Shizuka knew that asking Haizaki to join a club he clearly didn't want to join was a bit forceful.
But in her view, although Haizaki now showed a reluctant and resistant attitude, once he actually joined, he might very well end up with that "so fragrant" kind of reaction.
Teenagers often feel embarrassed about being in the same club as Yukino. Out of shyness, they choose to refuse, but deep down they might actually long for it.
If she persuaded him just a little more, Haizaki might "reluctantly" and "begrudgingly" agree—while in truth, he would be more than willing to join the Service Club.
So Shizuka hadn't completely given up. At the very least, before giving up, she wanted to hear Haizaki's reasons.
"Can you tell me?"
"Facing her… the pressure is too much."
Shizuka froze for a moment, then suddenly burst out laughing.
"You really are honest!"
That reason was very real. Almost every student at Sobu High felt considerable pressure when facing Yukino.
"I'm just stating the truth."
Haizaki straightened his posture, meeting Shizuka's gaze without the slightest wavering.
"Don't be fooled by Yukinoshita's cold, distant attitude. At her core, she's still a gentle girl."
Shizuka sighed. Yukino had always been isolated because of her expressionless face and icy aura.
And now, this transfer student who had only been here for four days had already formed the same impression as everyone else. What could she even say to that?
She knew this wasn't Haizaki's fault. It was just that she had hoped Haizaki would join the Service Club and, through that, change Yukino. But now, it seemed that might not be suitable.
"I know."
"You know?"
Shizuka, who had been about to end the topic, was stunned. She hadn't expected Haizaki to answer with "I know."
"It's just a natural feeling, I guess."
"Then your instincts are pretty accurate."
But that only made Shizuka more annoyed.
"If you think Yukinoshita is a gentle girl, why refuse? She won't scold you, and she certainly won't eat you alive."
If she herself were a teenage boy, Shizuka was sure she would pursue Yukino—dreaming of romance and enjoying youthful love.
"It's precisely because of her gentleness that I can't get close."
Haizaki decided to speak plainly. That way, Shizuka would finally give up on forcing him to join.
"Don't speak in riddles. Say it simply."
"I'm afraid I'll fall for her… sink too deep… and never be able to escape."
What the hell. That was way too much!
Shizuka was completely stunned. Who could have expected Haizaki to give such a shocking answer?
Were men from the Eastern Union always this bold? He went straight to "falling in love." This was completely outside her expectations.
"What did you just say? I don't think I heard clearly," Shizuka asked again.
"Sensei, I said, 'I'm afraid I'll fall for her, sink too deep, and never be able to escape,'" Haizaki sighed and continued.
This way, Shizuka would fully understand his thoughts and stop pressuring him.
"You're serious?"
"Of course I'm serious."
"Your reason?"
"I'm destined to leave here and return to my country. Getting too involved with her would only hurt the future."
"You're already thinking about breaking up before anything even starts? You're that confident in yourself?"
"This isn't about confidence. It's about recognizing reality. No matter how she treats me, getting too close to her would only be bad for me."
Shizuka understood what Haizaki meant. If Yukino rejected him, Haizaki would suffer. If Yukino accepted him, then when they eventually parted, both would suffer.
"You never thought that Yukinoshita might choose to go abroad with you? Or that you might stay in Japan for her?"
"Sensei, you just said it yourself—nothing has even begun yet. There's no need to think that far ahead. All I know is that keeping my distance from her now is the best choice for me."
"Other guys would kill for a chance to get closer to Yukinoshita, and you're doing the opposite."
"I'm just facing reality. She's an unattainable ice goddess—too far away. Being her classmate is nothing more than a coincidence in my life."
Haizaki sighed inwardly. He was once again using the weapon called "disguise."
But in truth, in his previous life, he had thought the same way. For two years of high school, he and Yukino had never built an overly close relationship.
"I really dislike your so-called reality theory."
Yukino wasn't the kind of girl who judged only by appearances or family background.
"Young people should pursue what they like. Even if you fail, it's not the end of the world. And if you make Yukinoshita fall for you, she might even be willing to abandon everything in Chiba for you!"
