Bird in cage

While having fun in Togo's villa was enjoyable, they didn't intend to stay for a night. After all, Shishio planned to go out with all the members of the Sunoharasou. While this plan was something he was looking for, he was quite concerned about something, yet after he got this sword, he felt better somehow.

Having a weapon and not having one was different.

Leaving his weapon aside, he decided to visit the Sunoharasou to bring everyone there to go on a trip. Yet, unlike his previous plan, this time, Nana also joined this trip.

Nana was an ex-member of the Sunoharasou. She was also Ayaka Sunohara's little sister, and the members of the Sunoharasou knew her well. In other words, she wasn't a stranger, and it was perfectly okay for her to join, especially when Nana had told Ayaka about this matter.

Still, what surprised him wasn't Nana's participation. Instead, it was the destination that they had chosen for the trip that he had promised them. He didn't expect them to tell him to bring them to Saitama.

"Why Saitama?"

When he asked them this question, the three middle school students from Sunoharasou answered at the same time.

"We want to see the Kumagaya Fireworks Festival!" 3x

"Kumagaya Fireworks Festival?"

While he was unfamiliar with this term, he could search the information on the internet, and instantly he understood everything.

Kumagaya Fireworks Festival is the longest-running firework festival in Saitama Prefecture. The distinctive feature of Kumagaya's fireworks show is its 'message fireworks' — businesses and individuals launching off messages into the night sky to the thrill of visitors and spectators.

Shishio wondered whether he should also ask the organizer to buy a firework message for his girlfriends.

However, when he thought about it for a moment, he decided to go against it since he felt it was pretty embarrassing. For example, if he wanted to confess his feelings, it was better to do it quietly without any people.

After all, if he was rejected, there would be no people who would see him.

Still, leaving was he being rejected or not, he felt it was too early to do something so grand like this, and it was so rare of him to take the initiative to confess to someone.

The one who usually confessed was his woman first instead of him.

Yet he must admit this firework message was a fun thing. However, he might have done it if he had dated for so many years and even married each other, sending this type of message when they reminiscence their times together.

Anyway, leaving this firework aside, he was cornered about Yukinoshita since no matter how many times he called or left her a text, she had never given him a response. This was the first time something like this had happened. After all, they usually talked to each other, and even if she couldn't reply to him right away because she fell asleep, she would apologize and give him a reply the next day.

However, right after summer camp, Yukinoshita disappeared as if she had gone far away, so even though he didn't want to, he could only call Haruno Yukinoshita since she was Yukinoshita's older sister, and he knew that this woman knew what was happening to Yukinoshita.

"Hey, hey, it's your first time calling me, right?"

Haruno seemed to be excited when he called for the first time.

"...You sound so happy."

"Geez, isn't it because you ignore all of my texts and calls?!"

"...I am a man with a girlfriend. What if they misunderstand your texts and calls?"

Haruno often called and even texted him, but he ignored it since he didn't really want to get close to her.

Also, this type of girl would take the initiative instead of waiting for the man to take the initiative.

If he took the initiative, Haruno would lose interest.

On the other hand, if he ignored her, she would try to get closer even more.

"Eh? Have you dated Yukino-chan?" Haruno was so shocked when she heard this news.

"...Er."

Shishio wasn't sure what to say, but it seemed that Haruno didn't know that he was a scumbag. He also didn't plan to talk about it since he knew this woman was crazy. If she knew he was a scumbag, no one knew what she might do. It was better to stay quiet, especially when he wanted to know what was happening to Yukinoshita.

"Anyway, where's Yukino-senpai?"

"Geez, can you be patient? By the way, haven't you heard anything?"

Suddenly Haruno changed the topic of the conversation.

"Heard? Heard what?"

"Hmm..."

Haruno seemed to have fun for some reason. "Well, if you still haven't heard anything, then it is fun. Let's just wait until that day! Ah, the signal is bad! Hello? Hello? Shishi-kun, are you—" The call was cut before she finished her words.

'What's an obvious lie...'

Shishio was speechless and tried to call Haruno again, but this time, he was ignored, and his call couldn't be connected and even blocked!

