Chapter 57 - 57: Maybe His favourite Episode

Yukino wasn't sure if Utaha had fully adjusted her mindset, so there were no filming plans for today. After the club activities ended, Utaha didn't head straight home. Instead, she invited Kato Megumi to a dessert café, and Megumi readily agreed. "Senpai, do you have something to say to me?" As the two girls settled into their seats, Megumi picked up the menu and asked casually. Utaha smiled. "You could say that. I'm treating today—to make up for standing you up last time." "That was a small matter. I didn't really mind it." "Then just think of it as a friendly outing. It's just that today, I'm the one paying." Since Utaha put it that way, Megumi had no reason to refuse. After ordering their desserts and drinks, Utaha casually remarked, "Yukinoshita-san has changed a lot." Megumi didn't respond immediately. Instead, she simply looked at Utaha. For some reason, Utaha felt as though Megumi could see right through her. She put on a puzzled expression to cover it up. "You're looking at me kind of strangely." Megumi withdrew her gaze and said softly, "Actually, I wanted to tell you this last time, but you were too caught up in the moment. You probably wouldn't have listened." Last time? Utaha felt a twinge of embarrassment. She knew exactly what Megumi was referring to. Back then, she had been so sure—so confident—that he had finally noticed her charm. Yet, in the end, she had been eliminated faster than she ever expected. These past few days, she had been trying to adjust. And she knew she was still an exceptional person. So even though Megumi's words stung, she still managed to say, "If you want to laugh at me, go ahead. I'm prepared for it." Megumi shook her head. "I wouldn't laugh at you, Senpai. You were brave. And your resilience is admirable." Utaha let out a self-deprecating chuckle. "Resilience? More like a desperate struggle." "It seems like you never really considered this—your starting point and Yukinoshita-san's were never the same." Megumi's words froze Utaha in place. Under her stunned gaze, Megumi continued in her usual calm tone, "I understand why you were so anxious. But you overlooked the most important factor." Utaha stared at the girl across from her. Only now did she realize—she had overlooked something. Or rather, she had noticed it before. But her confidence—her pride—had made her push it to the back of her mind. "Yukinoshita-san grew up with him. Their bond was never something an outsider could just step into." Utaha fell silent. The composure she had been trying to maintain crumbled in an instant. Her voice was bitter. "I know." A firefly lost in the darkness—no matter how much it shines, it's still just a tiny speck of light. Just then, the waiter arrived with their desserts and drinks. Megumi softly thanked him, taking a sip of her juice. She sighed internally. Senpai is about to spiral again. The conversation had barely started, and now it was about to be cut short. A rare hint of exasperation flickered in Megumi's eyes. "Sorry for making a scene," Utaha murmured, forcing a smile as she straightened up. "It's okay. We're friends." Megumi's voice was steady. Utaha blinked. It felt as though a ray of light had pierced through the darkness inside her. That's right—at the very least, she is my friend. Utaha took a deep breath. I'm still not good enough. She had a friend who saw things clearly. So why was she letting herself wallow? Megumi was on her side. Finally, a genuine smile returned to Utaha's face. Just as she was thinking of ways to strengthen her friendship with Megumi, she caught sight of a familiar figure passing by the café window. At that exact moment, the person outside turned and glanced in their direction. Their eyes met. Aoyama Nanami smiled first. "Kasumigaoka-san." "Nanami-san." Utaha returned a polite smile and waved. Aoyama checked the time. Seeing that she had enough, she decided to step into the café. "Let me introduce you—this is my friend, Kato Megumi." And just like that, three girls, who had originally planned to head home separately after school, found themselves brought together—because of one person. Meanwhile… On the way home, Yukino noticed that Haru occasionally seemed lost in thought. After a while, she couldn't help but ask, "Something on your mind?" "Not really," Haru replied. "Earlier, Oyama-senpai mentioned a familiar name. I've been trying to remember where I've heard it before, but I just can't place it. It's bothering me a little." "Is this a friend you met before?" "I don't think he's a friend, but I've probably met him before. It's just been too long, and I don't have a photographic memory, so I couldn't recall him right away," Haru said honestly. Yukino suddenly became alert. "Could it be that girl we met at the high jump competition when we were kids?" Haru chuckled. "You're overthinking it. He's a guy. I actually ran into him at the park the other day, but I didn't pay much attention at the time." A guy? Then it's fine. Yukino let out a small breath of relief. And then, she noticed her boyfriend grinning to himself. She knew exactly what he was thinking and deliberately put on a stern face. "What strange thoughts are you having now?" "Nothing at all. I just think you look really cute when you're being all cautious and jealous." Of course! Yukino's face warmed slightly, but she countered sharply, "With such a cute girlfriend like me, you should be the one staying on guard." "Ah, right, right. It's me, not you." "…" Knowing she wouldn't win this argument, Yukino decided to change the subject. "Who taught you karate? I don't remember