That evening, the four of them were gathered in the living room, watching a show.

Well—"a show" in the most proper sense.

It was a collection of adorable cat videos that Yukino had picked from the internet.

In her words: "Since we're going to film something similar, we might as well study how the popular ones are made."

She said it with such composure, as though she truly intended to watch with a learning mindset.

Haru, Utaha, and Megumi, however, weren't buying it.

They all suspected the real reason was much simpler—Yukino just liked cats.

The lights in the living room were dimmed, the cute felines projected onto the home screen. Yukino was captivated within the first second.

Utaha sat on Haru's right, Yukino on his left. Megumi had taken the other sofa by herself.

As for the fat orange cat, it wasn't in Yukino's lap—it was curled up with Megumi.

That fact alone put a slight frown on Yukino's face, though the video quickly softened her mood.

Megumi stroked the orange cat's head; it rubbed against her hand affectionately. Such a scene could melt any girl's heart.

It was the first time Megumi had seen the cat so friendly toward her. She felt both puzzled and quietly pleased.

Utaha, however, glanced Megumi's way several times.

She had her own theory: the cat wasn't mistaking Megumi for Yukino—it was drawn by the scent of Yukino's shampoo and body wash lingering on her. The feline had been spoiled by Yukino for so long that it naturally gravitated toward that familiar scent.

Haru, on the other hand, wasn't as enthralled by the videos.

They were well-curated, yes, but with his own knack for training animals, he could easily get a pet to perform surprising feats on command. After a few minutes, his attention drifted.

More than anything, he was acutely aware of the two beautiful girls sitting beside him.

They weren't close enough to touch—at least, not yet—but their faint, enticing fragrances made it impossible to focus entirely on the screen.

Yukino's gaze was locked on the cats, a faint smile playing on her lips. Utaha, though less interested, was watching with surprising patience, suggesting that she was the one genuinely studying for ideas.

Fine, Haru thought. They can watch their videos… and I'll watch mine.

Quietly, he slipped his left arm around Yukino's slender waist.

She stiffened at once, warmth seeping through the thin fabric of her loungewear into his palm.

Turning her head, she shot him a warning look.

Haru silently mouthed: Just holding you. Nothing else.

Her expression faltered. She seemed to realize he was simply bored, unable to resist with her sitting so close.

But when his fingers began to gently caress her waist, her eyes softened, the icy warning melting into a mix of embarrassment and flustered annoyance.

This is your idea of 'nothing else'? her gaze seemed to say.

Haru's face remained the picture of innocence. He really wasn't planning to go further… well, maybe just enough to enjoy the feel of her.

And—surprisingly—she didn't stop him.

Emboldened, Haru's fingers slipped under the hem of her top.

Her eyelashes trembled; she bit her lip, but stayed silent. Her cheeks bloomed with color, eyes shimmering in a way that was hard to miss.

Two minutes later, Yukino abruptly stood. Haru withdrew his hand at once.

Without a word, she walked calmly into the bedroom.

Utaha blinked at her retreating figure. "Where's she going?"

Megumi glanced toward the bedroom, saying nothing.

Then came Yukino's voice: "Haru, come here for a moment."

Haru froze. Oh no… Was she just waiting to drag me in there and settle the score?

Still, he followed.

The moment he stepped inside, a slender arm reached out, grabbing his hand.

They locked eyes. He swore he could see sparks in hers.

Before he could speak, Yukino murmured softly, "Enjoyed yourself just now?"

"…So you did call me in to settle the score?" Haru began to weigh his escape routes.

But then she surprised him.

Her arms looped around his neck.

With her cheeks flushed and her voice barely above a whisper, she said, "Just once."

After a brief hesitation, she closed her eyes, tipped her face up, and stood on her toes to press her warm, rosy lips to his.

Haru's mind blanked. What is she doing?

Then it hit him—it wasn't about the kiss itself. It was about Utaha, who was out there completely unaware. Yukino was enjoying the quiet thrill of getting away with something right under someone's nose.

He remembered earlier that day, when Utaha had teasingly provoked Yukino and earned a ball tossed at her in retaliation.

Yes—this was Yukino's way of returning the favor, just with… different tactics.

If he asked, she'd never admit it. She'd just think: I'm merely giving the senior a taste of her own medicine.

So Haru cupped her cheek with one hand and drew her closer by the waist with the other.

She'd said "just once," but now that their lips had met, she wasn't letting go.

Maybe her emotions had gotten the better of her. Maybe she simply wanted to savor the satisfaction of her little victory.

Either way, her arms tightened around his neck.

Back in the living room, Utaha was making notes on her phone. She'd spotted a few useful ideas from the pet videos—things she was sure would come in handy later.

A small smile curved her lips.

From her perspective, she was ahead of Yukino now. Far ahead.

That's when Megumi's voice broke the silence.

"Utaha-senpai, I saw a term online… 'world-famous painting.'"

Utaha blinked. "What does that mean?"

Megumi's tone was calm. "I just saw Yukino's face when she went into the bedroom. It was really red."

Utaha's smile froze.

Slowly, she turned toward the bedroom.

She knew exactly what Megumi meant.

The 'world-famous painting'… was my smug smile just now?

~~~~~~~~~~

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