Uneasy daily life

Yukino Yukinoshita gritted her teeth and said in a low voice, "Since Shirakami has confessed, shouldn't he be sentenced to death?"

"Hero, I've already apologized... I understand!"

The white figure slumped onto the table, her shoulders shaking, and let out a heart-wrenching cry filled with utter grief and regret: "Waaaaah—!"

Yukinoshita Yukino: #!

“Apologizing and repenting are admitting guilt, but there is still punishment to follow.” Yukino Yukinoshita calmed down. Perhaps due to the accumulation of some white bacteria antibodies, her emotional management ability had improved a lot. A murderous glint flashed in her eyes. “The violent institutions exist for this purpose.”

Bai Ying instantly stopped crying, sat up straight without changing her expression, and said, "Alright! In order to verify my mistake and prove that you don't actually like me, but that I misunderstood, let's first define what 'like' means!"

"Okay."

Yukino Yukinoshita smiled, put her schoolbag on the windowsill, pulled up a chair and sat down: "I'd also like to know how Haku-kun defines 'like'."

The white figure leaned back, shocked, and said, "You really want to define it?"

"Wasn't this a topic that Haku-kun started?" Yukino Yukinoshita said calmly.

"So, have you defined what a friend is?" Bai Ying gave a simple example, "like when I said you didn't have any friends before, you would say, 'First, let's define what a friend is.'"

Yukino Yukinoshita pondered for a moment and said, "If I had to define it, the people I acknowledge are my friends. Whether it's Yuihama or Hikigaya, if I had to say, Haku-kun is one of them too."

“Your research approach isn’t very rigorous. You should analyze and define things from multiple perspectives,” Bai Ying said seriously. “From a sociological perspective, a person is the sum total of all social relationships, and friendship is one type of social relationship. This relationship is based on recognition and acceptance. You know someone and accept their words and actions in subsequent interactions—that’s friendship. From a psychological perspective, you have some PTSD. Due to past psychological impacts, you often view others with a hidden critical eye, which others perceive as aggression. Those who can pass this scrutiny are your friends…”

"Let's leave Bai Jun's long speech here for now,"

Yukino Yukinoshita calmly interrupted, "We are discussing the issue of Haku-kun's misunderstanding."

"Mmm." The white figure nodded and asked, "How does a hero define 'like'?"

"Haku-kun, don't change the subject." Yukino Yukinoshita emphasized the key point, "How does Haku-kun define 'like'? After all, he's the one who shamelessly shouted those kinds of words."

"Well, let me think about it..."

Bai Ying pondered for a moment, then leaned back in her chair and swayed back and forth: "From a sociological perspective, liking someone means I want to marry you. From a physics perspective, liking someone means I want to shorten the relative distance between us. From a chemical perspective, liking someone means I want to have a reaction with you. From an economic perspective, liking someone means I want to buy you. From a neurological perspective, and from a biological perspective, liking someone means I want to sleep with you..."

“Examining individual issues from a macro perspective only leads to distortion and errors, let alone matters of personal emotion like this.” Yukino Yukinoshita spoke again, bringing the topic back on track. She forcibly suppressed all the turbulent emotions churning within her and, with a calmness that even she found unbelievable, slowly asked, “What does Haku-kun think 'like' truly mean?”

“That’s a good question!”

The white figure snapped his fingers, sat upright, raised his palms to his chest, and solemnly said, "Amitabha..."

……

……

Once upon a time, there was a mountain, and on the mountain was a temple, and in the temple lived a magical old monk who was said to be able to answer all the questions in the world.

A young girl came to the temple and asked the old monk, "Master, what is liking?"

The old monk picked up the teapot and slowly poured a steaming cup of tea.

The girl seemed to understand something: "What the master means is that liking something is like pouring tea. You have to keep pouring it in to fill the empty cup and let the clear steam rise. Accumulate little things over time to make a story, and when you look back, you will find that your heart is still full of warmth."

The old monk said, "Good."

The girl asked doubtfully, "There are standards for how much tea a teacup can hold, but how many stories must go through before one can be considered to like someone? I've heard of love at first sight; does that mean one doesn't like someone?"

The old monk gestured, indicating that tea was offered.

The girl picked up the teacup, took a sip, exclaimed that it was too hot, and put it back on the table.

The girl suddenly realized, "What the master means is that, like drinking water, only the person drinking knows whether it is hot or cold. Whether it is a fleeting encounter or a gradual development, only the person involved can taste the flavor of what they like."

The old monk said, "Good."

The girl hesitated, troubled, and said, "If that's the case, it can be short, it can be long, it can be cold, it can be hot... So what exactly is 'liking'?"

The old monk remained silent, the young girl waited quietly for an answer, and time slowly passed.

The girl murmured, "What the master means is that liking someone is a quiet wait without needing to say anything. Even as time flies by, that lingering hope and that answer will remain in your heart."

