Carrying two bottles of drinks, Hozuki Nozomi returned to the Service Club.
But why did Yukinoshita-san just glare at me like that?
Nozomi was a little confused.
Sanshokuin Sumireko, who was standing nearby, suddenly smirked and "accidentally" spilled the beans.
"Nozomi, I've joined the Service Club too."
She tilted her head playfully before continuing, "But, the president asked me to tell you that our Service Club is not a place for 'shivers'—so please, refrain from any unnecessary, shivers here."
Nozomi chuckled, shifting his gaze to Yukinoshita Yukino, who was staring at him with an icy expression.
"So, kaichou, what exactly do you mean by 'shivers'?" he asked innocently.
"Hmph. Don't talk to me, you hentai! You're polluting the air!"
Miss Tsundere No. 2 was clearly irritated.
The mere thought of him ordering his cat to seduce her—just to get close—made her feel even more exasperated. But what annoyed her more was the fact that Sanshokuin Sumireko somehow knew about it.
Nozomi, unfazed, simply placed one of the drinks in front of her and ignored her sharp words.
"So, what happened just now that made our adorable kaichou so mad?"
Yukinoshita folded her arms, let out a cold snort, and begrudgingly explained.
"Sanshokuin-san just joined and brought a commission."
She sighed before continuing.
"She wants the exchange student from Toshobu High, Yasuo Hazuki, to give up on pursuing her, while also making him realize the feelings of two other girls."
"Do you have any suggestions?"
A small smirk appeared on Nozomi's lips.
"My suggestion? We do nothing… for now."
Yukinoshita narrowed her eyes.
"If Yasuo really cares about Sumireko, he'll definitely investigate me and try to approach me," Nozomi continued. "And as for those other two girls… I wonder if they'll try to seduce me in order to push Yasuo and Sumireko together, making her hate me instead?"
Yukinoshita rolled her eyes. "You're too full of yourself, Nozomi. Right now, you're a thorn in the side of every guy in school. Rumors about you are spreading like wildfire."
"They probably think you're just being used as a shield by Sanshokuin-san, so they won't go as far as seducing you," she said with confidence.
Nozomi raised an eyebrow. "Then how about we make a bet?"
His smirk deepened as he leaned forward slightly. "If what I say comes true, you'll kiss me. But if you're right, I'll owe you a favor—one thing of your choice, as long as it's something I can accomplish."
"B-Baka! Why should I agree to something like that?! It's completely meaningless!" Yukinoshita stammered, her face turning a light shade of red.
This guy…
He wasn't even trying to hide it anymore!
The condition of the bet was actually a kiss. How shameless!
"You don't believe me, do you? So we have to make a bet! Or… are you scared of losing, Yukinoshita-san?"
He smirked even more. "This is a rare chance to use me however you want. Wouldn't you want that?"
Yukinoshita hesitated for a moment before narrowing her eyes. "What if I ask you to give up on other girls?"
Nozomi's expression instantly turned serious.
"Then I choose death."
His voice carried absolute determination.
"I refuse to hurt Mahiru and the others. If you order me to abandon them, I'll have no choice but to die to prove my resolve."
"Hmph, as if I'd actually want you to die. Fine, I accept the bet. Just get ready to be ordered around by me!"
Yukinoshita crossed her arms in satisfaction. However, she wasn't finished yet.
"But there's one more condition!"
She smirked this time. "You also have to perfectly resolve Sumireko's request. If you fail, the bet is off."
"Deal!" Nozomi replied without hesitation.
A test from Yukinoshita-san, huh? He had no intention of failing.
Sanshokuin Sumireko, meanwhile, giggled behind her hand.
Yukinoshita-san was so tsun. She clearly cared about Nozomi; otherwise, she wouldn't have worded the bet in such a way.
And if Nozomi really succeeded…
Wouldn't that mean she'd have to kiss him?
"Well, since we still have time, let's go to Sakurasou together," Nozomi suggested casually. "Yukinoshita-san, you don't know this, but the cats at home have been howling all night since they haven't seen you."
Yukinoshita glared at him.
"You're using cats to lure me again?! How shameless!"
"Well, it's against school rules for them to come here, so I had to lecture them," Nozomi explained, looking completely serious. "To prevent both of us from breaking school rules, they now wait for you at Sakurasou every day—hoping for their beloved kaichou to bring them their cat food."
Yukinoshita sighed.
This guy was absolutely ridiculous.
But…
She couldn't refuse cute kittens.
"Fine. It's getting late, let's go see them. Sanshokuin-san, do you want to come with us?" she asked, trying to sound indifferent.
"Of course! I live there too, so let's head back together!" Sumireko beamed happily.
With Hazuki Yasuo around, she really didn't want to stay in school any longer than necessary.
And so, the three of them walked back to Sakurasou together.
Along the way, they happened to run into Shiina Mahiru, who ended up tagging along as well.
