Chapter 17

Chapter 17: How Dare You Pretend Not To Know Me, Now That You’re Wearing A Skirt!

The heavy, stagnant atmosphere, thick with unspoken tension, lingered like a silent film for a while.  

Shimizu Sakuya had no intention of stepping forward as the mediator—after all, her current relationships with both Ayase Aoi and Fujiwara Yuki were far from ideal.  

Her solid childhood friendship with Amami Saori couldn’t sway the situation, so for now, she could only wait and observe.  

Only once she had gained some influence could she attempt to reconcile the two.  

In the original storyline, their relationship hadn’t been this bad.  

But with the altered worldline, Sakuya and Ayase Aoi had met much earlier, which seemed to have worsened things.  

Each of them lost in their own thoughts, it was Yuki who finally broke the silence.  

As if trying to dispel the awkwardness, she smoothed her bangs with a light pat and cleared her throat, forcing a strained smile as she asked. 

“So, are we eating in the cafeteria or having bentos here?”  

“Cafeteria.”  

“Classroom.”  

Saori and Ayase Aoi’s voices overlapped.  

Their gazes met in mutual confusion.  

“The bento I brought today isn’t enough for everyone, so we should go to the cafeteria,” Saori reasoned, frowning slightly as she glanced at Ayase Aoi, who had given the opposite answer.  

Ayase Aoi, currently perched on the desk with her legs crossed, scoffed arrogantly.

“Why go to the cafeteria? I brought food prepared by a master chef—how could it not be enough?”  

Her lips curled in disdain, her tone dripping with displeasure as she added.

“Besides, the cafeteria is crowded. I hate it. It’s disgusting.”  

Saori visibly recoiled at Ayase Aoi’s entitled, high-and-mighty attitude.  

Her eyes dropped to the floor, as if searching for an escape.  

“Ohhh, I get it~ Little Aoi’s just shy! She’s got social anxiety and can’t handle crowds~”  

Yuki, having caught Saori’s discomfort, tugged at her sleeve and “explained”—though her words were clearly just another jab at Ayase Aoi.  

Her eyes glinted with mischief, her smile as sly as a fox who’d just stolen a chicken.  

“Shut your mouth, you damn black-feathered crow.”  

Ayase Aoi immediately redirected her fury at Yuki, her brows furrowing.  

The fragile ceasefire shattered instantly, reigniting their war.  

Yuki, never one to back down, met Ayase Aoi’s fiery glare and retaliated by mocking her meticulously styled appearance.

“Take one to know one, you preening violet peacock.”  

“Don’t forget who called whom here. If you want me to honor our deal, you’ll do as I say.”  

“Hah? Some deal—I could back out anytime. Don’t tell me you actually took it seriously~”  

Their verbal sparring escalated, leaving Sakuya and Saori exchanging frantic, wordless glances.  

Saori subtly pointed at the warring duo, her eyes darting between them as if asking, “Can’t you make them stop?”  

As the most emotionally mature and battle-hardened adult in the room, Sakuya felt a sudden surge of responsibility.  

I have to step in before these two elementary-schoolers tear each other apart. We still need to form the Light Music Club later—can’t they just get along?!  

With that thought, she completely forgot her own precarious standing and raised her hands in a peacemaking gesture, adopting a gentle, almost parental tone.

“Hold on! Listen to me—we should—”  

“Shut up!”  

“Shut up!”  

Both girls whipped around and snapped at her in unison, as if she were the one disrupting their delicate balance.  

Being yelled at by both of them at once left Sakuya momentarily stunned.  

Her self-image as the wise elder shattered instantly.  

Just moments ago, she had been reveling in fate’s unexpected gift.  

Now, she stood frozen, her eyes glazed over in defeat.  

Ah… I got scolded… These brats are so mean! How dare they yell at their elders?! Do I really have no authority at all?  

I’m completely insignificant to them.  

They were so skilled in bed, trying every trick in the book—and now they’re pretending not to know me just because they’re wearing skirts?!  

Sure, it’s a different worldline, but that’s no excuse!  

Noticing the dark storm clouds gathering over Sakuya’s head, Saori quickly grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.  

Then, clearing her throat, she stepped forward to meditate.

“Arguing won’t get us anywhere. How about we vote?”  

Her calm, steady voice cut through the tension like a knife.  

Hearing her, Yuki—like a startled horse soothed by a familiar hand—immediately closed her mouth, halting her relentless taunts.  

The reason was simple: Yuki was willing to give Saori, face.  

Sakuya, on the other hand, was practically persona non grata in their eyes—hence the instant backlash.  

“Saori’s right. Arguing is pointless, so I agree with her.”  

Now composed, Yuki leaned against the doorframe, her golden vertical pupils gleaming like twin suns.  

Her gaze, sharp as a dagger, locked onto Ayase Aoi as she added.  

“What about you, Aoi?”  

This was clearly an olive branch.  

Ayase Aoi wasn’t so socially inept that she couldn’t recognize it—she just had too much pride to bow her head easily.  

But with the offer extended, she took the opportunity to step down, nodding slightly.  

“Fine.”  

“Should’ve done this from the start.”  

Having recovered from her brief existential crisis, Sakuya nodded in approval at Saori’s solution.  

Being scolded had bruised her ego as the “mature adult” of the group, but emotionally, she was resilient. It didn’t bother her much.  

“Then, raise your hand if you want to eat in the cafeteria.”  

Saori lifted her own arm as she spoke.  

Yuki, like a mirror image, immediately raised her slender right hand—clearly following Saori’s lead.  

Ayase Aoi, of course, didn’t budge.  

In an instant, all eyes turned to Sakuya like spotlights.  

The pressure was on.  

Ayase Aoi’s eyebrows arched slightly, her pupils dilating with interest as she studied Sakuya’s reaction.  

Team harmony hinges on balance.  

Everyone present was perceptive—making a thoughtless choice now could leave a lasting negative impression.  

Currently, Saori and Yuki are clearly aligned. If Sakuya sided with them, it would isolate Ayase Aoi completely.  

Given Ayase Aoi’s pride, who knew how long she’d sulk in secret?  

Besides, Ayase Aoi probably still disliked Sakuya the most.  

Choosing to eat in the classroom with Ayase Aoi would only result in a 2-2 tie, solving nothing.  

The best option is compromise—something that satisfies both sides.  

Under their expectant gazes, Aoi Sakuya slowly articulated her idea.  

“Since Ayase Aoi doesn’t like crowded places… how about we eat under the cherry blossom trees next to the building?”  

She walked past Ayase Aoi to the window and pushed it open.  

Outside, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom.  

Pink-white petals carpeted the emerald grass, the vibrant hues of spring filling their vision.  

It was the perfect season for hanami.  

Who knew if they’d get to see this sight again next year?  

Sakuya drank in the view, her golden hair blending seamlessly with the sunlight.  

When she turned back, her eyes held a strange nostalgia as she proposed.

“We can bring Saori’s bento, and Ayase Aoi’s master chef’s dishes will have their time to shine too. Let’s eat together and enjoy the cherry blossoms.”