Yukinoshita-san is definitely secretly in love with me.

In the Yukinoshita residence, Mrs. Yukinoshita had just ended a phone call when she saw her eldest daughter, Haruno, walk through the front door.

"I'm home… Mom?"

Haruno's makeup was flawless, and her accessories subtly accentuated her beauty. From head to toe, she shimmered with confidence and elegance.

Though she looked a little tired, she still exuded a vibrant presence.

She was, without a doubt, the pride of the Yukinoshita family its most exceptional heir. Even without comparing her to the disappointing second daughter, Haruno would still shine brightly among the nation's elite socialites.

She wasn't yet fully grown into her final form, but already, she was a young serpent sharp enough to show its fangs.

The more Mrs. Yukinoshita took pride in her eldest, the more disappointment she felt toward the other.

Yukino had once been an outstanding child too. Although she couldn't quite match up to her sister, she had still been a perfectly qualified backup heir to the Yukinoshita family.

But overnight, she'd rebelled turning into a gyaru type obsessed with dating, seemingly incapable of anything but chasing boys. Mrs. Yukinoshita had been so enraged she nearly passed out.

Perhaps surprised to find her mother actually at home, Haruno raised her eyebrows slightly.

Her smile was sweet and pleasant the kind of disarming smile that made people drop their guard. She had practiced it to perfection since she was a child.

"Were you waiting for me? Give me just a moment to change I'll be right back."

She was still dressed in a glamorous evening gown. It would have felt out of place to have a serious conversation like that.

"No need, Haruno," her mother said, motioning for her to sit on the sofa across from her. "I have something to ask you."

Haruno obeyed with a poised smile. "Is this about the details of tonight's party?"

"The Shikō girl didn't show up, but Shijō's daughter came. With the economy looking the way it is, a lot of people have taken interest in the ACG industry. I think this might be a good opportunity, but "

"Haruno. Your sister has started studying seriously again."

Haruno's voice cut off abruptly.

For a brief moment, her expression didn't change. She continued smiling gently.

"Ah, I see. Must be chasing after some top student again. That's not so surprising coming from Yukino, is it~?"

It wouldn't be the first time.

There was that one time she studied a pile of over-the-top chūnibyō novels just to impress a delusional boy in her class, memorizing entire lines of absurdly dramatic quotes.

Another time, she went full otaku for a guy bought a mountain of games, light novels, manga, and nearly debuted as a cosplayer.

Over the past year, Yukino's persistence when it came to her crushes had honestly impressed even Haruno.

"That's not it," her mother said, laying out several photographs.

"It's been two weeks. She hasn't chased after anyone. She's changed completely and started studying earnestly. Even during her infatuation phases, she never stayed focused longer than two weeks."

Haruno's expression grew complicated. "These… look like they were taken in secret?"

Mrs. Yukinoshita's poised demeanor faltered for just a second.

"Don't misunderstand. I downloaded them from the Sōbu High student forum and printed them."

Haruno chuckled softly. "Well, it's good if she wants to study seriously. Whatever she wants to do with her life, let her."

But her mother's tone was firm.

"Yukino is a Yukinoshita. If she's showing ambition, of course I'll be pleased."

It was a perfectly ordinary statement, but beneath the surface, there was an invisible current swirling between the two.

If Haruno was a not-yet-fully-grown snake baring her fangs, then Mrs. Yukinoshita was already a full-fledged serpent vast, ancient, and cloaked in shadows.

She spoke calmly and smiled like a proper lady, yet every word carried an almost suffocating pressure.

"Next weekend," Mrs. Yukinoshita said, "I want you to bring your sister home."

It didn't sound like a request. It was a quiet command dressed up as a statement of fact.

Haruno pressed her lips together. Her smile disappeared.

"Do you really want me to say it out loud, Mom?"

"I will never admit that girl is my sister."

"She's here, she's here!"

Kano Onosawa came barreling down the aisle like a whirlwind, whispering urgently into Miura's ear, "Yukinoshita's coming. Yumiko, get ready!"

"What the hell? She's the one chasing me, not the other way around. Why should I get ready…?"

Despite her words, Miura quickly pulled out a mirror to fix her hair, then grabbed a neatly prepared gift bag from her desk drawer.

Her eyes locked onto the classroom door with laser focus.

So when Yukinoshita walked into the room, backpack slung over her shoulder and footsteps light, the first thing she saw was four pairs of eyes staring straight at her.

Her instinct was to look down at her desk no curse words scribbled all over it. She checked her chair no thumbtacks. She glanced at the blackboard no profanities aimed at her up there either.

Yukinoshita: "?"

A slow, confused question mark floated above her head.

Puzzled, she sat down, only for someone to zip past like a gust of wind and slam something onto her desk.

She wasn't ready!

Caught off guard!

She spun around just in time to see Miura dash elegantly back to her seat, coughing softly as she looked away.

Thinking it might be some sort of mutual destruction prank, Yukinoshita cautiously glanced at the item on her desk only to find a stack of notebooks. She opened one curiously.

They were class notes. Neatly organized, written in delicate handwriting clearly a girl's.

From the beginning of first year all the way to last week, every subject had been covered.

For second-year classes, since Miura still needed her originals, the copies had been printed out.

Yukinoshita pursed her lips and quietly grabbed the bag of cream puffs she'd brought that morning, placing it gently on Miura's desk.

Miura crossed her arms and gave the bag a sideways glance, pretending not to care.

"Ugh, cream puffs? So greasy. I hate those."

Yukinoshita: ?

You lying system come out and get what's coming to you.

Didn't it say Miura loved cream puffs?

Junko Kamizawa peeked over from the desk behind. "Oh? I love cream puffs! If Yumiko doesn't want them, I'll take them all~"

Kano Onosawa leaned in from the left. "Me too, me too!"

"Buzz off!" Miura snapped, quickly hiding the dessert bag in her desk drawer. Even her ears had turned bright red.

"I feel like getting fat today, okay?! Leave me alone!"

____________________

NEXT CHAPTER : "I'm Not Short on Money"

(Yukinoshita begins to truly understand Miura behind the sharp tongue and regal posture is a hardworking, soft-hearted girl with a sweet tooth and a big ego to protect. As they exchange quiet gestures of care (and questionable cream puffs), Yukinoshita juggles rising school pressure, a tense summons from her mother, and an unexpected offer from Kasumigaoka.

But she's not the same girl she used to be. No longer shackled by invisible chains, she finally replies:"I'm not short on money."

Next up: Homemade feelings, half-baked lies, and a not-so-sweet misunderstanding.)

Want to see what happens next? Drop a comment or review to unlock the next chapter!