Chapter 72: The End of an Ordinary Day
It was a truly unexpected realization.
"Even someone as perfect as me has things left to learn. I suppose I've discovered a weakness. No matter—it can be studied and overcome."
Yukino murmured the words to herself, unaware that a certain "lonely girl" had crept up behind her and caught every word.
'...'
'Is Yukinoshita-san actually... a narcissist? "Perfect?" Seriously?'
Bocchi couldn't help but let out a tiny, stifled giggle. 'No, no, that's not narcissism—that's just full-blown eighth-grade syndrome.'
But the moment the thought crossed her mind, she felt fate's hand seize her by the scruff of her neck once again. Yukino was staring down at her with a flat, unreadable expression.
Poor Bocchi, who was considerably shorter than Yukino, began to shake like a leaf.
"It seems you'll be coming along to study with me. It'll be a good opportunity to learn how to approach high-difficulty social targets. I'm sure it will do wonders for your social anxiety. Come, we're going to the library."
"Huh?"
Bocchi's mouth hung open as her eyes began to spin in dizzying circles. Her entire body seemed to turn a despondent shade of gray.
The library?
It was time to mention a crucial detail: Hitori Gotoh was a student of Sobu High who loved rock music and absolutely loathed studying. Lately, she had poured every ounce of her limited soul into her online persona. Actual schoolwork? Heh...
Yukino shot her a cold, discerning look, reading her mind instantly. It looked like "forced study sessions" were going to be added to the agenda.
As for Bocchi's resistance?
Extreme introverts found it nearly impossible to say no to people. While it was a tragic personality flaw, it was remarkably convenient for anyone trying to lead them.
For example...
"Gotoh-san, I must say... you're disappointing me."
That was the kill shot. Bocchi's defenses crumbled instantly.
"N-no! It's not like that! Let's go! To the library!"
Watching the gray, despondent Bocchi snap back to life with frantic energy, Yukino gave a satisfied nod. She needed the library to borrow some books. What kind? Psychology and management theory, of course.
Sobu High was a powerhouse that could hold its own against elite schools like Shuchiin or Hyakkaou, and its library was appropriately massive.
For a school of this caliber, the library was its pride and joy. A school with a great library wasn't necessarily a great school, but a school without one definitely wasn't.
And so, having discovered her own minor deficiency, Yukino dragged a very reluctant Bocchi off to the world of books.
The four of them now had their own paths of effort laid out before them. Whether it would actually work remained to be seen, but for now, the gears were turning.
***
Elsewhere on campus.
Behind a dense thicket of bushes, a sharp-featured, beautiful woman who looked like a young teacher was creeping around, peeking through the leaves.
When a person is attractive enough, even suspicious behavior looks more like an eccentric quirk than a crime. If this had been a disheveled, creepy woman with a weird grin, a student would have called the cops ten minutes ago.
The beautiful teacher was, of course, Shizuka Hiratsuka.
Well, "young" was a generous term she liked to use for herself. In reality...
"Those four problem children are all acting weird now that they've split up. What the heck are they looking at?"
"I thought it was the Service Club, but it feels more like the 'Human Social Observation Club' now..."
"Yukino's way too proud to have come up with this on her own. Gotoh is too terrified of people, and Shoko just transferred here and is too pure for this kind of thing. So that leaves you, Haruka... I guess I really did misjudge you."
In Shizuka's memory, Haruka was just the son of a family friend her parents occasionally mentioned—an average student with an average personality. A total "normie" through and through.
But a month ago, something had shifted.
He had become intensely focused, incredibly disciplined, and possessed a terrifying level of drive. He had become a model student, which was great, but his personality had also turned strangely self-centered. He acted with a cold indifference toward his peers, having almost no friends besides Hayato, whom he'd known since the start of the term.
'First he turns down my request, then he forces his way into the Service Club anyway... is he some kind of 'anti-social' tsundere?'
It didn't quite fit. And now he was pulling off these bizarre maneuvers. He was getting weirder by the second.
'He's gotten crafty, too. He has the vibe of a world-weary adult.'
Shizuka remembered their "observation" earlier. She was pretty sure he'd spotted her spying, yet he hadn't called her out. Instead, he'd dropped those hints about the rosters.
"I've gotta keep a close eye on them."
As for the student lists...
Just as Haruka had implied, she was the student counselor, but she was also the club advisor. It was perfectly reasonable and entirely safe for her to leave the rosters in the Service Club room for Yukino to "help organize."
Shizuka's mental gymnastics were flawless. To her, the duty of guiding her students and helping them grow far outweighed any trivial bureaucratic rules. That was just the kind of woman she was.
***
Time slipped away.
The sun dipped below the horizon, and as the moon began its ascent, the four of them finished their activities and prepared to head home.
Interestingly, it turned out they all lived in the same general direction, though their paths would eventually diverge.
On the road, an unusual scene played out.
Haruka walked in the center, discussing the potential candidates they'd scouted that afternoon. To his right was Shoko Nishimiya, smiling gently with the poise of a refined young lady. To his left was Yukino Yukinoshita, the black-haired ice queen, frowning slightly as she shared the insights she'd gained from her library research.
And right next to Yukino was the shortest member of the group—the gloomy, pink-haired ball of social anxiety. Bocchi walked with her head down, radiating an aura of such intense gloom that it threatened to drag down the collective charisma of the whole group.
Still, the sight was enough to make passing students do a double-take.
The group walked together until Shoko reached her turn-off and left with a polite wave. Bocchi followed shortly after. Once the quartet broke apart, the lingering gazes of the bystanders finally began to fade.
People really did love to stare and gossip—unless, of course, they were the ones being stared at.
Finally, Haruka reached the crossroads where he and Yukino would separate. They shared a brief, silent nod of acknowledgment.
There were no long-winded goodbyes. Their relationship wasn't at that stage yet. Strictly speaking, they were just business partners in a mutual commission. At most, Yukino felt a flicker of respect for his discipline and academic drive.
As for Haruka, he mostly just appreciated having someone beautiful to look at. He was nothing if not honest with himself.
Against the backdrop of the golden sunset, Haruka walked the rest of the way alone.
"Sora, I'm back." he called out as he stepped through the front door.
An ordinary day without the simulator had come to an end.
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Hand over all of your Power Stones!!
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