Saturday (4)
"Reiji-tan? I'm here!"
The duo munching away at the macarons on the dining table turned to the entrance simultaneously, with Yui sporting a confused look compared to Reiji's awkwardness.
Yui didn't know anyone else was coming today, which Reiji had deliberately concealed in order to catch her off guard.
He felt that if she knew someone else was coming, someone she didn't know, she would bear hostility from the get-go or not come at all.
Neither of which was a good outcome.
She kept everyone at a distance in school, so he was a little worried that she'd plan something if she knew in advance.
This way, he could try to introduce her spontaneously and try to control the dynamic with Haruna's help.
'Well, at least I told Haruna in adv-'
Reiji's thought faltered as the memories of yesterday came rushing back.
He had planned to inform Haruna after their study session, but then....
'Shit, I forgot to tell her after Dad called....'
The sudden dinner invitation had thrown him off, and now he might have to face the consequences.
'I don't think it should be a big deal, though.'
Reiji quickly shook his head and stood up to answer the door, hoping that it wouldn't spiral into a mess.
"Who's that, Reiji?" Yui asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
"I told you about her before, remember? She's the friend I've been tutoring for the midterms, and she's here to study," he shrugged.
".....Now? In the middle of our date?" she pouted, making her displeasure clear.
"I mean, how was I supposed to know that you'd do all this?"
He sighed helplessly at the sudden change in their relationship, which was never part of the plan.
"..... I don't care, send her away."
"I can't do that, I already promised to teach her today, it's quite important. Plus, she's super nice, and I was also hoping you could be friends with her," Reiji coaxed, nudging her shoulder in a pleading manner.
"Hahh? I don't want any friends, you're enough!"
Yui turned away from him with a frown and ran off into his bedroom, leaving him scratching his hair awkwardly.
*DIIIIING-DOOONGGG*
"Reiji-tan!? Are you not home?"
'....Let's just wing it.'
He hurried over to the door and swung it open, not wanting to keep her waiting any longer.
"Sorry, sorry, did you wait long?" he asked, letting the bright girl in with a smile.
"Nah, it's okay!"
Haruna took off her shoes and bounded into the living room without hesitation, her eyes widening at the platter of macarons on the table.
"Woah, you baked something?" she asked, picking one up curiously.
"Yeah, I have someone else over and thought I'd make something sweet for both of you," Reiji chuckled, not surprised at Haruna making herself at home so casually.
"Someone else? Is it Greeny and Airi-tan?"
"Nope, she's someone you haven't met yet. I'd introduce you two, but she's... shy?" he squeaked in a high pitch at the end.
*BANG*
"Who're you calling shy?!" Yui hissed loudly, storming out of his room.
Haruna tilted her head, taken aback at the loud woman who had suddenly walked in.
"Geez, don't slam the door like that," Reiji rebuked with crossed arms.
"But.... You called me shy!"
"That's not completely inaccurate, though, is it? You said you didn't want any friends."
"Not because I'm shy, you dummy!"
"Yeah? Then prove it by befriending her," Reiji smirked, pushing Haruna towards her lightly.
"What the fuck? I don't even know who she is!" Yui snorted, studying the blonde-haired girl with suspicion and irritation.
Haruna blinked slowly, looking back and forth between the two in utter disbelief.
"Wait, what's going on!??" she mumbled, the baffling situation getting too chaotic for her to comprehend.
"Haruna, this is Yui. Yui, this is Haruna. I'm hoping you two will get along for each other's sakes," Reiji gestured, introducing them to each other.
"U-Uh, hello?" Haruna waved hesitantly.
"Hmph, I won't do it!"
The redhead turned away with a determined frown.
Haruna glanced at Reiji, her green eyes dazed with a quizzical fog.
"Yui, Haruna's really nice. Why are you so against the idea?" Reiji sighed with disappointment.
Though he knew it wasn't going to be easy, her refusal was far more firm than he'd been hoping for.
Yui didn't respond and simply ignored both of them.
But Reiji caught a flicker of guilt that he was sure he didn't imagine. He knew all too well why she was acting this spoiled, and he had to admit that he couldn't blame her for this at all.
Still, this one step could change a lot, and he would be there to hold back the repercussions when it came down to it.
Haruna stepped back and whispered to him in a low voice.
"Reiji-tan, I'm so confused. Who is this woman and why is she so prickly?"
"Er.... It's a long story, but she's a second-year student from our school. In a way, she's kind of a troublemaker like me, so I thought that maybe making friends would help her like it helped me," he responded.
