I, the mastermind behind the scenes at Soubu High, refuse to be caught in a bloodbath.

These words had no effect on Kazusa.

"...Then you might as well just move into my house, like you did before you went to high school."

"Never mind, I've bothered you for so many years..."

Kazusa's eyes showed a hint of sadness, then she silently shook her head.

"If you're going to buy groceries, I'll go with you."

Kasumigaoka immediately stood up.

Author's Note:

PS: Ninth update.

Chapter 098 Small Business Talk, [Kasumigaoka Utaha] is filled with envy

"You can just sit here. That idiot will take care of everything anyway. After all, that's all he's good for."

Kazusa said with a slight displeasure, pointing a finger at Himekoji who was standing to the side watching.

"But if I just let Haruto-kun go out alone and do nothing..."

"You're a guest, right? That guy's an uninvited guest, so what are you waiting for? Hurry up and go buy the ingredients!" Kazusa gave Himekoji a very impolite look. He lowered his head deeply and raised his hand, saying, "Okay, I'll go now. What do you want to eat?"

Sweet and sour pork! Red bean spring rolls! The sweet kind!

Upon hearing what she wanted to eat, Kazusa's eyes immediately sparkled with two tiny golden stars.

"I'm fine with anything, but if possible, I'd prefer no pork."

In contrast, Kasumigaoka's requirements were much simpler, but it didn't matter. Himekoji kept it in mind and silently went out.

Because of Himekoji, Kazusa would ask to eat Chinese food when Himekoji was around. However, she preferred the sweet parts to the other flavors. But there were very few sweet dishes in Chinese cuisine, which made Kazusa complain every time about why the Chinese didn't invent some sweet dishes, since sweets are the most delicious things in the world.

"Touma-kun...do you often order Haruto around like this?"

"Anyway, that idiot enjoys it, so let him do whatever he wants... Is there a problem?"

"I don't think Haruto-kun is enjoying it. Maybe Touma-kun has just gotten used to it... If I could order him around like that, no, I wouldn't do that. But, I'm afraid Touma-kun is the only one who can order him around like that."

"I don't know what you're trying to say."

"Okay... I still think Haruto's actions are quite strange. Maybe it's because Touma is some kind of special person or something... I'm not really sure, since you two are childhood friends, but even if you are childhood friends, this kind of relationship is a bit strange."

"Having been friends with that guy since childhood is the biggest mistake of my life..."

"I think it's a very happy thing, that someone will always take care of you. I wish I were Touma-kun."

"If everyone could freely become someone else, I would never choose to become myself. If you want to become me, go ahead, but that's just wishful thinking now, it's impossible."

"Yes, that's impossible. Sometimes, whether it's a simple thought or deep affection, it can't be understood by others. Understanding itself is the most difficult thing. If you think that your words can be understood by others, then you are being arrogant. If someone thinks that they can fully understand your words, then they are being complacent."

"What are you talking about? I can't understand a word you're saying. It's like those damn trigonometric functions."

Kazusa casually stirred the teaspoon in her coffee cup, her eyes unfocused as she stared at the swirling tea, somewhat lost in thought.

"Because some things cannot be conveyed to another person through words, right?"

"It doesn't matter if it doesn't reach you, isn't it better to just keep it in your heart?"

"But... if you keep it in your heart, you won't even have the chance to express it."

"Isn't it safer to keep quiet than to speak out and get misunderstood?"

“Even if I’m misunderstood, pretended not to hear, or even resented, I still have to speak up… because if I don’t speak up, I’ll never have another chance. But… indeed, sometimes it’s useless to speak up for some people, because—” Kasumigaoka looked directly at Kazusa, who tilted her head back in surprise and asked, “What’s wrong? Why are you staring at me like that?”

"It's nothing, I'm just so envious of you, so envious of you, Touma-kun."

