Eriri wasn't being narcissistic—she was just self-aware. As one of the more well-known beauties in school, she had a decent grasp of her competition.
For example, there was that fat woman in black stockings who constantly opposed her. She strutted around flaunting those ridiculous twin peaks on her chest, practically throwing herself at guys with her seductive words and flirtatious behavior. She was such a shameless woman!
But compared to that disgraceful rival, the ones lurking in the shadows were far more concerning.
Sure, that fat woman had been drooling over Kanade for ages, but she was ultimately just a paper tiger. A foolish woman who hadn't made any real progress!
Eriri, on the other hand, had been making steady advancements in her relationship with Kanade. Just recently, he had personally carried her to bed! That meant something, right? Sleeping together—even if it was just in a literal sense—was still sleeping together.
And what about that fat woman? Nowhere to be seen! Probably wallowing in self-pity after being rejected. Humph, that's what she gets!
But now? Just when Eriri thought her only competition was that cute blonde girl from before, this long-haired, refined beauty had suddenly appeared.
Had Kanade been playing around with too many girls?!
Mmmmm…
Annoyance flickered through Eriri's mind, but after thinking it through, she realized something important.
She was an exceptional girl—of course, Kanade wouldn't be the only one to recognize that. If she were the only one in the world who liked him, wouldn't that mean her taste was questionable?
It's fine, Eriri! Love rivals are normal! You've got this!
Taking a deep breath, she lifted her head and tried to greet the new girl calmly.
"You… hello…"
Yes, that's right. Stay cool, Eriri! Keep it together!
"Hello," the girl responded with a graceful nod.
"..."
Guwu! Even her voice is nice! This isn't fair!
Eriri instantly felt like she had lost before the fight even began. Her mood plummeted into depression, her aura visibly dimming.
Kanade, noticing the sudden shift, leaned in slightly with a concerned expression. "What's wrong with you?"
But Eriri couldn't answer. She merely tugged at the hem of his shirt with a pitiful look, shaking her head weakly as if silently telling him that everything was fine.
You don't look fine at all, Kanade thought, raising an eyebrow.
But Eriri was always like this—stubborn and unwilling to admit when something was bothering her. He figured she was probably just hungry but too embarrassed to say so.
Given her frail physique and the fact that she had likely been crying earlier, it was a miracle her stomach hadn't growled yet. That, in itself, was already a small victory for her pride.
Yukinoshita, who had been observing their interaction in silence, felt an eyebrow twitch.
She wasn't an idiot—she quickly pieced together that the two had been together before she arrived.
Originally, she had planned to greet Kanade, have a quick chat, and then leave to find another opportunity to speak with him privately. But after witnessing this display…
Were they just going to ignore her existence?
A sharp irritation crept up Yukinoshita's spine. She didn't have the right to comment on their relationship, but wasn't it a bit excessive to act all lovey-dovey right in front of her?
Her icy voice cut through the atmosphere like a blade.
"Have you two finished your conversation?"
Kanade snapped back to reality, finally remembering the graceful snow princess standing behind him. "Uh… sit down first…"
After Kanade took his seat, Eriri naturally sat next to him. Meanwhile, Yukinoshita quietly settled into the seat across from them. Without another word, she began eating her breakfast, her elegant movements as refined as ever.
Kanade, having picked up on the faint tension in the air, silently handed Eriri a sandwich.
Eriri took it without hesitation, nibbling at it in small, delicate bites.
Yukinoshita, on the other hand, continued eating in complete silence, her gaze occasionally flickering toward the two of them.
Only Natsukawa Kanade glanced back and forth between the two girls for a long time. There was something about the atmosphere that felt... off. It was like an invisible battlefield had formed right in front of him, but he had no idea what the battle was about. It was enough to make him hesitate before picking up his chopsticks.
"..."
"..."
An awkward silence stretched between them, the tension so thick that even the background chatter of the cafeteria couldn't cut through it. Just as Kanade was about to say something to break the ice, Eriri suddenly spoke up.
"Hey..."
Her voice was soft, almost hesitant. Without meeting his eyes, she lightly tugged at the hem of his sleeve under the table. Her golden locks swayed slightly as she ducked her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm kinda... thirsty."
Kanade blinked. "Didn't you say you didn't need any milk?"
Eriri's shoulders stiffened.
She had said that—but that wasn't the point!
Her lips parted as if to protest, but nothing came out. She couldn't bring herself to say that she didn't actually want to get up and leave Kanade alone with Yukinoshita. That would be way too embarrassing. So, she had no choice but to endure. For now.
She continued eating, but her thoughts were a mess. She could barely focus on the food in front of her. And before she knew it—
"Ah—!"
She choked.
Her face flushed red as she struggled to swallow, coughing into her hand. In her distress, she shot Kanade a panicked look, her eyes glossy with unshed tears.
"Oi, are you okay?!" Kanade's voice was filled with concern as he immediately pushed his own bowl of soup toward her. "Here, drink this!"
Eriri, still struggling, snatched the bowl from his hands and gulped down several mouthfuls before finally catching her breath. Relief washed over her as she set the bowl down, but then—
It hit her.
"Wait... this is..."
She had just shared a drink with him.
Her brain short-circuited. Indirect kiss! Indirect kiss! Indirect kiss!
Her face turned even redder. Her body tensed like a steaming kettle about to burst. If this were a manga, there'd definitely be exaggerated steam coming out of her ears right now.
She gripped the edges of the tray in front of her, resisting the urge to let out a high-pitched squeal of embarrassment. Her eyes darted to Kanade, but he didn't seem fazed at all. He just looked relieved that she wasn't choking anymore.
"Are you feeling better?" he asked, still worried.
"Y-Yeah..." she muttered weakly, avoiding his gaze.
Meanwhile, Yukinoshita had been watching the entire exchange from across the table. Her expression remained unreadable, but her sharp eyes caught every subtle movement between the two.
She gracefully set down her cup of tea, her elegant demeanor unwavering. Unlike a certain someone, she wasn't prone to dramatic overreactions. But still, a small flicker of something—perhaps irritation?—crossed her face.
Yet, she didn't comment on it.
Seeing this, Eriri felt both relieved and confused. Had Yukinoshita not noticed the indirect kiss? Or worse... did she just not care?
This realization struck a strange chord in Eriri's chest. If it were that other girl—the one she constantly butted heads with—there was no way she'd let something like this slide. She'd definitely throw in some snide remark like—
"Oh wow, using choking as an excuse to steal an indirect kiss? I didn't know the golden-haired puppy had finally learned some tricks!"
Eriri clenched her fists. Yeah, if it were her, she'd absolutely make a fuss over it.
But Yukinoshita? Not a single reaction.
Maybe... she had misunderstood something? Maybe Yukinoshita wasn't actually a threat. Maybe she and Kanade were just regular classmates who had happened to run into each other today, and that was all?
Eriri wanted to believe that.
But her instincts told her otherwise.
Unfortunately, as much as she wanted to analyze the situation further, she had zero experience in the art of love rivalry. The only real combat she'd ever experienced was her ongoing cold war with that annoying other girl. And let's be honest—she was losing that battle too, every single time.
She sighed internally. If only she could apply the same underhanded tactics she used in her doujinshi, then maybe she'd stand a chance...
But real life wasn't a manga.
It wasn't that easy.
Eriri let out a small, defeated groan and buried her face in her hands. This was going to be a long day.