Shinra got his beloved phone back. It was still a bit warm to the touch; unknown if it was from being held or the phone generating heat itself.
He leaned towards the former, because after this series of operations, it would be hard for Yukino's temperature not to rise.
Although he had regained his power (phone), seeing Yukino's eyes that said 'If you dare pick up the phone to take a photo, I'll explode on you', Shinra very sensibly chose to put the phone on the table where everyone could see.
Actually, even if he didn't put it on the table, it would be useless. After all, in Japan, taking photos with a mobile phone inevitably makes a shutter sound, even if the phone is muted.
Of course, this setting definitely only guards against gentlemen, not villains. If one really wanted to sneak a photo, there were plenty of ways. But who made Shinra a gentleman?
The urgent task now should be asking Yui to forward the video she just recorded to him. As for what reason...
Shinra: [Yuigahama, send me the video I just recorded.]
No reason, just ask her directly.
Yuigahama Yui: [Oh oh, okay. Video.mp4 (Uploading)]
Ask and you shall receive, how about that?
After finishing the operation, Yui reacted belatedly. Wasn't it taking photos just now? Why is there a video?
Driven by curiosity, Yui clicked on the video.
The video was black at the beginning because Shinra put the phone on the table with the camera facing down. Following Isshiki Iroha's sentence 'It's okay, consider it my treat for Senpai', the video started to shake, and then Yukino appeared in the video.
Because the classroom was noisy, Yui couldn't hear the sound in the video clearly, so she pressed the volume button with her thumb. Very responsive reaction, instantly maxing out the phone volume.
Then, accompanied by that loud 'meow' sounding again in this small space separated by cardboard, the atmosphere on the scene instantly fell into an extremely subtle state.
Yukino: ?!!
Shinra peeked at Yukino. The girl's face still maintained the perennial cold expression. The only problem was the two blushes rising on her cheeks, and the earlobes so red they seemed about to drip blood, which had completely betrayed her true inner thoughts.
"Eh? Yukino-chan? Ah, no, wait..." Yui hurriedly closed the video, then rushed to mute the phone.
After doing all this, she looked cautiously at Yukino and said, "Um..."
She wanted to say she didn't mean to, and she didn't record the video...
But Shinra was still here. If she said that, wouldn't it be pushing all the responsibility onto him in front of him?
No, can't do that, right?
As for Isshiki Iroha, seeing the situation was bad, she had long made an excuse about new guests needing service and slipped away directly.
Yukino seemed to see Yui's uneasiness. She remained silent for a while, as if calming the turbulent emotions inside, or thinking about how to break the situation.
After a long time, she said slowly: "It doesn't matter."
Does it really not matter?
Yui glanced carefully at Yukino's small hand gripping the phone tightly. Her knuckles were turning white, and the faint blue veins on the back of her fair hand were also particularly obvious at this moment.
Doesn't look like it doesn't matter at all.
Although muttering in her heart, Yui didn't dare to say or ask. You say it doesn't matter, then it doesn't matter. Just don't let blood splash on me later.
Combined with Yukino's various performances before, even if Yui was dense, she realized she had stumbled into the battlefield between Shinra and Yukino.
No, not stumbled. I was completely fooled into coming here by someone. Thinking of this, Yui looked at Shinra with some resentment.
As for Shinra, he was looking down, hands crossed on the table, making the classic Gendo Ikari pose.
You think he's thinking?
No, he's holding back laughter.
He recorded the video, true, but the problem was he didn't ask Yui to publicly execute it.
...But this brought another problem.
Everyone in front of the screen, do you think I, Mori Shinra, can still walk out of this cat ear theme cafe alive?
Type 1 if you think yes.
If you think no, go watch ads.
"Cough..." Shinra coughed lightly, preparing to try to save himself.
Hearing this, Yukino immediately frowned, saying the coldest words in the gentlest tone.
"Oh my, do you have any last words?"
Shinra: ...
Yui: ...
