My Wives Of Simulation

Chapter 59: The Star That Belongs To Yukinoshita Yukino

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"Yukinoshita-san?"

Having just finished the third section of When the human Stars Shine, Elric looked up. Standing at the door was a beautiful woman, cold and distant, exuding an aura that seemed to say, keep away from strangers.

Recognizing Yukino immediately—after all, he also knew her older sister, Yukinoshita Haruno—Elric greeted her with a slight smile. He had seen her before crossing over to this world, thanks to her unforgettable presence in a romance masterpiece.

However, Yukinoshita Yukino remained silent. Her gaze was impassive, and it was clear she didn't recognize him.

"Oh, it seems you don't remember me. That's normal—it's the first day of school, after all," Elric remarked, undeterred by her cold demeanor.

"I'm your classmate, Elric Takahashi."

Fully aware of Yukino's personality, thanks to Haruno's occasional commentary on how "difficult" her sister could be, Elric wasn't surprised by her lack of recognition. He didn't take it personally—after all, there were plenty of classmates he couldn't recall either. It was only because Yukino left such a strong impression that her name had come to him so easily.

"Elric... Takahashi?"

Blinking, Yukino seemed to recall something. There was a student in her class, someone said to have ranked first in the entrance exam. The person before her must indeed be him.

"Well, are you… going to have lunch?"

Elric's eyes fell on the lunch box in her hand. He himself had already eaten.

"Yes..."

Yukino struggled with social interactions. Despite Elric leaving a good first impression, her response was laced with her characteristic indifference.

"Then you eat. I have something to do, so I'll leave first."

Noticing her discomfort, and recalling the rumors about her in the academy, Elric didn't press further. He had no intention of forcing himself into her company.

As for the idea of giving up his "secret base," he dismissed it. This was a public space, after all, and everyone had the right to be here. Still, knowing Haruno was reason enough for him to be polite to Yukino.

"This is…"

As Elric turned to leave, Yukino's curiosity got the better of her. She glanced around the classroom, its emptiness and tranquility unusual for such a space.

"Oh, this is the place arranged by Hiratsuka for me," Elric replied casually.

"Hiratsuka?" Yukino tilted her head slightly, puzzled.

Realizing his slip, Elric clarified, "It's by Teacher Shizuka Hiratsuka."

"Teacher?"

Her eyebrows rose slightly at how Elric referred to the teacher so informally. However, before she could press further, Elric had already exited the room.

"Here… eat?"

Time was running out for the lunch break. Deciding it would be inefficient to wander around looking for another spot, Yukino tightened her lips. For the first time, she resolved to accept someone else's unspoken kindness.

If this even counts as acceptance.

"It feels… a little strange."

As she settled into the chair Elric had just vacated, the lingering warmth beneath her caught her off guard. Yet, instead of the discomfort she would have expected, an inexplicable thought gnawed at her mind.

After lunch, Yukino returned to class, only to notice Elric sitting by the window behind her.

Unconsciously, she began to pay attention to him. She soon pieced together his identity: a boy from a reconstituted family who had lost his parents, raising his younger sister alone. His appearance and academic performance were exceptional, making him a topic of frequent discussion.

Daily interactions with Elric rarely went beyond sharing lunch together. Yet, Yukino found herself quietly admiring someone like him. After all, she could barely handle the pressures imposed by her own family. If she were in Elric's position, bearing the weight of raising a sibling alone, she felt she would have collapsed long ago.

Over time, Yukino also grew to know Hiratsuka Shizuka, a beautiful and compassionate teacher who, despite not being assigned to their class, showed genuine care for all students.

Well, after all, She is also a "problem child" in Shizuka's eyes, Yukino mused.

As the days turned into weeks, Yukino found herself gradually accepting both Elric and Shizuka in her life. Though she never voiced it, she realized she no longer paid attention to the judgmental gazes of others. Nor did she feel confined to living under the shadow of her older sister, Haruno.

While her sister's presence still exerted pressure, Yukino had learned to transform that pressure into a driving force to push herself forward. No longer bound to the mechanical fate of a puppet, she understood that it was Elric who had brought about this change. The boy who read When the Stars Shine during lunch breaks had altered her perspective entirely.

"If the stars of humanity are the great figures who emerge throughout history, then Elric is the star that belongs to me..."

For three years in school, she shared countless meals with Elric in that small classroom. Their time together became her most cherished moments, so much so that the world in Yukino's eyes seemed to revolve solely around him.

She knew it was Elric who acknowledged her, who validated her existence, and who instilled confidence in her.

She had thought that this routine—this bond—would last until the end of Middle school. But as graduation loomed, Yukino realized with a pang of unease that she might soon be separated from Elric.

"No... I don't want to lose you like this."

Despite meeting other classmates through Elric during those three years, Yukino thought of him as her only true friend. Not even Hiratsuka could occupy that sacred place in her heart.

Determined not to let their paths diverge, she began asking Elric about his plans for High school. As if guided by fate, she worked tirelessly and successfully enrolled in Kunugigaoka High school alongside him.

But...

"Do I... really see Elric as just a friend?"

At first, she believed her feelings were nothing more than the affection one feels for a close friend. However, as time passed, Yukino began to notice how deeply she cared about every detail of Elric's life—his actions, his words. She even found herself growing uneasy whenever he spoke to other girls.

The truth she had been avoiding became impossible to ignore: Yukinoshita Yukino had become a captive of her feelings for Elric.

Confronting her emotions, she decided to test herself. After being assigned to a different class from Elric at Kunugigaoka Academy, she deliberately avoided contacting him for an entire week.

The results only confirmed what she had suspected. During that week, she lost her appetite and couldn't focus on anything. Her thoughts were consumed entirely by Elric.

Reflecting on her present situation, Yukino sighed softly. She had hoped the message she received earlier was from Elric, but it turned out to be from her sister instead.

But...

"Wait, Elric seems to be a member of the student council, right?"

The sudden realization lit a spark of excitement in her heart.

Standing up abruptly, Yukinoshita Yukino could no longer contain herself. She was impatient to see Elric.