Togetsukyo Bridge stood in Kyoto's western Arashiyama district, spanning the Katsura River as one of the area's most iconic sights.
On the northeastern bank lay Arashiyama Park, also known as the Nakanoshima area, famous for its cherry blossoms and autumn leaves.
A short walk north brought visitors to Tenryu-ji, backed by Arashiyama and Mount Kameyama. As a World Heritage site with beautiful scenery throughout the year, it was extremely popular with tourists.
Farther ahead was Kameyama Park, where an observation deck overlooked the surrounding Arashiyama landscape and offered a full view of Togetsukyo Bridge.
The park itself was lush with vegetation, its winding paths filled with the damp scent of earth and faint traces of unknown flowers.
Between Tenryu-ji and Kameyama Park lay the area's most famous attraction: towering bamboo forming a natural green tunnel, with sunlight filtering through the leaves and scattering shifting patches of light across the path.
Most importantly, early mornings and evenings tended to be relatively quiet.
That made the Bamboo Grove path an excellent date spot.
And it was precisely where Hikigaya had chosen for Tobe's confession.
After eating lunch with Hiratsuka Shizuka, everyone had followed Hikigaya around the area before finally settling on this location.
Now evening had arrived.
Everything was ready.
Tobe was already in position.
All they needed was for Ebina to arrive, and Hikigaya's plan could finally begin.
Naturally, Hikigaya hadn't told Tobe what he was actually planning.
So in Tobe's eyes, Hikigaya was still wholeheartedly helping him confess.
The way Tobe looked at Hikigaya was practically more affectionate than the way he looked at Hayama.
If Hayama, Saku, Yukino, and Yui weren't standing nearby, Saku might genuinely have suspected Tobe was about to kiss Hikigaya out of gratitude.
The guy was so nervous he couldn't sit still, constantly begging Hikigaya to reassure him and give him encouragement.
Hayama watched from the side with a strained smile.
He said absolutely nothing.
Saku glanced at him and silently delivered his verdict.
'He has a conscience.'
'Just not much of one.'
The only people maintaining completely blank expressions from beginning to end were Saku and Yukino.
Yui was every bit as anxious as Tobe.
She clung to Yukino's arm like a frightened little doggo.
No wonder her dachshund, Sable, could practically drag her around whenever they went for walks.
Thinking of Sable made Saku unexpectedly miss the little guy.
That dog really was cute and clingy.
A perfectly qualified pet.
「Shouldn't it be about time? Why isn't Ebina here yet? My legs are starting to hurt.」
His gaze wandered.
「Are those first-years over there?」
Then something clicked.
「Wait a second. I think I forgot about a certain kohai.」
「Come to think of it, isn't this around the time Isshiki Iroha first appears?」
「If I remember right, she witnessed Hikigaya self-destruct here. That's probably why she started paying attention to him afterward.」
「Publicly aiming for Hayama while secretly targeting Hachiman. What a maneuver.」
「If Hikigaya hadn't already decided on Yukino, Iroha's little-devil plus cute-kohai combo would've had him completely wrapped around her finger.」
「When it comes to tactics, even Yukino and Yui working together wouldn't be enough to beat Iroha with one hand tied behind her back.」
「Now I'm curious. Where exactly is she hiding and watching from?」
[Valid roast detected. Roast Points +60. Current total: 395.]
Yukino: 'Σ(⊙▽⊙") There's someone even stronger?!'
Yui: 'o(╥﹏╥)o I'm not that bad, am I...?'
Iroha: 'Jinnai-senpai actually knows about me? Wait, where are you? At least tell me that part!'
Isshiki Iroha was near Tenryu-ji, not far from the Bamboo Grove path.
She could hear Saku's inner voice as well.
The problem was that she'd always heard the voice without ever properly meeting its owner.
She knew Saku belonged to the HoYoMix club and had seen him from a distance before, but she'd never actually visited.
They were in different grades, and without a suitable reason, she simply couldn't justify approaching him.
When she'd first learned where the school trip was going, she'd secretly hoped for a chance encounter with Saku.
Unfortunately, they'd missed each other.
But now she'd received an unexpected second chance.
Saku was somewhere extremely close.
If Iroha didn't go satisfy her curiosity now, she knew she'd spend the entire night unable to sleep.
Unfortunately, Iroha hadn't appeared yet.
Neither had Ebina.
Haruno, however, arrived without the slightest hesitation.
Her sudden appearance nearly gave Tobe a heart attack.
