Comic strip: Survival on a deserted island, surrounded by heroines

"Yukinoshita-kun, come on up, I'll carry you."

Looking at the crouching Aoyama, Yukino Yukinoshita was momentarily speechless and dared not look at Kasumigaoka Utaha on the opposite side.

Just then, Kasumigaoka Utaha smiled faintly: "It's alright, I don't mind lending Aoyama-kun to Yukinoshita-kun~".

"..."

Using something... isn't that helpful?

Yukino Yukinoshita felt a little overwhelmed. How could Kasumigaoka-kun say such a misunderstanding in such a serious manner?

"That..."

"Ok?"

"Classmate Aoyama and Classmate Kasumigaoka..."

She paused, carefully choosing her words: "Are you two... in a romantic relationship?"

Utaha Kasumigaoka, who was walking ahead, didn't stop, but her steps were noticeably lighter, and her voice carried a hint of laughter: "What do you think, Yukino-kun?"

"..."

Yukino fell silent.

She didn't know what to say.

Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't turn around, but just tilted her head slightly, the outline of her profile soft and clear in the sunlight filtering through the leaves: "How much of what happened just now did you see?"

Yukino's ears turned bright red at a visible speed, and her voice lowered slightly: "...At the very end, no...I didn't see it!"

"I see."

"That's really a bargain for you."

It was impossible to tell whether Kasumigaoka Utaha was relieved or regretful from her tone.

"what?!"

Yukino stared wide-eyed, wondering if Kasumigaoka had gone mad.

What do you mean by "letting her off easy"?

Kasumigaoka Utaha stopped and glanced back at her, the curve of her lips like a thin blade: "Just kidding, don't be nervous."

"...Please don't joke about things like this." Yukino's voice was muffled, but her face turned even redder.

...

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the branches and leaves on the forest path, illuminating the ground covered with fallen leaves.

Aoyama slightly adjusted the position of Yukino Yukinoshita on his back, and through the school uniform skirt, he could feel the body unconsciously tense up.

"...Qingshan, your hand."

Yukino's voice came from behind him, muffled, as if she had buried her face in his shoulder.

"Hmm? What's wrong?" Aoyama tilted his head, his tone so natural as if he was completely unaware of the problem. "Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"

"...No, it's nothing."

She gritted her teeth and gave up trying to explain.

Some things, once spoken aloud, can make people feel even more embarrassed.

She could only bury her face even deeper, trying to use the scent of Aoyama's coat to dilute the intense shame.

The fragrance is a blend of fresh scents and the smell of sunshine, which is surprisingly...not unpleasant.

"Yukinoshita-kun, your face is so red, do you have a fever?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha walked beside her, her steps light and her tone languid and casual.

"I don't have a fever."

"But your ears are completely red, just like..."

Kasumigaoka Utaha bent down slightly, turned her head to look at her face from below, her red eyes carrying a meaningful look.

"...like the expression you have when you accidentally witness someone being affectionate."

"Those are two different things!"

Yukino Yukinoshita almost subconsciously retorted, her voice rising a few decibels in embarrassment and anger, but she immediately realized that she was still on Aoyama's back and that shouting so loudly was really inappropriate.

She bit her lip to suppress her voice, squeezing out only two words from between her teeth: "...That's so mean."

"Is that too much?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha straightened up and said openly, "I think I've been very restrained~"

She paused, then glanced with her crimson eyes at Aoyama's hand supporting Yukino's hip.

"After all... it's currently in a 'loaned' state, so the rightful owner should act more generously, right?"

"Kasumigaoka-kun, the way you're describing it is like you're talking about Aoyama-kun as some kind of object..."

Kasumigaoka Utaha waved her hand without any apology: "Ah, sorry, sorry."

"Should we say 'rent'? The right to use is temporarily transferred, but ownership still belongs to me?"

"Ownership or anything like that... no, my relationship with Aoyama-kun is definitely not a lease..."

Yukino Yukinoshita suddenly got stuck halfway through her sentence.

Because she could clearly feel that Aoyama's steps were extremely steady as he carried her, as if he was completely unaware of the weight of the person on his back.

But his fingers seemed to tighten slightly the moment she uttered the words, "It's not that kind of relationship."

Is it an illusion?

"Or..."

Her heart suddenly skipped two beats, and her face flushed even more.

Kasumigaoka Utaha tilted her head: "Yukinoshita-kun, why are you not saying anything again?"

