A/N: Hey everyone, I just wanted to let you all know that, with us now entering September, there might be a slowdown in how often I'm publishing chapters - I'm not yet entirely sure how busy I'll be this coming fall. At absolute maximum, I may drop back down to a schedule of a chapter every 2-3 weeks. Hopefully the dropoff is less than that.

Also, a content warning: there's a reference to domestic abuse in this chapter. I've updated the tags on AO3 to include it (FF.N doesn't have a tagging system, so nothing I can do there), but I figured I ought to add a warning to the chapter itself.

Chapter 25
Eternal Rivalry is Difficult

In the course of my studies, I'd stumbled across some of the grizzlier sides of history. Torture devices, waterboarding, days without sleep... there were a wide variety of ways that humans could exact pain onto others, and those arts had been perfected by the darkest elements of society over the centuries.

Nevertheless, I was fairly certain I'd discovered the pinnacle.

My muscles screaming in agony, I lifted yet another large log designated for the bonfire; or, more accurately, one end of a log. On the other, Yotsuba was looking back at me with a blank look on her face, only the barest of hints of pity detectable in her eyes.

It was enough. I felt pathetic.

"Uesugi-san... do... do you think you'll be ok?"

"Yeah... yeah, I'm fine," I panted, not capable of even lifting one hand from the log to wipe my brow - if I allowed my grip to loosen even slightly, the log would certainly smash to the ground, and make the acquaintance of my foot. "This is just... just a bit heavy."

"If you're sure," she said doubtfully. "Um... remember to lift with your legs, Uesugi-san!"

"Noted," I hissed painfully, and we began to carry the log down the eternally long slope leading from the warehouse to the lodge. The flag from the morning's orienteering had long since been removed, and in its place was a steady stream of students transporting logs. This was our fourth trip already, and my arms were on the verge of giving out.

"Now now, Fuutarou-kun, I know you can give it a bit more. Come on, now."

The teasing voice came from behind me, and I turned my head to see Ichika carrying her own log with another girl. She winked at me as they rapidly passed us, our slowness caused entirely by my own weakness. Frowning, I squared my shoulders, and lifted the log a bit higher.

"Let's keep going."

Yotsuba nodded approvingly, and we continued down the path. Eventually, we reached the plaza where the students assigned to campfire duty were constructing what could only be described as a pyre. The stack of logs had risen almost to my height, and I was starting to get worried as to how we would put ours on top.

"Hmm..." Yotsuba mused as we arrived, clearly having come across the same conundrum as me. "This might be tricky..."

"Let's use physics, not raw strength," I groaned, shaking my head. "I'm too tired for that."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Yotsuba frowned.

"First, I'll get as close as I can..."

Walking up to the edge of the log pile, Yotsuba holding the other end, I bent my knees slightly, and then raised the log up onto my shoulder. Wincing at the weight and the strain on my biceps, I then adjusted my hands to push it up, and up, and up, until the edge of the log rested on the top of the structure, pointing in the direction I wanted it to go.

"Do you have a firm grip?" I asked.

"Uh... huh," Yotsuba said, eyeing my manoeuvre with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Yeah... that's probably deserved.

I began walking my hands down the log towards her, providing upward force the entire time so as to never let the entire weight of the log rest on Yotsuba. As I got closer to her, the amount of force I needed to employ got less and less, a consequence of getting further and further away from the pivot point. When I finally reached her, we were able to hold the log together with relatively little effort.

"Great," I said. "Now, let's both lift and push at the same time. On the count of three..."

"Ok!" Yotsuba said brightly. Counting down from three, we both simultaneously pushed and lifted, and the log rose into the air before pivoting over the log that was acting as its fulcrum. Eventually, as the centre of gravity passed the sustaining log, we were forced to switch from pushing up and forward to pulling down and forward. Nevertheless, eventually the log was in place.

"That was way easier than before!" Yotsuba exclaimed. "Yay, physics!"

"No sense doing more work than you need to," I shrugged. "Also, ow."

"Eh? Uesugi-san, manual labour builds character! Also, muscles!"

"Are muscles and character worth how sore I am?"

Yotsuba closed her eyes, and an expression which was probably her attempt at a saintly look crossed her face.

"Ah, Uesugi-san - the fruit of our labours are revealed only in time. Is it worth it? Is it not worth it? Who knows? It is up to the individual. However, as they say: nothing ventured, nothing gained."

"How philosophical," I said drily. "Nevertheless, I think I'll err on the side of caution, and neither venture nor gain."

"Boo, lame! Laaaaame! Take part in the adventure, Uesugi-san!"

"No thanks. After we're done hauling logs, I want a long, hot bath."

"I don't think the lodge has baths," Yotsuba pointed out as we made our way back up the hill.

"Wait, really? Ugh, that's disappointing. Fine- I guess I'll satisfy myself with a nice, hot shower."