"Huh? She's a Senpai?"
"Yeah, she is."
"A delinquent, huh.... I can see that," she mused.
"Hey! What are you whispering about like mice? If you have something to say, say it to my face," Yui snapped when she noticed them chatting secretly.
"N-Nothing, I was just asking who you were, Senpai," Haruna replied, bowing a little in greeting.
Yui's eyebrows rose when she heard that, and a visible smirk grew on her face.
"Hmmm, yeah that's right. Call me Senpai!" she giggled proudly.
".... What are you smiling about? Are you acting cocky for being born a year earlier?" Reiji scoffed.
"You!.... As a matter of fact, you call me Senpai too!"
"No thanks."
"I'll complain to the student council if you don't," Yui countered.
"Is that even a punishable offence?"
"....I don't know."
Haruna rubbed her chin thoughtfully as she watched them banter, and she tugged Reiji's sleeve to get his attention.
"You two seem really close. When did you even meet?" she asked.
Before Reiji could respond, Yui interjected immediately.
"I'm in the taekwondo club, which is in the same hall as MMA. We met there," she claimed.
Reiji did not expect her to lie so brazenly, so he gave her a questioning look, which was promptly disregarded by the girl, who was still annoyed.
"Woah, you can fight? So you're a proper delinquent!" Haruna exclaimed, clapping with excitement.
"Who're you calling a delinquent!"
Yui's glare shot daggers through Haruna as she took a step forward threateningly.
"If you act like that, what else is she supposed to think?" Reiji cut in.
"I'm just joking, Senpai, I think it's really cool! It's something I could never see myself doing, so I actually admire that."
Yui froze in place, a faint blush forming on her face, likely startled at the blindsided praise.
'So she's weak to compliments, huh? Gotta take a note of that,' Reiji laughed internally.
"You should see her fight, Haruna. It's a sight to see, to the point where I feel sorry for her opponents," he said, wanting to add fuel to the fire.
"Really?"
"Yep, she's even going to get her black belt soon, which shows you how good she is."
"This early?? I heard people normally get it in their twenties, and that's only if they train since childhood!"
Given the prevalence and utility of martial arts in this world, the belt system was far more prestigious than the one Reiji was accustomed to.
A black belt here was not the same as in his previous life, with it being significantly more difficult to achieve.
So if Yui really managed to earn hers at the age of 17, she'd be among the youngest to do so, though he wasn't exactly sure how many had gotten theirs earlier than her.
"Yeah, it's crazy! She's going to dominate the tournament coming up, mark my words!" Reiji said proudly.
"Y-You s-stop it you t-two!" Yui flailed, the redness on her face matching the colour of her hair.
"See? I told you she was shy," he grinned.
"You're right, Senpai is so cute!"
"T-This is bullying!"
"Since when is it bullying to genuinely compliment someone?" Reiji snorted.
"Yeah, Senpai! I think you're awesome!"
Haruna winked at Reiji at an angle Yui couldn't see, catching onto his plan as she piggybacked on his praise.
"..... I need to use the w-washroom!"
The adorable girl, unable to take the shower of compliments, ran off into his bedroom again without looking back.
The two of them watched as she slammed the door shut, turning to each other while sharing a chuckle.
"So, do you want some coffee?"
***
(Yui POV)
The mirror in Reiji's bathroom reflected a beautiful girl who was pacing around in a panic, clutching her cheeks and patting them occasionally to stop herself from getting so worked up.
'Wahhhh, why would they say such things!!???'
She wasn't used to getting such over-the-top and unfiltered flattery; it's not like she had ever gotten any.
'Not that I can remember at least....'
To be talked about so warmly by the man she liked, alongside a woman she had never met before, it had overheated her available capacity for such conversation.
It scared her.
Because there was this really warm and tingly feeling inside her that didn't feel right.
It was similar to how she felt whenever she laid eyes on Reiji, though not quite as good.
So to have two similar sensations, both on the same day and one after the other? Yui couldn't think of the last time she had seen a smile as wide as the one she was staring at in the mirror.
She tried to force it off, even resorting to using her hands to pull the corners of her mouth down, back to the normal indifference she was so used to.
But it immediately sprang back up, like it was unstoppable.
'I don't like that woman! Why is she so close to my Reiji??'
She glared, or at least attempted to.
She made herself think about their proximity, trying to bring out that anger she was accustomed to.
'But.... she didn't seem that bad.'
Unfortunately for her, she failed.
