Chapter 109: Shizuka, Do You Want to Go on a Date This Sunday? (Long Chapter)
"...Nothing happened. We just had a little bit of a disagreement, that's all."
Hachiman crawled back to his feet, patting the dust off his trousers. He remained stubborn, clearly unwilling to spill the truth.
A glint of a smile flickered in Akishin's eyes as he turned toward Shizuka, who was standing beside him. "Shizuka-chan, I'll leave the rest to you. This guy is way too thick-headed."
It wasn't that Hachiman was being stubborn for the sake of it; he just didn't want to talk. This whole mess... it was his fault. He shouldn't have dragged Yui into it again. If she were called in here for questioning, things would get incredibly awkward for both of them. He could handle the discomfort himself, but he had no intention of hurting Yui any further.
Hearing Akishin's words, both Hachiman and Yukino turned their attention toward Shizuka.
"...Hiratsuka-sensei, what brings you here?" Yukino asked.
"Hikigaya, didn't I tell you about the [Competition]?"
Shizuka swung her arm, her long hair lifting as her lab coat fluttered behind her, giving her an impressively gallant air.
At the mention of the [Competition], Hachiman's mind flashed back to his contest with Yukino—the one about "who could help more people"—and the conversation he'd had with Hiratsuka Shizuka at the robot base during their internship.
The preparation to change the rules of the game...
"My purpose for coming here today is to announce the new rules of the competition," Shizuka said, letting out a weary sigh. "Yuigahama didn't show up again today. I actually had high hopes for her."
"So, what exactly are these new rules?"
Hachiman glanced at Akishin, then back to Shizuka, his brow furrowed. He could smell a conspiracy brewing between the two of them. Sensei had let him go surprisingly easily, even though he'd fully prepared himself to be beaten black and blue.
"From now on, we're switching to Battle Royale Mode."
"Battle Royale Mode?" Hachiman pointed at himself, then at Yukino, his face a mask of confusion. "Just the two of us?"
Shizuka took the seat Yui usually occupied, resting her face in her hand. She sighed again. "If necessary, you're allowed to recruit new members. After all, it looks like Yuigahama isn't coming back."
Yukino immediately countered, "Yuigahama hasn't resigned..."
"Isn't 'not showing up' and 'resigning' effectively the same thing?"
Shizuka waved her hand, cutting Yukino off. Her gaze turned sharp and serious. "Only during compulsory education do we have to look after people who lack motivation. Those who lack the will are better off just quitting!"
"..."
Yukino fell silent, slowly closing the magazine in her hands.
Akishin leaned against the wall, cradling his Shinai, quietly observing the reactions of the three of them. In the back of the classroom, three Shinai were still leaning together, though they were already beginning to gather dust.
"However, this is thanks to Yuigahama." Shizuka stood up and walked over to Akishin's side. "One can draw a conclusion: adding members makes club activities more vibrant. This is a good opportunity. By Monday, you must find at least one more person with the motivation and resolve to join your ranks. If not... leave now, and don't come back until you've found a new member..."
Shizuka walked to the door, pulling open the large entrance to the Service Club. With her palm facing outward, she looked back at Hachiman and Yukino with a smile.
Hachiman and Yukino shared a brief look before rising from their seats.
"Wait, Hikigaya. We aren't finished yet."
Akishin's voice rang out just in time. He stepped in front of Hachiman, his Shinai snapping downward.
Tak!
Hachiman raised his own Shinai to parry the blow.
"Sensei, do you really want to send me to the infirmary right now?"
"That was the plan, but it's better if you tell us what happened first. Let's do this: I won't call Yuigahama here, and I won't spread this around. Only the four of us in this room will know..."
"..."
Hachiman went silent, bowing his head as his right hand gripped the Shinai tightly.
Two seconds passed. He let out a long breath. "Fine. If you want to hear it that badly, I'll talk. It really was my fault... The thing is, remember that car accident I had at the start of the semester? I was saving a dog, and the owner of that dog was Yuigahama..."
Five minutes later, Hachiman finished recounting the entire conflict with Yui. Once the words were out, he felt a sense of relief; his body felt significantly lighter.
—Humans really are creatures that need to vent.
His three listeners remained silent, each wearing a different expression.
After a moment, Akishin stared at Hachiman with a look of pure disbelief. "So, you misunderstood and thought that girl was only being nice to you out of guilt, and then you used that as an excuse to push her away!!!"
Hachiman: "…"
"Are you an idiot?"
Akishin swung his fist, rapping Hachiman on the head. He looked genuinely disappointed. "Who would spend their whole day smiling at someone just because of a little guilt? Can you really not tell the difference between what's genuine and what's fake? When you go out, don't tell anyone you're Chishima Akishin's student. I'm embarrassed to claim you..."
