The Only Pure One, Hitori Gotou

"It's fine. I already knew about this from Yotsuya-san."

Utaha Kasumigaoka seemed to have anticipated Shin and Megumi Kato's response. She brushed her long hair back and smiled as she replied.

"Anyway, I don't have a club, so even if it's just a formality, it doesn't matter. Please let me join the Paranormal Research Club. I'm quite interested in paranormal events."

Although she said this, Utaha Kasumigaoka's eyes were almost entirely fixed on Shin as she spoke, her gaze never wavering.

Rather than being interested in paranormal events, her attitude seemed more like she was very interested in Shin himself.

"I see... If it's just a formality, then it's fine."

Although Shin didn't understand why Utaha Kasumigaoka seemed so interested in him, since she didn't mind that the club was just a formality, he had no reason to refuse.

Having more members would also help prevent the club from being targeted by teachers. A club with more members would naturally make teachers feel more at ease than one that barely met the minimum requirements.

Although Shin had already used "Black Bird Requiem" to ensure the club wouldn't be disbanded, so even without this, they probably wouldn't be targeted.

As for Utaha Kasumigaoka saying she was interested in paranormal events... This made Shin wonder if she, like Yotsuya Miko, had gained the ability to see evil spirits.

Thinking this, Shin summoned "Black Bird Requiem." The dark figure floated beside him, and he turned to look at Utaha Kasumigaoka.

However, Utaha Kasumigaoka showed no reaction, just like the other classmates in the room. She didn't even glance at "Black Bird Requiem."

Clearly, she wasn't a special case like Yotsuya Miko, and Shin quickly lost interest.

"Alright, I'll report your name to the school later."

Shin nodded, agreeing to Utaha Kasumigaoka's club application—after all, if she had any ulterior motives, he would find out eventually.

If she really just wanted a club to put on her record, Shin didn't mind. It would just be padding the club's numbers.

"Then, as a member, it shouldn't be a problem for me to have the club president's contact information, right?"

Seeing that Shin had agreed, Utaha Kasumigaoka's smile grew more pronounced. She took out her phone and looked at Shin with a smile.

The club application was just a pretense—this was likely her real goal.

...

Exchanging contact information with Utaha Kasumigaoka was just a small episode, and Shin didn't pay much attention to it.

However, for those who were interested in Shin, this was no small matter—it was the first time many of them had seen Shin interact closely with another beautiful girl.

Of course, this was under the condition of ignoring Megumi Kato—most people in the class hadn't noticed that Shin and Megumi Kato were on good terms.

And so, the morning passed. Shin and Megumi Kato, as usual, got up and left the classroom together, heading to the Paranormal Research Club's room for lunch.

After Shin and Megumi Kato left the classroom, Hina Ebina turned to Yumiko Miura, who was sitting beside her with a conflicted expression, and said with a tone of frustration:

"So, you still haven't prepared yourself? That's Kasumigaoka-san. If you don't make a move soon, Shin will really be taken away."

Yumiko Miura's face flushed red, but in the end, she couldn't come up with any words to refute.

Although she usually acted proud and aloof, when it came to matters related to Shin, she became unusually timid, completely unlike her usual queenly demeanor.

Hina Ebina called this "gap moe," though Yumiko Miura didn't understand what it meant—but it was probably some kind of compliment. Still, no matter how much "gap moe" she had, if Shin didn't notice, it was all for nothing.

Earlier, Hina Ebina had been urging Yumiko Miura to go and invite Shin to have lunch together, but after some hesitation, Yumiko Miura chickened out.

Hina Ebina looked at Yumiko Miura and sighed helplessly, then pulled Yui Yuigahama into the conversation to scold her:

"Yuigahama, you should say something too. How can she possibly get close to Shin like this? I doubt Shin has even noticed her."

"It probably isn't that bad..."

Yui Yuigahama laughed awkwardly, unsure how to respond.

Although she said it wasn't that bad, thinking about the marks she had seen on Shin's neck yesterday, Yui Yuigahama couldn't help but sigh inwardly for Yumiko Miura.

Perhaps it was just as Hina Ebina said—hesitating too much would only allow other girls to take Shin first.

Thinking this, Yui Yuigahama suddenly thought of herself—she had also been feeling some admiration for Shin recently and wanted to be friends with him.

But like Yumiko Miura, she was too timid, only daring to watch Shin from afar, never mustering the courage to approach him.

Now, thinking about it again, she wasn't trying to compete with Yumiko Miura for Shin. She just wanted to be friends with him. That shouldn't be a problem, right?

...

"A club application? That Utaha Kasumigaoka?"

During lunch, Eriri also heard Shin mention Utaha Kasumigaoka's club application that morning.

For some reason, just hearing the name made Eriri feel physically uncomfortable, and she made a disgusted expression.

"Why would that girl apply to join the club? Especially when she knows the club doesn't even hold activities after school?"

"Maybe she just wants a club to put on her record? After all, there are some school rules that only students in clubs can benefit from."

Ikuyo Kita didn't have any negative feelings toward Utaha Kasumigaoka. As usual, she tried to come up with some reasonable explanations from her own perspective.

However, unlike before, now every time Ikuyo Kita spoke, she would subconsciously sneak glances at Shin.

After overhearing Shin and Megumi Kato doing *that* the other day, the memory was still fresh in her mind. She even dreamed about it at night.

"Isn't it... fine? If there are more members, the teachers will pay even less attention to our club, right?"

Hitori Gotou, sitting to the side, shared Shin's thoughts—they used the club room for lunch but didn't hold any club activities. If the teachers found out, the club would definitely be disbanded.

If they had more members, at least it would look more like a normal club, making it less likely for the teachers to notice.

Hearing Hitori Gotou's words, everyone in the room glanced at her, making her nervous:

"W-What? Did I say something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing. You're right."

Shin also looked at Hitori Gotou, eating a meatball as he pondered.

Looking at it this way, it seemed that in this room, only Hitori Gotou still had a pure relationship with him.

Eriri and Megumi Kato were obvious, and Ikuyo Kita had overheard the sounds of his and Megumi Kato's "battle." Only Hitori Gotou remained untainted.

To be continued..

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