Yukinoshita's Correction Method

Dong Yunshan had now discovered another type.

The silent clothes-tugging type.

Every time it reached a scary part, Yukino Yukinoshita's hand tightened.

She tugged his clothes so hard that Dong Yunshan's body tightened along with them.

A 2D movie had been tugged by Yukino Yukinoshita into a 4D movie experience.

Even Dong Yunshan, who was not afraid of horror movies, bizarrely developed the illusion that something was staring at him.

And that was him.

If it had been Yui Yuigahama getting her hem tugged like this by Yukino Yukinoshita, that already-frightening, sharp scream would probably have gone up another octave.

Dong Yunshan silently decided that once they got out, he would drink another bottle of Coke to recover.

Wait...

Thinking of the plan after they got out, Dong Yunshan realized something.

It was not obvious in the pitch-black classroom, but if they left the classroom, the corner of his clothes, which had suffered so much abuse, would definitely be noticed.

With just a little deduction, people would know it had been Yukino Yukinoshita's doing.

Dong Yunshan did want to see Yukino Yukinoshita looking embarrassed...

But this was a rare time for Yukino Yukinoshita to take part in a group activity, so it would be better not to make things too awkward for her. It would affect Dong Yunshan's correction plan.

Her embarrassed look was interesting, but compared to completing his correction of her, it still fell a little short in terms of sense of achievement.

With that thought, Dong Yunshan looked at the movie screen and, pretending to be casual, raised his hand with a motion so slight that almost no one would notice, reaching to tug at the corner of his clothes.

But before he touched the hem, he first felt something different from fabric.

Small, soft, and cool.

It trembled lightly in his palm.

Dong Yunshan reacted very quickly.

He could even catch Shizuka Hiratsuka's fists.

Together with the nervous tension brought on by the earlier 4D movie experience, before his mildly intellectually disabled brain had even begun to think, his healthy, growing body moved first.

And grabbed it at once...

Dong Yunshan lowered his head and looked.

He saw what he had grabbed... Yukino Yukinoshita's hand.

Small, soft, and cool.

Dong Yunshan shifted his gaze and met Yukino Yukinoshita's flustered eyes.

The confusion in his eyes gradually turned into realization. Dong Yunshan understood that Yukino Yukinoshita had been thinking the same thing as him.

To avoid being discovered, Yukino Yukinoshita had reached out, wanting to smooth the corner of Dong Yunshan's clothes a little.

But in the end, she had touched Dong Yunshan's hand.

Yukino Yukinoshita was naturally startled and instinctively tried to pull her hand back.

Then Dong Yunshan instinctively grabbed it.

Yukino Yukinoshita quite reasonably panicked. The fact that she did not cry out already showed great restraint.

After her eyes met Dong Yunshan's, the panic in them turned into surprise.

So it was you...

Then the surprise turned into confusion.

Why are you...

The confusion turned into realization.

So you were trying to fix the hem...

The realization turned into shame and anger.

Dong Yunshan had known exactly what she had been doing earlier!

The shame and anger turned into a forced, composed chill. Yukino Yukinoshita pressed her cherry lips into a thin line. Though she made no sound, she had already conveyed precisely what she wanted to say:

Are you still not letting go?!

Honestly, if Yukino Yukinoshita's emotional changes had not been this fascinating, Dong Yunshan would have remembered to let go long ago.

To be fair, if her gaze had not been this cold, he really would have let go.

Things had turned out like this, when all was said and done, because Yukino Yukinoshita had been bullying him... or rather, the corner of his clothes.

What was the culprit acting so smug for?

Holding Yukino Yukinoshita's soft little hand, Dong Yunshan pressed it against the corner of his clothes.

That small movement precisely expressed what he wanted to say:

[Since you already know, I don't have to pretend I don't.]

[You made this mess. Clean it up yourself.]

Yukino Yukinoshita glared fiercely at Dong Yunshan, then lightly scratched his palm with her fingertip. "How am I supposed to do it if you don't let go?"

Dong Yunshan realized that too and released Yukino Yukinoshita's cool little hand.

As if in revenge, Yukino Yukinoshita tugged hard at the hem of Dong Yunshan's shirt, gave a soft huff, and turned back to the movie screen.

Why was she slacking off at a time like this?

Dong Yunshan could only do it himself.

In the movie, which was nearing its conclusion, the protagonist's head was splitting with pain, but he still forced himself to think. Everything that had happened before flashed back rapidly, and at last he discovered a clue.

The hospital he was in right now was far too crude.

Compared with a proper hospital ward, everything here looked more like a school's... infirmary.

The moment the protagonist thought of this, he sprang up and rushed toward the door.

Just as the protagonist reached out and touched the doorknob, a twisted blue human face suddenly pressed itself against the round glass window in the door.

Dong Yunshan had seen plenty of this sort of jump scare right before the ending.

And the reason he had seen so many was because this trick really worked wonders.

The audience, who had just relaxed, were caught completely off guard and all got a fright.

