Yukinoshita’s Method of Correction [22]

Yukinoshita Yukino had seen this coming.

Higashigumo Sugi’s habitual reliance on formalities came from an emptiness inside him. Unable to even confirm his own existence, he could only wrap himself in outward mimicry.

In essence, it was no different from Zaimokuza Yoshiteru acting out the settings he’d created for himself.

If there was any real difference, it was that Higashigumo’s self-made “setting” was just that of an ordinary student, while Zaimokuza’s was that of a superpowered student.

Judging by how Higashigumo would even change into a butler’s uniform just to do Service Club work, Yukinoshita was certain: when faced with Zaimokuza’s chuunibyou antics, he’d instantly switch into the same chuunibyou mode himself.

That was Yukinoshita’s assessment.

And reality, as usual, matched her expectations.

“This…” Yuigahama Yui stared, wide-eyed. “That’s it? That’s all it takes?”

“Simple as can be.” Higashigumo made a pinching gesture with his fingers. “This is the Service Club, not an interrogation room. If he doesn’t want to talk, just let him go home and think it over.”

“That’s obviously not acceptable.” Yukinoshita Yukino’s brows knit slightly. “This is the Service Club. Since he came here, we can’t just let him leave like that.”

“I didn’t make him leave,” Higashigumo corrected her. “He left on his own.”

“You guided him out with your words.” Yukinoshita shot him a look. “You’re avoiding his problem—and you’re teaching him to avoid his problem, too.”

“Um…” Yuigahama pointed to the round window on the door. “I don’t think he’s actually left.”

Higashigumo pulled open the door, and sure enough, Zaimokuza Yoshiteru was still outside.

“Ahem,” Zaimokuza avoided everyone’s gaze. “I… after much consideration, I…”

Higashigumo was just about to strike a pose when Yukinoshita cut in, “In short, what you want is to be cured of this mental burden, right?”

“Well, I…” Zaimokuza turned to Higashigumo. “I heard of this place thanks to Hiratsuka-sensei, so I came… my friend Higashigumo, as fate would have it, I shall…”

“I’m talking to you right now.” Yukinoshita’s voice was as cold as ice. “Not him.”

“One day apart feels like three years,” Higashigumo said with a mock bow. “Please, after you.”

So Zaimokuza sat back down in his previous seat. “I…”

Yukinoshita’s gaze turned even frostier. “Don’t talk like that.”

Zaimokuza instantly clammed up.

“Why are you wearing a coat?” Yukinoshita looked him up and down. “You’re supposed to wear your uniform at school.”

“This is one of my twelve sacred artifacts. After I was reborn in this world, I specially had it remade to fit this body—”

“Watch your words,” Yukinoshita folded her arms.

“Uh…” Zaimokuza shrank in on himself. “Yes, ma’am.”

“And those half-finger gloves?” Yukinoshita latched onto a new detail. “They don’t even protect your fingertips.”

“Ah, well… that’s another of my inherited sacred artifacts. Special gauntlets that can shoot steel wire. The fingertips are left exposed for better control, so I—”

Yukinoshita’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

Zaimokuza’s words died on his lips.

“Higashigumo…” Yuigahama whispered, “are we sure this isn’t actually an interrogation room?”

If you ask me, at this point… Higashigumo began—

Yukinoshita shot him a deadly glare.

“I mean… if we keep grilling him like this, it really will become an interrogation room.” Without anyone to play along, Higashigumo lost his enthusiasm for solo performances. “Zaimokuza, is there anything I can actually help with?”

“Uh… I wrote a light novel. I want to submit it for a newcomer’s award,” Zaimokuza cleared his throat, embarrassed. “But I don’t have any friends, so I’ve never heard anyone’s opinion. I wanted to ask if someone could read it for me.”

Yuigahama tilted her head. “You just said something kind of heartbreaking like it was nothing at all…”

“You really ought to find actual light novel readers for feedback.” Higashigumo was blunt. “Which one of us looks like a light novel fan to you?”

Zaimokuza glanced around.

A gym rat who hardly ever showed up for class.

An elegant, imposing, rich girl with the air of a queen.

A flashy, perfectly made-up socialite beauty.

None of them looked like light novel readers, that was for sure.

“Aren’t there all those weird websites?” Yuigahama suggested. “You could post it online, let people review it.”

“No way,” Zaimokuza refused flatly. “People on the internet are way too blunt. If I got completely torn apart, I might actually die.”

Online, since nobody knows each other, people speak without restraint.

Classmates, at least, might try to soften their words.

Or so you’d think.

But…

Higashigumo glanced at Yukinoshita.

Yukinoshita only looked back, puzzled.

Even though Higashigumo had a bad feeling about this, since Zaimokuza had asked, the Service Club couldn’t just turn him away.

The next day, when Higashigumo came to the clubroom again, he had a sense of foreboding.

Today, the Service Club really might turn into an interrogation room.

He just hadn’t expected the “interrogation room” would come with such a beautiful view.

Yukinoshita Yukino was sitting in her usual seat—not reading, as she normally did, but dozing with her eyes closed.

The desk was right in front of her, yet she didn’t lean forward on it. Her hands rested on her lap, her posture perfectly straight. Her head bobbed slightly with sleep, and her silky black hair swayed gently with her movements.

Normally, if Higashigumo looked her way for more than a second or two, it’d be like declaring war.

But now, he’d been watching for several moments, and Yukinoshita remained perfectly quiet.

Her closed eyes, for once, lacked their usual coldness. For the first time, Higashigumo noticed how long her eyelashes were, curved and delicate, catching the sunlight in a soft, shimmering haze.

Her snow-pale face was free of its usual sternness, her pink lips not pressed into their usual tight line. The whole aura around her had grown softer.

For a moment, Higashigumo couldn’t even reconcile this image with the Yukinoshita he thought he knew.

…Mm. Her lips parted slightly. Yukinoshita opened her eyes, her dazed expression lasting only a split second before vanishing completely. “I was just wondering why I was having a nightmare. Turns out you’d arrived.”

“I was wondering why the temperature suddenly dropped.” At last, Higashigumo managed to connect the person in front of him to the one in his memory. “Turns out you woke up.”

As always, the Service Club was perfectly harmonious.

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This is a fan translation of 雪之下的矫正方式 by 微凉温热 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!