I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

“Hiratsuka-sensei, I don’t understand why you want me to join this club. You should know that I have to work after school and I don’t have any special skills worth mentioning.”

"Of course. So you don't need to do anything in this club, and you can easily allocate your time... Well, consider this a personal perk I'm giving you?"

"Welfare?"

Tenkuji Yu looked puzzled, waiting for her explanation.

"Answer me a question first."

Hiratsuka Shizuka cleared her throat again, her attitude becoming completely serious, her gaze fixed on his eyes with a stern yet gentle intensity.

"Sky Temple, you were working during your summer vacation, weren't you?"

Chapter Twenty: Though clumsy, Hiratsuka Shizuka is still a good teacher.

When she said that, Tenkuji Yu thought that her act of renting a boyfriend had been exposed and that the school was going to cause trouble for her.

After all, no high school would agree to allow underage students to do a special job that is somewhat similar to being a male escort.

There isn't one in all of Japan, so Chiba Prefecture certainly wouldn't have one.

However, after observing Hiratsuka-sensei's expression for a few moments, he quickly regained his composure, feigning a blank look, and asked in return:

"Of course! Summer vacation is the time to earn the most money, how could I not work... Why are you asking this?"

"It's nothing, I was just expressing my concern for your family situation from the perspective of a teacher."

He waved his hand, and although his tone was still very casual, you could feel the caution in it, as if he was trying his best to avoid him misunderstanding.

Hiratsuka Shizuka then asked, "Is it still the same as before, relying solely on yourself to support the two of you?"

Yuu Tenkuji nodded.

As their homeroom teacher, Ms. Hiratsuka naturally knew about their family situation and had often shown concern for their lives in the past. Whether it was how to obtain scholarships or where jobs were being offered, she would share whatever she knew with them. She was a very responsible and gentle teacher, contrary to her appearance.

But what does this have to do with the "Service Club"?

"Well, how should I put it..."

Her fingers tapped rhythmically on the table. After a moment of contemplation, Hiratsuka Shizuka explained to him:

"The 'Service Club' can't really be considered a formal club, because it only has one member, and its activity space is an empty classroom that was originally used as a storage room... Wouldn't it be more accurate to call it a hobby club?"

“Such clubs naturally won’t have club funding, won’t have enough members, and won’t generate any positive revenue for the school. If the student council were to come and investigate, they would basically be shut down.”

"Therefore, if such a club wants to receive club funding, it must have at least three members and its activities must be able to withstand the review of the student council."

She paused, looked at Tenkuji Yu, her eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if struggling with what words to use.

Frustrated, Shizuka scratched her head, and finally decided to speak frankly.

"I've spoken with that member. I'll find you some things to do, and you'll assist her with club activities. As for the remaining members, I suggest you find a trustworthy friend to lend their name to..."

"Then, if we can finally get the club funding, she can give it all to you without taking a single penny."

"..."

After he finished speaking, the student guidance room fell into an inexplicable silence.

Deeply shocked, Tenkuji Yu stared blankly at the calm-faced teacher in front of him, speechless for a long time.

After gradually coming to his senses, he opened his mouth and uttered a sound of disbelief:

"Teacher, aren't you... aren't you encouraging students to misuse public funds?"

The implication couldn't be clearer: he was given full control over the club's funds.

Mr. Hiratsuka wanted to use this method to get extra income from the school's money.

"I know I'll be in big trouble if the higher-ups find out. But if you don't say anything, I don't say anything, and she doesn't say anything, no one will know, right? As long as we all keep it a secret, it'll be fine."

She glanced at the door subconsciously, and after confirming that it was closed, Hiratsuka Shizuka shrugged resignedly: "That guy already lectured me at noon, and I don't want to hear a second lecture... so you'd better just listen to him."

She took out a cigarette case from her breast pocket and deftly tapped out a cigarette.

He didn't light it; he just held it in the corner of his mouth, using the smell of tobacco to ease his slightly complicated feelings.

She spoke slowly in a slightly hoarse, yet calm and gentle voice:

"After all, it's a small club with limited funding, not as much as you could earn working day and night, but it's easy and you can learn a lot of useful things from it."

"As long as you do your job diligently and complete the tasks I assign you, this money will be your legitimate income."

"Don't take this too seriously. I still followed the school rules. After all, other clubs also use their funds for their own selfish purposes. Compared to them, you're nothing."

Leaning back in her chair, Hiratsuka Shizuka bit her filter and smiled nonchalantly at Tenkuji Yuu.

"So, Tenkuji, just think of it as working for the school! This is all I can do to help with this small thing; the rest is up to you to work hard."

She knew all too well that the student in front of her, though seemingly ordinary, had a high sense of self-respect and only wanted to support her family through her own abilities.

Therefore, as a teacher, Shizuka Hiratsuka could only use this roundabout way to get him to accept her small help.

Even if it's just for self-gratification, she's prepared to accept the consequences.

"..."

For some reason, Tenkuji Yu fell silent again, looking at her with a subtle expression.

