On the return bus ride.
"Yo, rarely see you like this."
Raising one eyebrow, the iron-fisted teacher—still wearing her work uniform and white lab coat despite the field trip—sat beside him. With a lollipop in her mouth, she stared at him, slumped in his seat, in surprise.
"Was playing with the girls that exhausting? I thought you'd be more relaxed, given your athletic ability is so good."
Yuu opened one eye, looking at her listlessly: "...Well, there was a slight unexpected issue."
"As a teacher, I feel very uncomfortable hearing that..." Hiratsuka smacked her lips, pulled a piece of gum from her pocket, and handed it to him. "Want to chew it? Mint flavor—it'll help you feel better."
"I'm not carsick... But thanks for the kind gesture, sensei." Yuu sighed, took the gum from her hand, and immediately popped it into his mouth.
As his teeth chewed, a cold sensation like a giant club striking his brain shot through his skull, as if his brain were stuffed with ice. Even breathing slowly sent a sting of menthol, like balm rubbed inside his nostrils.
Yet, he only slightly widened his eyes, paused for a few seconds, then continued chewing as if nothing happened. His slightly pale face didn't change much.
"So it didn't work."
Hiratsuka snorted regretfully. This was demon-king-level mint gum—even she couldn't help taking a sharp breath and shivering. Yet this guy, though clearly much weaker than usual, could easily endure the icy torment without showing the slightest sign of struggle.
A truly unpredictable monster student... Mature in character, skilled in arts and martial arts. Besides liking to cause trouble and disrespect teachers, he truly had no flaws.
Is popularity among girls included too?
Facing Hiratsuka's inquisitive stare, Yuu wore a helpless expression. "Sensei, is this really how you treat a sick student? What if this gum makes my condition worse?"
"You don't have a fever, just look a bit weak. No need to be treated like a child, right?"
Hiratsuka snorted, then suddenly raised her hand. Her soft yet slightly rough palm pressed against his forehead, then quickly pulled away. "Don't be spoiled. Just eat all of this. Might help you recover energy faster."
"Of course not possible." Yuu pushed away the box of gum she offered, his face turning back to the window. "You're not young anymore. Stop making childish jokes like this."
"Don't talk back—I'll kill you!"
Hiratsuka tapped his forehead with the bottom of the box—not too hard, just a warning.
Hiratsuka leaned back in her seat, yawning lazily. "Ha... Then rest well. You look a bit wet from the rain—be careful not to catch a cold on the way back."
"Alright, thank you for your concern, sensei." Yuu was slightly surprised. Warmth flowed through his heart, and he smiled unconsciously.
Hiratsuka casually crossed her legs, closed her eyes, and prepared to nap. "You're welcome. Besides, visiting the sick is too outdated. I don't like clichéd romantic comedy plots either, let alone readers."
Yuu: "..."
In this world, there were always people who said things others couldn't understand.
Fine, pretend I didn't hear it.
Too lazy to deal with the irresponsible delinquent teacher beside him, he stared at the slanting rain on the window glass and refocused his thoughts, carefully sensing his body's condition.
The extended use of
Whether due to the system adding special effects, the physical exhaustion this time was so intense that even his exceptionally fit body couldn't withstand it.
While searching for Masuzu, Yuu used this ability for about two minutes—opening and closing it—and finally had just enough energy to carry Masuzu back as if nothing happened. Even so, by the time he boarded the return bus, he hadn't recovered to more than two or three percent of his normal state. He was still controlled by fatigue-induced weakness, and if he hadn't maintained his act with all his strength, Masuzu and the others might have noticed something off.
Since obtaining the system, this was the first time Yuu had been in such a pitiful situation.
"System, won't you come out and explain?" He murmured inwardly.
In the same soft, ethereal tone, the system quickly responded: "Host, the activation mechanism of this status is: the greater the target's longing for the Host, the more energy the Host will consume... Normal photo mode consumes almost no energy, but continuous use or live broadcast mode, which displays the target's current image, will exponentially increase consumption—until the Host faints."