As for their classes? With Miura Yumiko and Yuigahama Yui managing the class, everything remained in order. There were no unexpected issues, and things proceeded smoothly.
As for the wedding experience, Miura Yumiko and Yuigahama Yui had already gone through it with Nozomi and seemed quite satisfied. Moving forward, he had no intention of accepting further invitations. Instead, he left the task to Hayato and Tobe Sho, who would act as emcees for the students from other classes eager to partake in the event.
However, Hayama Hayato, after repeating the same lines too many times, began to grow weary of the role. In response, he passed the responsibility onto Tobe Sho, leaving the energetic underclassman to handle the crowd.
Meanwhile, Class B's sumo performance continued. Two boys faced off in the ring, shoving and grappling with intense determination. The spectacle was undeniably eye-catching, but the audience turnout remained sparse.
"Sobu High students are quite passionate," remarked Hazuki Yasuo with a smirk. "Perhaps we should take inspiration from them."
Momo Sakurahara and Kusami Runa exchanged nervous glances, sensing something ominous in his words.
"Next time, let's introduce sumo wrestling to Toshobu High," Yasuo suggested, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
A chill ran down their spines.
As the student council president, Momo Sakurahara quickly rejected the notion. "That's absolutely out of the question!" she declared with unwavering resolve.
Attempting to shift the subject, Hazuki Yasuo proposed, "Why don't we head to the library?"
Momo Sakurahara and Kusami Runa hesitated before exchanging another knowing look. It was obvious. Yasuo's sudden interest in the library had nothing to do with books—he simply wanted to see Sanshokuin Sumireko. Still, with his mind set, they had little choice but to accompany him.
Upon arrival, Yasuo's enthusiasm quickly deflated. The librarian was not Sumireko. Instead, the one sitting at the counter was an unfamiliar face.
"Excuse me, classmate," Yasuo asked, stepping forward, "where is the original librarian?"
The girl at the desk, Saki Kawasaki, glanced at them indifferently. "Sanshokuin-san isn't feeling well. She went home to rest. During the cultural exchange, I'll be filling in as the librarian."
Yasuo frowned in disappointment. He couldn't shake the feeling that Sumireko was intentionally avoiding him. Just earlier, she had been lively and cheerful, enjoying the wedding experience with Nozomi. But now, she was suddenly unwell?
"I see," he muttered, forcing a smile.
Meanwhile, Momo Sakurahara attempted to make conversation. "I'm Momo Sakurahara. And you are?"
"Saki Kawasaki, Class F."
As they searched for information, Nozomi had already returned home with three beautiful girls in tow. The moment they stepped into the yard, they sat down on the floor, each one holding a cat and gently stroking its fur. Their expressions softened with warmth and contentment, a sight that made Nozomi feel a twinge of jealousy.
"Ahh, I'm exhausted. I need a break."
He dramatically flopped onto the ground, his movements exaggerated. Without hesitation, he nudged the cat off Mahiru's lap and rested his head on her legs.
Truthfully, he had wanted to experience the legendary knee pillow from Miss Yukinoshita, but the timing wasn't quite right.
Shiina Mahiru shot him a sharp glare but didn't push him away. Instead, she sighed lightly and began stroking his hair, her fingers gently massaging his temples to ease his fatigue.
Across from them, Yukinoshita Yukino tightened her grip on the cat in her arms. For some reason, watching this scene irritated her. The feline, sensing her sudden tension, let out a small mewl before hopping off her lap. However, Yukino barely noticed—her gaze was locked onto Nozomi's relaxed expression, her irritation mounting by the second.
Sanshokuin Sumireko chuckled from the sidelines, finding amusement in the situation.
"Yukinoshita-san, you're surprisingly easy to read."
Yukino's face darkened at the implication. Was she really falling for this idiot? She refused to believe it. And yet… the way she stared at him with unspoken emotions said otherwise.
She found him infuriating.
Her thoughts drifted elsewhere. Was she really destined to get engaged to him? The notion had crossed her mind before, but the reality of it was beginning to sink in.
Her family—the Yukinoshita household—had a strict rule: they only accepted marriages where the husband would take the Yukinoshita name. Whether it was her, her sister, or any other family member, their mother would never allow them to marry and leave the family behind.
At first, she hadn't understood why. But after hearing her sister's stories about their father's infidelity and their mother's quiet tears, she began to grasp the reasoning.
Her mother was afraid of loneliness.
Still, even with that understanding, she couldn't help but feel uneasy about her mother's strong desire for control…
*********************
"Zaibatsu" (財閥) is a Japanese term that refers to large, family-owned conglomerates or business groups that were prominent in Japan from the Meiji period until the end of World War II. These conglomerates typically consisted of a number of affiliated companies across various industries, including banking, manufacturing, and trade.
Today, the term is sometimes used more broadly to refer to large corporate groups or business conglomerates in Japan, although the original zaibatsu structure no longer exists in the same form.
Have a great week ahead!!!!!!!!