She patted Haizaki's shoulder, smiling brightly, giving him one last push.
"The hardest thing to bear is a beauty's kindness. I can't shoulder it. Besides, I have greater goals in life."
Haizaki straightened his chest.
At that moment, he knew Shizuka had finally given up on making him join the club. Once she gave up, her persuasion would end completely.
"What greater goals could you possibly have?"
Chasing an even better girl? Impossible. In Shizuka's eyes, Yukino was already top-tier. Aside from a few shortcomings, she was excellent in every way—a dream girl for any man.
"I want to dedicate my life to the greatest cause in the world—fighting for humanity's future."
"…Ha. Are you joking with me?"
Shizuka widened her eyes slightly, clearly unconvinced. Who could believe such a reason? It had to be an excuse.
"No, I'm serious."
Maybe someday, sensei, you'll understand. But I hope that day never comes.
Haizaki looked back at Shizuka with a serious, solemn expression.
"Fine, I'll believe you—or not. I won't force you to join the Service Club anymore. It's up to you. If you want to go, go. If not, forget it…"
Shizuka waved her hand dismissively, clearly unconvinced. But she didn't want to crush a student's confidence, nor did she need to dwell on such an obvious excuse.
"And this 'fighting for humanity's future'—you don't mean reproduction, do you?"
"Yes, sensei. I'm working hard for humanity's continuation, even willing to sacrifice my life for it."
Shizuka was even more exasperated. This guy was pushing his luck, daring to answer her like that. But after thinking about it, she decided not to continue.
"Then go work hard."
"Mm. Sensei, I'll be leaving now."
Seeing that Shizuka had nothing more to say, Haizaki nodded, opened the office door—
But with a *click*, an unusual sound came from outside.
Someone was eavesdropping?
Haizaki instinctively opened the door quickly, and what he saw was Yukino.
Her expression was flustered. She tried to turn and escape, but it was too late—she froze awkwardly in place.
Yukino had been outside the whole time. She had heard everything he and Shizuka had said.
Well, this was awkward. What was he supposed to do now that the person in question had overheard it all?
"What's wrong?"
Haizaki's sudden action of opening the door made Shizuka, who had just turned back to her seat, glance sideways.
"No, nothing."
Haizaki instead stepped half a pace to block her line of sight.
"I'll be leaving now, sensei."
"Go on then! Go fight for your 'struggle for humanity's future'!"
It was her first time meeting such an interesting yet awkward student. But Haizaki's awkwardness was more grounded in reality—at least he could stand firmly in society.
Although, to Shizuka herself, Haizaki's sense of reality was more of a harsh irony toward educators like them. But reality was just like that.
A person who is only pure and kind cannot truly stand firm in society.
Haizaki gently closed the office door. Even he hadn't expected such a coincidence.
While he was talking with Shizuka about her, Yukino had happened to come to the office and stood outside, overhearing their conversation.
But this was already reality, and Haizaki couldn't say much more. In fact, saying more would only make things more troublesome.
So his choice was…
He kept a calm face, nodded slightly to Yukino, and turned to leave.
His lack of questioning left Yukino frozen in place.
Even though Haizaki and Shizuka-sensei had been talking about her, Yukino couldn't deny the fact that she had been eavesdropping outside.
When the person involved discovered her, her sense of shame surged, her face burned, and she had braced herself for Haizaki's reproach.
But she hadn't expected Haizaki to say nothing at all—just a simple greeting before leaving.
Yukino didn't know what to do.
Stay where she was?
Turn and leave?
Or chase after him?
As Haizaki's figure gradually receded, her inner impulse finally made her decide. She quickened her pace and caught up with him at the corner.
"Yusuke-kun, I have something…"
"If it's about what happened at the office door just now, I don't mind."
Other than that, Haizaki couldn't think of anything else.
"I want to talk to you about what happened three days ago."
The incident during the Service Club's cleaning? But hadn't they already said it was over? Had Yukino changed her mind?
That didn't fit her character. She wasn't that kind of person.
But since Yukino said so, Haizaki thought it over and decided to accept the invitation. He would see first before deciding.
Haizaki followed Yukino back to the Service Club room in the club building.
