Hazuki Yasuo couldn't keep paying attention to Hozuki Nozomi.
After all, he was an exchange student from Toshobu High School, and adapting to Sobu High School while getting along with his new classmates was his main priority. He couldn't afford to bring shame to his school.
So, during the breaks between classes, he refrained from approaching Nozomi again.
Finally, it was lunchtime.
Nozomi, ever the proactive one, strolled over to Yasuo and Tsukimi with his usual composed smile and extended an invitation.
"Hose, Tsukimi-san, it's lunch break now. If you don't mind, why don't I show you around the school? There are a few places you might find interesting."
Yasuo grinned at the use of his nickname. "Sounds great! I'll leave it to you."
Tsukimi, on the other hand, simply nodded slightly, her acceptance more reserved but clear nonetheless.
"Why don't we check out the library first? Sumireko likes to spend time there," Nozomi suggested casually.
In truth, Sumireko was nowhere near the library—she was in the Service Club room. But Yasuo didn't need to know that yet.
Yasuo's eyes lit up immediately, his excitement palpable. "Good idea! I haven't seen Sumireko in so long."
He didn't even notice the way Tsukimi's expression darkened slightly at his reaction.
Yasuo's unwavering affection for Sanshokuin Sumireko had always been a source of frustration for her. Even though she and Senior Sakurahara Momo had always been by his side, he never seemed to acknowledge their feelings.
And now, as usual, his mind was consumed solely by thoughts of Sumireko.
"Alright, let's get going!" Nozomi announced.
Without missing a beat, he took the lead. If Yasuo didn't care to notice Tsukimi's disheartened look, Nozomi certainly wouldn't be the one to point it out.
As they walked, an energetic figure suddenly popped out from the hallway.
"Oh? What a coincidence!"
A playful voice called out, drawing their attention.
"Hey, Hose-kun! Tsukimi-san!" The girl beamed before shifting her gaze toward Nozomi with faux curiosity. "And this is…?"
Sakurahara Momo.
The Student Council President of Toshobu High School, and a woman who exuded charm with every movement.
Her presence alone was enough to command attention, but as she shifted her weight slightly, the movement caused her well-endowed chest to bounce just enough to be noticeable.
Nozomi raised an eyebrow slightly at the obvious display but maintained his polite smile.
Yasuo, completely unfazed, beamed back and took it upon himself to introduce them.
"This is Hozuki Nozomi, Class F's representative. Nozomi, meet Sakurahara Momo, our esteemed Student Council President. We all call her 'Cherry-senpai.'"
Momo's lips curled into a teasing smirk as she extended a delicate hand towards Nozomi. "Nice to meet you, Nozomi-kun. Please take care of me."
Her playful demeanor was unmistakable.
Nozomi reciprocated the handshake smoothly, his tone light but confident. "The pleasure is mine, Cherry-senpai. I hope we get along."
"Oh, I'm sure we will~"
Momo's smile didn't waver, but there was a glint in her eyes as she observed him.
Interesting.
"Since we've all met now, why don't we check out the library together?" Nozomi suggested. "Sobu High's collection is quite extensive. I'm not sure if you enjoy reading, but I picked up the habit thanks to Sumireko. If there's somewhere else you'd rather go, though, feel free to let me know."
Yasuo immediately perked up at the mention of Sumireko.
"No, no, the library sounds great!" He responded a little too eagerly. "I haven't seen Sumireko in ages."
Momo, catching onto Nozomi's subtle jab, chuckled. "Oh? We've been friends with Sumireko since junior high, you know. She's a special girl."
Nozomi nodded knowingly. "Yes, I know. Sumireko told me all about it. In junior high, she was really grateful for the way Cherry-senpai and Tsukimi-san took care of her. If either of you ever need anything, please let me know. Consider it my way of repaying your kindness on her behalf."
His tone was smooth, casual—yet it had the intended effect.
Yasuo's expression darkened slightly.
Momo and Tsukimi, on the other hand, appeared slightly embarrassed.
Seriously, could he stop bringing up Sumireko while sounding so much like her boyfriend?
Regardless, Nozomi continued leading the group toward the library.
