Later that night, Yui’s room.
Yui laid face down on her bed, elbows to mattress, grinning to herself as she scrolled between the same couple of pictures on her phone.
Pictures which Mina had sent her in secret, of Yui and Yuuki together: one of them cuddling up on the sofa, Yui’s head rested against his shoulder. One of her putting a comb through Yuuki’s bed hair.
It was at this point that Yui told Mina to stop sending her pictures, yet even she couldn’t help but recognize how nicely shot they were.
We may as well be dating. Now, if only I didn’t get ambushed...
Those two were oddly suspect. Those two, of course, referring to Yuuki and Rio.
Yui and Rio got along now, yes, but their relationship got off to a rocky start at first. Rio was constantly on edge. Deadpan, largely taciturn, scary-faced.
She didn’t react when spoken to yet would go into lecture mode if Yui ever ran a little late or had the gall to forget her homework. Rio had a borderline obsession with rules, a strong sense of justice in every fiber of her being.
Yui knew Rio was trouble long before they were seatmates as she was famous among her classmates for all the wrong reasons. She’d mostly mellowed out by this point but last year she would go around, all willy-nilly, dishing out lectures non-stop. Didn’t help that she was in the disciplinary committee either.
Going into specifics would take all day but one episode in particular stood out in Yui’s mind-- the time she started lecturing some guy for playing on his phone in class. It got quite heated and, surely enough, resulted in the confiscation of his phone. Rio was by no means in the wrong, yet the number of people that went to bat for her was a whopping zero. No one really cared enough to scold someone for something so trivial, let alone report them to a teacher over it. Naturally, the guy and his entire circle of friends were not pleased, yet Rio didn’t seem to care one bit, brushing off their hostility ever so casually.
Ok, maybe I can’t get closer to her. Even Yui had her doubts at first but, Rio being the way that she is, gave her all the more reason to persist. No way am I enduring a whole year of this.
Utilizing her natural bubbly charm, Yui tried to initiate conversation.
Rio’s route proved quite difficult to navigate. At least until a single, seemingly trivial event occurred where Yui poked at her armpit, Rio’s lips abruptly curling up into a smile. She had never seen Rio smile before and it was the cutest thing ever.
Terminal sourpuss with a stupidly cute smile... are you a moe character? And just like that, Yui didn’t find her scary anymore.
The rest of Rio’s route was a cakewalk now that Yui felt more comfortable around her. She even managed to squash the beef Rio had with the aforementioned group of guys, somehow. Point is, it took a lot of blood, sweat and tears for her to finally get anywhere with Rio. In just about a week or so, Yuuki had already made progress by leaps and bounds.
Is he actually a social monster?
The so-called “social monster” didn’t bother speaking with other girls; Rio was the sole exception. None of this would’ve happened if Yui hadn’t brought them together, not that she could’ve predicted the outcome even if she tried.
Cold, pretty, black hair. Is that your type... Yuuki?
Rio was easily one of the hottest among Yui’s circle of friends, even if she was tragically unaware of the fact herself. They could hardly be compared one to another, given how little overlap they have in any regard.
They get along a little too well, no?
Yuuki seemed weirdly fascinated with Rio, the arcade episode being just one of many examples. Him calling Rio by her first name, the quiet whispers they’d shared, every now and then. Yui kept note of those details. It was all very suspect.
Aside from some slight personality “quirks,” Rio was a high tier, damn near impeccable beaut. So, why did Yuuki give her all this attention? Didn’t really look like she needed it.
Give some of it to me, meeeee!
Rio going after Yuuki... yeah, unlikely. She never spoke of love or romance, at all. Yui got the vibe that Rio was either avoiding or just flat out uninterested in the topic, which meant that Yuuki had to have made the first move.
Can’t keep your hands off the next pretty thing, huh? The thought reared its ugly head.
“Why you, you--!” Yui furiously poked Yuuki’s face. “Grrr…” She groaned, meaninglessly zooming in and out of the picture.
“You constipated?” A voice whispered in her ear.
