(All characters appearing in this text are adults.)
(Any resemblance to real persons, places, or events in this text is not a coincidence.)
"Youth is an evil, a lie."
"Hmph~"
"Those who praise youth are constantly deceiving themselves and others."
"As long as it's linked to 'youth', they can twist all common concepts and social norms."
"In their eyes, lies, concealment, and failure are merely the seasonings of youth."
"And if even failure is the melody of youth, then shouldn't those who fail to make friends be the most youthful of all?"
...
"The one who is truly beyond saving is you, Hikigaya," Hiratsuka Shizuka sighed deeply, displaying a test paper still marked with a faint footprint before the two individuals in front of her.
"Do you remember the topic I assigned in class?"
"Uh..." Hachiman Hikigaya's memory was decent; he remembered the classroom topic clearly.
"An essay with the theme 'Reflecting on School Life'."
Hachiman Hikigaya turned his head away.
"So what is this pile of unsightly words? What does it mean? How could you even write it like this?"
"Ah... isn't evaluating someone's hard work like that a bit..." Although Hachiman Hikigaya was thick-skinned, being insulted like this still made him feel embarrassed.
"Sigh..." Hiratsuka Shizuka propped her forehead with her hand, finding the problem child before her quite difficult to handle.
"And you! Fujiwara Shin!"
"Don't just stand there dazing off!"
"Hmm?"
The person suddenly called out was the man summoned to the office to be scolded alongside Hachiman Hikigaya for the same reason—who could, for the time being, be considered the protagonist of this novel.
Handsome, high academic ability, and popular—he was practically the number one person on Hachiman Hikigaya's hate list.
"What was the content of my lesson?"
"Uh,'Shitty School Life'?"
Hachiman Hikigaya silently gave a thumbs-up behind his back, expressing his appreciation and affirmation of Fujiwara Shin courage.
Although he still found the 'normie' type like Fujiwara Shin disgusting, his urge to vomit lessened slightly.
Hiratsuka Shizuka's fist clenched.
"You brat, speak properly!"
"Ah, well, considering your age, Sensei, I suppose I am a brat..."
*Pshoo—*
The force of the fist split the space, making the air emit a sharp whistle.
"Has no one told you that discussing a woman's age is forbidden?"
The fist stopped steadily in front of Fujiwara Shin face. The latter didn't even catch his breath; looking at the heavy fist inches away, Fujiwara Shin almost wanted to laugh.
"Even though you're an old lady, you're surprisingly charming," Fujiwara Shin said, nonchalantly moving the fist aside. "I like Hiratsuka-sensei the best, so Hirano-sensei shouldn't point her fist at the student who likes her most."
Battle aura? Could this purple aura be the legendary battle aura?
A drop of sweat rolled down the back of Fujiwara Shin's head.
Tch, smooth-talker."
Hiratsuka Shizuka slowly withdrew her fist, looking at this troublemaker with a headache.
"Why is it that other classes don't have a single problem student, while our class has two!"
"As the top student in the grade, I don't approve of you using 'problem student' as a substitute for my name." Fujiwara Shin shrugged and pulled over a chair.
"Miyuki-sensei, may I borrow your chair for a bit?"
"Of course, Fujiwara-kun." Miyuki-sensei, who was about to leave the office with her books, heard Fujiwara Shin's request and specifically turned back to give him a wink before leaving the school.
'He really is a thorough, damn normie.'
Hachiman Hikigaya thought to himself. For him, let alone having a good relationship with teachers, he didn't even have a single friend his own age.
This guy is even more dazzling than Hayato Hayama!
Hiratsuka Shizuka looked at the two students—one a 'dead pig unafraid of boiling water' and the other completely ignoring her—and felt a sharp pain in her temples.
Suddenly, she seemed to think of something, and her furrowed brows smoothed out.
"I know how to deal with you two now."
...
*Slide—*
"Hiratsuka-sensei, I believe I've said that you should please knock before entering."
"But you wouldn't respond even if I did knock."
"That's because you don't wait for me to reply at all before entering on your own."
"Hmm, that last sentence sounds quite bad," Fujiwara Shin commented in a low voice.
Yukino Yukinoshita sighed and closed the book in her hand. "So, is there something you need, Hiratsuka-sensei?"