"That does sound nice about now..." Yotsuba mused.

As we reached the warehouse, we were greeted to a welcome sight - a group passing us was carrying the final log. Ichika and her partner were watching the log go. As we arrived, the other girl yawned and then waved goodnight, leaving just Ichika, Yotsuba, and myself.

"Good work," I yawned in turn. "That was a lot more physical labour than I was expecting."

"Ah, well," Ichika shrugged. "It's good to get some exercise once in a while."

I looked at her in betrayal. "I'm shocked you're up for physical labour."

"Hey," she laughed. "I exercise sometimes! I just also like to sleep!"

Grumbling, I stretched, and then turned to Yotsuba.

"Shall we head back?"

"Um... actually..."

Yotsuba glanced down at her feet, and I realized that she was awkwardly grabbing her arm, as though using it as a support. She was squeezing it tightly, her knuckles whitening at the pressure. My eyes immediately narrowed.

Something was up.

"Ichika... had a question for me, remember? I... kind of wanted to discuss it with her in private. Sorry, Uesugi-san."

"Oh," I said, blinking. "Right..."

Then, I shook my head. "It's fine. I guess I'll head back first, then."

Yotsuba nodded, and Ichika looked back and forth between us, her eyes narrowed slightly - though with concern, or suspicion, I couldn't say. I turned and began to walk away, and Ichika sighed. Then, she and Yotsuba walked into the warehouse where the logs had been stored. Glancing back, I made eye-contact with Yotsuba, who had simultaneously glanced back at me. She gave me a small, sad smile, and I didn't want to leave.

Nevertheless, I left.

As I began to walk down the hill, a war raged within me. On one side, the army bearing the flag of 'Respect Yotsuba's Privacy' lined up, full regalia on display. On the other, the motley band of brigands and thieves bearing the dubious banner of 'Eavesdropping' lurked in the forest, preparing to strike guerilla-style when the army least expected it.

The battle raged as I continued down the hill. As I reached the bottom, the well-formed army finished dispatching the bandits, and I sighed. I valued Yotsuba's trust more than knowing whatever this secret was.

Turning inward, I faced the emotions which had been screaming in my ear to return up the hill, to listen in, to know- and forced them into the mental cage in my heart, the one in which I locked up all my other base desires. I turned the key, and clicked the padlock shut. Inside, they howled in rage, demanding satisfaction and release, insolent curiosity locked away with jealousy, lust, and desire - and the other things I didn't need.

With one more forlorn look up towards the distant warehouse, I turned the corner on the trail, and left Yotsuba and Ichika to their private conversation.

If I listened in on something this fraught, after she explicitly told me she wanted privacy, it would be a massive violation of her trust. I can't do that.

As much as I really want to.

Crossing the plaza alone, I entered the lodge to find that most of the attendees weren't in the main lobby - perhaps there were some other areas which had various forms of entertainment, or maybe they were in their rooms. Regardless, there were relatively few people present. The only ones I could see were Itsuki, who was curled up in an armchair by the fire, and a group of boys across the room by the other fire. Amongst them, I saw a familiar shock of blond hair which set my teeth on edge.

I made my way out of the lobby and (barely) navigated to my room, which was empty. Grabbing some toiletries and a towel from my suitcase, I went and had the hot shower I'd been craving. As the warm water cascaded over my bare back, I sighed with pleasure. My muscles would certainly ache tomorrow - but perhaps not as badly as I'd originally feared.

Eventually, after wrapping up, I got changed, brushed my teeth, and returned to my room. Dropping off my dirty clothes, I returned to the lobby in my sleepwear - it was, after all, getting quite late. Wandering over to Itsuki, I sat down in the other armchair, a quiet groan escaping my lips as my back muscles complained. She glanced up, glasses on her face, and I realized that she'd curled up with a book.

"Uesugi-kun," she acknowledged, looking back down at the book. "Nice pyjamas."

"Hey," I said weakly, raising a hand. "Also, thanks."

"Are you ok?" she asked, glancing back up again, a concerned look crossing her face.

"Yeah, I will be," I said, rolling my shoulders to see if it helped at all. It did not. "Just sore from helping with campfire duties. Also, I was climbing a bunch of trees for the test of courage, which I am not accustomed to doing."

"I see," Itsuki nodded. "Sounds unpleasant."

"Right?"

We both chuckled, and then I leaned back in the chair.

This thing is too comfortable. I might fall asleep in here...

"Ah, speaking of which," I said, leaning forward again and glancing at her. "Are you ok? It seemed like you really didn't have a great time with the test of courage."

Itsuki's face reddened slightly, and she muttered something.

"Sorry, I... didn't catch that."

"It was really scary," she muttered again, slightly louder this time.

I smiled. "Well, that means we did our job well. I'll be sure to let Yotsuba know. Why did you decide to do it, though, if you were that scared?"

