Yukinoshita-san is definitely secretly in love with me.

Last night, Yumiko Miura spent hours online searching for answers to the question: How do I get along better with a friend? Most of the results, sadly, were useless.

Left with no better options, she resigned herself to facing her closest friends' teasing and snide remarks the next morning.

She pulled out her phone and quickly opened the three-person group chat.

Yumiko Miura:

Junko, Zekka, help me out! How can I improve my relationship with Yukinoshita?!

The dynamics between girls could be incredibly delicate. There used to be a running joke: six girls, forty-two group chats. Though things weren't that extreme in their case, Yumiko and her friends still maintained two separate chats.

One was a group with Junko Uezawa and Zekka Ono just the three of them. The other included Yui Yuigahama, forming a group of four.

It wasn't about girl drama or exclusion. Yui was kind and warm a truly lovely friend. But Yumiko, Junko, and Zekka had known each other since kindergarten. Forcing Yui into their long-standing trio's chat would only make things awkward for her.

So, a second group chat was born.

Uezawa:

So, what's up this time?

Ono:

Tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk.

Ugh, those two are so annoying!

They always tease her!

Yumiko huffed but endured the teasing barrage.

Yumiko Miura:

Come on, help me think of something!

It's like Yukinoshita has no intention of getting close to anyone but me.

Doesn't that mean she'll just grow lonelier and lonelier?

And no this wasn't Yumiko being narcissistic. It was just the truth.

Ever since Yukinoshita dyed her hair black again, she'd become even more withdrawn. Her reputation had never been great to begin with, and though things had improved recently, her cold, aloof, untouchable demeanor kept most people at bay.

If you really sat down and counted, Yumiko was probably the only person Yukinoshita treated with any noticeable warmth at Sōbu High.

That thought made Yumiko both proud and embarrassed. But more than anything, she wanted to do something for Yukinoshita.

To show her there was a world outside the lines she'd drawn for herself. A world that held more than cruelty and bullying. Maybe even just maybe it held a little kindness too.

Junko Uezawa:

You're suddenly asking how to get closer to a friend? I don't even know where to start. I mean, we've been tight since kindergarten, so I've never had to think about it.

Zekka Ono:

Go to the aquarium. It has to be the aquarium. 

Yumiko Miura:

Why the aquarium?

Zekka Ono:

Last month's magazine poll! Best date spot for yuri couples? The aquarium, obviously~ | ?o?ωo)???

Yumiko Miura:

…You're the worst, Zekka!

Junko Uezawa:

Ahem. Zoo, amusement park, shopping, whatever. The trick to building a closer bond is making happy memories together, right?

Yumiko thought Junko made a lot of sense.

Even though Yukinoshita sat just across the aisle from her in class, she still felt oddly shy about the idea.

Wait a minute. Wasn't Yukinoshita the one who had a crush on her?

Shouldn't she be the one figuring out how to get closer to me?

But knowing Yukinoshita so awkward and distant expecting her to take the first step was laughable.

If anything was going to happen, Yumiko would have to take the lead.

Muttering to herself, she pulled out her phone, opened Yukinoshita's LINE profile, and after a whole day of agonizing over it, finally sent a message just as Yukinoshita was packing up to leave.

Yumiko Miura:

Yukinoshita, if you're free this weekend, want to go to the aquarium with me?

Don't get the wrong idea! I have a club research project or something...

Yukinoshita looked at her phone, puzzled. She didn't really see the point of messaging someone who was less than two meters away. And how could an aquarium visit be misunderstood in the first place?

Yukinoshita:

I have tutoring tomorrow.

Yumiko Miura:

QAQ

Yukinoshita:

…Fine. I'll reschedule my tutoring session.

Swinging her bag over her shoulder, she turned slightly and gave a small wave.

"See you tomorrow, Miura."

Yumiko stood frozen for a moment. Then, in a sudden burst of joy, she clenched her right fist and threw it into the air in triumph. She was so excited she turned around and grabbed Zekka's face with both hands.

"Did you hear that, Zekka?! Yukinoshita the queen of studying rescheduled tutoring just to go out with me!"

"Ahem, you all heard it, right? She asked me!"

"I couldn't say no! I'm only going because I have to!"

Junko Uezawa:

"..."

Sigh.

This silly girl...

She really was hopeless.

That day after school, Hachiman Hikigaya slung his backpack over one shoulder and made his way to the third-floor Service Club room.

He opened the door and paused in surprise.

"...Yuigahama-san?"

Sitting by the window with her peach-colored hair loose around her shoulders, resting her chin on one hand and gazing out at the fading sunset, was Yui Yuigahama.

The Service Club wasn't the Going-Home Club. To handle requests from students, Hachiman usually stayed in the empty clubroom for about half an hour after school every day.

He dropped his bag onto a nearby desk, took a seat, and finally looked over at her.

"Did you come here to submit a request? Something you'd like the Service Club to relay or help with?"

The Service Club had been Hachiman's creation back in his first year. Back then, it was more like Hiratsuka-sensei had finally run out of patience with his slacker lifestyle and forced him to form it.

Despite the suspicious name, the club had noble ideals: helping students in need, accepting various requests, and taking responsibility once they did.

Hiratsuka-sensei had hoped it would give Hachiman some purpose, something to do, maybe even help him find meaning in helping others.

Apparently, she had initially tried to recruit Yukinoshita to start the club.

"Sorry," Yukinoshita had said firmly. "There's no room for a club in my schedule. It doesn't fit into my life or romantic planning."

And so, Hachiman got drafted instead.

A one-man club that hadn't been shut down yet miracle of miracles.

The girl by the window finally turned to look at him, her usual soft smile still on her face.

"I just wanted to be somewhere quiet," she said, her voice muffled, as though forcing a cheerful tone.

"So let me stay here for a bit, okay, Hikitani-kun?"

She gave a short laugh that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Just think of it as taking pity on your former love rival, yeah?"