Among them was... Yukino Yukinoshita.

Having already formed a conditioned reflex, she reflexively reached for the hem of Dong Yunshan's shirt.

But the hem of Dong Yunshan's shirt was currently in Dong Yunshan's own hand.

So Yukino Yukinoshita's hand accurately grabbed Dong Yunshan's hand.

Touching something unexpected, Yukino Yukinoshita froze for an instant. The moment she turned her head and met Dong Yunshan's gaze, she tried to pull her hand back.

At this point, she probably wouldn't get scared again.

Dong Yunshan sighed and gently held Yukino Yukinoshita's hand.

It really was cold...

Dong Yunshan raised his other hand and gently patted the back of hers.

--

P.S. Happy birthday, Yukino!

Finals and Spring Break: Family Restaurant

"I..." Yukino Yukinoshita let go and lightly bit her lower lip. "I didn't..."

"I know." Dong Yunshan moved his hand away. "I also felt like those two swipes of yours earlier didn't do the job."

Yukino Yukinoshita's eyes shifted slightly. She grabbed the hem of Dong Yunshan's shirt, tugged it hard, and, as if still feeling it was not enough, rubbed it twice with her palm.

As if she were trying to smooth away some slowly spreading ripple.

The movie began playing the credits, and waves of applause rang out in the classroom.

The lights came on, and the audience left in an orderly fashion.

Dong Yunshan glanced at the hem of his shirt.

Though there were still some traces, they were no longer obvious.

Yukino Yukinoshita secretly glanced at the hem of his shirt.

Though they were not obvious, she knew the traces were still there.

"Waaah~~~" Yui Yuigahama stretched as if she had survived a disaster. "It's been so long since I watched such an amazing horror movie. I only came with the idea of showing support, but I didn't expect it to be this good!"

"I didn't expect it to be this good either." Komachi Hikigaya smiled adorably. "Seeing you all like it so much is honestly a joy."

"I liked it, but I was seriously scared too." Still shaken, Yui Yuigahama linked her arm around Yukino Yukinoshita's. "Good thing I had Yukinon."

Yukino Yukinoshita rubbed her ear. "Personally, I'd rather not have had you there."

"That's so mean!" Yui Yuigahama fake-cried with absolutely no acting skill. "I can't control it either, especially during the closet scene."

"Yuigahama is the perfect partner for watching horror movies." Dong Yunshan bought a can of cola from the vending machine. "She can effectively enhance the viewing experience. Even I, who'm used to horror movies, felt like someone was staring at me and got chills down my back."

"Ah... hahahahaha..." Komachi Hikigaya looked away. "Y-yeah, I felt that too."

"Hehe~" Yui Yuigahama hugged Yukino Yukinoshita's arm and shook it. "Then let's watch a movie together next time too!"

Yukino Yukinoshita glanced at Dong Yunshan. "No."

"That answer was so fast!" Yui Yuigahama protested. "At least think about it a little!"

Yukino Yukinoshita said, "That was my answer after thinking about it."

"It's not like we have time lately anyway..." Yui Yuigahama puffed out her rosy cheeks slightly. "After exams, we can—oh, right, let's start the study group tomorrow!"

"A study group?" Komachi Hikigaya's eyes lit up, and she glanced at Dong Yunshan. "Can I join?"

"Of course you can!" Yui Yuigahama nodded hard. "And Dong Yun, let's go to the Saizeriya at PIENA together tomorrow!"

Komachi Hikigaya clenched her little fists expectantly. "Yes, yes!"

"I have something to do tomorrow." Dong Yunshan finished his cola. "So I won't be joining."

Komachi Hikigaya said, "Huh?"

Her clenched little fists loosened.

A so-called family restaurant was a restaurant built around creating a family atmosphere.

The food it offered catered to the different needs of men and women, young and old, letting the whole family enjoy themselves.

The prices were not expensive either. On average, it came out to about five hundred to two thousand yen per person.

With a good environment, a nice atmosphere, and quality at a reasonable price, it naturally became a good place for groups to gather and meet.

Many students also used places like this as study rooms outside mealtimes.

"Sorry it's not Saizeriya, Yukino~ We'll go eat Milano-style doria next time." Yui Yuigahama hadn't expected PIENA to be so crowded today either. "Ah, I also really recommend the Devil-style Hamburg steak."

"I don't mind where we go, since we're studying either way." Yukino Yukinoshita tilted her head in confusion. "Does Hamburg steak count as Italian cuisine?"

"Uh..." Yui Yuigahama looked at Komachi Hikigaya beside her. "It probably does, right?"

Komachi Hikigaya waved a hand indifferently. "Who knows? As long as it tastes good."

"True... no, wait! We didn't come out to eat." Yui Yuigahama opened the book on the table. "This is a study group. We have to start studying right away."

Yukino Yukinoshita nodded and put on her earphones.

Then she realized Yui Yuigahama and Komachi Hikigaya were both staring at her.

"Hmm?" Yukino Yukinoshita took off her earphones. "What's wrong?"