"N-Not that serious, right?" Shinra laughed awkwardly.
"Um, I remembered I have things to deal with in class, I'll go first..." Yui planned to learn Isshiki Iroha's virtue and slip away first.
But her casting was interrupted by Yukino. She said: "Wait a moment."
Yui's butt, which had just lifted halfway from the seat, was pressed back by Yukino's words.
Yui: I'm an innocent citizen... o(╥﹏╥)o
"Yui, is it convenient to lend me your phone for a moment?" Yukino said softly.
"...Here." Yui offered the phone with both hands, even thoughtfully unlocking it before handing it to Yukino.
Watching Yukino's fingers flying on her phone, Yui asked cautiously: "Yukino, are you going to delete the video?"
"Hmm? Do you have a better suggestion? Yuigahama-san."
Not even calling me by name anymore!
So, so scary!!
Yui swallowed, then pointed her fair finger in Shinra's direction and whispered: "Um... this video was sent to him along with the photo just now."
Yukino let out a long breath, a smile without any mirth reappeared on her face, and she handed the phone back to Yui.
"Is that so..."
Shinra's eyelids couldn't help twitching upon seeing this. No, you just sold me out like that?
"I can delete it too."
Seeing the gaze projected by Yukino, Shinra, feeling something was wrong, immediately stated his position.
He can delete too; he can be loyal too.
Yukino was noncommittal about this, thinking Shinra didn't know he was wrong but knew he was going to die.
"No need." Yukino shook her head, smiling superficially: "It would be a pity to delete something recorded with so much effort, don't you think?"
"...Actually, not that much of a pity. I have another copy."
The video taken at the Tokyo Cat and Dog Show before was still saved in his phone.
Hearing Shinra say this, Yui beside them couldn't help opening her small mouth slightly, showing a surprised expression.
Actually have another copy?
Yukino glanced at Yui out of the corner of her eye and didn't explain much. She lowered her head and operated her phone a few times, then said to Yui: "Yuigahama-san, could you trouble yourself to send me a text message?"
"Oh, okay." Yui immediately edited a text message and pressed send.
"Meow—"
Another 'meow' sounded. Unlike the previous one, this time it was obviously a male cat, sounding somewhat perfunctory, but the voice was familiar...
Whose is it?
Yui subconsciously locked her gaze on Shinra. It's this guy's.
Yukino... set Shinra's meow directly as the SMS tone?
Wait, how does Yukino have the audio of Shinra meowing?
So you did it too!
Originally, Yui felt it wasn't good for Shinra to secretly record Yukino's embarrassing moment, but seeing Yukino also took out Shinra's recording audio and set it as the SMS alert tone, she immediately felt relieved.
Truly, birds of a feather flock together.
So... am I also part of your play?
At this moment, Yui's mood was hard to describe in words.
However, what puzzled Yui more was the fact that Yukino set Shinra's meowing sound as the SMS alert tone itself. If it was an equal retaliation, judging from the reaction of the retaliation target Shinra, the effect was definitely not good.
Because Shinra had no reaction at all. This guy even used his own phone to send text messages to Yukino, so much so that now Yukino's phone kept 'meowing' non-stop.
It was only because the classroom was noisy, plus the special rules within this cafe itself, that it didn't attract much attention.
If it were another place, making this sound in public.
Yui felt that with Yukino's thin skin, she shouldn't be able to stand it.
"Yuigahama-san, send me a text message too." Shinra said with a smile.
Another master?!
Yui looked at Yukino, not knowing whether to listen to Shinra's instruction for a moment.
Judging from the performance, this guy Shinra most likely also learned from Yukino and set her meowing sound as the SMS alert tone.
If I listen to Shinra and send him a text message, can Yukino handle it?
"My... my phone is out of oil." Yui found an extremely lame excuse, then stuffed her phone into her pocket, looking determined not to take it out again no matter what the two said.
Hmm, next time before accepting an invitation, must communicate with Yukino first.