Compared to the cold emptiness three days ago, the classroom now had more warmth.
"Please, make yourself comfortable. Tea or water?"
"Plain water is fine."
Even the tea set was prepared? Haizaki couldn't help but think.
Soon, he smelled the fragrance of black tea—the tea Yukino had brewed for herself.
Her cup had a cat motif, while his was plain, without any design.
That made him think of the patterns on a girl's underwear, and he couldn't help but wonder if Yukino's underwear right now also had cat designs.
"I get the feeling you're thinking something rude, Yususke-kun."
Handing him the plain water, Yukino's cold voice pierced into his ears.
Was a woman's sixth sense really that sharp? Even fleeting rude thoughts in his mind could be sensed—it was truly helpless.
"I was only thinking that Yukinoshita-san really does like cats."
Yukino averted her gaze.
Haizaki didn't mind and moved to the main topic.
"Yukinoshita-san, what did you call me here for? The matter from three days ago was already settled, wasn't it?"
But contrary to his expectation, Yukino remained silent.
At that moment, the Service Club room was utterly quiet.
Yukino had stopped Haizaki purely on impulse and brought him here.
But once inside, after brewing tea and pouring water, with no more excuses to delay, she faced the difficulty of the real topic.
"The matter from three days ago—I won't pursue it."
After a long pause, Yukino finally forced out that line.
Her expression was calm, but a faint trace of embarrassment flickered across her face.
Haizaki didn't say much. Getting another confirmation wasn't a bad thing. But surely that wasn't the real reason she had called him here.
"Thank you very much. If Yukinoshita-san is displeased that I spoke of you with Hiratsuka-sensei, I can apologize."
"I'm not displeased."
Even if Haizaki had spoken ill of her, she wouldn't care. Yukino didn't mind others' opinions—unless it was someone she cared about.
"Then…"
Haizaki blew on the steam rising from his cup, took a small sip, and asked, "Is there anything else, Yukinoshita-san?"
"…Is it because of me that you don't want to join the Service Club?"
She finally voiced the question.
Since childhood, her beauty had always drawn men's attention. She understood their thoughts and desires. But this time, she had found someone who clearly admired her yet chose to keep his distance.
Such a person sparked her curiosity. Only curiosity, nothing more. And though unlikely, Yukino had even wondered if Haizaki was using the tactic of "playing hard to get."
But considering that Haizaki's words had been overheard only because she had unexpectedly gone to Hiratsuka-sensei's office, she felt the possibility of him playing hard to get was extremely low.
Haizaki truly didn't want to get too close to her.
"Yes. I have reasons why I must keep my distance from Yukinoshita-san."
"Please understand, Yukinoshita-san, my distance from you isn't out of dislike or jealousy. On the contrary, compared to those, I actually have considerable affection for you."
That affection had existed since four years ago, from the very first moment of their meeting in his previous life.
At this moment, Haizaki spoke in a calm tone, expressing his feelings to Yukino. He made clear his affection and attitude. And cut off the lingering attachment in his heart.
"But under the conditions of reality, I think keeping distance is the best choice for me. The classroom environment is still within normal bounds, but the clubroom is different. In a sense, the clubroom is a more private space, where changes can easily occur."
"I see…"
Yukino hadn't expected Haizaki to plainly state his affection. He was only informing her, without any implication of confession or pursuit.
This was the first time in her life she had encountered such a situation.
Most importantly, Yukino had to admit that what Haizaki said was true.
A boy and a girl spending time together in a clubroom could indeed lead to subtle changes.
"Yes, exactly. Facing Yukinoshita-san, I feel immense pressure. Getting too close would give me unrealistic desires and disrupt my life. I don't want that to happen."
"You really are rational."
It was rational to the extreme. Judging something impossible, judging that closeness would disrupt life, and thus deciding not to engage—avoiding unfavorable outcomes.
Completely basing his actions on possibilities and gains versus losses.
In Yukino's view, at least in matters of emotion, one must not calculate solely by possibilities and profit.
If that were the case, could such feelings even be called genuine?
And so, Yukino instinctively felt a surge of aversion. She instinctively disliked this kind of personality.
…