Haruno Yukinoshita's sudden appearance, coming straight for Lin Ye with the air of someone here to settle a score, left Shizuka Hiratsuka with nothing but a burning curiosity that gnawed at her.
Right now she truly wished she had some remarkable ability, one that would let her hear and see whatever was about to unfold in the Service Club.
She even considered sneaking back to spy, but the thought of getting caught was simply too mortifying.
And so,
Shizuka Hiratsuka held herself back in the end, resolving to find a chance later to question Haruno. She still believed Haruno would let slip at least a little something.
And if Haruno wouldn't talk, then she'd work her way in through the Sister, Yukino, and Lin Ye instead.
Turning the three of them over in her mind, she decided the one most likely to actually open up, oddly enough, was Yukino Yukinoshita.
"I really can't figure out what kind of mess this Lin Ye has gotten himself into. It seems to have something to do with Meguri Shiromeguri too,"
"What is Haruno's purpose in coming here, and why is she so set on dragging Lin Ye away, as if he'd committed some grave offense?"
If it were merely a matter of him liking Yukino Yukinoshita, that alone shouldn't be enough to make Haruno personally show up at Sobu High.
Could it be that Lin Ye couldn't restrain himself, made a move on Yukinoshita, did something utterly outrageous, and Haruno found out?
And the one who reported it was Meguri Shiromeguri?
The more Shizuka Hiratsuka thought about it, the more likely that possibility seemed.
Meguri Shiromeguri was an informant Haruno had left behind at Sobu High, one who watched Yukino Yukinoshita, gathered relevant intelligence, and reported it to Haruno in a timely manner.
That much she knew, and beyond that, Shizuka Hiratsuka also knew Meguri Shiromeguri was surely not the only informant Haruno had planted. There had to be other, secret ones as well.
As a Senpai, as the daughter of the distinguished Yukinoshita family of Chiba, using connections and money to turn a few students into informants would be nothing at all.
Otherwise, how could Haruno keep such precise, real-time watch over everything happening with Yukino Yukinoshita!?
As she walked, Shizuka Hiratsuka realized she'd arrived at the third-year floor.
She thought it over and decided to go find Meguri Shiromeguri first.
Perhaps she could pry some useful information out of her.
And so,
Meguri Shiromeguri, who had no mind for class and was full of worry over Sis Haruno, was called out of her classroom and brought to the Life Guidance Office.
Meguri Shiromeguri knew exactly what Shizuka Hiratsuka wanted to ask, but there was no way she'd tell.
Especially since Sis Haruno had come to Sobu High today for her sake, to reclaim justice on her behalf, demanding in front of everyone that Lin Ye pay the price. There was even less chance she'd ever betray Sis Haruno.
That bond was something she absolutely refused to violate.
Even if it meant sacrificing herself, she would never fail the precious bond Sis Haruno had given her.
Meguri Shiromeguri resolved firmly.
The Life Guidance Office.
At Shizuka Hiratsuka's direction, Meguri Shiromeguri sat down, and Shizuka Hiratsuka took the initiative to pour her a cup of hot water.
"Thank you, Sensei,"
"Don't mention it,"
Shizuka Hiratsuka and Meguri Shiromeguri had known each other for several years now.
Back when Haruno was still around, the three of them had even gone up on stage to perform together.
Looking back on it now, that too was youth, and it was brimming with memories.
After a while, Shizuka Hiratsuka sat down, shifted into a more comfortable, natural posture, and let her gaze settle on Meguri Shiromeguri.
"Student Shiromeguri, you know why I called you here, don't you!?"
Of course she knew, but for now she had to feign ignorance.
Meguri Shiromeguri shook her head. "Hiratsuka-sensei, I'm sorry, I don't know what you called me here for,"
Off to a bad start.
That was Shizuka Hiratsuka's first impression, but it fell within her expectations too. If Meguri Shiromeguri could simply tell her, that would mean it wasn't anything serious.
Now that Meguri Shiromeguri was covering it up and refusing to speak, that only further underscored how serious the matter was.
Shizuka Hiratsuka grew even more intrigued.
"In that case, I'll say it once. The reason Haruno came to school to find Lin Ye,"
Meguri Shiromeguri shook her head. "Sensei, I don't know. Sis Haruno never told me anything at all,"
It was true that Haruno hadn't told her, only that she knew regardless.
"Student Shiromeguri, Meguri, Haruno made a special trip to Sobu High, and came looking for Lin Ye. That kind of abnormal behavior, I trust you understand the gravity it implies. I don't want Haruno to stir up anything major,"
These were her honest words.
From beginning to end, she had no desire to let a big incident break out, to let things spiral out of control.
Perhaps there was still something she could do now to keep it from blowing up. She felt that as long as she had a grasp on how things were developing, there was still a chance. But if Meguri Shiromeguri said nothing at all, then things would turn serious.
