121. Strength and Speed Double-A, Chest and Brain C!

"Why do you insist on meddling? I can handle my own matters." Yukino Yukinoshita's mood was visibly sour.

After all, she had been unreasonably "eyed for free," and the scoundrel in question had even said something so absurd it was practically blasphemous. There was no way she could let it go.

To make matters worse, the true culprit behind this whole fiasco was the teacher standing before her!

If she really wanted to help, couldn't she have chosen a more appropriate location? How oblivious could one person possibly be?

"I knew you were unreliable, but I didn't think it would be this bad."

"Huh? Come on, I was just a little late. Isn't that a bit harsh?" Shizuka Hiratsuka scratched her head awkwardly, feeling as though her authority as a teacher had completely crumbled under Yukino's sharp gaze.

"I'm not talking about that," Yukino replied with a tight-lipped expression. She suspected Hiratsuka was feigning ignorance, but with that guy hiding behind the artificial rock, she couldn't bring herself to say outright that she was "bothered because of him."

That would make her seem overly concerned about him.

"Forget it. What did you want to talk about?"

"The usual. You should've guessed by now."

"More than guessed..." Yukino muttered. She sighed before continuing, "You don't need to worry about my sister's request. I'm fully capable of taking care of myself."

"Well, it's not just about Haruno. You're also my student, after all. As your teacher, it's my duty to show some concern," Hiratsuka said, waving her hand nonchalantly as she scratched her chest absentmindedly.

The motion sent ripples across the water, as though the entire bath quivered in response. It was an unintentionally attention-grabbing sight, causing even Yukino to momentarily freeze.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Hiratsuka asked, puzzled. She thought Yukino might be shocked by her words. "Hey now, don't look at me like that. Despite appearances, I have plenty of professional ethics, okay?"

"If that were true, you wouldn't have shoved that guy into my Service Club in the first place."

"Ahem... Well, he is a problem child! And hey, it's not like Hachiman hasn't managed just fine there, right?" Hiratsuka defended herself, though she felt a pang of guilt. After all, Yukino's current troubles did ultimately trace back to her meddling.

"Let's not get off track," Yukino said with a frown, sensing the conversation veering into territory she didn't want to touch on.

"You must have something important to tell me, right? If not, then let's call it a day."

Hiratsuka immediately picked up on the unspoken message: If this isn't critical, we're done here.

"Come on, I'm still your teacher, you know. No need to be so dismissive... Fine, fine, don't leave yet."

Taking a more serious tone, Hiratsuka continued, "I won't pry into your personal matters, but Haruno asked me to convince you to visit home."

She spread her hands helplessly. "I'm not sure why she'd turn to me. From any angle, this seems like a personal family matter."

"..." Yukino remained silent for a long moment before nodding slightly. "Understood. Thank you for letting me know."

"Hey, I'm just the messenger. No need to overthink it. Just do what feels right to you... You're my student now, after all," Hiratsuka said as she stood up, stretching her arms.

"This bath is fantastic, though. Feels just like soaking in a hot spring. Even my back feels looser now."

Yukino's expression twitched as she glanced away. Though she shared her sister's sharp intellect, their personalities were polar opposites. Without their shared surname and striking resemblance, it would be hard to connect the two at all.

As their mutual teacher, Hiratsuka knew the Yukinoshita sisters well. But there were limits to her involvement; beyond this, she felt it would be overstepping.

"Anyway—"

"Why are you standing up all of a sudden?! Sit back down immediately!" Yukino's voice rose in a rare panic. She couldn't check behind her to confirm if someone was peeking, but the thought made her uneasy.

"Huh? I'm getting out; I'm done soaking," Hiratsuka said, confused by Yukino's reaction. Her gaze followed Yukino's and landed on her own chest.

"...Ahem. No need to rush. Your family's genes aren't bad, after all," Hiratsuka said casually, unaware that her comment struck a nerve.

Indeed, Yukino's development seemed a bit behind, especially compared to Haruno, who had already shown considerable "progress" by this age.

"What are you saying..." Yukino frowned, momentarily confused. When the implication sank in, her expression darkened further.

Seriously?! Does everyone think that is so important? Plenty of people live just fine without it!

"Please leave now."

"Alright, alright," Hiratsuka said, waving her hand. She had clearly hit a sore spot.

"I'll head out first. Don't stay in too long—you don't want to miss curfew."

"..."

Once Hiratsuka left, the bath returned to silence. After a while, Yukino finally spoke: "She should be far enough away now. You can come out."

"..."

No response.

Her irritation flared. What's his problem? Is he seriously going to make me go over there to get him?

But when she moved to check behind the artificial rock, she found it empty. There wasn't even a trace that anyone had been there.

"..."

That idiot! Did he think I stayed behind for fun? What a... What a...

Her resentment deepened, and she suspected she'd have trouble sleeping that night.

Meanwhile, outside the bathhouse, Kanade Natsukawa leaned against a wall, breathing heavily.

He wasn't physically tired—after all, a short walk was nothing—but the psychological strain was immense.

He had held his breath nearly the entire way out, terrified that even the sound of his breathing might alert someone and label him as "a pervert sneaking into the women's bath."

Between carefully monitoring his surroundings, muffling every noise from his clothing and footsteps, and the sheer tension of the situation, it felt like he had just played the final match of a high-stakes tournament—one where losing meant the end of his social life.

"Well, well, isn't this our student council president? What are you doing here? This is the teachers' bath, you know. Waiting for someone? Or maybe... peeping?" A teasing voice interrupted his thoughts.

"That's not funny, Hiratsuka-sensei," Kanade replied, feigning calm but inwardly panicked.

After all, he'd just escaped from inside. Who knew if she already suspected something?

"Really? I thought it was hilarious... Don't stay out too late. Make sure you're back before curfew," Hiratsuka said, thankfully not pressing the issue further.

"...Understood," Kanade replied quietly.

So that's why Yukinoshita was here. It was all the front desk's fault!

What kind of inn is this?! This is a disaster waiting to happen!