"No one? What about Shizuru?" Yukino's eyes sparkled. "You specifically chose her as your manga partner. Don't tell me it wasn't because you had a crush on her and wanted a reason to be close?"
"I chose her because her art is incredible. Plus, I owed her a favor."
"And just for that, you let her move into your house? This is technically cohabitation, you know."
"It's a business decision. I'm the lead partner, and I'm ensuring her safety and privacy so she can focus on the work. Don't make it weird," Haruto grumbled.
"What about Reina then?"
"What does she have to do with anything? She's a former schoolmate, a close friend, and a business partner. She was being harassed by obsessive fans just like I was. Helping her out was the logical thing to do."
"Wow, you're such a wet blanket. Why are you so defensive tonight?" Haruto asked, trying to turn the tables.
"You're a nineteen-year-old sophomore in university. You spend every waking hour on your career and zero time with the opposite sex. As your friend, I'm legally obligated to worry," Yukino said with a playful smirk.
"I spent my university years buried in books too. I never dated, and then the moment I graduated, my parents started breathing down my neck to get married. I ended up fleeing to the regional office for two years just to escape the pressure. Looking back, I kind of regret it. I feel like my youth was missing the actual youth part. I'm just trying to remind you: don't let your golden years pass you by while you are busy with work. Pay attention to the people around you!"
"The people around me? Dating?" Haruto mused for a moment. "I see why you brought up Reina and Shizuru."
"Well? You're surrounded by exceptional women. Are you telling me you haven't felt even a single spark of interest?" Yukino leaned in, pressing for an answer.
"..."
Haruto went quiet. He was nineteen, turning twenty in just a few months. To say he had zero interest in the opposite sex would be a lie; his psychological makeup was that of a healthy young man. However, his schedule was a black hole that consumed every ounce of his energy. The spark of youth had mostly been buried under mountains of deadlines.
But looking at Yukino's mischievous, gossipy expression, Haruto realized she was just having fun at his expense. He decided he wouldn't let her win this round of teasing.
"The people around me? Well, now that you mention it, there is one other beautiful, talented woman in my life besides Reina and Shizuru. If I had to pick someone close to me to get to know better..." Haruto turned his head and looked at Yukino's pale profile. "I think you actually fit my personal aesthetic the best, Yukino."
"Me?" Yukino fell silent for a few seconds. She turned her head, her eyes wide with a mix of surprise and genuine intrigue. "Are you serious? In case you've forgotten, I'm over seven years older than you. I'm twenty-seven turning twenty-eight."
Surprisingly, she didn't seem embarrassed or flustered. Or perhaps she was just an expert at maintaining a cool front.
"So what?" Haruto laughed. Now that he had committed to the bit, he couldn't back down or he'd never hear the end of it. Besides, he had never really felt a significant mental age gap between them anyway. "You're still in your twenties. In a few months, I'll be in my twenties too. I don't care about the numbers."
"You really mean that?"
Yukino shifted her posture, uncrossing her legs and then recrossing them.
Haruto didn't know it, but this was her tell; it was the specific physical movement she made when she was concentrating deeply on a thought.
"Yeah. Totally serious," Haruto lied through his teeth, maintaining a confident grin.
Yukino took a deep breath, and then a genuine, bright smile broke across her face.
"Alright then. I'll remember that," she said, standing up. She offered him a final, enigmatic look before heading toward the stairs.
"Just make sure you don't try to back out later!"
'Back out? Back out of what?'
Haruto watched her go, a triumphant smirk on his face. He figured he had won the encounter. 'She's not as tough as she looks,' he thought. 'She was all gossip and teasing until I turned the heat on her, then she retreated to her room after just a couple of sentences.'
He felt quite satisfied with himself as he leaned back into the sofa.