Yukinoshita’s Method of Correction [10]

As he sipped his cola, Higashigumo Sugi went over the situation in his mind.

Since entering high school, Yuigahama Yui had started experimenting with makeup and fashion. Her appearance had changed quite a bit.

You could tell from her makeup—it still had that slightly clumsy, novice feel.

Higashigumo didn’t have much personal experience with makeup, but he’d been around it often enough at work to know. Yuigahama’s style wasn’t refined yet; she hadn’t found the look that truly suited her.

A lighter touch would probably suit her better.

As for Sagami Minami—she was a classmate. Seeing Yuigahama becoming prettier, it wasn’t hard to imagine she’d grown envious and started giving her the cold shoulder.

Logically, that checked out.

Since her close friend Kaori was in the Crafts Club, Yuigahama visited the club often—and caught Satou’s attention.

Satou had picked up her plushie and let her see that he had it—but refused to return it. Likely trying to get her attention.

Juvenile? Sure. But not impossible.

Because of her personality, Yuigahama worried too much about maintaining her relationships. That’s what trapped her in this spiral of anxiety.

Even if they managed to retrieve the plushie without upsetting anyone, she'd still wind up caught in the same type of emotional entanglement.

That was “giving a girl a fish.”

But if she could stop tiptoeing around others and learn to voice her thoughts clearly, those kinds of anxieties would stop recurring.

That was “teaching a girl to fish.”

Based on the information they had and her past experiences, Yukinoshita Yukino’s analysis was sound. Her proposed solution was also correct.

But...

Higashigumo couldn’t shake a lingering sense of wrongness. A low-grade discomfort he couldn’t ignore.

It felt a bit like... listening to a boss selling dreams.

Every coin has two sides. You need to be down-to-earth. Don’t compare yourself to others—focus on your own growth. Keep your eyes on the long game. Success comes to those who prepare. Let yourself bloom, and the breeze will come...

All reasonable. All technically true.

Urp—

But just remembering it made him feel bloated.

“Yah!”

A sharp exhale snapped him from his thoughts. He instinctively raised a hand and blocked the incoming punch.

Hiratsuka Shizuka followed up with a left hook.

He leaned back just enough to avoid it, passed his soda to his left hand, and used his right to press down, parrying her rising uppercut.

“Not bad,” Hiratsuka said with an approving nod, brushing her wind-blown hair back.

“So? How’s the standoff going?”

“She’s got the upper hand,” Higashigumo said, recalling the earlier exchange.

“I feel like a rookie soldier getting lectured.”

“Well, it’s only natural. She is an exceptional student.”

Hiratsuka snatched his cola and took a long drink.

“Still, even people with advantages have their own problems.”

Higashigumo didn’t mind the stolen soda.

A can of cola cost two hundred yen. The first sip was worth a hundred and fifty.
Sharing it just meant he made a profit.

He raised one brow. “People with advantages, huh?”

“She’s kind, and always tries to do the right thing.”

Hiratsuka drained the last of the soda and tossed the can into the bin.

“But the world isn’t always kind. And it sure as hell isn’t always right. Living like that... has to be exhausting.”

“...Today’s client reminded me of a friend I had,” Higashigumo said softly, gaze downcast.

“When he started working, he tried to fit in with the team—went out of his way to help everyone. Wrote reports, bought coffee, fixed slides, pulled late nights.”

Hiratsuka let out a sigh. “Too young and eager...”

“He ended up being the fastest to get promoted—became a department manager.”

“Huh?”

Hiratsuka blinked, surprised. “Well... guess he got lucky. Must’ve joined a good company.”

“After he got promoted, one of the execs started targeting him,” Higashigumo said, the corner of his mouth twitching. Some laughs only come when you’re too tired to be angry.

“Eventually he had to quit. Turns out, the exec didn’t like him because he talked to the woman that guy liked—twice.”

“That's...”

Hiratsuka struggled for words. It took her a moment to recover.

“So what you’re saying is... the world has moments of kindness, but also cruelty. Times of fairness, and times of pure pettiness.”

“I can’t really understand what you mean by ‘people with advantages,’” Higashigumo said, tapping his temple.

“I have a slight intellectual disability—nothing that impairs daily life, but enough that I get mistaken for a normal person. I can’t tell the difference between motivation and manipulation. Can’t judge whether the world is fair or foul just by sitting in a classroom. Can’t guess people’s intentions without interacting with them. I don’t know how to guide anyone in the right direction.”

So when I see someone who can do all of that... it makes me feel this strange, inescapable discomfort.

“And so?”

Hiratsuka looked at him, intrigued.

“So I do what little I can.”

He pulled two cartons of strawberry yogurt from his pocket.

“Turn thoughts into actions. If I want to know whether something is worthwhile, I work for it and see what comes of it. If I think the world isn’t kind or just, I go out and look for proof—see if maybe I’m wrong. If someone refuses to return something, I go and talk to them. See if they really meant it.”

“That’s not foolish. That’s meaningful. That’s realism.”

Hiratsuka ruffled his hair affectionately.

“Go on then. Take action. And keep your drinks. I don’t like strawberry yogurt.”

“Uh... actually, I was going to ask you to bring these to the Service Club.”
He gestured to the cartons.

“They’re for Yukinoshita and the client.”

Hiratsuka immediately caught him in a headlock. “You little punk—trying to make me run errands for you?!”

“And yet you drank my soda.”

Higashigumo patted her arm. “You eat, you owe.”

“You cheeky brat...”

She let him go, grumbling as she took the yogurt cartons. “So where are you headed?”

“I’m off to follow through.”

He glanced at the floor guide near the stairwell.

“Crafts Club... if I remember right, they’re on...”

Here.

He knocked lightly on the Crafts Clubroom door.

“Come in,” came a girl’s voice from inside.

“Excuse me.”

Higashigumo pushed open the door and stepped in.

Compared to the Service Club, the Crafts Clubroom was far more cluttered.

He didn’t stop to examine the space. Instead, he focused on recalling the photos from Yuigahama’s phone. His eyes swept across the three boys and two girls in the room—and quickly found who he was looking for.

“Hi there. I’m Higashigumo Sugi.”

He smiled at one of the girls.

“I came hoping to ask a favor from the Crafts Club. You’re Kaori-san, right? A friend of mine showed me your work. You’ve got a really distinct style. I was wondering if you might have some time...?”

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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!