I am only one world away from Yukinoshita.

"Let me take this opportunity to explain some important points."

Yukinoshita and Kiyori maintained a close posture, while Hikigaya and Yuihama stood on either side of the elevator, trying to avoid physical contact and enjoying the scenery.

"When we go in, please have Hihama-san link arms with Hikigaya-san, like this," Kiyoyori said knowingly, propping his arm up, while Yukinoshita placed her slender fingers on Kiyoyori's elbow. "Once inside, don't look around and maintain good posture."

As if a steel plate were inserted into their backs, Yuihama and Hikigaya had never seen the two people in front of them hunch over or in any other relaxed posture.

Without realizing it, they also began to straighten their backs.

“There’s no need to be so stiff,” Kiyoyori smiled at the two of them who were tense. “Just be more natural, but Hikigaya-senpai should still straighten his back.”

"Your dead fish eyes are beyond saving, at least you need to salvage some points with your physique."

Snow said mercilessly.

"Remember to keep your back and waist straight, tuck your chin in, and don't stick your neck out."

Yukino looked at the two people in front of her with stiff expressions with satisfaction. "Don't panic, just walk in naturally."

Kiyoshiro turned around with Yukinoshita. The elevator had reached the top floor, and the doors opened again.

Before the four of them lay a dimly lit bar area. Unlike the brightly lit lobby, the lights here were softer and dimmer, casting a hazy veil over everything in the bar, like flickering candlelight in the dark.

Next to the large floor-to-ceiling windows stood a piano, and a white woman was playing it. The melodious notes poured from the piano, but they could not ease the tension between Hachiman and Yui.

In stark contrast to the two of them, Kiyoshiro and Yukinoshita walked steadily into the elevator as soon as the doors opened, looking straight ahead without deliberately observing or invading the privacy of others.

Wearing high heels, Yukinoshita was about the same height as Kiyoyori. She found Kawasaki working at the bar first and whispered in Kiyoyori's ear, "Kawasaki-kun is at the bar."

Kiyoshi turned his head away uncomfortably, and just then he saw a familiar figure.

Utaha-senpai...?

What are you doing here at this time?

P.S.: The app's default question bank is actually from the coaching exam... I feel like I've wasted several days of practice...

Chapter 36, Section 94: Now, it's Saki Kawasaki's magical time!

The person sitting next to Shiwa-senpai should be editor Machida-san, but who is sitting opposite her?

Because his back was turned, Kiyoshi couldn't see the person's face clearly and could only guess from the glimpse of the bespoke suit peeking out from beside the chair.

"Tachibana-san?"

Noticing Kiyoyori's dazed expression, Yukinoshita pinched a handful of flesh from Kiyoyori's elbow with two fingers in dissatisfaction.

Kiyoshiro was brought back to her senses by the sudden pain. Her thin lips parted slightly, but she did not make a sound. Yukinoshita almost forcibly pulled her to the bar. The two stiff-bodied people behind her also sat down at the bar. However, Yukinoshita chose a seat on the edge, while Hikigaya and Yuihama chose to sit in the center.

Inside the bar, a female bartender was intently wiping wine glasses. She only glanced at the group as they approached, without saying a word or stopping her work. She was tall and had a dignified appearance. Beneath her aloof face lay a deep melancholy, and the beauty mark under her eye seemed to be weeping for something, perfectly complementing the dim lighting.

Is this Saki Kawasaki?

Kiyoyori was not in the same grade as the other three, nor had she participated in the previous operation. As for Kawasaki Saki, she only knew her by name.

However, her tall figure and mature appearance are very suitable for this job, which explains why she hasn't been exposed while working here.

however……

Kiyoshi glanced at his watch.

After wiping the glass in her hand, Kawasaki skillfully handed over two coasters and some nuts as a snack. She didn't ask what she wanted to drink, but silently continued her monotonous work. However, her demeanor was elegant, as if she had been specially trained.

No one spoke first, then Hachiman broke the silence: "Kawasaki."

