[Chapter 23: The Attention Stealer (Continued)]
After the encounter in the hallway, Kaito's attempts to get closer to Yuri only escalated. Takumi and his friends, noticing the ongoing situation, couldn't help but have a little fun at Kaito's expense.
Kaito, unaware of Takumi's casual dominance in the situation, continued trying to charm Yuri in increasingly ridiculous ways.
The next day, during lunch break, Yuri was sitting in the cafeteria, chatting with Kana and Aoi about a project they were working on. Suddenly, Kaito appeared, sliding into the seat next to her with a grin.
"Hey, Yuri! You know, I was thinking..." Kaito began, clearly in his element. "Since the weather's nice, how about we go for a walk later? It would be nice to get some fresh air, and we could talk more."
Yuri blinked, slightly surprised, but before she could respond, Kana—who had been watching with an amused smirk—leaned over, interrupting.
"Oh, are you planning to take Yuri for a walk, Kaito?" Kana asked sweetly. "How considerate of you. But I'm afraid she's already walking with us."
Aoi chimed in, her tone teasing. "Yeah, we were planning on discussing something very important. It's not something you can just 'walk away' from."
Kaito's smile stiffened, but he quickly tried to recover, turning to Yuri. "Well, maybe some other time, then?"
Yuri nodded politely, feeling a bit awkward. "Uh, sure."
With that, Kaito stood up, but not without giving Takumi—who had been quietly watching from a distance—an annoyed look. Takumi, leaning casually against the wall, just gave Kaito an uninterested shrug.
"Maybe next time," Takumi said, clearly not caring either way.
A few days later, Kaito tried again, this time during gym class. The class was divided into groups for a basketball game, and as luck would have it, Kaito and Yuri ended up on the same team.
Throughout the game, Kaito tried to steal her attention in every possible way. Whenever he made a basket, he'd look over at Yuri with a big grin, expecting her to be impressed. Every time he passed the ball, he'd make sure to call out her name.
"Yuri! Over here! Pass it to me!"
Yuri shot him a confused look as he stood there, hand raised, but then she passed the ball to Takumi, who had already positioned himself for a much better shot. Kaito grinned, thinking this was his chance, but—
Takumi effortlessly made the basket, turning to Kaito with a calm look. "She didn't need you to get her attention. She knows I'm the one who scores."
Kaito's jaw tightened in frustration, but he tried to mask it with a forced laugh. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
The game continued, but Kaito's attempts to get Yuri to notice him were becoming more and more obvious, and every time, Takumi managed to outshine him without even trying. Kaito began to realize that Yuri wasn't as impressed with him as he'd hoped.
A few days later, Kaito decided to take a more direct approach. After class, he casually walked up to Yuri, who was putting her things in her bag.
"Hey, Yuri," Kaito began, his voice smooth as he leaned casually against the desk. "You know, I've been thinking… you're always surrounded by people, and I don't want to intrude, but I think we could really get to know each other better if we hung out sometime."
Yuri, slightly caught off guard, looked up and smiled politely. "I appreciate that, Kaito, but I'm really busy with schoolwork right now."
Kaito leaned in a little closer, a glint in his eye. "Maybe I can help you out with some of that schoolwork, huh? We could study together. You know, I'm pretty good with these subjects."
Yuri gave him a sweet, but firm smile. "I'm sure you are, but I've already got a study group. Thanks, though."
Before Kaito could say another word, Takumi appeared behind him, the usual bored expression on his face. He slid his hand across the desk and grabbed a book casually.
"I think Yuri's study group is enough for her," Takumi said, his voice dripping with casual indifference. "And we wouldn't want Kaito to overwork himself, right?"
Kaito clenched his fists but, this time, held his ground. "I'm just trying to help."
Takumi glanced at him, eyes narrowed just a little. "Well, it's not needed. But if you want to help, there's always room for improvement in your basketball game. You could start there."
Kaito's face flushed, his pride stung. "I'm fine with my game," he muttered, before quickly walking away, unable to save face any longer.
Despite his persistence, Kaito's efforts to win Yuri's attention continued to fall flat. He had tried all the tricks in the book—compliments, gifts, studying together, but nothing seemed to work. And each time, Takumi was there, effortlessly playing the role of the protective friend, while Yuri grew closer to him.
The following week, during lunch, Kaito made one last desperate attempt. He stood outside the classroom, waiting for Yuri to come out. As she passed by, he stepped forward.
"Yuri, I've been thinking," he began, with more than a hint of frustration in his voice, "I'm really starting to think that maybe you and I—"
Before he could finish, Takumi appeared right next to Yuri, casually slinging his arm around her shoulder. "I see you're still trying, Kaito. But Yuri's already got everything she needs," Takumi said with a grin, his voice dripping with amusement.
Yuri, though slightly embarrassed, smiled at Takumi, resting her hand lightly on his. "I'm glad to have friends like you."
Kaito was left standing there, watching as the two of them walked away, side by side, the door closing behind them. He stood there for a moment longer, and then, with a sigh, walked away, realizing that no matter what he tried, Takumi had already claimed Yuri's attention—and, more importantly, her heart.
Kaito, for all his charm and persistence, learned a hard lesson that day. But no matter how much he tried to make Yuri his, the connection between her and Takumi was just too strong.
And so, with each failed attempt, Kaito's pride took another blow, while Yuri and Takumi's bond continued to grow—stronger than ever.