NOVPUB"G-Girlfriend…?"
Yukari's voice cracked ever so slightly, her eyes widening into full, round orbs as if someone had just smacked her across the face with the word. Of all things she thought she'd hear today, that wasn't even on the list. Her entire posture stiffened, her arms frozen halfway into a welcoming gesture. She hadn't seen that word—girlfriend—anywhere in her texts with Kouhei. Not a hint, and not even a whisper.
She blinked rapidly, as if doing so would make what she just heard vanish.
"Yes," Yuuna answered, her voice calm yet firm, like a drop of ink falling into a still glass of water. "I am Kouhei-kun's girlfriend."
That confirmation rang in the air like a bell. It was cold, crystal clear, and impossible to ignore.
"K-Kou… Why haven't you said anything about this…?" Yukari asked, turning toward him, her voice quivering, caught somewhere between disbelief and quiet accusation.
Kouhei swallowed hard. The lump in his throat felt like a stone, and it was unmovable. He opened his mouth slightly but nothing came out. His mind raced, searching for the right words, but everything felt inadequate.
"I'm sorry," Yuuna interjected gently, stepping forward. Her tone softened, the corners of her lips pulling into a subdued, apologetic smile. "It may seem strange, but… I felt undeserving of him. That's why I chose to keep our relationship private."
Undeserving? Kouhei thought. No—if anyone felt that way, it was him. She was everything he wasn't—beautiful, composed, as well as confident. He couldn't help but feel that he was the one out of her league.
"I-I see…" Yukari muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. Her hands slowly came down to her sides, fingers curling slightly into her palms.
Standing in front of someone like Yuuna—so graceful and so flawless—left her feeling awkward and uncertain. She could barely hold her gaze.
She turned toward Kouhei, her brows furrowed as if she were trying to make sense of a dream that had taken a hard turn into reality.
"Kou… come with me for a moment."
"O-Okay."
They quietly slipped out of the room and into the living space, leaving behind the tense stillness that Yuuna's revelation had carved into the air.
As soon as they were alone, Yukari turned on him.
"What the heck is this, Kou!?" she hissed in a hushed, urgent tone. "Where did you even find someone that beautiful!? And now she's saying she's your girlfriend?! Are you going to tell me what's going on or not?!"
Kouhei flinched under her intensity. Her voice was sharp but not cruel—more overwhelmed than angry. Still, he felt like a child being grilled by a teacher after doing something forbidden.
He sucked in a breath, then forced a smile.
"Well… she's actually the president of the student council," he said, trying to keep his tone steady. "I've admired her for a while, but I was too shy to talk to her. Then, somehow, we bumped into each other. I found out she liked some of the same hobbies I do… we got closer, and, um… things just went from there."
Every word was a fabrication. He knew it. She didn't even like the same hobbies. Hell, their first meeting was about as romantic as a mugging—if mugging included checking into a love motel right after.
"Kouhei-kun is right," Yuuna's voice floated in from behind, smooth and composed. She stepped closer and bowed respectfully. "I also want to apologize for letting him live with me without ever informing you."
"S-So… he's living with you?" Yukari repeated, her eyes growing wider again.
"Yes," Yuuna said with a light nod. "The house I live in is very spacious, and it was too large for just one person. That's why I allowed some of the student council members to stay as well. Kouhei-kun has a room of his own, of course."
That explanation, somehow, felt more solid than Kouhei was about to cook up. Maybe because part of it was true. He was living with student council members now.
"I-Is that so…"
Yuuna continued, her voice warm and sincere. "I'm really sorry for not telling you sooner. We always intended to, but… I'm sorry it had to come out this way. Especially after you went through the trouble of coming here."
"N-No, it's fine," Yukari replied, exhaling a slow breath. Her shoulders eased a bit, though her gaze remained clouded with thought. "Now that I know the reason Kou hasn't been visiting, I feel relieved… I honestly thought something had happened. Something he couldn't talk about."
"I'm sorry for not telling you anything," Kouhei said.
"Now, now. I understand," Yukari replied gently. "It's only natural for you to keep something like this to yourself. I mean, you're a teenage boy… and having a girlfriend like her, no less. Living together, too…"
She trailed off, her voice dipping into something husky and awkward. Her face flushed, her thoughts clearly going somewhere they shouldn't have.
