Was Hikigaya always this terrifyingly capable?
He actually managed to push that woman, Kasumigaoka, to the point of calling for help?!
Hearing the distressed voice on the other end of the phone, Kawasaki stood frozen in disbelief.
"Kawasaki, hurry… get in here. Help me."
"Eh? Y-You want me to go in there?"
Kawasaki's expression shifted slightly.
"No duh. If I'm the only one here, I'm afraid…"
A panicked voice continued from the other end.
"I'm afraid, I'm afraid, I'm afra—"
Beep…
The call cut off.
"Huh?! What the…"
Kawasaki stood dazed on the spot, utterly bewildered.
What should she do?
Was she supposed to go in?
"No, wait… If I go in there, wouldn't that mean I'd be… in there with Kasumigaoka…"
Her face flushed with a strange expression. Kawasaki quickly shook her head.
Stay calm. Stay in control.
There's no way she could join Kasumigaoka in doing that kind of thing with Hikigaya!
"Ka-Kasumigaoka must be… she's definitely doing this on purpose. Trying to lure me in… so we can… so we can do it together with Hikigaya… No! I absolutely can't let that happen! No way!"
Taking deep breaths, Kawasaki tried to keep her mind from spiraling.
She was a conservative girl.
That kind of thing was way too much for her.
So instead, she stayed seated at the rooftop entrance, her firm rear glued to the floor.
Her eyes, glimmering faintly, kept drifting—almost against her will—toward the rooftop door.
For some reason…
A certain indecent image crept into her mind. Her thighs instinctively pressed together, her heartbeat spiked, and her breath grew uneven.
"S-Seriously, what the hell…"
Hugging her legs, Kawasaki clenched her teeth.
Damn it!
She'd just spent time with Hikigaya yesterday. Just yesterday! So why was she already craving that boy again today?
Was she really that starved?!
"Huff… Tomorrow's my turn. Tomorrow I'll finally get to be with Hikigaya… Uuugh, I'm sorry, Yukinoshita, I'm sorry… I didn't mean to—mean to betray you. I just wanted to help your boyfriend… y'know, with his physical health! I-I'm doing this for your happy future together. I swear I won't interfere with your love life! I won't ruin your relationship! Please, Yukinoshita, please forgive me…"
Burying her face between her knees, Kawasaki kept muttering tearfully, her voice full of guilt.
And just then—
A hand gently landed on her shoulder.
"Kawasaki~"
"—Huh?!"
Her entire body jolted as if electrocuted. Kawasaki's head shot up, and when she saw who it was, her pupils shrank in horror.
"Y-Yukinoshita?!"
"Yes, it's me."
Adjusting her red-rimmed glasses, Yukinoshita looked at Kawasaki with a gentle gaze.
"W-What are you doing here?"
"I just wanted to get some fresh air on the rooftop. Didn't expect to see you here too, Kawasaki."
Yukinoshita smiled softly.
"Oh, just… fresh air, huh… Wait, the rooftop?!"
Kawasaki, who had just begun to relax, suddenly froze. Her heart skipped a beat as she blurted out:
"Yukinoshita, are you planning to go up there right now?"
"Is something wrong?"
"Uh… cough!"
Trying to maintain her composure, Kawasaki quickly explained:
"Kasumigaoka-senpai is currently… helping Hikigaya with his math studies. Yeah, they're probably at the most… intense part of the lesson. So maybe… maybe don't interrupt them just yet."
"I see."
Yukinoshita nodded, still gentle.
"So you're standing guard at the door… to keep others from disturbing them?"
"Y-Yeah, something like that." Kawasaki avoided her gaze.
"Kawasaki…"
Yukinoshita took Kawasaki's hands in hers, eyes full of gratitude.
"Thank you. Having a friend as kind as you… I'm really lucky."
"It's nothing, we're friends after all," Kawasaki replied, forcing a smile.
"Speaking of which… your math grades aren't great either, right? Why not join Hikigaya-kun and ask Kasumigaoka-senpai for help too?" Yukinoshita said suddenly.
"Eh? You want me to join them?" Kawasaki gasped.
"Yes. Studying together with more people makes for a livelier atmosphere," Yukinoshita said with a smile.
"Ah, well…"
Kawasaki glanced at the rooftop door, then quickly shook her head.
"That's true, but… if I go in, who's going to keep watch out here? It's really important not to get interrupted while studying. So no, I-I think it's best if I stay out here."
"It's okay."
Yukinoshita held her hands tighter and said seriously:
"If you go in, I'll stay here and keep watch for you."
"Eh?!"
Kawasaki's eyes widened.
"Yukinoshita, you… you'll keep watch?"
"Mm-hm. So go on in. It's okay, really."
"This, uh…"
Kawasaki looked at the door, then at Yukinoshita. But in the end, she hurriedly shook her head again.
"M-My studies aren't that important. I shouldn't disturb them. Um, Yukinoshita, you're not in great health… so let me be the one to keep watch. You should go rest somewhere else."
As she spoke, Kawasaki gently pushed Yukinoshita, gesturing for her to leave.
"…Alright then."
Yukinoshita sighed and turned away, a faint look of disappointment flashing in her eyes.
Sigh… Saki, oh Saki. If only you'd just gone in. Then my mission would've been complete…
---
Time passed.
Lunch break was almost over.
At this point, Kawasaki's butt was going numb.
Surely those two were finished by now, right?
She got up.
Taking a deep breath, Kawasaki pushed open the rooftop door and called in,
"If you're done, get out already! Don't keep dawdling in there!"
Meanwhile, Kasumigaoka was sitting on the bench, putting her shoes back on. Teasing the boy next to her, she said:
"Air-kun, you really are something… you even broke Okamoto?"
"What the hell's an Okamoto?" Kawasaki, now approaching, asked in confusion.
"Oh? Kawasaki-san never let Air-kun use one before? It's something that protects girls," Kasumigaoka said with a playful smile.
"Huh? Protects girls… huh? Huuuuh?!"
Her cheeks instantly turned bright red as Kawasaki blurted out:
"O-Of course I let Hikigaya use it!!"
Kasumigaoka responded with a casual "Oh?"
Frowning, Kawasaki continued, "Wait, you said it broke. What do you mean?"
"Broke means broke. What else could it mean? Right, Air-kun~?" Kasumigaoka turned to look at Hikigaya with a mischievous smile. He flushed and averted his gaze.
"Huh?!"
Kawasaki froze for a second, then her heart dropped. She quickly asked,
"Broke? Hold on—doesn't that mean she might get pregnant?!"
Kasumigaoka smiled sweetly. "Hehe, there's always that possibility."
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"
Kawasaki's mind went completely blank.
Kasumigaoka might be pregnant?!