Sunday, 1:30 PM.
Having called Haru in advance, Haruno arrived right on time.
Trailing behind her was Yukino.
When Haru opened the door, he was greeted by the sight of the Yukinoshita sisters, each carrying a bag of fruit.
Judging by Yukino's expression, she had clearly been dragged here against her will.
Sure enough, after Haruno greeted him with a cheerful smile, Yukino sighed in exasperation.
"She showed up at my place while I was in the middle of yoga."
Haru nodded knowingly.
"Got it. Your workout session was rudely interrupted by the villainous Haruno."
He even put on a don't worry, I'll avenge you kind of look.
Then, stepping aside, he let them in to change their shoes.
"I half-expected you to turn that line against me," Haruno remarked, amused.
She was wearing sheer nude stockings today, while Yukino had on plain white ankle socks.
Both sisters had stunningly well-shaped legs—it was impossible to say who had the edge.
The Yukinoshita genes were truly remarkable.
Haru took the fruit from them and smirked. "You brought me all this, so if I didn't at least show some manners, I'd be an ungrateful jerk."
Haruno blinked. "How do you know I was the one who bought them? What if Yukino and I picked them out together?"
"Because if Yukino were bringing me fruit, she'd usually call in advance." Haru answered.
Yukino confirmed, "He doesn't like overly sour fruits—like pineapples or lemons. If he ever pisses me off, I make sure to bring those specifically."
"I didn't come here just to watch you two flaunt your relationship."
Haruno sighed in mock annoyance.
The three of them made their way to the living room.
Haru went to rinse some apples and grapes, while Yukino, as if second nature, walked over to the orange cat lounging in front of the TV.
"Meow~"
The cat purred and nuzzled into Yukino's palm affectionately.
A smile appeared on her face as she reached out to pick it up—
But before she could, a pair of fair, slender hands swooped in and snatched the cat first.
"Whoa, when did it get so fat?"
Haruno examined the chubby cat in her arms with interest.
She had visited Haru's place before, and back then, the cat had been much slimmer.
Casually ignoring the sharp gaze her sister was throwing at her, Haruno poked the cat's belly and gave Haru a suspicious look.
"Don't tell me you overfed it?"
Yukino deadpanned, "Jelly is his cat, not mine."
"Sure, but knowing you, I bet you bring it loads of snacks whenever you have the chance." Haruno smirked.
Yukino blinked, looking at the cat in her sister's arms with sudden realization.
"…Now that you mention it, I might be partially responsible."
She had always been generous with Jelly, frequently bringing over the latest trending cat treats.
Not to mention the high-quality cat food.
"At this rate, if I come back next month, it's going to be the size of a gas tank." Haruno chuckled.
Yukino fell silent.
Now that she thought about it… Jelly was getting noticeably plumper.
A tiny, round, gas tank-sized Jelly?
She pictured it for a moment—and immediately rejected the thought.
That would be far from cute.
Not to mention unhealthy.
Once they settled down on the couch, Haruno, satisfied, handed the cat over to her sister and casually glanced toward the bedroom.
"The last time you stayed over, you slept in that room, right?"
Yukino said nothing.
Because that was, in fact, true.
Resting her chin on one hand, Haruno tilted her head in thought.
"…So, have you two done it yet?"
"Onee-san!"
Yukino's voice shot up, her face turning bright red.
Haruno let out a soft chuckle. "Yukino, it seems your heart isn't as strong as you think~"
Yukino pressed her lips together, finally realizing her mistake.
If she had just stayed quiet earlier, she wouldn't have given herself away so easily.
Seeing her fall silent again, Haruno leaned in slightly, her cheeks tinged with a playful blush. "So… how does it feel?"
Yukino's gaze turned ice-cold—sharp enough to kill.
But Haruno was unfazed. She mused to herself, "To think I'm still single, yet my little sister has already overtaken me."
Yukino took a deep breath, trying to calm the irritation stirring inside her.
Her rational mind kept reminding her: Sure, Haruno might genuinely be curious about "that kind of thing," but more than anything, she was just messing with her.
So she kept her cool—though her sharp gaze was enough to pierce through steel.
When Haru returned with a plate of fruit, he was met with an unusually quiet sight—the Yukinoshita sisters sitting together on the sofa.
As he brewed tea, he glanced at them and instantly picked up on the situation from Yukino's cold expression.
As her official boyfriend, he didn't hesitate to step in. "Haruno, were you teasing Yukino again?"
Before Yukino could respond, Haruno covered her mouth and giggled. "Teasing? Who, me? You're one to talk! Weren't you the one who tricked me into climbing a tree to steal bird eggs when we were kids? Told me that only brave girls could become strong women?"
