Chapter 26: A Brewing Confrontation (2)

"Wait, Kana," Yuzuha interjected, her voice trembling slightly. "Maybe they weren't the ones in the picture, so let's not jump to conclusions, okay?"

"Huh? What are you talking about, Yuzuha? They're clearly the ones in the photo. Look, even their clothes match."

"Uh..."

Yuzuha's behavior was growing increasingly peculiar, and I couldn't fathom why she was acting this way.

"Do you possibly know them, Yuzuha-chan?" Youko asked.

"Huh?!" Yuzuha exclaimed, her surprise evident.

I turned my gaze to Yuzuha, puzzled. "Is that true, Yuzuha? Do you know them?"

"I-I don't... I... Well, yeah... I think..."

I exchanged glances with Youko, and then turned back to Yuzuha. "You think? What do you mean?"

Yuzuha bit her lip, clearly conflicted. "I mean, the guy looks a lot like a friend I made in middle school. Well, he just resembled him, but I'm not sure if it's really him. His appearance was different from the person I knew back then."

"So, you're saying there's a chance they might not be the same people as in the picture?" Youko asked, seeking clarification.

Yuzuha hesitated. "Yeah... I guess."

I knew there was no chance they weren't the same people. It was crystal clear that they matched the individuals in the photo.

"If you're uncertain, then there's a good chance he might not be the same person, right?" Youko suggested optimistically.

Yuzuha considered it for a moment before replying, "I... I suppose... It has been nearly three years since I last saw him."

I chimed in with a suggestion. "Why not try talking to him to confirm if it's really him or not?"

Yuzuha glanced at me with a worried expression. "I can't do that, especially not with him having a girl by his side. I wouldn't want to cause any misunderstandings."

That made sense, I supposed. If Yuzuha tried talking to that guy while he was with his girlfriend, it could easily be misconstrued as flirting, potentially leading to unnecessary drama. I didn't want any trouble either, so it seemed best for Yuzuha not to confirm anything.

"Anyway, I'll have to call Ueno-kun now. I don't care if he's your friend, Yuzuha. My social standing is at stake here," I asserted.

Yuzuha didn't argue further.

I knew deep down that both she and Youko were using me to maintain their positions in the school hierarchy, even if they hadn't explicitly said it. Strangely, I was okay with it. After all, I was using Ueno-kun for my own gain as well.

The main difference was that I aspired to stay at the pinnacle, while they seemed content in the middle. Being in the middle provided a certain degree of safety. If you were at the bottom, you'd face harsh bullying from those above you, and if you were at the top, those below you would attempt to drag you down.

If my reputation as the queen bee and my status were taken away, Yuzuha and Youko would have to find another host to attach themselves to, but that could take a while. By the time they found someone else, their own social standing might plummet significantly.

I dialed Ueno's number, my heart pounding as I waited for him to answer. After a few rings, he picked up.

[Kana?] he greeted.

"Yeah, Ueno-kun," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "I found them."

[You did? Where are they?]

"They're at an ice cream stall near the movie theater in the mall," I reported.

[Good job, Kana. You're quite resourceful,] Ueno praised.

"Yeah, yeah. Just make sure to delete those pictures like you promised," I reminded him.

[We'll see,] he responded cryptically before hanging up.

I let out a sigh of relief. The last thing I needed was those embarrassing photos circulating at school. The image of me wearing nothing but my underwear...

As I glanced at Yuzuha, she seemed anxious, but I couldn't find it in me to feel sorry for her. My own position at the top of the social hierarchy was more important to me than her. After all, she was just a social parasite leeching off me. I felt a bit relieved that Ueno-kun might delete those photos, although I wasn't entirely sure if he would keep his promise. I could only hope he would.

×××

[Kurogane Tsubasa's POV]

"Their ice cream here tastes sweet. How about yours?" Chinatsu asked, her tongue delicately swirling around her ice cream.

I glanced at my own cone. "I'm not sure. It seems pretty normal to me."

Chinatsu chuckled. "I guess we must have different taste buds, or maybe it's because we chose different flavors?"

I decided to offer Chinatsu a taste of my ice cream. "Want to try mine?" I extended the cone towards her.

Chinatsu accepted with a grin and took a small lick. "Hmm, it's a bit different. What flavor is this?"

"It's cookies and cream," I replied, taking another bite. "I've always liked it."

Chinatsu nodded. "It's good! Maybe I'll get that next time. Mine is vanilla. Would you like to try it too?"

I smirked. "I wouldn't want to deprive my girlfriend of the joy of devouring all of her ice cream, so I'll pass."

Chinatsu playfully rolled her eyes. "What are you talking about? Just come and have a taste." She held out her ice cream for me to try.

I leaned in and took a small bite of her vanilla ice cream. It was creamy and sweet, just like I expected.

"Mmm, not bad," I admitted with a grin. "But I still think cookies and cream is the superior flavor."

Chinatsu laughed, wiping a bit of ice cream from the corner of my mouth with her finger. "Well, we can agree to disagree on that."

Chinatsu continued to enjoy her ice cream, and I watched her with a smile. However, I couldn't help but notice a small, white smear on her cheek.

"Hmm? There's something on your cheek."

Had some ice cream splattered there when she took a bite, or was it something else? I hoped it wasn't... sperm.

Chinatsu's response was surprisingly nonchalant. "Hmm? Oh, is it ice cream? Can you wipe it off for me? Here's a tissue."

She reached for a tissue, but I had a different idea. Instead of taking the tissue, I leaned in closer and gently licked the ice cream from her cheek.

"Eek!" Chinatsu let out a surprised yelp.

I grinned mischievously. "It tastes better when it comes from your cheek."

Her blush deepened, and she playfully swatted my arm. "Don't do something so embarrassing in public!"

"So it's okay when we're alone?" I teased.

"W-Well, yeah. We can do it when we're alone," she admitted.

I leaned in closer, my tone suggestive. "In that case... since we're talking about how tasty the ice cream was on your skin, would you allow me, the next time we get a bit frisky, to add some cream as a little spice? Maybe put it all over your body while I lick it off?"

Chinatsu's cheeks turned a shade redder. "Th-That's... so lewd. And embarrassing. I don't want to."

"What~?" I feigned disappointment.

"Maybe if I'm in the mood, I will allow it."

"Really?"

"I said maybe."

"That means there's a possibility."

As we continued to flirt and engage in our playful banter, engaging in public displays of affection, I couldn't help but feel a set of eyes boring into us. These eyes didn't hold the warm, approving gazes of onlookers who found our PDA cute. Instead, they seemed to be looking at us with a different intent.