Makoto looked at her delicate face and continued: "Let me guess again, one of your acquaintances happened to see me on the street and told you..."
"In your circle of acquaintances, the only person I can think of who would do that is Miss Haruno."
Yukino didn't say a word.
Although she knew Makoto was clever, she hadn't expected him to guess so quickly and accurately.
And since he already guessed it, the upcoming conversation would be an awkward topic for her.
Sure enough, just as Yukino had that thought, Makoto said: "This kind of thing isn't hard to guess. What really interests me is that you're actually willing to come out looking for me."
Yukino pretended to look elsewhere: "Are you done talking? If so, I have to go."
"Not going to eat together?" Makoto invited, "Since you care so much about the short film plan, we might as well chat a bit."
Yukino paused and looked back, cautiously asking: "To your place?"
Makoto looked relaxed: "Going to your place is fine too."
"Just the two of us?" she asked again.
"Teacher Matsukaze should be home, so the three of us."
"Okay."
Hearing Mayu's name, Yukino's guard lowered.
She really couldn't help but be cautious.
Last time, someone used the chance of showing her photos to make a move!
The thing Yukino couldn't accept most was that after he made a move on her, she gradually started feeling something...
She was suppressing the shame stirring inside her, but then saw Makoto laugh happily twice: "You finally didn't refuse."
This feeling of relief and relaxation was clearly shown, making Yukino a bit puzzled: "Were you worried I'd reject you?"
Makoto met her gaze: "Yes."
Yukino immediately showed a sarcastic smile: "So you worry about that too. Should I be happy then?"
Makoto's tone remained unchanged: "If you want to be happy about it, that's fine. Because I really thought about whether you would keep avoiding me."
Yukino's smile froze.
Had she been avoiding him?
The girl couldn't give an accurate answer right away.
Since that embarrassing time loop experience, she had tried to avoid spending time alone with him.
All to prevent him from teasing her legs.
But now, seeing Makoto completely relaxed, Yukino's feelings became strange again.
Because what he just said was almost an unmasked expression of: I care about you deeply.
While sorting through her fluctuating emotions, her eyelids lowered slightly, and the usual coldness in her expression quickly diminished: "I don't really want to talk about this."
Makoto said: "Then just come cook at my place, it's almost mealtime anyway."
Yukino responded with a hum.
When they arrived, Yukino changed into slippers and stepped inside first, casually surveying the surroundings while reminding him: "You should go notify Mayu-sensei first."
She really didn't dare be alone with that person.
Makoto replied with a "Okay."
After two minutes, he returned to the door: "Mayu-sensei doesn't seem to be home."
What?
Yukino turned sharply.
Makoto asked, "Should I call and check?"
Yukino paused for a second and pulled out her phone: "I have her contact."
"Then you do it." Makoto also entered.
Seeing him walking toward her, Yukino inexplicably felt her legs weaken.
When she dialed Mayu's number and heard that Mayu was having lunch outside with Yumiko, Yukino's heart sank instantly.
She thought: I've walked right into the tiger's den!
Makoto, secretly watching her, thought: Before you called, I already confirmed via text she wasn't home.
Yukino hung up the phone, trying to sound calm: "Mayu-sensei is having lunch with Yumiko-sensei, probably won't be back until the afternoon."
Makoto feigned indifference: "Then I'll start cooking."
Seeing how serious he was, Yukino couldn't help but think: Maybe I'm overthinking this; he really just invited me to eat and discuss business.
Makoto plugged in the rice cooker, washed a plate of grapes, and placed it on the table: "You sit first."
Yukino nodded and sat opposite him.
Makoto got up again to brew tea.
Yukino stared at his figure for quite a while, increasingly feeling maybe she was overthinking it.
Then she recalled his earlier words: "Whether you would keep avoiding me."
When Makoto brought the tea over, she suddenly spoke: "I didn't."
"What?" Makoto seemed not to understand, looking up.
Yukino met his eyes calmly: "I didn't deliberately avoid you."
That was the truth.
She just didn't dare be alone with him; if they met at school or the cafeteria, she would greet him.
"Thanks," Makoto said.
Seeing him so serious today made Yukino feel a little unsettled.
Recalling how guarded she had been just now, she felt her cheeks flush.
But at that moment, while pouring tea, Makoto said: "Actually, I was just pretending earlier."
Yukino froze.
Their eyes met again, and he said directly: "I can probably guess what you're thinking, so I wanted to see the confident look you get after your brain's CPU runs at full speed and comes to a very certain conclusion."
Yukino's face started to blush.
Makoto smiled at her: "I have to admit that Yukino is really cute."
"Shut up!"
Her voice turned cold.
The redness on her face was too obvious, clearly showing her embarrassed annoyance.
This guy was just as bad as before!
Yukino flushed, glaring angrily at him.
As their eyes locked, she noticed Makoto's gaze was completely clouded.
Full of impurities!
No, that look...
Yukino suddenly shivered.
Last time when he teased her legs, he looked exactly like that.
The next second, Makoto came to stand in front of her.
Because she was sitting and he was standing, the top-down angle perfectly captured the rosy flush on her face and the pure white calves pressed together beneath her long skirt.
"Although I was pretending earlier, there's one thing I wasn't," Makoto said, bending down to look into her nervously sparkling eyes: "I really was worried you'd avoid me."
Yukino tried to avoid his gaze.
She had just solemnly said she wasn't avoiding him—did that mean she had to deny her own words now?
Also, this guy was way too close.
Looking at his face so close, she suddenly realized something.
Oh no!
This guy wanted more!
Unfortunately, she reacted too late.
When she opened her lips shyly and flusteredly: "Don't…"
Before she could finish the sentence, Makoto kissed her.
At the moment her first kiss was taken, Yukino's whole body tensed.
Even she found it absurd that her first thought was: Damn, he really made me feel good again.
The second thought was: Kissing can really make you weak?
Finally: I must be crazy.
At 37 degrees, Yukino was charming and adorable.
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