Let's do it again, Yukino.

Chunri patiently continued asking questions.

"We were just joking to lighten the mood, why are you being so serious? It's just a school trip."

Hiratsuka Shizuka scratched her head and smiled, using a drinking buddy's catchphrase.

"Of course I know what you're trying to say. If I'm not mistaken, it's about Ebina and the Ministry of Revenue."

"you know?"

"Of course I know, after all, I am the advisor teacher of the Service Department."

"However, from an adult's perspective, my way of thinking about this kind of thing might be a little different from you high school students. If I were that guy, I probably would confess even if I knew the other person didn't like me."

Hiratsuka Shizuka's voice sounded somewhat ethereal as she spoke.

"Even if you get rejected, you might feel awkward at that moment, but after many years... well, actually it won't be that many years, maybe a year or two at most. When you recall that confession and that high school life without regrets, you won't feel awkward. Um, apprentice, have you heard a line from a classic movie?"

Teacher Jing looked at Chunri, her dark eyes blinking rapidly.

What lines?

A question asked on a spring day.

"I like you, but it has nothing to do with you."

After saying that, Ms. Jing lowered her head and continued browsing Twitter.

Chapter Sixty-Eight: Heart as Cold as Ashes

Hiratsuka Shizuka's words caused Haruhi's mood to fluctuate slightly.

However, if liking someone has nothing to do with that person, then does this so-called unrequited love really have any meaning?

In the end, it became a regret that vanished into thin air?

However, to be honest,

Observing Hiratsuka-sensei's daily life now, Haruhi doesn't quite understand this idea.

In fact, Haruhi had also fantasized about whether, if he and Yuki had a child in the future, he would develop a lazy and carefree personality like Junko, and eventually, with Yuki's tolerance, they would slowly grow old together.

If that were the case, it would definitely have a very negative impact on their offspring, and they might even become twisted beings with the same corrupt personality as the Great Teacher.

"No, that kind of future is absolutely unacceptable. I'm a man who wants to be a role model..."

Seemingly already imagining that future spring, he shook his head violently to himself.

"What are you thinking about now, you rascal?"

Although she didn't know exactly what the boy in front of her was thinking, Hiratsuka Shizuka's womanly intuition told her that she shouldn't ask, as asking would only cause her more inner turmoil.

Before the car even reached its destination, Hiratsuka Shizuka thought of the boy beside her, who still maintained a somewhat ambiguous relationship with Koyuki. The young woman couldn't help but subtly try to remind Haruhi.

"Hey Kasuga, do you have someone you like?"

After all, Yukino Yukinoshita is the second young lady of the Yukinoshita family, and her father is one of the most well-known members of parliament in Chiba Prefecture.

The truth will eventually come out. If the two of them continue to keep their relationship a secret, and Yukinoshita's family finds out one day, Haruhi might find herself in another kind of trouble.

"The person you like?"

Haruhi didn't immediately grasp the meaning behind Hiratsuka Shizuka's words. When the latter asked him about the person he liked, he involuntarily started counting on his fingers.

"I do like a lot of people: Hachiman, Yui, Suni, Yumiko, Shishio, Ai, Saki, Nagato, and of course, you, Master."

"I didn't ask you to list the people you're close to, or to say that this person is actually very loving?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka looked at Haruhi, who had listed a bunch of names and nicknames, with a headache, and even heard her own name among them.

Is this guy deliberately playing dumb with me?

"You can't just say things like that. I'm a very loyal person. You were the one who asked me to list the people I like first, teacher."

"The kind of 'liking' I'm talking about is the kind of 'romantic liking,' the kind of 'liking' that you high school students like to date."

"Oh, I see... So, there is... there isn't... right?"

After listening to Hiratsuka Shizuka's explanation, Kasuga first looked enlightened, then closed her mouth tightly, leaned back in her chair, and didn't say another word.

Hiratsuka Shizu: "..."

"Yes? Or no? It's okay, teacher, I'm used to it, I'm not afraid of being provoked."

"Oh, no."

In the final days of spring, she lied to Hiratsuka Shizuka, telling her a white lie against her conscience.

However, he also noticed that Hiratsuka Shizuka seemed to know something, and he even suspected that Hiratsuka Shizuka had already discovered his secret relationship with Koyuki.

"Probably not. After all, even Yui Hachiman and the others didn't notice anything unusual between Yuki and me in public places at school. It's unlikely that Hiratsuka-sensei would be stalking Yuki and me in our private lives for no reason."

Probably...

"If I find out you lied to me, you'll have to swallow a thousand needles!"