"You still remember that?" Haru feigned surprise as he handed her a cup of tea.
Haruno sighed dramatically. "Of course. You left such a deep impression on me—it'd be hard to forget."
She blew gently on the tea before taking a sip, her expression almost nostalgic.
Yukino, caught up in the memory, found herself spacing out for a moment as well.
Haru sat down beside them and picked up a fruit knife, beginning to peel an apple. "So, Haruno, you're just here for a visit today?"
"Not exactly."
Haruno set down her teacup and crossed her legs under the table. Her toned thighs pressed together without a gap, casting a shadow in the room's warm lighting.
She continued, "Mom mentioned the film company to you before, right? She has the connections to set everything up quickly, but you—you're the key player in all of this."
Haru remained calm. "I doubt she intends to hand it over to you so soon. She probably just wants you to familiarize yourself with it first. The real transition will take a few more years."
Then, as if reading between the lines, he added, "She hasn't told me directly, but I get the feeling that, in her eyes, your main responsibility still lies with the Yukinoshita family—not in some side venture."
Haruno smiled slyly. "Smart guy. Here, have a grape."
She peeled one carefully, then extended her hand—
Only to suddenly redirect it toward Yukino's lips.
Yukino blinked, surprised, before parting her lips to accept it. "Thanks."
"Wait, what about my reward?" Haru protested.
Haruno beamed. "Consider this a verbal reward."
"So unfair. Absolutely unfair."
"Did you just meet me today?"
They chatted idly for a while before Haruno took another sip of tea and said, "Yukino and I are going to drop by your company later. I'd like a tour. Oh, right—"
A flicker of curiosity danced in her eyes. "Is the short film you guys shot finished with post-production?"
"Not yet," Haru admitted. "Since we have time today, why don't we finish it?"
That last part was directed at Yukino.
She thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
Just then, Haru's phone vibrated.
He didn't even need to check—he already knew it was another message from Utaha.
And by "another," he meant that she'd been practically glued to him since last night.
After all, she had just taken a step into unfamiliar territory. If not for the risk of her parents finding out, she'd probably be stuck to him right now.
Pausing his movements, he picked up his phone and glanced at the screen.
Sure enough—an unread message from Utaha.
Along with a photo.
Thinking it was just a meme, he tapped it open.
His pupils contracted for half a second before his expression returned to normal.
It was a picture of her legs.
Judging by the background, she had taken it at home last night.
Dressed in only a nightgown, she lounged against the headboard of her bed. The deep blue bedsheets contrasted against her smooth, porcelain-like skin, making her legs look even more delicate.
Her legs were casually crossed, one foot resting against the other ankle. Her right foot was slightly raised, toes soft and neatly trimmed.
But the real kicker—
Her left leg was clad in a black stocking.
Her right leg was bare.
Accompanied by a message: "A reward for you."
The intent was crystal clear.
Long legs, black stockings, and, more importantly—stockings, not pantyhose.
Was this a battle invitation?
This girl was playing with fire.
Without hesitation, Haru typed the fastest reply of his life: Nice legs.
Then, he locked his phone and resumed peeling the apple.
Only for the peel to snap midway.
The Yukinoshita sisters were occupied—one petting a cat, the other watching TV—so neither of them noticed.
Haru sighed in disappointment but continued peeling until the apple was done.
Then he looked up and asked, "Want an apple?"
Yukino reached out without hesitation and took it.
But then she frowned, studying his face. "What's with that expression?"
Haru held up the broken apple peel as proof.
Yukino looked away in exasperation. "Are you seriously doing this again?"
Haruno, however, watched with great interest.
"A broken apple peel has no soul. It's an insult to my peeling skills," Haru declared solemnly.
"Could you stop being so childish? It's making me uncomfortable." Yukino's voice was flat.
"How so?"
"Because my sister is watching you."
Just as Yukino finished speaking, Haruno laughed and shook her head. "Oh, don't mind me. I think it's pretty amusing."
She even beckoned him over. "Keep peeling. I want one too. And hey, if you count yourself, that means you get two extra lives."
Haru straightened up. "Haruno, despite all the times you've tormented me and Yukino, at this moment, you're undeniably a good person."
Haruno pouted. "You're only realizing that now? I'm hurt."
Stretching lazily, she leaned back against the couch, causing her already ample chest to rise subtly.
With her sitting like that, Yukino—who had been keeping perfect posture—was now faced with a problem.
If she didn't turn away, her peripheral vision was entirely filled with her sister's cleavage.
