Marin was about to say something, but her words were drowned out by the lively versations around her.

  Watg her friends gossip as if no one else resent, Kitagawa could only sigh helplessly.

  "You guys aren't even listening to me."

  "I haven't said a word, yet you've already imagined some dramatic love triangle in your heads!"

  Fet it.

  Uo refute them, Marin sat back dowing her friends tiheir enthusiastic discussions.

  In truth, her ret ges in behavior really were because of Ryuji.

  After witnessing everything that had happehat day, Marin had wao find Ryuji at school and ask him about the cursed spirit.

  But whe to school the day, she realized something important.

  Although they attehe same school, she didn't know him. They weren't friends, so why would he answer her questions?

  And besides, his attitude toward her had beey cold that day.

  "This is so fusing!"

  She wao approach him, but she was also a little scared.

  Though, even Marin herself didn't fully uand what she was afraid of.

  Was it that Ryuji might ignore her again? Or was it something else entirely?

  Uo figure it out, Kitagawa's expression grew even more troubled.

  "Sigh…"

  She let out a quiet sigh.

  Ryuji, oher hand, had no idea what was going on in Marin's mind. Even if he did, he probably wouldn't care.

  The weekend soon arrived. Ryuji had promised Yumiko earlier in the week that they would go on a date, so he politely deed the invitations from Utaha and the others.

  There lenty of time to hang out with them iure, but since he had promised Miura first, he inteo keep that promise.

  He was fident in his decision.

  "Hurry up and help me pick a dress! How do you think this one looks?"

  The usually fident and assertive Yumiko was a little flustered now. She had invited her best friends, Yui and Hina, over to her house to help her pi outfit for tomorrow's date. Holding up a dress for them to see, Hina exami closely and gave her opinion.

  "How about going with a school uniform look? You've got a great figure, Yumiko. It'll suit you perfectly. I'm sure Ryuji will love it too!"

  "Really?"

  Yumiko didn't think much about it.

  She had a variety of styles in her wardrobe, and after hearing Hina's suggestion, she quickly grabbed a school uniform outfit and ged into it.

  "How's this?"

  "You look geous!"

  Seeing Yumiko in her new outfit, Hina nodded in approval.

  No wonder Ryuji seemed to like Yumiko the most out of their group. There was definitely a reason for that.

  "What do you think, Yui?"

  Yui, who had been daydreaming, snapped out of her thoughts when her name was called. She quickly nodded.

  "You look beautiful! Ryuji will definitely love this look on you!"

  "Really? Haha!"

  Yumiko was thrilled by the pliments from her friends and couldn't help but ugh in delight.

  Watg Yumiko so happy, Yui's face fell slightly. "How great would it be if I were the one going on a date with Ryuji?" she thought.

  Hina, notig Yui's ge in mood, said nothing but made a mental note of it.

  "Ryuji mentioned not to stay out after dark, so you both sleep over here tonight," Yumiko offered, gng at the darkening sky outside.

  "Okay!"

  her of them objected.

  They had already let their parents know they'd be staying over, and it wasn't the first time they had spent the night at Yumiko's house after staying out too te.

  "There's only one guest room set up at the moment, so I'll go up another one."

  Yumiko's family was well-off, and their house was big enough to aodate guests. However, they only kept one guest room prepared at a time, so Miura started getting ready to a sed room for Yui and Hina.

  "It's fine!" Yui quickly stood up, seeing Yumiko about to get up as well.

  "I'll it up myself—" she began to say.

  But Hina interrupted with a grin. "Why don't Yui and I just share a room?"

  "Huh???"

  Both Yumiko and Yui were taken aback by the suggestion.

  "I'm feeling a little spooked about sleeping alohese days. It'd be better if Yui could keep me pany. You don't mind, do you, Yui?"

  Hina's tone was casual and natural, leaving no room tue.

  "No, I don't mind at all!"

  Yui was naturally a bit shy, and she didn't see a problem with it either. After all, they were both girls, and it was only for one night. Yui quickly agreed.

  "Alright the's get ready for bed!"

  Later that night, they y down in the room. It wasn't a typical bedroom setup, but rather two futons id out on the floor, spaced far apart from each other.

  Yui tried her best to fall asleep, but every time she closed her eyes, her mind filled with thoughts of Yumiko and Ryuji on their date tomorrow. She couldn't stop picturing them together, looking happy.

  She tossed and turned, uo rex.

  "Are you jealous?" Hina's voice suddenly broke the silence.

  "???"

  Yui jolted, startled by Hina's suddeion.

  "You're still awake?"

  "Yeah, just like you, I'm a little jealous," Hina replied holy.

  "I-I'm not jealous!"

  Yui's voice was muffled, clearly defensive.

  "There are only the two of us here. It's okay to be ho."

  "..."

  Feeling exposed, Yui finally gave in.

