Chapter 28: Yukino's Betrayal of Perfection
Cold.
Beautiful.
Biting.
Like a solitary flower blooming alone atop a silent, frozen mountaintop.
Pure and inviolable.
Only when the warm, gentle golden sunlight shone through the window onto her did she seem to possess a touch of human warmth.
She put down her book and looked at Haruka and the other two walking in. Although she recognized them as her classmates, she still asked in a flat tone, "This is the Service Club. Do you need something?"
Haruka looked at this woman who radiated coldness at a glance and spoke directly. "I heard the Service Club is a department that helps people?"
"That is one way to understand it."
Yukino Yukinoshita nodded slightly.
"Pro bono?"
"Naturally. The capable help the weak. Why would payment be necessary?"
Haruka's expression turned a little strange, but he nodded anyway.
"Alright."
Saying that, he pulled Shoko over from behind him.
"You should know her. I hope she can make friends and integrate into the group."
Yukino Yukinoshita looked closely at Shoko. "Is this her wish, or yours?"
Shoko hurriedly raised her communication notebook: I wish to make friends, to be like a normal person.
Yukino Yukinoshita read it, her brows furrowing slightly.
"Forgive my bluntness, but becoming exactly like a 'normal person' is impossible. The inherent malice of human nature always exists. Therefore, it cannot be done."
???
Were these words really coming from her—the one who upheld perfection and sought "something genuine"?
Wait.
Upheld perfection?
Haruka frowned slightly. "You misunderstand. Making friends and integrating like a normal person doesn't mean turning her into some kind of social butterfly."
"..."
Yukino Yukinoshita fell silent for a moment.
"We can try."
Shoko smiled and bowed to Yukino Yukinoshita.
Yukino was taken aback, her lips pressing together slightly.
"Thank you."
"I am Haruka Kasugano, and she is Shoko Nishimiya. As for her..."
Hitori Gotoh had shrunk into the corner of the wall at some point.
"Hitori Gotoh. Like you, she is also our classmate," Yukino Yukinoshita said first.
"Eh? You know me?"
Hitori looked at Yukino with pleasant surprise.
"I know everyone in the class," Yukino said indifferently, dealing a fatal blow to Hitori!
Sure enough, Hitori Gotoh shrank back again.
"I... I also heard this place helps people, so I came."
"Um, well, I want to play the guitar well, but I found that I seem too scared to play in front of people. So, so... can you help me overcome this?"
Hitori Gotoh stammered out her request.
Yukino Yukinoshita lowered her head and wrote something on the table.
She asked questions as she wrote.
It seemed to be basic personal information and the like.
She put down her pen.
"So, the current requests are from the two of you. Do you not have one?" Yukino looked at Haruka.
Haruka paused, then shook his head.
Before, he might have needed tutoring or something similar, but now?
It was hard to say who would be tutoring whom! (Straight-A Student Mode: ON)
"Alright. I understand your problems. Next, I need to conduct some simple tests on you. Please cooperate."
"Mm-hmm."
Haruka stepped aside and watched Yukino's performance.
First was Shoko.
Pronunciation.
Hearing.
Hearing aid check.
"I am not a professional doctor, so I won't judge the severity of your hearing or throat condition. However, your hearing relies heavily on hearing aids."
"Your temperament is too weak. You looked at me eighteen consecutive times in one minute. Several times you wanted to tell me something, but you didn't dare to make any move. There are psychological issues."
"In your situation, if you want to make friends, you need someone with a wide social circle as a guide and a social shield. Furthermore, socializing inevitably involves various troubles; you need strong mental resilience to withstand them."
"Helping you will be a long-term commitment. Of course, the most important thing is your determination." After saying this, Yukino Yukinoshita reached out and took a sip of water.
Leaving Shoko and the others some time to think.
She certainly had the air of an elite.
Haruka basically agreed with everything she said.
Moreover, he instantly thought of a suitable candidate: Yumiko Miura.
However, when the time came, they would probably still erupt into conflict just like in the simulation, right?
Beside him, Shoko had already made her decision.
No.
It should be said that she had made her decision the moment she decided to transfer here for one last attempt.
I have determination. Please help me.
Yukino nodded.
Regarding Shoko's request, she already had a rough idea. However, she had to admit, this request was difficult.
Glancing at Haruka and Shoko, then at Hitori Gotoh shrinking in the corner, she voiced her idea.
First, self-improvement. Then, selecting suitable friends.
Since some people discriminate, then simply don't be friends with those people!
Make friends with those who don't discriminate!
Of course, this wasn't actually a great solution. If possible, she would have preferred Shoko to fight back. Having a disability was fate's fault, not hers. Why should society be so unfair to her?
But she knew very well that a girl like Shoko couldn't do such a thing.
Therefore, she could only settle for the next best thing and propose this method.
For someone like her who upheld perfection and sought "the genuine article," suggesting such a method was actually repulsive.
Yukino Yukinoshita's expression right now wasn't very pleasant.
But she still chose to voice this method.
This was being responsible to Shoko.
It could be considered her "kindness."
For some reason, hearing Yukino's method, Haruka was inexplicably reminded of an anime: Haganai: I Don't Have Many Friends.
It had a similar vibe!
However, this method was just an outline. Once executed, it would inevitably face many problems. For example, how to find people who didn't discriminate? How to ensure everyone wouldn't be influenced by the atmosphere created by others? When the time came, could the isolated person really hold on?
The human heart.
It is a very subtle thing.
Shoko obviously didn't think too deeply. Hearing this method, she was already full of anticipation, but she still looked hesitantly at Haruka.
Clearly, she needed some courage from her friend.
Haruka nodded with a calm expression.
Seeing their interaction, Yukino said, "Alright, it's getting late. We'll discuss the specifics tomorrow. Now, let me see Gotoh-san's condition."
???
Weren't we talking about her?
Why switch to me all of a sudden...
Too sudden...
It's over... so nervous... ahhhhhhh...
After Yukino finished speaking, visibly to the naked eye, the pink Hitori became smaller and smaller, shrinking into that familiar green trash can.
??
For the first time, Yukino frowned.
She suddenly felt that the problems her Service Club encountered today were all major ones!
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