Yuu frowned, touching his chin in thought. "So, if I use this ability on Sora..."
The system gave a friendly warning: "When the target is Kasugano Sora, one minute of photo mode will guarantee the Host retains normal mobility."
"Hey, isn't that too much?!" Yuu was stunned, slightly disbelieving. "Is my sister missing me that intensely? Even the no-consumption photo mode has limits. Live broadcast mode might drain my energy in three seconds, right?"
The dog system didn't respond, as if it were normal and didn't need explanation.
Yuu scratched his forehead. "Well, I'll use it carefully from now on... If there are side effects like this again, I hope you can warn me beforehand."
"Host's suggestion received."
"Then next..."
His body lacked strength, but his mind worked faster than usual.
For now, setting aside this odd ability, Yuu pulled down the system panel and checked the latest status.
Magical Transaction.
The system explained that by handing over a specific physical object to the system and consuming unequal energy, the Host could obtain a new item with the same concept but different quality.
Like one of Doraemon's tools, if he brought a broken watch to trade with the system, he might get a time-stopping device—but the probability was extremely low, and the energy required was beyond what Yuu could currently afford.
If a normal high school student's energy was ten, after system enhancement, he was around level twenty-five. While the energy needed for a time-stopping device transaction... he didn't know the exact amount, but at least over a hundred, right?
And the result was random, similar to synthesizing different skills and statuses. Increasingly resembling a game system's style.
But this couldn't be rushed. Yuu planned to try it before bed.
By then, his energy would be fully restored. Even if he accidentally drained it again, he could just sleep immediately. He could also use this time to carefully consider what item to use for his first "transaction" with the system.
Then, there was the new skill that came with this status: Finance—as the name suggested, it was a way to bet in capitalist society.
Yuu had already studied this. Now, the system had implanted richer, deeper knowledge into his brain, allowing him to quickly master and understand everything, greatly aiding a certain plan he was preparing.
"In short, this field trip could be said to be very beneficial."
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
After finishing thoughts about the rewards, a certain person reappeared in Yuu's mind.
"Masuzu..."
Honestly, when she agreed to the transaction and hugged him, Yuu thought the mission was complete and it was time for closure.
But it wasn't that simple.
"Show your charm and fill the emptiness in her heart"—wasn't something that could be resolved by just finding her in the rain and saying a few words.
Though their relationship had changed, no longer based on the fake lover identity, but shifted to a stronger, more real "companionship transaction," Masuzu still wasn't satisfied. There was a void in her heart that Yuu hadn't yet understood.
Perhaps there was still a long road ahead. Who knew their relationship might change again.
Even so, Yuu now understood Masuzu better.
He knew what made her anxious, what she feared, and what she longed for... through the "live broadcast" where he could hear her inner voice.
"She's someone afraid of loneliness, but due to family issues, she doesn't trust love... No, maybe there are other factors."
Leaning against the bus window, Yuu massaged his temples as if he had a headache. He felt more and more like a psychotherapist.
"In short, for now, I'll stay by her side and wait for the right moment to help her resolve her issues..."
Taking Haruno as an example, it was like waiting for her mother to appear, taking her away from the eldest daughter's shackles, and gaining freedom.
Taking Asuna as an example, it was like helping her speak directly to her mother, completing what she wanted to do in the game, and gaining courage.
Conclusion—wait, and hope.
Though the system had changed this mission's content, from Yuu's observation, Masuzu's situation shouldn't be much different.
Perhaps not long from now, something important in her life would happen, and all he needed to do was help her be reborn, leave her past behind, and achieve spiritual enlightenment.
If everything went smoothly, the world's timeline would then undergo adjustment.
Thinking of this, Yuu suddenly smiled and said inwardly: "System, this is your trick, right? I've seen it all—like underwear under a skirt when the wind blows hard. What do you think?"
