The pressure in the room could crush bones. The sheer aura these two girls were putting out was enough to make me question if I had walked into an anime crossover. This was Jujutsu Kaisen, right? Was I supposed to eat fingers now? Curse spirits? No, curse women. I was going to turn to stone if I said one wrong word. Or maybe just freeze to death. Honestly, which one's less painful?
"White o- Alya? That was fast." I blinked.
She was already here. Barely minutes since I arrived. And judging by the sweat on her forehead, she'd either sprinted here or sweats a lot in summer. Should I be worried? Or flattered?
I didn't notice it, but as soon as I said her name, Yukinoshita's eyes sharpened. Alya lifted her chin with a smug little smile in return.
"Oh, it's nothing. I asked around and they pointed me here pretty quickly. But Aiko... can you tell me who this lady is?" Her voice was all silk and sugar, but her eyes? Pure steel.
Yukinoshita frowned. Subtle, but sharp. Probably noticed how I didn't protest Alya calling me by my name.
"This is the president of the Service Club, Yukinoshita Yukino, second year. I'll be helping her with club activities from now on."
"Club activities. Hm, I see."
Her tone changed.
"A club with no real purpose... a club for people with nothing better to do. I can't relate. What's the fun in that?"
Ouch.
Yukinoshita didn't say a word, but the drop in temperature in the room was noticeable.
"Oh, and you can go ahead, Aiko. I have something to talk about with the club president here."
My eyes darted between the two of them.
Did they know each other?
Were they friends?
Didn't feel like it.
More like,former allies turned rivals.
"Sure, no problem." I said, backing out like a hostage negotiator.
Please don't kill each other. Or me. I don't want to make the evening news.
...
[THIRD PERSON POV]
The moment Aiko stepped out and closed the door, the temperature inside the room dropped ten degrees. Frost formed on invisible fault lines between two old wounds.
Alya broke the silence.
"You. You're the one who forced him into this club, aren't you?" Her voice wasn't raised, but the intent was razor-sharp.
Yukino didn't blink. "And if I am?"
Alya stepped forward, her playful facade beginning to dissolve. "Aiko is my friend. He's been through enough. I won't let people manipulate him anymore."
Yukino narrowed her gaze. "You don't know me. You don't know what he needs."
"I know enough. Enough to see through your cold little games. You use people with words, you dress up concern as structure."
Yukino's lips tightened.
"And what would you know of loneliness? Of walking into a room full of people and still feeling like you're the only one who doesn't exist? At least I gave him a place to be. What did you give him?"
Alya hesitated, then softened. "My time. My attention. My belief that he's more than some lost boy to be reshaped into what you want."
The silence between them stretched.
Then Alya spoke again, quiet but firm. "If I find out you're hurting him, or using him, I'll be back. And I won't be nice about it."
Yukino turned her back to her. "This conversation is over. Leave."
"Fine. See you around, Ice Empress." Alya's voice was sweet poison. She stepped out and closed the door behind her.
Yukino didn't move. She simply stared out the window, watching students wander the school grounds in blissful ignorance of war.
She thought of Aiko. Of the way he looked at her. Of the way she'd looked at him before, lifetimes ago.
And she made a silent promise:
This time, she'd get it right.
...
[AIZAWA AIKO - POV]
Later that day, as the school emptied and the world dulled into quiet, Alya walked beside me.
Her expression unreadable.
So, naturally, I tried to ruin the silence.
"So... what did you and Yukinoshita talk about? Secret rival lovers stuff? Evil past? Betrayal under cherry blossoms?"
She blinked, then smiled. "We talked about you."
"Me? Again? Why is everyone so obsessed with me lately? Do I have a magnet on my forehead or something?"
"You're just interesting."
I raised an eyebrow.
"That's the first time anyone's ever said that to me without also asking for money or favors."
Alya laughed softly. It wasn't mocking. It wasn't pitying. It was something else.
Kindness, maybe.
Dangerous stuff.
"Hey, Aiko," she said suddenly. "What are you thinking about?"
I thought of saying "nothing." But something made me speak.
"What if I said I remember my past life? Bits of it. Maybe more than just bits. Would you believe me?"
She froze.
Her expression turned unreadable. Her blue eyes focused only on me.
"...Say that again?"
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Thanks for reading. Uptaded chapter.