My Classmate Yukino Definitely Has a Crush on Me

Back in their first year, Yui Yuigahama and Yukino Yukinoshita were indeed recognized as good friends.

Junko Kamizawa quickly slapped her own face, trying to drive the terrible thought from her mind.

If things really were like that, then the balanced and harmonious relationship among their friends would be completely ruined!

Kaho, who sat in the front right seat of Yukino, saw Junko suddenly start slapping her face and showed a confused expression.

Junko Kamizawa couldn't help but recall the day Yukino had transferred into their class.

If their classroom seats were connected, they could be seen as a single, slanted line: from Yui, to herself, to Yumiko, to Kaho.

That day, while she and Junko were texting and slacking off during class, she happened to look up and saw Yumiko looking at the teacher's desk with a smitten, heart-pounding expression.

And Yui, who was sitting to her left and behind at the time, what kind of expression did she have on her face as she watched Yukino enter the classroom?

Could it be that she, too, was momentarily smitten?

"Are you and your older sister finally done with your argument?"

Yukino didn't even lift her eyelids. "Teacher Hiratsuka being lazy is bad enough, can you not disturb my work?"

Shizuka Hiratsuka practically collapsed onto her chair, her legs resting on the desk in a very un-teacher-like manner.

Seeing this scene, she couldn't help but sigh about life, "A life of slacking off, it's so joyful..."

Because she was a young, capable, and outstanding teacher, Shizuka Hiratsuka had been increasingly relied upon by Sobu High School in recent years. The leadership was always thinking of giving her more responsibilities.

Not only was she in charge of the Chinese exams and homeroom for Class 2-F, but she was also responsible for reviewing the second-year school event organizations and all external communication for the entire school.

Because of this, Shizuka Hiratsuka was truly so busy that she felt completely drained. Just now, Yukino had brought over the class's sports festival activity planning materials during lunch break, only to find the teacher so exhausted she looked like a dried fish.

Then, she was asked to help review the first-year students' wildlife observation activity reports.

Yukino could only say with a stern face, "There won't be a next time."

She roughly finished reading one report sheet, reluctantly imitated Teacher Hiratsuka's handwriting to write comments, and then said mercilessly, "Instead of finding joy by slacking off here, Teacher, you should reflect to the school that no one can endure being this busy for much longer."

Shizuka Hiratsuka bared her teeth and slammed the desk. "Of course I've said something, but those old geezers said young people should work harder!"

"Then why didn't you reply to them: Old geezers should hurry up and lie in their coffins?"

Shizuka Hiratsuka froze for a moment, then leaned back in her chair and burst out laughing.

"Yukino, you're really different from your older sister. Your mouth is the biggest blade manufacturer in Japan, isn't it?"

In a short time, Teacher Hiratsuka had mentioned her older sister Haruno twice in front of Yukino.

Although she didn't like discussing her older sister too much with others in front of outsiders.

The relationship between Yukino and her older sister, Haruno Yukinoshita, was extremely awkward. She disliked it when people praised Haruno in front of her, and even more so when people belittled Haruno.

Lowering her head, she focused her gaze on a stack of report forms under her pen, trying her best to keep her expression from looking too strange.

She let out a casual "Oh" in a flat tone, appearing uninterested in the topic.

Meanwhile, Teacher Hiratsuka, in a posture as limp as a dried fish, had already begun to reminisce about her life.

"Haruno is arguably the smartest student I've ever encountered in my teaching career..." Looking at Yukino, Shizuka Hiratsuka smiled, "Of course, her intelligence is different from Yukino's."

Yukino knew this, of course.

"Haruno seems to handle everything with ease. The student council, club activities, academics, even her relationships with classmates and interactions with teachers – it's hard to believe someone could do all of that perfectly."

As she said this, Teacher Hiratsuka sighed softly, "But at the same time, she's too smart..."

Smart to the point of arrogance and conceit, trying to control everything. Arrogant to the point of looking down on everyone, believing no one could be her equal.

