Just as Yamauchi Sakura recognized Yukinoshita Yukino, Yukinoshita also recognized her.
'A friend with a close relationship to Hojou Kyousuke.'
That was the conclusion Yukino arrived at after careful deliberation.
She refused to believe idle rumors—after all, she had been a victim of such gossip herself.
Making baseless judgments about things one doesn't fully understand or have evidence for went against her ideals of justice.
However, the part about their closeness was indisputable. Anyone with normal eyesight could see it.
"Please, have a seat."
Yukino gestured toward two chairs placed in the center of the room and walked over herself.
Since Hiratsuka had promised to help her find their first "client" soon, she had taken some time earlier to prepare the room for discussions.
Though "preparing" was a generous term, it was really just two desks and three chairs.
Two on one side near the teacher's platform, and one on the other.
All three sat down.
For most people, being on the opposite side of a setup like this might feel like a job interview or a disciplinary hearing.
But not Yukino.
While silence still filled the room, she began to analyze:
'Why did Yamauchi Sakura and Nishimiya Shouko come here?'
She observed the two girls in front of her.
One was curiously scanning the classroom, the other had her head slightly lowered, visibly nervous.
Despite her talk about understanding human nature, Yukino didn't have much real-world experience dealing with people.
But that wasn't something she was ashamed of.
Whether in Japan or abroad, her peers often seemed immature, constantly wrapped in lies.
For whatever reason, she couldn't bring herself to interact with them on a personal level.
Remaining calm and rational at all times—only then could one see past appearances and grasp the true essence of people and their intentions.
That belief was precisely why she agreed to rebrand the club as the "Service Club," taking on requests from fellow students.
Framing social interaction as a "request" rather than "relationship" gave her a logical reason to participate in things she would otherwise avoid—allowing her to observe human nature up close.
Based on her past experiences and current information, Yukino formed the following hypothesis:
'Yamauchi Sakura and Nishimiya Shouko are close friends of Hojou Kyousuke.'
'While they aren't in a romantic relationship with him, it's more than just friendship—in other words, they both have feelings for him.'
'I am the top student in school, both academically and in terms of appearance.'
'From a societal standpoint, it's generally believed that outstanding males tend to attract female attention.'
'Therefore: They've come to consult me about a love problem.'
"Is there something I can help you with?" she asked, despite her internal conclusion.
It would have been arrogant to just say it outright—her understanding of human nature was far from perfect and still needed honing.
"We're just checking out clubs, really. We followed the stairs and ended up on the fourth floor," Sakura replied cheerfully. It wasn't something worth hiding.
Shouko nodded repeatedly beside her.
Yukino easily determined they were telling the truth, and her eyebrows knit slightly.
'As I thought, I still have a long way to go in reading people. I lack experience and case studies.'
After a moment's thought, she offered a candid admission: "Apologies. I had assumed you were here to consult me about a love issue."
"Consult?"
"Love issue?"
Both Sakura and Shouko looked at her in confusion.
"Yes. As you can see, this club is called the 'Service Club.' Our purpose is to offer help to those facing problems."
After saying that, Yukino turned her gaze to Shouko.
"My assumption about a love issue came from past experience," she added, her tone calm and analytical.
Sakura and Shouko exchanged glances.
Suddenly, the rumors about a supernatural club didn't sound so far-fetched.
A club on the quiet, isolated fourth floor, with an odd mission and a single, strikingly beautiful member—everything about it screamed strange.
"It's just that, back in middle school, a lot of girls used to come to me with love problems," Yukino continued, having noticed the girls' confusion.
After all, they were her first visitors—it was only natural to explain things clearly.
Her tone even carried a hint of pride as she straightened her posture.
"But… love is a pretty personal topic. Isn't it the kind of thing you'd only talk about in private?"
Sakura had plenty of experience herself giving relationship advice to friends.
And here they were—two people, visiting together.
Even if Shouko didn't fully understand, she trusted Sakura's judgment and nodded along.