"That bitch..."

Shishio let out a long sigh and knew that his contact with Yukinoshita had been cut, and unless they met, it was impossible to know anything about her. Yet he shook his head and decided to wait to meet her when the next semester began.

After all, if he wanted to meet her, he had to visit her house in Chiba. Even if he came there, he might not even be allowed to enter.

Lastly, his girlfriends were first, so he decided to wait.

Shishio knew from Haruno's tones that nothing bad should have happened to Yukinoshita. However, he must admit he was worried. He let out a long sigh and shook his head since he knew there was something important that he had to do after this.

---

In the quiet room, a beautiful girl sat on the sofa while reading a book in her hand. Her expression was flat, and she seemed to hardly move. The only time she moved was when she turned to the next page of the book.

Similar to the girl, the room was spacious, and it was filled with low-key luxurious interiors.

The room was designed in the modern western style with a large bed in the middle, several books shelves, and a small room used as a wardrobe.

Yet without a doubt, the room was lovely, and it was suitable for her.

She was like a blooming Edelweiss flower on the peak of the Alps.

Yet similar to Edelweiss, it was lonely and trapped on the cliff of the Alps, without one able to approach it.

The spacious room seemed like a cage that trapped this girl.

"Yukino-chan!"

Suddenly the door opened, and the figure of a seductive lady appeared.

However, the girl only ignored this lady and continued to read as usual.

"Geez, Yukinochan! Don't ignore me!"

Haruno pouted when Yukinoshita ignored her.

"What's wrong?"

Yukinoshita didn't turn and continued to read.

Haruno didn't seem to care about Yukinoshita's reaction since she knew her words would make her react next.

"Try to guess."

"What?"

"Shishio-kun called me earlier."

"..."

Yukinoshita's body tensed for a moment before she let out a breath, but it was hard to see since she was so quiet, and her movement was so delicate. Still, while she was curious, she didn't say anything since she could see how Haruno seemed to have fun with her.

"Why aren't you saying anything? Aren't you curious about what we are talking about?"

Haruno smiled and teased her further.

"...."

However, Yukinoshita closed her mouth and didn't say anything.

"Well, if you don't want to hear it, then I won't say it."

Haruno didn't continue and turned, decided to leave, but she smiled when she heard Yukinoshita's voice.

"Wait!"

'As expected!'

While Haruno was happy with her little sister, she felt slightly sad and jealous.

'Why should I be jealous?'

"Hehe... are you curious?" Haruno smiled happily.

"...Can you tell me now?" Yukinoshita asked helplessly.

Haruno didn't joke around again and said, "He was calling you since he was worried about you."

"I see..."

"Oh, right, he also told me he was going to wait for you for the movie."

"I see."

Yukinoshita smiled, but she looked away since she didn't want her expression to be seen by her sister.

"Hey, hey, what movie? I asked him before he didn't tell me."

Haruno was curious, wondering what they were planning to do.

"If you tell me what mother is planning, then I will tell you," Yukinoshita said while looking at Haruno.

However, Haruno only smiled and said, "Geez, be patient, alright? You will hear what the mother wants to do. Anyway, I will go back first." She didn't plan to tell Yukinoshita and decided to keep everything quiet. Still, she forgot to ask whether Yukinoshita had dated Shishio or not.

'Well, it isn't much different anyway.'

Haruno shook her head and decided to wait until that time.

Yukinoshita pursed her lips and felt quite restless since after she had gone home, no one had told her anything. Her mother only told her to stay in her room, and her phone was also taken. She would be lying if she wasn't scared since she didn't know what her mother was planning to do. Her phone was taken, and her laptop was the same. She lost contact with the world, and there was nothing she could do.

She looked out the window and realized that she had become weak. In the past, she didn't need someone's help and lived alone, yet when he appeared, she felt it was empty without him.

She kept staring at the window before she lowered her head, trying to hold the tears, which were on the verge of dropping from her eyes.

"Shishio..."

She muttered his name, even though she knew he wouldn't hear her voice.