Chapter 21: An important friend

Looking at Anmiya Marina’s heartfelt smile, Ishikawa Yuka felt that her efforts had not been in vain.

Although the problem hadn’t truly been solved, the persistent questioning was worth it if it could make the other girl feel even a little lighter.

“Thank you, Yuka.”

“!”

When Marina said those words with a sincere smile, Yuka felt her heart being completely struck by the sight.

It wasn’t any kind of sexual excitement or romantic feeling; no matter how much Yuka loved Lily themes, she was definitely not a lolicon.

But at this moment, Marina’s smile and words truly possessed a terrifying level of destructive power.

If there were no one around and she could do as she pleased, she really wanted to pull Marina into a hug and give her a few kisses on the cheek.

“…I-If you want to thank someone, it shouldn’t be me; it should be Shoko…”

“…What do you mean?”

Marina asked back, looking slightly puzzled by Yuka’s words.

Indeed, she wouldn’t understand with just that.

“I noticed yesterday that you weren’t yourself, but I thought that since you didn’t want to talk, forcing the issue might be bad, so I left.”

“But Shoko told me: ‘If you’re friends, even if the other person finds it hard to speak or has reservations, you should take the initiative to ask and offer help.’”

“Hearing that, I realized she was right, so I came to talk to you today.”

“So… that’s how it was…”

Marina gazed at the tabletop with a thoughtful expression.

While her faction and Shoko’s faction weren’t exactly on harmonious terms right now… could this incident help soften their relationship?

At the very least, Yuka wanted to convey the fact that despite Shoko’s tough exterior, she truly cared about Marina.

“Shoko specifically came to ask me why you were in such a poor state.”

“When I told her I had asked but you didn’t want to answer, she actually scolded me for it.”

“Shoko has been watching you all along and worrying about you.”

“Please be sure to remember that.”

“I understand… Thank you, Yuka.”

Although nothing had actually been solved… and Yuka hadn’t been able to provide any substantial help… seeing Marina’s expression, she felt it had been worth forcing her to open up.

It was really all thanks to Shoko.

She would have to thank her properly next time.

****

After school that day, Matsuyama Shoko was visibly restless in the Ōka Association Salon.

Her thoughts were far too easy to read; she obviously wanted to know how things went with Marina.

However, she was surrounded by people from her own faction, and since she had already approached Yuka yesterday, coming over again today would inevitably spark speculation among others.

Yuka decided to take the initiative and give Shoko an opening.

Thanks to Shoko’s advice, Marina’s mood had improved, so it was only right to report back to her.

“……”

Yuka caught Shoko’s eye, and the other girl noticed immediately.

After confirming that no one was looking their way, Yuka made a simple gesture and then rose from her usual corner seat to leave the Salon.

Theoretically, everything could be handled within the Salon, including going to the restroom.

One could go to the annex areas through the internal doors, so there was no real need to go outside.

Of course, that didn’t mean no one ever left.

Some people chose to go outside to make phone calls they didn’t want overheard or to have private conversations.

Members of the Ōka Association didn’t spend every single moment inside the Salon.

However, if Shoko followed immediately after Yuka left, it would be far too obvious.

Still, there was no concrete evidence of anything.

Even if someone suspected they were having a secret talk outside, there was no way to prove they were even speaking to each other.

Yuka had intended to find a place where no one could see or hear them to finish the conversation quickly, so they could deny it even if suspected.

And yet…

“Hey! You, stop right there!”

Shoko shouted loudly, chasing after her in a panic.

Yuka had thought these precocious children would understand the concept of a quiet understanding, but it seemed she had underestimated the situation…

“Shoko… lower your voice… let’s move somewhere else…”

“I told you to wait!”

Despite Yuka lowering her voice to signal for silence, Shoko continued to yell as she caught up.

After reaching a deserted balcony, Yuka turned to face Shoko, who was following behind.

The other girl’s face was clearly marked with anger.

“Hey! Can’t you hear someone calling you?”

“Don’t you dare ignore me and just walk away!”

“Sigh… Shoko… what was the point of us specifically leaving the Salon if you’re going to speak so loudly…”

Shoko had called out to her so loudly in the hallway just now that people in the Salon must have heard.

With Yuka leaving and Shoko chasing after her immediately to shout in the hallway, anyone could guess they were together.

“Weren’t you hesitating to talk to me in the Salon precisely because you didn’t want your faction members to hear?”

“That’s right!”

“That’s why I followed you into the hallway when you gave me that look, but then you were about to walk off!”

“I have no idea what you were thinking!”

‘Um… you should have understood that, right?’

“Did you plan to talk right at the Salon entrance?”

“How is that any different from inviting everyone inside to eavesdrop?”

“I specifically pulled away so we could leave the Salon looking unrelated, and then meet up to talk after moving separately…”

Yuka explained her plan to Shoko: she would leave first, then Shoko would leave a moment later, catching up to the seemingly unrelated Yuka at the end of the hallway before moving to a place where they could talk in peace.

The result?

Shoko not only came out too fast but also shouted at her right at the door and kept talking while chasing her down…

Now everyone knew they had arranged a private talk.

