What neither of them noticed was a figure quietly listening around the corner ahead…
Yanami smiled, raising one hand in mock righteousness… She was always so lively and bright. Even if she occasionally ran into dark clouds, felt a bit lost or annoyed, she would eventually show a joyful smile in front of you.
In the past, when facing a boy, she would always use some subtle feminine tricks to make him unknowingly fall for her, and then she would watch his embarrassed face, feeling very pleased, as if sweet and sour flavors had melted together into something particularly delicious.
But occasionally, another feeling would suddenly emerge—an impulse about to burst forth, wanting only to see one person, to personally hear his voice.
The recipient is you.
The content of the envelope is unknown.
But even so, she still wanted to see him.
The fire in her heart grew hotter and hotter, so she came, bringing only her heart, with no clear purpose.
Then she ran over just like that.
However, the words of another girl made her stop abruptly, her expression caught between surprise and uncertainty.
What did she just hear… Kiyono marrying into the family?
Yanami suddenly remembered that Kiyono had been adopted. Right, this idiot had been treated as a child groom… She took a deep breath. Up until now, this girl had never paid much attention to other girls in this world.
Perhaps it was because she was so confident in herself, believing that the experiences she shared with him were unique, that those ordinary, common past events were irreplaceable memories.
Every day, the future she imagined in her dreams always had her by his side.
After this world ended, they would slowly cross the boundary of their relationship, occasionally quarrel and reconcile, sometimes be angry, sometimes happy, and finally, they would be together—a simple yet beautiful ending.
She wasn't in a hurry to define their romance; instead, she wanted to spend every day of their youth with him—watching sunsets, fireworks, the sea, eating delicious food together, feeling happy, eager, nervous, shy. Just ordinary things like that would be enough.
They would study hard together and get into university, just like last time. She was already learning to cook, and when they started their life together in the future, she would make different delicious meals every day.
She believed such a future would one day come true.
But now it was different. She knew Kiyono very well—if he truly formed a real relationship with a certain girl, he would definitely take responsibility for her life.
…How could such a thing happen?
While she was leisurely, someone else was already trying to take the cake.
The image of that short-haired woman flashed through her mind. If it was a choice between the two Yukinoshitas, she felt that that young lady was the real enemy.
A wave of anxiety swept over her heart.
Yanami Anna felt uneasy for the first time.
---
When she was angry, she would sulk silently, and after a while, the sun would shine again. When happy, she would show a sun-bright smile. Her favorite thing was eating; no matter how sad or upset she was, a full stomach could solve the problem.
She would worry and struggle about her future, and occasionally feel a little inferior.
Sadness was sadness, joy was joy, and when she had a goal, she would sincerely work hard. The girl Yanami was like a three-flavor ice cream cup, each part both special and distinct.
Even as she continued to run along the path of life, the youthful aura about her had not faded in the slightest; she was fresh and beautiful.
"So, can I take that as a compliment?"
On the school rooftop, Yanami gripped the railing, gazing at the azure sky, where the clouds seemed low enough to touch.
Upon hearing the boy's thoughts, she turned around and revealed a playful smile.
"I'm implying that you act impulsively, doing whatever comes to mind," Kiyono said. Just after school today, Yanami had blocked his way, saying she wanted to wander around, and so they ended up on the rooftop.
"Because… I just have a feeling something will happen today."
Her blue hair swayed gently, and the girl's voice carried a hint more ethereality than usual, like a softly floating white cloud.
"For a moment, I can't quite tell if you're making a dirty joke or imitating someone else…"
Kiyono rubbed his chin, then decided to activate his special move for Yanami:
"Where should we go to eat next?"
As his words fell, the subtle, mysterious aura Yanami had just created involuntarily dissipated. She raised an eyebrow, looking a little displeased.
"What? In your eyes, do I only come to you for things like this? Ah, ah, I'm sorry, I'm just that kind of girl who particularly loves to eat… Deny it!"
Seeing Kiyono's utterly natural expression, the blue-haired girl's mouth twitched. Then she walked over to him with quick steps, tugging at his collar back and forth with both hands.
"So, what are we eating today?" Kiyono repeated.
The girl fell silent, just staring at him.
Kiyono stared back.
Their eyes didn't blink, as if they were playing a little game of "whoever blinks first loses."
"How about that teppanyaki place near Seaside Park? They also have steak, gratin, or we could go to that café in Komachi for smoked salmon…"
Kiyono suddenly started listing dishes. Yanami couldn't help but blink, then glared at him.
"You spoke first! That's cheating!"
"This is just about who blinks first, not who speaks first!"
"Hmph, no, I make the rules."
The blue-haired girl took two steps back, placed a finger on her lips, and softly murmured:
"By the way, these shops… they feel so familiar. Like we've been there before."
"Be confident—remove the 'like'. Aren't these the shops you loved going to the last two times? Miss Yanami, is your memory starting to deteriorate now that you've gotten into university?" Kiyono sighed, looking at her with concern.
"It's because I'm always thinking about cooking for you; it's normal not to notice other things," Yanami tilted her head.
At this point, both of them fell silent, just looking at each other.
The ensemble of the wind instrument club echoed from the school building. Under the sky gradually turning orange, a first-love-like breeze gently caressed the girl's blue hair, and the scent of her shampoo drifted over.
Yanami tucked her hair behind her ear, her smile radiant.
"So, let's go to the supermarket to buy groceries!"
