Hiratsuka Shizuka Still Comes Out On Top!

Chapter 17: Hiratsuka Shizuka Still Comes Out On Top!

Almost at school.

Miura Yumiko, who had been following behind Luke, suddenly quickened her pace and closed the distance.

"Hey! Um..." she began softly.

"What's wrong?" Luke glanced at her.

Miura Yumiko looked away, avoiding his gaze, yet her tone was very sincere.

"Thank you very much for your help this time... And, and also, I doubted your professionalism before, and this time I even got you so seriously injured... I'm really sorry."

Luke turned his body to face Miura Yumiko directly.

"Don't worry too much about it. It's my duty."

The wind rustling the leaves felt cool.

Luke's thoughts cleared a bit, and he continued, "Besides, I took money from your mother, and you are my classmate. Logically and emotionally, I should protect you."

"Oh." Miura Yumiko's thoughts had been chaotic all day; she didn't know what to say.

"If you really want to thank me, could you please do me a favor..."

"What is it?" Miura Yumiko turned her head back.

Her gaze was so intense that it made him look away.

"Uh... just come up with an excuse for being late. Don't tell the teacher or other classmates about this incident."

"Why?" Miura Yumiko asked the question that had been lurking in her mind for a long time.

"If ghosts really exist, why don't you announce it, let everyone know? If everyone knew about ghosts, everyone could take protective measures."

Luke shook his head.

"You're wrong, Miura. Hiding this from everyone is actually the best protection for them..."

Miura Yumiko's eyes widened, looking somewhat incredulous.

"Huh? Why is that?"

Luke pointed at himself, then at the clothes Miura Yumiko was wearing.

"Don't you know what your classmates are like? In some ways, they're as brave as protagonists in hot-blooded anime. If they knew ghosts existed in the world, even if they were scared stiff, they'd still dig three feet deep searching for ghosts..."

He took a deep breath.

"If they provoked some powerful evil spirit, like this time..."

"Things would go wrong."

Miura Yumiko thought about it and felt it was indeed true.

If she hadn't experienced what happened today, she probably would have acted just as he described.

"Okay, I get it."

"Good. Please make sure to keep quiet about it, Miura."

They were almost at school.

So, Luke put on his glasses.

Looks and Presence Sealing Jutsu!

Staring at him, Miura Yumiko suddenly felt her mood sour.

"Depends on my mood."

Hearing her words, Luke's eyes widened behind his lenses.

He stared in shock as Miura Yumiko walked past him haughtily.

How could a woman change her mind so drastically?

Luke was about to speak, but the blonde girl, walking up to him, regained her usual confident school aura.

She turned, pointed at Luke, and said, "After experiencing something like this, let's just call it even for what happened before. So, I'll allow you to call me... call me... Yumiko."

"..." Luke was somewhat speechless, but under the threat of Miura Yumiko's increasingly dangerous glare, he reluctantly opened his mouth.

"...Yumiko... san?"

Instantly, Miura Yumiko, having gotten her wish, felt incredibly awkward.

"...Maybe you should just call me Miura after all."

"...!" Luke stared at her.

You're really willful.

"Fine, fine, call me whatever you want," Miura Yumiko mumbled softly, walking towards the school grounds with light steps.

"Remember your promise!"

"Depends on my mood," Miura Yumiko waved her hand.

"Such a self-centered person."

...

"Explain yourselves. Why were you both so late?"

During break time, Hiratsuka Shizuka looked at the boy and girl before her, one hand instinctively rubbing her aching head.

Luke, that rascal, was one thing, but how did Miura Yumiko get involved too?

"Encountered a little challenge on the road of life," Luke lowered his voice, slouching slightly to emphasize his weak state.

"Speak human," Hiratsuka Shizuka's headache worsened.

"On the way to school, I saw a cat about to be hit by a car. I saw there wasn't enough time, so I rushed forward and saved the cat," Luke recited the excuse he had prepared earlier.

Whether Hiratsuka Shizuka believed this story or not, she asked, "Are you okay?"

"Not too serious."

