Chapter 20: Even the Ice-Cold Yukinoshita Can't Cool Down Black Tea!
If a friend was very popular with girls, what would I do?
Hearing this question, Luke nodded thoughtfully.
Then he needed to reminisce, reminisce about his circle of friends—
A group of exorcists disliked by both people and dogs.
Except for Kasumizuki, the rest of them... though he felt bad saying it, besides 'ugly misfits', he couldn't think of a more fitting description for a moment.
After all, based on looks that could make children cry, they probably wouldn't be very popular with girls.
Then there was... Mikasa Ackerman and Annie Leonhart.
So... girls being close with other girls? That went against ethics and biology.
However, thinking about Annie coldly pushing away clingy girls, then flicking her brilliant golden hair like sunshine, telling the girls she already had someone in her heart, and...
Mikasa catching a tennis ball that appeared out of nowhere, protecting a startled girl in her arms, her calm eyes matching her concerned words, 'Are you okay?'
Seemed pretty good too... like hell.
"I'd definitely throw those girls away," Luke said firmly, having made up his mind.
Mikasa and Annie belonged to him alone; no one else was allowed to touch them, not even girls!
"?" Yukinoshita Yukino was somewhat surprised by his reply and asked, puzzled, "Why?"
Luke told her the reason he had just decided on.
"Sigh— I thought you had some unique reason, but is it still just single-celled thinking?" Yukinoshita Yukino helplessly poked her forehead.
"I meant, what would you do if it were a male friend?"
"I'd give them a free passage to the afterlife," Luke said, rubbing his palms together and pulling out a talisman.
A male friend? Even more unacceptable!
"Looks like your problems go beyond what Hiratsuka-sensei mentioned..."
Yukinoshita Yukino lowered her head, pressing her temples as if nursing a headache.
Luke turned his head with a smile, no longer just passing the time idly.
"Alright, stop teasing you... Isn't the question just what I would do if a male friend was particularly popular with girls?"
"Some people just love to play dumb, deliberately acting smart in front of me, but in reality, I've already seen right through them," Yukinoshita Yukino lamented in some foreign language.
Luke, not knowing what it meant, thought simply: Mm, I don't understand.
Although he wanted to ask what she meant, assuming it was mockery anyway, there was no need to seek humiliation by asking.
Luke touched the scalding cup.
"I never care about that kind of thing. Instead of feeling envious or jealous about such matters, it's better to focus on improving myself."
Yukinoshita Yukino looked at him in surprise.
"Unexpectedly, I didn't think you'd say that."
"Then what did you think I'd say?"
"Like a beast, take care of that person."
"This isn't Beika Town; the police here aren't a bunch of wimps, Yukinoshita," Luke took a small sip of black tea.
"So what about you? What would you do?"
Yukinoshita Yukino smiled faintly:
"Sorry, as I said before, I've always been the most popular one."
"To an outsider, this might seem like the best thing ever. But for the person caught in the vortex, it can only be described as a storm disrupting normal life."
Luke asked, "Why?"
Yukinoshita Yukino's smile gradually faded, yet she continued narrating in a flat tone, as if speaking of things that didn't happen to her:
"Because there are always some people who want to prove their existence in alternative ways."
"In elementary school, my indoor shoes were hidden nearly sixty times. Fifty of those times, they were hidden by girls in my class."
"So the remaining ten times were done by boys?" Luke asked.
"No, boys hid them three times, the teacher bought them twice, and five times they were hidden by a dog."
"A dog? That dog is way too bad. By the way, was it the same dog?" Luke grasped the key point.
"You're focusing on the wrong thing."
No, I really want to know this dog's story!
But asking Yukinoshita Yukino about the dog again would surely lead to mockery, Luke thought firmly.
Luke could only move on to the next topic.
"Then, selling indoor shoes to the teacher?"
"It was others who stole my shoes and sold them to those fools who thought putting their own child in my indoor shoes would make them as smart as me."
"Because of this, I have to bring my indoor shoes and recorder back and forth every day," Yukinoshita Yukino said this with a look of annoyance.
"..."
Even the well-traveled Luke felt a bit sweaty, saying helplessly, "You've certainly had it rough... hehe."
"But this is also unavoidable. After all, no one is perfect. Humans are weak, and their hearts are ugly. They approach others out of envy, and they get jealous enough of particularly outstanding people to band together and isolate them. Therefore, the more outstanding a person is, the harder their life is. Don't you think it's ironic? So, I want to change the world, change humanity."
Seeing the sincerity in Yukinoshita Yukino's eyes, her earnest attitude radiating outwards, Luke smiled.
He suddenly felt this club was quite good; at least the president was quite interesting.
"Are you mocking me for overestimating myself?" Yukinoshita Yukino asked coolly, looking at his smile.
"Of course not." Luke stood up, remembering Hiratsuka Shizuka's request to him.
"I think you're amazing... so I'll help you."
"Sorry, I don't need it," Yukinoshita Yukino refused flatly.
This person really is a big block of ice.
"No wonder you have no friends," Luke muttered, picking up the paper cup and opening the door to look left and right.
"Yukinoshita-san, since no one else is coming, I'll leave a bit early today. I've been clearing my list recently, and I have a client whose house is a bit far."
Behind him was still Yukinoshita Yukino's cool voice; she was long used to being alone.
"Please, feel free."
Perhaps this was Yukinoshita Yukino's attitude.
She excelled in academics and character, perfect in many aspects, possessing a unique attraction to both the same and opposite sex.
But she wouldn't dim her own light just because of the words and attitudes of those around her.
She wouldn't compromise herself to fit into the group, so the group wouldn't have a place for her either.
Luke tasted the black tea in the paper cup. It was still very hot.
Looks like even the ice-cold Yukinoshita couldn't cool down boiling black tea.
Mm, a pretty good sentence.
I'll write it in my Japanese literature homework next time.
...
"You used that talisman?"
Returning home after work, Luke was interrogated by Mikasa and Annie.
Unable to hide it, Luke could only nod faintly.
"Mm, yes. Didn't I tell you two this morning?"
Mikasa stood up. "In that case, you need some food to replenish your nutrients."
"Ah! No need, this is already plenty rich!"
Luke quickly stopped Mikasa.
"This is already a lot. I really don't want to eat leftovers tomorrow."
"I can eat them," Mikasa remained stubborn.
Luke cast a pleading look at Annie.
The blonde girl gently shook her head.
Luke didn't understand her meaning.
"We're out of meat at home," Annie said faintly.
Mikasa carefully searched the refrigerator, then gave up.
Well done. Luke gave Annie a satisfied nod of approval.
Whenever Mikasa saw him get hurt, she would take some unexpected actions.
He vaguely remembered the last time he was injured, Mikasa almost fed him to death.
After all, based on Mikasa's unreasonable physical constitution and simple values—when injured, eat more.
Annie also deeply detested the leftovers they ate during that period.
"What exactly happened?"
She threw out the question, successfully diverting Mikasa's attention.
Luke quickly summarized the morning's events, then cleverly didn't skip over the lap pillow Miura Yumiko had given him.
"Was it comfortable?" Annie asked about the lap pillow.
"Very nice," Luke confirmed.
The Master's meaning was clear: he hoped his maids would be a bit more proactive.
...
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