Chapter 74: Sisterly Conversation
Haruno found herself quite intrigued by Utaha.
Just like how both of them had impressive figures.
A beautiful girl, curvy and perfectly proportioned, ending up in the same club as her little sister—it was more than enough to catch her interest.
But most importantly, it was the way Utaha kept sneaking glances at Haru.
That look in her eyes—it was just like how her sister used to gaze at Haru when they were younger.
The only difference was that Yukino and Haru had been childhood friends. Even if she got caught peeking, she could maintain a composed front—at least on the surface.
But Utaha was different.
Is it a crush? Or has she already confessed to Yukino? Otherwise, with Yukino's personality, there's no way she wouldn't have noticed.
Haruno's mind raced through the possibilities when Yukino's voice suddenly pulled her back.
"What do you think of Kato-san?"
"Kato?"
Haruno instinctively glanced at Kato Megumi, who was quietly enjoying her ice cream, before turning back to her sister.
"She has an unremarkable presence, but if you look closely, she's actually kind of cute. Her figure's not bad either."
"Is that all?"
Yukino sounded almost disappointed.
Hearing that tone, Haruno's curiosity flared. With a playful glint in her eyes, she leaned in.
"Wait, does she have some… unusual traits?"
Yukino figured her sister had been too focused on Utaha—or maybe she just hadn't spent enough time around Megumi yet—to realize how "ordinary" the girl actually wasn't.
Quiet, composed, able to get along with anyone. When she wasn't speaking, it was nearly impossible to tell what she was thinking.
Adding all of that together, Yukino had long since recognized that Megumi was far from ordinary.
She had thought that her sister—who was even more perceptive than herself—might notice Megumi's uniqueness and provide some new insight.
But judging by Haruno's current attitude, she was clearly just here to watch the drama unfold.
Meanwhile, compared to the cryptic conversation between the Yukinoshita sisters, Haru was having a much more relaxed chat on his end.
He and Hashimoto, another club member who also liked Kamen Rider, were getting along well.
"President, do you have any plans for the summer break…? Ah, this matcha ice cream is amazing," Hashimoto mumbled between bites.
Haru glanced over at the Yukinoshita sisters, who were whispering in a corner, and shook his head.
"Nothing concrete yet. We've got plenty of time, so I'm just going with the flow."
"Then how about we all go swimming?"
"That came out of nowhere."
"Well, you just said you had no plans!"
Haru eyed the two girls, who were practically bouncing with excitement, and quickly caught on.
"If you don't tell me the real reason, I'm rejecting all your suggestions."
The two girls exchanged glances. They had planned to act innocent, but there was no fooling Haru.
After a brief back-and-forth, they finally mumbled their confession.
"Alright, fine… we're just curious about everyone's body proportions."
Haru raised an eyebrow. "That's it?"
Now that they had come clean, the girls stopped holding back.
"Well, yeah! We just want to know what Vice President Yukinoshita and Kasumigaoka-senpai actually look like under their uniforms."
"Right! They're so beautiful, and their legs are so long and straight… I'm honestly jealous."
One of them sighed dreamily while the other nodded in agreement.
Then, with bright, hopeful eyes, they turned to Haru.
"We actually tried inviting the Vice President last night in the group chat, but she rejected us immediately."
Haru smirked. "So now you want me to convince her?"
"Not just her! Kasumigaoka-senpai too!"
Haru blinked in surprise.
Before he could even react, the girls giggled.
"Senpai talks to you all the time, so you two must be close, right? Besides, as a guy, aren't you even a little curious about Senpai's figure?"
Curious or not, why would he discuss this with them?
Haru found their persistence amusing but didn't bother responding.
Not to mention, discussing Utaha's figure in the middle of the photography club was definitely dangerous territory. Even if she did have an amazing body, that didn't mean he should be gossiping about it.
After the break, filming resumed.
Haruno, having no particular role, became the only bystander.
She watched her sister throw herself into the shoot with full concentration, then turned to see Haru handling the camera and coordinating with the others.
These kids sure have spirit.
Then, she chuckled to herself.
Why do I sound like an old lady?
She was still a university student, yet she already found herself thinking like this.
If anyone deserved the title of "old lady," it was her dear friend Shizuka.
