Tokyo: After years of stagnation, the heiress of the yakuza arrives.

In the clubroom, Shido Kuroba was frozen in place, holding his phone.

On the other end of the phone, Miyazaki Ritsuko had just asked, "You like Kiyoshi, right?" Her tone was gentle and her logic natural, as if this wasn't a question that needed to be proven, but rather a fact that was already on the table, waiting only for Kuroba Shido himself to nod in acknowledgment.

The Black Feather Warrior said, "???"

What is that?

I'm not!

I don't!

Don't talk nonsense!

But these three sentences could only flash through his mind and could not be actually spoken, because Miyazaki Kiyoshi was standing in front of him, her shoe tip still on his shoe, and her phone call was still on. The entire clubroom felt like a judgment seat set up by the Miyazaki mother and daughter.

A thrilling combo attack!

What's even more problematic is that Miyazaki Kiyoshi didn't show any shock after hearing the question on the other end of the phone.

She only glanced at Kuroba Shido very briefly.

Then, he nodded slightly.

In Miyazaki Kiyoshi's opinion, her mother was right about this: a certain guy did like her, had a crush on her, and used all sorts of despicable means to attract her attention in order to pursue her... all of this was because he liked her!

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

No.

What do you want to nod?

Minister, you're in trouble...

Kiyoshi Miyazaki's expression remained calm, as if she thought there was nothing wrong with Ritsuko Miyazaki's words.

Kuroba Shido likes her.

In Miyazaki Kiyoshi's case, this point seems to have already been closed through some kind of internal logic.

Kuroba Shido went to great lengths to join the club in order to get closer to her.

Kuroba Shido participates in club activities despite being afraid of her, in order to attract her attention.

Kuroba Shido kept saying he wanted to run away, but she always managed to catch him, which showed that he didn't really reject the rules she established.

As for being late, standing someone up, playing dead, sliding on one's knees, and apologizing with fried bread, these can all be explained as strange ways of seeking attention, similar to how some birds in nature attract mates through strange dances.

They all aim to attract attention and gain the other party's favor.

Clearly, Shido Kuroba was with Kiyoshi Miyazaki, and that strange bird that was dancing wildly... to put it another way, this was a courtship method unique to aliens!

Kiyoshi Miyazaki felt that this chain of explanations was very stable.

There wasn't even anything that needed to be corrected.

Kuroba Shido was completely dumbfounded by the calm on her face that seemed to say, "Isn't this the truth?"

Holy crap!!!

No wonder they are mother and daughter.

One person on the other end of the phone was certain that he liked Xiaoqing, while the other person on the other end nodded slightly in agreement.

The mother and daughter, one responsible for proposing the conclusion and the other for stamping it on the spot, completely disregarded whether the poor boy involved would be devastated by this combination of actions.

On the other end of the phone, Miyazaki Ritsuko, not receiving a reply, lowered her voice further.

"Kuroba-kun, please, for Kiyoshi's sake, help me out, okay?"

This is not a command.

It's not a Miyazaki family-style exchange of interests.

Her tone was clearly pleading, so sincere that Kuroba Shido couldn't immediately use his usual survival logic of "how much money?", "can you provide meals?", or "will your travel expenses be reimbursed" to shut her down.

Kuroba Shido remained silent.

Ritsuko Miyazaki continued, "I know it might be troubling for you to suddenly involve you in these things, but Kiyoshi has rarely shown such a strong reaction to anyone in recent years. The fact that she's willing to talk to you, willing to let you stay in the club, and even willing to get angry because you're late is completely different from her usual self."

Kuroba Shido's eyelids twitched as he listened.

I'm willing to get angry because he's late.

Is this something to be happy about?

That was clearly a prerequisite for him almost having his soul leave his body due to the club exam!

Ritsuko Miyazaki's voice continued from the phone: "I don't necessarily want you to do anything dangerous, nor do I want you to change her. I just want you to come over this weekend, talk to her, and help Koga observe her reaction. If she doesn't want to, I won't force her."

Kuroba Shido listened for a long time, forcing himself to listen.

He glanced at Kiyoshi Miyazaki out of the corner of his eye.

Kiyoshi Miyazaki did not speak.

Her eyes were calm, as if the person on the phone wasn't talking about her, but about a research subject unrelated to her.

But Shido Kuroba knew very well that the quieter it was, the less he should assume nothing was wrong.

He finally couldn't help but speak up.

"Aunt Ritsuko."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone: "Um, Kuroba-kun?"

After careful consideration, Shido Kuroba chose the safest and least likely explanation to be recorded by Kiyoshi Miyazaki on the spot.

"The minister and I are classmates, not what you think."

After he finished speaking, the clubroom fell silent for half a second.

Shido Kuroba did not say "ordinary friends".

They didn't say "it's okay".

He didn't say "I don't like her".

Because all of the above statements are too dangerous.

Kiyoshi Miyazaki had previously acknowledged the framework of "classmate relationship," or at least she had defined their relationship as "normal classmate relationship, club president and club member relationship."

Therefore, Shido Kuroba carefully chose the "classmate relationship".

This is a legal refuge that Miyazaki Kiyoshi himself provided.

Tokyo's pretty boys don't discriminate between places; they'll avoid any pitfalls.

really!

After hearing this, Miyazaki Kiyoshi did not refute it.

She glanced at Shido Kuroba, then nodded slightly.

Temporarily approved.

Kuroba Shido instantly breathed a sigh of relief.

survived.

As expected of him!

At least on Miyazaki Kiyoshi's side, there has been no dangerous questioning of "What are you denying?" for the time being.

However, after hearing the words "classmate relationship," Miyazaki Ritsuko on the other end of the phone fell into a long silence.

Her head was buzzing a little.

Classmate relationship?

Kuroba-kun was referring to a classmate relationship just now?

He was just speaking earnestly on the phone for Xiaoqing, saying that she wasn't crazy or abnormal, that she just expressed herself differently from others, that she was quiet and thoughtful, and that she shouldn't be treated as someone who needed to be corrected.

Would an ordinary classmate say something like that?

And it's the same with Xiaoqing. She's usually so indifferent to any definition of a relationship that she's almost transparent, yet she's willing to keep Kuroba in the club, willing to get emotional because he's late, and willing to have those conversations with him that Miyazaki Ritsuko sees as very close to flirting.

Now, they keep referring to us as classmates...

That classmate relationship?

Is it the kind of ordinary, familiar classmate relationship she's thinking of?

If so, she'll have to call the police...

Ritsuko Miyazaki remained silent.

She suddenly began to question the meaning of life.

Are all kids these days so stubborn?

Or perhaps... Kuroba Shido isn't so slow-witted either, and is the same kind of person as their Kiyoshi?

and many more……

It seems like that's actually possible!

Ritsuko Miyazaki: "!!!"