The courage he'd spent so long building up instantly collapsed.
"Nee-san?"
Yukino stared at her in genuine disbelief.
"Why are you here again?"
"And how do you even know where we are?"
At this point, her sister was practically haunting her.
Haruno seemed capable of spawning beside Yukino anytime and anywhere.
It was terrifying.
"o(￣ヘ￣o#) Obviously because I have such a wonderful little brother!"
Haruno didn't care how many people were watching.
She immediately walked over and linked arms with Saku.
Saku played along perfectly, putting a hand on his hip with a smug expression.
"That's right!"
"I sold you out again!"
"I'm the one who sent Big Haruno-oneesan our location. Impressive, right?"
Yukino: '(•へ•╬) Impressive my ass! What are you so proud of, you awful man?!'
Yukino genuinely felt that Saku and her sister together could drive a person insane.
"Why would you do that?"
"She said she wanted to see a sweet confession scene."
Saku gestured around them.
"I figured we already had one ready-made, so I invited her."
Then he leaned closer and quietly added:
"Besides, Yukino, don't forget Hayama is here too."
"Even if I didn't tell her, he could've. There was no stopping her."
"..."
That explanation was annoyingly reasonable.
Much of Yukino's anger faded.
Just as Saku said, even if he hadn't revealed the location, Haruno could've gotten it from Hayama.
The outcome would've been basically identical.
"Hehe. My little brother really does understand me best."
Haruno deliberately rested her head against Saku's shoulder, shifting closer while openly watching Yukino's reaction.
"How about you really become my little brother?"
"Our family has always wanted a son."
"Nee-san."
Yukino's expression immediately chilled.
"Don't make jokes like that."
Haruno looked completely unconcerned.
"What's wrong, Yukino-chan?"
"Wouldn't you like having an older brother who spoils you?"
"Why does he have to be the older brother?"
Saku cleared his throat.
"I can be the younger brother too, Yukino-oneesan."
"Shut up!"
Haruno was already enough of a headache.
With Saku deliberately causing trouble on top of that, Yukino felt like she'd aged several years.
"Hehe."
Haruno grinned.
"Looks like Yukino-chan isn't completely against getting another brother."
"Forget that. Let go of him first."
Yukino had no interest in discussing whether she wanted another sibling.
What bothered her much more was Haruno hugging Saku's arm while leaning against his shoulder.
She didn't like looking at it.
"Huh?"
Haruno blinked innocently.
"Saku-kun doesn't mind."
"So why are you so anxious, Yukino-chan?"
She smiled mischievously.
"Or are you jealous and want to do this too?"
"I genuinely don't mind."
Saku immediately joined in.
"If Yukino wants to, my other side is still free."
He even opened his left arm invitingly.
"A family should stay together, after all."
"..."
Both sisters fell silent.
Saku's shamelessness had rendered them speechless.
Give this man an inch and he'd immediately build himself an entire dye factory.
Even Haruno couldn't keep pretending anymore.
She reluctantly released his arm, then joined Yukino in glaring sharply at him.
"My, my."
Haruno narrowed her eyes.
"Looks like my naughty little brother really does like sister pairs."
"Nonsense."
Saku answered without hesitation.
"Who doesn't?"
Yukino sighed deeply and looked at Haruno.
"Now you understand why I told you to stay away from him."
"Yukino-chan."
Haruno smiled.
"Don't try changing the subject."
"Oneesan knows exactly what you're thinking."
She walked past Saku and approached Yukino.
Then Haruno leaned close to her sister's ear, gently tidying a strand of her hair as she whispered:
"Yukino-chan..."
"I think I might actually be starting to like him."
"Can you give him to Oneesan?"
Yukino immediately took a full step backward.
Her dark eyes sharpened like a hawk's as she stared at Haruno.
"If you want to play games with me, I'll play anytime."
"But don't drag innocent people into it."
"Oh dear."
Haruno smiled.
"You've misunderstood your sister."
"This time, I'm serious."
"After all..."
She deliberately left the sentence unfinished.
With a teasing smile still on her face, Haruno met Yukino's gaze directly without backing down even half a step.
The pressure between the sisters became so intense that everyone nearby unconsciously moved away.
Even Tobe and Hikigaya completely forgot about the confession plan.
They stared at the sisters with nervous expressions.
Only Saku remained completely unaffected.
Then his eyes suddenly shifted toward the path.
"Everyone, attention!"
He raised a hand.
"She's here!"
…