Yukino obviously underestimated Shinra's thick skin, or rather, the matter of meowing like a cat depends on everyone's tolerance for it.
Those who care more often have a higher probability of losing.
For someone like Shinra, even if you use his audio as a ringtone, he probably wouldn't care.
On the other hand, can Yukino do it?
Very difficult.
Therefore, from the beginning, Shinra was already in an invincible position.
Having figured this out, Yukino slowly exhaled, calmly accepted her mistake this time, and decided to replace part of the matcha powder used for making matcha cookies tonight with wasabi.
She felt Shinra didn't have a good appetite recently and should want to eat something spicy.
Shinra, completely unaware of the impending danger, put on the cat ear ornament sent by Isshiki Iroha at this moment, sat next to Yukino ingratiatingly, switched his phone to selfie mode, and raised it high.
Amidst Yukino's slightly reluctant expression, a photo of the three was left.
...
That night, wearing pajamas, Shinra sat in front of the computer in the study, opened the photo editing software, and prepared to process the photos taken today uniformly.
Beside his hand were a cup of hot tea and a plate of freshly baked cookies. Judging by the color, it should be his favorite matcha flavor.
Barring any accidents, this should be the reward for helping Yukino move things today.
Thinking this way, Shinra decided to taste Yukino's cooking before retouching the photos.
He picked up a cookie and put it in his mouth. The unique aroma of matcha immediately filled the entire oral cavity, combined with the soft and crispy texture of the cookie.
One word, superb!
Yukino's skills were getting better and better. This cookie should be the best snack Shinra had tasted in recent days, bar none.
Does she also have the 'Heaven Rewards the Diligent' skill?
Shinra picked up another cookie. The soft touch made him somewhat impatient to put it in his mouth, so much so that he didn't notice this cookie lacked the faint fragrance of matcha.
Upon entering the mouth, Shinra felt an indescribable impact bursting inside his oral cavity, constantly impacting his taste buds.
That feeling was like a big pendulum in an amusement park constantly hitting his two magic balls below, making Shinra clearly realize that even if his physique was high, he was still not without weaknesses.
At least the wasabi cookie in his mouth right now was an existence he couldn't defeat.
"Cough cough cough..."
Violent coughing sounded in the study, clearly captured by Yukino sitting on the balcony lounge chair upstairs reading.
Hearing the coughing from downstairs, Yukino put down the paperback book in her hand, then picked up the phone beside her and edited a text message.
Yukino: [Drink more hot water.]
"Meow~"
Not long after the text message was sent, Yukino received a reply.
Shinra: [Thank you!!!]
The three exclamation marks following seemed to be telling the protagonist's indescribable mood at this moment.
This made Yukino's mood a bit better. It wasn't in vain that she spent so much effort today, strictly controlling the ingredients and baking time to make the super cookies.
Just wonder which one Shinra ate was the surprise she buried.
Maybe send a text message to ask later?
Downstairs, Shinra looked at the cookies in the plate in front of him, and a new problem appeared.
Should he eat the remaining cookies or not?
Not eating—Yukino's cookies this time indeed hit his strike zone. Throwing them away like this is a pity.
But eating—Shinra is worried about eating wasabi-flavored cookies again. The sour and refreshing feeling brought by this is much more unbearable than eating ginger disguised as chicken chunks in braised chicken rice.
Shot himself in the foot, so to speak.
After thinking about it, Shinra decided to edit a text message and send it out.
Shinra: [How many wasabi cookies did you make exactly?]
Yukino: [Guess?]
...
After taking a shower, Haruno wrapped herself in a bath towel. Just as she walked to the living room, she heard continuous meowing sounds from the balcony. Rather than meowing, it sounded more like a person imitating a cat's meow, and the voice sounded somewhat familiar.
Haruno was suspicious. She walked to her sister, stared for a while, and then suddenly spoke:
"Yukino, when did Shinra record a ringtone for you?"
Yukino: !!!