"What's the point of envying a woman like me... I'm not very bright, I'm plain-looking, and I have a bad personality. Apart from playing the piano, I'm pretty useless. Thanks to that, I have a lot of calluses on my hands. I can't imagine how good the skin on my fingers would be if I didn't play the piano."

"As expected, no one can understand this. Touma-san will never understand why I envy this about you."

"That kind of thing... it doesn't matter anymore. Whether you understand or not, everyone is still struggling to live, accompanied by self-loathing and complacency. It's contradictory, isn't it? Human beings are inherently a collection of contradictions."

“Yes…” Kasumigaoka gradually smiled and said, “Perhaps some things were decided from the beginning, but even so, I… will not give up.”

"Do as you please, your business has nothing to do with me."

"Really, it's nothing? Touma-san, you... really don't care?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about. It's been like this since just now. I don't understand anything you're saying, I can't comprehend it, and I don't want to comprehend it!"

"...Sorry, I said something you wouldn't understand."

"It's alright, never mind. I wonder how long that guy will take to arrive. Would you like to hear me play the piano?"

Kazusa managed a weak smile and stood up.

“I’d love to.”

Kasumigaoka stood up with Kazusa and went with her to the basement of Kazusa's house, the instrument practice room that was comparable to a recording studio.

Ji Xiaolu finally returned with the groceries. Since she couldn't find the two of them after calling them several times, she guessed they were probably in the soundproof basement. So she didn't disturb them and quietly went to the kitchen to start cooking.

About ten minutes later, the two voices came from the basement stairs. When they heard the sound of chopping vegetables coming from the kitchen, they looked at each other. Kasumigaoka immediately walked over to Himekoji and said, "Is there anything I can do to help? I have a little bit of experience in cooking."

"..." Kazusa watched Kasumigaoka's departing figure, bit her lower lip unwillingly, and said defiantly, "I... also want to help. You see, if three people do it, it can be done faster, right? Everyone is very hungry."

"Kazusa, you should just sit on the sofa and wait. The delicious food will be ready soon. If you join us, and the three of us cook together, I bet the Himekoji surname will slow it down considerably."

"Hmph... what a waste of your mood."

Kazusa immediately turned her head and sat back on the sofa, listening to the laughter and chatter coming from the kitchen. She silently clenched her hands, her nails almost digging into her flesh.

"Cooking... I can't do it..." Kazusa muttered, shrinking into the sofa with her head down. "Why are you envious of me? I'd rather be envious of you, Kasumigaoka Utaha."

Author's Note:

PS: This is the tenth update. There will be ten more updates today. I will continue updating around 5 PM.

PS2: I need some razor blades!!!

Chapter 099 Making a Phone Call, [Yukino Yukinoshita] Cries Silently.

Ten minutes later, several dishes were served one after another. Kasumigaoka brought the food out of the kitchen, exchanged a glance with Kazusa who was walking towards the kitchen, smiled and squinted her eyes. Kazusa avoided her gaze, pulled out a chair and sat down, gripping her chopsticks tightly without saying a word.

"Wow, delicious...it's really tasty. I can't believe this is the dish made by the student council president, Himekoji Haruto, who is always so ruthless and cold-blooded."

Kasumigaoka calmly commented while eating.

"It would be great if you could get rid of that cold-blooded and heartless side."

"Isn't that your true nature?"

Kazusa immediately smiled and sabotaged the situation, then snatched a piece of meat from under Himekoji's chopsticks.

"The essence... Ah, I can't live anymore."

Ji Xiaolu clutched her chest and sighed loudly.

"Shut up and eat your food, you're so annoying."

Kazusa began to scold him, and Himekoji shrank back and quickly picked up his chopsticks. A barely perceptible smile appeared on her lips, and she started to interfere with Himekoji's attempts to pick up food, snatching food from under his chopsticks time and time again.