However, Sanshokuin Sumireko was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the acting librarian for the day was Kawasaki Saki, who was already used to managing the library in Sumireko's absence.
"Oi, Kawasaki-san, on duty again today? Where's Sumireko?" Nozomi asked casually.
Kawasaki Saki rolled her eyes. This guy really had a habit of asking questions he already knew the answer to. Still, she responded anyway.
"Sanshokuin-san is at the clubroom. I'm just filling in for her at the moment."
She cast a somewhat complicated glance at Nozomi. There was gratitude, admiration, and even a trace of emotion she wasn't fully aware of herself.
Yesterday, Kawasaki Saki had met with Yukinoshita Haruno, the eldest daughter of the Yukinoshita family, at Nozomi's arrangement. That meeting had set things in motion.
During the day, she still attended school like normal, but in the afternoons, during club activities, she would follow Haruno to observe the world of business firsthand. Of course, there was no official salary—she was still a student, after all. But this setup gave Haruno a reason to hand over the money Nozomi had provided.
As for the business itself, it was all related to the game company. The SAO virtual reality game was already in its testing phase, and soon, the public beta would be released. The dawn of full-dive gaming was right around the corner.
Even without a paycheck, being personally mentored by Yukinoshita Haruno was an invaluable opportunity—one that money couldn't buy.
After hearing Kawasaki Saki's response, Nozomi turned to Hazuki Yasuo with an apologetic look.
"Ah, my bad. I completely forgot Sumireko joined a club yesterday. Looks like she won't be coming to the library much for a while."
Hazuki Yasuo's face fell with disappointment. It was clear he'd been looking forward to seeing Sumireko.
Sakurahara Momo tilted her head in curiosity. "Nozomi-kun, can I ask what club Sumireko joined?"
"Of course," Nozomi answered easily. "It's called the Service Club, run by Yukinoshita Yukino from Class J. Their goal is to help students solve problems, kind of like the legendary Yorozuya. Though, as of now, they haven't received a single request."
Tsukimi glanced at him. "You seem to know a lot about it."
Nozomi chuckled. "Well, yeah. I'm also a member."
Rather than dwell on that, Nozomi changed the subject smoothly. "Anyway, since we're here, let me give you a rundown of how the library is managed at Sobu High. Maybe you'll find some differences from Toshobu High School."
"There's no harm in exchanging ideas and learning from each other, right?" he added with a smile.
With no reason to refuse, Hazuki Yasuo and the others could only nod in agreement.
Thus, the group spent their lunch break in the library.
Nozomi's lunch was a lovingly prepared bento from Sayu. Meanwhile, Hazuki Yasuo had received bentos from both Tsukimi and Sakurahara Momo.
Seeing this, Nozomi let out a lighthearted sigh. "Damn, Hose-kun, getting bentos from two beautiful girls at the same time? You must be pretty popular."
Hazuki Yasuo scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "It's nothing special. Compared to you, I think the guys in our class envy you more."
Nozomi smirked. "Let them be jealous. Doesn't bother me."
Then, as if just remembering something, he added, "By the way, Hose-kun, what do you think of Senpai Sakura and Tsukimi?"
Hearing his question, both Tsukimi and Sakurahara Momo instinctively held their breath, subconsciously looking toward Hazuki Yasuo for his answer.
Hazuki Yasuo responded naturally, "They're both beautiful and talented, of course. But don't misunderstand, we're just friends."
"Sakura-senpai is really popular back at Toshobu High. She even has a fan club," he continued. "As for Tsukimi, being my childhood friend, she has plenty of admirers too."
"Haha, I don't know why, but they've never dated anyone."
Tsukimi and Sakurahara Momo both rolled their eyes in unison.
What an idiot.
Hearing his response felt like being stabbed in the heart.
They had turned down so many suitors and stayed by his side all this time, yet he still didn't get it?
*************************
"Yorozuya" (寄屋) is a Japanese term that translates to "a shop that does everything" or "a general store." In the context of popular culture, particularly in the anime and manga series "Gintama," the term refers to a business run by the main character, Gintoki Sakata, where he takes on various odd jobs, often with humorous or absurd results. The concept embodies the idea of a place where one can request a wide range of services, reflecting versatility and adaptability.