Shirogane Miyuki POV
"Have you perhaps forgotten the homework that was assigned to you, Miyuki?" Hiratsuka Shizuka leaned against the chair in the teacher's office, her arms crossed.
She then swiftly redirected her gaze toward the dead-fish-eyed Hachiman, glaring at him intensely.
"And you as well. I instructed you to write a thesis on the theme of youth, yet you have sorely disappointed me with this drivel, Hachiman," she continued, tossing the thesis onto the desk before me.
"Read it, Miyuki. Consider it your punishment for failing to submit your homework on time. Learn from this, and ensure your homework is completed and handed in tomorrow. This is your final opportunity."
I raised the paper to eye level, uncertain of what to say as I skimmed through its contents.
"Do you really want me to read this, sensei?" I asked, hesitating.
To be honest, this piece was saturated with a misogynistic view of youth, and it was, by my standards, unbearably cringeworthy.
Reading it silently was one thing, but being asked to read it aloud? That was an entirely different challenge.
"Yes, it would be appreciated if you did. This will give you a chance to correct your previous mistake," Hiratsuka-sensei replied.
"Hiratsuka-sensei, I believe this is inappropriate," Hikigaya Hachiman interjected, making a move to snatch the thesis from my hands.
I feigned a brief struggle, but as he successfully grabbed the paper, it accidentally tore in half. Hachiman then proceeded to shred it into smaller pieces, much to my silent relief.
The thought of not having to read that garbage out loud was a small victory in itself.
Hiratsuka Shizuka's expression darkened as she observed the destroyed thesis and she casted suspicious look on my face, but she refrained from commenting.
She had no concrete evidence that I had deliberately caused the "accident," especially since I had convincingly acted as though I was genuinely trying to hold onto the paper.
"You know, Hachiman..." Hiratsuka-sensei leaned forward, searching for a cigarette, which she lit right in front of us, blowing the smoke in our direction.
After taking a long drag, she continued, her tone heavy with disappointment.
"I never wanted to do this—I don't take pleasure in crushing someone's self-esteem—but you've forced my hand, Hachiman. You are, without a doubt, the most problematic student I have."
"Ahem... I don't think I need to stay for this," I interrupted, clearing my throat. I had no desire to be dragged into their drama, which, in my humble opinion, was utterly bullshit.
"No, you're staying," Hiratsuka Shizuka asserted firmly.
"And you, Hachiman, don't think that just because you're a man, you can do whatever you please. Your ideal of becoming a househusband is laughable. Do you have any idea what most girls say about you?"
"Unattractive," she stated bluntly. "It's not a sin for a girl to have an unappealing appearance, but for a man, it's a different story. It's difficult to be unattractive as a man, especially when you lack likability, cheerfulness, and charm. Your misogynistic outlook on youth and your refusal to blend in with your peers will do you no favors in your quest to become a househusband."
"Listen to your teacher—you need to fix yourself from the inside out if you truly want to become a househusband and find a wealthy lady to take care of you."
"There are clubs that could help you with this."
"Do you want your teacher to help you?"
As I listened to Hiratsuka Shizuka's words, I couldn't help but cast a pitying glance at Hachiman.
Man, it's rough being called ugly by a beautiful woman, especially when that woman is your own teacher.
"I don't need the help, Hiratsuka-sensei, I wanted to be alone." Hikigaya Hachiman voice was sobbed little and left from office with hurried footstep.
Apparently both of us heard the pleading in his voice and Hiratsuka-sensei gaze become guilty as she stared at Hachiman's back.
"Miyuki, do you believe that what I did was wrong?" She shifted her gaze toward me, her voice laced with curiosity as she posed the question.
"Well, your intentions were to help him by confronting him with the reality of his situation, allowing him to recognize his own shortcomings. You then sought to guide him after he realized those flaws by introducing him to the club you deemed suitable for him. However, I don't believe he actually needs such assistance." I articulated my perspective, carefully choosing my words.
"So mature of you. I never imagined you could express such a neutral opinion, especially given the circumstances. Many in your position might have sided with men, defending them blindly and condemning women for their harsh treatment. Particularly now, when misogynistic organizations have begun to surface." Hiratsuka Shizuka sighed, her tone tinged with a mix of weariness and amusement, before extending a cigarette toward me.
"Would you like one?"
"No. As a teacher, I don't think it's appropriate for you to offer a cigarette to your own student, especially to a male student." I declined politely but firmly.
It was like where a teacher casually offers a cigarette to a woman in my past life, it felt utterly bizarre and unscientific.
Such an illogical act unfolded right before my eyes, defying all sense.
