A Firm Grasp

Yukino appeared cold and sharp, yet she exuded a composed elegance—a presence befitting the rightful queen.

Utaha had long since cast aside her former pride.

Now, she was just an ordinary high school girl who wanted to improve herself, believing she had a fair amount of talent and potential.

Though in truth, the word "ordinary" hardly applied to her.

Their gazes met but did not linger for long.

Yukino was the first to avert her eyes, glancing at her phone. "He's finished with his work."

Utaha nodded. "Are you two going to continue shopping?"

"Do you want to join us?"

"Honestly, I do… but the person I am now wouldn't make that choice."

"You really have changed a lot, Senpai."

Yukino responded with a quiet acknowledgment as she typed a message on her phone.

By the time Haru arrived at the café, he was momentarily taken aback at the sight of the two girls sitting across from each other.

Both turned to look at him at the same time. The atmosphere wasn't tense—rather, there was an inexplicable sense of calm.

He blinked again.

There was no need to imagine some dramatic love-triangle showdown. With Yukino's intelligence and decisiveness, she would never let things devolve into chaos.

She'd cut straight to the execution.

After greeting them and taking a seat beside Yukino, she finally offered an explanation. "I ran into Senpai while I was out buying something, and since we both had things to talk about, we decided to come here together."

"I see."

Haru nodded in understanding. No wonder things felt so composed—they had simply run into each other and chatted for a bit.

"I should get going—my parents are waiting for me."

Utaha stood up politely, leaving as decisively as she had arrived.

Yukino watched her retreating figure, her tone revealing a hint of recognition. "She really has changed."

"Oh? How so?" Haru played along.

Yukino gave him a knowing, amused look. "Shouldn't you know better than anyone? She's changing because of you."

Not giving him a chance to reply, she leaned back against the plush seat, her slender frame resting elegantly. "Her progress is remarkable. My original assessment was correct."

Haru wisely chose to stay silent. Some topics were best left untouched.

Yukino, however, seemed unconcerned. Taking the last sip of her coffee, she asked, "So, is there anything left to do over there?"

"No, the drama is set to begin filming soon. Speaking of which, if you're interested, you could come by the set sometime."

"I'll consider it if I get the chance. Has the title been decided?"

"Yeah, we're calling it 'Tales of the Bizarre'."

"Bizarre Tales… sounds fitting for those stories."

Their relationship had only recently deepened, and they were at that stage where they cherished every moment together. Naturally, Yukino wasn't eager to return home just yet.

They spent the rest of the evening wandering the streets, finally heading back together after dinner, Yukino's arm gently linked with Haru's.

"The two-day delay in filming means we'll have to make up for it next week."

That night, freshly showered and dressed in a silk nightgown, Yukino sat in the living room, diligently taking notes.

Haru peeked over her shoulder, catching a glimpse of densely written schedules—times, locations, personnel, all meticulously recorded.

He couldn't help but marvel. "Your efficiency is terrifying."

Yukino had a different perspective. "Once I've committed to something, thorough preparation and planning are necessities."

"I get that. But tell me—are you really willing to sacrifice a rare, peaceful night just to leave me sitting here while you work?"

She paused for two seconds, setting down her pen and notebook. Her gaze shifted, emotions flickering in her deep eyes as she looked at him.

"…You make a good point."

And with that, Yukino took action.

The courageous Yukino charged forward once more.

But against Haru's counterattack, she was swiftly overwhelmed.

Defeat, once again.

Unwilling to admit loss, Yukino unlocked a new post-battle CG scene—

Holding onto the wall for support.

...

A new week arrived, and with it, the month of July.

As summer break approached, a growing anticipation filled the hearts of the students, bringing a noticeable energy to the school.

The morning classes flew by, and after lunch, Haru and Yukino accompanied Shizuka Hiratsuka to the principal's office.

Upon receiving permission, the three entered, finding the principal engaged in a game of shogi with another man.

Two middle-aged men stood by, observing.

Noticing the newcomers, they turned their heads. They clearly recognized Hiratsuka, their gazes briefly passing over the older female teacher before settling on Haru and Yukino.

A well-matched pair.