Junko had mentioned Kasuga's "graduation" to Hiratsuka Shizuka while they were drinking a while ago.

So Hiratsuka Shizuka looked at the boy, who still refused to tell her the truth, with a stomachache.

Although she desperately wanted to expose this absurd lie, she ultimately restrained herself from doing so at the last moment.

"Swallow it then..."

Springtime, with a nonchalant, "I'm not afraid of boiling water" attitude, responded nonchalantly.

Compared to Hiratsuka Shizuka's iron fist, the punishment of swallowing needles, which only exists in songs, would never happen.

……

The car quickly arrived at its destination.

In spring, I also went on a tour of Kiyomizu-dera Temple, which is quite famous in Kyoto, with my classmates.

Normally, given Chunri's personality, he doesn't really like to follow the crowds when sightseeing. Rather than the hustle and bustle, he prefers to stroll quietly among the scenic spots, either alone or with Xiaoxue.

So when he ran to the Kiyomizu-dera stage, he consciously left the team that the class monitor had temporarily formed and quietly admired the scenery of Kiyomizu-dera by himself.

He seemed to have visited Kiyomizu-dera Temple once during a school trip in his previous life, but since nothing important happened there, he had forgotten many of his memories of the temple.

"There's a shrine here too?"

One of them walked at a fairly fast pace, and soon a shrine appeared in front of Kasuga.

Listening to a group of young female tourists I didn't know talking to, I learned that this place is famous because of the god of love, so those who want to achieve success in love can make a wish and pray here.

Although, in Haruhi's view, these little tricks were just psychological.

Looking at the woman in red and white shrine maiden clothes not far from her, who was interpreting fortunes for young men and women, Kasuga thought of the time when she and Junko had also drawn love fortunes at the festival, and curled her lip in disdain.

Anyway, her luck in drawing lots has never been very good. After thinking about it, Haruhi decided to leave this troublesome place for the time being.

"Hmm? Young man, could you please wait a moment?"

Just as she was about to leave, a cold wind blew by, bringing with it a gentle female voice. Chunri realized that someone had called her back as she was about to leave.

Turning around, the woman dressed in a red and white shrine maiden's outfit walked quietly to her side with light steps.

Springtime gazed at the unfamiliar woman.

With medium-length black hair, fair skin, and a delicate face, it was hard to tell the woman's exact age in springtime; she probably wasn't very old.

Was that you calling me?

Spring pointed to her face with her finger.

Since there was no one else around him, the priestess in front of him couldn't possibly be calling someone else by name.

"Because I saw a rather interesting face."

The shrine maiden smiled slightly at Haruhi, and at that moment, her red and white shrine maiden outfit seemed somewhat dazzling to Haruhi.

So dedicated...

Although Yoshiteru Zaimokuza often mentioned to her that the shrine maiden attribute is an important attribute in the world of anime and manga, in reality, Kasuga didn't really want to get involved with these pretentious shrine maidens.

"I'm sorry, I don't believe in gods or Buddhas, so I don't believe in any of your witches or goddesses."

"..."

Upon hearing Haruhi's words, the shrine maiden, who had been smiling, revealed a rather subtle and complex expression.

"Judging from your appearance, I thought you believed in the existence of ghosts and gods, but it seems that the result is not quite what I imagined."

Haruhi couldn't help but laugh: "That's why I say you shrine maidens believe everything you hear. You haven't even mastered your skills yet, but you like to use your beauty to swindle and cheat people."

"You're going too far with the accusations of swindling and cheating, young man, but..."

The shrine maiden wasn't angry at Haruhi's mockery; she simply looked at Haruhi's face, which held a hint of mystery in its otherwise pretty form.

"You've made a wish to the gods before, haven't you, young man?"

Looking at the strange, eccentric shrine maiden, Haruhi seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world. She shook her head dismissively, then looked at the shrine maiden who was still staring at her, seemingly unwilling to let the matter rest.

"I've already told you I don't believe in gods or Buddhas, so how could I possibly make a wish to a deity? I think you're overthinking it, Miss Shrine Maiden."

If we could do it again...

If I could do it all over again...

In the dim light of spring, it seemed as if I could hear the words I had once spoken.

Thinking of this, he decisively shook his head.

How could that be? There are no gods in the world...

Absolutely not.

Springtime banished that ridiculous thought from her mind.

"Young man, you are like the offering box placed in the shrine. No matter whether the result of your wish is a happy ending or a tragic one, you still have to offer sacrifices to the gods. This is a necessary prerequisite."

"Otherwise, if you violate this condition, something bad might happen one day."

The shrine maiden's voice rang in Haruhi's ears once more, carrying an irrefutable conviction.