Yuu 251-255 (Patreon)

Title: Study Session with Yuigahama Yui (Part 2)

For someone who isn’t good at studying, endless oceans of problems were like a time machine that infinitely slowed the flow of time, making them suffer in prolonged agony.

But for someone who excelled in academics, knowledge flowed like an endless spring. Like a sponge soaking in clean water, they could enjoy the pleasure of self-growth at any moment.

Two hours later, Yuigahama had slumped her face onto the table, her eyes vacant and expression blank, as if completely shattered.

“I can’t... I can’t go on anymore...”

“Not done yet? Yui, you still have a long way to go.” Gently tapping her investment textbook on Yuigahama’s head, Yuu sipped his melon soda and emotionlessly commanded, “I’ll give you a short break. Then solve one more problem before lunch. We’ll check the results while your memory is still fresh.”

Yuigahama let out a dying groan. “Yuu is a demon...”

“What kind of demon is this considerate?”

Suddenly, an idea flashed in his mind. Yuu smirked, imitating one of the archbishops from the Sect of Magicians. He smiled warmly, yet with emotionless eyes.

“Oh really?”

“You worked so hard to get into Sobu High, worked so hard to survive until your second year, and worked so hard to ask me to help you with your midterms... and now you look so defeated, ready to give up anytime...”

He praised her wholeheartedly, as if a passerby facing an unknown hero who sacrificed everything. Though they didn’t know each other, he still admired her from the depths of his heart.

Then, he mocked and dismissed all her efforts from the past two hours.

“You’re truly lazy.”

“Iiih—“

A raspy voice, like chewing on bone fingers, made Yuigahama shiver, as if doused in ice water from head to toe, like a slimy worm crawling from her feet to her brain. Instinctively, she straightened her back and rubbed the goosebumps on her arms.

“So gross, so gross!”

At the words spilling from his mouth, Yuigahama frowned sadly, remnants of fear and anger in her eyes. She glared at Yuu. “Besides, I didn’t say I was giving up—I just wanted to complain a little! Even if you’re trying to ‘motivate’ me, don’t use that perverted tone!”

“Really? I think it’s unique. I really like the voice actor who says that line.” Yuu returned to his normal expression, leaning back in his chair, laughing cheerfully. “By the way, I once met a TV crew on the street. They invited me to join. I didn’t end up on TV, but I got the director’s business card. Seems I can audition anytime.”

“Eh? Really?” Yuigahama immediately became interested. She leaned in, eyes sparkling like a child. “Tell me quickly! What happened? I want to see the director’s business card too!”

Yuu gazed into the distance, sighing softly. “The business card’s gone, but I remember the process clearly... I remember that evening, the sunset like fire...”

“That evening?”

“Actually, it only happened during summer break.”

Just as Yuu was about to fabricate an exciting, thrilling story from his experience performing Perfect-Level Acting to satisfy Yuigahama’s longing eyes—

A slightly surprised, melodious voice suddenly came from behind:

“Tenkuji... san?”

The woman used polite language. Her voice felt long-unheard—unfamiliar, yet not entirely strange.

Yuu turned around. A woman with braided hair, wearing large round glasses, exuded a simple, calm aura. Yet her figure was slender and graceful. Holding a drink, she looked at him as if unprepared.

“Mizu... no, Ichinose-san?” Yuu was also slightly surprised. “What a coincidence, meeting you here.”

“Eh? What’s going on?”

Yuigahama blinked rapidly, glancing back and forth between the high school student and the adult woman in front of her. For some reason, she suddenly wanted to call Masuzu to take control of the situation.

(No, that girl is just a fake girlfriend. Isn’t I, as his best friend, far more important than her?!)

“I came here to eat with a friend...”

Chizuru glanced at the high school textbooks on their table, then at Yuigahama’s serious gaze, carefully observing everything. She immediately smiled with understanding.

“Are you studying with your girlfriend? Sorry for interrupting. I’ll leave now.”

Yuu waved his hand. “No need to worry. She’s just a close friend. I was just about to tell her about my experience filming a TV show—never expected you, the actual person involved, would show up right on time.”

Yuigahama’s expression shifted from bright to cloudy. But she seemed used to it and not too disappointed—just a slightly gloomy look on her small face.

“...I see. What a coincidence.”

After a moment of thought, Chizuru wasn’t sure about their relationship, but she knew exactly what to say and do now.

Reading the room was her specialty. If she couldn’t handle such a simple task, she wouldn’t be a five-star-rated rental girlfriend with a perfect record of no bad reviews.

And now, without further explanation, she only needed to maintain the right distance in tone and attitude to perfectly handle any emergency situation.

So, she stepped back toward her seat, smiling. “I should find my friend. We’ll talk again another time, Tenkuji-san... Good luck on your exams.”

“Ah, thank you...” Yuigahama was startled when their eyes met. She obediently placed her hands in her lap, nodding slightly and replying in a soft voice.

After Chizuru left, Yuigahama turned back to him. She exhaled in relief, relaxing her tense shoulders, speaking emotionally: “She looked like such a beautiful woman, but she deliberately hid it... And she has such a good aura. She doesn’t have that gloomy vibe like literary girls.”

“True.”

Yuu shrugged, not bothering to explain that the woman had a brighter side too.

“Then, how do you know such a beautiful woman, Yuu?”

The topic shifted. Yuigahama’s eyes sharpened. She stared intently, showing jealousy and dissatisfaction.

“Based on what you two said earlier, did you meet while filming a TV show? Why does she use polite language with you?”

Yuu stared at her wordlessly. “...I should be the one asking—why does your brain work so fast on things like this? Can’t you use that intelligence for studying?”

“Don’t change the subject!” Yuigahama lightly slapped the table, like a puppy trying to threaten a human fiercely. Her bright, wet eyes widened, reflecting only his image.

“Don’t distract from studying!” Yuu didn’t budge at all. He simply mimicked her tone and placed another problem sheet on the table. “I’ve changed my mind. Solve this, and then I’ll tell you about my experience meeting Ichinose and filming the TV show with her.”

“...Alright, I’ll do it!”

Her eyes instantly lit up. Yuigahama snatched the paper and began writing rapidly.

Seeing her so enthusiastic, Yuu couldn’t help but roll his eyes. He held his forehead as if drained of energy, unsure what to say.

Teenage girls were truly strange creatures...

“This is also to learn more about Yuu—Yuigahama Yui, bring out all your strength!”

“...”

Correction.

Yuigahama was the strangest of all.

An unconscious smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Yuu shook his head, picking up his investment textbook again. As he studied, he also listened to the sounds of the girl’s struggle.

Sunlight streamed through the window, as if two years had passed. From the library window, it warmly and brightly shone upon the two of them.

-

Title: The Frequency of Ex-Girlfriends Appearing Seems to Be Increasing

Time flew by.