The thought surfaced in their minds before curiosity took over—what were students doing in the principal's office during lunch?

Hiratsuka greeted the principal before leading the two students to watch the game.

The room was silent, but the air above the shogi board was thick with intensity.

Haru studied the game for a moment, soon realizing that the principal was about to win.

He had played shogi with Yukino before—mostly losing—but with her as his sparring partner, his skills had steadily improved.

As the match concluded, the man opposite the principal chuckled. "You're as sharp as ever. Looks like I'll need to spend a few more months training before I dare challenge you again."

The principal smirked in skepticism. "You were holding back, weren't you?"

"Not at all. I gave it my all and still lost," the man replied with a good-natured shake of his head.

Letting the matter drop, the principal turned his attention to Haru and Yukino. "You two seemed quite focused. Do you play?"

Yukino responded with poise. "Yes."

Haru, however, answered plainly, "I know a little."

The other older men blinked before amused smiles appeared on their faces.

The man who had just lost the match looked intrigued.

"A little, huh? That doesn't sound like false modesty."

The principal chuckled.

Haru was honest. "I really only know the basics—most of my experience comes from playing against Yukino."

The principal gestured invitingly. "Care for a match?"

Haru hesitated. "Shouldn't we discuss the main matter first?"

"Just answer—yes or no?"

"…Yes!"

Without hesitation, Haru took his seat at the board.

His movements were crisp and decisive.

The principal raised an eyebrow, momentarily taken aback before breaking into laughter. "Bold. No wonder you stepped up without hesitation when your karate club was in trouble."

"Well, I am technically half a member of the karate club," Haru said as he helped arrange the pieces.

"Half?"

"Saying it that way makes me sound more humble."

"…"

The principal shot a glare at Haru. "Just play!"

"…I never said I wouldn't."

Haru sighed in resignation, realizing that this old man was too senior for him to use the same casual banter he shared with Hiratsuka Shizuka.

His words drew a round of good-natured laughter from the room.

Even Hiratsuka couldn't help but chuckle.

Only Yukino remained composed, maintaining her usual graceful demeanor.

That was, until the game began.

Within three minutes, she almost frowned.

These two were playing far too recklessly.

Their style was all about charging forward, attack after attack.

She barely had to think to predict the outcome—the principal was going to lose.

And he would lose badly.

After all, her boyfriend was still young, in the prime of his mental agility, while the principal was well into middle age.

More importantly, Haru's skills had been sharpened over the years through sparring with her.

Standing beside her, Hiratsuka Shizuka noticed the subtle shift in Yukino's expression. She nudged her elbow.

When Yukino turned to her in question, Hiratsuka gave her a playful wink, silently asking: Who's going to win?

Yukino simply glanced at Haru.

Hiratsuka raised an eyebrow. If you're sure he's going to win, why did you look so frustrated just now?

Perhaps it was because Haru had downplayed his abilities with a simple "I just know a little."

Or maybe it was something else entirely.

Either way, the match continued.

From the very beginning, the principal was aggressive, launching an all-out offensive, as if trying to put this so-called "novice" in his place.

But Haru remained completely unfazed, casually countering each move.

When the match finally ended, Yukino's prediction proved correct—the principal lost.

And he lost miserably.

"Again." The principal's voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction.

Haru exhaled, setting down a piece. "Principal, we came here to discuss official business. Lunch break is almost over."

Only then did the principal pick up his teacup and take a sip. "Official business?"

"The Photography Club wants to request funding." Haru got straight to the point.

"Funding? Are you entering a competition? I haven't heard anything about that."

"No, we're filming a short film. Everyone is putting in a lot of effort, and I have a feeling the final product will be well received. If that happens, your investment won't go to waste."

Hearing this, the principal chuckled. "Are you trying to sell me a dream?"

"I prefer to call it strategic future planning." Haru's expression was sincere.

Yukino barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes and instead spoke politely, "Principal, what Haru said is true. Our film is likely to receive positive feedback, and I'll be making sure the credits include both the school's name and the production team."

The principal raised an eyebrow in surprise at the school's top student. Then, turning back to Haru with an amused smile, he said, "See? Now that's how you make a strong case for school funding. Why didn't you bring that up earlier?"