"Yes, if someone were genuinely seeking help with love problems, it'd typically be a one-on-one conversation," Yukino admitted, her earlier pride fading slightly.
"But in my case, the source of their troubles... was me."
Sakura's expression lit up in that unmistakable way that signaled she'd just found something amusing.
She tried her best to keep it in check, while beside her, Shouko's fear of ghosts had been entirely replaced with curiosity.
"When girls talk to other girls about their love lives, it's often to stake a claim. Once someone says who they like, others will usually back off—it's a declaration of ownership."
"And if someone confesses to the same person after that, she's branded a villain. Even if the guy makes the move, it's the same."
Yukino's voice took on a bitter, scornful tone.
In Sakura's mind, it was as if dark flames were flickering behind the girl.
"Seriously… why was I treated like that? Just because I wasn't like them, head over heels from a simple soccer goal."
"Just because I wasn't blinded by hormones. They'll probably never understand that," Yukino muttered, letting out a quiet sigh.
Looking back, the sting of those memories had dulled, replaced by a more rational reflection.
But her lack of real experience still showed—she didn't have time to play those childish games.
At first, she had straightforwardly told a girl that she didn't even know the boy in question.
But that girl had accused her of lying and demanded, "If you like him, just admit it! Why lie?"
Yukino had been baffled.
Why would anyone assume everyone knows and likes the same person?
She hadn't lied.
The second time, she withheld her answer and observed the boy carefully.
Later, she presented the girl with a long list of the boy's flaws and clearly stated she would never fall for someone like him.
Unbelievably, the girl had shouted, "You're awful!" and ran off in tears.
Once again, Yukino found herself ostracized by the entire class.
The third time, a boy she'd never even interacted with confessed to her—and she ended up labeled "pretentious."
The fourth time…
And so on.
'Honestly, these love games girls play are just childish. And I don't feel anything for those random boys either,' Yukino concluded.
Although it was just a small case, it still supported her long-held belief: "The more talented a person is, the more they suffer."
Even if they do nothing, the world's malice still pours down on them.
"Yukinoshita-san…" After recovering from her surprise, Shouko looked at her with sympathy.
Yes, if it had been someone else, they probably would've gone to great lengths to hide such a painful experience—an incident so traumatic they'd want to transfer schools.
But Yukinoshita spoke about it openly, without a hint of hesitation.
"So, you thought we came here to declare our ownership over Kyousuke?" Yamauchi Sakura chuckled gleefully after saying this.
Yukinoshita frowned again, completely unable to understand what was so funny.
Logically speaking, if it were true, the other party should be ashamed.
If it weren't, she should be angry at such a baseless accusation.
"Sorry, sorry," Sakura said with a grin. "It's just, most of the girls who come to me for love advice are genuinely at a loss, hoping someone can give them strength. This is the first time I've heard something like that."
Yukinoshita Yukino fell silent, her brows tightening even more.
Given Sakura's appearance, which was no less striking than her own, it was impossible she hadn't experienced something similar.
After two minutes of thought, she still couldn't come up with an answer.
Yet, a faint sense of satisfaction bloomed in her chest—solving a mystery meant progress in her ability to understand others.
It reaffirmed that founding this club had been the right choice.
"Why is that?" she asked sincerely.
"Hmm... maybe because I went to an all-girls school?" Sakura scratched her head.
"..." Yukinoshita sighed.
"What about Shou-chan? You're so cute—have you ever experienced something like what Yukinoshita described?" Sakura turned to Shouko.
From what she'd heard, even though Shouko wore hearing aids, she had no problem following conversations.
She must've been quite popular at school.
Across from her, Yukinoshita also temporarily forgot that she was supposed to be the one offering guidance, her pale blue eyes turning curiously toward Nishimiya Shouko.
"Ah~?" Shouko gave a small gasp, startled by the sudden shift in topic.
But she had also gone to an all-girls middle school…
She glanced at Yukinoshita, only to be startled by those calm, translucent eyes—eyes that looked as though they could see straight through a person.