The golden ball of light in the middle of the sky slowly shifted between the stacked buildings.

The twilight sky, greeted by the cawing of crows, radiated a thick orange glow.

“That’s enough for today. The midterm exams shouldn’t be a problem.”

After checking the answers on the problem sheet, Yuu nodded and began tidying up the books on the table.

Yuigahama slumped her face onto the table again, her chest flattened into two soft mounds, and she groaned weakly:

“Finally done... It’s been so long since I studied with full concentration for hours...”

Besides that, the study atmosphere was completely different from what she’d imagined at first—supposedly warm, peaceful, and occasionally a little romantic.

Even though they were in a busy family restaurant, the man in front of her had successfully created a serious atmosphere like a study room. Forget romantic thoughts—her brain was essentially filled with various problem-solving methods and key study points, leaving no room for strange ideas.

Honestly, Yuu’s tutoring was far stricter than two years ago. Yuigahama didn’t know whether it was because he’d become smarter, or because their relationship had grown closer than before.

Besides, as a reward for studying so diligently, Yuigahama also learned the story of how Yuu met Chizuru.

It wasn’t anything he couldn’t tell. Chizuru had also briefly commented on her experience that day before leaving with her friends. She hoped to see his incredible acting again in the future, and if possible, she wanted Yuu to be her teacher.

Though it was just a joke, from her attitude of treating Yuu as an equal despite being a college student, Yuigahama realized one thing:

The man she loved really was amazing at everything!

It just depended on whether Yuu wanted to do it or not. It seemed there was nothing in the world that could defeat him... For some reason, Yuigahama felt incredibly proud.

At the same time, she also felt a little smug.

“You haven’t told Natsukawa-san about this, right?”

“Not yet.”

“Then this is our little secret! Right, the first person you told this secret to wasn’t Natsukawa-san—it was me, Yui!”

Mimicking Masuzu’s tone, Yuigahama puffed out her chest, pointed at herself with her thumb, and smiled happily—looking utterly silly.

Yuu didn’t hesitate to douse her with cold water: “The first was my little sister. Then it was your turn.”

“I can’t hear, I can’t hear—my little sister isn’t someone else. How can she count~”

Covering her ears with both hands, Yuigahama shook her head playfully, as if releasing pent-up frustration from earlier times, clearly enjoying being ahead of someone else.

Yuu shook his head, too lazy to say anything more. He tidied up the stationery on the table and prepared to go home.

“After you get home, reread the practice test paper I gave you, then rest well. If nothing comes up, this midterm exam should let you shoot straight up.”

Yuigahama blinked, lowering her hands and lightly pressing her lips. “I hope so... Honestly, I’m still a little doubtful.”

Seeing Yuu frown, Yuigahama quickly waved her hands to explain. “It’s not about you! It’s my own confidence issue. You’ve helped me so much—ideally, I’d like to give my best score as a thank you—but... who knows, maybe I’ll get nervous during the exam and forget everything!”

“Don’t forget.”

Yuu said straightforwardly: “No matter what happens, don’t let yourself forget all the knowledge you learned today. Carve it into every wrinkle of your brain, like you’d never forget to wear clothes when leaving the house.”

“So, so hard!” Yuigahama curled up, looking slightly scared.

“I believe you can. If you don’t believe in yourself, that’s fine—just believe in me, who believes in you.”

After saying those big words, Yuu finished his remaining melon soda, placed the glass on the table with a clink, and looked at her seriously.

“And if the midterm results come out, and your grades haven’t improved much, and you’ve wasted my entire day...”

“If...”

He stretched the sentence, making Yuigahama instinctively swallow, shifting restlessly in her seat.

That gaze, seemingly real, slowly slid from her face, lips, neck, collarbone, to her ample chest—even the lower half of her body, hidden beneath the table, wasn’t spared.

As if Yuu were contemplating how to destroy everything he saw, the beautiful corner of his lips slightly lifted, gradually forming a devilish smile that made hearts race.

—As a note, if a handsome man does it, it’s called a devilish smile. If he’s not handsome, it’s called a perverted smile. Those who try to imitate, please be self-aware.

For readers of this book, no need to worry—all who’ve read this far are handsome men. No matter how you smile, you’ll look cool.

All day long, the atmosphere finally became a bit romantic. Yuigahama unconsciously pressed her legs together, her hands gripping her knees, cheeks blushing, blinking faster, looking at him nervously yet somehow full of hope.

“There won’t be some weird punishment, right?”

“Of course there will.”

“Really?!”

“...Why do I feel like you’re actually happy?”

“T-t-there’s nothing like that! What right do you have to punish me!”

“Because I’ve given you the most valuable thing to humans—knowledge.”

“Oh... then fine, as long as it’s not too terrifying a punishment.”

Yuigahama mumbled, turning her gaze away, trying to look relaxed, her fingers nervously squeezing each other under the table.

“Relax.” Yuu smiled very kindly. “Anyway, I plan to hand this matter over to Natsukawa Masuzu, so you won’t call me a demon... As for what punishment she’ll give, I don’t know. You can only hope she’s a good person.”

“...”

There was no way Yuigahama could stay calm.

People who are loved always have high self-confidence. That must be what’s meant by people like this, right?

As she grabbed a book and angrily hit Yuu’s head with it, Yuigahama also swore in her heart—this midterm exam, she had to impress Yuu!

After all, with Masuzu’s personality, she’d definitely deliberately flirt with Yuu in front of her and wildly flaunt their love!

This wasn’t just about confidence anymore.

To avoid having her heart stabbed again, and to protect her unrequited love, Yuigahama resolved to break free from the ‘dumb girl’ image once more.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

The sun hadn’t set yet. In a luxury apartment, a girl suddenly closed her rough-drawn comic book.

“I can feel it... this is the scent of infidelity!”

She licked her lips, stood from her bed with a serious expression, put on a light jacket, and prepared to quickly leave.

But as she opened the door, Masuzu frowned, swiped her phone screen, yet still held back the urge to call him.

“I should’ve installed a GPS tracker on his phone... With my ‘Yuu Sensor,’ I can’t locate him in this vast Chiba city.”

She clicked her tongue in annoyance, put her phone away, and held her chin, thinking.

Yuu had gone to study with his friends, so he should be at places like a library or family restaurant. But across Chiba City, there were dozens of family restaurants, not to mention large and small libraries. Masuzu couldn’t confirm their location...

Ambushing to ‘catch them in the act’ and give him a little surprise was as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack.

“Then, I can only rely on the law of ‘Stands attracting each other.’”

Anyway, she had to act now.

Having made her decision, Masuzu locked her apartment door. She wanted to take the elevator directly to the first floor, but it stopped halfway.