"Nino needed a partner, and I decided to be a good sister," Itsuki murmured. "That's what I get for trying to be nice."

"Mm, true. Best to never be nice," I nodded. Itsuki rolled her eyes at me, and I laughed.

"By the way," I added, glancing at her book. "What are you reading? If you don't mind my asking, that is."

"Oh," she said, looking down at it. "It's a romance book. I'm sure you wouldn't like it, what with your aversion to love and all."

"I don't have an aversion to the concept," I muttered, my face reddening slightly. "It's just that I don't have much interest in pursuing it in my own life at the moment."

"Is that so? Uesugi-kun, are you one of those '2D girls are better than 3D girls' type of guys?"

I scowled. "That's not what I meant, and you know it."

She laughed, and then flipped the book over to look at the summary on the back. As Itsuki began to explain the novel to me, I suddenly felt a prickling feeling on the back of my neck, the sensation of someone (usually a Nakano) staring at me. I kept my eyes trained on Itsuki, but internally I was dying to turn around and figure out who it was. As she finished explaining, I nodded, and began asking follow-up questions.

Then, I broke, and turned to look.

Across the room, where the gaggle of boys were gathered, the ever-popular Second Place-san reigned supreme - but he was looking across the room at us, instead. Well, 'us' was a stretch. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that he was staring at Itsuki.

I looked back at her, and a familiar flash of irritation flared up in my chest. However, I also had the strangest feeling that the look on Second Place-san's face...

There's no other word for it. It was a lonely look.

Somewhere deep inside, despite how much I really didn't want to... I could viscerally understand the concept of feeling lonely despite being surrounded by people. An intrusive thought pushed its way into my mind, something I'd been suppressing for months at this point - the memory of that afternoon in early September when I'd finally been overwhelmed by my own loneliness, and had broken down. A spark of empathy for the boy flickered to life; still dominated and engulfed by my irritation, it nevertheless held a small place of its own.

I still sometimes feel like that. In waves. Less, now. It's all because of...

As if she had been summoned, the front door to the lodge opened, and Yotsuba walked in, Ichika a few steps behind her. Both of them had sombre looks on their faces, and I had the distinct feeling that Yotsuba's face was blotchy - but I didn't have the chance to analyze it, perhaps intentionally on their part. Within a moment, both of them had hurried through the lobby without so much as sparing me a look, and then they were gone.

"That's unfortunate," I muttered.

"I agree!" Itsuki said, passionately. "The Duke of the North could have been such a good character - but the reveal that he was Elizabeth's half-brother completely undercut all of the preceding character development for both of them, not to mention the romantic tension! Completely gone, all in one stroke. I was really disappointed. Luckily, the next twist recovered the series..."

I realized with a start that I'd missed some of Itsuki's explanation, and now had no clue what she was talking about.

Shit.

I spent the next ten minutes or so delicately navigating the conversation and attempting to piece together what I'd missed by zoning out - luckily, I was fairly successful, at least on the front of avoiding Itsuki making the realization that I'd not been listening. Eventually, I heard footsteps, and glanced over to see Ichika, Miku, and Yotsuba entering the lobby. Yotsuba spotted us, and bounded over.

"Itsuki, Uesugi-saaaaan! Hellooo! Ooh, Uesugi-san, cute pyjamas!"

Taking a moment to study her face before responding, I noted that there was no trace of the blotchiness I'd suspected her of before; instead, her cheeks were just red, as though she'd smacked them several times, and washed her face repeatedly.

But there was a smile on her face, and that was all that really mattered.

"Hey," I said smoothly, leaning back in the armchair. "Thanks, they're new. Everything go well?"

Yotsuba just nodded silently, and Itsuki gave me a funny look. Ignoring it, I glanced over at Ichika and Miku. Ichika seemed to be avoiding eye contact with me, which was, to put it mildly, suspicious. Miku, on the other hand, was doing the opposite - she was just staring directly at me. Given she hadn't been party to the conversation in the warehouse, and I doubted Yotsuba had confided in her when she'd been so averse to even talking to Ichika, I assumed it was just something else.

She's a weird one. Not that I really have room to talk.

"Ooh, wanna play some cards?" Yotsuba asked, whipping a pack out of seemingly nowhere. "There's a coffee table over there, we could play there!"

"I'm fine, thanks," Itsuki said, holding up her book. "I'm just reaching a good part."

"Oh, ok," Yotsuba pouted. She turned to look at me, and I shrugged.

"Sure, I'm always game to kick your butt."

"Hey!" she protested. "Ichika's here! I won't get beat too badly!"

Then, she glanced aside, and muttered, "...probably."

"What was that last bit?"

"Nothing! Let's go play!"

Yotsuba and I, as well as Ichika and Miku (who had both said nothing since arriving), moved about ten metres over to where a small coffee table was set up along with some smaller armchairs. As we settled around it, Yotsuba began to deal, and we all prepared for battle.