The old monk said, "Good."

The girl asked, "So, what will be the result if we place our hopes on it in the end? What answers will we get if we keep asking questions?"

The old monk gestured again, inviting everyone to have some tea.

The girl picked up her teacup and took a sip; they had been talking for a long time, and the tea had gone cold.

The girl pursed her lips and realized, "What the master means is that when you ask what rewards you can get or where you can go by liking something, the liking is already gone."

The old monk said, "Good."

"Thank you, Master."

The girl thanked him sincerely.

The old monk gave a subtle smile: "You're welcome, one thousand yen, thank you for your patronage."

The girl gave the money and went down the mountain, while the old monk put the money away.

Money is so easy to make.

……

……

“Sir, you haven’t paid yet.”

The white figure held one hand in front of his chest and stretched out the other, his face filled with compassion.

"..."

Yukino Yukinoshita glanced indifferently at the white figure, took out her wallet from her pocket, and pulled out a 1000 yen bill.

The gentle gaze of Natsume Soseki on the banknote is reassuring.

Bai Ying immediately withdrew her hand and said, "I don't want it anymore!"

"Haku-kun is really fickle." Yukino Yukinoshita took back the money, knowing that this guy was up to his old tricks again. "Does Haku-kun's definition of 'like' mean that it cannot be defined, or that it can be defined by any image?"

"I do not know."

Bai Ying gave a high-quality answer, saying, "Look at Miura, isn't he quite perplexing? I presented so many feasible solutions, but Miura rejected them all. The hero only provided some theoretical basis, without any concrete methods, yet Miura actually accepted them..."

"Hayama doesn't like Miura, is that what you mean, Shiro-kun?"

Yukino Yukinoshita's voice was somewhat ethereal: "Miura rejected Shiro's overly inappropriate methods precisely because he liked her. After all, not everyone can easily hurt others, nor can they easily face failure... She wanted a way to express her feelings, yet she was afraid of being rejected and hurt. She wanted the other person to know, yet she was afraid of the other person knowing, indulging in her own feelings, and worrying about the scene surfacing."

Bai Ying closed her laptop, put her things into her backpack, stood up and laughed, "The most greedy thing in the world is wanting other people's hearts."

“It is indeed a very greedy thing.” Yukino Yukinoshita forced a smile. “It is always difficult to be perfect… I used to think that Miura’s feelings were somewhat ethereal, as if he was lost in the atmosphere of being surrounded by people, rashly believing that he should be a couple with Hayama just because others thought they were a good match.”

"But today, my impression of her has changed. She is unexpectedly fragile and timid, afraid to delve into her relationship with Ye Shan, and afraid to make any rash moves that might cause changes. She tries her best to avoid situations that might cause trouble for Ye Shan or make him feel awkward... Bai Jun likens love to war, so it's only natural that the methods he provides will be rejected."

Yukino Yukinoshita got up, slung her schoolbag over her shoulder, and looked at the white figure who walked to the door and made a 180-degree turn.

"Holy crap! What brilliant ideas does the brave warrior have to offer?"

Yukino Yukinoshita stopped in her tracks and looked at the white figure turning around at the door.

As always, he is free-spirited and unpredictable, unable to hide his thoughts, and unable to see through the other person's thoughts. Is he hinting at something? Is he giving a hint? Has he already given an answer? I can't figure it out or guess what he's thinking.

Logically speaking, Bai Jun must know everything. Logically speaking, she doesn't want others to know everything... The complicated emotions turned into a whirlpool, pulling her thoughts into a torrent. She had to break free from it, otherwise she would feel as powerless as she had when facing her mother before.

"War is a continuation of politics. Methods can be devised, ideas can be changed, and specific actions must be adapted to the circumstances. The essence of these things is what we see when we trace them back to their source... It is the origin of everything, the reason that drives change, the essence of complex appearances... Perhaps Miura's body simply acts faster than his mind, perhaps it's just a momentary outburst of passion, perhaps he'll cool down after a few setbacks, perhaps he'll do something without thinking, perhaps he'll unknowingly lose interest..."

Yukino Yukinoshita gripped her backpack strap tightly with her left hand, her bright eyes fixed on the other person. She pursed her lips and said softly, "Haku-kun, you should be able to understand, right?"

Bai Ying shook his head and said, "Excuse me for speaking frankly, but with Miura's abilities, achieving a perfect victory would be extremely difficult."

Yukino Yukinoshita understood that it was less of a suggestion and more of a warning, or even a preemptive blockade. It was a way to prevent Miura from acting impulsively, breaking down in tears, or even regretting his drinking. If Miura did follow this advice, he might get a temporary girlfriend card in high school, but it would also mean hurting Hayama, and herself as well.

However, before that, Bai Jun will probably make some minor adjustments to the best strategy, letting Miura face the rejection of his confession and understand the failure head-on... He mostly reveals the truth and rarely adds any details, like a strange character who is detached from the story but is also in the story.