A stylish, mature woman entered. She was startled upon seeing her leaning in the corner of the elevator, her eyes slowly narrowing.

Then she politely smiled at her, turned and pressed the door-close button, hands tucked into her coat pockets.

The elevator descended again. Silence enveloped them, only the faint sound of breathing audible.

For some reason, seeing that slender back, Masuzu couldn’t relax.

It was like an ordinary person encountering a Pillar Man—the pressure from that high-level creature made her feel inexplicably anxious.

The elevator descended slower than usual—to the third floor, second floor, first floor...

Suddenly, the frozen silence was shattered by a bright, gentle voice, and at the same time, her tense nerves reacted.

“Hey, I said—“

Yukinoshita Haruno, a smile full of interest on her face, turned around.

Her dark eyes locked onto Masuzu behind her, like a leopard capturing its prey—she wouldn’t let go until she reached her goal.

“You look familiar. Have we met before?”

Masuzu: “...”

So this was the most cliché way to start a conversation?!

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

The study session ended smoothly. Yuu parted ways with Yuigahama near the hill, and no one disturbed them the entire time—

Chizuru didn’t count. In some ways, she even helped boost Yuigahama’s study motivation. She was a good person with emotional intelligence matching his own.

His fake girlfriend didn’t send annoying messages, his sweet little sister waited for him at home, and today there weren’t many housewives crowding the supermarket... All this happiness came together, and Yuu should’ve been enjoying a dreamlike, happy time.

Yet now, Yuu stood behind a shelf, glancing sideways at a brown-haired girl carefully selecting scallions, his expression turning odd.

“Why is she here?”

Though the Yuuki family home was quite far from this supermarket, and this place wasn’t on the route home from Kuroyuri Girls’ Academy, why did Asuna—Yuuki Asuna—appear before him?

Before discussing the important matters, let’s review the previous events.

Yuuki Asuna, online name Asuna, was one of his ex-girlfriends—a beautiful girl who had only recently ‘amicably broken up’ with him.

She was intelligent, lively, and had a chest size between C and D. Right now, she was less than ten meters away, carefully inspecting scallions on the shelf. In the basket hanging from her slender arm were ingredients like meat, eggs, and others.

Her soft, long hair was tied into a ponytail, gently swaying behind her; her face was exceptionally beautiful and elegant, her aura like a gentle, wise young wife. Even the cashiers couldn’t help but glance at her repeatedly, slowly captivated by her faint, soft smile—they were just one step away from starting a conversation.

Honestly, Yuu could understand that feeling.

After all, Asuna was a girl he’d once loved. Yuu naturally knew better than anyone how captivating she was—even if he no longer felt that way now, the memories of love were still deeply engraved in his heart.

Yet driven by instinct, despite having promised Asuna to ‘wait for her in the future,’ Yuu still avoided her. He didn’t want to be seen.

He just hid behind the shelf beside her, observing her wise demeanor while shopping.

“...Seems like she’s truly doing fine.”

The girl’s face looked healthy and cheerful, the frown lines on her brow completely gone. She was like a bird flying into the sky, singing loudly—no longer bound by any chains holding back her wings of freedom.

Like being reborn—

The phrase came to mind, and Yuu couldn’t help but smile in satisfaction.

It didn’t matter if Asuna didn’t remember. It didn’t matter if she didn’t wait—no need for any hope. Just peacefully live out the rest of their lives.

“Keep being happy, Yuuki Asuna.”

After one last look at the girl picking scallions, and his body reflexively poking the air twice, Yuu didn’t linger. He turned, left the shelf, and walked to the checkout.

After paying and quickly putting his items into a bag, he thought about what other ingredients were missing for dinner and headed to a second supermarket.

His face showed only relief and joy—no longing or regret at all.

“Hmm?”

Inside the supermarket.

The motion of waving scallions suddenly stopped. The girl turned as if sensing something, her brown ponytail spinning half a circle and gently landing in front of her chest.

She looked around, but found nothing worth noticing...

The earlier sensation of a racing heartbeat felt like an illusion, and the emptiness of losing something was gone too.

Asuna touched her chest, frowned, her eyes showing deep confusion.

“Why... does it suddenly feel so painful?”

Why did the feeling of forgetting something suddenly become so clear?

And why did she want to shout, ‘Wait, don’t go!’ at someone...

Who was that ‘someone,’ and where was he now?

Asuna bit her lip, lowered her head in thought, unconsciously clenching her fist, trying to dig for clues from within her memories.

After a while, as if suddenly remembering something, she opened her eyes wide and lifted her head in disbelief.

“...The scallions in my hand are damaged!!!”

The limp scallions in her hand successfully diverted her attention from sadness and reluctance. She quickly returned to the shelf and grabbed several more scallions as replacements, hoping the store staff wouldn’t make a fuss.

Even now, Asuna still hadn’t woken from that false dream.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Time flew by, and the midterm exams ended smoothly.

The results were announced two days after the exams—just one day before the school picnic.

To the surprise of most students, this time’s top rank in the second year wasn’t Yukinoshita Yukino, nor Natsukawa Masuzu—whose beauty rivaled hers and was highly anticipated by observers.

Instead, it was...

-

Title: Look at That Monkey-Like Expression of Pride

“Hooray!!”

When she received her test results, Yuigahama almost shouted with joy. But she remained excited, wiggling in her seat like an overly enthusiastic puppy wagging its tail nonstop.

Yumiko casually glanced at her own results, then turned and looked at her friend’s energetic expression with mild confusion. After observing her for a moment, she immediately grabbed Yuigahama’s test paper.

“So excited, Yui—how good did you do? Ugh!? Rank 50 in the year? Impossible?”

Yumiko’s eyes widened. She stared at Yuigahama and the test paper in disbelief. It was as if she’d just seen the Ninomiya statue in the schoolyard suddenly come to life and start dancing Gokuraku Jodo. She doubted reality itself.

There were ten classes in the second year, including Class J, totaling around three hundred students. It was extremely difficult to achieve a high rank in a school with such high average scores, especially since most of the top ranks were occupied by elite students from the international class. It was nearly impossible for a student from an ordinary class like theirs to break into the top 50 of the entire year.

Yet on the test paper, beside Yuigahama’s name—which had always hovered around rank 150—was clearly printed the small text: Rank 50 in the Year. The scores for each subject next to it were also crystal clear, leaving no room for doubt.

Because of this, Yumiko felt like she was seeing her best friend for the first time. She dumbfoundedly reached over and pinched Yuigahama’s cheek.

“Yui, since when did you become this smart?”

“Y-Yumiko, that’s so rude!” Yuigahama quickly swatted her hand away. Seeing her curious classmates, her cheeks turned red. Her hand unconsciously played with her dango-style hair as she grew flustered.

“I-Isn’t it normal to suddenly become smart? Besides, it’s only rank 50 in the year, not rank one. No need to be so shocked.”