  "I guess I am a little jealous of Ryuji-kun," she admitted quietly.

  Yui had no idea Hina was thinking the same thing.

  "What's se about that?"

  Hina's tone was casual, as if there was nothing unusual about having feelings for the same person as their friend.

  Yui felt herself letting her guard down.

  "But Ryuji-kun is already going to be with Yumiko."

  It oio keep liking him, wasn't it? Yui couldn't imagine herself ever doing something like trying to steal her friend's love.

  "So what?"

  "???"

  Yui was stunned by Hina's straightforward response.

  She turo look at her, eyes wide with disbelief.

  "How bold!"

  She had never realized that Hina was this kind of person.

  "But wouldn't that be wrong?" Yui stammered. "Yumiko's our friend. I don't want to ruin our friendship."

  "What are you even talking about?"

  Hina rolled her eyes at Yui.

  "Do you really think I'm that much of a vilin?"

  "Well...!"

  Yui was hesitant to fully trust her, but before she could voice her s, Hina cut in.

  "I'm not talking about ruining anything. Do you really think one Yumiko is enough for someone like Ryuji?"

  "What do you mean?"

  Yui was fused.

  Hina smirked. "I overheard Ryuji once. He's pnning to 'expand the family.' You know, like a legacy."

  "Expand the family?"

  Yui didn't find the idea strange. In Japan, family iand legacies were important, especially for people with unique abilities like Ryuji. But she wasn't sure what Hi by it in this text.

  "What do you mean by 'expand'?"

  It took Yui a moment, but then it hit her.

  "Wait… you mean—?"

  "That's right!"

  Hina smirked, watg Yui slowly piece it together.

  "If Ryuji wants to expand his family, one Yumiko isn't enough. And if we have kids with him first, our positions in his family would be higher."

  "K-Kids?!"

  Yui pa the thought, her mind rag as she imagined having children with Ryuji. The more she thought about it, the more embarrassed she became, her face turning bright red.

  "..."

  Hina was amused by Yui's rea, even though she wasirely sure what to say.

  "Th-That!" Yui quickly tried to pose herself. "Why are you tellihis?!"

  "Because I like Ryuji-kun too," Hina said, without aation.

  "..."

  That wasly what Yui had been asking. "If you like him, that's fine. But why tell me?" she thought.

  Hina must have picked up on Yui's fusion because she expined further.

  "It's not a secret. But holy, I don't think I stand much of a ce if I'm on my own."

  Though Hina retty, she was also realistic. She knew Ryuji had plenty of admirers, and she wasn't the only one.

  "So, I thought we could team up."

  "Team up?"

  Yui was dumbfounded.

  Her reasoning wasn't wrong. Hina had chosen Yui because she retty, but also because she wasn't ing. Hina, with her high emotional intelligence, didn't want to stantly pete with more maniputive girls. Yui was trustworthy, at least.

  "But I don't think I do this!" Yui admitted, g fidence.

  She had always been a bit insecure. She wasn't as beautiful as Yumiko, nor as clever as Hina. She didn't believe she had any real ce.

  "Don't be so hard on yourself. You have your strengths over Yumiko too."

  "Huh? I do surpass Yumiko in some way? What do you mean?"

  Yui looked down at herself, not uanding what Hina was getting at.

  "Of course!" Hina nodded fidently, her eyes subtly l to Yui's chest.

  "You've got something that Yumiko doesn't."

  "…!!"

  Yui realized what Hina was talking about and quickly crossed her arms over her chest, her face turning crimson.

  Hina couldn't help but chuckle at her rea.

  "e on, it's not that big of a deal. Everyone has something special, and yours just happens to stand out a bit more."

  Yui, still flustered, didn't know how to respond. All she could manage was a weak, "But..."

  "So, do you want to team up with me or not? Think about it carefully, this is your future we're talking about. Do you really want to just stand by and watch while someone else gets everything? Are you okay with never having a ce with Ryuji for the rest of your life?"

  "My... whole life…"

  Yui fell silent, sidering Hina's words.

  The thought of spending the rest of her life watg from the sidelines, smiling through her disappoi while Ryuji and Yumiko were happy together... It was unbearable.

  "I... I agree!"

  At st, Yui nodded, her face flushed but resolute.

  "Perfect! I knew you'd e around!" Hina smiled triumphantly.

  "So, what should we do now?" Yui asked, still unsure of what came .

  "Well, for now, we don't o do anything. Just wait for the right moment."

  "Wait for an opportunity?"

  Before Yui could ask more, Hina had already id back dowing fortable on her futon.

  "Don't worry, we're still young. There will be plenty of opportunities. Just remember, wheime es, don't be afraid to go for it!"

  Yui's face flushed again at the thought. "Go for it?" Could she really be bold enough wheime came?

  "I'll... I'll try my best!"

  She o herself, as if ving herself more than anyone else.

  ***

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