"I..."
Hachiman was speechless. It was precisely because he could distinguish the fakes that he suffered. He understood the logic, but humans are often at the mercy of their own hormones.
"Since you know better now, go apologize to her immediately. I don't want my student turning this into some deep-seated trauma... otherwise, I'll beat you into the infirmary just to vent my own frustration."
"I..."
Hachiman hesitated, looking uncharacteristically lost. He glanced around the room, finally locking eyes with Yukino. Like a drowning man reaching for a final straw, his eyes held a flicker of a plea.
Yukino pressed her lips together, her expression sour. However, the moment she realized Hachiman was looking at her, she masked it. She took a deep breath, composed herself, and spoke to Akishin. "Chishima-sensei, I also bear some responsibility for this. Hikigaya and Yuigahama are members of my club... and in my opinion, a rushed apology like the one you're suggesting won't work. It lacks sincerity. In fact, it might just make things worse."
"Then what do you plan to do?"
Akishin looked at Yukino intently, the corners of his mouth twitching upward in a slightly provocative aura.
Yukino took another deep breath, meeting Akishin's eyes without a trace of fear. She held up three fingers. "Three days. Chishima-sensei, give us three more days—until next Monday at the latest. I will make Hikigaya rediscover his Sword Heart and resolve his conflict with Yuigahama. This is my duty and responsibility as the President of the Service Club."
Then, Yukino looked toward Shizuka and spoke with absolute certainty: "And I will complete the task Hiratsuka-sensei gave us. Since the goal is to recruit one more person, letting Yuigahama return counts, doesn't it?"
Shizuka smiled, letting out a soft chuckle. "Of course it does. I'm quite fond of Yuigahama myself."
"Good, then."
Yukinoshita Yukino turned back to Akishin, her expression stern. "What do you think, Chishima-sensei?"
Akishin slung his Shinai over his shoulder, looking for all the world like a street delinquent. He glanced at his foolish student, then back at Yukino. After thinking it over for a couple of seconds, he nodded. "I agree. I'll give you three days. You're just students, after all; why overthink things?"
Hachiman and Yukino walked out of the Service Club. Shizuka locked the door behind them, leaving them with one final word: "Well then, until you bring Yuigahama back or recruit someone new, this door stays shut. We're heading out. Take care, you two."
With a wave and a smile—and a parting reminder of "The infirmary is waiting~"—Akishin and Shizuka left the special building together.
…
"...How do you plan on getting Yuigahama to come back?"
"This was your mistake. Why are you immediately asking me?"
The afternoon sun spilled through the windows, casting two long shadows against the wall. The crimson clouds on the horizon signaled that most of the day had already slipped away.
The security indicator light at the end of the corridor emitted a faint, pulsing glow. The school grounds weren't busy today; no noise reached them up here.
Hachiman, dressed in his white shirt with his hands shoved deep into his pockets, couldn't bring himself to look Yukino in the eye out of sheer guilt.
"Well… you know… it's because I'm out of options, so I'm asking for your help..."
"Sigh~. Since you put it that way, as President, I suppose I have to lend a hand. I don't want my club dissolving either..."
Yukino massaged her forehead, acting as if it were a great burden, but Hachiman didn't miss the lack of true bitterness or regret in her eyes.
"Do you know what day June 18th is?"
"...I have no idea. Does it have something to do with Yuigahama?"
June 18th? Wasn't that next Monday? The day Yukino promised to Akishin-sensei.
Yukino crossed her arms over her chest. "It should be Yuigahama's birthday."
"Should be?"
"Her email address contains the numbers 0618."
"...You've never actually asked her directly, have you?"
Yukino turned her face away, making it painfully obvious that Hachiman had hit the mark.
Hachiman let out a dry laugh. "That level of communication skill is truly something else." For some reason, seeing Yukino like this made his mood brighten considerably.
Ding!
Yukino shot him a sharp glare, and Hachiman guiltily shifted his gaze to the sky outside the window.
"So, I want to celebrate her birthday."
Yukino explained her method: "Even if Yuigahama never returns to the Service Club in the future, I want to properly express my gratitude for everything that happened before."
"...Is that so?"
Hachiman watched the sun dip toward the horizon. In those words, Yukino was admitting she couldn't guarantee Yui's return. Her real goal was simply to say thank you to Yui for the time they spent together.
Yukino had lied.
But against this lie, Hachiman had no right to say a word. Forget correcting her; he just felt ashamed of himself. Compared to Yukino, Hachiman felt even more that his previous words had utterly crushed Yui.
Just like Sensei said, nobody smiles at someone all day long just because of a bit of guilt.
By "smile," he meant a genuine one.