“Of course I’m shocked—it’s unnatural.” Yumiko said matter-of-factly, then turned to her classmates for confirmation. “Right?”

“Right, right.”

“Yui-chan doesn’t seem like the smart type.”

“Rank 150 would’ve been surprising enough. I always thought sweet, naive Yui was a bit dumb.”

“You guys are so mean!” Amid her friends’ teasing, Yuigahama angrily slapped the desk, grumbling and scolding them before grabbing back her test paper from Yumiko.

As if she still couldn’t believe it, she checked each subject’s score and her overall rank for the first time. A smile slowly spread across her slightly stunned face.

Even when she’d studied desperately to enter Sobu High in middle school, Yuigahama’s grades had never been particularly good. The highest score she’d ever achieved on a major school exam was around rank 100.

So in the end, when her name appeared on Sobu High’s acceptance list, all her friends and teachers who knew her daily grades were shocked. They assumed she was the type of student who performed better under pressure.

But Yuigahama knew better than anyone that while she wasn’t stupid, she was just a little slow sometimes—and definitely not a natural at studying.

She wasn’t like Yukino, who read high-level literature every day. She always studied at the last minute and only smiled bitterly when she got bad grades. This was what gave her friends the impression that she was dumb.

Even Yuigahama herself believed she was someone who couldn’t study—when it came to academics, she might as well be called stupid.

And the only person who could make her change, from middle school onward, was just one person.

She closed her eyes and smiled briefly, then opened them, looking at the seat in front of her. Her gaze landed perfectly on his side profile.

“Yuu, I did it!”

She resisted the urge to ignore the teacher in front and run straight to him to show off. Yuigahama placed a hand on her chest, feeling the turbulent emotions inside, and took a deep breath.

“If I try, I can get closer to you step by step... If I try, one day you’ll definitely fall in love with me!”

This test result was the best proof.

Effort wouldn’t betray her. Hard work would surely bear fruit. If so, her feelings had a chance of being returned too.

Two years had passed. Three years. Four years... Even if she became a college student, even if she started working.

As long as Yuu still allowed her to stay by his side.

Even if the path was thorny, Yuigahama would never back down!

“Right, I must become a better version of myself!”

At this moment, Yuigahama holding her test results was like holding a light called hope.

Yumiko beside her slightly frowned, watching her enthusiastically with a strange look. Then she followed her gaze and looked toward Yuu.

After a moment of thought, as if understanding something, the crease on Yumiko’s forehead deepened. She couldn’t help but click her tongue, tapping her fingers on the desk as if wanting to say something.

But in the end, she said nothing. Annoyed, she twisted her hair, pulled out her phone, and quietly played with it under the desk.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Honestly, it was a little embarrassing... After getting his test results...

Yuu became excited. He couldn’t even suppress the wicked smile tugging at the corner of his lips, or the sly chuckle rising from his throat.

“Hmph hmph... Yukinoshita Yukino, mission accomplished.”

Though he’d expected it and felt confident, imagining the cold girl’s expression distorting made Yuu feel incredibly excited and joyful—like a child about to go on a trip.

He couldn’t contain the urge within him. He wished time would speed up to after-school hours, when the Service Club activities began, so he could mock that always-arrogant Yukino.

Right now, Yuu could faintly understand what Haruno felt.

This wasn’t childishness. This was joy—Yukinoshita Yukino was their source of joy.

The top 100 rankings would be posted on the bulletin board tomorrow. So if Yuu didn’t say anything, only the teacher and he would know his score.

But there was loud commotion from Yuigahama’s side. He faintly heard “rank 50,” “wasn’t she dumb?” and other heated discussions. It seemed her results had been forcibly spread far and wide.

In a situation like this, low scores were called public execution, while high scores were called forced showing off—and Yuigahama was clearly the latter. After disbelief came admiration and envy, with everyone enthusiastically discussing around her.

Even if a dissenting voice doubted the authenticity of her score, they’d be scolded mercilessly by Yumiko, the golden drill-twin-tailed girl beside Yuigahama, and forced to apologize sheepishly.

Yuu paid slight attention to the situation over there and gave a small nod.

“Though she seems like an easily angered woman, she’s a good friend...”

Yuigahama achieving rank 50 in the year was also beyond his expectations. In his initial estimate, Yuigahama would have done exceptionally well if she reached rank 70 or 80, and rank 100 would’ve been good. But rank 50? That was practically superhuman strength.

Yuu was very satisfied. Two years had passed. Both he and Yuigahama had grown. They were no longer helpless creatures desperately studying in the library.

They were now brilliant stars who would shine brightly when given the chance—impossible for others to ignore.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

“Good job, Yui.”

During break, Yuu used this phrase to respond to Yuigahama, who came over excitedly to show off. He maintained a calm, composed attitude.

Yuigahama seemed dissatisfied with his flat, simple response, but then she seemed to realize something. Her face suddenly turned serious, her small white fist clenched, and she stared at him earnestly.

“I understand, Yuu. I won’t disappoint your expectations!”

Yuu’s eyebrow twitched slightly.

“...Though I don’t understand what you think you understand, that mindset is good. Keep it up.”

After saying that, as if bored with her, Yuu immediately turned and smiled at Totsuka, who was approaching. He shared the news of his rank-one achievement in a gentle, relaxed tone.

His attitude was far warmer than toward Yuigahama—even carrying a closeness that no woman could penetrate.

Seeing this scene, Yuigahama felt strange.

Did she have to compete with a man to win a man?

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

The small incident of score announcements in Class F ended just like that, and the day’s lessons passed by. In the afternoon, cotton-like white clouds floated in the sky.

Yuu sent a message to Masuzu, telling her to wait—he’d walk home with her later. Then he grabbed his bag, ready to go to the club and chat with Yukino.

At that moment, Yuigahama came over. “Yuu, are you going to the club too? Let’s go together.”

“Sure...” Yuu glanced at Yumiko behind her and slightly frowned.

Though he didn’t say anything, he felt Yumiko was staring at him with a hostile gaze, as if she saw him as a scoundrel cheating on women.

“Ah, that...” Yuigahama quickly sensed something was off in the air, but didn’t know where it came from. After looking left and right, she could only speak to Yumiko first. “Yumiko, I have club activities today. You go home first.”

Yumiko crossed her arms, clicked her tongue, and stiffly turned her head to reply.

“...Huh, whatever.”

Yuigahama clasped her hands, her wet, pitiful eyes like a puppy’s looking at her apologetically. “Sorry! Next time, let’s go karaoke again!”

“Whatever.”

Yumiko shrugged indifferently. Then she gave Yuu a cold glance and strode away.

From start to finish, she didn’t utter a single word to Yuu, but her gaze and attitude were full of thorns. She didn’t hide her hostility.