Haru remained perfectly serious. "I was saving it for last—to give you a pleasant surprise."

Both the principal and Yukino shot him a look of exasperation.

Without missing a beat, Haru continued, "The Karate Club has been getting a lot of attention lately, attracting new recruits. With more members, their performance in competitions this year should improve."

The principal nodded. "Makes sense. But since you say you're half a member of the club, will you be competing?"

"If they need me, of course I will."

The principal smiled in satisfaction.

Clearly, this was the answer he had been waiting for.

After all, the karate club had been a hot topic lately. The rumor of "one versus ten" had spread throughout the school. As the principal, there was no way he wouldn't look into it.

And the more he dug, the more shocked he became.

Most students were simply impressed that Haru had taken down ten opponents in a row.

But the principal had done his homework. After questioning the club's top fighter, Oyama, he learned something even more astonishing—Haru had never formally trained in karate before.

Yet he had defeated ten students effortlessly.

And when it was all over, he hadn't even been out of breath.

That was what truly defied logic.

In just a few short weeks, he had improved this much?

What a waste it would be not to show off such a talent to other schools.

"I approve your funding request," the principal finally said.

Haru remained silent as Yukino took over, calmly presenting the well-thought-out budget plan she had prepared.

As the discussion wrapped up, the other men in the room excused themselves, leaving only Hiratsuka Shizuka behind.

Once everything was settled, the principal saw that the three of them were about to leave and quickly spoke up.

"Amamiya, one more game."

This time, both Hiratsuka and Yukino couldn't help but smile.

Haru sighed helplessly and sat back down, ready to face off against this stubbornly determined opponent.

For the second match, the principal adopted a more cautious strategy, relying on his years of experience to try and secure a win.

But Haru didn't play fair.

Using his youthful brainpower and sharp calculations, he played aggressively, attacking at every opportunity.

This game ended even faster than the first.

Even Hiratsuka looked like she was struggling to hold back laughter. Leaning toward Yukino, she whispered, "Why doesn't he let the principal win just once?"

Yukino remained calm. "He is holding back."

Hiratsuka blinked. "Huh?"

Haru sat up straight. "Principal, can I go now?"

The principal chuckled in exasperation. "Kid, don't you have any respect for your elders?"

"Of course I do. I did let you win a few moves."

"…Much appreciated," the principal said, his grin making it clear—Next time, don't bother holding back.

With that, the three of them took their leave.

Just as Haru reached the door, the principal's voice drifted from behind him.

"The man that played against me earlier is a police officer. An old friend of mine from years ago."

Haru paused and turned around. "A police officer?"

The principal, now sounding much more approachable than before, nodded. "He's been asking a lot of subtle questions about our school today. And he just so happened to mention you."

At the end of his sentence, he raised a finger and pointed.

Haru suddenly recalled that the principal had called the man Yuto earlier.

Now he knew exactly who the guy was.

Lowering his voice, the principal gave a reassuring smile. "If he causes you any trouble, come to me."

It was a promise.

Haru thanked him sincerely, though he couldn't help but feel that, with the way the principal was grinning at him, he looked a lot like that famous hamster meme online.

No, that would be too rude.

Haru quickly tossed the thought aside.

Stepping outside, he reunited with Yukino and the others. Sure enough, the three middle-aged men from earlier were still there.

As soon as Haru appeared, Officer Yuki Yuto's eyes lit up for a moment before he quickly masked his reaction.

He took the initiative to approach. "You're Amamiya Haru, right? Your shogi skills are impressive. For an amateur, you're quite the expert."

"Thank you for the compliment, but I'm really not that good."

"You're too modest… Oh, by the way, why don't we exchange contact information? If I run into trouble with shogi in the future, I'd love to ask you for advice."

His smile carried just the right amount of awkwardness. "I've been playing against the principal for years, and I lose almost every time. I figured it's about time I got some outside help."

It was a perfectly reasonable excuse, and his expressions were flawless.

Even Yukino and Hiratsuka, standing nearby, didn't notice anything unusual.