When she wore her mask, she was the most popular person in the world. When she took it off, she was an arrogant, despicable, excessively awful, and annoying person.

--- Surrounded by acquaintances, yet not a single true friend.

This probably describes someone like Haruno Yukinoshita.

Although Teacher Hiratsuka didn't say it out loud, Yukino understood perfectly what she had left unsaid.

She lowered her eyes, not responding to the topic.

Haruno was someone who lived a very, very tiring life.

Teacher Hiratsuka suddenly let out a chuckle, as if remembering something, "The most awkward person in this world is also the person who cares the most about you, Yukino."

"Teacher, that kind of talk is really disgusting."

Shizuka Hiratsuka yawned and laughed, "You two sisters are exactly the same when it comes to being awkward."

It was probably about two years ago. At that time, Haruno Yukinoshita was in the final stage of her third year of high school.

Upon hearing that her younger sister would be returning to Japan to attend high school, she had specifically taken many promotional photos of Sobu High School back with her, trying to entice her sister to choose her alma mater.

It seemed she succeeded later, and then she returned to school with great enthusiasm. She dug up all the honors she had achieved at her alma mater, things she had originally not cared about at all, and plastered them all over the school's honor roll and trophy room.

"Let Yukino see just how outstanding and how impossibly difficult to surpass her sister was here!"

That rare, triumphant, and even childish Haruno Yukinoshita was indeed a sight Shizuka Hiratsuka had never seen before.

The layers of masks she wore, clinging to her body and soul, seemed to have vanished in that instant, revealing her vibrant, bright, and joyful spirit.

So even when she later heard that Haruno had had a falling out with her sister, Shizuka Hiratsuka believed they would eventually reconcile.

After all, these two sisters truly acted like they were fighting fiercely while also valuing each other above all else in the world.

After finishing grading these activity reports, the lazy teacher instantly revived and jumped up, "Hooray! Yukino Yukinoshita, teacher really likes you!!"

Yukino hummed, "I know."

Her gaze fell on Shizuka Hiratsuka's Neck, then she naturally reached out a hand and pulled out a crumpled collar from inside her shirt.

Only then did she bow slightly, "I'm leaving, teacher."

After Yukino closed the door and left, Shizuka Hiratsuka hurriedly backed away and collapsed onto her office chair, frantically pounding her chest.

"Damn it... I've been single for too long, too long, too long!!!"

In that moment, she felt like a housewife seeing her husband off.

---Is there something wrong with me???

When Yukino returned to her Classroom, the first thing she saw was Yui Yuigahama, who usually chatted about Gossip with those around her after class, diligently studying at her desk.

Yukino felt a sense of relief.

Yukino was someone who, after her initial stubbornness, would still reach out to help others. However, if the person seeking help was unwilling to put in the effort and only complained, Yukino wouldn't bother much.

Fortunately, Yui Yuigahama was not that kind of person.

As Yukino retracted her gaze and sat down, she noticed Miura beside her looking at her with a hint of resentment and grievance.

She said very quietly, "I already rejected that person..."

She had decisively rejected that junior student, leaving absolutely no room for ambiguity, yet Yukino was still close with Yui.

Sigh, Yukino really gets jealous easily...

Yukino Yukinoshita is definitely harboring a secret crush on me!

And I also really like Yukino Yukinoshita. Theirs is a beautiful mutual affection!

After Miura came to this realization, she had gone through a complex psychological struggle.

From disbelief to unacceptance, and then to shy acknowledgment, she spent a lot of time accepting this fact [which was one day].

But once she accepted this fact, Miura quickly began to prepare the way for her romantic troubles.

Yukino Yukinoshita likes me so much. According to the deductions of Junko and Kaho, Yukino must have been paying attention to me not long after entering school, and even liked me then!

But since she likes me so much, why doesn't she confess?

She could even act convincingly. If it weren't for the occasional Accident, even a wise person like herself, Miura, would never have discovered the hidden truth that the ice-cold girl held in her heart, unwilling to reveal it.

