From the back of the crowd, Shizuka finally made her way over.
With a stern expression, she glared at the students around her.
"Have you all forgotten that class has already started?" Morning reading time wasn't that long, and by now, the first class was underway. Yet, these students showed no signs of returning to their seats.
"But, Ms. Hiratsuka—"
It was clear that these students respected and were a little scared of Shizuka, but they still wanted to justify their behavior. After all, who could focus on school now?
Bang!
Knowing exactly what they were about to say, Shizuka didn't waste her breath. Instead, she punched the classroom wall next to her. A deafening noise echoed as cracks spread out from the impact, leaving a deep imprint of her fist on the wall.
That's right—thanks to Ryuji, Shizuka had become a sorcerer. However, unlike the girls, she had only gained the ability to harness cursed energy and hadn't awakened any specific techniques. But even so, the cursed energy greatly enhanced her physical strength and durability, combined with her barrier cat abilities. If she hadn't held back, that single punch would have shattered the entire wall.
Hiss!
The students who were about to speak fell silent, wide-eyed and stunned. Was this real? If that punch landed on them, they'd be out cold in an instant. There was no doubt left in their minds that Shizuka, too, was a sorcerer.
In truth, they barely understood what being a sorcerer entailed, but Shizuka had always been intimidating enough that this didn't seem out of character for her. She'd been known as the "tiger" of the school for a reason.
"Now, everyone return to your classrooms. If I hear any noise in ten minutes, don't blame me for what happens next. Got it?"
Her voice, tinged with a threat, left no room for argument.
"…"
No one dared argue. They knew she was trying to scare them back to class, but they weren't willing to test her. The crowd began to disperse.
"Wait, don't step on me!"
"Help, I don't want to get trampled!"
"This is scarier than a cursed spirit!"
It was safe to say that Shizuka's reputation would skyrocket after today.
Ten minutes later, the hallway that had been packed with students was now empty.
"Tsk."
Shizuka rolled her eyes at the chaos she had to handle. Couldn't they just listen for once? She glanced over at Ryuji, who was watching her with an amused look, and felt her face flush. Did he have to see her act like this? But then she quickly brushed off the thought.
Who was she kidding? Ryuji had seen every side of her. There were no secrets between them.
Her initial embarrassment faded, and she shot Ryuji a slightly sulky look. Was he ignoring her on purpose by not visiting for so long?
Ahem.
Ryuji shifted uncomfortably at her stare. He was just trying to get through the school day, but clearly, things weren't going as planned. Rumors were already flying around the school about his mysterious and powerful aura, and students continued to come up to him between classes. If not for Shizuka keeping them in line, it would have been impossible to attend.
"As expected, I'm like an animal in a zoo," Ryuji muttered as he entered Shizuka's office between classes. She was alone, and the hallway was finally empty.
Leaning back on the sofa, Ryuji sighed. "So, this is what you meant when you said things had calmed down?"
Shizuka looked a bit sheepish. The school had felt quieter recently, and honestly, she'd missed Ryuji and wanted to see him back.
"Leave it to me. I'll make sure they stay in line," Shizuka promised.
Ryuji wasn't a fan of unnecessary disturbances, and Shizuka knew that.
And for her, handling problems with her fists was second nature.
"Alright then."
Ryuji knew better than to argue when Shizuka was determined. Plus, he trusted her ability. After a moment of silence, Shizuka's voice softened.
"So, if I hadn't asked you to come, would you have forgotten me?"
Ryuji chuckled. It was funny to hear her say that out loud. Tilting his head, he met her eyes with a playful smile.
"Who says I didn't come because I missed you?"
"Huh?"
Shizuka's demeanor changed in an instant, the irritation in her eyes replaced with surprise and delight.
"Really?"
"Of course!"
It wasn't exactly true, but Ryuji wasn't going to admit that.
"You, remembering me with all the girls around you?"
"…"
Ryuji hadn't realized Shizuka could be so self-conscious. He stood up from the sofa and walked over to her.
"What are you doing?"
Despite secretly hoping for it, Shizuka couldn't help the hint of embarrassment in her voice.
Ryuji, though, was more straightforward.
"You—"
---
When Ryuji arrived at the Service Club room, the girls were also surprised to see him, even if he'd mentioned his return beforehand.
"You really do know how to make an entrance, Ryuji. I heard the school was buzzing this morning!" Mai said with a smirk as she approached him.
Ryuji lightly flicked her on the forehead.
"Ow! One day you'll knock me silly!" she teased.
"Don't worry. Even if you were, I could fix you up," he replied, referring to the incredible regenerative power of his techniques.
"Ugh…"
Mai pouted, but the glimmer in her eyes showed her happiness. With Ryuji back, the Service Club felt lively again. When he wasn't around, the room was silent, each girl absorbed in training. It was clear—Ryuji was the glue that kept them together.
The playful atmosphere brought smiles to the girls' faces. Everything felt right again.
Seeing them joking around, Ryuji couldn't help but smile himself. School life was definitely more enjoyable with them around.
But then he noticed Yukino looking distant and frowned.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Huh?"
Caught off-guard, Yukino blinked at him.
"No, I'm fine," she said quickly, shaking her head. She was independent, used to handling everything on her own, and rarely asked for help.
Ryuji tapped her lightly on the forehead.
"Do you really think I can't tell? Have you forgotten who I am?" he teased, a confident grin on his face.
Instead of being annoyed, Yukino felt reassured. When Ryuji was around, everything felt manageable, no matter how difficult it seemed.
"Come on, tell me," Ryuji urged, genuinely curious.
Yukino hesitated, then sighed and shared what had been bothering her. She explained how she'd used her sorcerer abilities to protect her family.
"So that's it, huh? Well done," Ryuji said, nodding approvingly. With more people aware of sorcerers, it was only natural that families would seek their help. The fact that Yukino, a relatively new sorcerer, had resolved the issue on her own showed how capable she was.
"So, what's really worrying you? Is it your family?"
"Yeah," Yukino admitted, surprised at how easily Ryuji had guessed.
"It's my sister; she's supportive. But lately, my mother has been subtly trying to pull me back into the family."
Yukino's sister, Haruno, truly cared for her and was thrilled that she'd become a sorcerer. She would never manipulate her. But their mother, Fumino, was different.
Since Yukino had moved out, Fumino hadn't shown much interest in her. But now that Yukino was a sorcerer, that had changed. Despite Yukino's repeated refusals, her mother kept pushing.
"So, you think she's interested in your sorcerer status?" Ryuji asked.
He had met Fumino before and knew she was cunning and calculating.
"Isn't that obvious?" Yukino said. "Before, she didn't care about me at all. Now, suddenly, she does."
Fumino wasn't heartless; she did care about her daughters, but her loyalty to the family's interests came first.
"Maybe. But this isn't something you need to worry about," Ryuji said. He couldn't read minds or know for sure what Fumino was planning, but he knew one thing for certain.
"Hmm?"
Yukino looked at him in surprise.
Ryuji smiled and gently patted her head.
"You're a sorcerer, and the Yukinoshita family is just an ordinary family. Remember that. It's not you who should be worried—it's them. Do what you want and follow your own path."
***
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