Kawasaki, whose name was called, looked up in confusion at the unfamiliar man in front of him.

"Excuse me, who are you?"

She used honorifics.

"As expected of you, Hachiman. You can't recognize me even though we're in the same class."

Yukino pulled Kiyori to sit next to Hikigaya.

"I've finally found you, Kawasaki-kun."

As soon as Yukinoshita spoke, Kawasaki recognized her. The respectful expression on her face disappeared, replaced by disgust and hostility. Kiyori, standing next to Yukinoshita, was also unsurprisingly attacked by her gaze.

If the murderous intent in those eyes could materialize, Kiyoyori would probably be riddled with holes by now.

"Under the snow..."

"good evening."

Yukino greeted him casually, her indifferent expression remaining unchanged.

Kawasaki turned his gaze to Yuihama and soon recognized her identity.

"Then he must be a student at Soubu High School, right?"

She looked at Hachiman.

"Good evening, Hachiman Hikigaya."

Hikigaya gave a brief self-introduction, while Kiyoyori was ignored by Kawasaki. Or perhaps that's not quite right; he was deliberately ignored by Kawasaki. The hostility in his eyes earlier wasn't just directed at Yukinoshita.

"Good evening, Kawasaki-senpai, I'm Tachibana, a first-year student—"

"I know!" Kawasaki interrupted Kiyori impatiently, then smiled instead of continuing to pay attention to him. "So you were exposed, no wonder..."

Kawasaki seemed unwilling to offer further explanation, placing one hand on the bar counter and taking a deep breath:

What would you like to drink?

“Peiluya”.

The words Yukinoshita uttered startled Yuihama and Hikigaya.

"Then please give us three more of the same cups."

Kiyotomo and Kawasaki smiled amicably.

Kawasaki skillfully took out four champagne glasses, poured the bubbly water into them, and placed them in front of the four people. Kiyoyori tapped his finger on the base of the glass on the disc, then raised his glass to the other three and took a sip of the slightly bitter bubbly water.

"So what are you guys here for? You can't possibly be here to date someone like that, can you?" Kawasaki glanced at Hachiman surrounded by girls, his sarcasm undisguised.

"How could that be? If you're talking about this thing next to me, even if it's a joke, it's incredibly low-class."

"Could you please not involve me when you're arguing?"

Hikigaya glanced at the two people whose gazes were sparking with intense emotion, while Kiyori, who was also sitting next to Yukinoshita and categorized as "this thing," simply pursed his lips in silence.

Since someone has already spoken out, she'd better not take it personally.

After exchanging a glance with Yukinoshita, who was focused on arguing with Kawasaki, Hachiman got straight to the point.

"I heard you've been coming home very late lately. Is it because of this part-time job? Your younger brother is very worried about you."

Kawasaki simply scoffed dismissively after hearing this.

"I'm just a passerby, and it's really troublesome for you to come all this way to tell me all this. But do you think I'll obediently listen to your lectures?" Kawasaki glared at the group in front of him. "No wonder I've been getting so many people bothering me lately. It's all your doing! Although I don't know what Daishi said to you, I'll explain the rest myself. So please go back to where you came from, and don't get involved with my brother again!"

Kiyoshi absentmindedly drank his water, glancing at a spot near the glass window not far away.

“Of course we have reasons to stop you.” Yukinoshita glanced at her watch calmly and checked the time again. “It’s 10:40 now. If you were Cinderella, you would have an hour left, but unfortunately, your magic has already been lifted.”

"After the magic is lifted, won't there be a happy and fulfilling ending?"

"Are you sure, Miss Mermaid? I just feel that what awaits you ahead is not a pleasant ending."

The conversation, which resembled an encrypted phone call, often took place among upper-class people who spoke ambiguously and whose true intentions lay elsewhere. However, Kiyoshi understood that according to the Labor Standards Act, minors were not allowed to work after 10 p.m. Since Kawasaki could continue working here without any problems, it could only mean that she had lied about her age. And this magic trick had now been exposed by Yukinoshita.

