Next Bonus, 200PS!
“Yumiko is probably just in a bad mood lately,” Hayato said, trying to smooth things over.
The truth was, he really didn’t know what was going on with her.
Tobe actually made a good point.
Not long ago, Yumiko used to say the same things about Ren.
…
On the school roof, Yumiko stood by herself, looking upset.
Yui Yuigahama and Hina Ebina shared a worried look, then walked over to her.
“Yumiko, are you okay?” Yui asked softly.
“Feeling sick?” Hina added.
Yumiko shook her head, trying to brush off her friends’ concern.
“I’m fine.
You two go ahead.”
“But…”
“I just want to be alone for a bit!”
Since Yumiko was being stubborn, Yui and Hina decided not to push her.
They nodded and quietly left, leaving Yumiko alone with her thoughts.
As soon as the door closed, Yumiko broke down.
“Ahhhhhhhhh!” she groaned, running her hands through her blonde hair.
“Why did I say all those things?
I’m the worst!”
Ever since that night at Kisaragi Station, Yumiko had been desperately looking for a chance to talk to Ren.
She wanted to get to know him.
But she had no idea how to even say hello.
With everyone else, she was the untouchable Fire Queen, always acting confident and above it all.
But whenever she thought about facing Ren, she just felt like a regular, awkward high school girl.
Tobe’s complaints today brought up her biggest regret.
She used to talk badly about Ren with the rest of the class, and that was what bothered her most.
Ren had always ignored the class gossip.
But now, Yumiko’s imagination was running wild.
“He was probably just ignoring it because he was angry!
He is definitely mad at me!
He has to blame me for what I said!” She smacked her forehead in agony.
“Ahhh!
Why did I ever talk trash about him?”
She really was the worst.
In her mind, the fact that she had insulted him meant she didn’t even deserve to face him.
Just outside the roof door, Yui and Hina hadn’t really left.
Worried about their friend, they stayed in the stairwell and listened to Yumiko’s muffled groans from the other side.
“What is wrong with her?”
Hina pushed up her thick glasses, her eyes suddenly lighting up.
“If you ask me, Yumiko is definitely in love!”
“In love?” Yui blinked in surprise.
“But doesn’t she like Hayato?”
Everyone in class knew she had a crush on Hayato.
It wasn’t exactly a secret.
Hina rested her chin on her hand, her fujoshi brain kicking into overdrive and taking her logic in a very weird direction.
“She must have fallen for a woman!”
“EH?” Yui gasped.
Before Hina could explain her bizarre theory, the roof door flew open.
“MY PREFERENCES ARE PERFECTLY NORMAL, HINA!” Yumiko said, glaring at her.
“Uh…
hehe.” Caught in the act, Hina scratched her head and laughed awkwardly.
Since they were close friends, a joke like that didn’t matter.
Yui looked at Yumiko, still worried.
“Are you feeling better, Yumiko?”
“Yeah.” Yumiko didn’t elaborate.
Thinking too much wouldn’t help.
What she really needed was a reason to talk to Ren.
She pushed her feelings down and put on her usual confident face.
“Classes are about to start.
Let’s head back.”
“Okay.” Yui and Hina nodded and followed her down the stairs.
But a few steps down, a sudden sound made Yui freeze in her tracks.
Click.
Clack.
Click.
The frantic sound of high heels resounded behind her.
Yui froze.
“What is wrong, Yui?” Yumiko stopped and looked back, frowning at her friend’s pale face.
Hina gave her a curious look as well.
“N-NOTHING!” Yui quickly shook her head.
The sound of running heels got closer.
But when Yui looked at Yumiko and Hina, it was clear they couldn’t hear it.
It felt like only Yui could hear the noise.
After a few agonizing moments, the sound finally faded away.
Yui gulped hard and hurried to catch up.
When the final bell rang, Yumiko watched Ren pack up and leave for the Service Club.
She tried several times to say something—but the words wouldn’t come out.
In the end, she just watched in frustration as he walked away.
“Are you alright, Yumiko?” Hayato asked, walking over to her desk.
He was packing up for soccer practice.
“I’m fine.” She shook her head.
Right now, she didn’t even have the patience to exchange pleasantries with him.
“Are you not going to your club?” Hayato asked, noticing her packing her bag to go home.
At a school like Sobu High, almost everyone in the popular clique was part of an after-school club.
“No.
I don’t feel like going today.”
Yumiko didn’t bother to explain.
She grabbed her bag and left, not in the mood for any club activities.
Yui watched her leave.
After a long pause of hesitation, she tightened her grip on her bag and ran after her.
“U-Um, Yumiko!
Wait for me!”
The rest of the class didn’t think much of it.
Yui was the group’s peacemaker, always going with the flow and following Yumiko.
If anything, they just wondered why Yumiko was so moody.
“YUMIKO!
WAIT!”
Yui caught up to Yumiko just as she was about to leave the school grounds.
“Yui?” Yumiko turned around, surprised to see her friend running toward her.
“Are you heading home early too?”
“I…
I have something I need to tell you,” Yui said, catching her breath.
Thinking Yui just wanted to comfort her again, Yumiko waved her hand.
“Relax.
I told you, I’m fine.”
No amount of pep talk from a friend was going to fix her problem with Ren.
“N-No…
That isn’t it,” Yui said, lowering her head nervously.
“It is about me.”
“…” Yumiko blinked in confusion.
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