She quickly turned to Sakura instead, but was met with an equally intense gaze filled with curiosity.
Flustered, she looked down shyly.
After some hesitation and a few stammers, Shouko spoke:
"At first, there were boys from other schools who came to confess… and then some girls too, saying weird things."
"I didn't understand what was going on at all—it scared me, and I had no idea what to do. Luckily, Naoka was there with me. She's amazing. She told those girls…"
Her cheeks flushed pink as she trailed off.
She snuck a glance up at Yukinoshita with a shy, upward gaze.
'Why are you looking at me?' Yukinoshita thought, puzzled.
"Ohhh, I get it now," Sakura giggled knowingly.
"What exactly is going on?" Yukinoshita pressed, beginning to feel like she was the only one not understanding.
But that couldn't be.
Academic performance doesn't equate to intelligence—but when it comes to survival, those who walk alone by choice are usually smarter. That's how she saw it.
"Naoka told them that the person I dated was Kyousuke-kun. Later, He treated everyone to a meal to thank them for looking out for me. After that, nothing like that happened again," Shouko finished shyly.
That kind of thing was easy to share with Sakura, but saying it in front of Yukinoshita made her feel incredibly embarrassed.
"I see. So, someone marked their territory for you," Yukinoshita said, nodding in understanding.
"Ah~! Don't say it like that…" Shouko mumbled, flustered, though it wasn't exactly wrong.
After that incident, her classmates at school constantly asked her how she ended up with Kyousuke-kun. Embarrassing… but also kind of nice.
"I was the same in elementary school," Sakura added proudly. "No boys ever dared mess with me. Even if I hit them, they wouldn't dare hit back."
There was no need to ask—Yukinoshita had already heard that Yamauchi Sakura and Hojou Kyousuke were childhood friends.
It was one reason she disliked girls who obsessed over romance games.
Instead of gossiping, they should be improving themselves—becoming the center of attention, not just talking about others.
Of course, that applied only to girls who cared about gossip.
Yukinoshita worked on herself purely out of perfectionism.
The sense of fulfillment she felt from personal growth was enough to ease her loneliness and make her efforts feel worthwhile.
Still, relying on others like that?
It wasn't something she could accept.
At best, it was an experience she could file away and offer to others during counseling.
Besides… there was a huge condition to that kind of approach—the guy being used as a shield had to be overwhelmingly strong.
So strong and impressive that no other guy would dare approach, and girls would be too awed to feel jealous or think of competing.
Yes… that was essential.
He had to be so exceptional that others felt ashamed in comparison and couldn't imagine being worthy of him.
As she thought about this, Yukinoshita concluded that Hojou did, indeed, qualify.
"Thank you for sharing," she said with a polite nod.
"Is there anything else you want to know about the Service Club?" she added.
"Let's not rush things. We haven't even introduced ourselves properly yet," Sakura pointed out.
"Right. I'm Yukinoshita Yukino, Class 1-J, president of the Service Club."
Yukinoshita gave a small nod.
Their conversation had flowed so naturally that she had forgotten this basic courtesy.
But this also made her realize something: Yamauchi Sakura's ability to avoid the kind of treatment she had suffered likely wasn't just thanks to Hojou.
Even in this short interaction, Yukinoshita could sense the girl's radiant personality—like a sun.
Her own eyes could see through lies and pettiness, but Sakura was different.
She shone so brightly that darkness withered in her presence, leaving only light and warmth around her.
'Why is that?' Yukinoshita wondered.
Everyone starts with a pure heart, but life inevitably paints it with stains of disappointment.
Once enough of those accumulate, the sunlight fades and can't shine like it once did.
Had Yamauchi Sakura never experienced anything bad?
Expressionless, Yukinoshita watched the dazzling girl across from her, wondering.
"I'm Yamauchi Sakura, Class 1-F, vice-president of the Happy Living Club!" Sakura declared proudly, puffing out her chest.