This also explained why Yui was so shocked when she first came to the Service Club and saw him, and why she immediately called him "Hikki." Anyone else would have probably started by asking who he was.
Most likely, Yui had been watching him from the shadows all along, just lacking the courage to come forward and say thank you.
"Hey, Hikigaya..."
"Yeah?"
Yukino's left hand rested against her chest, her gaze flickering away hesitantly. "Um... well... could... could you come with me?"
"Huh???"
…
On the way out of school, Akishin and Shizuka walked side by side. A handsome man and a beautiful woman—they looked like a perfect match.
A gentle breeze brushed past them, ruffling Shizuka's long hair.
Students passing by would stop to offer greetings. Both were famous figures in the school. Akishin went without saying, while Shizuka had been a legend at Sobu High long before he arrived.
She was known for her beauty, her explosive personality, her terrifying combat prowess, and her status as a mature, single woman.
The setting sun bathed them in light, blurring their features slightly.
"The way you acted back there made me want to hit you. Did you work part-time as a delinquent before becoming a teacher?"
"Haha, I learned that from watching TV. It's pretty interesting. It feels like letting your true nature loose; no wonder so many people like being thugs..."
"Saying that just makes me want to hit you even more."
"Haha."
The conversation settled into a comfortable silence. They walked toward the school gate together. Just as they were about to exit and go their separate ways, Akishin suddenly spoke up. "Shizuka-chan, do you have any time this weekend?"
Shizuka stopped in her tracks, looking at him. "Is there something going on?"
"I want to invite Shizuka out to play."
Akishin stopped as well, his eyes half-lidded, looking at her with a smile. The crimson sunset lit up her beautiful cheeks. He reached out his hand:
"Or rather, let's call it a date."
…
June 17th. A day for prayers, and a good day for travel.
The weather was perfect.
Early that morning, Akishin—wearing a new set of casual clothes he'd bought from Mrs. Miyako—stood outside Shizuka's small villa. He had already sent her a text before arriving.
Tok tok!
Akishin knocked on the door. It wasn't long before it opened, revealing Shizuka with a bare face, her hair slightly messy. She was wearing light blue pajamas with a lilac floral pattern.
As expected, Shizuka looked even more beautiful without makeup.
Akishin was momentarily stunned. Her face was clean, and without the powder, her skin looked as soft as jelly and as radiant as white jade, without a single blemish...
Her pajamas weren't fully buttoned; perhaps because she'd rushed out of bed, the top button was undone, revealing her elegant collarbones and a glimpse of her full chest.
She didn't look like someone pushing thirty at all. If she dressed a bit younger, you could easily claim she was twenty and no one would blink. Her straight black hair flowed naturally, adding an air of maturity—like a ripe peach that made you want to reach out and take a bite.
This was the first time Akishin had seen Shizuka without her makeup. Even the last time, when she was drunk and he stayed over, she had still been wearing it.
"Ha, um... after you called, I... I fell back asleep... anyway, just come in first. Give me ten minutes... no, half an hour!"
The moment she spoke, the ethereal image shattered. Akishin snapped out of it and couldn't help but laugh.
This was the Shizuka he knew!
Bang!
The door swung shut. Akishin entered Shizuka's home and took a look around. He hadn't gotten a good look last time.
Past the entrance genkan was a five-meter-long hallway. On both walls hung various anime illustrations, likely picked up from a Comiket.
Beyond the hallway was a spacious living room. Countless manga volumes were scattered across the four luxury sofas, and even more littered the floor. The coffee table in the center was piled with snacks. A large television was hooked up to a gamepad; it seemed its primary use was as a gaming machine.
The kitchen was an open-concept design, with a dining table nearby. On the table were what looked like leftovers from yesterday that hadn't been cleared away...
Shizuka, walking ahead of him, noticed the state of the room. Her face instantly turned beet red. Even for someone with her thick skin, letting another person see this mess was mortifying—especially when that person was Akishin...
"Ahaha, that, I forgot to tidy up yesterday... Chishima-kun, just sit down for a bit. I'll come out and clean once I've changed..."
After offering a rushed, clumsy explanation, Shizuka bolted toward the bathroom.
Less than two minutes later, with a bit of toothpaste foam still clinging to the corner of her mouth, she dashed out of the bathroom and into her bedroom.
Bang!
The door slammed shut.
Shizuka might let Akishin into her house, but she wasn't about to let him into her room.
Akishin smiled thinly. He walked over to the sofa, kneeling down to pick up the manga on the floor one by one. Looking at the titles, he saw several volumes of Kimetsu no Yaiba.
He'd never heard of it.
Since his last visit, Akishin had realized that while Shizuka's house was incredibly messy, it was actually quite clean underneath the clutter.
…
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