Faced with the cutesy, clingy act of a single older woman, Tokyo's strongest devil hunter, Hojo Yoru, showed absolutely no mercy.
"Can you not say weird crap like that?" he said flatly. "It makes me uncomfortable as the person involved, and it's also super easy for other people to misunderstand. Okay, Old Shizu?"
"Y—You…!"
Hiratsuka Shizuka froze for a beat, then bit down hard, fists clenched.
"Wasn't it 'Little Shizu'?"
"Because of your delinquent behavior, I'm punishing you," Hojo said with a perfectly serious face. "Today you're getting promoted a generation. Keep going and I'm calling you Auntie Hiratsuka."
"Don't—don't—don't! I'm sorry, okay!? I was wrong!"
Shizuka had no counterplay at all. She folded instantly.
After all, among the ten things she most refused to experience in life, one of them was:
Getting called 'Auntie' to her face by a young handsome guy who matches her exact type.
What? Hojo was her student?
Yes, she knew that. But he still fit her aesthetic standards to the letter. And if she spent a bit more time around him, most of the remaining ten percent of women who weren't instantly in the "he's my type" category would probably fall anyway.
Shizuka had normal taste. He was handsome. She couldn't exactly lie to herself and pretend it didn't count.
"Come on," she said, grabbing his sleeve. "Talk to me outside."
She dragged him up to the rooftop. Then she pulled out a long, slim ladies' cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag like a middle-aged salaryman. Her face briefly turned blissful.
"You've made friends with Nishimiya Shoko and Touma Kazusa too. Not bad! Pretty impressive~"
Hojo didn't react. He just looked at her with the emotional flatline of a hospital monitor.
"I have a bad feeling you're about to ask me for something incredibly annoying."
"Hey, don't say it like that. It's about a cute girl, you know~"
Shizuka pulled out her classic move: shameless grin.
Honestly, she was better at threats and bribery—but unfortunately, neither worked on Hojo.
He was scary in a fight, and he was the type who'd genuinely throw hands with her without even blinking about the teacher–student relationship.
And he was the freshman representative with special privileges, so she couldn't really lure him with benefits either.
Seduction?
Shizuka felt that if she actually tried that, the professional dignity of a teacher would be the least of her problems. Her pride as a woman would shatter into dust and never recover. So… no.
"So, Shoko and Kazusa are both friends with you, right? Then what about Yukinoshita Yukino—"
"No."
Hojo cut her off before she could even finish.
Shizuka blinked. "Why? Do you hate her?"
"No."
Hojo leaned against the rooftop railing, casual as ever.
"Yukinoshita Yukino's personality is a mess. She's insecure but arrogant, strong but fragile, proud but self-loathing—just a walking contradiction. If you just want me to talk to her, sure, whatever. But…"
He paused, then looked Shizuka straight in the eye with a smile.
"I might end up using… a pretty violent method to smash her beliefs and worldview. There's even a decent chance I'd put her through some physical therapy. Are you sure you want to see that?"
"Uh… is it really that serious?"
"Oh, it's absolutely that serious."
Seeing how dead serious Hojo looked, Shizuka started to hesitate.
Should she really let him get involved with Yukinoshita Yukino?
Even as her teacher, Shizuka couldn't really understand Yukino. She'd observed her for more than half a month—Yukino never talked to classmates, never socialized, nothing. Shizuka couldn't make sense of her at all.
Even asking Yukinoshita Haruno got her nothing but, "Yukino? She's my adorable little sister~" —which was beyond useless.
If Yukino actually faced Hojo…
Yeah. She could absolutely break.
"Then… should I have Asuna try instead?" Shizuka asked cautiously.
Hojo whistled. "Oh?"
Then he stared at her like she'd just proposed detonating a bomb in the staff room.
"You're a genius. Send Asuna? Why not just tell Kazusa to go make friends with Yukinoshita Yukino too? Are you trying to host the Sobu High Octagon Tournament?"
"It wouldn't be that bad, would it?"
Shizuka looked unconvinced. "Asuna seems really gentle and friendly when she's with you."
Hojo answered with righteous indignation.
"That's with me. You think she's that patient with everyone?"
Shizuka had no comeback. She could only sigh.
"Then what do you suggest?"
"I don't."
Hojo shrugged, unbothered.
"Old Shizu, I came to high school to be a high schooler. Not to build a harem. And definitely not to form some 'problem-girl band.' You can't just dump every issue onto me."
Shizuka looked a little embarrassed. She stuck out her tongue and tried to act cute.
"Sorry~ Then I'll treat you to dinner as compensation, okay? Please, just think of something."
Hojo laughed.
"Don't act like you're flirting. What, are you trying to date me?"
"E—Eh? Y-You…"
Shizuka's cheeks reddened. She avoided his eyes, lips pressed together, voice so soft it was almost inaudible.
"If… if there was a chance—just if—would you really be willing to date me?"
Hojo was stunned.
"What kind of elite-level interpretation is that? You auto-detected the keyword 'date' and then just cut the rest of the sentence off? What is this—hit-and-run logic? Are you trying to scam me?"
He stared at her like she'd sprouted a second head.
"And seriously, isn't your defense stat a little too low? Just hearing the words 'date' makes you blush like this—if I said 'I like—'"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Shizuka lifted her face, eyes sparkling with expectation.
"Like what?"
"…That's enough. Stop acting crazy."
Shizuka's eyes dimmed for a moment—then she smiled again, a little too knowingly.
"Don't tell me… Yoru, you're actually a really pure boy? In front of a beautiful teacher like me, you can't even say the word 'like' without getting shy? That's kind of cute."
"You're really trying to make me laugh," Hojo said, totally immune. Then he pivoted.
"To deal with someone like Yukinoshita Yukino, you need a girl who's a little airheaded, bright, outgoing, and really good socially."
"You mean…"
"Yuigahama Yui or Kitagawa Marin from our class—either one is perfect. At minimum, you need someone like that to act as a mediator between me and Yukinoshita Yukino."
He shrugged, matter-of-fact.
"Otherwise, yeah. I'll absolutely roast her until she breaks."
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 115)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter108)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter82)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter144)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 70
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 99
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 95
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 99
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 92
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 47
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 44
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 43
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 26
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 32
Uma Musume: From Beginner 26
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