"Also, who are these two boys behind you who look like they're oozing stupidity?"
"Before calling others stupid, please pay attention to your own rank, Yukinoshita-san, whom I've kept pinned beneath me for an entire year."
Fujiwara Shin walked into the classroom without any psychological pressure, pulled a functional chair from a stack of folded tables and chairs, and sat down bluntly.
"Fujiwara. Even Sensei hasn't sat down yet!"
"Oh my, my apologies. Walking such a long way has made my back feel like it's about to break. Please forgive me, Hiratsuka-sensei." This was an apology from Fujiwara Shin that contained zero regret.
As a transmigrator brought to another world by a civilian-use Dual-Vector Foil, his mindset in this second life was much like this: he didn't give a damn about anything, striving only for his own comfort as the ultimate goal.
Although Fujiwara Shin was speaking to Hiratsuka Shizuka, his eyes weren't looking at her at all. Instead, they were fixed on the figure sitting by the window.
Yukino Yukinoshita.
The most hardworking 'model worker' of the crossover genre.
To think I transmigrated into a world like this?
"The rankings at Shuchiin are indeed very authoritative, but it is certainly biased to judge intelligence based solely on that." Yukino Yukinoshita placed her book face down and stood up from her chair.
"From the perspective of pure intelligence, Yukino Yukinoshita is greater than Fujiwara Shin."
Fujiwara Shin turned his head to look at Hachiman Hikigaya, who was hiding behind Hiratsuka Shizuka and afraid to move. A smile appeared on his face, but his finger uncontrollably pointed at Yukino Yukinoshita.
"You're triggered."
"It's really not very convincing coming from Yukinoshita-san, who can only manage to stay at fifth place."
*Thud!*
"Stop!"
Just as the two were about to continue bickering, Hiratsuka Shizuka landed a 'K' on Hachiman Hikigaya's head, using the sound to pause their actions.
"Wait, why did you hit me?!"
No one cared about Hachiman's complaints; Fujiwara Shin and Yukino Yukinoshita's gazes were now both focused on Hiratsuka Shizuka.
"Actually, these two are here to join the club."
Hiratsuka Shizuka let out a sigh. "Though it looks unlikely, please make sure to take in Hikigaya. This person is so twisted that only Yukinoshita can correct him."
"Not only do you hit me and ignore me, but now you're launching personal attacks?"
Hachiman Hikigaya felt the malice of the world.
Hiratsuka Shizuka even got his name wrong.
"No, I will take them both in." Yukino Yukinoshita's gaze was sharp. "Clubs at Shuchiin are self-governing. In other words, as long as they enter the club, I can order them around, right?"
"Theoretically, yes."
Hiratsuka Shizuka nodded, not expecting things to go so unexpectedly smoothly.
"Does no one care if I'm willing?" Fujiwara Shin asked curiously from his chair.
"Because this is a punishment, Fujiwara-shounen."
Hiratsuka Shizuka gave a victorious smile. The tiger tooth peeking from the corner of her mouth made the not-so-old Hiratsuka Shizuka look no different from a high school girl.
Of course, her actual age was still much older than a high schooler's; that fact could not be changed.
"Actually, I could join the Student Council. Shirogane-kun has invited me many times..."
"The Student Council isn't considered a club activity." Hiratsuka Shizuka wore an 'I knew you'd say that' expression.
"Though that's true for everyone except the President, didn't you refuse when I asked you to run for election back then?"
"You bastard, you set me up—" Fujiwara Shin expression became distorted. In any case, even if it meant handling school affairs every day, he was unwilling to do Service Club work in a place where Yukinoshita was.
But if he had to do club activities while also handling school affairs, wouldn't that just be a total waste of his break time?!
The pure-looking and flat-chested Yukinoshita was actually a black-bellied, wicked woman!
That chest, as barren as a basin, had deceived who knows how many long-black-hair and flat-chest enthusiasts into confessing to her, only for them all to be insulted and harshly rejected.
She's clearly a sadist.
He didn't want to get along with someone like that!
But unfortunately, this time his outcry was corrected by Hiratsuka Shizuka's iron fist.
*Bang—*
"Ouch—"
"Don't shout loudly in school!"