you over something like that."
"I know. I'm the one who suggested this match." Yuigahama shook her head stubbornly. Her voice carried an unyielding resolve: "You can think it's meaningless, but I still have something I want to prove… So, Yukinon, please, compete with me until the end!"
Such an unreasonable, forceful request should've been firmly rejected.
Yet, seeing Yuigahama's eyes, Yukino couldn't utter the words of refusal—what was insignificant to her held such deep meaning to Yuigahama that she was willing to say please.
Unconsciously, Yukino glanced at Yuu. Her eyes showed a plea for help she wasn't even aware of.
"…As Yuigahama said, you're not guaranteed to win until the end."
Yuu smiled and waved his hand. But he didn't meet her eyes. He only spoke as if it wasn't his concern: "Want to compete, then compete. Don't want to, then give up. It's that simple. Nothing to worry about."
"…Fine, you said it."
Sighing as if giving in, Yukino picked up her notebook again. She looked at Iroha: "Ask the question."
"Hmm! No matter what the question is, I won't lose!" Yuigahama was brimming with fighting spirit.
Now, the one in a tough spot was Iroha, the questioner.
"Uh, you guys are putting so much pressure on me… It feels like no matter what question I ask, it's wrong. I really don't want to offend the senpais."
Yukino shrugged lightly: "The person in question said it doesn't matter. Just ask whatever you want."
"Alright, let me think…"
Iroha rubbed her small hands. After thinking nervously and struggling for a while, she suddenly showed a resigned expression. She turned and wrote several large words on the whiteboard.
"Didn't Yukinoshita-senpai just say that senpai has a very reckless nature?"
Facing the people behind the long table, Iroha took a deep breath. Her chest, covered by a sweater, puffed out. Her small, cute face showed a heroic expression, as if ready to die honorably. She slapped the whiteboard enthusiastically.
"Whether that's true or not, the answer will come from this question!"
Fifth Question—
[After senpai has a girlfriend, would he cheat with another girl before breaking up?!]
This was the question Iroha came up with, one that wouldn't offend anyone except Yuu!
Of course, Yuu would give a negative answer. And the two lady senpais who trusted him wouldn't jokingly say he's a playboy in this situation.
The result would be both getting points, a score of four to three, with Yukino winning.
But that would disprove her earlier claim that Yuu was reckless—though a bit forced, she could still say Yukino misjudged senpai and didn't actually know him that well.
Maybe that could comfort Yuigahama a little, right?
What else could she do? It was incredibly hard for a first-year girl with only a few cunning tricks to come up with a question that could satisfy all three parties in such a short time!
(This is the limit of my ability to balance the mood. Senpai, you'll understand me, right?) Iroha prayed silently. She couldn't help sneaking a glance at his expression.
But she found that Yuu wasn't glaring at her as she'd expected. He only exchanged a complicated look with Yuigahama, then quietly lowered his head to write his answer.
Yukino, on the other hand, hesitated for a moment before writing her answer, pursing her glossy, soft lips.
Soon, they all looked up at Iroha.
"Uh… Alright, announce your answers?"
Iroha was a bit cautious, trying hard to reduce her presence.
Yukino flipped her notebook. Her expression was calm as she gave a reasonable explanation for herself:
"As a preliminary statement, the reckless and unfaithful nature I mentioned earlier has a different meaning."
The answer written in her notebook surprised no one—[No.]
She trusted Yuu. No matter how reckless he was with words, he wouldn't cheat.
Over months of interaction, the Yuu she knew had earned her confidence in that.
Having answered first, she looked at the other two, who hadn't moved. She couldn't help feeling increasingly puzzled.
For some reason, the atmosphere between them felt heavy. Even the air in the Service Club room seemed to freeze.
"Yuu-kun… Did you write the truth?"
Clutching her notebook, Yuigahama asked anxiously, as if only now realizing something was off.
Yuu shrugged. He said nonchalantly: "I wouldn't lie in front of you, would I? Even if it's just written on paper."
"…You'd better lie. Not everyone needs to know."
Yuigahama shook her head vigorously. She prepared to put away her notebook, but Yuu snatched it.
"Don't worry about useless things. In the past, I might've cared…"
Yuu glanced at its contents casually. He smiled faintly, indifferently, and placed both notebooks on the table for Yukino to see clearly.
"Now, it doesn't matter anymore. I'm tired of thinking about it and don't want to lie anymore."
"What do you—"
Her gaze shifted downward. As the words came into view, Yukino's eyes widened. The rest of her words vanished in confusion.
On the papers were two identical, short answers.
—[Yes.]
Meaning, Yuu admitted he would cheat with another girl after having a girlfriend.
And Yuigahama believed he would.
Score: three to three.
The first Service Club Compatibility Quiz ended in a tie between the two girls.