The izakaya wasn't large, so Fujimine Yukiko quickly noticed Hii Eri's odd behavior.
She glanced at Hayashi Shuichi, then at Eri, lost in a daydream, her eyes full of curiosity and suspicion. "What did that Lady Phantom say to you while I was in the storeroom?"
"She asked me to help—" Hayashi Shuichi began, but Eri cut him off from the counter, arms crossed, eyes wary.
"Since some people hid away earlier, why ask now?"
"Can't I be curious?" Yukiko shot back, her eyes brimming with grievance as she looked at Hayashi Shuichi. "I only hid in the storeroom because of you! If you don't tell me, you're siding with Glasses Girl to bully me!"
That sneaky vixen, acting pitiful again! Eri ground her teeth inwardly.
Having grown up with Hayashi Shuichi, she knew his soft spot for sob stories.
When Tomizawa Chie tried using their past flirtation to pressure him, Hayashi Shuichi ignored it. But once she laid out her request, he was ready to help.
If Yukiko kept being unreasonable, Hayashi Shuichi would brush her off. But her knack for playing the victim? He couldn't resist that.
Sure enough, he spilled the truth. "Her gunshot wound hasn't healed, so she can't move freely. She asked me to investigate something on Moonshadow Island."
"Moonshadow Island? That's not close to Tokyo. You're going alone…" Yukiko trailed off, noticing Eri's blissful expression. It clicked. "You're not going alone—you're going with Glasses Girl, aren't you?"
"Yeah," Hayashi Shuichi nodded openly.
"No wonder Glasses Girl's so thrilled," Yukiko pouted. "If I can't go, what about Reiko? You're such a good brother, but you'd ditch your sister to go gallivanting with another woman?"
She was clearly sour—if I can't have him, neither can you!
Damn Glasses Girl, trying to steal a romantic getaway while I'm gone? Dream on!
Eri saw through Yukiko's ploy, smirking as she drawled, "Reiko's visiting her parents next weekend. Even if we wanted to bring her, we couldn't."
Yukiko glared, her chest heaving with frustration. "That's not fair!"
"Fair?" Eri scoffed. "Was it fair when you dragged Shuichi off to your audition, faking sick, the other day?"
"That was just one day!" Yukiko said, clearly on the back foot. "Moonshadow Island's at least an overnight trip! No way, that's too much of a loss for me!"
"Blame yourself for chasing that acting gig," Eri said smugly. "Guess you're just unlucky!"
"Shuichi!" Yukiko turned to him, pleading. "Think of something!"
"You're going to the film set for work," Hayashi Shuichi said, spreading his hands. "I have to go to Moonshadow next weekend, or it'll be too late, so…"
"How about this?" Yukiko's eyes lit up with a sly grin. "Tomorrow, Shuichi, you take me to the set. That way, I get two days of your time—not such a bad deal, right?"
"Hey, tomorrow's Monday. We have school!" Eri frowned. "You want Shuichi to skip class? Don't be so selfish!"
"Shuichi's grades are great—he can afford a day or two!" Yukiko said confidently. "Besides, he already took sick leave last Friday. Just tell Teacher Murakami he's still unwell, and it's fine, right?"
Her words sparked Hayashi Shuichi's interest.
He wasn't really a sixteen-year-old kid. School every day was getting tedious, and a legitimate excuse to skip was tempting.
Yukiko caught his reaction instantly.
She wrapped her arms around his, shaking it. "What do you think, Shuichi? Great idea, right? Say yes!"
Hayashi Shuichi was about to nod when a chill hit him. He looked up to see Eri glaring, her face dark. "Shuichi, you've never skipped class before! One time with this vixen, and now you want a second? You're really going bad!"
Hayashi Shuichi faltered. Is it true there's only the first skip and endless skips after?
Once you start, you can't stop wanting to ditch again…
Seeing his hesitation, Yukiko shot Eri a reluctant glance, then gritted her teeth. "Fine, I'll go alone! But next weekend, I'll take leave and come back. You two better not go to Moonshadow without me!"
"Hey, that's your job!" Eri's eyes widened in disbelief.
How can you be so reckless? Isn't acting your dream?
"Hmph, filming hasn't officially started," Yukiko said smugly, chin up, eyes sly. "Tomorrow's just prep. A day or two off won't be an issue."
Truthfully, Yukiko was guessing—she hadn't even been to the set yet. How would she know if she could take leave?
But in a negotiation, you bluff to win! Otherwise, how do you make your rival back down?
Sure enough, Yukiko's confident act rattled Eri.
She'd already planned her romantic Moonshadow trip with Hayashi Shuichi. No way this curly-haired vixen's ruining it!
It was a rare chance for just the two of them!
After a long hesitation, Eri made up her mind.
Biting her lip, her eyes reluctant, she said, "Fine, Shuichi can take one more sick day tomorrow to take you to the set, but he's back by evening!"
"And next weekend, you stay out of our way!"
(Chapter End)
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