Yukinoshita Yukino sat upright in the lobby lounge, accompanying Yuigahama Yui, who had not realized the seriousness of the situation and was still excitedly looking around at the bright, grand decor.
Listening to Yui’s quiet little exclamations beside her, Yukino’s mood gradually sank.
According to the information they had gathered at school, that girl named Kawasaki Saki had been acting strangely for quite some time recently.
Before, she had always looked exhausted all day.
She often arrived late and left early, and even when she came to school, she frequently dozed off in class.
Yet around this month, Kawasaki Saki, who had originally been seen by her classmates as a cold delinquent girl no one dared speak to, had suddenly become a good student.
Although she still was not very easy to talk to, she no longer slept in class.
She listened seriously during lessons, completed her homework properly, and even her lunches had become much richer.
From Kawasaki Saki’s younger brother, they learned that her family’s financial situation had not improved much.
Her father’s career had not advanced either, and her mother still had to go out and work part-time to supplement the household income.
Add to that a girl from an ordinary family suddenly staying out overnight, entering and leaving a high-end hotel, while the front desk had no room record under her name.
There should be no other possibility, right?
Japan had its own social circumstances.
Some students engaging in compensated dating was not rare at all, nor was it anything surprising.
From Yukinoshita Yukino’s point of view, this sort of thing was undoubtedly wrong.
It would lead people into depravity, make them sink deeper and deeper into the abyss until they could not free themselves, and it completely reduced a person to an object.
Not to mention, the Service Club had accepted Kawasaki Saki’s younger brother’s request.
But when Yukino thought of how both teachers and students at school spoke of Kawasaki Saki’s clearly improved reputation, along with her genuinely improved grades…
Had she really fallen?
She had clearly turned back into a serious, hardworking student.
She had become a good older sister who had more time to spend with her family.
Whether in the words of her family or her friends, everyone spoke well of her.
If this counted as falling, then what exactly had caused it?
Was it because Kawasaki Saki liked doing this sort of thing from the beginning?
No.
This isn’t her problem.
Yukinoshita Yukino thought of the answer.
The problem pointed toward society, toward the world, and even toward Yukinoshita Yukino herself.
As one of the beneficiaries of this social environment, I receive a good education and live in a family where I never need to worry about food or clothing.
And yet I’m judging Kawasaki Saki as wrong when she may have exchanged something of herself just to obtain the chance to be a good student.
That night, Yukinoshita Yukino reflected for a long time.
Kawasaki Saki was not truly at fault.
What was wrong was the salary that could barely support a family even when employees worked hard, the education system that required money for cram school if one wanted to advance, and the government that had allowed all of this to happen.
In the end, Yukinoshita Yukino understood many things.
She understood the fact that she alone could not change anything at all.
The ideal she once had of changing the world looked so childish in the face of naked reality.
The talent I thought I had can’t do everything.
If it were Nee-san, how would she handle this situation?
Yukinoshita Yukino could not help thinking that.
She could not find an answer.
On the other side, Kawasaki Taishi had insisted on coming along because he was worried about his older sister.
But because it was already too late, his head had begun bobbing as he fought off sleep.
At the very least, they should not destroy the tall, reliable image of his older sister in his heart.
Yukinoshita Yukino handed over the key to the suite she had just opened.
“Hikigaya-kun, it’s already very late.
Please take him to rest first.
We’ll keep waiting down here.” “Then…” “I’ll open another room afterward.
Once we get tired, we’ll go rest too.
At that point, you can come down and take over.” Hikigaya Hachiman nodded and agreed.
In truth, he did not want to come looking for Kawasaki Saki at all, nor did he want to care about what she was doing.
If he had not been forced by that teacher to join this club, he should have been at home at this hour, listening to Komachi sweetly say, “Good night, Onii-chan,” before peacefully falling asleep.
Someone hurry up and marry her already.
Then she won’t keep watching me all the time.
The group had followed the phone’s location here, but after Kawasaki Saki’s younger brother fell asleep, they no longer saw any updated location information from his phone.
Little did they know, the person they had been waiting for had already left.
Walking along the nighttime street, watching strangely dressed passersby and the noisy bars and nightclubs on both sides of the road, Higashino Akira suddenly realized that today was Halloween.
He glanced at Kawasaki Saki beside him, who was following close behind while holding the cat, and thought for a moment.
“Are you still sleepy?” Kawasaki Saki, her neck shrinking from the cold, shook her head.
Seeing that, Akira opened his coat and pulled her inside, holding her against him.
“Then there’s no hurry to go home.
Come with me.” Akira brought along the girl who looked like a dazed penguin, then the two changed direction and walked toward the nearest movie theater.
After arriving, he casually bought two movie tickets and stuffed them into her hand.
“I’m going to buy some snacks and drinks.
You go find the seats first.” Soon, Akira bought everything and entered the screening room.
After finding Kawasaki Saki, he sat down beside her and placed the bucket of popcorn in her arms.
As the movie gradually played, Kawasaki Saki slowly became immersed in it, and she relaxed a little.
The two quietly watched the entire movie like that.
Then, Akira took out his phone.
“Kawasaki.” Kawasaki Saki, still somewhat immersed in the movie’s story, subconsciously answered in confusion.
“Mm?” “Was this movie good?” “Weren’t you watching it with me?” “I want to know your opinion.” “Me?” Kawasaki Saki frowned slightly.
“It was all right.
The plot wasn’t very original, but the romantic feeling was strong, and the male and female leads acted pretty well.” “Romantic feeling?
Was there?” “?” The girl tilted her head in confusion and looked at him.
Do you want to look at the movie title on the ticket before saying that?
“I mean, I didn’t feel any romance just now.” “So?” “So, while there’s still a post-credits scene, I want to feel a little romance.” “This movie doesn’t have a post-credits scene.
I heard that from a friend.” “It does.” Akira calmly looked at her.
Kawasaki Saki blinked.
“It really doesn’t.
The official side didn’t film one.” “Then let’s make a bet.
If there’s a post-credits scene later, you kiss me.” Kawasaki Saki nodded and accepted, certain that she would not lose.
Sure enough, until the movie ended, and all the creators’ names and the thanks list finished playing, no post-credits scene appeared.
The corner of Kawasaki Saki’s mouth lifted slightly as she looked at this guy who had refused to believe her from the beginning.
I told you.
“I lost.” Akira calmly accepted everything.
Looking at the girl whose emotions were finally no longer wandering in confusion, he casually leaned down and lightly kissed her soft pink lips.
They separated after a single touch.
Click— Along with a burst from the flash, the sound of a camera shutter suddenly rang out.
“A bet is a bet.
So this time, I’ll kiss you instead.” …
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