But Yukino was unfazed. If she were the type to feel insecure about that, she wouldn't be able to hold her ground against Utaha's teasing and still maintain her composure as the rightful girlfriend.
"You mentioned a revival token earlier—does that mean he still has two full chances to recover?" Yukino asked casually.
Haruno lazily nodded. "If we put it in gaming terms, Haru still has two extra lives to challenge the final boss."
Then, her gaze drifted past Yukino's flowing hair and landed on Haru. She playfully blinked. "So, what do you think? Pretty accurate comparison, right?"
Haru gave her a thumbs-up. "Yep, just a little less accurate than Yukino's explanation."
Yukino's lips curled up slightly.
Haruno rolled her eyes at him with a smile. "I ran into two people on my way to pick up Yukino. Wanna guess who?"
If she was bringing them up specifically, then they were definitely people Haru and Yukino knew.
The two exchanged glances and answered in unison, "Senpai?"
"Oh? That synchronized?" Haruno raised an eyebrow, then continued, "And the other one?"
Yukino replied matter-of-factly, "If someone is out with Senpai on a day off, who else could it be besides Kato?"
Haru had the same thought.
Haruno, however, suddenly looked as if she'd just realized something. "Oh, right—I almost forgot her last name was Kato."
Yukino gave her sister a knowing look and sighed. "Didn't I introduce her to you before? Is there really a need to pretend not to remember?"
"Well, she's just way too unremarkable. I've never sat down and talked to her. If I hadn't greeted Kasumigaoka just now, I wouldn't have even noticed there was another girl standing beside her."
That comment made Yukino pause.
Even her sister—someone far more perceptive than herself—found it difficult to notice Kato Megumi?
She had always assumed that the last time her sister overlooked Kato, it was simply because they were meeting for the first time and had no prior knowledge of her.
But now, her sister still had that same surprised reaction.
Instinctively, Yukino glanced at Haru.
Haru immediately picked up on her thoughts. He set down his fruit knife and slowly raised both hands.
It was the signature hand sign for Dust Release.
Yukino's face darkened. "That's enough. You don't have to say it."
If she let him speak, he'd probably just drop another one of his classic lines— "If you're bad, just practice. If you can't handle losing, don't play."
"You know, now that you mention it, I do think there's something a little strange about your Kato girl," Haruno suddenly mused, sitting up straighter in her seat.
"I've had that feeling for a while now," Yukino added.
"So, even in your photography club, everyone finds her hard to notice?" Haruno's expression was full of curiosity.
Yukino chose her words carefully. "I wouldn't go so far as to call her invisible. At the very least, when she asks me for advice or participates in discussions, I can tell she's there."
"That doesn't make sense," Haruno remarked bluntly.
Yukino discreetly glanced at Haru, thinking to herself that his level of physical ability was what truly didn't make sense.
"Since we're heading out later anyway, I'll stop by that area. If they're still at the ice cream shop, I'll bring them along."
Haruno was clearly intrigued by Kato Megumi now.
Neither Haru nor Yukino objected.
At 2:20 in the afternoon, the three of them set out together.
However, when they arrived at the ice cream shop, Haruno was a little disappointed to find that only Kato Megumi remained, casually sipping a drink while scrolling through her phone. Judging by her relaxed posture, she was probably planning to finish up and head home soon.
"I was kind of looking forward to chatting with Kasumigaoka," Haruno murmured, parking the car by the roadside.
Haru raised an eyebrow. "What did you want to talk to her about?"
"Oh, that's…"
Haruno's lips curled into an enigmatic smile.
"Not telling you."
Haru suddenly felt a chill down his spine.
It was as if Haruno had seen through his true nature as a scumbag.
Yukino remained calm and composed.
After all, her sister was questioning him, not her.
"So, how does she perform in your club?" Haruno asked, her gaze fixed on Kato Megumi.
Haruno unfastened her seatbelt and casually asked Haru and Yukino,
"Kato, huh? How is she in your club?"
"She's quite serious about it. From start to finish, her performance has been decent," Yukino answered honestly.
Haruno turned her gaze toward Haru.
After a brief pause, he replied, "When it comes to acting, Yukino is currently the best in the photography club, followed by Senpai. As for Kato… her reputation surpasses her actual ability. But, as Yukino mentioned, she makes up for it with her dedication."
Both Yukino and Haruno exchanged puzzled glances.
"Wait—she has a reputation?"
Haru responded with a completely serious expression, "No, she doesn't. But her reputation still exceeds her ability."
The Yukinoshita sisters: "…?"