Chapter 44 – Not Out of Arrogance, But Because There's Nothing to Fear!
The streets were bustling, filled with the chatter of passersby and the rhythmic flow of everyday life. And yet, standing in the middle of it all, Yukinoshita Yukino felt an overwhelming sense of isolation.
Even in a crowd, she felt like a child left alone in the dark—a child no one had bothered to explain the world to.
Everyone treated her like she was just a child. Insignificant. Invisible. Irrelevant.
Since she was young, the way their mother treated her and her older sister, Yukinoshita Haruno, had always been starkly different—no, downright opposite.
Haruno had been raised under relentless discipline, verging on cruelty. And yet, that upbringing had forged her into someone flawless—beautiful, intelligent, charismatic.
Yukino, on the other hand, had grown up without any expectations. Their mother barely acknowledged her, let alone guided her. She was like a doll left in the attic—unattended, untouched.
No matter how hard Yukino worked, no matter how perfect her grades were, her mother's response remained cold and indifferent. As if Yukino wasn't even her daughter… just a stranger.
Maybe that's why, somewhere along the way, Yukino started chasing after her sister's shadow. If Haruno could do something, she wanted to prove she could too. She didn't want to lose. She couldn't lose.
But the more time passed, the more Yukino realized something painful.
She could never become her sister.
Especially when it came to social interaction—leadership, charm, the ability to stand at the center of any group… those were worlds Yukino couldn't even reach.
Ever since elementary school, she'd always been the quiet one, the one people avoided. Sometimes she was even bullied—not physically, thanks to the prestige of the Yukinoshita name—but emotionally… completely isolated.
No friends. No conversations. Just silence.
Meanwhile, Haruno had always been the star. Bright, magnetic, effortlessly commanding attention.
She was so popular that as long as she didn't participate in bullying others, that alone was considered a blessing.
The only space where Yukino had ever felt like she understood someone—where she truly had a connection—was within her family… and with a certain childhood friend. But after that night, she began to doubt whether she had ever truly known anyone at all.
That difference between her and Haruno—it had carved a deep wound in her heart. A wound that festered, unseen.
"Where are you heading?"
A familiar voice called out behind her. Yukino turned.
Yukinoshita Akira stood there, a long bag containing a katana slung over his shoulder.
"That's none of your business. It has nothing to do with you," Yukino snapped coldly.
She was still furious. Akira had completely ignored her authority as Club President and brought in a new member without even consulting her.
And his attitude… the way he talked to her earlier… it made her blood boil.
"Oh, dear Miss Second Daughter, it seems you've forgotten something important."
Akira stepped closer.
His face—handsome and annoyingly calm—was now less than twenty centimeters from hers.
Yukino had never been this close to a boy before.
Her heart skipped a beat.
"W-What do you think you're doing? We're in public..."
She stiffly took a step back, her eyes darting nervously around.
A few people glanced in their direction, but no one seemed too concerned. High schoolers being flirtatious in public wasn't exactly uncommon—especially when it was this tame.
"You've really forgotten, huh?"
"F-Forgotten what?"
"You're absolutely terrible with directions. If you get lost and wander into the wrong area and run into something... you won't even have the chance to scream."
"I'm not lost! I just… don't fully remember the route!"
Yukino snapped, flustered, her tone defensive—like a cornered kitten.
She hated being called directionally challenged. It was her most embarrassing weakness. She was supposed to be smart, but she had zero sense of navigation.
That was also the real reason she always commuted to school by private car—not just because she was rich, but because letting her wander around alone would be an actual safety hazard.
"Listen carefully, Miss Second Daughter. Strange things tend to attract other strange things."
"…What does that mean?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. Normal people will bump into other normal people. But anomalies… they're drawn to each other. And now that you've encountered a 'Demon'—"
Akira didn't finish the sentence, but Yukino knew what he meant.
Once you've been touched by that world, you become a magnet for it.
The color drained from her face as she recalled that night.
She didn't want to go through something like that again.
"Well… my sister sent me a 'High-Powered UV Lamp' this afternoon," she mumbled.
Only now did Akira notice the small suitcase Yukino had been dragging beside her.
Ah, of course. The thing inside really was big. A proper heavy-duty UV lamp.
"You really think you can kill a Demon with just that?"
"You're the one who said they're vulnerable to sunlight! So, this should—"
"I never said you were wrong. The question is: in the middle of a dark night, are you confident you can shine it on a Demon before they tear you apart?"
"…"
She fell silent.
She knew the answer.
Demons were fast. Strong. Their reflexes were inhuman. By the time she flipped the switch, she'd already be dead.
To kill one with UV light, you had to immobilize it first.
And there was only one person here capable of doing that.
"It seems you finally understand, Miss Second Daughter. From now on, you need to stay close to me."
"You—!"
She was angry. Frustrated. Annoyed.
But more than anything, she felt powerless.
"…Tch."
"Honestly, Yukino like this... is truly beautiful," Akira said softly. "Like a snowflake caught in the sun. To survive, you have to live in the cold."
He stepped closer, his breath warm as it brushed against her ear.
Yukino flushed red, but her expression twisted in irritation.
"Arrogant… insufferable…"
"This isn't arrogance. It's confidence born from real strength."
"So this is your true face?"
"Partly. But there's more. Do you want to know the rest?"
"No. Absolutely not. What I want… is to get as far away from you as possible."
"Unfortunately, that's not going to happen. Even if you wanted to, your sister—Haruno—won't let it."
Akira's eyes gleamed with sharp insight as he said those words.
He knew the game they were playing. And in this game...
He was the one holding all the cards.
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