"Hiratsuka-sensei, there really isn't anything,"
Meguri Shiromeguri said earnestly.
She knew Shizuka Hiratsuka meant well, that she genuinely wanted to help, but the fewer people who knew about this, the better, especially since Shizuka Hiratsuka was a teacher. No matter how good the three of them were, no matter how much they resembled friends rather than teacher and student, it couldn't change the fact that they were teacher and student.
The difference in their positions doomed their conversations to a certain gulf.
Shizuka Hiratsuka felt helpless.
She'd known Meguri Shiromeguri wouldn't spill the truth so easily.
"Meguri, you have to trust me,"
"Sensei, there really isn't anything,"
"Then why did you say what you said back then? Do you really think I couldn't tell?"
"Sensei, what did I say back then?"
Meguri Shiromeguri played dumb.
Playing dumb was all she could do. Faced with Shizuka Hiratsuka's step-by-step pressure, this was the only way she could dodge it.
"Right now Lin Ye and Haruno are in the Service Club, and something could very well happen. If I knew the cause and the outcome, I'm confident I could handle it properly,"
"I'm sorry, Sensei, I don't know what you're talking about,"
Meguri Shiromeguri kept her teeth clenched and said nothing.
Facing Meguri Shiromeguri's repeated refusals, Shizuka Hiratsuka felt utterly helpless.
What was going on, what was the matter,
why was it like this.
Could this secret really not be shared with her?
Her curiosity flared ever hotter, and Shizuka Hiratsuka grew more curious still, her heart itching as though scratched by a cat's paw, impossible to leave alone.
"Meguri Shiromeguri, if something truly irreversible happens, you'll regret it,"
Shizuka Hiratsuka changed tactics.
Since gentle persuasion hadn't gotten her what she wanted, this was the only way left to seek her answer.
Carrot and stick.
She had no shortage of methods.
But,
Meguri Shiromeguri still didn't budge, showing no reaction whatsoever.
Meguri Shiromeguri's disposition leaned soft, her temperament gentle. She was not the sort to be so stubbornly immovable at all.
Shizuka Hiratsuka grew ever more certain of how serious this matter was.
If she didn't get to the bottom of it, she wouldn't be Shizuka Hiratsuka.
She silently made up her mind.
Meanwhile, on the other side,
inside the Service Club,
a dead silence hung in the air.
Lin Ye didn't say a word,
and Yukino Yukinoshita said nothing either, and the troublemaker Haruno said even less,
"Lin-kun,"
"Um…"
Haruno spoke up, awkward and hesitant. "How about… you curse me out!?"
"Say whatever you like,"
She closed her eyes. "If you want to hit me, that's fine too. I won't run or struggle,"
She hoped to resolve the anger in Lin Ye's heart this way.
But,
how could a thing like this possibly blow over so easily.
It simply wasn't possible,
yet Lin Ye had no immediate intention or plan to begin the punishment right then either,
because the one occupying Haruno was his very own body. Lin Ye had no wish to punish his own body,
for the lingering sensation afterward might well come back to affect him.
"Relax,"
Haruno's eyes lit up.
She even wondered whether the Sister, Yukino, had played some enormous part in this.
"Cursing you out isn't necessary. Hitting you… I don't think that'd do much good either,"
"Then…"
"Punishment. I'm sure you'll love it."
"…"
In that instant, Haruno caught the mischievous smile surfacing in Lin Ye's eyes, and a chill crawled through her, ominous premonitions rising one after another.
This time, she really might be done for!?
"Wait, Lin-kun, today I actually…"
"Oh? What did you do now?"
Lin Ye said. He didn't think Haruno was capable of doing anything good.
Causing trouble was her specialty.
"Ahem, Yukino knows about it. I got you a cute, pretty girlfriend. You'll be delighted,"
Haruno wore a rather smug look, as though she'd done Lin Ye some great favor.
Lin Ye's gaze fell upon Yukinoshita.
The girl with long black hair spoke slowly. "It's Student Rui Tachibana. She came to the infirmary, and my sister grabbed her and pulled her in to threaten her,"
In a few brief words, Yukino Yukinoshita laid out what had happened in the infirmary.
Haruno had used his body to bully Yukino, and had bound Yukino Yukinoshita so she could leave in time, only to be discovered by Rui Tachibana, whereupon Haruno had seized Rui Tachibana as well.
Lin Ye's expression didn't shift in the slightest as he listened, but ripples spread through him inside.
This wretched woman was truly a master of stirring up trouble.
"Lin-kun, all you have to do is put in a little effort afterward, and you can bring her home and cuddle her to sleep. How about it, aren't you happy, aren't you pleased? Hahaha…"
Haruno said with a cheerful laugh.