"Could it be that she's thinking, 'Ah, I wish we were really in that kind of relationship' or something like that?"

"I didn't!!"

"Such a strong reaction makes it even more suspicious."

"It's Kasumigaoka-kun who's saying that! How can he say such a thing without batting an eye?!"

"This kind of topic...this kind of topic is clearly..."

Kasumigaoka Utaha said seriously, "It's normal. Isn't it normal for girls to talk about love?"

"This is not normal at all!!"

At this moment, Yukino Yukinoshita was completely unable to maintain her usual aloof composure and was being led around by the nose by Kasumigaoka Utaha.

If she hadn't stumbled upon Aoyama and Kasumigaoka Utaha's alliance, she could have remained unaffected...

Also, she had never seen a girl like this before.

She appears to be the gentle, intellectual, and sophisticated type of mature, literary woman, but she can leave people speechless with her words.

What's even more terrifying is that when Kasumigaoka Utaha said these things, she genuinely believed it was just a normal thing.

"...Aoyama-kun, aren't you going to do anything about her?"

With nowhere else to turn, Yukino Yukinoshita could only cast her pleading gaze toward the man who was serving as her mode of transportation.

Upon hearing this, Aoyama didn't stop walking, but just turned his head slightly to look at her.

His expression was calm, but there was a slight, barely suppressed smile at the corners of his mouth.

"What do you care?"

"Kasumigaoka-kun... keeps saying some very strange things."

Aoyama thought for a moment, then said seriously, "Is it strange? I think it's quite interesting."

“…”

Yukino Yukinoshita fell silent, having fully understood.

She's starting to understand the saying, "Birds of a feather flock together."

Kasumigaoka Utaha walked slightly ahead on the right, her gaze filled with interest as she looked at her: "Yukino-kun, aren't you tired of being all tense like that?"

Yukino Yukinoshita wrapped her arms around Aoyama's neck, her whole body stiff as a board, even her breathing was extremely shallow.

"...Not tired."

"But Aoyama-kun will get tired."

“If you’re as stiff as a rock and your center of gravity is unstable, it will be even harder to carry you.” Kasumigaoka Utaha’s voice rose slightly at the end, as if stating something self-evident.

Yukino's lips were pressed into a thin line, and her ears were already bright red.

She knew that Kasumigaoka Utaha was right, but...

But Qingshan's hand was resting on her buttocks.

Even through the hem of her school uniform, the burning heat from his hand was so clear that it almost made her spine taut.

And her chest...

If the budding lotus flower can be considered part of the chest... she was pressed tightly against Qingshan's back, and with every breath she could feel his broad spine.

"How can I possibly relax in this situation!"

Looking at the embarrassed Yukino Yukinoshita, Kasumigaoka Utaha pretended to think for a moment, then her eyes lit up:

"Yukinoshita-kun, what do you think of a princess carry?"

"..."

Yukino Yukinoshita decides to give up the exchange.

She buried her face completely in the hollow of the green hills, closed her eyes, and pretended that she did not exist in this world.

However, some sense of presence cannot be eliminated by pretending.

For example, holding her palm.

Aoyama's knuckles would occasionally clench slightly as he adjusted his center of gravity, leaving a few shallow indentations on his buttocks.

“…”

Yukino Yukinoshita's body stiffened slightly.

She tried desperately to tell herself not to think about it, but the more she tried, the more vivid the sensation became.

Especially after she accidentally witnessed that scene....

The Kasumigaoka students back then were so crazy and intense...

"Yukinoshita-kun?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha's voice suddenly came from very close by.

Yukino Yukinoshita suddenly opened her eyes and found that the other person had walked up to her side at some point, almost shoulder to shoulder.

Those crimson eyes scrutinized her intently, like a feline eyeing prey that had wandered into its territory.

"You're not thinking about some weird image, are you?" Kasumigaoka Utaha said softly, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

Aoyama-kun was interrupted so suddenly, but he was not satisfied at all.

And she, on the other hand, had to face Aoyama-kun, who hadn't let up for two days and was now enduring it all again...

Therefore, Yukino Yukinoshita is the culprit who caused her to face the storm.

In any case, the other party should bear part of the blame.

"...I didn't!!"

Kasumigaoka Utaha blinked: "Then why don't you dare look at me?"

"Who wouldn't dare look at you!"

Yukino Yukinoshita mustered her courage to look back, but she gave up after less than three seconds.

The smile in those red eyes was too intense, too aggressive.