“...Since when did I offend her?”

During the group lottery, Yumiko hadn’t been this angry. Yuu looked like someone who owed her millions.

“I don’t know either...” Looking at Yumiko’s retreating back, Yuigahama also looked confused. “Maybe Yuu accidentally called her ‘drill twin-tails’ and she overheard?”

“Though Yumiko has a bit of a temper, she’s not a villain who randomly hates people. She hates bullying too, so she wouldn’t ostracize someone without reason. That should be how it is.”

After saying that, she looked at Yuu with slight worry, her mouth slightly opening as if wanting to say something.

“Really? Maybe I accidentally offended her.” Yuu shrugged, walking toward the classroom door. “As long as she doesn’t go too far, I won’t respond with words. Don’t worry. You just need to endure the awkward atmosphere.”

Yuigahama finally breathed easier. She was truly afraid that if Yuu got annoyed, he’d use his argument techniques against Yukino on Yumiko.

Even Yukino had lost and repeatedly wanted to throw books at him. If it were Yumiko... Ugh, she couldn’t even imagine that terrifying scene!

“It’s fine. I’ll try to improve your relationship!” Yuigahama followed behind him, clenching her fist with determination. “Let’s get along well during the school picnic! If we’re close, it’ll definitely be more fun!”

Yuu smiled. “I don’t mind. Being kind to others is a sign of high emotional intelligence. But I hope you can calm down that time-bomb drill-twin-tail, so she doesn’t bother me.”

“I’m afraid you’ll use that tone with her...” Yuigahama smiled bitterly and drooped her shoulders, then slightly frowned, her soft cheeks puffing. “No, if I’m too nice, it might be a problem too... Yuu is so popular with girls, and Yumiko is so innocent. Maybe...”

“There’s no ‘maybe’ about it. Don’t think weird things, okay?” Yuu turned and flicked her dango hair in annoyance.

Yuigahama laughed sheepishly and didn’t mention it again. She just wondered—why had Yumiko suddenly turned hostile toward Yuu?

They entered through the special building’s door and walked up to the second floor, to the classroom with the empty door sign.

Yuu knocked, and after hearing a clear, melodious voice from inside, opened the door and stepped in.

“Good afternoon.”

“Good afternoon, Tenkuji-kun, Yuigahama-san.”

The girl near the window, as usual, gently tucked her hair behind her ear. Her bright eyes looked at the book in her hand, so calm she seemed like a palace painting.

They both entered, their steps unconsciously slowing, as if not wanting to disturb the current peace.

But as soon as the door closed, Yuu hadn’t even pulled out his chair to sit when he said to Yukino:

“Yukinoshita, I have good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?”

“...”

The motion of turning her page paused slightly. Yukino lifted her gaze, frowning at the meaningful smile on his face.

After a moment of thought, she suddenly closed her book, letting out a soft sigh that fell to the floor—as if worried about someone’s intelligence. Her voice sounded resigned and gentle, yet still carried her arrogance.

“Judging by that monkey-like expression of pride on your face, the good news is that you’ve surpassed me and become the top-ranked student in the year, right?”

Yuu: “...”

-

Title: I’m Just Rubbing

Seeing Yuu suddenly fall silent, Yukino couldn’t help but lift the corner of her lips. She brushed her long hair from her shoulder, showing an elegant smile as if she controlled everything.

“Such a naive man—after getting good grades, you rush over to boast. Are you really that competitive? I won’t give you candy as a reward.”

Yuu maintained a blank expression for a moment, then smiled too. But the smile looked fake.

“You seem so relaxed, second place.”

“...”

Yukino’s eyebrow twitched. She recalled seeing her test results—how shocked and annoyed she’d been upon reading Rank: 2nd in Year.

As for how she knew who was ahead of her... The answer was obvious. No guessing needed.

Before the midterm exams, this man had already taunted and provoked her, wanting to steal her first-place throne.

Though she was reluctant to admit it, Yukino knew in her heart that this man only bragged when he was certain. If he didn’t have solid grounds and absolute confidence in surpassing her, he wouldn’t be so arrogant.

So this result wasn’t entirely unexpected—she was just very annoyed. She wanted to hang a sign outside that said Dogs and Yuu Not Allowed to prevent him from coming and proudly gloating.

The only reason she didn’t do it was because she didn’t want to run away.

Yukino had never feared losing. Though she hated the feeling, she wouldn’t cling to the status of winner.

“Childish.”

A flat, scornful voice sounded.

“I’m different from you. Acknowledging that someone else is better than you in a certain area is something only a morally superior person can do.”

She looked at Yuu, graceful and composed, speaking calmly and seriously: “I did my best, yet I still lost to you. It’s purely because I’m not as good as you—please, be proud of that.”

“I acknowledge your hard work and excellence. Just like me in the past, you’ve become the top-ranked student in the year through your own ability... Yes, congratulations, first-place finisher.”

Slightly shrugging, Yukino lowered her cold, beautiful face, as if wanting to end this topic. She silently looked at the book in her hand.

But Yuu could still hear a hint of unwillingness in her words, even though Yukino appeared relaxed, as if she were a saint who didn’t care about fame or wealth.

“What do you mean ‘just like me in the past’... You started off sounding so noble, but in the end, you still praised yourself. You really are something, Yukinoshita.”

Yuu couldn’t help but shake his head and sigh. Suddenly, he felt very bored. The first-place test result in his bag no longer felt special.

He knew in his heart that Yukino hated lying. She was always honest with herself and others. She wouldn’t insist she was right.

In other words, she’d only act correctly and speak the truth. Even if it meant admitting she wasn’t as good as someone else, that was better than making excuses to cover her ego.

Yukino in this state wasn’t fun to tease. Haruno would probably show a bored expression too if she saw this, right?

Yuu pursed his lips, placed his bag on the long table, and gave up. “Fine, comparing grades is pointless. Seems my mindset still falls short of yours.”

Yukino didn’t look up. She said flatly, “You don’t need to be so humble. Research shows women usually mature three years earlier than men. It’s perfectly normal for you to seem childish in front of me.”

Yuu nodded. “My goal was exposed, then you call me childish. Seems coming to the club today was a mistake.”

“Admitting your mistakes is something most humans can’t do, Tenkuji-kun.” Yukino praised with satisfaction.

Though her gaze remained on the book, the corner of her lips unconsciously curved upward happily. Her heels seemed to dance on the floor, and her hand holding the book even made a victory gesture without realizing it.

Her thornless attitude—only feeling proud because her counterattack succeeded—made Yuigahama, watching from the side, unable to resist murmuring:

“Yukinon is so cute...”

“True, cute like a cat.” Yuu agreed in a low voice.

Yuigahama glanced at him, her expression odd.