After finishing their meal, Kasumigaoka, not in a hurry to go back anyway, started playing cards with the two. Knowing that Kazusa was good at "bluffing," Himekoji taught them to play Dou Dizhu (a popular Chinese card game). The two, who were new to the game, were utterly defeated by Himekoji in their first game. However, after the second game, both Kasumigaoka and Kazusa had gained experience, and their tacit teamwork left Himekoji speechless. He and Kasumigaoka were both peasants, yet Kasumigaoka still managed to trick him into losing.

Seriously, this isn't some striptease game, why are you all ganging up on me like this?!

After a round of poker, Himekoji's head was throbbing. If there hadn't been one less person, he would have been planning to play mahjong instead. So after a short rest, Kazusa suggested getting something to drink, and Himekoji and Kasumigaoka both ordered the same thing.

Himekoji slumped listlessly in the chair, while Kasumigaoka chuckled a few times before getting up and coming up behind Himekoji. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her chest and head against him.

"Let me go... I can't breathe."

"No~ no~, I feel a little bad for Haruto-kun. His cooking is so delicious, but Touma-kun says it's awful..."

"Perhaps it's because my cooking didn't suit her taste. I've tried my best. By the way, Shiyu, your chest..."

"What does it matter? Haruto-kun probably won't care that much anyway."

"Get up, I'm really being strangled to death by you, who can stand this?"

Himekoji rolled her eyes, tugged at Kasumigaoka's arm, chuckled softly, and left Himekoji's side.

"I'm back," Kazusa said, pushing open the door and handing them the cups. She then sat down quietly in a chair and, after a long while, turned to Himekoji and asked, "What about you tonight?"

Kasumigaoka also perked up her ears, and Himekoji said thoughtfully, "If you're planning to study again tonight..."

"If you're willing to teach me, then stay. It's all for nothing anyway, so you'll have to put in a lot of effort."

"Alright~, I'll try my best to make sure you don't fail your final exams. As for Shiyu, how about I have Miss Reiko take you home?"

"No...no need to trouble yourself, I can go back by myself."

After finishing her barley tea, Kasumigaoka began tidying up her scattered books. Himekoji and Kazusa saw her off to her car, and Himekoji also told Reiko that she wouldn't be going home that night and would be staying at Kazusa's house.

Several study sessions were held, and Kazusa stayed at Himekoji's house several times to receive his guidance. She worked hard until the final exams, and in the end, she achieved excellent grades, passing all her subjects. To celebrate, she treated Himekoji to a delicious sundae at a nice ice cream shop.

Overjoyed, Kazusa couldn't contain her smile. In the end, she mischievously used a spoon to smear the sundae on Himekoji's nose, then turned her back to him and burst into laughter, barely making a sound.

With the arrival of summer vacation, Himekoji once again faced a busy period. Every 24 hours of her day were strictly planned out: when to practice her musical instruments, when to exercise and practice martial arts, when to study the history of various countries, economics and politics, and finally, to attend banquets that she had to attend in place of her father, where she would dance with girls she had never met before. She was practically exhausted. What rescued Himekoji from this exhaustion was a phone call from Yukinoshita.

It's rare to see someone crying beneath the snow.

She was crying very softly, as if she was suppressing her sobs. In addition to her crying, there was the sound of water gushing from the fountain. At first, Yukinoshita didn't say a word, and Himekoji didn't ask a single question either. After the situation had been deadlocked for about three minutes, a "meow~" suddenly came from the other end of the phone.

Then Yukinoshita hung up the phone.

Himekoji then called her again, but Yukinoshita refused to answer. He called again, and she refused again. He called seven or eight times in a row, and Yukinoshita would immediately reject the call the moment it came through. Himekoji was a little confused, so he started sending her emails.

Himekoji: What's wrong with you? What happened?

Under the Snow:

She replied with an empty email, without a single word or punctuation mark, but at least it was a response. Ji Xiaolu asked her law teacher to stop for a moment and continued sending emails.

Himekoji: Where are you?

Under the snow: the park.

"Teacher, I'm very sorry, but I may have to go out now."

"But, my wife said..."