Kiyono and Yanami, each carrying a plastic bag, returned to the rental apartment. The sound of the door opening subtly added a touch of everyday life—although he had been living at the mansion recently, no one minded him occasionally returning to the apartment.
Upon coming in, Yanami didn't even eat snacks. She quickly washed her hands, then put on the blue-striped apron she had brought and walked into the kitchen.
The girl held a hair tie in her mouth as she tied up her hair. From his angle, he could just see her smooth nape, which, though not exposed, exuded a sensual aura.
Under Kiyono's gaze, Yanami efficiently organized the groceries she had bought, her profile serene. Knowing that Kiyono hadn't been staying here often lately, she only bought a few ingredients that would be used immediately.
How to describe it? The girl at this moment was inexplicably feminine, giving a different impression. Kiyono suddenly realized this.
While the usual Yanami also had a strong girlish charm, her tomboyish demeanor often masked it. Now, as she quieted down, her long legs and rounded hips exuded both a gentle, virtuous aura and an undeniable sexiness.
Today's Yanami seemed a little out of the ordinary.
"Of course it can't be the same anymore."
Yanami muttered under her breath in a slightly sulky tone.
If she didn't do something soon, Kiyono would be taken away.
The things before her only further proved this point.
For a woman, the kitchen is like her territory. In the past, she hadn't noticed or cared about this, because she and Kiyono shared important memories; they had already entered each other's inner worlds. However, now…
Yanami's eyes narrowed. She subtly scanned every detail of the kitchen: the neatly arranged spice bottles, the bowls, the chopsticks, the spatulas. Every detail strongly exuded the presence of another woman. She could even imagine how, over time, another girl would naturally take tools from familiar places.
…In this room, she was the interloper.
That Kiyono guy must often eat the food made by those two Yukinoshitas, right?
They must understand Kiyono's tastes better than she did—what he liked to eat each season. Kiyono must also accompany them to nearby malls to buy seasonal vegetables.
Even earlier, Kiyono had spent that kind of time with them and must have felt deeply happy.
Honestly… Yanami sighed. She had always thought she was special, but Kiyono and Yukino also shared important memories.
They had spent more time together than she had, already building an inseparable relationship, and even in another world, those memories wouldn't fade in the slightest.
—This simulator is really too bad!
Although she was also a beneficiary, Yanami still gritted her teeth while chopping vegetables. She couldn't take her anger out on other girls; she could only go after the culprit.
So, at the very least, I must…
Yanami temporarily suppressed her inner thoughts and raised her voice a little:
"Kiyono, cooking will take some time. You should go take a shower first."
"I need to do my exercises!" A flash of wisdom gleamed in Kiyono's eyes.
"It won't take that much time!" Yanami said, speechless.
"Then I'll help you?"
"Go, go. Cooking for two doesn't need to be so complicated."
This conversation had similarities to the ones with the two Yukinoshitas, but the style was completely different, Kiyono thought to himself.
The three were incompatible; when Haruno cooked, Yukino never joined in, and when Yukino cooked, Haruno would only cause trouble—let alone Yanami.
Even at this very moment, he had received completely different greeting messages from Haruno and Yukino.
Kiyono replied to the messages, scratching his head in frustration.
When he came out of the bathroom after showering, Yanami was just serving the food onto the dining table.
The living room was filled with tantalizing aromas, and his stomach involuntarily rumbled.
The meal also exuded Yanami's style: fried chicken cutlets with sauce, braised tofu, omelettes, roasted meat, a vegetable salad, and drinks from the refrigerator instead of soup. All were dishes that could thoroughly satisfy one's appetite, and incidentally, the portions were a third larger than normal.
Yanami served a full bowl of rice and sat down, saying with a hint of insecurity:
"Sorry, I only know how to make these ordinary dishes."
"No, no, it's already very abundant," the lazy man offered praise.
"Miss Yukino… probably cooks more professionally, right?" Yanami quietly looked up at him.
"Everyone has their strengths; digging too deep will only make you sad, Yanami-san."
Kiyono said earnestly, then began picking up dishes and eating his rice. The rice she'd cooked was very plain, with only two pickled plums as garnish, and the taste…
"…How is it?" Her smile was frank, but her tone carried faint nervousness.
Kiyono temporarily put down his chopsticks and mused:
"I think it's wonderful. It embodies a girl's heart and effort, and that's the best seasoning in the world—the ultimate magic that makes food delicious."
"…How do you make comforting words sound so good?"
Yanami touched her cheek, silently averting her gaze.
After dinner, Kiyono rested for a bit, then proactively went to wash the dishes—this was the usual division of labor when he was with Yukino. Yanami, meanwhile, took a shower during this time.
Kiyono, being very skilled, finished washing quickly and sat on the sofa, comfortably eating snacks from the table.
He suddenly heard the water running in the bathroom.
Ah, Yanami is showering at home.
Kiyono calmly recognized this fact.
The next second, his thigh involuntarily started trembling. How strange—Yanami and Haruno had often showered here before, so why was his heart so restless only today? Was it her subtle hints? Or the girl's slight changes?
And… she didn't even bring a change of clothes, did she?
Kiyono shook his head, found a few new undergarments, placed them on the washing machine outside the bathroom, and called out a reminder.
Standing closer to the bathroom, the rushing sound of the shower became clearer. He could vaguely see the blurry silhouette behind the bathroom door, which directly conjured up images in his mind of glistening water droplets slowly flowing down her body.
He took a quiet breath, turned around, and was about to leave, but just then, the girl loudly interrupted him.
"Th-that…"