“...Yuu, don’t tell me you’re deliberately teasing Yukinon like you tease a cat?”

“How can you say deliberately?” Yuu said with a pious expression. “I just feared Yukinoshita would feel lonely with no one to talk to, so I intentionally brought up topics to liven the atmosphere.”

“Haha...” Yuigahama gave a flat laugh, not believing him at all.

Noticing something was off, Yukino turned with a suspicious look.

“What are you two talking about?”

Yuigahama quickly waved her hands. “Nothing, nothing! By the way, Yukinon, has your school picnic group been decided?”

“Of course. The picnic is tomorrow—how could it not be decided?”

Yukino frowned, giving her a why are you asking such an unimportant thing look.

“Ahaha...” Yuigahama awkwardly scratched her cheek, but didn’t care much. She still pulled a chair and sat beside Yukino, asking curiously, “Yukinon, is there anyone close to you in your group? What’s the gender ratio?”

“Yuigahama-san, just speak—don’t get too close...” Yukino shifted sideways restlessly, but couldn’t escape the soft body enthusiastically approaching. She could only sigh resignedly.

“All girls. Coincidentally, one of them is...”

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave first.”

Yuu grabbed his bag, not listening to what they were saying. He prepared to go to the school gate to walk home with Masuzu.

Yuigahama waved her hand, not looking at him, her attitude very generous. “Go, go~ Don’t forget to bring picnic items tomorrow, like Yuu’s handmade cookies, snacks, and bento!”

“...”
“...”

They both mocked her at the same time, glanced at each other, then clicked their tongues as if disgusted.

“You two are so in sync.” Yuigahama felt a bit jealous, but couldn’t help laughing. She enthusiastically suggested, “How about this—if we have free time for lunch, let’s eat together? Coincidentally, Yuu is in my group. Six people from two groups will definitely be lively!”

This way, Yukino, who didn’t have many friends, could interact more with others instead of only arguing with Yuu at the Service Club—without any ill intent, Yuigahama was just thinking of Yukino.

Of course, Yukino immediately refused: “Sorry, I don’t like crowded places. If there weren’t group rules, I’d prefer to wander and eat alone. Acting together will only cause more problems and conflicts.”

However, if Yuu brought bento...

Recalling the fried rice he’d made during the exhibition, the soft, warm, sweet taste seemed to return to her mouth. Yukino unconsciously swallowed, but still maintained her dignity, her gaze fixed straight on Yuigahama’s dango hair without shifting.

Yuu: “Yeah, that’s too much trouble. And I don’t want to bring bento either.”

Tsk.

“...Yukinoshita-san, why did you click your tongue?”

“Nothing. It’s none of your business.”

Observing the girl who calmly brushed her long hair with suspicion, Yuu said nothing more. He opened the classroom door and left the Service Club.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

The evening sky looked gray. No bright twilight today, and the after-school crowd seemed quieter. They were like raindrops silently gathering into a river, then parting at the intersection.

Yuu exited the club building and immediately saw Masuzu leaning against a stone statue at the school gate. Her silver hair flowed loose, her skirt slightly lifted, looking as beautiful as a painting.

Though she held her phone and looked down with a blank face as if busy, many passing male students gazed at her in admiration.

Yuu walked past her calmly and confidently.

“Long wait.”

“Quite long.” Masuzu put away her phone, wrapped her arm around his, and frowned in annoyance. “Can’t you move like Vanilla Ice from a dark room?”

For clarification, Vanilla Ice was also known as vanilla ice cream, a villain from JOJO Part 3. His Stand was Cream, allowing him to hide in dark spaces and move at high speed while consuming objects.

“Even if I could do it, it’s still daytime. Do you want me to explode into pieces?”

Yuu clearly remembered that as DIO’s top subordinate, Vanilla Ice’s death was just like his boss’s—exploding under sunlight. Though today’s clouds were thick, a few faint sunbeams were still visible.

Seeing he understood the reference, Masuzu smiled and shook her head. She raised one finger and explained logically: “Before being revived by DIO as a vampire, Vanilla was a normal Stand user. He could move under sunlight... I know it’s too much to ask you to awaken a Stand. Besides, we don’t have that ‘arrow,’ and I can’t bear to see you suffer during Stand awakening.”

“So here’s the deal—go learn Hamon. Become the strongest Hamon user in Chiba City!”

“...Do you even understand what ‘too much’ means?”

They continued chatting about things others wouldn’t understand, leaving school in an intimate pose, making the eyes following them from behind fill with heartbreak shadows once more.

After finishing their JOJO talk, Masuzu suddenly sighed. “Though the news of us dating has spread through the whole school, there are still three people fearless of death trying to talk to me.”

“Either they don’t care about school rumors, or they just want to get to know you?” Yuu guessed.

Masuzu showed a scornful smile, saying coldly, “How stupid. Don’t they know that any man approaching me will be shattered by you into the most primitive fragments in the universe, accompanying Lord Kars?”

Yuu tugged the corner of his lips. “Am I really that cruel... Anyway, you just need to say you already have a boyfriend. Most of them should back off, right?”

Masuzu glanced at him. “What if it doesn’t work?”

Yuu said calmly, “Then call me. I’ll make them back off.”

“Good. I’ll do that next time.”

Masuzu nodded in satisfaction, resting her head on his shoulder. Her chest pressed against his side, freely radiating a girl’s softness and fragrance.

“Isn’t it hard to walk?”

“N-no~ I~ fee~l~”

Rub.

In public, she started rubbing again.

According to Masuzu, this was “rubbing practice,” excellent for a girl’s skincare. He had to cooperate as much as possible.

Yuu didn’t mind. He’d grown used to her increasingly addictive habit over the past few days. Besides, he wouldn’t lose anything... But there was one thing he seemed to have unconsciously overlooked.

“Masuzu, didn’t you say you should be more careful outside lately, so your father won’t find out?”

“...”

Yuu could feel her soft, slender body tense slightly. Then Masuzu said indifferently, “‘Rubbing practice’ is like yawning. It’s not an intimate act only couples do, so no need to be careful.”

“Do you even believe what you’re saying?”

Masuzu turned her head. Her pale, puffed cheeks were faintly visible.

“...Normal. Only Yuu is too sensitive. Such a sensitive virgin, virgin monster~”

“Hey.”

When she couldn’t hide it, she diverted the conversation by mocking others. That was truly her style.

Kind of cute.

“Relax. If he also had issues with hugging, he wouldn’t have stayed silent until Mana came looking for me.”

Quickly, Masuzu’s tone returned to calm. She hugged his arm tighter. “I think, as long as there’s no major incident, or Mana and the bald guy don’t voluntarily report us, that man won’t truly order me to return.”

“Is that so? Then that’s good.”

Her expression suddenly changed. Masuzu smiled, looking at him teasingly. “Why? Are you really that unwilling to part with me?”