"I'm Nishimiya Shouko, also from Class 1-F… um, just a regular club member," Shouko added softly, still unsure why two students just visiting were suddenly introducing their club affiliations.
Yukinoshita gave a slight nod and waited for an answer to her earlier question.
"Actually, we're looking for another interesting club to join," Sakura said. "If you don't mind, could you tell us the purpose behind your club?"
"The original goal of this club was to uphold my absolute sense of justice and to prepare for creating a fair society in the future."
"But under the suggestion of Hiratsuka Shizuka-sensei, we revised it: the wealthy should give to the poor out of compassion, and the gifted should use their surplus ability to support the average, thereby eliminating injustice in the world."
Shouko blinked.
Then blinked again.
She clearly didn't understand a word.
Sakura stared blankly for a few seconds—then burst out laughing.
"Yamauchi-san, I don't think this is something to laugh at," Yukinoshita said, clearly displeased.
She had no patience for those who constantly went on about "youth" and "dreams" with empty words.
But she was different.
She was a realist who took action and worked toward her ideals.
"Sorry, sorry. I wasn't mocking you. I was just amazed—your passion is kind of overwhelming," Sakura said.
"Yes, it is indeed a noble dream." Yukinoshita accepted the praise without hesitation.
That only made Shouko stare at her more strangely. Most people…
"Yukinoshita-san, you really are something else. Most people would just chuckle awkwardly and say, 'Oh, it's just a silly daydream,' but you didn't even flinch."
"You're like a perfectly programmed robot—completely honest," Sakura said, voicing exactly what Shouko had been thinking.
Shouko nodded furiously.
"Firstly, there's nothing shameful about it. Secondly, lies don't benefit anyone," Yukinoshita said with a shake of her head.
She knew people couldn't truly grasp the scale of her dream.
That's why this path was destined to be a lonely one, unsupported by anyone.
"No, see, if someone else had said that, it'd sound like a cringe fantasy or just someone trying to get attention. But coming from you, Yukinoshita-san… it's honestly moving," Sakura said with a shake of her head.
Speaking of "absolute justice" required conviction—if it came from someone lacking integrity, it would only make them look like a fool.
"Are you trying to flatter me?" Yukinoshita asked flatly.
"Haha, exactly. You even ask that kind of thing directly—you really can't lie," Sakura laughed.
She felt she had finally found a club worth joining.
The girl in front of her didn't sugarcoat anything, but she never lied either.
Her sharp tongue reminded her of her senpai at home, Kasumigaoka—but unlike Yukinoshita, that senpai wasn't above the occasional fib.
Though, that was part of her charm too.
"Totally agree. I've never met anyone like Yukinoshita-san before," Shouko chimed in.
She knew lying was bad, but in real life, sometimes it was necessary.
Even she had lied—like when someone asked if she was jealous after seeing Kyousuke with another girl.
She'd smiled and shaken her head, hiding how much it hurt.
But Sakura…
"This is the foundation of justice. If everyone could just be honest and say what they really think, 90% of the world's problems would be resolved quickly," Yukinoshita declared.
Sakura fell silent for a moment, then looked seriously at the girl across from her.
At first, she had thought Yukinoshita was simply perfect.
But now she saw the fatal flaw in this beautiful gem. Her relentless pursuit of perfection would only bring trouble.
That story about a girl seeking love advice—that was probably just the tip of the iceberg.
"With your intellect, Yukinoshita-san, surely you knew that simply saying 'I have someone I like' would've resolved that girl's issue instantly, right? And it wouldn't even be a lie—family members can count as people you love too."
Shouko turned toward Sakura, puzzled by what she meant.
"That wouldn't be right. Twisting logic doesn't change the facts. The only correct approach to a problem is to face it directly and find a proper solution," Yukinoshita replied calmly.
She wasn't offended—she liked discussions like this.
In debate, ideas clashed, and one's true thoughts surfaced.