"Senpai, your performance today was excellent. You and Kato did great in your paired shots. Tomorrow, when the other members join, I hope you can maintain this energy."
Yukino once again demonstrated her fair and pragmatic approach.
She gave criticism when it was needed and praise when it was earned.
She hadn't always been like this.
But Haru had once told her, "There's no harm in giving someone a compliment. As long as it's honest, it won't cost you anything."
So she had changed.
Haruno, watching from the side, noticed this immediately.
She was surprised, but even more so, she felt proud of her sister's growth.
By 5:30 PM, they had finished all the individual shots for the two lead actresses and the supporting male role.
The remaining scenes required more background characters, so Yukino called it a day.
"Thank you all for your hard work," she said sincerely.
As Haru packed up the equipment, he glanced at Haruno, who didn't seem in a hurry to leave.
"You have a lot of free time today?" Yukino finally asked.
"Well, university life is pretty laid-back," Haruno answered with a lazy smile.
Yukino wasn't buying it.
More likely, her sister was just smart enough to finish her coursework ahead of schedule.
Something Yukino herself could easily do, too.
"Kasumigaoka!"
Haruno suddenly called out.
Utaha, who had been preparing to leave, stopped and turned politely.
"Miss Haruno, is there something you need?"
Haru and Yukino also looked over.
Haruno's smile was warm and inviting.
"Would you like to join us for dinner?"
"Me?"
Utaha blinked in surprise, pointing at herself.
She had noticed Haruno watching her all afternoon.
Given that she was Yukino's sister, Utaha had assumed she wouldn't exactly be welcome.
"Yep. What do you say?" Haruno asked again.
Utaha glanced between Haru and Yukino before smiling.
"Next time, perhaps. You and your sister don't get to eat together often, so I wouldn't want to intrude."
"How polite."
Haruno didn't push any further.
Behind her, Haru gave Yukino a look: Did you say something to her?
Yukino subtly shook her head: I didn't mention Senpai at all.
Haru nodded knowingly.
So this was all Haruno's own doing.
Probably just her natural curiosity at work.
Or maybe, like a mischievous little gremlin, she simply enjoyed watching the drama unfold.
That night, they had dinner at Yukino's place.
Yukino cooked, Haru assisted, and Haruno… did absolutely nothing, lazily lounging on the couch.
Over dinner, Haruno casually brought up Haru's earlier conversation with the girls.
Haru, seeing that Yukino seemed curious, answered honestly.
"They were planning a swimming trip over the break and wanted me to invite everyone."
Yukino gave a small "Oh."
"They actually messaged me about it yesterday. I declined."
"Why? Summer is practically synonymous with the ocean," Haruno asked.
Yukino remained unfazed. "I don't like crowded places."
Haruno grinned.
"Then I'll just rent out a private pool for you guys."
Haru gave a thumbs-up. "You're really generous, Haruno-san."
"Thanks for the compliment."
Haruno playfully winked at him.
Yukino, however, ignored their lighthearted exchange and narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You really want me to go swimming that badly?"
"To be precise, I want you to get along with the photography club members. If you can become real friends with them, even better."
Haruno spoke leisurely as she took another bite of the tamagoyaki, clearly enjoying herself. Her little sister's cooking was always excellent.
Yukino neither rejected nor accepted the suggestion, as if she hadn't even given it a second thought.
But Haru knew she was curious. It was just that Haruno had a habit of leaving things half-said, and Yukino couldn't be bothered to ask.
"So what you really want is for Yukino to have more friends?"
Haru voiced the question on her behalf.
For once, Haruno's tone carried a hint of warmth. "No, I just think your club has a lot of potential."
"Such as?"
"You're all dedicated. Shooting in this kind of heat, spending the entire afternoon without a single complaint, and no one even losing focus during the session…"
As Haruno spoke, her gaze subtly shifted toward her sister. "From what I see, they're all reliable people when it comes to serious matters. If you had friends like that, both Mother and I would feel much more at ease."
Yukino acted as though she hadn't heard a word and continued eating.
Haru decided to change the subject. "That does sound reasonable, but I'm the most reliable one in the club, right?"
"You're the least reliable, Haru."
"That's unfair, Haruno-san! I protest."
"If you give me a hug like you did when you were little, maybe I'll reconsider."