“A little.” It was the truth for Yuu. “It’s quite comfortable being touched by a beautiful girl. It’s your fault for making me used to this feeling.”

“My fault? Then, I’m sorry.” Whether Yuu touched a sensitive spot in her heart, those words made her eyes sparkle, her smile deepening. Masuzu looked very happy and calm.

“As an apology, you can rub back too. Of course, just rubbing—nothing more.”

“...No thanks. You just rub.”

Yuu didn’t want to turn into a bad scene like ”I’m just rubbing, I won’t go in, only the front, not too deep...” and so on.

“Since you said that, I won’t hold back.” Masuzu wasn’t disappointed either. After getting his answer, she rubbed her slightly reddened cheek against his arm and started talking about the school picnic.

“I’m in a group with your club president, Yukinoshita-san... The other person I don’t know. Just a background character.”

“Will you bring bento? If you bring bento, I won’t bring jelly.”

“You’re in a group with Dango? Tsk, seems I’ll have to find a chance to leave the group and secretly go take photos of your affair with that Dango girl...”

“By the way, you didn’t do anything that hurt your fake girlfriend’s feelings during Sunday’s study session, right?”

No different from a real couple, on the quiet, shady road in the evening, Masuzu kept talking about various things, while Yuu listened, occasionally nodding in agreement with her statements, occasionally ruffling her head resignedly—ruffling her silver hair in retaliation.

In the end, when they parted in front of the luxury apartment, Masuzu asked:

“Do you know Yukinoshita Haruno? Your club president’s older sister, about two or three years older than us.”

Yuu was slightly surprised. “Yukinoshita Haruno? Why do you...”

Masuzu slightly frowned.

“Last Sunday, I happened to meet her in the elevator. She came to see Yukinoshita-san, chatted with me a few words...”

-

Title: You Old Geezer

“Although we only talked about Yukinoshita-san—like how she is at school, and whether she has a partner or not... but when she mentioned the Service Club, I felt she was subtly mocking you. Seems she’s quite interested in you.”

Masuzu stared at him, with a suspicious look as if their own pig had gone to someone else’s vegetable garden.

“Yuu’s cursed charm—can it even captivate older sisters?”

“...I am very attractive, but I’m absolutely not cursed, okay?”

Yuu scratched his head, putting on a face as if falsely accused. He said resignedly, “Of course I know Yukinoshita Haruno. I’ve also chatted with her a few times.”

Masuzu raised an eyebrow, watching him begin to explain with interest.

“She came to the Service Club on exhibition day and joined us for the challenge... From my observation, she’s someone who deeply cares about interesting things. It’s not strange that she’d be curious about me. First, she mistakenly thought Yukinoshita Yukino and I were dating. Second, my performance at the exhibition was very prominent. All these are factors that attracted her—nothing to do with ‘captivating’ or anything like that.”

Yuu shrugged. Though not careless, he explained the relationship to her in an orderly manner.

Masuzu slowly nodded, as if thinking, then asked, “Do you know her well?”

“Fairly well. After all, she followed us from start to finish on exhibition day and helped the Service Club a lot.”

Yuu didn’t like lying, but when he didn’t need to say the truth, no one could tell if he was lying.

“I see.” Seeming no longer concerned with the matter, Masuzu didn’t ask further. Her fingers gently twisted the silver hair falling on her chest. “Well, I just hope you won’t be tempted by older sisters. I don’t want to be a fake girlfriend who has to compete with various women. We’re not competing for the Aja Stone.”

“I wouldn’t become a perfect being even if I got it.”

“Because you’d need the stone mask too.”

After parting with JOJO references like matching codes, Masuzu prepared to enter her apartment, and Yuu also turned to go home.

“Yuu...”

A small call, as if accidentally slipping out, suddenly came from behind.

Yuu didn’t miss her voice. He stopped and turned. “What is it?”

“I...” Masuzu hesitated, her eyes trembling as if struggling with something. The real emotions behind her mask faintly showed.

“...I just wanted to say—remember to prepare for tomorrow’s picnic. And don’t let me see you and that little dango girl getting cozy at some scenic spot, or my jealous girlfriend’s fire will burn down the entire forest.”

Hearing Masuzu’s deliberate words, as if hiding something, Yuu couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “I already said we’re in a trio group. Your worry is way too excessive.”

“So if it’s just the two of you, you’d do it?” Masuzu instantly caught the key point, walking toward him with a cold gaze. “So I’ve caught you—turns out you’re a man who can’t stay calm...”

Yuu watched her walk forward, muttering to herself, then Masuzu firmly grabbed his face, stood on tiptoe, and kissed him.

Seemingly, this was what Masuzu wanted to do all along—the previous actions were just a slightly awkward prelude.

When they parted, her beautiful, blushing face had melted into a lovely, satisfied smile.

“This is a mark. If these lips are touched by anyone besides me, you’ll turn into a monster like Okuyasu Nijimura’s father... growing fleshy tumors like DIO’s.”

Yuu was startled, then pursed his lips. “...Nothing changed.”

“...” Masuzu hit his chest, stepping back in annoyance. “Go away. I don’t want to see you again.”

“Fine, fine.” Yuu turned away indifferently, but was suddenly pulled back by his sleeve. Masuzu whispered with a worried tone:

“The deadline is only until midnight tonight. Don’t... never mind, it’s fine. See you tomorrow.”

She paused. At the end of her sentence, there was a hint of self-mockery and loneliness.

Realizing her behavior was too fragile—like a child unwilling to part from parents at the school gate—Masuzu sighed, put on an annoyed expression, and released his sleeve.

But before she turned, a shadow suddenly covered her head. As her arm was pulled, there was familiar warmth on her lips. Her chaotic feelings found a place to rest.

“Fake girlfriend—shouldn’t you act more real than a real girlfriend?”

His jacket covered their heads. Yuu bent down, extremely close, looking into her wide, surprised blue eyes. His voice held a slight smile.

“Whether it’s ‘rubbing practice’ or a farewell kiss, you must go deeper than real couples... So, I allow you to be clingy with me. Don’t be too shy. Be bold.”

“...You don’t need to go this far.”

Masuzu’s slightly trembling breath brushed his lips and face, like cool wind blowing from winter to spring.

She stared without moving, afraid that if she moved too much, the hard-to-light fire would go out again.

Yuu pulled the jacket covering the security camera, casually stepping back.

“Is it too late to say that now? I really enjoy kissing beautiful girls. And when I think I can do more in the future, I almost become a pervert like Kira Yoshikage.”

As he said it, his eyes showed hope. His tongue gently licked his lips—he didn’t hide his LSP nature.

Masuzu, of course, knew Yuu was deliberately using this method to make her feel better. If Yuu truly wanted to do something, he could’ve groped her during the kiss or rub. But he always maintained proper distance like a true gentleman, never taking the chance to squeeze her chest or butt.