you ever learning it." "Senior Oyama taught me. He actually placed in the national tournament." Haru proudly name-dropped his senior. "That's it?" Yukino clearly wasn't convinced. Haru sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine. Actually, I once trained under a real master. My senior disciple may look like a mild-mannered guy with glasses, but he can tear down a wall with his bare hands. And my second senior, Kyogoku Makoto, is even stronger. People call him 'the last Saiyan on Earth.'" Yukino turned away in exasperation. "How did I ever fall for you?" "That just proves you have great taste." On their way home, they passed by a sloping path. Below was a neatly kept lawn where people often came to rest. Haru suddenly stopped in his tracks. Yukino followed suit and turned to him in confusion. In the golden glow of the setting sun, two figures sat on the grass—one in front of the other. Judging by their school uniforms, they were around the same age. As the evening breeze swept by, the boy and girl's hair ruffled slightly. Yukino's own hair swayed in the wind as well, a faint scent spreading around Haru. Just as she thought her boyfriend might know them, the boy in the distance spoke in a slow, dramatic tone: "Today, the wind is particularly… restless." Yukino frowned slightly. That was an awfully deliberate and poetic way of speaking. But then, she noticed Haru's eyes light up with recognition. "You know him?" she asked. "To be precise, I've seen him before. If I'm not mistaken, he's a friend of Senior Oyama's." Haru finally remembered. After all, more than ten years had passed, and plenty of unimportant memories had long since faded. Now he understood why Senior Oyama had once commented on that blonde guy's remarkable physique. Of course—because he was a comedic character! And everyone knew that comedic characters had absurdly unpredictable combat strength. "I see," Yukino said, not particularly interested. Meanwhile, the boy on the grass seemed to sense something. He turned his head, only to find Haru and Yukino both looking at him. His expression instantly stiffened. Haru immediately recognized that look—it was the kind of shame that made you want to curl up and disappear. He had experienced it before himself. Suppressing his amusement, he smiled kindly at the flustered, glasses-wearing boy. "The wind is a bit noisy today, but just so you know—the supermarket up ahead has a half-price sale on potato chips." "Huh? Oh, uh… Thanks. I'll check it out later." Haru didn't linger any longer to ruin the guy's 'dramatic moment.' Instead, he took Yukino's hand and walked away. The streets were busy with students heading home. Haru suddenly stopped in front of a street musician. "I remember you're really good at playing guitar," he said. "You mean that time in elementary school when you tricked me into playing and singing?" Yukino's memory was sharp. "I was complimenting you." "Oh? Then I can compliment you too." "For example?" "Your erhu skills are… impressive." That brought back memories. Haru put on a thoughtful expression. "So you were admiring me even back then?" Yukino remained calm. Then, her gaze shifted to the street musician, and she smirked. "If you show me your guitar skills, I might consider evaluating your level seriously." As soon as the words left her mouth, she saw Haru heading straight for the musician. Yukino was stunned. Wait… I was just joking. He's really going to do it?! As she watched in slight disbelief, Haru took out his wallet and exchanged a few words with the musician. The man glanced at Yukino, taking in her stunning appearance, and smiled knowingly. Ah, another young man trying to impress his girl. He had seen this plenty of times. Haru smoothly took the guitar and stood before the mic. The gathered crowd perked up in interest—after all, a handsome young student suddenly taking the stage was quite the sight. "Sorry for interrupting the performance, everyone," Haru said, looking sheepish. "But my girlfriend insisted on hearing me play. I had no choice but to step up." The crowd quickly caught on and exchanged amused glances. This boy's youthful charm and awkward honesty made him instantly likable. "This guy, seriously…" Yukino sighed. But her gaze never left him. Her bright, beautiful eyes shimmered with quiet anticipation. Haru had been debating what song to play when he suddenly noticed a group of cosplayers passing by. Among them, one stood out—a figure in a black cloak with red clouds, wearing a swirling mask. At that moment, he made up his mind. "I'll be performing 'Song~ Time For You.'" His guitar skills were average, his singing wasn't particularly refined, but his voice was youthful and clear. No fancy techniques—just raw emotion. As he played, his eyes never left Yukino. The crowd quickly realized—this song was meant for her. Yukino's cheeks flushed. Her gaze softened, filled with warmth. She wasn't embarrassed. She wasn't nervous. She just smiled—shy, yet sweet. Because once, she had done the same for him. Though back then, she had only played because he tricked her into it. As the song title echoed in her mind—"Time For You"—old memories resurfaced, merging with the present. When the song ended, the crowd applauded, and Haru took Yukino's hand as they walked away. "So, Miss Yukinoshita, how would you rate my performance?" Yukino chuckled. "Decent voice, average technique, guitar skills far below mine. I'd say… passable." "Ouch. I was hoping to become your idol, but I guess that dream's over." She knew he was joking, yet she squeezed his hand tightly. If I hadn't admired you… I wouldn't have spent