After that brush with the Student Council president, Yun Shi didn’t want to linger; the corridor felt like a cold stream, and she just wanted to flow home.

Well… joining the Student Council wouldn’t be the worst. Maybe there’d be a flock of cute girls in there, and Miyuki Kiseki too… Ugh, as if I’d join for that annoying girl! I just want to see more girls, that’s all—definitely not for her!

She shook her head hard, like flinging rain off an umbrella, and nailed her resolve down flat.

“What is that idiot doing?”

Maya Hanazaka watched across the hall as Yun Shi walked and shook her head, like a wind-up doll on a bumpy road.

As Yun Shi faded from her sight like fog thinning in sun, Mizuki felt a tug in her chest, the urge to call out rising like a tide—yet her feet stayed rooted.

“Mizuki~”

“Oh—yes, Sham.”

“Looks like someone’s caught your eye~”

“N-no way!”

“Oh? Is that so~” Sham’s grin curled like a cat’s, a sly glint sliding across her eyes.

“Well, you’re that age, Mizuki. It’s normal to take an interest in someone—especially a boy.”

“That’s not it! You’ve got it wrong!”

“Then why do you keep staring at little Yun~”

“Th-that’s because…”

“I still remember you asking me about ‘Miss Night Phantom’ before. What, moved on already?”

“I…”

The teasing, a string of pebbles skipping water, flushed the girl’s face scarlet, like a bitten apple; every word stuck in her throat.

“Wait—what?! Mizuki, you actually like that fussy pretty-boy…!” Maya looked like the sky was falling, pointing with a shaking finger.

“It’s not like that, Maya—listen to me…!”

“Oh? Vice President Kiseki likes Yunshi Bianqi? That’s surprising,” Yan Er said, sounding far too pleased to be relevant.

“First of all, where did you even come from, and second, how did you decide I like Yun-kun?!”

“Ara, if Mizuki doesn’t like little Yun, then… you like your ‘Miss Night Phantom’?” Sham’s eyes gleamed with mischief, her voice a ribbon of mockery.

“Wha—! Mizuki, have you finally started liking girls too?!” Maya’s ashen face lit up like festival lanterns, stars in her eyes as she stared at Mizuki like she’d found a comrade.

“N-no, that’s not it… I don’t even know Night—no, I mean, I’m not in love!”

“Your orientation’s a bit of a mystery, Mizuki-chan, but if you like someone, I’ll support you as a friend! Oh, and if it’s Yun Shi, be ready to compete with Sham-chan~” Mizusaki clenched her fists, righteous light burning in her gaze.

“For the last time, you’ve got it wrong!!”

Her whole face turned beet red, a little puff of steam almost visible above her head; torn between shame and anger, Mizuki finally roared.

Yun Shi, already halfway down the hall, heard the roar crash like thunder; she stopped on instinct and glanced back at the empty corridor, where the girls had slipped away like waves retreating.

“What’s with her.”

She knew exactly who that voice belonged to, muttered out of boredom, and kept moving.

What came next wasn’t something she could control.

School was out. Yun Shi was headed home, like a leaf following the stream. By chance, Mizuki wandered into her world.

It went like this: scorched by teasing and wishing for a hole to crawl into, Mizuki bolted early, leaving her friends to sigh at her retreating back.

“Never thought Mizuki would take an interest in someone~”

“Tch. Why that fussy pretty-boy? What’s so great about him—he’s a walking tsundere!”

“At least he’s cute~ He’s always like that. Lips say no, actions say yes—that’s a kind of charm, right?”

“I don’t like pretty-boy crossdressers.”

“One day you just might.” Yes… if they learned Yun Shi was a girl, who could say…

“Ha, that Yunshi Bianqi sure draws eyes. Rumor says there’s something with Sham Einafel, and now the Student Council’s vice president too…” Yan Er chimed in, fishing for presence like tossing a pebble into a quiet pond.

“…”

“Uh, why aren’t you talking?”

“Been meaning to ask… who are you, exactly?”

…

On the walk home, Mizuki let out a deep sigh; cars whooshed past like gusts on a riverbank.

“What’s wrong, Mizuki?”

A syrupy, childlike voice bubbled from her pocket; Mizuki didn’t even flinch, just fished out a bracelet and let it gleam in the late light.

“Why are you popping out now, Elana?”

“My bad, my bad, Mizuki… but who knew you’d—tsk tsk, you are a maiden of a certain age~”

“Spare me, Elana,” Mizuki said, weary as winter rain.

“Hm?”

Mizuki stopped short, eyes snagging on a point ahead. Her gaze landed on a convenience store—nothing special—until a certain someone stepped out: a boy in uniform, prettier than most girls.

“Yun-kun?”

