Let's do it again, Yukino.

……

Just as Yui and Hikigaya were chatting idly, trying to improve their mutual favorability,

“…You slut…”

A slightly hoarse voice quietly rang out in the Service Department, abruptly interrupting the two people's conversation.

Hikigaya and Yuihama vaguely seemed to hear a voice, almost like a dream, unintentionally uttered by a cool and aloof female club president.

"..."

Is she talking about me? I don't think I've offended this minister recently.

but,

Just pretend you didn't hear it.

As Hachiman thought this, the corner of his mouth trembled slightly.

When did this usually serious and proper girl start saying things that are completely out of character?

At that very moment, the door to the Service Department was pushed open.

"Hachiman, Hiratsuka-sensei wants to talk to you. There seems to be a problem with your essay on the last Japanese language test. She wants to have a good chat with you. Oh, and Yui, and you too, Yukino-sensei also wants to ask you about the results of her classical Chinese test. She even got the most basic meaning wrong."

Kasuga, who hadn't been to the Service Club for a long time, stood at the entrance, sporting dark circles under her eyes, and looked at the two troubled boys and girls in the Service Club with a slightly helpless expression.

"Oh--"

As she spoke, Haruhi, who seemed rather unenthusiastic, involuntarily yawned.

"Qingjun, haven't you been getting enough rest these past few days?"

"The use of the word 'also' here is quite ingenious, Yui-kun."

Haruhi had just come from Hiratsuka Shizuka's office, hoping to snag a few cans of coffee, but ended up empty-handed and had to act as a mouthpiece for the two female teachers.

The boy followed Yuihama's gaze and saw Yukinoshita, who was still unaware of his arrival and resting with her head down on her seat. His lips twitched slightly, out of sight of the two people next to him.

Indeed, high school life has its pros and cons.

Springtime felt a wave of helplessness.

Because I can no longer skip half a day of class occasionally like I did in college...

"Was Yukinoshita like this from the very beginning?"

Suppressing the urge to yawn again, Haruhi pointed at Koyuki and asked the two of them.

"Girls tend to experience a decline in the quality of their rest in the fall."

Springtime helps Snowfall find a more reasonable excuse.

"But I feel like I've had plenty of rest..."

Yuihama seems to disagree with Kasuga's reasons and excuses.

"You talk too much. Yukino-sensei is waiting for you. And you, Hachiman, hurry up and go. I'll keep an eye on the club for you. If anyone comes, I'll wake Yukinoshita up."

"But Xiaoxue is all alone here... Qingjun, you're all alone..."

Yuihama hesitated a bit when she left, after all, a man and a woman staying in a quiet club seemed to inspire endless speculation.

"Don't worry, I won't touch her. Right now, I just want to catch up on some simple sleep here."

Kasuga pushed Hikigaya and Yui out of the Service Club and closed the door.

Although Kasuga seems to be able to see through the rather unpleasant images Yuihama is thinking, he has no evidence whatsoever.

And just as Kasuga said...

For at least the next two days, he wouldn't do anything inappropriate with Xiaoxue.

After all, nowadays, when he gets up and leaves the house in the morning...

His two long legs were fairly muscular.

They were all trembling.

……

…………

They found a chair, and Haruhi sat down opposite Yuki.

I'm so tired.

The dual exhaustion of mind and body caused his mind to go blank when he closed his eyes, and his spirit completely relaxed.

I don't know how much time passed.

All that was known was that the alluring aroma of black tea had woken the boy from his sleep.

He opened his eyes to find a cup of steaming, reddish-brown black tea on the long table in front of him, and a slightly hoarse girl's voice in his ear.

"Are you awake?"

As Xiaoxue spoke, she pushed open the window that had been closed. A gentle breeze drifted in from outside, making the previously drowsy spring day much more awake.

"It's a little better now; at least I don't fall asleep in class anymore."

