The sky was currently swallowed by a thick, oppressive blanket of leaden clouds. The dark, heavy mass pressing down from above felt suffocating, making the simple act of breathing feel labored for anyone daring to step outside. Instantly, a collective gloom settled over the morning.
"Is it going to pour?"
Izuru stared up at the sunless void, despite the clock already ticking toward eight in the morning. He felt cursed.
Judging by the state of the sky, a torrential downpour was imminent. And the kicker? The absolute worst-case scenario? He hadn't brought an umbrella.
"Um, Hirano, did you happen to bring an umbrella?"
Yukino blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the question, before nodding with clinical understanding.
"Of course I did. The weather forecast predicted rain today, after all."
{What weather forecast?! Why did the one I saw claim it would be nothing but sunshine?!}
Izuru felt a gust of wind strong enough to make him stagger, and he spoke with a slightly awkward edge to his voice.
"In that case, Hirano... if it starts pouring, would you be willing to share your umbrella with me?"
Naturally, Izuru harbored zero expectations as he let the words slip. Walking to school together was already a miracle; there was no way this girl would share an umbrella with a guy she'd only known for a few days. That was the definition of a pipe dream.
And reality didn't disappoint. Upon hearing his request, Yukino leveled a condescending gaze at him and scoffed.
"What do you think? Besides, this is a compact umbrella designed for one woman. If we both tried to cram under it, we'd both end up looking like drowned rats."
"Fair point."
Izuru scratched his cheek sheepishly, his tone turning a bit somber.
"Hirano, looking at those clouds, the heavens are about to open up. Even with an umbrella, parts of you are going to get soaked. We should probably pick up the pace if we want to reach school in one piece."
"You have a point."
Yukino nodded in agreement, though she followed it up with a sharp note of displeasure.
"Can you please stop using that idiotic 'Hirano' nickname? Is it really that difficult to address me as Yukinoshita-san?"
"I'm afraid that's physically impossible," Izuru countered firmly.
"Besides, everyone else calls you Yukinoshita-san. I'm the only one who calls you 'Lady Hirano' or 'Hiranoshita Hirano.' Doesn't that make me seem full of character? Very special? Doesn't it leave a deep, lasting impression?"
"Yes—it makes you look incredibly ridiculous and foolish."
Yukino let out a resigned sigh. Realizing she wasn't going to win the battle over her name, she abruptly shifted the topic.
"You mentioned earlier that you knew about the crisis facing my 'Service Club' and that you could use your authority as President to resolve it. Care to explain?"
"Oh, that. Honestly, it's a 'glass half full, glass half empty' situation."
With the topic successfully pivoted, Izuru followed her train of thought.
"Right now, your Service Club is facing one primary hurdle: a lack of members. Generally, a club needs at least three people to be officially recognized. But your club is an anomaly; the entire roster consists of just you, the president."
"To be frank, a case like the Service Club is extremely rare. The baseline for a club's existence is three people; anything less usually results in immediate disbandment. Yet, the Service Club not only managed to form with just you but has survived this long without being axed."
Izuru paused for a beat, as if waiting for her to chime in.
Yukino, seemingly intrigued by his analysis, nodded but kept her tone somewhat prickly.
"The formation of the Service Club was thanks to Hiratsuka-sensei's assistance. I did not rely on my family's influence."
Izuru nodded. He knew his previous wording had tripped a wire, so he clarified immediately.
"I know. What I mean is, even though the club exists and survives now because of Hiratsuka-sensei's help, a one-person club is still technically an 'unofficial' entity in the eyes of the administration."
"Unofficial clubs don't just lack formal promotion and a recognized name—they're cut off from school funding and the normal operational support given to standard clubs!"
"I've checked the Service Club's records. Currently, it's only unofficial in an administrative sense. Aside from an empty room, you have zero budget allocation. Except for my request yesterday, no other students have come specifically seeking help."
"It all boils down to the lack of members. But if two or more people join, this problem vanishes. What puzzles me is that plenty of people have applied to your club—why haven't you accepted any of them?"
At that question, Yukino's voice dripped with disdain.
"Isn't it obvious? Those who wish to join my club are merely revolting boys who care nothing for the club's work and everything for my appearance. Even if the Service Club is short-staffed, I won't just let anyone in for the sake of numbers. A club is about quality, not quantity. Better to be empty than to be filled with trash!"
Since Izuru knew the plot, he already understood this perfectly. He'd only set the stage for his next move.
"I get it. In that case, I'll use the title and authority of the Student Council President to designate the Service Club as a special exemption. I'll ensure the club can operate normally and receive funding despite not meeting the membership quota."
"Of course, I'll have to discuss the membership issue with Hiratsuka-sensei later. If we don't, other students will eventually get restless, and you'll be hit with a wave of nasty rumors and verbal attacks."
"Fine, do as you see fit." Yukino knew this was the most logical path forward, so she agreed without further objection.
It was at that exact moment, as Izuru and Yukino hurried through the intersection to beat the rain, that they ran right into a figure Izuru knew very, very, very well—and a figure he absolutely did not want to see right now...
"President, what a coincidence."