Yukino didn't leave immediately after opening her umbrella.
Even though Makoto's teasing had made her shy.
"How are you planning to go home?" she suddenly asked.
Makoto stretched out his hand, feeling the cold raindrops hitting his palm: "You asked specially because you're allowing me to share your umbrella home?"
Yukino's lips parted slowly as she smiled: "Do you think that's possible?"
After speaking, she left without hesitation.
Makoto wasn't in a hurry and patiently waited where he was.
When Yukino's figure walked out the school gate, he indeed received a message from her.
Yukino: [I can help you buy an umbrella.]
Makoto: [No need to bother. Later I'll just borrow one from a friend. Hayama and the others probably haven't gone home yet.]
Yukino: [Okay.]
That was just like her — straightforward without dragging things out.
Makoto was about to go check on the soccer club when three girls from the Nakano family appeared nearby.
They were Ichika, Itsuki, and Yotsuba, who was helping in the club.
Ichika saw Makoto standing alone and immediately looked surprised.
She turned to Yotsuba and said, "Yotsuba, lend me your umbrella."
Yotsuba looked confused. Among the three of them, only Ichika hadn't brought an umbrella.
But she obediently handed the umbrella over.
Ichika took the umbrella and smiled: "You go home with Itsuki. I'll go ahead."
"Eh? Wait, Ichika…"
Yotsuba didn't have time to call her back before Ichika happily walked over to Makoto with the umbrella.
Only then did Yotsuba realize: "So Ichika is going home with Fushimi-kun."
She then muttered to herself, "Are their relations really that good?"
Itsuki stared blankly at their departing figures.
If she had gone first to give him an umbrella, would Ichika have had the chance to act?
No!
How could she think like that?
Itsuki suddenly realized.
Since the club activity a few days ago, she had started to feel that something was off.
For example, right now, seeing Makoto and Ichika leave holding an umbrella together, she felt an uncomfortable feeling in her heart.
"Itsuki, why do you seem weird?"
Yotsuba reached out, waving her hand in front of Itsuki's eyes.
"Sorry, I was distracted."
Itsuki picked up her umbrella and smiled in response, "Let's head back too."
Yotsuba hummed in agreement, walking shoulder to shoulder with Itsuki, muttering, "Ichika clearly said earlier she would go home with us, but now she just left us behind."
Itsuki didn't reply.
Because she was feeling a bit upset again.
On the other side, Ichika was very happy.
She enjoyed the feeling of walking home together with the boy she liked.
And since it was raining today, that feeling was even more wonderful.
"I got a role at that café last time. Although I only had two lines, and not even a close-up shot, I still stayed at the filming set for two days."
Ichika happily shared her interesting stories from the filming, pointing to the café by the roadside.
Makoto glanced over accordingly: "So it's because they had to film the lead actor's scenes first, and you just waited around?"
"I wasn't just doing nothing~" Ichika smiled, puffing out her chest a little proudly.
"No matter which crew I'm with, whenever I have time, I always carefully observe the seniors' performances."
Makoto nodded, no wonder she could become a top actress someday.
At least on this path, she was working harder than anyone else.
Because Makoto's attention was distracted, listening to Ichika's casual chat all the way, he didn't notice the intersection on the left side.
At this moment, a slender figure was watching over here.
That person was Yukino.
She didn't go straight home but decided to wait here for ten minutes.
If Makoto didn't come out within ten minutes, she would return and… reluctantly let that guy who liked to say silly things share her umbrella.
Since the first kiss incident, her feelings had been in a state of contradiction.
It was exactly this contradiction that made her seem a little "awkward" in some ways.
She had firmly decided early on not to date Makoto, yet he had forcefully and decisively broken into her world.
Like now, she said she wouldn't let Makoto share her umbrella, but after leaving, she still chose to wait nearby for a while.
This was already the limit of her "awkwardness."
But at this moment, she saw Ichika's figure again, and a feeling of displeasure rose in her heart once more.
Coincidentally, Ichika just turned her head.
The eyes of the two girls met.
Ichika froze for a moment, then quickly showed a friendly smile.
Yukino nodded slightly, as a response.
Their eyes met only briefly.
Then Yukino calmly left.
Ichika thought to herself: Yukinoshita and Makoto really don't have a friendship like it appears on the surface.
If they were just ordinary friends, would Yukino be deliberately waiting here?
Even though Ichika hadn't seen the earlier conversation between the two, she was still sure that Yukino was definitely waiting for Makoto.
This was a very bad sign.
And it also brought a strong sense of crisis.
In Ichika's eyes, Yukino was different from her own sisters.
She was a strong rival!
Smart and keen, powerful and confident.
After parting from Makoto, as she walked home, she took out her phone and opened Yukino's chat window.
Ichika: [I don't have to film with the crew today. How about we meet up?]
Five seconds later, Yukino replied: [No.]
Not the usual polite tone she used in conversations, but a short and simple "No."
"Is she angry?"
Ichika pondered.
In the following two days, Yukino still appeared calm and composed at school.
But every day when she exchanged morning and evening greetings with Makoto, she added a panda smile emoji.
Because of the influence of internet culture, Makoto always felt mocked when he saw the smiling emoji.
But on second thought, Yukino probably didn't understand the sarcasm in smiles, so he let it go.
One day after school, Makoto got Nakano Maruo's contact information from Mrs. Yukinoshita.
He planned to meet Nakano Maruo in the next few days and help improve the distant relationship between the director and the five sisters.
Mrs. Yukinoshita asked on the phone if she should help by preparing a dinner gathering.
Makoto naturally declined.
If the beautiful Mrs. Yukinoshita was present, his plan wouldn't go so smoothly.
As for the music instructor he originally asked for, because of his qualified performance, the course had ended early.
It's worth mentioning that Mayu had been practicing her speaking skills again these days.
She always used that shy look but took the boldest actions.
At home, just as Makoto plugged in the rice cooker, the doorbell suddenly rang.
He looked through the peephole and found Itsuki standing outside.
"Sorry to bother you."
When he opened the door, Itsuki's beautiful face came into view.
The girl smiled politely, casually lifting the bag she was holding: "Cookies, Nino specially made them."
Makoto thanked her in puzzlement and reached out: "Why this?"
"Because she tried your cooking last time, and since you've been taking care of us at the club, Nino and I talked and felt you shouldn't be the only one giving, so we decided to come over today and bring something."
Itsuki said with a slightly embarrassed smile, "But when we were about to leave, Ichika called her away. It seems she's preparing to have dinner with her father this week."
Isn't this a good opportunity?
Makoto had an idea.
He led Itsuki inside, curiously asking, "By the way, since you and Nino are coming, if Ichika knew, she would definitely want to come too, right?"
Is he more concerned about Ichika than me and Nino?
Itsuki controlled her expression: "Maybe, but I'm going alone. I don't know if Ichika will come."
When she said this, she found herself involuntarily recalling the scene of Ichika holding an umbrella that day.
It would be better if Ichika and Nino didn't come today.
A thought surprised even herself appeared in her heart.
At this moment, Makoto's voice came: "Since you're here, I'll add one more dish temporarily."
Itsuki waved her hand: "No need to trouble yourself, we still have to go home to eat later."
Makoto rolled up his sleeves: "I'm going to make meat buns."
Itsuki quickly shut her mouth.
Better if Ichika and Nino don't come after all; just me staying here is enough.
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