Yui dropped her phone. “Hsss!” She jumped to her feet all cat-like, activating fight or flight mode, only to see Maki in her pajamas with a grin on her face. There was no door creak, no noisy footsteps, not even the slightest hint of her presence. “Finally decided to show yourself, assassin.”
“You’re already dead.”
“That’s not even the same series.”
Ignoring her guarded demeanor, Maki got down on Yui’s bed, giving her an outwardly soft, angelic smile.
“Something bugging you? You can tell me anything.”
“No no, I was just... thinking of growing my hair out. Thoughts?”
“Don’t. I can promise it’ll look horrible on you.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Because long hair isn’t really to my liking.”
“I don’t remember asking.”
Sparks flew as they locked eyes, then Maki’s expression softened, her eyes narrowed as she started caressing Yui’s hair.
“How about cutting it even shorter? Go for a more boyish look.”
“Freak.”
“My, someone is a bit of a potty mouth today, isn’t she?” Maki brought her hand to Yui’s cheek, pinching it. It hurt a little. Okay, a lot.
“S-Showyy.”
“Lashing out like that, did something happen?”
“N-No…”
“Yui.”
Yui averted her gaze, only for Maki to follow it, peering into her eyes. Her steady, piercing stare seemed able to read Yui like an open book.
Yui finally resigned to her fate, squeezing her eyes shut and diving into Maki’s chest. “Maaaaki!”
“There there. Tell me everything.”
Yui slapped Maki’s hands, gravitating toward her butt, as per usual, away. “I’m gonna looose, the encounter is too strooong…”
“What are you fighting this time?”
“A succubus. I think, maybe.”
“Pardon?”
“A cool, intelligent, capable woman.”
“Mmhmm.” Maki nodded, having seemingly intuited the situation off of the little information she was given. “The appearance of a rival has you shook, I take it?”
“I don’t stand a chance. I have to shift forms.”
“To what, the intelligent type? Not happening.”
“Why not?”
“Don’t rely on miracles.”
“I see.”
Don’t rely on miracles. Agreed. Case closed.
Nonetheless, perhaps finding the conclusion unsatisfying, Maki pointed at Yui’s eyes. “Try putting on some glasses. Fit the aesthetic, at least.”
“The aesthetic, of course!”
“I have some fashion glasses laying around. Real cute ones.”
Maki left the room, returning a few minutes later with a pair of red, square glasses in hand. These weren’t your so-called “nerd” glasses; they had style.
Yui took the glasses with glee, immediately trying them on. “Dyuwah!”
“Dyu what?”
“You... don’t get the reference?”
“No, of course I don’t, you weirdo. No wonder you’re losing.” She said, coldly.
No, you just don’t get it. You don’t get anything. Yui grumbled to herself, putting the glasses on.
“These are kinda on the bigger side, aren’t they?”
“Well excuse me for having a fat head.”
“So, how do I look? Do I look smart?”
“Hmm…” Maki crossed her arms, frowning. A lukewarm reaction, to say the least.
Yui ignored her, taking a hand-mirror off the table and pointing it at herself. “Kyah, this is the look I was going for! This astute aesthetic! Astyute, if yu will!”
“Astyute sounds dangerously close to an insult, not gonna lie.”
“Look look! Yui the Intellectual: Origins! Click, click, click!” Yui pushed the bridge of her glasses up repeatedly, imitating the clicking sound they made.
Maki silently watched for a bit before giving Yui the warm eyes and a smile. “At least you’re enjoying yourself.”
✦ ✦ ✦
“Thanks, sis! Nothing can stop me now!”
“Yes yes, good for you. Anyway, aren’t midterms just around the corner? Should you be fooling around like this?“
“Don’t worry. There’s still plenty of time.”
Yui had a powerful ally by the name of Rio at her side, who she had asked to compile a “things likely to be on the midterms” notebook post-haste. The glasses also felt like they came with an int boost. Midterms were going to be a breeze.
“Did you see that? I made them glow.”
“Yes, yes.”
Victory is as good as mine. Yui couldn’t wait for the next school day.