As expected, it was a slaughter. Ichika was the only one who could withstand my onslaught, and rapidly, it was just the two of us. Nevertheless, she wasn't engaging in her usual banter - and what she was putting out was clearly only half-hearted. I narrowed my eyes, and shook my head.

"Ichika."

"Yes?" she said, looking up at me from below half-lowered eyelids.

"To quote Yotsuba, you must 'put your entire ass into it'. If you half-ass this, I'm going to win handily."

Ichika laughed softly. "Somehow, I never envisioned you of all people saying the phrase 'entire ass'."

Then, she squared her shoulders. "Fine, you want me to give it my all? I'll whip your butt."

"Goo- wait, no, I'm going to crush you!"

"Is that so?" she said, waggling her eyebrows, and a wisp of a smile appearing on her face. "Do your worst."

The war raged on, with Ichika finally going full-force. Yotsuba and Miku were consistently swept to the side - except for one round when, seemingly by a fluke, Yotsuba absolutely dominated. As she claimed victory, I leaned back in disbelief, stunned.

"I didn't see that one coming," I muttered to Ichika. She shrugged.

"That's how they getcha."

"Who's 'they' in this scenario?!"

She waggled her eyebrows at me again. "Who knows?"

Rolling my eyes, I sagged in my chair, and happened to glance to the side. Suddenly, my eyes narrowed. Back by the fire, I saw that Itsuki was no longer alone - a certain blond individual had taken up residence in the other armchair. They weren't so far away as to be out of earshot, though their words were faint. Straining, I tried to focus; I most certainly didn't trust Second Place-san's intentions.

"If I may be so bold, Nakano-san, I do wish to inquire as to the contents of the book you're reading."

"Um... why?"

"Uh... shall we say, curiosity?"

Itsuki seemed dubious, but she closed her book, her finger holding her place.

"Hm... alright. It's a romance story about a girl, Elizabeth, who grows up in an orphanage, but always dreams of a life of elegance and nobility. She works hard, and wins a scholarship to a prestigious academy attended by royalty. However, she's shunned by the majority of the nobles there for being a commoner, and so her school days aren't what she expected them to be. However, there are two nobles who won't seem to leave her alone - the mysterious Duke of the North, Claude, and the fourth prince, Ashton. It's about their relationships, and the love between them."

"Hmm, indeed," Second Place-san said, nodding. "It sounds like a beautiful story."

"Yeah, it is! I really liked- actually, wait, hang on a second. I'm confused. From what I've heard, you were quite disdainful of those you deemed to be 'commoners', specifically Uesugi-kun. Why would you like a story like this?!"

To my absolute shock, Second Place-san sighed, and hunched over, his posture the absolute picture of regret.

"I... may have said some things in haste and anger to Uesugi Fuutarou that I didn't fully mean. I am truly a lover of romance, and such a story warms my heart immensely. While it is true that I do believe in the... superiority of elites, that does not mean that love between nobles and commoners is something I think should not flourish."

Itsuki narrowed her eyes. "That's... still not great, but I guess I'll take what I can get for now."

Second Place-san frowned. Then, he shook his head, and began to press for more details about the book.

"Uesugi-san?"

Starting, I turned back around to see Yotsuba staring at me inquisitively, mid-deal.

"Sorry," I said, shaking my head. "Got distracted for a minute there."

"All good," she said, smiling at me. "I have to defend my crown - it makes sense you'd be depressed at the prospect of taking me on!"

I glanced over at Ichika, who winked at me.

"Tag team?" I offered.

"Tag team," she responded affirmatively. "Let's crush her."

"Wait, what? Tha-That's not fair!" Yotsuba complained.

When she'd finished handing out the cards, Ichika and I pretty much immediately executed her. The dispatching of Miku was also swift, who looked quite glum about it. Finally, the battle was down to Ichika and I.

"It's too bad," I said, shaking my head. "After our long and winding road, I must now turn on you... partner."

"Truly tragic," Ichika murmured, shaking her head. "I'd hoped to have you by my side forever, Fuutarou-kun."

"Alas, some things were not meant to be. En garde!"

My riposte stabbed her through the heart - and through her death, I won the friendly game of cards.

"It's good to have the crown back," I gloated, leaning back in the chair again.

"You guys cheated!" Yotsuba complained. "Two against one isn't fair!"

"Yeah, that's true," I nodded. "You could have allied with Miku once you realized what we were doing, though."

Yotsuba looked thunderstruck. "Oh my god, you're right, I could have. Why didn't I think of that?!"

"Because you were too busy gloat-"

"YOU ASSHOLE!"

All four of us turned sharply to look at the chairs by the fireplace: to where Itsuki was standing, her face a bright red. Second Place-san was sitting in his chair looking up at her, an astonished look on his face. As Itsuki towered over him, yelling, he almost seemed to shrink into the chair.