Knowing she couldn't escape, all Haruno could do was fight to win herself the best terms possible, and that fighting inevitably came with a bit of provocation.
She actually knew what Lin Ye hated, and knew that her act of finding him a girlfriend would only stir his revulsion, but the deed was already done, and Yukino knew too, so there was little point in hiding it.
Better to just tell it all,
the punishment was bound to be a one-time affair anyway,
get it all over with in one go, and then it'd be fine.
That was Haruno's thinking.
"Mm, I'm very happy,"
Haruno's smile froze the next second,
"As thanks, I'll make your punishment heavier, to express my deep gratitude."
Haruno: ???
"Don't, don't do that!"
She said hesitantly, "Shouldn't this call for less punishment?"
"I prefer to make it heavier to express my gratitude,"
"Lin-kun, please, no!"
Haruno's tone turned somewhat pleading, but there was no way Lin Ye would agree.
When pleading with Lin Ye proved useless, Haruno turned instead to the Sister, Yukino, but Yukino gave no reaction at all.
She was already thoroughly disappointed in her sister's behavior today. As for helping her sister reduce the punishment, that was even more out of the question.
A few minutes later,
Haruno gave up struggling.
She resolved to accept it honestly. "Um… what's the punishment?"
she asked, a touch gingerly.
Right now, she was very concerned about the manner of the punishment.
By her guess, she didn't think it would be a simple whipping or corporal discipline.
There was no way Lin Ye would use such a crude form of punishment.
"Guaranteed to satisfy you,"
I don't want to be satisfied at all,
can I please not be satisfied?
"How about… Lin-kun, once we switch back, I'll… let you play with me however you like? I don't have any experience, but rest assured, I'll definitely satisfy you, guaranteed to feel good,"
As she spoke, Haruno even clenched her fist to convey her resolve.
The one who reacted most was Yukino Yukinoshita.
This blood sister of hers really was utterly shameless, openly declaring in front of her, her own blood sister, that she'd go to bed with her own brother-in-law and satisfy her own brother-in-law.
Even knowing her sister had no sense of restraint in her actions, prone to slips of the tongue and cover-ups, especially in front of her, hearing words like these still left her stunned.
"Heh heh,"
"Yukino, you surely don't mind, do you! We're blood sisters, after all. What's yours is mine, and what's mine is yours. Rest assured, you're Lin-kun's wife, the proper wife, and that will never change. Your sister would never steal him from you."
Haruno had even started reassuring Yukino,
but how could Yukinoshita ever feel reassured.
"Lin-kun, do as you please with the punishment afterward. There's no need to mind my request. For a woman like my sister, I believe she needs to be punished thoroughly,"
Yukino Yukinoshita said calmly,
"If once isn't enough, then twice. If twice isn't enough, then three times, until you're satisfied,"
Hearing this, Haruno wiped the sweat from her forehead.
She knew her sister was angry. Her words just now had backfired.
Or rather, this too was within expectation.
She had genuinely wanted to ask her sister for help, but there was no way Yukino would say such a thing. Her sister responded to softness, not force, that much she knew.
"Fine, I'll definitely satisfy you, as long as Lin-kun's body can take it. Lin-kun really is sturdy, but for that sort of thing, sturdiness alone doesn't cut it."
Haruno said with a cheerful laugh.
Turning matters suggestive was her skill and her talent.
Of course, she also knew Lin Ye wouldn't let her off because of it,
and moreover, she knew Lin Ye would never lay a hand on her at all.
If Lin Ye were truly willing to touch her, none of this would be a problem.
For a conservative man like Lin Ye, once such a relationship occurred, a great many things could be forgiven.
But as for how to reach that level of relationship,
Haruno truly had no idea.
Perhaps, maybe, some future day when Lin Ye got drunk, or was drugged into a daze, only then might she have such a chance!?
The moment Haruno thought of this, an inexplicable sadness welled up. After all, no matter how you looked at it, she was a great beauty, pursued by so many men, adored by so many men, and yet Lin Ye didn't care in the slightest.
She'd already delivered herself to his bed, and Lin Ye still hadn't shown a shred of interest.
Perhaps the interest was there, only reined in by reason.
Haruno could sense Lin Ye's resistance and wariness toward her.
What was the point!?
It wasn't as if she harbored any ill intent,
nor any thought of harming him.
Haruno thought to herself in silence.
Winning Lin Ye over in the future still came down to Yukino.
Even though she truly didn't want Yukino stepping into this pit, her sister had already fallen for him, already developed feelings for Lin Ye. The chance of getting her sister to stay away from Lin Ye, to let him go, was truly, truly slim.
Haruno wanted to persuade her, but she understood she genuinely couldn't sway her anymore.
The best chance, she had already missed.
…
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