Chapter 10: 8 Haruka Yuzan
"Classmate Haruka, please wait a moment."
An ethereal voice came from behind, Haruka Yuzan turned his head to see the girl's beautiful face showing no expression, just like those charming eyes,
Huh~ so icy cold.
Haruka Yuzan felt a shiver run down his spine,
"May I ask what instructions you have for me, Class President Chiba?"
Many people around also looked over, seemingly awaiting Miss Chiba's pronouncements.
As if it were routine, Chiba Shimizu didn't show much reaction, "The teacher asked me to tell you that the school had already disbanded the Homecoming Department a few days ago, meaning you must find a suitable club as soon as possible."
The crowd bore an 'I knew it' expression; Miss Chiba only ever talked about official matters.
"What?" Haruka Yuzan was taken aback at the news, "Is the school trying to take away my last sanctuary?"
As a paragon of virtue who had to earn every bite of food and sip of water with his own hands,
youthful and spirited club activities filled with literary zest were essentially out of his reach. Until he found the right tenant to allow himself the luxury of lying flat and collecting rent, Haruka Yuzan had to rush to his gym job every day after school, truly lacking any spare energy for club activities.
"Yes, the school only issued the notice yesterday," Chiba Shimizu said indifferently before walking into the campus.
Just standing here seemed specifically to pass this message to Haruka Yuzan.
She truly was a dedicated and responsible class president.
Reaching the shoe lockers, he happened to notice Chiba Shimizu changing her shoes as well. The brown leather shoes were taken off, revealing her white socks that wrapped around her small, pale, and dainty feet, which looked very cute,
indeed, even a beauty's feet are perfect. Although it wasn't the first time he had seen them, they were still a sight to never tire of.
Good thing Haruka wasn't a foot fetishist, or he might have bravely taken the plunge.
"Good morning, Classmate Haruka."
"Good morning...."
Along the way, many pretty girls greeted him, their pleated skirts teasing limitless possibilities.
The school uniform design that perfectly showcased the girls' youthful charm was truly impressive!
Upon opening his shoe locker, next to his indoor shoes lay several pink envelopes.
Out of habit, he stuffed the envelopes into his backpack. He had long lost the thrill he felt upon receiving his first love letter.
It would be nice if the girls who were sending him these love letters met the tenant criteria; then he could comfortably count his money.
To be honest, to date, Haruka Yuzan had only managed to figure out the rough selection criteria of the System.
Apart from ultra-high good looks, they must also possess an alluring identity.
For example, Reiko Onodera's identity as a young widow.
Of course, the face mattered most, the kind that at a single glance could make one's heart skip a beat with an 'oh wow' feeling.
At eight in the morning, he arrived in the classroom on time. Most of the classmates were already there, with those who were close to each other already huddled together discussing something,
Looking at the empty chair in front of his desk, he wondered what kind of business the coldly beautiful girl was attending to now.
That's right, to create a beneficial atmosphere for the two academic pillars of the class, the class teacher had arranged Haruka Yuzan's seat right behind Chiba Shimizu.
Could it be because his seat was behind the girl's that his grades were also being suppressed by her?
During the silent nights, Haruka Yuzan had pondered this more than once.
Regrettably, there was still a gap of three people between him and Miss Chiba in the grade rankings.
Isn't being fifth in the grade not the same as being in the top five?
A gentle breeze blew in, carrying several delicate petals that floated into the room. A lock of hair was slightly raised; he wondered what scenery outside was capturing the handsome young man's attention.
"So, so handsome."
As if hearing the inner voice of the Cherry Blossom Sisters in his class, Haruka Yuzan snapped back to reality and took out a sheet of paper to write and sketch on.
1. Help Onodera find a job that pays as well as possible within his capabilities.
2. Speed up the search for a second tenant.
3. Resolve the club issue today, and if possible, hope to be allowed to leave early.
When thinking, Haruka always liked to list problems on paper; of course, what's put on paper can also be seen by others.
Three problems needed solving, and Haruka couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.
Work and tenants could wait; the current issue was the club activities.
You see, Haruka Yuzan had been a loyal core member of the Homecoming Department, but aside from him, there were probably not many who left school early to work...
The school authorities might be aiming to punish those nerds hiding at home playing banned games, whereas Haruka Yuzan was merely caught in the crossfire.
His pencil continuously drew circles on the paper, and it was unclear what he was thinking as he propped his chin with one hand and stared blankly ahead.
The girl sitting in the front row blushed, frequently turning her head, hoping to find some soulful connection in their gazes.
Unfortunately, the boy's attention wasn't on her; seeking the merging of positive and negative currents wasn't something easy to find.
It wasn't just him who was being punished—the Homecoming Department had been cancelled, and thousands of its members were crying out for help. Should he ask someone about it?
Just then, the animated chatter in the classroom suddenly paused. Other than the homeroom teacher, there was only one other person who could command such effect.
Chiba Shimizu walked into the classroom, the serene girl paying no heed to the gazes of others as she stood at the podium,
Seemingly more effective than any teacher, the classroom fell silent at that moment, everyone looking up at her,
"I have something to announce to everyone. The school decided yesterday to abolish the Homecoming Department, and it's mandatory for all students to participate in club activities. The school's clubs will also conduct a new round of recruitment after school today, and everyone can attend then," she said.
Chiba Shimizu didn't waste much of everyone's time and returned to her seat after making the announcement,
The girl seemed to carry a refreshing scent as she walked past, like the air of the early morning, an indescribable feeling but one that invigorated the senses.
Watching the beautiful girl approaching,
Haruka Yuzan's eyes suddenly lit up, not because of her slender, youthful figure and stunning face, nor did he have any peculiar excitement for someone who gave off an aloof vibe.
It just occurred to him that Miss Chiba was also a member of the Homecoming Department, perhaps she would have some good options?
"Classmate Haruka, do you have something you need me for?"
Taking her seat, perhaps sensing Haruka's gaze or perhaps just willing to interact more with the boy she'd consistently outperformed, Chiba Shimizu unusually initiated a conversation.