"If you're still sleepy, why don't you go to the infirmary and take a nap? I'll ask for leave for you from Professor Hiratsuka."

The way Xiaoxue fiddled with the stray strands of hair blowing past her ear was slightly alluring, and the weariness on her face had lessened considerably compared to before.

She is elegant and graceful, like a lotus emerging from the water.

"It's just that you haven't adjusted yet, it's okay."

Spring shook her head, picked up the cup that Xiaoxue had bought for her, and took a sip of the black tea that had just been brewed.

"Besides, it's Xiaoxue who should be getting some rest."

The boy actually felt a little sorry for Xiaoxue when he saw her still sleeping when he entered the room.

Although he said he felt sorry for himself, not Xiaoxue.

He glanced at Yukinoshita without thinking. He had originally planned to bother Yukinoshita a little while that idiot future couple, Hachiman and his friend, were away, but this casual glance left him stunned.

"Um, Xiaoxue?"

Chunri looked at Xuexia with some suspicion, her gaze going from top to bottom.

"what happened?"

The girl, already used to the boy's unabashed scrutiny of her entire body, seemed oblivious to anything amiss and subconsciously replied.

"Although you might think I'm joking, Xiaoxue, but..."

"I've noticed that you seem to have become a little prettier these past few days, Xiaoxue."

Chunri truthfully shared her thoughts with Xiaoxue, and the expression on her face didn't seem like she was about to say anything suggestive.

"...What should I say to you? Should I take it for granted, or feel ashamed? Or should I be angry?"

"That's not what I meant. Well, how should I put it, there's a subtle feeling to it."

The boy shook his head, took out his phone, switched to selfie mode, and handed it to Yukinoshita.

"See for yourself..."

However, unlike the fuss in spring, Yukinoshita remained completely calm.

"It's nothing, it's just me."

"No, although even the current Hachiman and Yuihama might not be able to tell, Yuki, don't you think you look more alluring now than before, even though there's still some regret about it."

"...I completely don't understand your analogy, and please don't bring up the last point in such a public setting if possible."

"That's why I said that feeling is very subtle."

Chunri was telling the truth, and he even felt that he had become much more handsome.

Perhaps breaking through that barrier in the relationship will bring about different changes in boys and girls...?

"Well, maybe it's just my imagination, but I still like Xiaoxue no matter what she looks like."

Chunri didn't take it to heart in the end, and comforted Xiaoxue with a smile.

"You're a smooth talker."

While saying something to the smiling Chunri, Xiaoxue looked at the image of herself on the phone screen, her delicate, pale fingers unconsciously stroking her cheek.

The girl's gaze softened slightly.

It seems that what Haruhi said is indeed true.

just,

From the girl's perspective

This face, however, is more like what I'll look like a few years from now.

They're all equally beautiful, aren't they?

She thought so.

……

…………

After the cultural festival ended, the autumn chill deepened once again.

With the sky high and the clouds light, the somewhat desolate chill was all the more palpable.

After the major events ended, the cultural festival, whose popularity gradually faded, was soon forgotten by everyone.

However, Kasuga, who openly missed the cultural festival due to personal matters, was punished by Hiratsuka Shizuka, who knew the inside story, by being forced to write a report on the cultural festival's organization.

Kasuga was quite suspicious that this was his mentor making things difficult for him. However, Kasuga, who had gradually shed his Gian-like persona, was too embarrassed to say to Hiratsuka Shizuka that he was being arrogant and trying to make things difficult for him.

Not long ago, Kasuga was forced by Hiratsuka Shizuka to write a statement of her future aspirations, and was repeatedly and strictly forbidden from imitating Hikigaya's terrible future as a stay-at-home husband.

Although it's the second semester of the second year of high school, everyone is already starting to seriously think about their future career paths after graduation.

If you choose to enter the workforce immediately after graduation, which is not your intended path for further education, then the teachers will likely be more lenient with you.

In short, second graders today no longer have the same carefree life they had in first grade.