Yun Shi carried a small plastic bag, the kind that crinkled like fallen leaves—more snacks than supplies.

“So that’s your Yun-kun… How odd. He feels… familiar,” Elana murmured, her mischief folding inward like a fan.

“What’s he doing…”

Curiosity tugging like a hidden thread, Mizuki followed, wanting to peek into Yun Shi’s secrets.

She began a clumsy shadow-dance, keeping to telephone poles and street signs like reeds in a stream, closing in step by step. Turn, corner, straight; turn again, straight…

“Hm?”

Yun Shi whipped around, wary as a deer; Mizuki froze, then slipped into a side path like a fish into reeds.

Seeing only emptiness behind her, Yun Shi let out a small breath and moved on. Mizuki peeked out, wiped the sweat beading like dew, and tailed her again.

“Meow~”

Crap.

The cat’s call hit her heart like a plucked string; Mizuki darted for cover, breath held.

She pressed a hand to her chest to calm the fluttering bird within, drew in a breath, and finally dared to peek.

Let’s see what Yun-kun is up to.

…

Mizuki’s face went stiff; her whole body locked like a statue in winter frost.

“Meow, meow~”

Yun Shi sprinkled cat food from the bag, bit by bit, and the little cat squinted with bliss, rubbing its cheek against her offered hand.

The cool line of Yun Shi’s face softened; a small smile curved at the corner of her lips, and her palm rested lightly atop the kitten’s head, stroking like a breeze over grass.

Who is this adorable creature?!

Mizuki’s mind howled, like she’d watched the sky split; her worldview wobbled.

That cold, impatient, slightly haughty pretty-boy crossdresser—being this gentle… And he smiled. For the first time, she saw a smile that warm—like an iceberg quietly melting in spring.

Tell me this isn’t real. How can that person be so… wifely, so gentle—just like a real girl!

No… wait.

Mizuki caught her runaway thoughts, as if catching a falling sleeve, and cooled down.

Come to think of it, she knew almost nothing about this Yun Shi. Not what he liked or hated; only that chilly face and that keep-out aura. In truth, she knew nothing. Who is he, really…

So when she saw him smiling in private, of course it rattled her; but that’s not a crime. Everyone has secrets. Mizuki cared about her friends and knew their shapes and shadows—Maya’s a lesbian, Sham’s from the Underworld, Mizusaki’s a well-bred lady—she knew… all of that. But about this boy, nothing. Where he lived, what he was like—nothing.

She felt unfit, like a guardian asleep at the gate. She’d vowed to protect her friends, yet knew nothing about the one person everyone held at arm’s length…

Click.

“Who’s there!”

The sharp voice snapped like a twig; Mizuki flinched and looked up.

Yun Shi stood there, shock stamped across her face like fresh ink.

“...Hey, Yun-kun…”

Mizuki forced a smile that sat wrong on her face, stiff as paper.

Caught tailing—easy to guess the rest. Awkward crawled up her spine like cold water.

“You… y-you, did you see?”

Yun Shi’s lips trembled; she pointed at Mizuki, words stumbling like pebbles.

“I…” Guilty, Mizuki turned her head, unable to meet her eyes.

“Did you see?”

Panic thinned Yun Shi’s composure, like silk pulled taut; she asked again.

“...Yeah.”

Mizuki bit her lower lip, hands clenched against her skirt, and then, as if making some heavy vow, she nodded.

She didn’t want to lie. She owned it.

…Silence fell, cool and long.

“Y-you, you, you…”

Yun Shi stuttered on the edge of words; when Mizuki looked up, she froze again.

Color surged up Yun Shi’s neck to her ears; her lips quivered like a leaf.

Too embarrassing!

Flushed and furious, Yun Shi lunged up to her, lifted her chin, and glared.

“Forget it ever happened!”

Looking at the small face inches from hers, flushed blood-red, like it might start smoking any second.

Their tangled breaths brushed together, awkward huffs; a faint floral scent pricked her senses.

Wait—he smells as sweet as a girl… No, no, this is a disaster!

Mizuki flushed in a rush, unconsciously stepped back, then dropped her gaze to the guy inches away.

“Forget it—forget it—got that, you jerk?!”

Seeing Mizuki retreat, Yun Shi burned with shame and anger, stomped his foot, and snapped at her.

So cute.

No—how can a guy be this painfully adorable?

The sheer cuteness stunned Mizuki; her mind short-circuited.

“A-anyway, I… I can’t keep pets, so… you handle it yourself!”

Still scarlet, Yun Shi thrust the small bag into Mizuki’s hands, then fled like a startled deer.

“Forget it—do you hear me, you idiot!”

He tossed the words back and vanished from sight.

On the ground, the abandoned kitten mewed, leaving Mizuki alone with a bag of cat food, hair tugged by the wind.