I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

The ray of sunlight sliced ​​through the thick curtain of rain, as if severing everyone's nerves, the lingering sound making their eardrums buzz.

As if time had stopped, everyone—the audience, the judges, the backstage staff, whether they knew him or not—stared blankly at the scene on stage, unable to think for a moment.

Until the raised left hand is lowered and touches the pure white piano keys again.

The rain gradually subsided.

He slowed his movements, no longer letting his body sway emotionally to the melody, but instead lowered his head and carefully tapped out each raindrop.

The torrential rain quickly turned into a drizzle, blurring the view through the rain curtain.

It's like looking out the window at the misty autumn rain; the sound of dripping rain from the eaves is crystal clear, making one feel drowsy.

Asuna Yuuki gradually relaxed, lowered her sparkling eyes, and smiled quietly as she listened to the light yet gentle piano music that was just like her.

The rain nourished the flowers, grasses, and trees ravaged by the heavy rain, and the birds shook off the heavy moisture from their feathers and took flight.

The spider spins out transparent silk threads and re-weaves its web among the branches and leaves;

The blown-off pupa slowly split open, and its fragile wings emerged, tentatively flapping twice.

After the storm has passed, a gentle world emerges, where every raindrop seems to bask in the warm sunshine, ushering in transformation and rebirth.

Before I knew it, the sound of rain had disappeared.

But everywhere on the muddy ground, there are traces of its existence.

Asuna Yuuki heard the performance as the performer lowered his hands and stood up leisurely.

The sound of his own heart being completely melted.

……

"Please come up to the stage to receive your award if your name is called."

Before I could even react, the "Club General Evaluation" was already over, and it was time for the awards ceremony.

That beautiful, rain-like tone still lingers on everyone's eardrums, as if you could see a rain scene with your eyes closed.

"Fifth place, total score 89 – The Drama Club's 'Romeo and the Seven Dwarfs'!"

Amidst the sudden cheers, the head of the drama department emerged from backstage, excitedly accepted the certificate from the principal, and delivered a speech into the microphone of the emcee.

Yuu Tenkuji crossed his arms and leaned against the backstage wall, closing his eyes to rest, exuding an aura of indifference that seemed to say, "Don't talk to me for now."

He was surrounded by representatives from other clubs, but no one dared to approach within a meter of him, and even their conversations were subconsciously kept to a minimum.

Shock, admiration, worship, and awe—under these gazes, Tenkuji Yu remained expressionless, but inwardly gave herself a thumbs up.

'Sure enough, the states of "piano," "emotional transmission," and "spotlight" can be superimposed—and the effect is unexpectedly good, even approaching the level of the original perfect "lullaby."'

Even a master-level piano technique is still some distance from perfection; if you listen carefully, you can still hear a few flaws.

However, in terms of emotional rendering and seduction, as long as there is a state of "emotional transmission" and the effect of "spotlight" forcibly gathering attention, even a mere expert level can be on par with the perfect level, and may even be more deeply rooted in people's hearts.

The downside is that you have to listen to it live; if you record it, it will be exposed as it was, and it probably won't get much attention if you put it online.

Leaving that far behind, judging from the audience's reaction, the performance was undoubtedly a great success. From the moment the performance ended until now, if it weren't for Yuu Tenkuji's aloof demeanor, he would have been too busy dealing with the students and teachers who greeted and praised him to have any time to rest or appreciate other people's performances.

It is conceivable that similar troubles will continue to follow until his actions are forgotten and the hype fades away.

Okay, it's not that serious.

Although he is handsome, talented, and kind, no matter how popular he is, he probably can't compare to a beautiful young girl like Yukino Yukinoshita.

After all, handsome young men who can play the piano are everywhere, but flat-chested girls with long, straight black hair who are both literate and skilled in martial arts are rare.

So Tenkuji Yuu wasn't flustered at all; he could handle any situation with ease.

"First place, total score 98! Only two judges gave it 19 points, an unbelievably high score—"

He didn't know how much time had passed when the host's enthusiastic tone made him open his eyes.

Under the unspoken gazes of everyone, Tenkuji Yu looked towards the stage and calmly left the wall.

Without the slightest hesitation, he strode forward and walked towards the front of the stage.

"Let us welcome the piano prince who captivated all the audience with his exquisite performance—and congratulations to the Service Club for winning the gold trophy in this year's club competition!"

Piano Prince?

Yuuki Tenkuji's previously calm expression crumbled.

What an incredibly embarrassing and terribly tacky nickname...

Oh no, I don't want to go on stage.

Chapter 100 Yukinoshita's First Meeting

The process of claiming the award is very simple.

Go on stage, take a photo with the principal holding the trophy, and then listen to the judges' comments.

"The entire piece is divided into three stages. The first is a gentle and soft prelude, like autumn rain. The second is an interlude like a torrential downpour, as if standing naked in the cold rain, making one tremble..."

"Finally, the spring rain symbolizes the revival of all things. As the finale, it brings an invigorating and refreshing rhythm, with emotions fully integrated into the piece, interpreting the theme of transformation and growth..."