"How dare you! We aren't remotely close enough for you to make that sort of comment. I don't know who the hell you think you are, but I'm sick of it. I'm sick of you being an arrogant prick - leave me alone!"

"W-Wait, Nakano-san," Second Place-san offered weakly. "That's... that's not how I meant it."

"Go to hell," she hissed. "I hate you!" Then, grabbing her book off the armrest, she fled the room. As she went, I was certain I saw tears in her eyes.

I immediately stood to go after her, but Yotsuba had done the exact same thing moments before me. Around the table like lightning, she grabbed my arm.

"I'll go," she said softly.

"But-"

"Please," she said softly. "She won't want you to see her like this."

Nodding frustratedly, I sat back down, and Yotsuba jogged off in the direction Itsuki had ran. Gritting my teeth, I glanced over at Second Place-san, who seemed shell-shocked. On the one hand, I had a certain measure of pity for the boy, having once been in his shoes myself. Itsuki was, to put it mildly, not exactly the hardest person to upset.

On the other hand, he'd clearly just upset my friend - badly. That trumped any understanding I had, and by no small margin. The tiny droplet of sympathy for Second Place-san I'd previously spontaneously developed was in danger of swiftly evaporating in the heat of my anger.

This prick needs to learn a lesson.

Standing again, I stormed over to Second Place-san.

"What the hell was that?" I growled.

He looked up at me in fear, but then swallowed, steeled himself, and shook his head.

"I don't have to answer to you, Uesugi Fuutarou."

Standing, he turned on his heels, and marched back over to his group of friends, who gave him comforting pats on the shoulder as he returned - not something I particularly felt he deserved.

The bastard ran away.

Scowling, I skulked back over to Ichika and Miku in defeat, who both looked annoyed.

"Poor Itsuki-chan," Ichika sighed. "Man-handled by such an insensitive brute."

"I have to wonder how bad it actually was, though," Miku said quietly. "You know how Itsuki can be."

"I do, but think about it- what are the odds that what Takeda-san said was actually quite insensitive?" Ichika responded, shaking her head. "Pretty high, I would think. The boy is... hmm, how do I put this?"

"An asshole?" I growled, leaning back in my chair, irritation leaking from every pore of my body.

"Yep, that," Ichika said, pointing at me. "Mind you, Fuutarou-kun, I seem to recall you saying some fairly insensitive things yourself to our dear sister when you first met."

"I know," I groaned, covering my eyes with a hand. "I've regretted it ten-fold since then. So, having been in his position myself, I have at least a small measure of sympathy for him. Not much, though. He's insufferable."

Ichika shrugged. "True. Another round?"

"Please."

We continued to play for another thirty minutes or so, and Miku actually managed to net a few wins by pitting Ichika and I against each other, and then picking off the survivor after we'd been weakened. It helped that, in the absence of Yotsuba, it didn't feel good to be constantly taking her out first, and so Ichika and I both tended to focus on attempting to disable the other.

It also helped that my irritation was distracting me, though as time went on it died down, and I was able to regain my focus.

As we finished a round, I heard footsteps, and glanced over to see Yotsuba returning. She had a sad look on her face, and instead of returning to her spot, she just sat on the armrest of my chair, and glanced down at me.

"How's she doing?" I asked, looking up.

"Not great," Yotsuba said, shaking her head. "He apparently made a comment about her food consumption and weight - and you know how she is about that."

Ichika and I simultaneously hissed, drawing in breath. Miku simply shrugged.

How do you get from a fantasy romance novel to her waistline?!

"So... yeah, she's not super happy. She was really upset - but I think she's more angry than sad now. She's reading her book in the room, so I decided to leave her to it."

"I see," Ichika said softly. "Well, there's not much we can do right now, I guess. I'll talk to her when we get back. Are you going to rejoin us, Yotsuba?"

"I think I'll just watch a few rounds," she said, shaking her head. "I was getting my butt kicked anyways."

"Alright, if you're sure," her sister shrugged. "I guess that means Miku has another chance."

"Eh?" Yotsuba said, frowning. "Miku, you won?!"

"Twice," she said, a quiet, smug smile on her face. "These two are big softies."

"Hey," I scowled. "Do you want us to target you?"

"No thank you, I'm fine," she said, shaking her head quickly. "Please continue to attack each other."

As we returned to playing, it was essentially even between Ichika and I. However, she had a slight edge over me, the reason for that being that I was thoroughly distracted. After rejoining us, Yotsuba had elected to sit on the armrest of my chair instead of in her own, open chair - an imitation of my own seating arrangement that morning. I didn't mind, save for the fact that every time she excitedly moved to comment on what was happening, or turned to talk to me, Yotsuba's thigh would press against my shoulder.