"Uh, Yuka-nee-chan?"
"Ah! Sorry. My mind went off in a weird direction," she said quickly, shaking her head with a nervous smile. "But anyway… Kou, you need to love her properly. With everything you've got. Don't ever hurt her, okay?"
Her eyes sharpened with a sudden, sisterly fire. She jabbed a finger toward him, her tone dead serious.
"If you do… Onee-chan's going to get really mad. Got it?"
Kouhei looked her in the eyes, nodded quietly, and took her words to heart.
***
Yukari quietly excused herself and headed to the bathroom, the soft sound of the door shutting behind her leaving the two of them alone in the living room.
"Kou has a girlfriend now, huh...?"
The words slipped from her lips like a sigh, tinted with a mix of disbelief and nostalgia. It was honestly hard to wrap her head around it. That boy—who always kept to himself, who would often retreat into his own little world—now had someone beside him. And not just any someone. A stunning young woman. Beautiful in a way that almost made her feel like she was looking at a model or an actress on TV.
"It's… hard to believe he's grown up this much," she murmured to herself, a wistful smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Now that I think about it, he looks different… his body's changed too, hasn't it? He's more toned than before. He wasn't that lean the last time I saw him…"
She paused, squinting slightly as she replayed the image of Kouhei in her head.
"…And he carries himself with so much more confidence now. Back then, he barely looked people in the eye. Hah… I guess that's the magic of love, huh? Having someone by your side really does change you."
She let out a small laugh, light and genuine, but it quickly faded. Her smile weakened, then disappeared entirely. A shadow passed over her face as she fell silent, the laughter caught in her throat and dying there.
Her shoulders slumped under the weight of a realization she'd long tried to ignore.
She hadn't been in a relationship. Not even once. Not since she was born. Not even close.
Like Kouhei, she was an otaku... maybe even more of one. She had always found more joy in two-dimensional love stories and fictional characters than in the complexities of real-world relationships.
Back in high school, she'd spent most of her time obsessively collecting anime figurines, flipping through manga late into the night, and spending more money than she should on merchandise. And her favorite genre?
Yaoi. She was a full-blown fujoshi with her being head over heels for boys' love manga, often gushing over ships that would make most people raise a brow.
Of course, those habits had toned down now that she was busy with work, but she still indulged from time to time. Every now and then, she'd visit conventions, slipping into cosplay like it was her second skin. It was one of the few hobbies that still made her heart race with excitement.
But none of her officemates knew about this part of her. She kept it locked away like a secret treasure.
Because just loving something didn't mean the world would love it too. In fact, there was a high chance they'd find it… weird.
That's why she never talked about it. That's why she never found love either. No one really saw that side of her. And now, she was looking after Kouhei, dedicating her time and energy to taking care of him.
Romance just… wasn't something she had room for.
But now…
Now it seemed like even Kou was going to leave her behind.
And if that happened—what then? What would become of her? Would she just… end up alone?
"Hehehe… I'm really happy for you, Kou," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "But please… don't leave Onee-chan behind…"
***
Meanwhile, in the cozy quiet of the living room, Kouhei and Yuuna sat side by side on the couch, their shoulders gently touching.
"Um… I'm sorry for putting you through all of this, Yuuna-san," Kouhei said softly.
Yuuna turned to him with a gentle expression, her eyes warm. "It's fine," she said, her voice calm and affectionate. "You can burden me like this from time to time, Kouhei-kun."
Without hesitation, she rested her head against his shoulder, the motion tender and natural, like it had been practiced a thousand times in secret moments.
Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Do you think… your aunt would approve of our relationship?" 𝖓𝔬𝔳𝖕𝖚𝖇.𝖈𝔬𝔪
Kouhei blinked, then smiled faintly. "I think… she already does."
Yuuna let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.
"If that's the case… I'm really glad," she murmured as she leaned in even closer, her fingers lightly brushing his sleeve. "I'm glad that, at least in someone's eyes, our relationship seems… normal."
Their relationship had always existed in secrecy. She never knew how it would look to others—if it was right, or if they were just fooling themselves. But now, after that moment with Yukari… she felt something she hadn't felt in a long time.
Relief.
Real, weightless relief.
