"Ye Feng, you…"
Faced with Ye Feng's thick skin, Shizuka Hiratsuka tugged at the corner of her mouth and couldn't help covering her forehead.
"Shameless… Anyway, I'll leave him to you, Yukino."
"I understand."
Yukinoshita Yukino took a quiet breath, glanced at Ye Feng, and lightly pressed her lips together, her emotions complicated.
She had been genuinely angry just now.
But now… her feelings were very subtle.
It seemed that—
He wasn't quite the same as the rumors suggested.
First of all, his skin was ridiculously thick.
He could say something that shameless with a perfectly calm expression…
In a way, that was impressive too!
"I'll be going now."
Hiratsuka patted Ye Feng on the shoulder, shot him a warning look, and left.
The sliding door closed, shutting out the outside world.
Yukinoshita sat by the window reading, her posture perfectly upright—but her presence was so cold that no one dared approach her.
"Yukinoshita, did Shizuka-sensei say anything to you?"
Ye Feng dragged over a chair and sat down.
Without lifting her head, Yukinoshita replied coldly,
"Hiratsuka-sensei is a good teacher. As for Ye Feng-kun… you are not a good student."
Got it.
So Shizuka-sensei wanted him back on the right path.
Little Mafuyu had even quit her job just to transfer schools with him to Sobu High.
Was Shizuka-sensei trying to restrain him using Yukinoshita?
To be fair, Yukinoshita was extremely cute. That aloof, icy, untouchable aura made people instinctively afraid—but at the same time, strangely drawn in.
Who would refuse a proud, distant ice-cold beauty throwing herself into their arms for hugs and kisses and being lifted up?
But clearly—
Ye Feng had overthought it.
The Service Club… despite the misleading name, was just a club that accepted requests and helped others solve problems.
And he, a problem child, was obviously the problem.
Ye Feng said quietly,
"So in the end, you people don't know anything."
Honestly, instead of doing all this, it'd be better to just let him rest properly. Otherwise, one day he might get so exhausted that he'd just give up completely.
"If you're willing to speak," Yukinoshita paused slightly before continuing,
"then even if Ye Feng-kun is a problem child, I would still be willing to listen."
"Of course, if you don't want to, that's fine too."
Ye Feng rubbed his brow and said meaningfully,
"I think… someday, you'll all know."
"I see."
Yukinoshita said coldly,
"So even Ye Feng-kun is nothing more than a coward."
Ye Feng replied seriously,
"Yukinoshita, I have a fragile heart. Please don't verbally abuse me."
"..."
I only called you a coward!
Am I really that scary, that you have to guard against me at every turn?!
Yukinoshita took a quiet breath, completely speechless. This was the first time she'd ever met someone this shameless.
As the saying goes—don't hit someone who's smiling.
She knew full well he was deliberately flattering her, yet she couldn't bring herself to scold him…
It was incredibly frustrating.
Yukinoshita sighed faintly and closed her book.
"Ye Feng-kun, you're making this very difficult for me."
Ye Feng replied immediately,
"Yukinoshita is super cute."
"..."
Yukinoshita pressed her lips together and stared at him coldly.
Ye Feng remained unfazed.
"I'm telling the truth. Yukinoshita is super cute."
A trace of embarrassed anger appeared on Yukinoshita's face.
Once was bad enough—but you're doing it again?
Do you have no shame?!
Ye Feng, however, felt absolutely no problem with it.
Shame only slowed him down.
Just a few harmless words could achieve a perfect ending where no one got hurt—wasn't that great?
Ye Feng said solemnly,
"Yukinoshita is the cutest in the world!"
"So please don't hurt my weak and fragile heart."
"…Shameless!"
Yukinoshita's cheeks grew warm. She clenched her teeth and glared at him.
"Ye Feng, that's enough!"
In short, after being praised several times, Yukinoshita finally ground her teeth and kicked him out.
But it had to be said—
The effect was excellent.
By the time Yukinoshita came to her senses, Ye Feng had already strolled leisurely back to the classroom.
As soon as he sat down, the ahoge girl hurried into the room.
"Whew… I almost ended up late."
Itsuki let out a sigh of relief. Noticing Ye Feng's gaze, her blue eyes shifted slightly as she looked over.
"Ye Feng-kun, why are you staring at me?"
"I was thinking…" Ye Feng said directly,
"…about the differences between you and Miku."
(Actually, I'm observing the ominous aura on you. In such a short time, it's gotten even thicker and more terrifying.)
(That ghost face formed from dark, ominous energy keeps staring at me—it's scary, okay?!)
"Eh?"
Her ahoge swayed lightly. Itsuki's cheeks turned red as she said softly,
"Ye Feng-kun, I just want to study properly right now…"
She didn't dislike Ye Feng—but dating or anything like that was something she'd never considered, nor wanted to.
At the very least, shouldn't she pass her exams first?
Ye Feng glanced at the ghost face hovering above her head and said,
"Class is starting."
Before long, school ended.
Itsuki picked up her bag.
"Ye Feng-kun, I have something to do today. Can we postpone the tutoring until tomorrow?"
Ye Feng nodded.
"No problem."
Tutoring was a small matter.
The ghost face was the real issue.
Who knew if this was a new type of anomaly—and one occurring in the real world at that. It couldn't be ignored.
"I'll see you tomorrow. Thank you, Ye Feng-kun."
With that, Itsuki grabbed her bag and hurried out of the classroom.
After she left, Ye Feng waited a bit, then picked up his own bag and walked out.
After school, Sobu High became lively. Along the way, Ye Feng felt as though he could smell the sour stench of romance in the air.
In short—
Spring had arrived.
Ye Feng's expression remained calm, with not the slightest hint of envy.
After all, he'd once possessed the most beautiful diamond in the world.
Just as he reached the courtyard, a cold voice with little emotional fluctuation rang out.
"Ye Feng-kun…"
The voice was highly distinctive, so Ye Feng immediately knew who it was.
"That voice… It's Miku."
He turned and saw a girl wearing headphones standing beneath the cherry blossoms.
The breeze gently gathered her long, silky hair to one side. Her skirt fluttered lightly, revealing a glimpse of her leg, its curve elegant and beautiful.
A quiet, cool girl. Blooming cherry blossoms.
Together, they formed a stunning scene that made one's heart—
Move?
Like hell.
That ghost face was terrifying, okay?!
Ye Feng glanced at the snarling ghost face and walked straight over.
"Good afternoon, Miku."
"Good afternoon."
Miku raised a hand to tuck her hair behind her ear and turned her face slightly away.
"Don't come any closer…"
"?"
Ye Feng stared.
"Didn't you call me over?"
"No."
Miku pressed her lips together.
"I was just saying hello."
"My apologies—it's all my fault for failing to understand Lady Miku's intentions. I'll go commit seppuku immediately."
Miku puffed out her cheeks in displeasure.
"I didn't tell you to do that!"
Saying something like that—he was clearly teasing her!
Ye Feng replied solemnly,
"Thank you for sparing my life, Lady Miku."
"Ugh…"
He was teasing her again.
Miku grew unhappy. Her cheeks puffed up visibly, like a hamster stuffing chestnuts into its mouth—adorably so.
"Guilty!"
"Ahem…"
Ye Feng coughed lightly.
Without realizing it, he'd teased Miku again.
It couldn't be helped—
soft-spoken girls were just too easy to bully.