On his handsome face, a complex expression appeared, a mixture of wanting to speak but holding back, and a bitter smile.

He hesitated for a long time before finally speaking to her:

"I'm so grateful that you went to such lengths for me, Hiratsuka-sensei... You're such a kind person."

A big question mark appeared above Hiratsuka Shizuka's head.

If you're going to talk, then talk. Why the hell are you giving me the "friend zone" treatment for no reason?

“However, I recently earned quite a bit of money working during the summer vacation, and it will be enough for me even if I don’t work this semester… There’s really no need for you to take this risk and help me supplement my household expenses.”

Seeing the slightly helpless expression on Tenkuji Yu's face, Hiratsuka Shizuka subconsciously retorted, "How could that be! 'Angel Cafe' has been renovating its store all summer. You've been handing out flyers on the street, and you still say that's enough?"

She slammed her hand on the table, as if that were the final word.

"It's not like I'm giving you money for nothing. Just consider it a favor! There's really no need to protect this little bit of pride."

"..."

With a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth and pressing his temples as if in pain, Tenkuji Yu roughly understood what was going on.

It was probably around mid-July when Hiratsuka Shizuka bumped into him working on the street. She couldn't bear to see his pitiful state of "supporting his family by handing out flyers." She had already helped him as much as she could before, and she knew that she wouldn't accept financial assistance for no reason. So she devised this plan to help him out in some way.

The method was a bit clumsy, but Hiratsuka Shizuka was indeed a gentle and responsible good teacher—in desperation, Tenkuji Yu confirmed this once again.

If he didn't have the system, he probably wouldn't hesitate much at this point. He would first thank the system and accept the "new job," and then try to repay the favor within his capabilities.

Unfortunately, Yuu Tenkuji now has millions of dollars in available funds in his bank account.

He was happy to help, but he couldn't accept the money that would put her at risk of losing her job—besides, now that he was wealthy, he wouldn't even look at a few tens of thousands of dollars in club funds.

But since it was such a kind offer from Ms. Hiratsuka, I felt bad about simply and decisively refusing her...

However, to avoid further trouble, Yuu Tenkuji decided to apologize to her.

"Teacher, actually, after I finished handing out flyers, I found a well-paying job."

"After a summer vacation, the money I earned was probably enough to pay for my three years of high school tuition."

He used rather euphemistic language to express that he is not short of money now.

"If you don't believe me, I can take the money out and show it to you... It's from a legitimate source, all of which I earned myself."

Well, or rather, kissing.

Keeping this additional thought to himself, Yuu Tenkuji earnestly and sincerely met Shizuka Hiratsuka's gaze.

"..."

Chapter Twenty-One: Reasons for Choosing You (7/27)

After that, Hiratsuka Shizuka, still not convinced, asked many more questions.

For example: "Where did you find that job? Did you get your guardian's consent? Do you have insurance?"

"What are the job duties? Who is the employer? Tell me over the phone, and I'll use my connections to find out, so you don't get involved in illegal activities."

Finally, after much persuasion and even the use of "verbal attacks," the passionate teacher finally gave up asking further questions and accepted the fact that he didn't need his help at all.

"Ah...then all that thinking was just a waste of time..."

Despite her incredibly mature figure, Hiratsuka Shizuka acted like a child, resting her elbows on the table, covering her flushed face with her hands, and letting out a mournful, heavy sigh.

"Although the outcome was good, the thought that all those actions were just self-indulgent makes me feel so ashamed, so ashamed..."

Before he could finish speaking, his tone suddenly turned gloomy.

"So shameful that I want to beat everyone who knows about this to death."

She clenched her fists in front of her face.

Her long, black hair swayed without wind, as if an invisible magnetic field was starting to rotate, suddenly making the atmosphere in the entire student guidance room tense.

His bloodshot eyes slowly rose, and the white-robed teacher grinned at him with a bloodthirsty smile.

"Hey, Sky Temple... how many methods are there to erase memories?"

*Snap.* A crisp sound of knuckles snapping rang out.

"There are probably around 1000-7 types?"

Without the slightest tremor, Tenkuji Yu simply smiled and gazed into her eyes: "Also, this isn't a waste of time... I've already accepted your kindness, and I can thank you as many times as I want."

"To me, you are the most beautiful and kindest teacher in this school... Ms. Hiratsuka, thank you so much for your help all this time."

His tone was sincere and innocent, like a child who has received a gift on Christmas Eve, thanking the old man with the brightest smile.

Without using acting skills, but simply conveying the emotions in one's heart, the voice is more likely to reach people's hearts.

"What the hell are you saying all of a sudden?!"

The feigned fierce expression froze instantly, and Hiratsuka Shizuka blushed in a different way. She quickly waved her hands and frantically tried to hide her expression with her arms.

"Keep your sweet talk for those young girls. No matter how much you say, I won't be moved! Tsk, so cheesy, so incredibly cheesy! I never thought you were this kind of person, Tenkuji."