I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

Yuuki Tenkuji ignored her intentions and instead focused on carefully observing Yukino Yukinoshita's expression.

"Yes, I'm thinking about that too, but I don't have many clues yet, and I don't know where to start."

The girl with long, straight black hair by the window remained calm and composed, showing no sign of being swayed by these words.

Her long eyelashes drooped gently. She didn't look at Tenkuji Yu, but just pursed her cherry blossom-colored lips and said casually, "The three of you will go out together this weekend, right? You'll probably know then."

Just moments ago she was agreeing with Tenkuji Yu, but now she's nitpicking and asking, "But shouldn't we speed things up? Is it really okay to be so leisurely?"

Yukino Yukinoshita frowned slightly and raised her eyes with some displeasure.

"Then give me a suggestion. I don't have the habit of acting rashly."

"It's fine to offer suggestions, but we've been 'dating' for so long, haven't you ever thought about doing anything with me that's considered a couple's thing?"

Upon hearing this, Yukino Yukinoshita visibly stiffened.

Immediately, those dark blue eyes glared at her with a hint of embarrassment and annoyance, her pearly teeth slightly biting her lower lip, and a blush spreading across her snowy cheeks.

"What an idiot! He actually has the nerve to ask that... Do you expect me to ask him to do something like a boyfriend?"

"Why not? That's your 'right'!"

As if he had finally heard the answer he wanted to hear, Tenkuji breathed a sigh of relief, met her cold and sharp gaze, and smiled gently.

"Yukinoshita, I want to know your thoughts, and I also want to know what you plan to do to fight back against Ms. Hiyano after she declared war on you."

"..."

Yukino Yukinoshita paused slightly, unconsciously opening her mouth as if something was about to rise to her throat, but she quickly swallowed it back down.

"You're not completely clueless, are you? Yukinoshita-san, who never lies." Not letting that reaction go unnoticed, Tenkuji Yu narrowed her eyes at her, her smile gradually turning wicked.

"Don't be shy now... Now that our positions are reversed, I'll show you what a real lie detector is like. Trying to hide it won't work."

So, confess honestly, Yukino Yukinoshita.

What do you want me, as your boyfriend, to do for you in a way that meets your standards?

"...That's really embarrassing."

Under his gaze, Yukino Yukinoshita remained silent for only a few seconds before letting out a sigh of resignation, a hint of self-mockery and helplessness flashing across her face.

Then they all quieted down, transforming into a serious and stern expression, and said without further ado:

"Since that's the case, then I'll just say it directly—"

Last night I already thought out some of the steps for the "boyfriend plan," and I know that starting now is the most efficient option... but when it comes to actually carrying it out, I still have some hesitation, which is why I lied and said I had no clue what to do. I'm very sorry.

His voice was somewhat heavy, and his expression was quite serious.

However, the blush that gradually spread from her ears to her cheeks made this aloof girl look anything but serious; she was just like a child trying to imitate an adult, cutely putting on a brave front.

"They actually made a plan... So what's the first step?" Yui Yuigahama couldn't help but ask.

She had been ignored by the two men, but instead of getting angry, she even watched as one of them started flirting with another girl.

If I weren't genuinely curious, I might have waited until they finished speaking before jumping in to summarize.

"The first step, the first step... um..."

For once, Yukino Yukinoshita showed a wavering expression.

She subconsciously avoided their gazes, biting her lip lightly. She glanced at the ceiling, then at the desk, until her gaze swept around the entire clubroom and she found nothing else to look at.

Yukino Yukinoshita seemed to have made up her mind. She raised her rosy face, took a deep breath, and gently ran her fingers through her hair by her ear. Her slender back was straight, trying to sweep away her weak and shy temperament.

Then, in a dignified and mature tone, and in a voice barely louder than a mosquito's buzz, the young woman calmly addressed the two of them:

"Call each other by name, then hold hands with your pinkies for a minute, get used to each other's presence first."

"..."

"Well, this is the first step in my 'Ideal Boyfriend Development Plan'..." After saying that, she thought for a moment and asked somewhat uncertainly:

"There shouldn't be any problems, right? It's a bit conservative, though."

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire Service Department fell into a deathly silence.

Yuu Tenkuji and Yui Yuigahama looked at each other with strange expressions, their minds filled with similar thoughts.

...If this is considered conservative, then what did they do in the morning?

Chapter 118 Sisters' War (Part 10)

Before the bell rang for the first class in the afternoon.

Yukino Yukinoshita returned to class, the heat on her face long gone, and she returned to her usual icy beauty.

As always, she attracted a lot of attention as soon as she stepped into the classroom, but they quickly looked away as if they were getting bored.

Compared to yesterday, there was much less gossip around me, and the unpleasant malice dissipated in disappointment, like a shark that had lost its prey.

Now, she's the only one left in the class who still has a strong interest in her.

"Yukinoshita-san, what did you guys talk about in the Service Club just now?"

Stepping calmly into the aloof and unapproachable atmosphere, Natsukawa Masuzu swayed her flowing silver hair and asked with a face full of curiosity.

Yukino Yukinoshita glanced at her, her face expressionless, her eyes as clear as a cold pool.