It was distracting, but... not altogether unpleasant.

Alright, come on. Pull yourself together, Uesugi Fuutarou.

From deep in the cage in my heart, there was a growl.

I was still mostly able to hold my own. Nevertheless, at one point I lost quite badly, going out very early on, leaving Miku and Ichika to duke it out - or rather, for Ichika to one-sidedly slaughter her sister. Yotsuba leaned over, and ruffled my hair, her fingers running along my scalp in a way that sent shivers down my spine.

"Too bad," she teased. "Uesugi-san, looks like you need a bit more practice."

"Hey," I scowled jokingly, "I don't want to hear that from you. You're getting a big head just because you beat me once?"

She patted me on the shoulder, her fingers leaving my hair, and I shivered again at the fading impression of her touch on my head.

"I'm cheering for you, Uesugi-san," she grinned down at me.

"Hey!" Ichika complained. "Cheer for your own sisters!"

"No," Yotsuba retorted, sticking out her tongue. "I don't think I will."

"Traitor," Miku complained. "Capital punishment. Death is the only recourse."

"Wait what?! I'm going to die if I don't cheer for you?!" Yotsuba exclaimed, a panicked tone entering her voice. "Ah, geez. Sorry, Uesugi-san, but duty calls. Go, sisters, go!"

"How fickle," I sighed. "Folding under such shallow threats? I expected better of you, Yotsuba."

"I'm sorry," she sighed in turn, dramatically gripping my shoulder. "But my choice... it is final. I can't be swayed. Deep sisterly bonds bind me now!"

"Well, that sucks," I complained, glancing up at her and running my hand through my hair, fixing the mess she'd caused. "I guess that just means I'll need to kick their butts and win you back."

Yotsuba's face reddened, and she looked over at her sisters.

"Um... um... is... is that how that works?" she asked weakly.

Ichika rolled her eyes. "Stop flirting and deal, Fuutarou-kun."

"We're not flirting," I complained - but I grabbed the deck of cards, and dealt.

The rest of the evening passed with little incident. At some point, I wasn't sure when, Second Place-san and his cohort left, leaving us alone in the lobby. Eventually, Yotsuba let out a huge yawn, stifling it with her hand.

"Sorry, guys, I think I need to go to bed," she said sleepily. "It's been a very long day."

"Sure," I said, glancing up at her uncomfortably - she had shifted at some point, and her hip was now pressing right against my shoulder, which, while not a displeasurable experience by any measure, was making me extremely conscious of our relative positions. "I'm about ready to call it a night as well."

"Yeah, I'm pretty tired too," Ichika yawned. "Let's call it there."

"Fine," Miku murmured, beginning to pick the cards up off the table. "I was hoping to finish on a win..."

"Maybe next time," I smiled at her, and she tentatively smiled back at me.

Yotsuba slid off the armrest, and then I too rose to my feet. Miku handed the pack of cards back to Yotsuba, and then we made our way out of the lobby, Ichika and Miku trailing behind to talk for a moment. The two of us walked through the main doors together, walking down a long hallway before reaching a flight of stairs.

"Goodnight, Uesugi-san," she smiled at me.

"Have a good sleep," I smiled back. "See you in the morning."

Grinning, Yotsuba ascended the stairs to the women's floor, while I stayed on the ground floor and made my way to my room.

Once there, I found Maeda, the other three boys, and Second Place-san all getting ready to go to shower. Having already done so, I instead began preparing for bed - but not before shooting Second Place-san a glare which I felt he very richly deserved. On seeing it, he seemed to almost wilt, and I felt a small modicum of guilt.

Only a small amount, though.

Eventually, the other boys left to shower - but Second Place-san hesitated as he was walking out the door. Lingering, he glanced after our departing roommates... and then back at me.

"If you have something to say for yourself," I snarled, glaring at him again, "just spit it out."

Then go.

Second Place-san opened his mouth... and then closed it again. He looked out the door again at the retreating backs of the other boys.

Then, he sighed, and closed the door, the two of us alone in the room.

There was a moment's silence between us, and his face was a diorama of conflict. Second Place-san seemed to go through several emotions sequentially, though they passed so quickly that identifying individual ones was impossible. Finally, his face settled down, and the expression therein surprised me - because it looked like remorse.

"Would you believe me," he finally said, his voice soft, "if I told you that it was not my intention to upset Nakano-san?"

"Maybe," I replied, staring at him unblinkingly. "It wouldn't make any difference though. Intentions matter far less than outcomes."

"Is that so?" he said quietly, a hint of steel entering his voice.

There was another moment's silence.

I refused to break it - I was perfectly happy to let him stew.

Then, unexpectedly, he shook his head, and sighed again.

"You're right, of course. I've certainly gone and put my foot in it. Nevertheless, I hope you will believe that my intentions were not nefarious."