Yuka patiently explained this to Shoko.

“I-I knew that much, obviously!”

‘No… if you really knew, why couldn’t you have come out a bit later?’

‘Why couldn’t you follow quietly instead of shouting?’

Yuka knew Shoko was just being stubborn, but she couldn’t help but want to point out how forced the excuse was.

She didn’t want to be a wet blanket, but she really couldn’t help herself.

“Anyway, putting that aside, what was the result?”

‘She successfully changed the subject… fine, whatever…’

Even if people discovered they were talking privately, it wasn’t actually a big deal.

There was no reason Yuka couldn’t talk to Shoko; everyone has private matters they don’t want others to know.

“She didn’t tell me the specific details of her worry, but I listened to her vent.”

“Now, Marina seems to have worked through it.”

“What kind of answer is that!”

“What exactly happened?”

“Tell me, come on, hmm?”

‘This child… is she really worried about Marina?’

Yuka couldn’t help but wonder.

Her attitude was almost like someone just looking for gossip…

“Even if I heard the details, I can’t just repeat them.”

“If you really want to know, you should ask Marina yourself.”

“I have no right to reveal her business without permission, and it’s not right for you to ask me either.”

“That… you’re right… I’m sorry.”

‘What a good child…’

Would a normal first-grader admit they were wrong and apologize so honestly after being lectured like that?

Normally, they would pester further, saying things like “What does it matter?”

But Shoko admitted she was wrong and apologized.

This was something many adults found difficult to do.

No, perhaps it was precisely because they were adults that they found it harder.

“Although I can’t reveal the details, it’s thanks to you, Shoko, that I was able to communicate sincerely with Marina.”

“Thank you.”

“Also, I think Marina feels a bit better than before.”

“Being able to vent must have made her feel much lighter.”

“That is also your credit, Shoko.”

“Hmph… Hmph!”

“I’ll accept those thanks.”

“Since her mood has improved, isn’t that good.”

“You’d better take good care of your friends from now on.”

“Yes… that is a lesson that truly makes me ashamed…”

Yuka had thought she was being considerate by keeping her distance, but in reality, she was just using ‘the other person might not want to talk’ as an excuse to hide her own cowardice in forming deep connections.

She was afraid of being hated if she intervened too deeply, afraid of being rejected, so she didn’t dare take that step.

She had deceived herself with thoughts like ‘the other person probably doesn’t want to say anything.’

But was that really how friends should be?

Wasn’t that just the way “acquaintances” who maintain only a surface-level relationship act?

Thanks to Shoko’s words, Yuka finally understood this.

“From now on, with Marina… and with you too, Shoko, even if I’m seen as a nuisance, I will definitely reach out whenever I see you feeling down.”

“Ha?!”

“Why are you including me in that!”

Shoko turned her head away, her face red and puffing out her cheeks.

She looked absolutely adorable like that.

“Because… both Marina and you, Shoko, are precious friends to me.”

Saying this, Yuka firmly grasped Shoko’s hands with both of hers.

Her hands warmly enveloped Shoko’s…

“I-Idiot!”

“Who wants to be with you…”

“You are a precious friend.”

“…………”

When Yuka looked directly into her eyes and said those words, Shoko’s entire face turned bright red, and she froze in place.

She really was an easily embarrassed child.

If Yuka could have her way, she would have hugged Shoko right then and there.

But considering they were on a school balcony where they might be seen, she restrained herself.

“I-I don’t care about you!”

“Ah…”

Shoko shook off Yuka’s hands and ran off down the hallway.

“Shoko, you shouldn’t run in the hallways.”

Yuka’s soft reminder echoed fruitlessly in the empty corridor.

****

“Yuka, you’re smiling so happily, did something good happen?”

“Eh? N-No, nothing…”

When her father asked her this during dinner, Yuka brushed it off with a vague answer.

To say something happened was true, but it was just a small episode in her daily life.

But was she really smiling that obviously?

Perhaps she had inadvertently relaxed her expression.

She felt she was gradually becoming friends with Marina and getting closer to Shoko.

At this rate, she might actually be able to realize those beautiful Lily interactions she had imagined in reality—just like in the game Love 100%, or maybe even surpassing it.

Of course, she wasn’t seeking physical contact, but rather… that feeling of giggling and intimacy between girls of this age…

That would be enough.

……

“Thank you for the meal.”

Her mother was looking at her with a strange gaze, while her father seemed happy that she was in a good mood, smiling along with her.

The atmosphere in the dining room became a bit awkward, so Yuka left early and returned to her room.

“Miss Yuka… Miss Yuka, you…”

“Hmm?”

When she returned to her room, the maid Emi seemed to want to say something.

Yuka turned back to ask.

“No… is there any other work that needs to be handled?”

“Hmm~… no, that’s all.”

“You can rest for today.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Yes… then I shall take my leave.”

Was that all she wanted to ask?

But Yuka felt that she had originally intended to say something else…

Well, if it was something important, she would surely come back.

No matter how much Yuka thought about it, she couldn’t possibly guess what was on Emi’s mind.

Because she had moved a step closer to Marina and Shoko, Yuka drifted off to sleep in a very pleasant mood.