"..."
Of course, to his bad joke, the system remained indifferent, not even bothering to respond.
Feeling useless, Yuu could do nothing. He pouted, then slowly relaxed, stopping thoughts of complicated, brain-draining matters.
The tour bus rocked gently, and overlapping snores echoed from exhausted students. They no longer had the energy they had in the morning. Accompanied by the soft, continuous sound of rain outside the windows, most of them, along with the air inside the bus, fell into deep sleep.
The rest were either playing on phones, reading books, gazing at scenery, or quietly chatting with the friend beside them...
"Attack from the Moon Demon! Everyone, wake up..."
"This isn't Infinity Train—you read too much JUMP." Rolling his eyes helplessly, Yuu pushed back the head leaning on his shoulder, without a shred of pity.
As a result, the young female teacher with a beautiful face and bold sleeping posture gently fell toward the aisle.
Then, propping her head with her elbow and arm, she continued mumbling with a foolish smile, in a pose similar to Mori Kogoro:
"Aniki won't lose... Upper Moon Three, let's duel. Look, my sacred fist..."
"Enough..." Yuu sighed.
He'd originally planned to nap briefly on the bus, but seeing Hiratsuka sleep in a messy position, constantly leaning on his shoulder...
If he accidentally fell asleep, soon enough, explosive rumors about him and the young female teacher would appear on the school forum, complete with convincing photos.
To prevent this, Yuu stayed awake the entire journey until the bus entered Sobu High's gates. He pushed Hiratsuka's head like a ball, firmly not giving her a chance to touch his shoulder.
In this world, few people guarded their purity as he did.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
This autumn rain was sometimes heavy, sometimes light, sometimes clear, sometimes drizzling—more unpredictable than occasional cloudy and sunny weather with sudden downpours in summer.
Arriving at Sobu High, second-year students poured out of the bus like bees leaving a hive, rubbing their eyes and yawning as they gathered in the hall.
After the principal said two cliché sentences and reminded them to go home safely, the field trip officially ended. Once dismissal was confirmed, previously lifeless faces lit up again. Like a damp wick reigniting, the large hall gradually grew noisy from inside to outside.
"Ahh, the rain's annoying—I didn't bring an umbrella... The forecast was completely inaccurate!"
"The rain isn't that heavy now. Should we run home? Or wait until it stops and the sky clears, then leave?"
"I was planning to go karaoke after this, but all plans are ruined..."
Lively chatter, lingering excitement, and laziness about going home to sleep quickly filled every corner of the air here.
Amid the bustle, Yuu didn't choose to leave immediately. Instead, he stopped and greeted the person who caught his attention:
"Totsuka, you remembered to bring your umbrella, right?"
"Hmm? Of course."
The beautiful silver-haired man turned, his smile still bright, eyes sparkling, skin smooth and soft, even his eyelashes long like a girl's.
"Just as Yuu said yesterday, the forecast was inaccurate. It really rained today... Lucky you reminded me, or I'd be soaked on the way home."
He spoke in a clear, gentle voice, his sweet dimples showing, even his grateful gaze seeming misty.
"Yuu, thank you!"
"You're welcome. That's my job." Yuu smiled. "You should trust me more than the weather forecast. Otherwise, what's the point?"
Suddenly remembering something, Totsuka asked confusedly: "By the way, it seems Yuigahama-san didn't bring an umbrella. Didn't Yuu remind her?"
Yuu shrugged. "I reminded her, but she forgot to bring it before leaving."
Totsuka laughed awkwardly. "Ahahaha, that's just like her..."
After chatting briefly, Yuu suddenly felt his phone vibrate in his pants pocket.
After taking it out and checking, he said goodbye to Totsuka and walked to a corner of the hall.
There, besides Ordinary Girl, the others had already gathered. The temporary field trip group had reformed.