Why does it feel like he's seeking my approval? I'm not going to give it. He can go to hell.

"I'll take it into consideration, even if I don't know that I believe it," I retorted, raising an eyebrow. "It doesn't matter, though. Like I said- your intentions are completely irrelevant."

"I... suppose I can't ask for more than that," Second Place-san said.

"No." I muttered. "You can't."

There was another long stretch of silence, in which I simply stared at the boy, refusing to relieve the pressure. He'd done wrong. I wasn't going to let him off the hook. He held my eye-contact, shaking slightly- and then Second Place-san's shoulders seemed to slump. He murmured something which I couldn't quite make out.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you. Speak up."

"I don't know what to do," he whispered again, loud enough that I could hear this time. "I have no idea how to approach her. I was... I was trying to make things better."

I froze, thunderstruck. This was something I hadn't expected - an admission of helplessness, at least in one small area, from Second Place-san.

Is he... asking for advice?

Walking over to my bed, I sat down on the edge, and pondered. I had seen Second Place-san fiery. I'd seen him condescending, and rude, and frightened, and vicious. I'd seen him full of energy, and full of an irritating level of cheer.

I'd never seen him contrite.

After a moment's hesitation, he stepped away from the door, and sat on the bed that neighboured mine, facing me.

I... don't know what to do either.

"I would advise starting with an apology," I said drily, my mouth moving before my brain had fully decided on a course of action. "Face her honestly, and admit what you did wrong. It won't be enough... but it's a start."

"I-It won't be enough?"

It wasn't for me.

"No. You have a lot of ill-will built up with her," I scowled. "Not to mention her other sisters. Oh, and me. Don't forget me. If you want to get into her good books, you have a lot of work to do."

"I... I see," he said, dejected.

Are you going to step up? Or will you run away, like a coward?

"Listen," I said, beginning to build up steam. "You need to value her more. This is important. At risk of sounding cheesy, you need to cherish her."

"Cherish her...?"

"Think. Think, damn it. Who was the only one who came to every one of your sessions? Who was the only one who put up with you, and kept coming back?"

There was a moment of silence between us.

"It was Itsuki," I said emphatically, seeing that he wasn't going to answer. "Her motivation for having done it is irrelevant - she was still there every single time. Every time! You need to work with what you're given, not what you wish you had."

"What... what I'm given..." the boy mused.

I made eye-contact with him, dragging his gaze up with my own, making damn-well sure he understood my point. "You need to treat her well. Better. Not like this."

Second Place-san hung his head, dejection radiating from every pore of his body.

"You're right," he whispered. "What the hell have I been doing?"

I was surprised by his sudden acquiescence- but I decided to push on, striking while the iron was hot.

"If you understand that," I growled, " if you really understand that: then go apologize to her as soon as you have the chance - though she may not accept it. You'll need to work your ass off."

"Yes," he nodded. "You are right."

"I... Good. Good!" I said, suddenly not quite sure how to proceed.

I... what the hell happened to him? I wasn't expecting him to be this... docile.

There was silence.

Ok. This didn't go how I expected. But... maybe that's ok.

The quiet extended, threatening to take over - and then I sighed.

"Look, I have to ask you something. It's been bugging me for a while."

Second Place-san looked at me pensively, his uncharacteristic quietness continuing unabated.

"I don't get you," I said matter-of-factly.

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Why are you so desperate to beat me? Sure, winning is nice - but it's not everything. It's certainly not something that would drive someone to lash out the way you did when we first met. I don't believe it's just about the academics, or just about your job."

Second Place-san laughed. "Uesugi Fuutarou, what on earth could you mean? We are eternal rivals, and I simply wish to-"

"Cut the crap," I said, my voice turning cold. "I'm serious."

He fell silent, his eyes growing distant, and he looked away from me. The quiet stretched, and I began to wonder if he would even answer me - or simply choose to remain voiceless, letting the silence be his answer.

When it finally began reaching the verge of the unbearable, he spoke.

"I have to win."

I stayed silent, watching him... waiting for a proper explanation.

"As the first son of the Takeda household... there are expectations placed on me. Things which I must do... or I'll be branded a failure."

"So it's about your family name?" I said, disappointment slamming into me like a bag of bricks.

What a shallow reason. Ugh. I can't believe I was expecting something deepe-

Second Place-san shook his head. "No. It's about interpersonal connection. Frankly... I don't care much about the family name. However... it's something which matters immensely to those around me."

There was a beat, and then he added, his voice barely a whisper: "It matters immensely to my father."

I frowned. The picture, murky before, was beginning to become a bit clearer. I wasn't sure I liked where it was going.

"So... you're doing it to please your father?"

"In a sense," he said, glancing aside, his eyes distant. "Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that I am doing it to avoid displeasing my father."

