After his usual run, Haru returned to the clubroom, only to be greeted by a surprising sight.
Yukino and two other girls were reading, which was normal.
But Yuigahama Yui, who had just joined the photography club, was also buried in a book.
From the moment Yui joined, Haru had noticed her true motive: making friends.
Her natural cheerfulness quickly drew her closer to the two lively girls in the club, and she seemed to enjoy the camaraderie here.
Yet, here she was, clutching an introductory book on photography with a face full of misery, scratching her head and furrowing her brows every few moments. Clearly, she was struggling.
Haru's gaze shifted to Yukino, who met his eyes calmly.
So, this is her doing.
Turning his attention back to Yui's frustrated expression, Haru felt a spark of amusement.
What a bundle of experience points, just waiting to be claimed.
"You look like you could use a little help," Haru said, walking over.
Yui's eyes lit up with relief but quickly shifted hesitantly toward Yukino.
"If you don't understand something, just ask him. There's no need to check with me," Yukino said, entirely composed.
Yui's face brightened further, though she hesitated before adding, "So… if Amamiya-kun is busy, does that mean I could ask you for help?"
Yukino didn't miss a beat. "I'd advise against it. Your foundation is shaky, and you don't grasp even the most basic concepts. If you pester me with endless questions, I'll quickly lose patience."
Yui's smile froze in place.
"Yukino really is strict," Haru remarked lightly.
Yukino didn't bother correcting his overly familiar nickname for her—it wasn't the first time.
"Alright, Yuigahama-san, feel free to ask me anything you're stuck on."
Haru sat down across from her.
Yui's spirits lifted, and she eagerly held out her book, ready to dive into her questions.
[Teaching in progress. Teaching XP +17.]
[Teaching in progress. Teaching XP +19.]
Huh, the experience points are higher than usual.
Haru pondered the anomaly for a moment before glancing at the earnest Yui.
It must be because of Yukino's pep talk. She's fired up now.
"Yuigahama-san, you're much more motivated today than yesterday. This kind of energy is excellent."
Hearing his praise, Yui beamed, her smile so radiant it felt almost criminal.
Haru couldn't help but think, If her questions keep giving this much XP, I might actually enjoy tutoring her.
Yui blushed slightly, a bit happy, and replied, "Because I want to improve."
Haru stopped speaking and focused on answering her questions seriously.
The atmosphere in the room became filled with a sense of competition, as Haru gained teaching experience and answered nearly all of Yui's queries. Afterward, he told her to continue reading on her own.
He then moved over to Yukino, who was still reading her book, and whispered, "I'm planning to visit the Karate Club on Saturday."
Yukino paused briefly, glancing at him. "Is it because there are fewer students on Saturdays?"
"Yes. I'm going to spar, not cause a scene, so I don't want to attract too much attention."
"Good idea. But I recommend you check out the situation in the Karate Club first, especially the temperament of their president."
"I've already thought about it."
Seeing his confidence, Yukino relaxed.
As for her childhood friend possibly getting hurt? She didn't think that would be a problem.
After all, the previous night, she had seen him lift a heavy sofa with one hand, and that memory was still fresh.
She even thought about assigning herself a task: just how strong was Haru's physical limit?
They had known each other for over ten years, and Yukino had seen all his hobbies and habits. But she had never really questioned the extent of his physical strength.
"You're staring at me strangely. What's up?" Haru asked, sensing something was off.
Yukino casually replied, "I'm curious about how strong you are."
At that, all three girls turned their heads to look at them in surprise.
Haru coughed. "That's a very ambiguous statement."
Yukino raised an eyebrow. "I'm asking seriously. If you have any inappropriate thoughts about it, I'll be annoyed."
The three girls looked away, feeling awkward.
Haru, sensing the weird atmosphere, changed the subject. "Why don't you teach me how to cook sometime? I'm suddenly really interested in cooking."
Yukino didn't refuse. "What do you want to learn?"
"How about ramen?" Haru casually asked.
"I know how to make it, but the broth needs to be prepared in advance."
Just then, a cheerful laugh came from the door. "Did I hear someone talking about ramen?"
They all turned to see Hiratsuka Shizuka leaning against the door, smiling brightly.
Everyone exchanged greetings, and Haru stood up to greet her. "Hiratsuka-sensei, what brings you here?"
"I had some free time, so I thought I'd drop by and see. By the way, were you talking about ramen? I recently found a new ramen shop that's really good."
"Are you saying we should treat you to ramen?"
"Haha, you've still got that sharp tongue, haru. I'm an adult, so you don't have to treat me."
"Is that so? I was planning to treat you, actually."
Twenty minutes later.
Hiratsuka Shizuka sat contentedly, enjoying her meal.
Haru whispered to Yukino, "Damn, we got freeloaded."
Yukino didn't bother replying to his strange comments and quietly continued eating her ramen.
"Thank you for the meal, Amamiya," Hiratsuka said casually.
"Glad you're enjoying it," Haru replied.
Hiratsuka glanced at Yukino, who was quietly sitting beside Haru . A soft smile played on her lips.
She had actually come here specifically.
As someone close to Yukino's older sister, she understood that Yukino wasn't good at interacting with classmates.
Though she cared about Yukino, there was no need to voice it.
Seeing Haru spend time with Yukino made her feel at ease.
While they were eating, Yukino noticed haru glancing at one of the waitresses.
She followed his gaze, curious.
The waitress was a girl with a ponytail, probably around Yukino's age. She was fairly attractive and had a good figure.
But Yukino wasn't sure what it was about this waitress that seemed to catch Haru's attention.
She observed for a moment.
Soon, she made a conclusion.
Her complexion looks bad.
Yukino's sharp eyes easily noticed that the waitress's health wasn't great. Her pale face, lack of energy, and strained movements were all signs of exhaustion and sleep deprivation.
Then, just as the waitress walked by, she suddenly stumbled slightly, almost dropping a tray with hot ramen.
Yukino's heart skipped a beat, but before she could react, she saw Haru's hand shoot out, steadying the girl's wrist with a quick and precise motion.
The tray wobbled, but haru's calm hand kept it steady.
Yukino's eyes flickered, impressed. She had a new thought: She really needed to check haru's physical limits.
"Sorry, are you okay?" the waitress asked, clearly startled.
Hiratsuka glanced over at the commotion. "What happened?"
"Sorry for causing a fuss," the waitress said, trying to stand up straight.
Yukino frowned. Why keep pretending to be fine when you're clearly exhausted?
Haru recognized the waitress and addressed her, "I should be the one asking you this question. You look unwell."
The waitress froze, clearly surprised that a customer had pointed it out.
Then she gave an awkward but radiant smile.
"Thank you for your concern. I'm fine, just didn't sleep well last night," she said with a bright, apologetic smile.
Yukino couldn't help but stop in her tracks.
That smile is criminal.
Haru thought to himself, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied the waitress.