But I Refuse

Was there some juicy gossip?

Nakano Ichika perked up.

Having her thoughts exposed by Yukino twice in a row had left her a little unconvinced, though she hadn't let it show.

Now it seemed she might get to hear the other girl's secret. Maybe she'd get a chance to win back some of the face she'd lost.

But Fushimi Makoto's answer left her baffled. "I can answer you this way, Yukinoshita: that really happened."

He was, of course, referring to the Time Loop.

Yukino's expression didn't change. "How can you prove it?"

She was referring to the date moving forward normally.

Fushimi pointed his chopsticks at his temple. "You can think about it some more."

Yukino: "?"

Beside them, Nakano Ichika's initial excitement gradually gave way to blank confusion.

Were they having some kind of encrypted conversation?

Just then, Yukino gave a sudden smile, but there was no warmth in it. "So you're not going to explain any further?"

"Because I've already explained everything I can," Fushimi replied.

"Fair enough, but I still have a lot of questions."

"Then you should think about it some more."

"..."

Listening to the two of them talk in code, Nakano Ichika couldn't help feeling that they had a real couple vibe.

Yukino didn't pursue the topic any further.

Rather than believe in the incredible notion of a Time Loop, she preferred to believe that everything that had happened yesterday was staged.

That Fushimi Makoto had hired people to act it all out.

But if it was staged, how could he explain the car crash?

Surely he hadn't really found someone to drive drunk, kill themselves, and go speeding just to trick her?

She'd seen the news about it that morning, after all.

The police report matched what Fushimi had told her. The driver was addicted to gambling and had racked up countless debts. Even the wrecked car had been stolen.

But if it wasn't staged, how could time have moved on to a new day as normal?

Could he control time?

No, that didn't make sense either. Every time he'd spoken to her yesterday, she hadn't seen the slightest sign that he was lying.

Yukino trusted her own eye for people. She didn't believe Fushimi Makoto could act so convincingly that she wouldn't spot a single flaw.

So there was only one possible answer: the Time Loop was real.

Yukino's heart suddenly began to race.

As for the possibility that he might try to win her over, she didn't care.

From what she'd seen of him so far, she was very interested in Fushimi Makoto. But there was absolutely no chance she'd fall for him!

Fushimi Makoto could actually guess what Yukino was thinking, but instead of explaining, he changed the subject to ease the tension. "Ichika, how's your acting career going?"

He deliberately lowered his voice.

Nakano Ichika hadn't really wanted to talk about it, but since he already knew, she replied helplessly, "It's going okay. I'm working hard to make it."

"Good. If you become a big star someday, I'd be honored if you'd help me make a short film."

"A short film?"

The word caught both girls' attention.

Fushimi answered casually, "Yeah. As a personal interest, I spent a long time learning photography. I've also learned to write scripts."

He'd also learned post-production and directing. He'd even done production assistant work.

"Wow, you're that talented?" Nakano Ichika asked in surprise. He didn't look like he was lying.

Yukino regarded Fushimi with suspicion.

Fushimi didn't seem to notice. He pulled a small notebook from his pocket. "Actually, I have a story here that I think is pretty good. Want to read it?"

"Can I?" Nakano Ichika asked eagerly.

"Of course. It's just a draft."

"Thanks."

Curious, Nakano Ichika took it from him.

But as soon as she started reading, she was absorbed.

Yukino hadn't been especially interested at first, but as Nakano Ichika grew more and more focused, until even her breathing quickened with excitement, Yukino's curiosity was completely piqued once again.

Meanwhile, Fushimi Makoto, the "mastermind" behind all this, ate his meal at ease.

The story was short, and only a draft, so Nakano Ichika finished it quickly.

Now she gripped the notebook tightly, her eyes shining with excitement. "Did you really write this story?"

"There shouldn't be another story like it in the world," Fushimi replied.

Nakano Ichika's eyes glittered. She seemed eager to say something, but held back.