"Aren't you still planning to resign?"

"No, even if I'm fired here, I can find another place to work."

Kawasaki shrugged indifferently and continued wiping the wine glass in her hand. Her nonchalant expression clearly showed that she didn't take the Service Club seriously. Her stubbornness was comparable to Yukinoshita's, which annoyed Yukinoshita.

In the tense atmosphere, Kiyoshi, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.

"Is this really alright, Kawasaki-senpai?" Kiyoyori didn't look at Kawasaki, but tapped the table with his finger, making a rhythmic thud. "We're not here because we're worried about Kawasaki-senpai's future, but simply because this is a request from Kawasaki-senpai's younger brother. Even if we don't need your help, it's still our duty."

"Of course, Kawasaki-senpai can refuse our help, but what kind of explanation is this 'explaining' to Taishi? 'It's none of your business,' 'You just need to mind your own business, you don't need to worry about me,' and other such excuses. If Kawasaki-senpai takes these as explanations, then I have nothing to say," Kiyoyori toyed with the coaster in her hand, a slight smile playing on her lips as if she had thought of something. "But your actions have worried your younger brother. You just shut yourself in your own world, rejecting other people's kindness and even seeing your family's worries as a nuisance. Isn't that the worst kind of older sister?"

Kawasaki, unable to bear it any longer, slammed his glass on the table.

"What do you know?! How could someone like you, born with a silver spoon in your mouth, possibly understand! As the heir to the Spencer family, you must have plenty of gold and silver to squander, right?!"

"Someone like you, who gets everything without putting in any effort, what right do you have to lecture me?!"

P.S.: It's impossible to go any faster. In fact, I'm already doing well just to find time to write every day, since I can't support myself this way. By the way, I have to complain about my dad. He buys everything cash on delivery, then he goes out and asks me to pick up the package, promising to transfer the money, but then acts like he never said that... I've never tried Perrier either. My impression of sparkling water or soda water (?) is still stuck on the bad experience of accidentally mixing up mineral water and sparkling water when I was in London. It tasted awful; it wasn't like water, nor beer, yet the packaging was exactly the same as mineral water, only the cap was a different color.

Chapter 37, Section 95: Because they were never from the same world.

Spencer...?

Yukino glanced at Kiyoyori, who was still smiling beside her, with a hint of surprise. It seemed that Kawasaki's insulting words had not hurt her in the slightest.

"So you do know my middle name, Kawasaki-senpai," Kiyoyori said, taking a sip of her water. The unpleasant bitterness made her frown slightly. "Are you feeling better now? Can we continue our conversation without that unpleasant feeling?"

It was as if she had punched a cotton ball. Seeing Kiyora's "I knew it" expression, Kawasaki's anger burned even more fiercely. Completely enraged, she began to speak recklessly:

"She's just someone from a dysfunctional family—"

“Oh dear,” Kiyoyori clenched her fist and tapped the table, interrupting Kawasaki. Her gaze toward him held a hint of danger. “Please stop, Kawasaki-senpai. Any further and you’ll be pushing your limits. Please don’t test my patience.”

Despite being a junior, the other person's gaze was as terrifying as that of a hunting beast, causing Kawasaki to involuntarily take a step back. Realizing she had spoken out of turn, she did not refute further, but merely moved her lips slightly.

"That's right! What we're talking about now has absolutely nothing to do with Xiao Qinglai's family!"

Although Yuihama was unaware of the conflict between Kiyoyori and Kawasaki, Kawasaki's words had clearly offended Kiyoyori. When she visited the Tachibana residence earlier, Yuihama had inadvertently glimpsed a family photo of the Tachibana family of three. Although it was an unusual family composition, the genuine and unreserved bright smiles on their faces showed their own happiness.

"So, in that case, you have no connection to my family, right?"

The situation quickly reached a stalemate, and if things continued like this, there would be no room for negotiation between the two sides.