"Thank you very much for today."
"N-No, it was nothing."
Kiriko turned her head away awkwardly.
Asuna turned to look at Kiriko as well.
Kiriko had seemed so seasoned before, yet now she appeared utterly clumsy.
Seeing such an adorable girl, Asuna smiled warmly. "Kiriko... you're as cute as an imouto..."
Asuna: No—She Couldn't Laugh Yet!
The night quieted down.
Asuna said nothing more, allowing the somewhat nervous Kiriko to relax.
She had originally kept her eyes tightly shut, but she opened them now. Compared to before, Kiriko was clearly much more at ease.
"Asuna Yuuki..."
Kiriko knew Asuna's real name.
Her imouto had mentioned before that this senior named Yuuki was a prominent figure at school.
Not only had she led the previously obscure Fencing Club to victory in the national tournament, but her grades were also exceptional. She had ranked first year after year.
To Kiriko, a school "sunny extrovert" like that belonged to a completely different world from her own.
Kiriko turned her head.
Asuna was facing Kiriko with her eyes closed, as though she were asleep.
A faint glow spilled in from outside the tent, illuminating Asuna's face.
It reminded Kiriko of the Asuna Yuuki she had seen on television—the perfect figure beneath the spotlight.
Yet compared to the girl sleeping now with a sweet smile on her face, that version of Asuna Yuuki somehow seemed to fall short.
"So beautiful..."
The words escaped her from the bottom of her heart.
"Mmm... thank you." Asuna slowly opened her eyes.
"Mmm!!!"
Kiriko's face flushed bright red. She covered her mouth and hurriedly turned away.
"Y-You, you, you weren't asleep?!"
Asuna tilted her head.
Brother Daoguang, despite being male, wouldn't react like this, would he?
If it were Brother Daoguang, he would probably scratch his cheek awkwardly and