Chapter 44: Super-Quant Club's Brand Ambassador
"Be careful on the way."
Yui's mother waved enthusiastically.
"Yoru-kun, remember to come play again next time."
"Okay, Auntie."
Sablé squatted at the door, his tail wagging like a propeller, looking as if he were about to take off.
"Woof woof!"
"I get you."
Yoru squatted down, rubbed Sablé's head, and chuckled.
"See you next time."
After leaving the apartment and heading downstairs toward the train station, Yui smiled sweetly.
"Yoru-kun, you seem to like Sablé a lot. Could it be... you're also the type of person who likes small animals?"
Yoru frowned slightly and said grumpily.
"What do you mean 'could it be'? Why does it feel like there's a hidden meaning in your words?"
"Ah, sorry, sorry."
Yui smiled apologetically.
"It's just that you usually don't give off the impression of someone who likes small animals. You seem more like..."
Yui stopped here, not voicing her inner thoughts.
What she really wanted to say was...
Yoru is fine usually at school.
But once he comes into contact with evil spirits, he becomes a completely different person.
Forget liking small animals; he feels like a complete cold-blooded psychopath.
At this moment, Yui noticed that Miko's gaze kept drifting toward the empty space behind Yoru. She asked puzzledly.
"Miko-chan, what's wrong? Why do you keep staring over there?"
Hearing this, Miko froze for a moment, then sighed in relief, waved her hand, and smiled.
"Nothing, nothing. I'm just too tired."
"Is that so? Then when we get to school, you should rest for a bit."
"Mmhmm, okay."
However, in the eyes of Miko and Yui, the scene presented was completely different—worlds apart.
In Yui's eyes:
Two cute high school girls and the remarkably handsome Yoru were walking side by side on the street. With the gentle breeze of a spring morning and flower petals slowly falling on both sides of the street...
This scene could only be described as beautiful.
But in Miko's eyes, there was one extra "person."
Nearly 2.5 meters tall, wearing a long white dress, barefoot, with long black hair cascading almost to the ground—the silent Hachishaku-sama was following closely behind Yoru.
She didn't need to speak.
Just her oppressive appearance, the sound of her black hair brushing against her dress, and that inexplicable eerie aura were enough to turn a beautiful scene of high schoolers hanging out into a terrifying spectacle straight out of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons.
Talk about adding the finishing touch (to ruin the picture).
However, one thing that reassured Miko was that Yui seemed unable to see Hachishaku.
That was good.
It seemed Yui could only see Hachishaku earlier because they were in the Otherworld Kyoto at that time.
Miko knew all too well the consequences of "Seeing."
Given Yui's mental fortitude, she would probably have a hard time surviving such a life.
If she can't see, she won't be in danger.
This made Miko breathe a sigh of relief.
....
After taking the train to Sobu High and entering the school, Yoru led Yui and Miko to the clubroom of the Supernatural Quantum Mechanics Investigation and Research Club.
As expected, Futaba Rio wasn't in the room.
After all, it was just past 6 AM; few people would arrive at school this early.
Scrape.
Just as Yoru walked to the table, a chair inexplicably slid across the floor by itself, positioning itself perfectly for him to sit down.
In Yui's eyes, the chair moved on its own.
But in Miko's eyes, it was Hachishaku carefully pulling it out, then making a "please" gesture. Every movement exuded respect.
"Good job. I'll give you a raise later."
Seeing Yoru sitting at the table with his legs crossed and Hachishaku smiling innocently and happily, Miko sighed helplessly.
PUA (Pick-up Artist / Gaslighting).
This is definitely workplace PUA, right!?
Humans devouring evil spirits to become stronger was already outrageous enough for Miko.
Now she was witnessing humans exploiting evil spirits?
Truly a scene I've never seen before.JPG.
"By the way."
Yoru looked at Yui and asked softly.
"Yuigahama-san, do you want to join the Supernatural Quantum Mechanics Investigation and Research Club? After all, you're in the know now."
"Eh, me?"
Hearing Yoru's invitation, Yui was clearly surprised.
"I... I don't have abilities like you guys. I'm just an ordinary person. Can I be of any help?"
"Eh, don't sell yourself short."
Yoru shook his head and smiled.
"You don't understand what a special talent you possess."
"Special talent?"
Hearing this, not only Yui but even Miko looked confused.
Yui...
Does she have any special abilities?
It wasn't that Miko was disparaging her friend.
But Yui wasn't particularly smart, had no spiritual abilities, and wasn't exactly athletic either.
If I had to say...
She's cute?
Does that count as a special ability?
Seeing both girls looking puzzled, Yoru stopped smiling and said with a straight face.
"Yuigahama-san possesses a kind of... Clear Stupidity (Innocent Foolishness)."
"Hah?"
Yui froze for a moment, then frowned, looking displeased, and puffed up her cheeks.
"Are you praising me or insulting me?"
"Of course I'm praising you."
Yoru replied righteously.
"You have to realize, the three members of our club are seen as hard-to-approach weirdos by outsiders..."
"Wait a minute."
Miko hurriedly interrupted: "My image in school should be quite normal, right?"
She didn't expect that as soon as she said this, Yui next to her laughed awkwardly and said carefully.
"Miko-chan... actually, your image in the eyes of classmates really isn't much better than Yoru-kun's."
"How is that possible!?"
Miko was shocked.
Yui pursed her lips and whispered cautiously.
"Actually... classmates say that you always have an expressionless face and emit an inexplicable coldness, giving people a feeling that you're hard to approach."
Miko never expected this to be the reason.
Since awakening her "Sight," she had been facing the gaze of evil spirits all day long.
Ensuring her expression and eyes didn't waver, keeping her emotions calm, and showing no flaws was the only way to survive.
Naturally, Miko developed a condition.
Commonly known as: Resting Bitch Face Syndrome (or Facial Paralysis Syndrome).