"I..."
Kotomi Izumi opened her mouth. Normally so eloquent, she suddenly felt tongue-tied in front of Yukino.
There were so many things she wanted to say, but with Yui right beside her, it felt as though an invisible hand was gripping her throat, leaving her unable to make a sound.
After struggling for a moment, Kotomi Izumi let out a helpless sigh and said apologetically to Yukino:
"Yukino, if I'm not mistaken, then I've already felt your feelings for me. Thank you for those feelings..."
"Don't thank me! That's not what I want to hear right now!"
Perhaps due to her emotional agitation, Yukino Yukinoshita raised her voice in urgency. Nervous and expectant, she longed for Kotomi's response to her confession.
"Shh—"
Kotomi Izumi understood Yukino's urgency, but in the heat of the moment, she instinctively told her to lower her voice. She then turned her head to glance at Yui Yuigahama, who was lying nearby under a blanket, fast asleep with a blissful smile on her face.
In her dream, Yui Yuigahama was imagining her married life with Kotomi.
Yukino Yukinoshita saw everything Kotomi did. Her gaze gradually turned vacant, while deep within her eyes surged complicated emotions—emotions that could have been described in countless words, yet ultimately condensed into a helpless, bitter smile.
Kotomi, you already know how I feel. Yet at the very moment I confess to you, your attention is still on Yui... Are your feelings for her really so deeply rooted that you won't even leave me the slightest opening? If that's the case, then why did you make me fall for you in the first place...
Yukino Yukinoshita cried out in her heart, trembling. The calm expression on her face was merely the fragile pride she could barely maintain.
That pride was so fragile that it could shatter at any moment...
Kotomi Izumi had no idea what Yukino was thinking. After confirming that Yui hadn't woken up, she let out a quiet sigh of relief and turned back toward Yukino.
But...
The moment she looked at Yukino again, she froze.
Yukino Yukinoshita, who was usually cold, proud, and strong, hadn't cried in who knew how long. Yet now, because of Kotomi Izumi, crystal-like tears streamed down her pale, delicate face like strings of pearls.
Each tear was like a blade cutting into Kotomi's heart.
Unable to bear it, Kotomi gently comforted her:
"Why are you crying...? Don't cry, okay? If you're really upset, you can bite me instead."
As she spoke, Kotomi Izumi took out a pack of tissues from her coat pocket and pulled out a few sheets, offering them to Yukino.
Yukino Yukinoshita didn't take the tissues. Instead, she took a deep breath, lifted her chin slightly, and wiped away her tears with her slender, fair fingers—fingers that seemed born to play the piano. Forcing a smile, she mocked herself:
"How strange... Why is there water on my face? Is the quality of the Shinkansen first-class carriage really this bad? Could it be that the roof is leaking? Is it raining outside? I'm not crying. I don't like crying, so I would never cry..."
As Yukino Yukinoshita spoke, her tears continued to fall uncontrollably—like ice from a glacier melting because of Kotomi, and shedding tears because of her as well.
Realizing that she could no longer hold them back, Yukino Yukinoshita gave an embarrassed smile. She rarely smiled, just as she rarely cried. While wiping her tears, she laughed shakily:
"Kotomi, next time let's not take the Shinkansen, okay? Look, the roof is leaking... But why is the water only falling on my face, and not on yours or Yui's?
Could it be... ah, I see. No wonder when you chose the seats, you picked the middle seat for yourself and the right seat for Yui. So you already knew the roof would leak!
Haha, Kotomi, you're too mean. You only thought about yourself and Yui. What if I catch a cold? What should I do...?"
"Yukino, the roof isn't leaking. I—"
Looking at Yukino, who was laughing and crying at the same time, Kotomi Izumi suddenly felt that all words had become powerless.
"Let me finish! Don't interrupt me! When Yui talks to you, do you interrupt her like this too?!"
Yukino Yukinoshita snapped, her reddened eyes fixed on Kotomi.
Kotomi fell silent. Watching Yukino, she felt something was off. Ever since earlier, Yukino had kept comparing herself to Yui in her words.
Could it be... she knows that Yui and I are already together?!
The thought struck Kotomi like lightning—but she immediately rejected it.