Yukino understood her expression immediately.

It was longing.

But in the end, Nakano Ichika simply set the notebook down and continued eating.

Yukino finally couldn't hold back. "May I read it?"

"Sure," Fushimi said with a nod.

Yukino thanked him, finished her meal first, then wiped her lips with a tissue as she turned her attention to the story in the notebook.

A story about a terminally ill grandmother who switched bodies with her granddaughter before she died?

Yukino's interest stirred a little.

In her granddaughter's healthy body, the grandmother tried to make up for her regrets. Then she hurried back to her granddaughter, whose body was still suffering from illness, thinking she would return it. At that point, the story suddenly stopped.

Yukino felt nothing in particular.

A touching story about family?

She'd seen plenty of those.

Then she looked at the ending. Thirty years later, the granddaughter, now fully grown, sang an old nursery rhyme at her parents' memorial service.

It was the song her grandmother, who had died many years earlier, used to sing most often.

The grandmother had never given the body back!

Drawn in by the appeal of a young, healthy body, she had caused her own granddaughter's death.

Yukino froze.

She instinctively looked at Fushimi Makoto, only to find that he was watching her too.

Clearly, he'd already guessed how she would react.

Yukino took a deep breath, closed the notebook, and handed it back. "That's a remarkably good ending. Without it, this would've been an ordinary story."

Her gaze toward Fushimi had changed. It was complicated.

Now she understood why Nakano Ichika had reacted that way.

A bit-part actress had discovered a treasure of a story, and it had stirred up her longing.

He'd done it on purpose. And now she was even more curious about him, too.

Yukino thought with certainty.

I did it on purpose.

Fushimi Makoto thought to himself.

One story had captivated two girls he wanted to win over.

That was what you called a win-win.

Meaning he'd won twice.

After lunch, the three of them put away their trays together. Nakano Ichika seized the chance to ask, "Are you two free today? I don't have anything to do tonight, so why don't I treat you both to dinner?"

"Sorry, I'm going to the bookstore to buy some books," Yukino declined.

Fushimi sounded wistful. "You still love reading."

Yukino raised an eyebrow.

Was he reminding her again that the Time Loop was real?

She replied unhurriedly, "Reading makes me feel satisfied and happy. You should've known that for a long time, right?"

Yukino was testing him.

Fushimi responded lightly, "I suppose so."

What kind of answer was that?

Yukino's nearly flat chest rose and fell slowly. "Like that story you just showed us, you must have spent a long time learning to write scripts. And you learned photography, too. Since it took so long, you must have felt happy and fulfilled during that time."

"I've never enjoyed learning to write scripts," Fushimi said.

But I Refuse

In class that afternoon, Yukino was unusually distracted.

"I've never enjoyed learning to write scripts."

She was sure Fushimi hadn't been lying when he said those words earlier.

When she asked him why, he'd answered, "Every day is the same. The longer it goes on, the more frustrating it gets. I have to spend a lot of time learning things. It's the only way to distract myself."

His words had left a deep impression on her.

They also confirmed that the Time Loop was real.

Yukino had even tried to imagine it: every day the same, everyone around him like NPCs who "reset" the next morning.

How long had he endured it alone?

The thought alone was terrifying.

Nakano Ichika had been there when Fushimi said those things.

Yukino could tell that Nakano Ichika hadn't understood much and still had a lot of questions.

But in the end, she'd held back.

She seemed sunny and gentle on the surface, but she had a little savvy and a bit of cunning.

But only a little.

Yukino put Nakano Ichika out of her mind.

She knew perfectly well that Fushimi Makoto was all she could think about right now.

It wasn't love. Her curiosity was simply showing its full force.

I'm really interested in you.

Yukino said to herself.

Elsewhere.

Fushimi Makoto was in art class.

Because of their conversation that morning, Matsukaze Mayu had been paying special attention to him.