Shirogane Kei's POV
"President, have you, by any chance, incurred the displeasure of the Principal's daughter?" Shinomiya Kaguya inquired with a discerning gaze.
"What exactly are you insinuating, Kaguya?" I responded, perplexed by her question. If memory serves me correctly, I have never done anything to offend her.
"She is intent on replacing you with her cousin," Kaguya elaborated.
A realization dawned on me as I blinked.
It appears that my warning to Arisu Sakayanagi to stay away from my brother has been met with an aggressive retaliation.
The more she behaves in this manner, the more convinced I become that my actions were justified.
Though she may wield significant influence over the school, she seems to overlook the fact that I did not ascend to this position through supplication but through my own merit and strength.
"If the situation escalates to that point, will you continue to support me, or will you revert to a neutral stance, Kaguya?" I asked, my tone measured.
"You already know the answer, President," she replied, gracefully sipping her tea.
I couldn't help but smirk at her response.
There was no need for further explanation; her meaning was crystal clear.
...
Shirogane Miyuki POV
"Teacher... Why did you bring a man here?"
As soon as we stepped inside, we were met with a sharp inquiry from the icy queen before us.
She glared at Hiratsuka-sensei before turning her piercing gaze toward me.
Internally, I rolled my eyes at her question.
If not for the fact that I was poised to gain a significant favor from Hiratsuka, a favor that would undoubtedly carry considerable weight, I wouldn't have bothered being here.
This woman's emotional intelligence was astonishingly low, to say the least. There are countless ways to greet someone, yet she chose to be outright rude. No wonder so many people avoid her.
Despite her frosty demeanor, I've encountered many cold-hearted women in my past life. Most weren't as socially isolated as the woman before me, as they managed to navigate social interactions without issue.
They were capable of maintaining polite interaction.
Of course, this is just my humble opinion. Although I had my share of issues with women in my past life and remained a virgin, I never struggled to earn basic respect from others within the social hierarchy.
This made it difficult for me to encounter anyone who dared to be rude to me.
"Your tone is as sharp as ever, Yukino..." Hiratsuka Shizuka sighed.
"I've brought this problematic student to you in the hopes that you can help him integrate into society in a more conventional manner."
"I don't believe he has any issues..." Yukino Yukinoshita remarked as she closed the book in her hand, then focused her gaze solely on me.
"If he were truly a problem, he would have already complained when you brought him here. But I saw none of that. He was remarkably polite, unlike the typical men who would likely cause a fuss in such a situation."
"Ahem... And that's precisely why I brought him here, Yukino. He's too mature for his own good, more like someone seasoned by society than a high school student. I want you to help him experience the youth he seems to be missing out on. That's all." Hiratsuka Shizuka cleared her throat and elaborated.
"I'll take on the challenge," Yukino Yukinoshita agreed with a nod.
"Then, if you'll excuse me, I'll leave the two of you alone." Hiratsuka Shizuka then leaned in and whispered to me, "It's now up to you to ensure the Service Club isn't disbanded. As long as you fulfill our agreement, I'll grant you anything you wanted within the school, as long as it doesn't cross my bottom line."
I nodded at her, acknowledging the task, as she prepared to take her leave.
"What did she say to you?" Yukino Yukinoshita inquired with curiosity after witnessing Hiratsuka Shizuka whispering to me.
"She just wants me to take care of you," I explained.
"Humph... I don't need anyone to take care of me." She blushed, quickly covering her face with the book and redirecting her attention back to it.
I'm not entirely sure why she blushed.
This is odd—shouldn't she have snorted coldly and dismissed it?
After that, she said nothing more, focusing intently on her book.
Now, what I was left with was an uncomfortable silence between us.
The mind of a woman is indeed something I can't seem to comprehend, not in my past life and certainly not now.
This was painfully awkward as neither of us spoke another word until the bell rang, signaling the start of class.
As I rose from my seat and prepared to leave, Yukino finally spoke.
"Hiratsuka-sensei asked me to ensure that you experience youth normally, and I intend to fulfill that request as part of our club's duty. So, meet me tomorrow after school. I'll do my utmost to help you experience youth to the fullest," she said, albeit a bit awkwardly.
"Okay..."
What else could I say? I'm not particularly skilled at conversing with someone so awkward.
She looked at me with a surprised expression, though I couldn't fathom what was so surprising.
"I think Hiratsuka-sensei is just looking for trouble; you don't need any help at all. If anything, it's the men of the world who need help, not you. But a promise is a promise, so after school, I'll do my best to fulfill it."
"Is there a place you like to visit most?"
Is this a date?
I think I understand Yukino's approach; she wants to use this outing as a means to help me experience youth.
"I mostly prefer going to the library and reading books rather than wasting my time playing around," I stated firmly.
She blinked at my choice but didn't challenge it.
"Yes, your mindset is correct. I'll accompany you to the school library, then."
With that, we agreed to meet at the school library during lunch break.
We parted ways afterward, as our classes were in opposite directions. What awaited me was Hiratsuka-sensei, casually smoking a cigarette in the corridor as if she had been waiting for me.
As soon as she saw me approach, she flicked the cigarette into a nearby trashcan.
"It appears you're getting along with her quite well, kid," she remarked with a smug expression.
"Yes, Virgin-chan, we are indeed getting along just fine," I retorted, mocking her for addressing me as 'kid.'
"You're in need of some fixin, Miyuki. I believe my assessment is accurate, even though Yukino doesn't share the same perspective."
It's entirely understandable that she would be upset by the title I bestowed upon her. Being referred to as a 'virgin' by a man, especially in this society, would certainly be unsettling.
I merely shrugged in response to her remark.
"You were the one who initiated this, after all."
"Does the title of 'kid' offend you?" She shot me an odd look.
"Not really. I'm just teasing you. We're only joking around, Sensei. Why are you taking it so seriously?" I rolled my eyes.
Honestly, I must admit that we are remarkably compatible when it comes to social interactions. It's quite different from talking to others, where I have to constantly hold back what I say. In front of Hiratsuka, there's no need for that. We can play around with words without any pressure or restraint.
"If you were to mock another woman by calling her a virgin, she would undoubtedly not be as understanding as I am, kid." She patted my shoulder and offered her advice with a sage-like demeanor.
"That's precisely why I have no problems about teasing you, Sensei." I shrugged.
Her expression darkened upon hearing my words.
"Do I not have any majesty as your teacher?" She glared at me fiercely, which, in my humble opinion, only made her appear cuter rather than intimidating.
"Well, if you didn't, I wouldn't have agreed to join the Service Club in the first place," I replied with a serious tone.
Her gaze wavered slightly as she absorbed the compliment.
"That's... somewhat true."
After that, she seemed at a loss for words, and we walked in silence for most of the way.
Finally, we entered the classroom, and I made my way to my seat.
The beginning of class was about to begin.