Chapter 58: Hiratsuka Shizuka is a Menace
"Get over here!" Hiratsuka Shizuka stormed up and wrapped both her arms around Shirou's neck, dragging him inside.
With this iron-fisted teacher's level of intimidation, could she really just do whatever she wanted on this bus?
"Can someone come help stop her?!" Shirou pleaded with his eyes as he looked around.
Nasu, the club president, turned his head away.
Wait a second, President! Have you forgotten what you said earlier?!
Back at sunset, the tall, lanky guy had passionately declared:
"Shirou! From now on, we're teammates. Let's work together and face all hardships side by side!"
Vice President Noritsune, why are you hiding under the seat?!
The stocky guy had raised his arm, showing off his muscles with a proud smile:
"Shirou, you're our ace! Just keep charging forward. No matter where your arrow points, we'll follow!"
The surrounding archery club members all silently looked down, pretending they saw nothing, while Shirou was dragged to the very back row by the red-eyed demon teacher.
Only when faced with danger do you realize the true value of reliable comrades. If Mash were here right now, she would never have acted like these people—pretending not to see, completely uninvolved.
Even after being dragged to the back seat and locked in a cross-arm hold, Shirou asked helplessly, "Sensei, what are you trying to do?"
"Can you guarantee that nothing will go wrong in the recurve bow competition?" Hiratsuka whispered directly into Shirou's ear.
"Why are you bringing this up now?" Her warm breath brushed his ear, making it ticklish.
She was even pressing against his back. This shameless delinquent teacher!
"I kinda boasted to the Dean… said that the archery club will definitely win some impressive results this time, and that you'd absolutely get multiple championships," she said, lowering her voice.
"Multiple? But I only signed up for traditional kyudo! I'm just doing one individual event and one team event. The recurve events are just 30 meters with 36 arrows and 50 meters with 36 arrows, that's it!" Shirou protested.
"No worries. I've already contacted the organizers and signed you up for the 70-meter 72-arrow recurve event and the unlimited compound bow friendship match!" Hiratsuka smiled brightly.
"Sensei, I'll let the recurve slide—but I don't even have a compound bow!" Shirou said.
Those bows use pulleys to reduce draw strength, improve arrow speed, control, and precision. Other than competitive shooters, hunters, or people doing sketchy stuff, hardly anyone uses those.
And high school students don't even touch them.
"Ah… I forgot about that. Ehehe~!" Hiratsuka blinked, lightly tapped her forehead with her fist, and stuck out her tongue in a cutesy gesture.
"Ehehe?" Sure, it's cute—but this is NOT a problem you can solve with an "ehehe," okay?!
"It's fine! Once we get to Tokyo, we'll just buy one! Hahaha!" Hiratsuka laughed, still hugging Shirou by the neck.
Later that night, when they finally came out of the archery store, it was nearly 10 PM.
Finding a compound bow that fit well turned out to be way harder than expected. Even in Tokyo, shops that sell compound bows are rare. After going to several places, they finally found a suitable one in a back alley in Shibuya.
The modern compound bow looked like a steel beast. Its body was black and red, with two draw cables on the inside of the pulley axle, and a black bowstring on the outer side. It was powerful, stable, and paired with a sight and stabilizers—blunt and aggressive.
"I've already paid to get you the best bow. But Shirou—can you win? You can win, right?! You absolutely must win!!" Hiratsuka grabbed his shoulders, looking deadly serious.
"Haah… I'll try my best." Shirou, now carrying the bow case on his back, could only agree under her intense stare.
"If you lose, I won't be able to apply for reimbursement from the school! Ugh…" Hiratsuka looked like she was about to cry.
Shirou covered his face in exasperation. Can someone just hurry up and marry this woman already? Don't leave her here to torment us students!
"Shirou, please! My happiness next month depends on you! If I don't get reimbursed, I won't be able to spend on gacha games next month!
I already regret this… I just wanted to show I was still valuable at work! All my friends are either married or successful career women now… uwaaahhh…" Hiratsuka leaned her head against the boy's shoulder and cried.
Oof. Heartache. Such deep heartache.
"…," The first half made him want to scream, but the second half… kind of pitiful, actually.
Then maybe don't go signing me up for stuff without asking in the first place!
Also, it's only been a few years since you graduated college, right? Don't actually start crying.
And… seriously, think about your surroundings—people in Tokyo are starting to stare. Good thing I'm not in school uniform right now, or they'd think you're a creepy woman and call the cops.
"Uwaaahh… no boyfriend, no career, and now I'm all alone…" Hiratsuka clung to Shirou's shoulder and cried loudly.
"Alright, alright, I get it. You don't need to say the painful stuff twice. I just have to win, right? So stop crying," Shirou said helplessly.
"Hnnn… Thank you," Hiratsuka said as she wiped her tears and looked up.
"Pffft…" Shirou stifled a laugh. "Sensei… did you put on makeup today?"
"Hm? Just a little light makeup, why?" Hiratsuka asked curiously.
She came to Tokyo, after all—maybe she'd meet someone nice. Of course she had to put in some effort. It's not like she could just show up in her usual lab coat with no makeup.
"…" Shirou pulled out his phone, turned on the selfie cam, and pointed it at her.
"UWAA!" A tiny Da Vinci-chan who had been hiding in the phone hoping to see something indecent screamed and fled back to Chaldea.
At this point, Hiratsuka's makeup was completely ruined. Her eyes were swollen from crying—it was beyond the level of a panda. Her face was now too ridiculous to be seen in public.
She had no choice but to lower her head and lean on Shirou's shoulder as he escorted her to a nearby restroom.
"Tch…" People coming out of the restroom—men and women alike—saw the two clinging together at the entrance and looked shocked. An old man passed by shaking his head.
Young people these days… not just showing height difference and matching outfits, now they're showing off tears and snot too? Such unique taste…
Even those who just wanted to use the restroom were visibly annoyed and turned away. Out of all the places to flirt, why right outside the bathroom?!
"There's no one around. Hurry and go in," Shirou tapped her shoulder.
"Keep watch for me!" Hiratsuka quickly rushed inside to wash her face.
Shirou stood outside, holding the bow case. Even though it was already late, this bustling international city was still full of traffic and people. But he couldn't help but wonder—what exactly did I come here today for again?
After a while, Hiratsuka came out with a gloomy expression. She had washed her face clean, but her eyes were still puffy.
"Thanks, Shirou… In this state, I really can't go back to the hotel tonight."
If she returned now, clearly looking like she had cried, people would definitely gossip about what might have happened.
A male and female teacher-student pair had gone out shopping in the afternoon, came back late at night, the woman with swollen eyes, the man looking awkward… worst of all, they were teacher and student.
"Then what should we do? Sensei, maybe you can just stay at a nearby hotel?" Shirou suggested.
"It's okay. I happen to have an apartment nearby. I'll stay there tonight," Hiratsuka said, still dejected.
"Alright then, I'll just head back to the hotel on my own," Shirou nodded.
"No way! What kind of teacher lets her student wander alone at night?! You're coming with me!" She yanked Shirou again and headed out.
Eventually, they arrived at a high-end apartment complex in a residential area of Shibuya.