For boys and girls of sixteen or seventeen, a first date is always a special event—one that makes hearts race and keeps people tossing and turning through the night.
Of course, that was no exception for Yukinoshita Yukino.
On the night before the agreed-upon meeting, she suffered from insomnia—a rare occurrence for her.
Even though the meeting time had been proposed by her, and the "home ground" was the shopping mall she herself had chosen, none of that was enough to fully calm the unease in her heart.
Even though, in that so-called "dream," she and Narumi Tōru had already been through an ordeal that could practically be described as brushing past death together, once she returned to the calm of everyday life, Yukino belatedly realized just how little she actually knew about that boy.
Wild and unrestrained in his thinking, prone to jumping topics, sometimes relentless once he had the upper hand in an argument; he could say unexpected things without thinking them through, and occasionally steer conversations toward surprisingly thought-provoking, serious topics—yet he could also show childlike smiles, and even had habits that only little kids should have, like "loving milk candies."
To be honest, it was precisely in moments like that that Yukino found herself helpless against him. After all, that kind of gap moe really did land like a critical hit.
But that also meant that, aside from "likes milk candies," she knew practically nothing about his other interests or hobbies.
He kept to himself at school but wasn't ostracized, hadn't joined any clubs aside from being forcibly stuffed into the Service Club, and as far as interests went, all she knew was that someone who used to be completely tone-deaf had suddenly taken up the guitar…
And then what?
Did he have any really close friends? What kind of music or movies did he like? Which subjects was he good at, and which ones was he bad at? Were there any foods he avoided, or any colors he liked?
The more Yukino rummaged through her mind, as if turning over boxes in storage in search of answers, the more frustrated she became at how little she actually knew about him.
It felt unfair. The way he looked at her always carried this air of "I've already seen straight through you," yet she herself could barely reach the parts of him that weren't visible.
Naturally, the excuse of "buying a gift for Yuigahama Yui" wasn't some baseless fabrication. But if she could also ride the current and use that opportunity to increase her chances to interact with that boy, wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?
That, in short, was the logic behind why Yukinoshita Yukino had sent that message to Narumi Tōru.
She had briefly considered calling him directly—after all, that would have been faster—but after thinking it over, she concluded that their relationship wasn't quite close enough for that yet, and ultimately abandoned the idea.
If only he knew what kind of "dream" I once experienced, Yukino had thought more than once. If that were the case, she wouldn't have to feel like a fool trapped in one-sided infatuation, treading on thin ice as she tried to read signs of possible affection from the smallest details of his behavior.
But if it was him, then perhaps it was fine—even if she had to endure all this guessing and emotional push-and-pull. After all, in that long stretch of time within the "dream," she had waited without hope through periods far longer than this.
So it was fine.
As long as she prepared in advance, everything could proceed in an orderly fashion, according to Yukinoshita Yukino's pace.
At least, that was what she had originally thought.
"Hmm—according to the health check report, Little Yukino is in excellent condition overall. Still, you can't let your guard down. You need to keep up good lifestyle habits and a balanced diet."
She recalled the day she received the report, walking back to her high-end apartment alone, as Yukinoshita Haruno glanced at the paper report in her hand and smiled while offering that advice.
"I don't really know why you suddenly suggested a full medical checkup, Little Yukino—but it's not a bad thing. If anything, I'm glad you've started thinking about preventive health care too."
Because in that "dream," she had fallen ill with a life-threatening disease, and even reenacted a rather cliché blue-tinged tragic romance with her sister's ex-boyfriend—there was no way Yukino could ever say something like that out loud.
"And also," Haruno continued, "I'm happy to see that you're no longer as rigid as before. You're starting to try out new ideas and interact with unfamiliar people. That's something your big sister is genuinely glad about."
Despite the tone being filled with apparent relief and satisfaction, Yukino keenly sensed a deeper meaning hidden within Haruno's words.
She was alluding to someone very specific.
"But I should also remind you of one thing, Little Yukino," Haruno added. "There are some people whose true nature you can't see clearly, no matter how close you get to them."
"…Why would you say that?"
Already aware of her sister's intentions, Yukino frowned slightly. Even though she still couldn't confront Haruno head-on, she was no longer like before—unable to say a single word in response.
And that, too, was courage she had been given by that person—another truth she couldn't voice aloud.
"Sigh… do I really need to spell it out for you, Little Yukino?"
Haruno shook her head with a hint of exasperation, the look she gave her sister holding an unclear mix of fondness and condescension.
"People whose thoughts can't be read, whose behavior patterns can't be grasped, are dangerous. Someone who radiates an unfathomable aura of mystery is certainly intriguing, that much is true…"
She let out a long breath, the smile on her face never fading.
"But shouldn't a game only become truly fun when someone equally capable is there to face them head-on?"
So even Haruno had a competitive streak when it came to this kind of "game."
"…That kind of rule isn't written anywhere in the rulebook."
After a long silence, Yukino—sitting in the back seat—responded in a roundabout way, making her stance clear.
Naturally, Haruno wasn't surprised by that.
"I never said you weren't allowed to join the game, Little Yukino," Haruno said with a smile. "I'm just giving you a friendly warning—"
Her laugh, light and bell-like as ever, remained just as irritating.
"Don't think you're the only player in this game."
"..."
"If it's an interesting and mysterious game, it's bound to attract plenty of perceptive players, don't you think? And if someone even stronger, someone more high-level, joins in, a straight-A student who doesn't really play games like you would probably get struck out immediately~ Ahh, what a shame."
Haruno's way of speaking—always layered with hidden meanings—only made things more aggravating.
And what made it worse was that what she said wasn't untrue.
"And besides," she added lightly, "it might have already started, you know?"
That meaningful smile on her sister's face was just as unpleasant as ever.
Yet Yukinoshita Haruno's ill-intentioned predictions had a habit of coming true at the most critical moments.