"Sigh." Hiratsuka Shizuka sighed and turned to Miura Yumiko, who was also late.

"What about you, Miura-san?"

"When he saved the cat, I was right there. I fell while dodging the car," Miura Yumiko corroborated.

Hiratsuka Shizuka tapped her fingers on the desk and said, "Alright, Sensei believes you... You should go to the school nurse first to treat your wound."

Luke quickly asked, "What about me? I'm seriously injured too..."

Hiratsuka Shizuka glanced at him.

"You wait here."

Miura Yumiko gave him a 'can't help you' look and had to leave first.

Luke stood tiredly, looking at his teacher's clothes, still the trademark white lab coat...

"Huh? Where did it go..."

Hiratsuka Shizuka muttered strangely, rummaging through things on her desk, searching for her cigarettes.

Luke silently pinched the cigarette pack in his pocket.

"Sigh!" Hiratsuka Shizuka let out a heavy sigh, leaning back powerlessly in her chair.

Then, she looked suspiciously at the boy.

Luke remained expressionless.

"Find a chair and sit down," Hiratsuka Shizuka finally said helplessly.

Although she didn't search him, she was certain: the cigarettes were with him.

"Oh."

Seeing Luke sit down, she continued asking, "Did you really get hit by a car?"

"Well, if I said I encountered mischievous ghosts on the way, and it was my duty to eliminate them, would you believe me?" Luke rolled his eyes.

"Getting hit by a car is indeed more believable," Hiratsuka Shizuka sighed her lament.

Then why did you ask?

Hiratsuka Shizuka ignored his eye-roll and just continued lamenting to herself.

"Last time it was getting hit saving a dog... this time getting hit saving a cat... How come you haven't been transported to another world yet?"

"I'm brave, not reckless. I wouldn't risk my life just to do a good deed."

"Anyway, your commute to school is truly arduous."

"In that case, I hope my commute home can be smoother."

Hiratsuka Shizuka decisively refused.

"No can do... I can allow you to rest in the nurse's office, but you're not allowed to skip the afternoon club activity."

Luke said with a headache, "Fine, fine, I get it. Even though I still don't think I need reforming, since I promised, I'll go..."

"I know," Hiratsuka Shizuka said softly.

"Hmm?" Luke looked at her suspiciously.

Hiratsuka Shizuka stood up, placed one hand on his shoulder, and looked down at him.

"I said, I know you have the ability to return to a normal life..."

"Then why are you still making me join the club!"

"Let me finish—" Hiratsuka Shizuka increased the pressure on his shoulder, leaning closer.

Once he quieted down, she leaned close to his face.

He could even feel her breath.

Hiratsuka Shizuka continued, "You and Yukinoshita are two different types..."

"Yukinoshita, I can feel it, she has a soft heart, she's a very gentle person. But she's built walls around herself. Although they protect her, they've also robbed her of the ability to live a normal life."

"Ultimately, I'm just a teacher. There's a limit to how I can help her... So since you've joined the Service Club, I hope you can help her. Mm... just consider it a request from your teacher."

"Should've just said so earlier. Leave this matter to me..."

Luke didn't refuse this kind of request.

He thumped his chest near his heart as if making a vow, then quickly rubbed it again.

"Hiss— Ow, that hurts."

Forgot I'm still injured.

Hiratsuka Shizuka, wearing a strange smile, pulled away from his face.

Relaxed, she leaned back against her desk, casually tapped a cigarette from her pack, lit it with a lighter held lightly in her hand.

"Phew~~~" She exhaled a relaxed, leisurely puff of smoke, partly from the relief of the boy accepting her request, and partly from the secret joy of her scheme succeeding.

Gotcha.

Luke suddenly slapped his pocket.

Damn it! Honey trap! I fell for it!

But... it really was a brilliant tactic.

Falling for it was unavoidable... Luke sighed.

"Remember your promise~" Hiratsuka Shizuka was in a very good mood.

"I know..." Luke left resentfully.

Watching Luke's retreating back, Hiratsuka Shizuka leaned back in her chair. "Maybe I should talk to Yukinoshita too..."

...

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