all these years chasing after you. "Idiot." Her voice was as soft as her smile. ... Tonight, Yukino didn't go to Haru's house. It wasn't because she minded her boyfriend getting a little handsy. Last week, they had played a certain "little game"—something she never would have imagined herself doing before. But when Haru made the request, she hadn't refused. Afterward, she only felt that the experience had been… a bit strange. Embarrassing, even. She figured she probably needed more time to get used to it. Her sister, Haruno, had once told her: with a girlfriend as beautiful as her, Haru was probably holding himself back with great difficulty. Truthfully, Yukino felt the same. Like when Haru massaged her legs—at first, it was fine, but before she knew it, her whole body had gone soft and relaxed. And the worst part? She secretly liked these private little moments with him. The reason she chose to go home tonight was partly because she had to think about the progress of her club's filming project. That was serious business. But there was another reason—she wanted to plan her time better. That way, when she did stay over at Haru's place again… It would be the episode he liked the most. The time was now 8:10 PM. Haru changed into fresh clothes and took a car to Shinjuku. Accompanying him was his lawyer. The car stopped in front of an eight-story residential building. The lawyer first signaled a private investigator, who had been stationed nearby, to leave before turning to Haru, eyeing his odd outfit. "Boss, are you seriously planning to go after a fugitive?" "Why not?" "It's nothing... I just think that if you still have this much youthful energy, maybe you should be chasing down petty thieves instead. No need to mess with a dangerous criminal like this." "You can just say I have a case of 'chuunibyou'—I don't mind," Haru said casually. The lawyer let out a helpless chuckle and handed him a photo. "His name is Yamanaka Takashi, from Osaka. Multiple counts of theft and robbery. Last time, he was caught breaking into a house, but when the owner discovered him, he beat the man half to death before fleeing." "Which floor is he on?" Haru took the photo. "Third floor, fourth unit on the left. He has some friends in Shinjuku—one of them used to be with the 'Sumiyoshi-kai' crime syndicate. These days, the guy's gone legit, runs a bar, and even owns an online store. Business is pretty good." "An online store? Guess he's keeping up with the times." Haru nodded, then stepped out of the car with the photo in hand. Watching his retreating figure, the lawyer sighed. "Boss, when did this whole 'chuunibyou' phase even start?" The driver remained silent. Normally, unless Haru spoke to him first, he rarely said a word. Seeing no response, the lawyer rubbed his temples and muttered, "I just want to go home on time... If the cops get wind of what the boss is up to tonight, I'm gonna be stuck working overtime again." Unexpectedly, the driver spoke up. "The police probably already know." "Huh? What are you talking about?" "Last time, the boss didn't even bother avoiding security cameras. If they wanted to investigate, they'd have found out by now." "...Wait, hold on. Be honest with me. Has he always been this reckless? And just how long has his 'chuunibyou' lasted?" At that moment, the man Haru was after—Yamanaka Takashi—was drinking with someone in his apartment. Takashi was unkempt, his face covered in stubble, his hair a brittle mess from long neglect. In stark contrast, the man across from him was well-dressed, sporting a neatly trimmed beard. "When are you leaving?" the man asked. "By dawn. Don't worry, we've known each other for years—I won't drag you into this." "Good." Neither of them was particularly talkative. Having a drink with a fugitive being hunted by the police was, after all, no small risk. But they had shared business interests in the past, and there was some history between them. That was the only reason for this meeting. Just then, the doorbell rang. Takashi immediately put down his glass, his expression tense. The man across from him waved a hand dismissively. "Relax. It's probably just my bodyguard dropping off some snacks. I asked him to grab something to go with the drinks earlier." Hearing that, Takashi let out a quiet breath of relief. He stood up and walked over to the door. Peering through the peephole— No one was there. But then, a voice rang out, crisp and unmistakably close: "Good evening, Mr. Yamanaka. I can hear your footsteps." An unfamiliar voice. Takashi's hand instinctively moved to the knife at his waist. Before he could warn the man inside, a thunderous crash shattered the silence. The supposedly sturdy stainless-steel and aluminum security door buckled as if struck by a wrecking ball. Something that should have been solid and impenetrable now crumpled like paper. And then— The entire door collapsed inward. "You've got to be kidding me." Takashi stood there, dumbfounded. His body reacted before his mind could catch up, instinctively stepping back to avoid the falling door. But beyond that, he was frozen in place, incapable of processing what had just happened. The door crashed onto the floor with a heavy thud, crushing a shoe rack beneath it. The aluminum frame shattered into pieces, its parts scattering through the air amidst a cloud of dust. Standing at the entrance, wearing a hoodie and a mask, Haru's voice was calm as he said: "You weren't planning to open the door for me, so I had no choice but to invite myself in." Takashi stared at the fallen door, his face pale as a ghost. Well… that was certainly one way to be 'bold.'