Changing the world required changing people's weaknesses—and this was a chance to change Yamauchi Sakura.
"But what's wrong with that? The girl would've felt relieved, you'd have avoided trouble with Shizuka-sensei, and everyone would've stayed on good terms. Everyone wins."
"If your solution is unjust, then the whole thing is flawed. Sooner or later, it'll come back to bite you," Yukinoshita said, arms crossed, her voice cold as the arctic wind.
"So the real issue is… how you define justice, right?"
For some reason, Yamauchi Sakura—who usually hated debates and thought they were a waste of time—was now fired up.
"…"
The debate continued.
Sakura…
Shouko had been listening intently at first, but then she realized—Sakura felt like a stranger.
Her words were sharper now, even harsh, like those experts in TV debates arguing endlessly over trivial things.
The cheerful, always-smiling Sakura was still smiling… but it was a different kind of smile.
The kind she saw on managers negotiating with talent agencies.
It was a grown-up smile.
The exchange of words continued.
Shouko couldn't understand why the usually gentle Sakura was being so harsh with someone she just met.
It had started as a casual chat, but now…
And Yukinoshita was equally mysterious.
Her expressionless face was so beautiful.
Just like her name—Yuki no Shita. Beneath the snow.
Her beauty was untouchable, unattainable. All one could do was marvel at her.
Surrounded by a cold aura, she seemed so pure that getting close might leave you frostbitten.
What felt like a fierce debate to Shouko might just be a regular conversation to her.
"Ah, sorry, Shou-chan! I totally forgot you were here. My bad. How about you go find Kyousuke first? I'll come meet you later," Sakura said, sensing Shouko's long gaze and turning around to apologize with her hands together.
At the mention of Kyousuke-kun, Shouko's boredom disappeared.
It had already been a week since school started, and she still hadn't seen Kyousuke-kun practice.
She was excited.
"But… we haven't decided which club to join yet," she hesitated. She had promised to stick with Sakura.
"It's fine, we've already looked around. We can talk more tonight," Sakura said, standing up and taking Shouko's hand to help her decide.
"Okay~ Then I'll head over to the kendo club. Hurry up, okay? Didn't we say we'd check out that new sushi place tonight?"
After giving Sakura a detailed reminder, Shouko turned back to Yukinoshita and bowed slightly with a smile.
"See you next time, Yukinoshita-san. Thanks for having me."
"…Yeah."
Faced with such a sweet girl, Yukinoshita forced a small smile.
After Shouko left, the previously heated debate cooled to silence.
Yukinoshita looked at the girl across from her.
With her intelligence, it was clear Sakura had sent Nishimiya Shouko away because she had something she wanted to say privately.
So Yukinoshita waited in silence.
The air grew awkward.
Normally, someone would laugh nervously and change the subject.
But the two of them just sat there, locked in a silent stare, like they were in a competitive staring contest.
'If it's Kyousuke, he'll definitely win the championship,' Yamauchi Sakura thought cheerfully.
He lived by an unshakable belief in "absolute justice"—never telling lies, never forgiving even his own weaknesses.
No matter the obstacle, he would face it head-on, never resorting to evasive maneuvers or detours.
In human relationships, a little white lie or gentle avoidance is often necessary—just like that topic they had debated earlier.
Anyone with basic social skills would know how to handle it.
There are countless ways to go about it, but none of them involve being like Yukinoshita.
Did she know her way of dealing with things was flawed?
Sakura was sure that, with her intelligence, Yukinoshita had figured it out.
But she still refused to change.
Whether it was her stubborn sense of "absolute justice" or the shadows of past wounds, she chose to keep walking that lonely road—fully aware it wasn't the right one.
Just like her name, Yuki-no-shita no Yuki—"the snow beneath the snow"—beautiful and pure, yet wrapped in an endless cold and solitude.
No one could truly understand her, because no one else was so perfectly, painfully "right."
This personality trait might be Yukinoshita's only flaw.
And yet, for Sakura, it was exactly what she was looking for.