Yukino's reason for silently burying this feeling in her heart was quickly figured out by Miura.

First, Yukino felt that her feelings, which were different from ordinary people, could not be shown to others, nor could they be conveyed to herself.

Second, Yukino worried that if these feelings were revealed one day, it would implicate the person she liked [referring to herself], and she would be seen as strange and incomprehensible by friends and even parents, and would be looked at with odd glances by those around her.

Wuwuwu Yukino, you're so kind

Yukino was a person with restrained and reserved emotions. If these issues were not resolved, then the doubts and worries accumulated in her heart would only cause her to bury these feelings in her heart forever.

Miura decided to start with her own friends. She had a lot of confidence in her friends, after all, the fact that she and Yukino could become good friends during this time was all thanks to the advice of her few friends.

In the past, they would occasionally tease her about Yukino having a crush on her.

So, regarding herself and Yukino being in love with each other, Junko and Kaho would at least have some resistance and acceptance, right?

One day after school, Miura, Junko, and Kaho, who had a few stops on the train in common, went home together as usual.

On the way to the station, Miura gave a light cough, "Um, do you guys think Yukino's crush on me has been getting more obvious recently?"

Junko and Kaho exchanged glances, looking somewhat bewildered, "Has it?"

Of course, it has!

And it's super obvious, okay? Yukino looked so jealous back then!

Miura could easily come up with 100 small examples and 1000 small details to prove how jealous Yukino had been during this time.

However, both Junko Kamizawa and Onozawa Kaho felt that Yukino's attitude towards Yumiko hadn't really changed recently.

Junko hadn't had the courage to say that Yukino's crush was Yumiko for a long time now.

When they didn't understand Yukino well before, the possibility was indeed quite high.

Back then, Yukino was covered in frost, like a truly unapproachable, high-and-mighty, ice-mountain beauty. And at that time, Yukino's attitude towards Yumiko was indeed very special.

Furthermore, during that period, Yukino's attitude towards everyone except Yumiko could be described as icy, so this specialness was particularly obvious.

But now it seemed that Yukino was just cold and unapproachable on the outside; she was actually a person who was not stingy with showing kindness to others.

Perhaps her special attitude towards Yumiko back then was simply because Yumiko was the first person to show her kindness at that time.

If the identity of this "first person" were someone else, if the first person to reach out to Yukino at that time had been someone else, would Yukino's attitude towards that person also be just as special?

Similarly, the more Onozawa Kaho thought about it during this time, the more she trembled, feeling like she might have inadvertently dug a hole for her good friend.

Especially seeing Yumiko so enthusiastic and lost in her own imagination, she became even more hesitant to speak.

Kaho carefully organized her words, "Um, Yumiko, I think..."

Yumiko's eyes sparkled as she looked over. "Kaho, you think so too, right? Yukino is really clingy, I can't help it~"

Even though she said it was troublesome and she couldn't help it, her words were filled with unconcealable pride and joy.

She wanted to say that Yukino liked her so much, and she wasn't a cold-hearted person, so should she give him a little response?

She wanted to say how should she hint to Yukino that she wasn't entirely without hope, so she needed to take action quickly.

There were so many things she wanted to say. All these sparkling, pure girlish intentions squeezed her gaze until it shone, as if a whole warm spring had been stuffed inside.

Kaho felt a little choked, unable to speak.

Junko pulled Kaho behind her. "Forget it, I'll say it."

Her gaze didn't look at Miura, but lowered to the ground beneath her feet. "Yumiko, I think this is an unusual matter after all. You need to consider it carefully... for yourself, or for Yukino."

You need to consider it carefully, does Yukino really like you, this kind of thing.

Miura froze.

Just then, the train arrived, and the wind it brought lifted her long hair.

Kaho saw that Yumiko, who had been so full of happiness moments ago, seemed to deflate in an instant.

She didn't seem to have fully processed what Junko had just said.

"Eh...?"