Impossible! Yui and I have been extremely careful. Even in Kyoto these past few days, we only got close after Yukino had fallen asleep. Yui always listens to me. Without my permission, she would never tell Yukino—or anyone else—that we're dating. There's no way Yukino could know!
Kotomi Izumi kept denying the possibility in her mind, convincing herself that Yukino could not possibly know about her relationship with Yui—and Megumi.
"Kotomi, I really hoped that right now, you would honestly respond to my feelings. Because I can't wait to say three words to you—words that would move our relationship forward in a big way. I really want to say them! But... but why won't you answer me? How could the carriage be leaking? I'm clearly the one crying!"
Yukino Yukinoshita raised her head and looked at Kotomi with a smile, yet tears kept welling up in her eyes.
After she finished speaking, silence once again fell between them.
Only after a long time did Kotomi Izumi slowly extend her hand. The same hand that had just held Yui's left ring finger now gently grasped Yukino's left ring finger.
"Yukino, I'm sorry. When I realized the feelings hidden in your words, I was actually very happy. It's just that right now, I'm a bit lost. I don't know how to respond to your feelings—not yet, at least. Please give me some time. I will definitely give you an answer that satisfies you. Don't worry—I will never betray the feelings you have for me. And the proof is..."
Kotomi Izumi smiled softly as she looked at Yukino and said gently:
"When I felt your feelings, I was truly happy. It was the kind of happiness that comes from having a wish fulfilled."
Before her words even finished, Kotomi Izumi slowly lowered her head and tenderly kissed—Yukino Yukinoshita's left ring finger.
Yui was sleeping right beside them. Even when Kotomi Izumi kissed Yukino Yukinoshita's left ring finger, she didn't dare linger for too long.
After a few minutes, Kotomi slowly lifted her head, though her hand still tightly held Yukino's left ring finger.
When Yukino felt Kotomi's lips leave her ring finger, she instinctively felt a small sense of loss. But when she thought about the meaning behind kissing the left ring finger, a faint smile appeared on her tear-streaked, delicate face.
When Kotomi raised her head and met Yukino's gaze, her cheeks flushed red as she said:
"This is part of my response to your feelings. As for the rest... let's wait until next time..."
"Then next time, you have to give me all of the remaining response! And it has to be something that satisfies me!"
Yukino Yukinoshita smiled faintly, with a hint of tsundere pride. Then she took the tissues from Kotomi's hand and wiped the tears from her face.
After calming down a little, the cold and prideful little tigress suddenly realized that she had cried so much in front of Kotomi that her eyes had turned red. Embarrassment flooded her instantly. To preserve her pride, she quickly lifted her chin and said haughtily:
"K-Kotomi, I didn't expect you to get shy too! Your face is so red it's like an apple... it almost makes me want to take a bite..."
Realizing she had blurted out her true thoughts, Yukino's cheeks reddened, and she hurriedly changed her tone:
"I-I mean, can't you learn from me? Look at how calm I was just now."
Calm? You were just crying your eyes out. You really are stubborn, you little tigress... When you become my girlfriend, the first thing I'll do is 'teach' you to stop being so stubborn...
Kotomi thought to herself. To avoid stirring Yukino's emotions again, she held back and didn't say it aloud.
Yukino Yukinoshita was about to become her third girlfriend. And after crying so pitifully just now, Kotomi was willing to give in a little to this cold yet tsundere little tigress in their verbal sparring.
Of course, only for today.
The moment that thought crossed her mind, Kotomi felt it still wasn't safe enough, so she added silently: only for the next hour.
After a while, Kotomi stood up. Perhaps because she had just kissed Yukino's ring finger beside Yui, her cheeks still felt faintly hot.
Even though she knew Yui was sleeping soundly, just thinking about how she had kissed Yukino's ring finger right next to her still made her feel a little nervous. Just a few minutes ago, she had told herself she didn't want to do too many things that would hurt Yui...
After thinking it over, she decided to go to the restroom to wash her face with cold water.
Yukino Yukinoshita's heart was almost entirely focused on Kotomi. Seeing her stand up, she instinctively reached out and grabbed Kotomi's wrist, asking with a hint of nervousness:
"Where are you going?"
If possible, Yukino wished Kotomi would go nowhere and stay by her side forever.
