355: Alone When the Elevator Stops (2)

At this moment, Chisato had a feeling that the expression on Haruno's face was perhaps the most genuine one he had ever seen from her.

"Miss Youko… already knows about everything?"

"Something like that."

Chisato nodded.

"Uh… She knows, and yet she still allows you to continue dating her daughter?"

"That's right. Honestly, I was even a bit surprised."

"..."

The smile on Haruno's face slowly faded, and her gaze shifted. She locked her eyes onto him as if trying to see through his words, unwilling to let a single detail slip past her.

After a brief silence, she suddenly burst into laughter, as if she had reached the peak of amusement.

"You even managed to handle Miss Touma? Chisato, you're becoming more and more fascinating."

That statement only confirmed the mischievous, trouble-seeking nature she possessed.

She laughed for a long while before finally quieting down. Then, without hesitation, she walked over and sat down beside Chisato as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Consider it a way to satisfy my curiosity. Can you tell me how you managed to win over Miss Touma under these circumstances?" 

"I promise to keep it a secret. And, of course, I won't make you tell me for nothing." 

"In exchange for satisfying my curiosity, you can ask me one question or make one request right now, and I won't refuse. How about it?"

"Not interested."

Chisato had absolutely no desire to entertain her offer. Besides, the matter of him saving Youko was something that couldn't be explained rationally from a modern scientific standpoint. 

Wanting to avoid unnecessary trouble, he had long decided to bury this secret deep within his heart. 

Apart from the doctor who already knew and Kazusa, he had no intention of telling anyone else.

"You're so stingy!"

Haruno pouted and nudged Chisato with her elbow before sighing, resting her chin on her hand as she swayed her head from side to side.

"But still, Chisato, just sitting around like this is really boring. If we don't find something to do, don't you think time will pass painfully slowly?"

Chisato looked up at the ceiling of the elevator and slowly suggested,

"You could play on your phone."

"Whether it's games or short videos, I'm not interested in any of that."

"Then why not lean against the wall and take a short nap? You have been drinking, Miss Yukinoshita. I am sure you will fall asleep easily."

"No way, my sleeping posture is terrible. What if I embarrass myself in front of you?"

"..."

That is what you are worried about?

Chisato's eye twitched slightly.

"As a guy, shouldn't you be stepping up in moments like this?" 

"Use your impressive skills in keeping girls entertained and come up with something fun to talk about or do to liven up the mood!"

Haruno tugged at Chisato's sleeve without any reservation.

"…Don't put me on the spot like that. I am not a professional host, just an ordinary high school student."

"You are being way too modest. There is no way an ordinary high school student could win over the formidable Youko."

"…"

So, she really is just curious about me after all.

Hearing this, Chisato sighed internally. He had not intended to go this route, but if it would get Haruno to shift her focus onto something else, he might as well play along—just in a more indirect and slightly intimidating way.

"Forget about me and Miss Touma for a moment. I actually have a friend whose experiences are quite interesting." 

"It just slipped my mind earlier, but now seems like a good time to bring it up. It should help pass the time."

"Oh?"

Haruno seemed somewhat intrigued. A relaxed smile played on her lips as she settled in to listen.

Chisato added, "Since it involves personal matters, I will refrain from mentioning her name or giving too many specific details. I will just outline the general story."

"Of course, that is only natural."

"My friend has a situation somewhat similar to yours. She has a younger sister and comes from a relatively wealthy family."

"From that introduction, it does not seem all that unique. Family structures like that are pretty common in Japan."

"Perhaps so. But bear with me—the interesting part comes later."

"Alright, go on then."

"My friend's family situation is a bit more complicated." 

"It appears that her father is the one managing things from the outside, but in reality, her mother is the true core of the household." 

"This is because her mother comes from an influential family, and her father married into it. His job was also arranged by her mother's family."

Chisato's expression remained neutral as he spoke.

However, Haruno's expression shifted subtly. Her once playful smile faded, and her gaze became a bit more serious.

Even so, she chose to continue listening.

"I see. That must have been tough for her father. Living as a dependent must be quite humiliating and difficult."

"Not necessarily. From what my friend told me, their family is actually quite loving. However, sometimes her actions do not entirely make sense to me."

"Oh?"

"For example, in many situations, she treats her younger sister with apparent coldness. But this does not align with the way she describes their family dynamics."

"She probably just does not like her sister."

"That is what I thought at first too. But as I observed more closely, I realized that was not the case at all." 

"In fact, she adores her sister. She is, in some ways, a textbook case of a doting older sibling."

"However, because of the way she expresses her affection, her actions often come across as cold or distant to outsiders."

"Could that just be your own subjective assumption?"

"I do not think so. I have a fair amount of confidence in my observational skills. Besides, my conclusion is not based on mere speculation, but on concrete evidence."

Haruno narrowed her eyes.

"So, it is still just a guess in the end, huh?"

At that moment, she seemed to shed some of her previous amiability, exuding a sharp and dangerous aura.

But since things had already reached this point, Chisato had no reason to stop. 

If nothing else, it was worth ensuring that Haruno would be a little more restrained in her future dealings with him.

"Whether it is a guess or not is beside the point. My goal was just to share something to pass the time. If you are not interested, we can always change the subject."

Naturally, this proposal was swiftly rejected.

"No way. If you start something, you have to see it through. You have not even gotten to the interesting part yet."

"The interesting part lies in her attitude toward life, as well as the way she expresses her love for her sister in such a tsundere and awkward manner."

"Oh? How so?"

"My friend received an elite education from a young age, with the clear expectation that she would take over the family business and industries in the future." 

"However, as she grew older and the innocence of childhood faded, she began to understand exactly what her future would look like." 

"The problem was, she did not like that kind of life." 

"But out of a sense of responsibility to her family and love for her younger sister, she chose to compromise, dedicating herself to the path her mother had laid out for her without distraction."

"Wait a minute, what does this have to do with her younger sister?"

"If my friend inherits the family business, then her sister will be able to live freely, without any worries, and pursue the life she truly desires."

"Oh?"

Haruno gave a cold assessment,

"Isn't this just another story about someone who is powerless to escape their fate and, in their despair, simply gives up and resigned themselves to it?" 

"There's nothing surprising or dramatic about it. I fail to see what makes this interesting."

"Then I'll skip over her attitude toward life and focus on the way she interacts with her younger sister instead."

Chisato adjusted his sitting position, but instead of continuing, he posed a question.

"In a typical situation, if your younger sister ran into trouble, how would you react, Miss Yukinoshita?"

"Is that even a question? Of course, I would rush over to help her immediately. She's my little sister. If her own sister doesn't care for her, then who will?"

Haruno stretched lazily as she gave her response, which made Chisato chuckle slightly.

She immediately noticed and, with interest, asked,

"What are you laughing at?"

"Sorry, I just thought of something amusing… But never mind that. Let's get back to the story. The same question, but my friend's choice was completely different from yours."

"Oh? How so?"

"As I mentioned before, she's both awkward and a bit of a tsundere." 

"When her sister was in trouble, she was definitely worried. But for certain reasons, she couldn't bring herself to step in directly."

Chisato raised a finger.

"For example, when her sister was in elementary school."

"…"

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