In front of Takumi Yuuya's house.
After getting out of the van, the two of them watched it drive away.
Takumi opened the door and looked at Yukinoshita Yukino.
"Do you need me to carry you inside?"
Yukino blushed and walked into the room.
Once they'd changed into slippers, they went together into the living room.
Takumi placed his commuter bag on the sofa and put the plastic bag on the coffee table. He went to his room, fetched pajamas, and handed them to Yukino.
"You have thirty minutes. If it takes any longer, I'll assume something's wrong and come in to save you."
"Don't forget our agreement."
"I won't break it. That rule is just a precaution… after all, my little maid often stays here."
"You… you and her…"
"We're close. If little Yukino doesn't want me touching you, I won't touch you."
"Disgust from Yukinoshita Yukino +50"
She looked at him intently.
"And if I allowed you… would you give up other girls for me?"
"Impossible."
"Are you completely uninterested in me? You just want to use me… only because I'm from the Yukinoshita family?"
"You're overthinking. I just don't want to lie to you."
"How can I trust that?"
"You want proof, right?"
Takumi took Yukino's small hand in his.
They went to the bathroom.
He closed the door and looked at her.
"You wanted proof. Don't blame me."
Yukino, now in her pajamas, sat on the sofa. Her blush hadn't faded.
Takumi had indeed proven it. He was interested in her.
Though… the way he proved it was a little… unorthodox.
"Click."
The bathroom door opened.
Takumi emerged in matching pajamas, carrying two drinks from the fridge. He sat down beside Yukino.
"If I were a pathetic guy, I'd have just said, 'I'll give up other girls for you.'"
"But even though I'm… well, I play the field, I'm honest. I don't lie."
"My little maid was my first girlfriend. I won't give her up for you. In fact… she currently holds a higher place in my heart than you."
"Don't think that just because you're the second daughter of the Yukinoshita family, I'd like you any more."
Having said that, Takumi opened his drink and took a sip.
Yukino stared at him.
Though his words were harsh, her evaluation of him rose slightly.
He was honest. He hadn't lied.
If he had said yes, Yukino would never have believed him.
He finished his drink and put down the empty can. No disgust points, no affection points.
It meant…
Yukino acknowledged his honesty, but wouldn't gain affection from it. After all, being honest in this way equaled being pathetic.
"Tomorrow morning, my little maid will be at my house by seven. You can try the breakfast she makes," Takumi said.
"I'll leave early," Yukino opened the drink.
"When you meet her, it shouldn't cause a scene. She knows you, too—she's a student at our school."
"I don't want to meet her."
"Alright, fine… though I kind of want you two to meet."
"I don't want to meet the other women around you."
Yukino set down her drink, her expression serious.
Takumi glanced at the time and picked her up. Her face turned red.
"No other rooms?"
"I promised the little maid that no other girls would enter her room."
"What about the other rooms?"
"They haven't been cleaned."
With that, Takumi opened the bedroom door.
Friday morning.
When Takumi woke up, Yukino was already gone.
He got dressed, walked to the kitchen, and found Kawasaki Saki preparing breakfast.
"Did you meet?" he asked.
"When I arrived, I didn't see Yukinoshita-san's shoes," Saki shook her head.
"Last night, she set a condition: if I gave up other girls, she would let me touch her."
"Did you refuse?"
"Even though I'm pathetic, I'm honest."
"Don't regret it?"
Saki looked at him with a smile.
"Affection from Kawasaki Saki +50"
"No regrets. I even said that the little maid is my first girlfriend, and she ranks higher in my heart than you," Takumi said seriously.
"Am I really that high-ranking?" Saki's eyes softened.
"Affection from Kawasaki Saki +50"
"You're currently number one. No one surpasses you."
"Thank you, Takumi-kun."
"Affection from Kawasaki Saki +50"
After breakfast, Saki prepared a lunchbox for him.
Takumi glanced at the coffee table. The plastic bag was gone.
He looked at Saki. Her cheeks turned red.
"It's in my room, in the drawer," she said.
"You'll be able to use it soon enough," Takumi smiled.
Saki lowered her head shyly.
At school.
Totsuka Ayaka shared some good news: Hachiman Hikigaya had joined the tennis club.
The reason? Shizuka Hiratsuka had assigned him a task to join a club, experience club life, and write a report.
Ayaka had invited him just in time.
Takumi glanced at Hachiman. First Renya Aki, now Hachiman. He had consecutively changed the fates of two anime male leads.
Next… it would be the third.
To make Tamura Manami despise him, all he had to do was reveal a certain secret.
Though the secret wasn't hers, it was only known to them.
In that situation, she would pay a price to ensure Takumi didn't reveal it.
If the secret were disclosed, the consequences would be severe.
Of course, Takumi had no real interest in Manami. In the original timeline, she was ordinary; here, even less impressive than Hina Ebina.
What Takumi wanted was disgust points, not affection.
Even if he did nothing, a romantic connection between them was unlikely.
During the break after the third period.
Through Miura Yumiko, Takumi successfully obtained Manami's contact info.
He thought for a moment and sent a message.
At lunch, Manami saw the message, froze for a few seconds, and looked at Takumi.
The content was simple: the same words she had said back then.
Even after all these years, Manami remembered. It was the first time she had spoken like that.
Takumi grabbed his lunchbox and left the classroom.
Manami hesitated, then followed him out.
Five minutes later, she opened the rooftop door and saw Takumi standing with his back to her.
"Takumi-kun… you were there?"
"Yes. I happened to hear it. My friend investigated your relationship and explained what your words meant at the time."
"That was just… childish words…"
"If it were just childish words, you wouldn't be here. Tell me, if I told Kousaka Kirino about this, what would she think? Even though she dislikes you, she trusts you. She believes you wouldn't reveal her secret."
Takumi spoke carefully, word by word.
"Disgust from Tamura Manami +50"