Sensing Yukino's dependence, Kotomi smiled slightly, bent down, and whispered softly:
"Didn't you say my face was as red as an apple? You even wanted to bite it. I was going to refute you, but after checking, it really is a bit hot. I'm going to wash my face. I'll be back soon."
At that moment, Kotomi suddenly leaned in and pressed her cheek against Yukino's, smiling playfully:
"If you want to take a bite of this 'apple,' you'd better seize the chance. Once I come back from washing my face, it might not be red anymore~"
Faced with such an intense and sudden attack from Kotomi, Yukino Yukinoshita had no way to defend herself. Her usually cold face instantly turned even redder than Kotomi's. Her lips parted slightly, and for once, her usual sharp-tongued, tsundere self didn't know what to say. The sight was so adorable that Kotomi almost wanted to bully her right then and there.
Kotomi Izumi was the type to act on impulse.
The moment the thought appeared in her mind, her body had already begun to move.
Taking advantage of Yukino's flustered state, she opened her mouth and gently bit Yukino's cheek. Leaving behind an ambiguous smile as Yukino looked on in shock, she quickly pulled away and dashed toward the restroom before the little tigress could retaliate.
Now even more embarrassed, Yukino Yukinoshita found herself completely speechless. She could only sit there, cheeks flushed, pouting as she watched Kotomi flee.
After quite some time, she finally huffed toward the direction Kotomi had run:
"Childish!"
After saying that, Yukino looked at her left ring finger—the one Kotomi had just held and kissed. The blush on her face deepened as her smile grew.
Originally, Yukino hadn't known what it meant to hold and kiss a girl's left ring finger.
It was only when Kotomi had softly explained it to Yui earlier that she had secretly listened in—and learned its meaning amidst a swirl of bitterness.
After learning what it meant, Yukino couldn't suppress her jealousy toward Yui. She had deliberately coughed to interrupt their earlier moment.
It was precisely because she understood its meaning that when Kotomi held her ring finger, Yukino had first been stunned, then overwhelmed with disbelief—and even burst into tears again.
But this time, the tears were filled with overwhelming joy.
Although Kotomi hadn't directly answered her earlier, from that tender kiss on her ring finger, Yukino had already felt Kotomi's feelings.
—Kotomi likes me too.
Yukino Yukinoshita thought happily. The bitterness that had accumulated in her heart was instantly washed away like by a clear spring. What remained was no longer anxiety, pain, or sorrow, but joy, happiness, and anticipation.
Filled with that surging joy, Yukino was willing to wait for the day Kotomi would give her an answer—because Kotomi had already promised that it would be one that satisfied her.
Although she wished Kotomi could say those words right now, she knew Kotomi needed time, and she had to wait patiently. After all, if Kotomi accepted her confession and started dating her, she would inevitably have to break up with Yui first. The reason Kotomi hadn't answered yet must be because she needed time to break up with Yui.
Thinking of this, Yukino couldn't help but glance at Yui Yuigahama, who was sleeping peacefully beside Kotomi. Her emotions became complicated.
Yukino had always regarded Yui as her best friend. She cherished their friendship deeply and wanted Yui to be happy. Yet she had never expected that they would fall in love with the same person—Kotomi Izumi.
Yukino couldn't help but wonder what expression Yui would have on the day Kotomi told her they were breaking up.
She would definitely cry...
When Kotomi broke up with her, the pain Yui would feel would surely be thousands of times worse than what Yukino had just experienced...
Looking at Yui, Yukino's eyes were filled with guilt and apology. She even found herself wishing that Yui would keep sleeping forever—so she wouldn't have to face the pain of being broken up with, nor the anger of learning that Kotomi was now with her best friend.
Yukino didn't know how she would face Yui in the future. She felt that by taking Kotomi away, she had become an unforgivable sinner in Yui's eyes.
Yet, she did not regret confessing to Kotomi.
Even if it meant their friendship would shatter instantly.
Even if it meant Yui would hate her so much she'd want to tear her apart.
Even if time were rewound, Yukino would still choose to confess to Kotomi and express her feelings.
If being selfish meant making Kotomi her girlfriend, then Yukino was willing to become a selfish person who would be hated by Yui for a lifetime.
Looking at Yui Yuigahama's peaceful sleeping face, amidst guilt, apology, and resolve, Yukino Yukinoshita softly murmured:
"Yui... I'm sorry."
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