Chapter 26 – Bonds of the Service Club
After saying that, Yukino Yukinoshita stood up, ready to leave.
Memories surged within her—memories she rarely allowed herself to revisit.
When she first entered high school, she endured constant bullying born of jealousy. Though no one dared go too far because of her family's status, her shoes were stolen, her things hidden, and she was whispered about relentlessly.
She could not connect with others. She had no friends.
So, she created the Service Club.
She hoped—naively, perhaps—that by helping others, she could change how people saw her. That by changing even a little, she could change the world around her.
But for a long time, no one understood her ideas. No one wanted to join such a strangely named club.
The school's deadline for abolishing inactive clubs crept closer with each passing week.
She told herself she didn't care, putting up her cool front, still moving between the classroom and the clubroom every day, even setting up a stall to recruit members.
But the silence, the rejection, the emptiness of the clubroom—all of it hollowed her out.
Until that rainy day.
She remembered it clearly. The sky heavy, the air damp. She sat alone, staring blankly at the desk, convinced the Service Club would be dissolved.
And then the door burst open.
A boy, soaked to the skin, stepped inside. His gaze swept the room, sharp and unwavering, before landing on her.
Without hesitation, he pulled an application form from his bag and placed it before her.
"I'll join your club. I'll be a member."
The name signed there in bold, steady strokes: Ryuo Tenshin.
He had only one request—that the club funds allotted by the student council each month be entrusted to him in advance.
"I'll pay it back," he had said, eyes burning with determination. "I swear I will."
Overwhelmed by the firmness of his gaze, Yukino had simply whispered back, "…Okay."
That day, the forced smile she had worn for so long… finally became real.
—
But now… everything felt like an illusion, a fleeting light.
She was so very tired. Maybe she had been wrong all along. Maybe people truly couldn't change.
Ryuo never cared about her as president, never cared about the Service Club's purpose. To him, she and the club had been nothing but tools.
"…"
Seeing her expression, Ryuo understood immediately. She was misunderstanding him.
"Wait," he said quickly.
Yukino stopped, her eyes twitching slightly.
"When I said no, I meant I don't need additional money. I never said I wouldn't come to the club."
Her eyes widened ever so slightly.
Ryuo continued, his voice firm:
"I'm sorry. I haven't given enough attention to our club activities because of my own circumstances. But I've always wanted to try—to reach the results you desire.
You told me this when I first joined.
Maybe someone like me—isolated, self-centered, with clear goals—can help others. Maybe not. But if the Service Club can't even change me… then how can it change anyone?"
For the first time, a faint blush colored Yukino's pale cheeks.
"Did I… say something like that? If I did, it was probably just an empty slogan. It doesn't necessarily mean anything."
"It meant something to me," Ryuo said, his gaze unwavering.
"Last semester alone, your indoor shoes were hidden seven times, stolen twice. Your locker was vandalized twice. Your test papers were maliciously damaged countless times."
Yukino froze.
"For all of that," Ryuo continued, "I warned and interviewed the girl who kept hiding your shoes four times. I fought with the boy who stole them once. And when a teacher deliberately discarded your indoor shoes, I reported him until he was dismissed."
Her breath caught. It was true. Since the start of second year, the petty bullying had all but vanished. She had never once thought about why.
"I didn't know how to help others before," Ryuo said softly. "I only cared about myself. But because of you, I've changed. Even if only a little."
He placed a small stack of bills into her hands. Most were 1,000-yen notes, along with the 10,000 yen from earlier.
"I read the student council's expense reports. You've been using your own money to support me. I'm sorry. But I can finally pay you back."
Yukino's hands trembled faintly. "…You can return it when you're more stable." She knew his family's financial situation was harsh.
Ryuo shook his head. "Don't worry. Things are better now."
After a moment of hesitation, she counted the money. Not because she doubted him, but because she approached everything with careful precision.
"…It should be 31,000 yen," she murmured. "Ryuo, why is there 3,000 missing?"
Ryuo smirked, holding up three bills.
"Didn't I tell you I'd manage half of the club's funds every month—and spend them on meaningful things for the Service Club? Well, I bought a few extra copies of Your Lie in April. They've already enriched someone's emotions. Isn't that meaningful?"
Yukino stared at him, caught between exasperation and something softer she refused to name.
To Ryuo, she wasn't just a sharp-tongued ice queen anymore. At this moment, she was a rich woman investing 3,000 yen a month in him… and unknowingly, in his world.
But Ryuo knew: depression points mattered more than money. And one day, he would need every bit of them.
—
That afternoon, just after school, Ryuo's phone buzzed.
"Teacher Ikaros," Fujii Yuuna's voice came urgently through the line. "Although Your Lie in April is still second place, after today's release of the second episode in the magazine, its voting increase has surpassed Fairy Ring. If this momentum holds until Friday… there's a real chance you could take first!"
"…Second place?" Ryuo repeated, blinking.
He couldn't help but feel a flicker of excitement. He hadn't expected to catch up so quickly.
He didn't demand first place, but he knew well—the higher the ranking, the greater the sales. And the greater the sales, the higher the depression value.
This was good. This was very good.
On the other end, Fujii Yuuna nearly collapsed in exasperation.
Please… as an author, can't you be a little more concerned about your own rankings?
But of course, if Ryuo stood in front of her right now, she wouldn't dare say it. She'd probably grab his leg, bow her head, and beg him to lead the way instead.
END of the chapter
150ps=1 extra chapter and so on
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