Haru, however, knew better—anyone who climbs up the ranks in a field is never simple.

The two exchanged numbers.

"Well then, we'll be off."

With that, Officer Yuki and his companions left.

Hiratsuka playfully nudged Haru's arm. "Not bad, kid. You've got admirers in school and even outside of it."

Haru chuckled. "If you're interested, Hiratsuka-sensei, I can teach you too."

"Hah! Don't even try to fool me. You think I don't know that Yukino was the one who taught you shogi?"

"Sensei, you're so smart."

"…Hey, what's with that 'elder speaking to the young' tone?"

After School – Photography Club

Yukino hadn't given much thought to the lunchtime shogi match.

She was reviewing Haru's notes when, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a pair of binoculars sitting on a chair near the window.

She distinctly remembered that the binoculars Hashimoto had lent Haru last time were small—nothing like the ones in front of her now.

Looking over, she asked, "That Nikon binoculars—did you bring it?"

"You even know the brand?"

Haru was surprised. The binoculars were his.

"I don't just know the brand—I know that this model has a multi-coated lens, making it significantly better than standard ones in both aperture and magnification."

Haru raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were an encyclopedia for entomology. When did you get into binoculars?"{T/N:Entomology is the study of insects and their relationship to humans, the environment, and other organisms.}

"I saw you seemed interested in them last time, so I read a bit about them."

Haru stared at her calm expression and muttered under his breath, "Encyclopedia Yukinoshita…"

Something told him that when she said she 'read a bit,' she had probably absorbed an entire textbook with inhuman efficiency.

Hearing their exchange, Utaha clenched her fists slightly and sighed inwardly.

The genius and the stats monster… those nicknames really are fitting.

At least, she knew she was far from Yukino's level.

But she had her own goals now, and with a quick adjustment of her mindset, she turned her attention to the binoculars.

"Amamiya-kun, why'd you bring those to the club?"

"Just thought it'd be something fun to play with when I'm bored," he replied casually.

Nobody believed him.

Sensing the skepticism, Haru quickly changed the subject.

"By the way, why are you all so sure that I bought the binoculars? I mean, technically speaking, matter is just atomic arrangements. Given enough time, atoms could naturally assemble into a pair of binoculars."

His words earned him an identical reaction from both Yukino and Utaha.

Two beautiful girls staring at him with the same deadpan 'are-you-an-idiot' expression.

Meanwhile, Hashimoto and the others giggled from the sidelines.

Kato Megumi remained as quiet as ever, only speaking when someone addressed her directly.

That Evening

After everyone had gone home, Yukino received a call from her mother.

Haru patiently waited for her to finish.

When she finally hung up, her expression seemed off.

"What did she say?" Haru asked.

Yukino frowned slightly. "She said there's something important I need to know, but she didn't specify what. And before hanging up, she told me not to let you find out—at least for now."

Haru pointed at himself and laughed. "Not tell me? Did she not consider that I'd be with you when she called?"

Yukino shook her head. She didn't quite understand it either.

A short while later, the car her mother had arranged arrived. Haru didn't hesitate to hitch a ride.

That Night

To Haru's mild surprise, Officer Yuto hadn't contacted him.

"Huh. Pretty patient, isn't he?"

If Haru hadn't known about the officer beforehand, he might've been fooled by that flawless performance earlier.

But since the officer didn't reach out, Haru saw no need to rush either.

Later that night, he put on his gear and mask as usual, heading out to 'patrol' and earn some experience.

On the way, he spotted Eriri Sawamura pedaling past in the opposite direction, wearing an old-fashioned green tracksuit.

A plastic bag hung from her handlebars. Judging by the shape at the bottom, it looked like books.

Once he arrived in Kabukicho, the driver—who was already used to Haru's nighttime activities—didn't bother trying to talk him out of it. He simply reminded him, "If anything happens, call me."

Haru casually agreed but fully intended to do whatever he wanted.

At this point, nighttime street dangers were no longer a concern for him.

"I might be even more ridiculous than Kyogoku Makoto now."

Strolling through the bustling streets, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

His [Auto-Aim-On Lv4] skill had triggered.

Someone was following him.