"I had never heard this piece of music before, nor did I know what the Service Club was—but after listening to it, the emotion and warmth it brought me made me give it a score that was perfect."

The five judges were generous with their praise, and even those who deducted points raved about him, saying that each of them was better at reading comprehension than the last—it's said that the two points were only deducted because he wasn't wearing a suit and they were afraid he would become too arrogant.

Standing on the stage under the spotlight, Tenkuji Yu answered their questions fluently, and his confident and composed attitude was praised by the group so much that he almost thought they were trying to flatter him to death.

"By the way, how long have you been learning piano?" one of the judges asked.

Without a second thought, Tenkuji Yuu calmly remarked:

"It's been a while now. As everyone knows, learning the piano is an extremely demanding task, and I've endured countless days and nights..."

Adults are the kind of creatures who can lie without batting an eye even in situations like this.

The tedious Q&A session finally ended, and the emcee asked him to give his remarks. After he finished speaking, he could prepare to leave the stage.

After the usual official thank-you to so-and-so, Yuu Tenkuji got straight to the point.

"Our [Service Club]'s core philosophy is 'to help those in need, enabling them to find a healthy and correct path to growth.' It's like a jack-of-all-trades shop that doesn't charge fees or personally solve customers' problems—"

If you feel lost about the future, or encounter problems you can't solve, you are welcome to come to our club room for consultation.

"Of course, empty words can't guarantee anything. No matter how passionately we describe our ideas, we can't make people trust our capabilities and openly share their inner confusion with us..."

Looking at the crowd below the stage, Tenkuji Yu smiled slightly.

Immediately, that clear and gentle voice resounded throughout the entire auditorium through the microphone.

"Therefore, during the 'Club Showcase' later, the Service Club will be conducting a 'Challenge Activity' against other clubs as part of this 'Club Showcase'!"

"..."

The crowd fell silent for a moment in surprise, then a commotion arose, and the orderly line became somewhat disorderly.

Some people couldn't believe it and doubted their ears; others were prepared, but still couldn't help but frown.

After all, the person who uttered those words was currently standing on a superior stage, confidently and calmly looking down at them—

"Sounds a bit rambling, right? Well, I'll put it simply then."

Tenkuji Yu said calmly, "I hope that the clubs that have set up challenge booths this year will bring out their best skills to meet my challenge—I want to defeat you in your area of ​​expertise."

His attitude was not arrogant; in fact, his wording was quite polite, as if he were a challenger respectfully presenting a letter of challenge.

Even so, many students still looked grim and glared at his face.

It's unclear who first uttered the words "What's with the arrogance?" or "Who do you think you are?", but this single statement stirred up a storm. The wave of opposition swept towards Tenkuji Yuu, who had been widely praised not long ago, creating an extremely tense atmosphere. The teachers and instructors in the audience quickly stood up to maintain order.

"This is not only to prove that our organization has the strong ability to deal with all kinds of problems, but also to let you feel confident and at ease to come to us for help."

We also want to make this year's "Autumn Club Showcase" even more exciting, intense, and impactful, leaving everyone with a profound and special memory unlike any other year.

As for the excuses he used to appease the school, few people listened to them anymore.

As the emcee frantically looked around, trying to control the chaotic scene but unsure where to begin, Tenkuji Yu turned and handed him the microphone, adopting an indifferent expression as he prepared to leave the stage.

"Come on, if you dare!"

Suddenly I heard someone shout that; it seemed to be a passionate young man from some sports club.

After thinking for a moment, Yuu Tenkuji snatched the microphone back from the emcee's hand.

"The challenge is scheduled to begin at 11:00 AM, starting with the 'Cooking Research Club.' Anyone who wants to watch is welcome to come and observe."

He gazed at the other person, a slow smile playing on his lips.

He took a deep breath, his voice possessing a captivating magnetism, deep and earnest, completely drowning out the noise and chaos in the auditorium:

"I won't keep you waiting too long, I'll be right there."

As soon as he finished speaking, Tenkuji Yuu gracefully handed back the microphone and strode into the shadows backstage.

"..."

For some reason, an eerie silence fell over the auditorium. Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment, and the vaguely formed atmosphere of hostility inexplicably vanished.

△

<LINE: Service Department Chat Group>

Sky Temple: "To avoid trouble, I won't go back to the classroom. We'll meet directly in the clubroom later."

☆★Yui★☆: "Yu, are you alright? I feel like you've been targeted by some big shot..."

Yuki: "That's exactly how it is, Yuihama-san. But it would be more accurate to say she's a rat that everyone wants to kill."

Tenkuji: "Very well, I've decided to change the plan temporarily. Yukinoshita will go first for each challenge, and I'll go next if she loses. Let's see who can have the last laugh."

Snow:"……"

△

"Tenkuji-kun, your level of immaturity is actually proportional to your level of ability... I have to say, this is truly a regrettable thing."

The door to the Service Department was opened, and the Snow Woman, with her icy gaze, immediately said something.

Yuu Tenkuji lifted his gaze from his phone and glanced at it lazily.

"Yukinoshita, you can say you admire me directly. I don't mind having you as a fan."