Let's do it again, Yukino.

"Yes, but I suggest you don't do anything too extreme when taking pictures, because these kinds of machines usually record them."

Ah Qing was also relaxed at this moment and laughed jokingly.

"I would never do such a thing!!!"

Xiaoxue blushed and retorted instinctively, but then she realized that something seemed a little off.

"Have you filmed this before?"

Kasuga: "..."

So, this is what you should be paying attention to?

(P.S.: The P.S. in the last chapter didn't mean much; I just mentioned it casually because every time I write about ambiguous relationships, you guys say the two have already "done it." Actually, to be honest, these two have always been chaste young men, and as for the real chapter where they lose their virginity, it shouldn't be too far off, and I'll explain it then, so don't overthink it for now.)

Chapter Thirty-Five: A Date on Qixi Festival (Part Three)

Photo booth pictures were no longer fashionable for them after they grew up in the spring.

However, at this time, especially among students, this kind of photo-taking activity, which can promote the relationship between friends or lovers, remains popular.

Although he wasn't a big fan of this girlish style of fashion, Chunri was desperately trying his best to please Xiaoxue in order to make her happy.

"It's okay to take a picture as a memento of my high school days with Xiaoxue."

The boy moved closer to the girl affectionately.

The moment the machine flashed its white light, he revealed a row of bright white teeth, a very sunny and energetic smile. Combined with the smile of the girl next to him, the two seemed to be a perfect match.

Satisfied with the photos, Xiaoxue eventually divided them in half.

This kind of daily life is really nice...

The girl thought to herself.

She longed to preserve more things and memories like these photo booth pictures in her heart.

"Next time, you can bring Junko along, and we can take another picture then."

As he ran his fingers over the faces of the two people in the photo, a warm feeling welled up in Chunri's heart. He put the photo in his wallet and then made a suggestion.

"Ah."

As if nothing had happened, she casually took Chunri's hand and played all over Xiaoxue in the entire amusement center, eventually returning home thoroughly satisfied.

……

The sun had already set in the west.

Soon, more than half of this romantic holiday had passed.

"Xiaoxue, come over here."

"Hey, could you slow down a bit?"

The boy, who had been standing by the roadside, suddenly led the girl hurriedly into a general store.

He seemed to have seen something interesting in the shop window.

It was a red hair accessory, almost identical in color to the ribbon bows that Xiaoxue originally wore on both sides of her hair.

With the shop assistant's permission, Haruhi picked up the hair accessory and carefully put it on Koyuki, who was standing in front of him.

The girl's already smooth and beautiful long black hair, now adorned with red, made him even more captivated. He couldn't help but place his hand on Xiaoxue's long hair and rub it a couple more times.

"It looks pretty good."

"If you want to touch my hair, just say so, right?"

Xiaoxue touched the extra red hair accessory in her long hair and said with a slightly embarrassed but proud tone.

"It's not just that, I really think it suits you, Xiaoxue, very well."

He took out his phone from his pocket, opened the camera, and let the girl compare it herself.

Two seconds...

"……generally……"

Xiaoxue stared at herself on the screen, her face flushed, staring straight at the image without moving.

Judging from this reaction, Xiaoxue seems to be quite satisfied with it.

"Just take it with you, I'll go pay first."

Chunri took out her wallet and walked towards the shop assistant's seat.

The hair accessory wasn't expensive; even a poor person like Kasuga could afford this gift that cost less than a thousand yen.

He returned to Xiaoxue's side, only to find that the latter was already holding the hair accessory in her hand.

"Hmm? You don't like it?"

"Of course it's not that I don't like it, I just want you to help me put it on once... I forgot the expression on your face when you put it on me just now."

Standing in the shop, Xiaoxue shook her head and handed the hair accessory back to Chunri with a light smile.

That was the most radiant smile I'd ever seen during the spring, up to this day.

Unlike the cold, aloof smile usually seen in spring,

It was a smile with a very happy and warm hue.

Chunri couldn't help but touch her nose, her face slightly flushed, and sighed, "Xiaoxue, your expression is just too unfair."

"whee."

In that instant, a ray of sunset light shone in through the shop window.

It shone directly on the two of them.

……

…………

This day's dinner

The two of them also tacitly agreed not to go back to the apartment.

Xiaoxue said this morning that she had absolutely no desire to cook today.

So after discussing it for a long time, the two finally found a ramen restaurant with a good reputation and each ordered a bowl of char siu ramen.

Why don't you go to the Fengliu Nunnery?

How could I possibly go to a shop owned by an acquaintance?! I'd definitely get harassed and questioned for ages!

"Thank you for the hospitality, sir..."

"Welcome to visit again next time."

The uncle who runs the noodle shop is really hospitable, and his personality is compatible with the straightforward Haruhi. In addition, there aren't many customers in the shop, so the amount of char siu in his and Koyuki's bowls is a little more than usual.

The cold evening wind blew in.

"I just heard that uncle at the noodle shop say there's a fireworks display around here tonight, wanna go?"

Spring, resting on a park bench, looked up at Snow, who was admiring the moon next to her.

"No... It's fine as long as we stay in the park."

Xiaoxue, who was expected to nod in agreement, shook her head and declined Chunri's invitation.

"why?"

"Because if you go there, it won't be romantic..."

Xiaoxue replied without hesitation, reaching out as if to touch the moon suspended in the air.

"..."

Haruhi didn't understand what Yuki meant at all, but since she said so, Haruhi leaned back on the bench and silently stayed by her side.

"Today went by so fast..."

"Ah."

"Um, I suddenly remembered something funny."

There were no awkward moments between the two; in order to pass the time, they talked about whatever came to mind.

"Xiaoxue, you know, I'm not like Hayato's gentle, all-around-friendly personality, nor like Hachiman's cunning, nor like Saika's almost girlish cuteness..."

Are you talking badly about them? Or are you trying to ask me again, like before, what is it about you that I like?

A slight smile curved Yukino's lips.

Although this idiot's description wasn't wrong.

"Well, let me finish what I have to say... If I don't ask, I won't understand, especially on this Qixi Festival, which I never used to take seriously."

In the park, gradually shrouded in darkness, in this secluded corner of a bench.

"Xiaoxue, let's not talk about the past life. In this life, after your rebirth, how do you view the current Haruhi?"

This was a question that had been weighing on the young man's mind for a long time.

Not asking about the past life, not asking about the next life,

I only care about the present.

On a spring day, a question was posed to Xiaoxue with an unusually serious expression.

In the darkness, Yukino unconsciously touched the hair ornament in her long hair. Facing the boy, she didn't pretend not to hear him. Although she didn't answer directly, she asked him a question instead.

"So, how do you view Yukino Yukinoshita now that you've been reborn?"

Without a word of annoyance, Chunri retorted, "I was the one who asked you first, so it's obvious that you should have answered my question first, Xueyi, right?"

He takes this issue very seriously.

Chapter Thirty-Six: A Date on Qixi Festival (The End)