Yukinoshita’s Method of Correction [5]

A moment ago, Yukinoshita Yukino had been calmly waxing philosophical. Now she looked like a cat scruffed by the neck—silent and frozen in place.

“Nothing to say?” Higashigumo Sugi shook his head.

“Well, I suppose honesty is a virtue. At least paper warriors like you know not to lie.”

Yukinoshita’s pale cheeks puffed out slightly.

“Isn’t this perfect?” Hiratsuka Shizuka finally seized her chance to speak.

“Neither of you approves of the other’s way of doing things. So why not each help people your way—and prove your method is right? I’ll be the judge for this Service Club turf war! Rule number one: no emotional outbursts. Rule number two: I will overlook no wrongdoing—”

“I refuse,” Yukinoshita cut in flatly.

“I wasn’t done yet...” Hiratsuka grumbled, gnawing on her thumb.

“Tch... Maybe I should’ve gone with ‘GUNDAM Fight, Ready, Go!’—more concise, at least.”

“Medabots, battle! wouldn’t help either,” Higashigumo added.

“Also, that reference seriously dates you.”

“Sensei, please refrain from behavior unbecoming of your age,” Yukinoshita said primly.

“It’s unflattering.”

“A-Anyway!”

Blushing furiously, Hiratsuka pushed through with forced authority.

“I said you’ll compete, so you’ll compete! No teaming up against me! Prove your ‘justice’ through your actions!”

For a moment, Higashigumo felt like the roles between teacher and student had completely reversed.

“I refuse,” Yukinoshita said coldly, shooting him a sidelong glare.

“My justice doesn’t need your approval.”

“I’m not interested in such an unfair match.”

Higashigumo pointed to the obvious imbalance.

“She only talks. I’ve got way more experience with real action.”

It’d be like a Grandmaster picking a fight with a Bronze player—total smurfing.

“Fair enough...” Hiratsuka gave a theatrical sigh.

“Yukinoshita really doesn’t stand much of a chance... Guess we should call it off.”

“I wouldn’t normally lower myself to such childish provocations.”

Yukinoshita’s eyes narrowed, her gaze sharp as ice.

“But I won’t let your ridiculous excuse for ‘service’ taint others. So I’ll just eliminate you.”

“So you are accepting the challenge?”

Higashigumo raised an eyebrow. “Then I concede—”

“No conceding!” Hiratsuka instantly saw through him.

“New rule: the winner has the right to order the loser around—no complaints allowed!”

Higashigumo’s eyes drifted to Yukinoshita’s lips, a devious grin spreading across his face.

Alarmed, she took a step back and covered her mouth. “What do you think you’re doing?!”

“If I win, I’ll make you shut that mouth of yours.”

Higashigumo looked far too amused.

“The idea of you—so full of pompous theories—forced into silence? Suddenly this boring little contest sounds much more appealing.”

“It may not be fun,” Yukinoshita’s voice was sharp as a blade, “but turning you into a speechless statue? That would be a service to society.”

“Then it’s settled!” Hiratsuka declared before either of them could back out.

“I’ll be the judge. My personal bias will be the law! Fair and fabulously just!”

“Your declaration flies in the face of everything Team Rocket—uh, Captain Dragonfly—stands for,” Higashigumo muttered, checking his phone.

“Anyway, if one of us is in the club, that fulfills the requirement, right?”

“You’re not sneaking off already!” Hiratsuka grabbed his arm.

“I’m not leaving campus.” Higashigumo held up his phone.

“Just got a call from a friend. Need to step out and answer.”

“Tch...” Hiratsuka let go. “Fine. But don’t push your luck.”

As Higashigumo stepped out, Yukinoshita remained in the clubroom. She calmly pulled out a chair, opened a book from her bag, and began reading.

“That should satisfy you, right, sensei?”

“Huh?”

“Giving him the club was just your way of keeping him on campus.”

Yukinoshita flipped a page without looking up.

“Which means his ‘issues’ are already at a point where intervention can’t be delayed. Yet he’s totally unaware—thinks he’s doing everything right.”

“Ah... yeah.” Hiratsuka nodded vigorously.

“Exactly—didn’t think you’d catch on so fast.”

“Habitual formalism and instinctive escapism. Manifested through conscious over-preparation and unconscious shirking of responsibility,” Yukinoshita summarized matter-of-factly.

“I’m sure sensei’s met people like that. The kind who jump into tasks the moment they’re assigned, only to vanish when they’re actually needed.”

“Geez... a high schooler talking like a jaded salaryman...” Hiratsuka rubbed her temples.

“But honestly? He doesn’t come off as unlikeable.”

“Because he’s trying.”

Yukinoshita looked up, expression unreadable. “The moment I challenged him, he reflected on his surface-level mistakes. And when I made my stance clear, he responded immediately. He wants to fix himself—he just doesn’t know how. That’s why I played along with your childish provocation. To help him complete that self-correction.”

“In that case,” Hiratsuka said with a smile, “I’ll leave the rest to you~”

...

Later, as Hiratsuka was passing through the courtyard, she ran into Higashigumo again—just off the phone.

“My first client is already a massive headache,” he said, putting away his phone.

“You really overestimated my ability to handle her.”

“Huh?”

“Doesn’t matter what kind of club she tried to form after hearing your pitch—I’d end up the one running it.”

He recalled Yukinoshita’s frosty smile and haughty demeanor.

“Someone that prideful and perfectionistic would never seek help. You have to create conflict, then bait her with a low-level provocation to activate her competitive instincts. That’s the only way to nudge her toward correction.”

“Ah... yeah.” Hiratsuka nodded hard again. “That’s right—I was wondering if you’d caught on.”

“You stayed quiet when I was under pressure. But the moment she was on the back foot, you jumped in to ‘balance’ things. It was obvious which way you were leaning.”

Higashigumo’s expression was one of resigned understanding.

“And since I knew you wouldn’t just abandon your original plan, the rest fell into place. Like how parents trick kids into getting vaccinated—of course the doctor has to play along with the act.”

The unspoken understanding between adults.

“Even high schoolers need coaxing sometimes...”

Hiratsuka clapped him on the shoulder.

“Anyway, I’m counting on you.”

Higashigumo waved her off and headed back toward the clubroom.

“Low-level provocation, huh?”

Hiratsuka lit a cigarette, watching his retreating back with a faint smile.

Low-level doesn’t mean ineffective.

---

T/N: im too dumb for this

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!