As he spoke, Second Place-san's hand unconsciously rose, and came to rest on his cheek. My eyes settled on his fingers, long and slender, fragile, and a realization came to me like an ugly thing slithering in the night, something sickening which, only at the very end, you realized had been there all along, lurking in the shadows.

Someone, somewhere along the line, had beat him for his failures.

Probably his father.

How often, how severely - I had no idea. Maybe it was an omniscient threat in his life. All I could tell was that Second Place-san's behaviour hadn't been coming remotely from where I'd thought. It wasn't born out of ambition or pride- but out of fear.

Fear of what would happen if he failed.

And I've been a consistent roadblock in his way for almost a year and a half. No wonder he was bitter. No wonder he lashed out.

Despite myself, despite all the history between us, I could feel the spark of empathy I'd felt for the boy earlier in the day resuscitate, beginning to glow brightly enough to start to confront the dark antipathy I felt for him.

Along with a sense of disgust.

If it was him... his father is a piece of shit.

I sighed and scratched my head, leaning back on the bed. The realization I'd made complicated my feelings. Before, it had been easy to just write him off as a buffoon with a superiority complex. Now, however, I was starting to get the sneaking suspicion that Second Place-san didn't actually think very highly of himself at all; and that his usual bombastic behaviour was nothing more than a façade, a mask erected to protect himself.

The thought disturbed me.

"I see," I finally responded.

"Tell me," the blond boy responded, his gazing turning hard. "An answer for an answer. Why do you hold on to first place so jealously? What drives you?"

I paused to consider. I was loath to tell him - but I'd started the prying, and gotten more than I'd bargained for. Refusing to answer at all would be...

"I made a promise, a long time ago." I said quietly. "To... to someone who made a massive impact in my life. One that I intend to keep. I promised her I would get the best grades... and so I am."

"I see," Second Place-san said, nodding, and a hint of his usual chuunibyou energy came back to him. "A vow, if you will."

"I... guess so?"

"Ah, I see, I see. That... 'tis something I can respect! A man's vow to a woman!"

I sighed frustratedly. "Why are you always like this?"

"I jest. Regardless..."

The boy fell silent again. Then he gazed up at the ceiling, his eyes transfixed on something beyond the ceiling tiles. Then, he nodded to himself, and looked back down to lock eyes with me. "I shall take what you said into consideration. I must confront Nakano-san head on, bearing in mind the gratitude I surely owe her for coming to my sessions when no others would."

"Yes, good," I said, nodding in turn. "That sounds like a great pla-"

"Indeed," Second Place-san said, standing, pumping his fist. "I must be relentless in my pursuit!"

"No, I- wait, what? No. No! Definitely don't be relentl-"

"My eyes are opened! Ha ha! Thank you, Uesugi Fuutarou! I shall wage an honest war to make amends!"

With that, Second Place-san dashed out of the room, a towel tossed over his shoulder, and a bag of toiletries in hand. I watched him go, and then lowered my head into my hands.

"Oh no. What hath I wrought?" I mourned quietly.

Itsuki... I'm so sorry.

After a few minutes of angst, the call of nature reared its head, and I went to go find a washroom. I got lost in my attempted return, and eventually I ran into Yotsuba doing the same thing. As we passed, she bumped her shoulder into mine, and grinned.

"My, my! Long time no see, Uesugi-san!"

"Right," I said drily.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?"

I stared at her blankly, my mind still full of the horror I'd unwittingly unleashed upon Itsuki, and the world.

"What?"

"Skiing! Remember, I won't let you cause any mass casualty incidents!"

Laughing, Yotsuba walked off, and I stared after her.

Slowly, I blinked.

Then, my eyes widened.

Oh crap. Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap. I forgot. I'm going to turn every bone in my body into dust tomorrow.

Returning to my room, I slipped under my covers, and gazed at the ceiling. In my mind's eye, I saw image after image after image of myself plowing head-first into small children, breaking various limbs, and finally slamming full force into a tree, leaving a distinctly Uesugi Fuutarou-shaped indent in the bark.

I'm going to die tomorrow.

Suddenly, a different intrusive thought entered my mind - Yotsuba's repeated touch throughout the very long day. It had dawned on me, perhaps during the card game, that we were both being more... touchy-feely compared to usual. I'd wondered if it was possibly just due to the fact we were on a trip, and therefore were both able to relax more. I wasn't quite sure when it had started - or if she'd even been the one to initiate it. Maybe it had been me. I didn't know.

I wonder what it means. Maybe nothing. Maybe...

There was part of me that felt like it knew the answer... but it was hidden, locked somewhere in the cage in my heart, padlocked away with all my other inconsequential desires; and to open the cage, to unleash the beasts chained within for the purposes of searching through their character with a fine-toothed comb... it would be inviting disaster. If they were released...

I'm scared to open the cage.

So, in lieu of analyzing her motives, I simply returned to the cold comfort of a visualization of snow and frost and anticipation.