Yukinoshita-san is definitely secretly in love with me.

Perhaps it was no surprise they were sisters, after all. Both had slipped into memory at the same moment, and both surfaced from it just as synchronously. As they returned to the present, they cleared their throats in perfect unison.

Their eyes met with an odd expression. Haruno was still smiling, but Yukino let out a cold huff and turned her head away.

Despite their current strained relationship, the Yukinoshita sisters had once been close. Throughout Yukino's years in kindergarten, it was always Haruno who picked her up after school. Back then, Yukino would follow Haruno around like a little shadow.

Even their rarely-at-home father would often tease them with a smile when he saw the two inseparable sisters.

"Yukino, are you your sister's little puppy?"

"I am not!"

Little Yukino would puff up her cheeks in protest, yet still cling tightly to her sister's waist from behind.

"Miss Haruno, Miss Yukino, we've arrived."

The Yukinoshita sisters stepped gracefully out of the car.

From the entrance, through the corridor and lounge, up to the spacious reception hall on the second floor, greetings followed them like a tide.

"Oh, Haruno-san is here too!"

"Good evening, Miss Haruno!"

"And this must be your sister? She's stunning! You two look so alike!"

Amid the glitter of chandeliers and the swirl of gowns and wine glasses, Haruno moved as effortlessly as a fish in water. She was born for these kinds of occasions the more eyes on her, the more radiant she became.

"Miss Yagyuu, good evening. That necklace looks exquisite on you tonight. Truly breathtaking."

"Yes, this is Yukino, the second daughter of the Yukinoshita family. I hope you'll all take good care of her."

The young woman addressed as Miss Yagyuu bumped Haruno lightly on the shoulder.

"Come off it, drop the act already. Not like we're buying it."

Another, Miss Hanamiya, chimed in with a grin. "Isn't she the one who stole away that Shijou girl's 'Yukino'? No need for the pleasantries with us."

Haruno's smile only grew warmer. "I just didn't want to scare you all off."

Yagyuu swirled the wine in her glass. "The Shijou family's business is mostly overseas. Even if we went head-to-head, my family wouldn't necessarily lose."

Suzuki clicked her tongue. "The Shijou clan forcibly split from the Shiguu conglomerate, and now most of their assets are tied up abroad. They're still embroiled in a nasty fight with the Shiguu group back home. They barely have time to manage their own affairs, let alone meddle in others'. Anyone trying to mess with Haruno right now to score points must be brain-dead."

Hanamiya giggled. "Those pesky little flies, I heard they've been giving Haruno quite a bit of trouble lately. Want me to step in?"

Haruno waved her hand. "No, no, don't ruin it. I've been playing the helpless act for over a month just to lure them in."

Yukino immediately turned her head toward Haruno.

Unbelievable. Even she had been fooled.

She'd really thought Haruno had been struggling lately.

Yagyuu let out a laugh and clinked glasses with Haruno. "You're a real piece of work."

Hanamiya feigned a dramatic sigh. "What were those flies thinking? Messing with someone like Haruno, the queen of schemes herself."

"Hey, could you at least try to show some respect in front of my sister? Are we still friends or what?"

Yukino wasn't entirely comfortable in settings like this, but she handled herself well enough. After all, she was still a daughter of the Yukinoshita family. Basic social grace came with the territory.

She wasn't warm, but she wasn't cold either. She played the role of the quiet, unassuming younger sister with practiced ease.

When the group had first heard her name Yukinoshita Yukino their expressions had been subtly off.

But now, as the mood grew more relaxed, Miss Yagyuu looked her up and down.

"You really do look like Haruno, but somehow... you're very different."

Hanamiya leaned in close. "So this is the girl who 'out-greened' half of Japan's girls, huh? Interested in trying a big sister instead?"

Suzuki joined in teasingly. "Big sisters are way more fun than immature little boys. Want to give it a try, Yukino?"

Yukino: "…"

Haruno ground her teeth. "Okay, when did you all switch teams?"

Hanamiya laughed. "We couldn't help it! Your sister's just too cute. The moment she walked in, I couldn't take my eyes off her."

And it wasn't an exaggeration.

In this banquet of beauty and glamour, where expensive makeup, custom gowns, noble bloodlines, and cultivated self-assurance layered upon everyone present, there were hardly any who looked bad.

But when Yukinoshita Yukino entered, something shifted. Amidst the kaleidoscope of this dazzling scene, it felt like a beam of real light had broken through.

The second daughter of the Yukinoshita family needed no heavy makeup. Her skin and features were naturally flawless, like white porcelain. Her quiet demeanor made her seem like a beautifully crafted doll sealed behind glass.

But she was more than just pretty. There was an air about her aloof, heavy, tinged with melancholy. It made her seem like a crystal: clear, delicate, and sharp-edged.

Exquisite, and fragile.

And truth be told, that sort of presence triggered a deeply maternal instinct.

Just as Yukino began to feel overwhelmed by the overenthusiastic "big sisters," a sudden stir at the edge of the banquet hall drew her attention.

She looked up and saw a beautiful girl with long, soft chestnut hair flowing over her shoulders, walking in with a graceful smile. People gathered around her, calling out warmly and reverently, "Miss Shijou."

That composed, radiant, noble face slowly merged in Yukino's mind with the photo she had once seen of a girl with twin-tails on the list of Shijou Haruno's "victims."

Shijou Maki.

One of the many girls Haruno had "out-greened."

Shijou Maki noticed Haruno's conspicuously lively group, and with a smile, she picked up a glass of juice from a passing server and raised it in a toast from across the room.

Haruno mirrored the gesture with her own glass of red wine, returning the smile.

The cordial atmosphere between them left many hopeful onlookers disappointed. No drama tonight.

"She probably didn't even recognize you," someone muttered near Yukino.

When she turned, she found Haruno watching her. The smile on Haruno's face was tranquil, like the still surface of an autumn lake.

Seeing that expression, Yukino suddenly felt a jolt in her heart.

She finally realized what had been bothering her about Haruno all this time.

Haruno was brilliant and capable. She could smile warmly at anyone and effortlessly build rapport. She was a born diplomat.

Yukino had always known that Haruno wore many masks. Even when she showed glimpses of sincerity, they were often just another layer of disguise.

But in the past, Haruno had never worn those masks around her.

In front of Yukino, she had always been that infuriating, petty, childish older sister the one who constantly got on her nerves.

Never this kind, composed, polished Yukinoshita Haruno.

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