”Eh, eh?
Getting straight to the point like that?” Ikuyo Kita muttered inwardly.
Although she had heard from Hiratsuka-sensei that the Service Club was a place meant for helping people, she figured they would at least introduce themselves and get acquainted first before opening up.
Moreover, she had heard rumors at school about this unattainable flower—things like her being ice-cold and unapproachable.
But seeing her today, it didn’t seem to match the rumors at all.
In an inexplicable way…
she was incredibly pragmatic.
But as for the guy sitting behind her, why did it feel like she had never seen him before?
Clearing her throat, she readjusted her expression to flash a radiant smile:
”Um, I actually want to learn the guitar!
Let me introduce myself first: First-Year, Class B, Ikuyo Kita.”
”First-Year, International Culture Class, Yukinoshita Yukino.”
Once Yukinoshita finished speaking, there was no further follow-up.
The clubroom fell into a dead silence.
Huh?
Kita blinked in a daze, her gaze darting back and forth between Yukinoshita and Hiroto Tachibana.
Was that it?
She had been looking at both of them when she introduced herself!
Hiroto finished packing his things and was just about to leave when he turned around and found both pairs of eyes locked onto him.
”Oh,” he straightened up.
“First-Year, International Culture Class, Hiroto Tachibana.”
Kita blinked.
Her social circle at Sobu High wasn’t small; while she couldn’t claim to know everyone, she generally had a rough impression of the students in the International Culture Class.
After all, it was the top academic class in the entire school, and its students carried a distinct aura when walking down the hallways.
Yet, facing a face like this—a guy of this caliber of attractiveness—how did she have absolutely zero memory of him?
”Pleasure to meet you, Kita-san.”
Hiroto extended his hand and shook hers briefly.
It was a standard handshake, breaking contact almost instantly.
Based on her request to learn the guitar, it appeared that Ikuyo Kita had likely skipped town from Kessoku Band not too long ago.
Right now, she was probably either filled with regret or hadn’t completely given up yet.
In the original timeline, she had been bamboozled into joining because of Ryo Yamada’s performance, only to later discover she couldn’t play at all.
As for that eccentric Ryo Yamada…
Hiroto had known her since middle school.
Originally, he hadn’t intended to meddle in the Service Club’s requests.
But since there was entertainment to be had, why not stick around and watch?
”Kita-san,” Hiroto spoke up, his tone casual.
“You want to learn the guitar?”
”Yes, yes!” Kita’s eyes lit up.
“Could it be that Tachibana-kun can teach me?”
”No, no, no,” Hiroto waved his hand.
“But I have a friend who plays music.
Maybe she can teach you.”
”Ah, that sounds great!” Kita immediately agreed, her face written all over with anticipation.
To the side, Yukinoshita Yukino’s elegant brow furrowed slightly.
She remembered perfectly clear that back in Hiratsuka-sensei’s office, Hiroto had initially displayed a highly resistant attitude toward the Service Club, explicitly emphasizing that he was only responsible for being observed and wouldn’t care about anything else.
Why was he acting so proactive now?
She looked at the bright, adorable Ikuyo Kita, then back at Hiroto.
It was hard not to suspect that this guy was acting out of impure, superficial motives.
”Tachibana-kun,” Yukinoshita spoke up, her tone neither hot nor cold.
“Didn’t you originally state that you were only responsible for being observed and wouldn’t participate in club affairs?
Why the sudden surge of enthusiasm?”
”What kind of talk is that?” Hiroto turned his head, looking entirely innocent.
“Can’t I just be a person who genuinely enjoys helping others?”
”…”
Yukinoshita said nothing, merely staring at him.
Hiroto let out a sigh, spreading his hands as if forced into a corner.
“Fine, I’ll tell the truth.”
He looked toward Ikuyo Kita, his gaze turning serious.
“The moment I see Kita-san, it feels as if I am looking at the sun.”
”…The sun?” Kita blinked, her cheeks flushing slightly.
Wasn’t this praise a bit too excessive?
Saying someone is like the sun upon their very first meeting…
”There is no need to doubt it,” Hiroto raised a single finger.
“The sun is the fundamental basis for survival.
The pillar of all creation.”
”Therefore, the sun is a pillar.”
”And Kita-san is the sun.”
”So—”
”Kita-san is a pillar.”
Kita opened her mouth, failing to register the logic in time.
“…A pillar?” She pointed to herself, a face of pure bewilderment.
“I’m a pillar?”
”Correct.” Hiroto nodded, his tone as certain as if he were announcing a new law of physics.
Yukinoshita Yukino closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
She suddenly felt that the task of observing this individual might be vastly more complicated than what Hiratsuka-sensei had initially described.
Not because he was difficult to understand.
But because he was out of his mind.
With a blank expression, Yukinoshita picked up her pen and scribbled a few characters in her notebook.
Hiroto caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye but couldn’t read them clearly.
However, he had a strong feeling that those words weren’t anything complimentary.
Kita remained rooted to the spot, still attempting to digest the sudden setting of her identity as a pillar.
”Um…” Kita weakly raised her hand.
“So…
Tachibana-kun, who is this friend of yours who plays music?”
Hiroto offered a faint smile.
“She’s at another school.
Her name is Ryo Yamada.”
”Ehh—?!”
Kita practically jumped in her seat, her eyes widening into perfect circles.
Watching her reaction, Hiroto asked with feigned ignorance, “Could it be that Kita-san knows her too?”
”Ah?
No, no, no,” Kita frantically waved her hands.
“It just sounds a bit familiar…
just familiar, that’s all.”
She forced out a couple of laughs, but her heart was drumming like crazy inside.
It must be a coincidence.
After all, that name is fairly common.
It might not necessarily be Ryo-senpai.
”Familiar?
Indeed,” Hiroto nodded, displaying total understanding.
Just as Kita let out a sigh of relief, Hiroto added, “The name is quite common.
So let me be a bit more specific.”
He began counting down on his fingers, listing the details item by item:
”Ryo Yamada, 18 years old.”
”Height 165 cm, weight around 50 kg.”
”A Tokyo native, currently residing near Shimokitazawa, Tokyo, Japan.”
”Her family owns a hospital; her household is quite wealthy.”
”She has currently joined Kessoku Band and is a sophomore at Shimokitazawa University.”
He lifted his head, locking his eyes onto Ikuyo Kita.
“How about it?
If you still can’t recall, I also happen to have photos.”
Kita stared at Hiroto.
Despite him possessing an incredibly handsome face, it currently felt profoundly terrifying to look at.
Height?
Weight?
Home address?
He even knew her parents ran a hospital?
And the band’s name?
She hadn’t even known Ryo-senpai’s band was called Kessoku Band!
What was wrong with this guy?
Kita subconsciously nudged her chair a bit closer toward Yukinoshita.
Watching Hiroto frighten her client to the point of trembling, Yukinoshita finally couldn’t hold back from speaking up.
After all, this girl was her client.
”Initially, I merely harbored suspicions that a certain someone was a pervert.”
”But now, there is no longer any need for suspicion.
To possess information this meticulously detailed…
Tachibana-kun, exactly when are you planning to execute your crime?”
Kita nodded frantically from the side, before realizing it might be a bit impolite and quickly stopping, though her body instinctively continued to lean toward Yukinoshita for safety.
Hiroto looked at Yukinoshita, then back at Kita.
Two girls—one staring at him with a deadpan face, the other shrinking her neck while stealing cautious glances at him.
He let out a sigh, his tone dripping with absolute sincerity.
”If I were truly to execute a crime, I estimate I could only manage to steal your hearts.”