Unlike the nearly deserted classroom building during club activity hours, the special building was bustling with excitement. Here, youth seemed to take physical form; everywhere you looked, you could see the daily lives of young boys and girls playing out.
If Hiratsuka Shizuka had carried him like a sack of sand to the Service Club here, his school life would probably be over before it even began, right?
Faced with Mori Shinra's stance of "if you dare try anything funny, I'm leaving immediately," Hiratsuka Shizuka didn't insist.
After all, her intention this time was to genuinely introduce Mori Shinra to the Service Club. If she played around too much and scared the guy off, that would be counterproductive.
"Alright, alright. It's tiring to carry you up anyway. I was just making a suggestion out of consideration for your immobility. No good deed goes unpunished."
"Haha."
Mori Shinra rolled his eyes. As if I'd believe that. He saw how happy she was laughing on the way down; she was clearly just having fun at his expense. As for being tired? She didn't even break a sweat!
Going upstairs was much simpler than going down. He didn't even need the crutch. He could just hop up, using the handrail to jump two or three steps at a time. His efficiency was no less than that of a normal person.
Of course, such a unique method of ascending stairs, combined with his current appearance, unsurprisingly attracted the attention of other students in the hallway. However, due to the unique cultural atmosphere of Japan, no one came forward to ask questions or offer help. Plus, with Hiratsuka Shizuka, who was clearly a teacher, right beside him, they were even less likely to come over and try to earn brownie points.
But seriously, isn't this Service Club a bit too remote?
Not only was it on a high floor, but why was it getting more and more deserted the further they went?
The youthful atmosphere that had filled the air was gradually disappearing, replaced by a cold and desolate silence.
If Mori Shinra wasn't mistaken, there should have been other clubs active on this floor, yet there was no noise to be heard.
Stopping in front of a perfectly ordinary sliding door, Mori Shinra looked at the "desolate" surroundings and couldn't help but ask, "Teacher, are you sure the Service Club is here?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka crossed her arms and replied, "Of course. I'm the faculty advisor for the Service Club. How could I get it wrong?"
"If I remember correctly, you said before that the Service Club was established specifically to help others solve their problems. A convenient department like that, practically an Odd Jobs shop, should be very popular, right? So why isn't there a single person around?"
Mori Shinra seriously suspected that this Service Club was most likely a front created by some powerful student to occupy school resources and cheat the club budget. With no one here, how could they help anyone?
"Hmm... that's a good question. Maybe the school's educational work is so outstanding that the students don't have any problems?"
"Teacher, do you even believe that when you say it?"
"Anyway, don't worry about that for now."
Hiratsuka Shizuka didn't explain much further. Often, personal experience is more direct and to the point than a dry explanation.
—Slide.—
The classroom door was slid open directly by Hiratsuka Shizuka, and the environment inside came into Mori Shinra's view.
In one corner of the room, desks and chairs were piled up messily, likely used for storage. Other than that, the layout of this classroom was not fundamentally different from any other; it was just an ordinary classroom.
If one had to point out something extraordinary, it would be the girl inside it.
The girl sat upright on a student chair. Although there was no one else around, her excellent upbringing still ensured she maintained proper etiquette and decorum even when alone. Her back was straight, her posture graceful and elegant. Even the way she turned the pages of her book had an indescribable elegance.
One could tell at a glance that this kind of girl could never be raised by an ordinary family.
This was likely what one would call a well-bred lady from a distinguished family.
Upon hearing Hiratsuka Shizuka open the door, the girl's attention shifted from the book in her hands to the doorway.
And at this moment, Mori Shinra finally got a clear view of the girl's full appearance.
How to describe it?
The first instant he saw her face, Mori Shinra felt that he was born to join the Service Club.
He had been living in this world for nearly a year after his transmigration and had often seen so-called "once-in-a-millennium beauties" on the Japanese internet.
There were indeed many good-looking ones, but the vast majority wore makeup and used photo editing. What they actually looked like in reality was debatable.
However, the girl before him made Mori Shinra feel that the very term "beautiful girl" was created specifically to describe her.
She just sat there on her chair, the twilight sunbeams pouring through the window into the classroom, a gentle breeze stirring her hair, and her bright eyes filled with curiosity. The scene was as beautiful as a painting.
Before Hiratsuka Shizuka could speak, the girl spoke first: "Hiratsuka-sensei, I believe I've mentioned to you before to please knock before entering."
"Even if I knock, you never answer, do you?" Hiratsuka Shizuka, not acknowledging her own mistake, instead blamed the girl.
To be honest, Mori Shinra also felt one should knock before entering.
Of course, if the person inside doesn't answer after you've knocked, they should also bear half the responsibility. So, this round is a draw.
"That's because before I have time to respond, you've already let yourself in, Sensei."
Okay, Sensei is fully at fault.
The High Judge in Mori Shinra's mind slammed the gavel, declaring Hiratsuka Shizuka guilty.
"Also, who is that handicapped person next to you, Sensei?"
Seeing the girl's attention turn to him, Mori Shinra subconsciously used Emotion Perception on her, and then he froze.
"His name is Mori Shinra, and he wants to join the Service Club. Shinra, this is the president of the Service Club, Yukinoshita Yukino," Hiratsuka Shizuka said concisely. Then, seeing no reaction from him, she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Mori Shinra?"
"I'm here." Mori Shinra snapped back to reality and looked at the girl named Yukinoshita Yukino, introducing himself. "I'm Mori Shinra from Class 2-F. Um... have we met before?"
"Pfft, what a cliché pick-up line." Hiratsuka Shizuka, standing to the side, couldn't help but chuckle. The older, single woman playfully nudged Mori Shinra with her elbow. "You won't get any girls with that."
Mori Shinra retorted irritably, "I'm not trying to pick her up."
Then, he added in a confident tone, "I'm sure I've never met you, but it seems you've met me."
The basis for this judgment was his Emotion Perception ability. He had detected an emotion called 'guilt' from the girl named Yukinoshita Yukino.
Would a normal girl feel guilt towards a male stranger she had never met before?
Obviously not.
Furthermore, Mori Shinra sharply noticed that when Yukinoshita Yukino looked at him, her gaze lingered on his leg for a long time.
If he hadn't perceived her emotions, Mori Shinra would have thought this was a normal reaction. After all, his cast-covered left leg was indeed a bit conspicuous on campus.
But it seemed the reality was not so simple. Mori Shinra already had a few guesses about this...