The door to the clubroom slowly opened with a slow creaking sound, cutting through the room.
I turned my head to see a boy politely walking inside.
Honestly, he looked just about like every other completely average guy walking the hallways of this school.
“Hello.” His voice was low, laced with a clear undercurrent of hesitation as he looked between the two of us.
“Sup, dude,” I called out, offering a casual wave of my hand.
When you are dealing with someone who looks like they are stepping into a lion’s den, the best way to start these things is to make the atmosphere as comfortable as possible.
Clearly, this guy came here because he needed our help with something, and Yukino wasn’t exactly what you would call a good icebreaker.
I mean she was ice herself after all!
Okay…The bad attempt at a joke aside, the point itself was still very clear.
The guy who hadn’t introduced himself, walked further into the room, his eyes scanning the empty spaces until he took a seat in one of the spare chairs.
It just so happened to be the one I forgot to put back when I dragged mine over next to Yukino.
He cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably under our combined gaze.
“Hiratsuka-sensei said you guys could help me.” “Hm.
Hm.
So, what’s up, dude?” I asked, leaning into the conversation.
“You see, it’s kind of complicated.” I chuckled softly, leaning right back in my seat.
I supported my arm against the windowsill, letting my face rest comfortably in my palm as I watched him fidget.
“You shouldn’t laugh at people, Tatsuya,” Yukino chided smoothly, not even looking up from her book.
“I’m not laughing at him.” Still, Yukino’s sharp side-glance was more than enough to keep me from being overly expressive.
I really couldn’t help it, though.
The dude was sitting there with his shoulders slouched and his fingers twisting together, acting like a nervous middle school girl about to confess her crush.
He took a deep breath, staring down at his own shoes as he finally dropped the bomb.
“My stepsister…
you see, she’s my ex.” The silence that followed was incredibly loud.
The only sound in the entire room was the faint rustle of the wind hitting the windowpane.
Yukino’s reading completely stopped.
Her head turned slowly, her eyes wide with a rare flash of genuine bewilderment as she awkwardly looked over to me for assistance.
“What?” she murmured, completely out of her depth.
When I didn’t say anything right away, she cleared her throat and closed her book with a soft snap.
“This is a field in which I am entirely uneducated, so I think it would be best if Tatsuya handles it.” “Pfft.
Throwing the work to me now that you got an extra member?” I joked, flashing her a smirk.
Yukino didn’t even try to counter.
She just awkwardly looked down, opening her book right back up to pretend she was reading again.
I could completely understand her reaction, so I kept my jokes to a minimum and focused entirely on the dude sitting across from us.
“Your stepsister is your ex,” I repeated, letting the words settle.
“What’s the actual thing you want help with?” “I wanted to get someone else’s opinion on our feelings,” he muttered.
“Dude.
If you have to come to a school club to ask a question like that, it’s probably exactly what you’re already thinking deep down.” “C-Can you just listen, please?” he pleaded, looking up with an exhausted expression.
I shrugged, letting my posture relax completely.
“Sure.
Go ahead.” The guy, Mizuto Irido, finally went on to explain the absolute mess his life had become.
He told me about how he and his ex-girlfriend, Yume, had broken up right after middle school graduation, only for their parents to remarry immediately afterward.
Now they were forced to live under the same roof as stepsisters and stepbrothers, trying to navigate a ridiculous sibling agreement to see who would act like the older one.
He detailed what happens at home, the constant tension in their daily interactions, how they try to maintain a strict distance in public, and, very clearly to me, her subtle, lingering approaches to him that showed she wasn’t nearly as over him as she claimed to be.
“Can I call you Mizuto?” I asked.
“Sure…” “Mizuto, are you perhaps mentally retarded?” “Tatsuya…” “Yes, Yukino?” “Hah~” She sighed.
Mizuto on the other hand was staring at me wide-eyed.
“No, I’m not mentally retarded.” He said back.
“Okay, so let me say this to you.
This yume girl clearly still has feelings towards you still.
And you, my friend, still have feelings towards her.
My opinion is that you two should get back together and stop that stupid bet of yours.” “I-I see.” “I agree with Tatsuya.
What you two are doing is ridiculous.” “See dude?
Even the ice queen herself can’t stand the stupidity-GYUAK?!” “Shut up, tatsuya.” “Are you deadshot or something?!” Her book hit right on target and without remorse!
“Ahem.
Mizuto, you should definitely confess.
And do it properly.” Mizuto nodded his head.
I wanted to say more but I didn’t know if Yukino had more ammo in her bag and I didn’t want another paperback launched at my face.
“Thank you both.” He bowed and walked out with a completely different aura then we walked in.
The clubroom was silent for a brief instance.
“What are the chances you think he’ll succeed?” Yukino’s eyes were stuck on where Mizuto left.
“As long as he doesn’t become a horny dog, 100%.” A tinge of red tickled Yukino’s face before vanishing.
“You really are open about your words.” “I just speak the truth and nothing but,” with a shrug I picked up the fallen book that assaulted my face and handed it back to Yukino.
“Next time just slap me personally or something.
Don’t use a book!” She chuckled and put it away.
“Depends on the situation,” she said I shivered hearing her words.
‘A casual Yukino is a scary Yukino,’ I thought.