"Yes, it is indeed a very difficult thing. She doesn't understand Hayama, so she is anxious and indecisive. She thinks about some beautiful scenarios, but finds it difficult to face the messy reality. Her emotions urge her to take action, but they also turn into whirlpools that entangle every finger. If she doesn't make changes, her progress will probably only be limited to this extent."

"Forgotten at some point, recalled at some moment, sighed softly at some moment, without any ripples. I used to think this kind of feeling was ridiculous, a very false thing, and naturally it would lead to a false result. Now I think it is an indescribable sense of loss. If I had to describe it... beautiful things burned to ashes, stuck in some place in my heart, little but indelible."

Yukino Yukinoshita unconsciously clenched her right hand into a fist and gently pressed it against her chest, her pearly teeth unconsciously biting her lip: "Haku-kun, what I have is not that kind of thing, and I don't want that kind of thing."

The white-clad figure scratched his head and said, "Brave warrior, are you awake? Do you believe you'll bump your head on the bed tonight?"

Bad guy.

Do I really have to say it? No, it's more like I must say it...

Because I want to do the most greedy thing.

"I like you."

The girl's gaze was direct, her words soft yet clear, her emotions surging and accelerating. Perhaps her cheeks were already red, but humans don't blush so easily, do they? Perhaps she was maintaining a calm, rational, and composed demeanor? Perhaps she was subconsciously managing her expression, making her face look rather strange?

I can no longer notice what I look like.

Even if this isn't a confession, but a declaration of war—if love is a war, I believe there's only one way to win: bet your whole heart.

If we can't hide, there's no need for an ambush. Let's raise our flags and speak frankly!

"Wuhu! I won!"

The boy at the door suddenly cheered, proudly declaring, "I knew I couldn't be wrong again! The hero really does like me! Oh dear, your principle of not lying forces you to be vague and change the subject; you're the real tsundere!"

Yukino Yukinoshita instantly calmed down by half: "...Shiro-kun, you should say something else."

"Anything else?"

Bai Ying thought for a moment, then snapped her fingers: "A hazy, soft light, mountains and waters blending perfectly. A myriad of charms subtle, a touch of shyness strong."

Yukino's half has lost her composure again, huh? I just declared war and... I already won?

Bai Ying added, "Oh right, this is a poem I wrote when Sakurajima Mai chased me into the river, imagining the way she would look after jumping in. I just blurted it out... If we were to choose a hero as the subject, we should probably make some changes."

Yukino Yukinoshita was still in a daze when the white figure pondered for a moment and slapped her palm: "The light is hazy and soft, the sky and water blend perfectly. A thousand kinds of charm are faint, and a trace of shyness is strong."

Heaven and water are perfectly compatible? Mountains and water are perfectly compatible? A posture of jumping into the river?

Only this one place was changed...

Tianshui... mountains and rivers...

Yukino Yukinoshita has completely calmed down.

On that day, students on their way home from school witnessed Yukino chasing her white figure as she left the school gate.

……

……

That night, Yukino Yukinoshita lay in bed, holding up Knight, feeling the fatigue in her body... Perhaps she should strengthen her physical training, lest she fall behind Shiro-kun!

"As expected, approaching Bai Jun with the mindset of an ordinary person is a completely wrong approach. Worrying that expressing your feelings will change the relationship, that the other person will avoid you or distance themselves... all of these are wrong ideas. Bai Jun probably saw through it all and is deliberately saying things with hidden meanings, enjoying my reaction."

Yukino Yukinoshita muttered softly, placing Knight on her chest and squeezing her cat face with her hand.

"Meow~"

Knight seemed to approve of the new way of petting the cat, tapping his owner's chest with his little paw as a reward.

Yukino's expression darkened slightly. If Haku-kun dares to make such a lewd joke again, she'll just go up and give him an Aikido!

Confessing your feelings... that's not a confession, that's a declaration of war. Trying to hide your feelings from that guy is utter nonsense...

Even so, after understanding that the other person was implying "I know you like me," she still couldn't hold back her feelings and, in the activity room, said those words that expressed her feelings in such a direct way.

Common sense tells me that what you mean by "you like me" is that I don't like you back.

"I want to understand you, I want to know you, I want to get close to you... you jumping around like that."

Yukino Yukinoshita was 'tormenting' Knight, muttering to herself while pondering a solution—the Crimson Troupe? But she didn't have any connections. Perhaps the best way was to ask Haku directly? Or, to put it simply, there was no need to suppress or hide her feelings; she could just approach him openly and honestly.

Of course, we have to be careful of Bai Jun's counterattack... just like this afternoon!

This is a poisonous type of fungus!

beep--!

Hmm? Who sent this message?

Yukino Yukinoshita put the cat with its messy fur aside and picked up her phone from next to the pillow.