After a long chain of careful deductions, Sakura reached a conclusion: someone as calm, cool, and rational as Yukinoshita Yukino would never do something wrong simply because of a moment of emotion.
"You said the mission of this club is to lend a hand to those in need, right?"
"That's right," Yukinoshita replied, nodding slightly, a flicker of expectation in her eyes.
"Then… may I make a request, too?"
"If you're facing a problem."
Her words claimed a willingness to help—but her voice still felt like falling snow in the dead of winter, a cold that sank straight to the heart.
But to someone who truly needed help, that winter snow could just as easily become a dazzling aurora.
Sakura pressed her lips together, a soft smile forming.
"One day, I hope… you'll save Hojou Kyousuke."
Her voice was quiet, so different from the energetic girl she usually was.
Even Kyousuke—her childhood friend of countless years, practically the author of a "Yamauchi Sakura Encyclopedia"—would be shocked if he saw her now.
"Hojou Kyousuke?" Yukinoshita repeated, confused.
"Mm-hmm. There's only one Kyousuke in the world," Sakura said with a gentle smile.
Yukinoshita instinctively started running through the list of "Hojous" she had met. But then it hit her—this was Sakura's world she was talking about.
"What kind of trouble is he in?"
"Oh, Kyousuke's invincible. There's nothing in the world that could trouble him."
At that, Sakura's voice regained its usual brightness.
...
Yukinoshita detested liars, and equally despised people who spoke in riddles.
She hated having her time wasted with vague, evasive conversations.
But considering this was her first client—and that the conversation had actually provided good practice for her ongoing study of "human nature manipulation"—she decided to hold back her annoyance.
"What exactly do you mean by 'one day'? What kind of hardship will Hojou Kyousuke face? If it's some undefined future risk, the best course is to remove it ahead of time."
"Even banks can't promise your savings will be safe, and I can't promise I'll be around the moment he needs help. I can't accept a request this vague."
"Hahaha, you really are dependable, Yukinoshita-san," Sakura laughed. Even vague nonsense was instantly dissected by her.
"Actually… I'm dying."
"...Huh?"
"I'm scared that after I die, Kyousuke will act out of impulse and do something reckless. That's why I want you to stop him."
"...What?"
"I know it might sound arrogant, but even someone as calm as him—when that time comes—he'll lose his head. Someone like you, who lives by principle... I thought maybe you could—"
"Wait!"
Yukinoshita suddenly raised her voice, so loud it startled even herself.
Her heart was pounding, though she didn't know why.
Was this a joke? She looked at Sakura's smiling face, trying to read her.
No... it wasn't.
Though she always believed in preparing for the worst, Sakura had given her such a warm, sunlike impression up to this point.
Yukinoshita wanted to believe she was telling the truth.
But how? How could someone facing death speak so lightly?
"What do you mean, you're dying?" she asked, her usually calm voice now noticeably shaken.
Luckily, Sakura's emotions were also running high—otherwise Yukinoshita might've reached a very different conclusion.
"Pancreatic cancer," she said plainly.
She unlocked her phone, opened a hidden folder, and handed it to Yukinoshita.
Yukinoshita took it and began reading the report carefully.
"It was detected very early. The surgery went perfectly. As long as you pass the five-year danger zone, you'll be fine. You could live another ten years or more if you're lucky. Then why... why make this request now?"
"Eh? Yukinoshita-san, you can understand this?" Sakura blinked in surprise.
"This was written for general patients. It uses simple language. I don't need to understand all the medical data—just the conclusion. I'd say anyone of average intelligence could grasp it."
Yukinoshita didn't understand.
What was this girl thinking? At a time like this, how could she still joke around?
"Anyway, I can't accept your request. Three years from now, odds are you'll still be full of life. By then, we won't be classmates anymore. This service club won't even exist."
Yet Sakura just kept smiling, unaffected by the shift in Yukinoshita's tone.
"Then let's revise the request, shall we?"