On the contrary, Masuzu herself increasingly looked like an unsatisfied perverted woman, having already secretly squeezed her firm chest and butt several times.

So she couldn’t help but say that to him, right?

“If you give me so much freedom, I’ll become naughtier.”

“Let me see how naughty you can get.”

“Like secretly going to your house to wake me up.”

“...Not that. My little sister will most likely kill you.”

“...That scary? Now I’m even more curious.”

As if nothing had happened before, they chatted casually. This time, they truly said goodbye, no longer reluctant to part, and turned in opposite directions.

In the elevator, Masuzu tightly held her clothes over her chest, lowering her head.

On the darkened street, Yuu lifted his head, comfortably stretching his body.

[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host, You’ve Obtained Status: You’re Watching Me, Right?]
[Enter thoughts about someone into your phone, then press the photo button. You’ll get an image of that person’s current surroundings and their relatively accurate location.]

“...Something seemingly useless has appeared.”

Out of experimental spirit, Yuu pulled out his phone. He looked left and right, entered the park beside the road, and searched for a quiet spot. He closed his eyes, thought for a moment, then pressed the photo button.

CLICK!

The shutter sound echoed. He opened his eyes. The first photo, of course, was of his sister.

Sora looked just awakened, walking out of her room. Her small hand was in her messy hair. Her eyes were drowsy, with a slight blush from not being fully awake.

“It’s already afternoon, lazy cat.” Yuu smiled resignedly, deleted the photo so no one else could see it, then closed his eyes again.

CLICK!

A photo of Masuzu lazily lying on the sofa appeared.

CLICK!

A scene of Yukino and Yuigahama walking home side by side—a peaceful, warm moment.

CLICK!

A scene of Asuna holding a rapier, fencing with a student from Kuroyuri Women’s Academy appeared.

CLICK!

A scene of Haruno removing all her clothes, preparing to enter the bathtub...

“???”

Though only her back was visible, and nothing could be seen, Yuu still held his breath, then reflexively deleted the photo.

(This girl—does she have a habit of bathing in the afternoon?)
(Or was it just coincidence? She suddenly wanted to bathe and was captured by my ‘mental photography ability’?)

Looking at his phone, Yuu’s expression was strange. He didn’t regret deleting the photo at all.

After all, from now on, as long as he knew a girl’s bathing time, he could use this ability to take countless similar photos—and he wouldn’t need to sacrifice a camera each time, like that old man.

“I take back my previous words. This ability is useful... it just tests one’s humanity.”

Yuu sighed resignedly, immediately putting his phone away, pretending nothing happened, and continuing his journey home.

Anyway, for him, if he wanted to see a girl’s body, he could just ask honestly. No need to resort to lowly methods like sneaky photos to satisfy his desires.

Once someone has confidence and self-respect, their boundaries rise too. They won’t stoop to despicable acts.

Pleasure is fleeting, but character is a lifelong label.

Yuu only thought—this ability could at most be used to find people.

If so, in the future, he wouldn’t have to fear his ‘girlfriend’ suddenly disappearing and needing to call to ask her location!

“...System, are you trying to remind me of something?”

System: [This reward was given randomly, Host can rest assured.]

“I won’t be at ease.”

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

The next day, early morning.

The sky was clear and refreshing, pure white clouds covering half the sky. The air felt cool and invigorating—a perfect day that made one want to say, “It’s time for a walk~”

In front of Sobu High’s gate, second-year students lined up, guided by teachers into buses. The noisy atmosphere shifted from outside to inside.

“Hey, it’s not me driving today, so I should be allowed to drink, right? I brought snacks to go with it.”

“Sensei, calm down. Even if it’s a school picnic, it can’t be that free!”

“Hahaha, I’m just joking~ Why so serious? Do I have a reckless image in your eyes?”

“...”

“...Don’t just stay silent. I’ll get sad, you know? I’ll really get sad, you know?”

“Sensei, that’s why you’re still single.”

“If you want to die, just say so, Tenkuji.”

Today, Class 2-F’s atmosphere was livelier and noisier than usual, thanks to Hiratsuka sacrificing her image.

Because he’d angered Hiratsuka before seat selection, Yuu lost his right to choose a seat. He was forced to sit in the very front row—right beside Hiratsuka.

It was as if he existed in two different worlds from the other students. Their happiness and sadness no longer concerned him. It was one of the most hated seats for students on field trips.

But for Yuu, this was actually better than sitting next to the driver—only a pity he couldn’t sit with Totsuka.

He didn’t hate this fierce teacher. Her scent and softness weren’t hateable either. Only her personality...

“Drink!”

“...Even though it’s non-alcoholic, is it really okay for you to act like this, Sensei?”

“What’s wrong with treating students to drinks?” Shoving an aluminum can into Yuu’s arms, Hiratsuka boldly pulled the tab and tilted her head back, drinking it all.

“—Phew! Refreshing! Suffering through working on a holiday can only be solved with this!”

Though it was just a non-alcoholic drink, she drank it like expensive daiginjo sake.

Watching the bold martial arts teacher wordlessly, Yuu also pulled his tab, sipping slightly. “This is counted as a trip using school funds, right? Why is there only suffering and no joy?”

“Joy is for you students. We teachers have nothing.” Swinging her half-empty can, Hiratsuka sighed. “I have to handle the next travel plan, always watch your whereabouts, and confirm various things with the driver and site manager. Where do we teachers have time to enjoy ourselves? Better to lie at home watching TV and eating instant noodles.”

“Then you’ve really worked hard.” Yuu replied casually, ignoring Hiratsuka’s face full of complaints. He turned to the window, watching the scenery slowly shift.

A bag of squid slices was offered to him.

“If you think I’ve worked hard, eat with me. If you’re bored, let’s chat. This is a rare chance for me to relax in the car.”

“You’re really...” Life was tough. Yuu sighed.

He tore open the squid slice package, placing it between their thighs, then chewed and spoke unclearly:

“Sensei, Yuigahama’s grades improved rapidly, and I also got first place school-wide this time. Will you get a reward from the school?”

“Hmm? Should be.” Hiratsuka sipped her drink, saying uncertainly, “Performance bonus might increase slightly, but not much... Why, do you want a share? Aren’t my ramen discount coupons appealing?”

“...” Yuu tugged the corner of his mouth, not answering.

Hiratsuka didn’t care either. After chewing a few squid slices, she quickly changed the topic: “By the way, Tenkuji.”

“Today clearly won’t rain, yet you still brought an umbrella and raincoat. Aren’t you being too cautious?”

Yuu looked at the compact umbrella and new raincoat by his bag’s side, suddenly smiling meaningfully.

“Who said it won’t rain?”