"Hahaha... It's so funny. Did you really think I would actually give you one?" Hiratsuka Shizuka said with a smug smile, casually discarding the cigarette onto the desk.
"I was merely joking. I never imagined you'd take it seriously, Miyuki."
"No wonder you're still a virgin at your age. Your jokes are pathetic." I cast a disdainful glance at the woman standing before me, a leftover remnant of a person nearing thirty and virgin.
In my past life, such a situation would be the epitome of a loser's template—middle-aged and without a woman, clearly a target for ridicule by others.
My words evidently struck a nerve, and Hiratsuka Shizuka's fury was unmistakable.
"You little brat, don't think I'm above hitting a man. Take this love fist from your teacher." She rose from her seat, approaching me with an air of menace.
As she drew nearer, she halted abruptly when she saw that I neither flinched nor attempted to escape, letting out a frustrated snort.
"I'll spare you this time."
Her face betrayed her embarrassment, a clear sign that her earlier threat had been all bluster. It was apparent she didn't dare to hit a man, likely due to the societal rules governing this world.
"So, can I go now, teacher?" I inquired, eager to put an end to this farce.
"No, you need to come with me to meet Yukino," Hiratsuka Shizuka responded, shaking her head.
"And why should I?" I rolled my eyes, finding little reason to engage with Yukino.
"Of course, you should. Have you forgotten that your grades hinge on whether I decide to spare you or not? You wouldn't want your sister to find out that you've been neglecting your homework, would you?" She issued the threat with a hint of a smirk.
"Even if she found out, it wouldn't be a problem. You'll need to come up with a better threat than that, teacher." I replied smugly, confident in the Loligaki behind me. With her backing, I was practically immune to any consequences, grades included.
She fixed me with a piercing gaze.
"What do you want? You haven't left yet, so you clearly have something on your mind."
"I want to understand why you're so determined to make me and Hachiman meet Yukino," I stated my intent plainly.
"Is that all?" she asked, her tone laced with suspicion.
"Yeah..." I nodded in affirmation.
"Hah..." She sighed heavily.
"Yukino is actually a friend of my sister. I just want to help her."
"So, all your actions up until now have been motivated by nepotism?" I remarked with a sarcastic chuckle.
"Don't interrupt, kid. Let me finish what I'm saying," she snapped, her eyes narrowing. Despite her stern demeanor, I found her growing more and more cute in my eyes—fierce, yet without real malice.
I silently enjoyed the sight of my teacher losing her composure and authority over her own student.
No matter how fierce she appeared, she couldn't wield the same iron-fisted control over me as she might have in an anime.
Here, she'd face consequences if she dared to strike a male student.
Probably.
It was reminiscent of how men hitting women in my past life were always seen as wrong, no matter how much at fault the woman was. Women were always right, and men were wrong when things escalated to violence.
"Let's continue then," I gestured for her to proceed.
"As I mentioned earlier, she's a friend of my sister, and her club is on the verge of being shut down. No one has ever commissioned her club for help, and the number of members doesn't meet the school's regulations. If things don't change, her club is doomed," Hiratsuka Shizuka explained, taking a deep breath and exhaling as if she were weary from speaking at such length. She reached for the glass of water on her desk and took a long drink.
Once she finished, she continued, "This is where problematic students like you and Hachiman come into the picture. As long as there's a commission—someone willing to request her help for the first time—there's always a chance for more. I need her to build a reputation on that. If she can fix Hachiman's personality and make him a better person, then everyone will see that her club isn't just for show—it can genuinely help them. That's the plan."
"I've explained everything to you, kid. Now, tell me what you want in exchange for going with me to see her."
"And what if I refuse?"
Her expression darkened, and I could see her teetering on the edge of madness.
She was about to snap at my question, and I had no doubt that if I let it go on, she'd do something terrible to me.
"Ahem... Just kidding," I quickly added, trying to diffuse the tension.
Her expression softened, though she still shot me a resentful look.
"Stop playing around, Miyuki. Tell me what you want."
"I want a favor," I stated clearly.
"If you weren't seventeen, I'd think you were a politician disguised as a student. Where did you even learn to talk like this?" she asked, more worried than upset by my choice of words.
"The Godfather. Haven't you seen that movie?" I replied.
"No." She gave me a skeptical glance.
"Anyway, I think this conversation has gone on long enough. We should go before the bell rings. Yes, that means I agree to your terms. I owe you a favor, Miyuki."
She motioned for me to follow her as she led the way.
I did as she instructed, walking side by side with her as she escorted me to the Service Club.