Natsukawa Masuzu has a long history of misdeeds in her eyes—not to mention her past offense of forcibly kissing someone, she later willingly became her sister's pawn and then used her sister in return, indirectly leading to her declaring war on her. Yukino Yukinoshita remembers all of these things.

She wasn't a vengeful person, but she wasn't so magnanimous as to not care about anything either.

With this indelible bad impression, when Yukino Yukinoshita saw the friendly smile on Natsukawa Masuzu's face, she couldn't help but become reflexively wary, secretly wondering if the other party was up to something bad.

Of course, she wouldn't ask proactively—she wasn't interested in the schemes of petty people.

When faced with someone she truly dislikes, Yukino Yukinoshita is too lazy to even utter harsh words; she simply responds with indifference.

"Something that has nothing to do with you."

"Don't say that~ Aren't we good friends on the same team now?"

Natsukawa Masaki said with a smile, showing no sign of being intimidated by the cold attitude.

Rather than saying she's shameless, it's more accurate to say she's solely focused on her own goals and doesn't care what others think of her.

—He's the same type of weirdo as his sister.

Having made this conclusion in her mind, and with no intention of discussing it further with her, Yukino Yukinoshita responded directly with the official statement:

“We’re not friends yet, and I have no obligation to tell you anything that’s not related to filming.”

After speaking coldly, she took out the textbook she needed for the lesson, flipped to the place she had marked last time, and quietly began to review.

"Okay, that's really cold."

As if she had known this would happen, Natsukawa Masaki shrugged nonchalantly and turned back to her seat.

He glanced at her as if considering something, his slightly narrowed eyes flashing with a cold light.

……

After school.

The group successfully finished filming their scenes for the day. Both the actors and the cinematographer were getting into the swing of things, and the chances of taking multiple takes had been greatly reduced. It's estimated that filming will wrap up soon.

With a week to go before the cultural season opens, they have plenty of time.

After all, it was just a short film with almost zero cost and special effects. Apart from Yuu Tenkuji, no one else had the corresponding professional skills. Everyone just wanted to have fun while maintaining quality.

This time, I didn't stay until the school gates closed.

Around 5:30, in the dim winter light, the group chatted casually as they walked toward the station.

"Damn it, if Xiaoliang and Xiaoxue didn't live in the same apartment building, we could be experiencing what it's like to walk home together after school right now..."

Following beside Yuu Tenkuji, Yui Yuigahama bit her nails, muttering somewhat resentfully:

"If we go to school together in the morning, Xiao Liang might find out... Most importantly, we can't let other classmates see Xiao You and Xiao Xue being so intimate... Ugh, this feels even harder than having an affair!"

Tenkuji Yu glanced at her speechlessly: "Don't put it so harshly, okay? Besides, if it were really an affair, why would the victim be here helping the cheating partner come up with ways to have an affair..."

"Yuu, shut up! This is important to me too!" Yui Yuigahama scratched her hair, not even looking at him, still immersed in devising a plan. "Aside from going to the clubroom for lunch during break, you basically have no time to spend with Yuki... So, like today, how about letting you two get to know each other slowly in the clubroom? But if I'm there watching, Yuki will get shy, so I can't go with you... But if I don't go with you, I can't supervise your progress..."

Listening to her mutterings, Tenkuji Yu sighed as if giving up.

This guy, I don't know if it's because his sense of responsibility as both a close friend and girlfriend has been awakened, he's more enthusiastic than anyone else about their love, and he's become their wingman without hesitation, thinking of all sorts of ways to promote their relationship since lunch break.

Does she really want to see her boyfriend dating her best friend?

While it's hard to understand what Yui Yuigahama is thinking, at least she can speed up Yukino Yukinoshita's elementary school-level romance a bit.

Recalling what happened at noon today, Yuu Tenkuji couldn't help but laugh.

"Senior, what are you talking about?" Iroha Isshiki asked curiously, both of them keeping their voices down so that no one else could hear what they were saying.

Even Natsukawa Masuzu, who was walking quietly behind them but was actually listening intently, had no idea what Tenkuji Yuu and Yuigahama Yui were talking about.

He smiled and said mysteriously, "It's a secret. If you want to know, you'll have to trade your secret for mine."

"A secret?" Iroha Isshiki paused for a moment, then put her hands behind her back, her eyes darting around, and pouted, "I don't have any secrets~ Why don't you tell me one first, senpai, and I'll think about whether I have a similar secret to exchange?"

"For example, at what age do you stop wetting the bed?"

Iroha immediately roared, "Who wants to know such a secret!"

Interestingly, for some reason, Yukino Yukinoshita's expression became somewhat subtle and awkward, though not obvious.

With Yuuki Tenkuji occasionally cracking jokes, the conversation naturally drifted to all sorts of things, and no one paid attention to Yui Yuigahama's conflicted expression along the way. They parted ways in front of the station.

After returning home, Yuu Tenkuji did not receive a message from Yui Yuigahama, but instead received a private message from Masuzu Natsukawa, who had added him as a friend through a LINE group.

"Are there any shoots scheduled for this weekend?"

"no."

"Why? Isn't it better to film on holidays when there are fewer people to disturb us while we're filming?"

"Well, there will still be quite a few people at the school on weekends in preparation for the cultural festival..."

"That's true, I wasn't paying attention. So you guys all had things to do this weekend?"

"What's wrong?"