"Nonsense! You were the one who forced me into those hugs! If I hadn't been worried about hurting you, I would've taken you down on the spot."
The two bickered at the dining table, while Yukino remained as expressionless as ever.
After dinner, Haru volunteered to wash the dishes, giving the sisters some private time.
As soon as he left, Haruno pulled Yukino onto the couch and asked in a low voice, "The reason you didn't respond earlier—was it because of Kasumigaoka?"
"…Mm."
This time, Yukino didn't pretend not to hear.
Haruno's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Is she that impressive?"
"She is… exceptionally capable, though she still has a long way to go compared to you." Yukino made the comparison deliberately.
Haruno saw right through her. With a smirk, she said, "You mean compared to you, right? But since I'm the one asking, you just used me as a convenient excuse."
Yukino stayed silent, putting on an air of indifference.
Haruno didn't mind. Her eyes flicked lazily toward the TV. "She does have great physical attributes. If she wears heels, she's easily over 170 cm tall."
"…That's your takeaway from all this?" Yukino looked perplexed.
Haruno chuckled. "What, would you rather I comment on her chest?"
With that, she straightened her back, emphasizing her curves.
Yukino's expression darkened instantly.
"Haha! Your face right now is priceless."
"If this is the topic you insist on discussing, I'd rather go help Haru wash the dishes."
"Alright, alright, I'll stop."
Haruno waved her hand dismissively, still amused. "Your club suddenly has a love rival pop up, yet you're completely unbothered. That must mean she never stood a chance against you, right?"
Yukino's gaze shifted toward the TV. "She knew she couldn't win. So she gave up."
Haruno's expression shifted in an instant. "Wait. You mean… she confessed to Haru ? And you knew about it?"
"…Mm."
Just one word, but it was confirmation enough.
"That's some big news. I need a moment to process this."
Haruno was genuinely intrigued.
She rubbed her temples, her mental gears spinning at full speed—if there were data on a screen right now, it'd probably be at 99% capacity.
A full minute passed before she finally sorted her thoughts. She turned to her sister with a knowing look. "You're this composed, so that means she confessed and got rejected. A complete loss."
Yukino sighed, clearly unimpressed with the term "complete loss."
Haruno continued, "She didn't quit the club, though. Instead, she stayed. And based on her attitude today, she must be incredibly resilient."
Yukino's eyes flickered slightly.
Haruno caught the change and smirked. "I see… You two must have had a frank conversation."
Yukino finally turned to face her, her expression somewhat complicated. "Yes."
Her sister's perceptiveness was as terrifying as ever.
Haruno's lips curled. She muttered to herself, "A tenacious, hardworking girl… No wonder she stayed. You must have at least a little respect for her. But really, Yukino, why didn't you tell me about this sooner? Good gossip goes stale if you don't get it fresh."
Yukino stared at her for a few seconds before suddenly asking, "That's all you noticed?"
"What do you mean? Is there someone even more impressive?" Haruno blinked.
Yukino shook her head, choosing not to say anything more.
What she had actually meant was whether Haruno had noticed Megumi Kato.
Judging by her sister's reaction, Kato's almost nonexistent presence had completely escaped her attention.
She's the one hiding the deepest, Yukino thought.
That night, both Haru and Haruno ended up staying over. Yukino had no objections.
The only problem was when she went to take a bath, Haruno insisted on joining her—towel in hand, stepping right in.
Just before the door closed, Haruno turned back and grinned at Haru. "No eavesdropping, and definitely no peeking, okay?"
"I'd have to be out of my mind to even try," Haru replied dryly.
As their clothes were tossed into the laundry basket, Haruno turned to see Yukino looking visibly exasperated by her intrusion.
Completely unbothered, Haruno smirked and puffed out her chest. "Jealous? You're my little sister, so I'll allow you to personally experience what you're lacking."
Yukino shot her a sharp glare. "Fat is simply a biological cushion for the human body. Its purpose is to protect organs and bones, not for childish displays like this."
"You really don't want to touch them? Kasumigaoka's figure is probably similar to mine, you know."
"Not even a little. Thanks."
Yukino coldly stepped into the spacious bathtub.
Though, truth be told, she was a little curious.
Not for any particular reason—just pure curiosity.
Haruno chuckled and slid into the water as well. "Since you don't want to talk about this, let's switch to a topic you do like."