By the time Friday arrived, the week had passed in a blur.
During the day, Watanabe Tetsu studied.
At night, he exercised while listening to radio broadcasts.
When the free trial ended, he even paid for a membership.
Tetsu wasn't picky about food or clothes, and he rarely went out for fun.
All the money he saved went into buying books and studying materials.
Whenever he was exhausted from studying, he spent his spare moments thinking of ways to deal with Yūki Miki.
At school, he avoided running into her whenever possible. The last thing he needed was for her to wreck the remaining scraps of his normal daily life.
After classes that day, he headed to the Human Observation Club.
Walking along the elevated corridor, he heard the wind ensemble practicing.
After experiencing life-and-death moments and spending the whole week studying and worrying about survival, the last time he'd heard their music felt like ages ago.
But no matter how long it'd been, he could always identify the oboe the instant he heard it.
Inside the Human Observation Club's activity room, Kiyono Rin, the beautiful girl who possessed nothing but her looks and her intellect, sat exactly as she had last time—like someone who'd been frozen in place, not having moved an inch since he'd left.
Tetsu took The Great Gatsby from his bag.
"I finished it. Here—thanks for letting me borrow it."
"How was it?"
"I learned a lot. It's a great book. If possible, one day I'd like to translate it myself—perfectly."
"Quite ambitious."
"This is nothing. The goal of becoming a 'Tokyo Heartthrob' is far greater."
Kiyono Rin let out a soft, helpless sigh.
"Anything happen this week?" Tetsu ignored the way she'd trampled on his life goals.
Before achieving something, stay calm and expressionless, even as your heart blazes with passion.
Watanabe Tetsu was exactly that kind of exceptional person—he understood any principle instantly and mastered it just as fast.
Kiyono closed the hardcover book in her hands.
"Answer a few questions for me."
"That's it? You don't want me to go bother another club first?"
"First question," Kiyono ignored the teasing, "this week… did you want to come to the activity room?"
Tetsu blinked. "Come here for what?"
"To see me."
"Absolutely not."
Kiyono rested her chin on her hand and thought for a moment before continuing.
"Second question—this week, have you thought about me from time to time?"
"Why?"
"Because I'm beautiful, cute, and smart. Now answer."
"No."
"Lie," she said, smiling in satisfaction.
"Ah?" Tetsu stared at her in disbelief. He had been thinking about her?
Thinking carefully…
It was true—yes, he did think about her sometimes.
He had set her as his benchmark. Whenever studying became too hard or exhausting, he'd imagine her proud expression or her terrible face when she failed.
But those were subconscious and meaningless thoughts. He never considered them "thinking about her."
"Third question—have you fallen in love with me?"
"…Honestly," Tetsu deadpanned, "Kiyono-san, I really think you should take a little break at that scenic mental health retreat your family owns—the one with all the small animals."
Her expression immediately darkened. "Answer the question."
"No. Not even a little."
Kiyono fell silent for a long time before murmuring, "So 'playing hard to get' really is a stupid tactic… I couldn't even handle you."
"Playing hard to get?"
Tetsu blinked. "So lately—your coldness, your weird teasing—was all to play hard to get?"
"Watanabe, you're not stupid."
Kiyono spoke with the solemn tone of a doctor delivering test results to a patient.
Then, for some inexplicable reason, her expression shifted into pride.
"I never lie. So hold your head high—you don't need to feel inferior just because you only scored third place."
"And your goal with this 'playing hard to get' tactic?"
"To make you fall for me."
"Why?"
"For my human observation."
"And once I fall for you?"
"I kick you out of the Human Observation Club. Loving me is a universal human trait—there's no observation value in that."
"I won't fall for you."
"So confident."
Kiyono flipped her ink-black hair and smiled. "Be careful. My charm scares even me sometimes."
Tetsu laughed. "Is that so?"
His smile had a mysterious brilliance—pleasant and captivating.
People would fall for it—fall for his lips, his nose, his eyes… until they fell for his entire being.
It was unreasonable, inexplicable—like the irresistible fondness shown to you by the person you liked the most.
Kiyono stiffened for a moment, then whispered, "I see…"
Tetsu didn't catch what she said. Just as he was about to ask, Kiyono slowly smiled at him.
That smile…
That smile…
"Watanabe, did your heart skip a beat?"
"No, Kiyono-san."
She retracted that refreshing summer-breeze smile, replacing it with her usual arrogant smirk.
"Watanabe, do your best. Don't go falling for me within half a year."
"If you keep acting like this, it'll never happen."
"Oh? I look forward to it," she said confidently.
Tetsu silently cursed his useless skill [Smile: Beautiful Charm], then prepared to end the conversation and leave.
But a knock sounded on the door.
"Come in," Kiyono called.
The sliding door opened.
First to step in was Koizumi Aona.
Behind her—the sight that made Tetsu's expression darken—
Yūki Miki.
"Kiyono-san," Koizumi said cheerfully, "let me introduce your new club member: Yūki Miki. Yūki-san, why don't you introduce yourself?"
Yūki Miki glanced at the two in the room—first Kiyono, then Tetsu—and her lips curved into a meaningful smile.
"Interesting."
"Yūki-san, please introduce yourself," Koizumi reminded her.
"Sensei, both of them already know me."
"Oh, that's wonderful! The student supervisor told me you haven't been to school for a month. We were worried you didn't have any friends!"
Koizumi Aona's pretty, innocent face beamed.
"Supervisor," Kiyono said coldly, "please allow me to reject her club application."
"Why?"
"Tell Yūki the membership requirements for the Human Observation Club."
Tetsu blinked.
She wasn't speaking to Yūki—the tone was too rude.
And it wasn't directed at Koizumi-sensei, either.
Meaning… she was talking to him.
Fine. Since you let me leave early before, I'll act as your mouthpiece this time.
Tetsu cleared his throat.
"One: you must read the club rules before the interview.
Two: you cannot fall in love with the club president.
Three: you cannot lie.
Four: you must be smart eno—"
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
"Hah?" Tetsu glared at Kiyono for undermining him.
"It's my fault," she sighed, massaging her forehead. "You really are hopeless."
Then she lowered her hand, crossed her arms, and stared straight at Yūki Miki.
"The Human Observation Club has only one requirement: I must deem you worth observing."
"Supervisor," Yūki said to Koizumi, "the school rules you mentioned earlier—besides requiring all students to join a club, don't official clubs also need at least five members?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Then doesn't that mean this Human Observation Club can be abolished at any time?"
Kiyono's eyebrow twitched.
"Tch…"
"Yūki Miki."
"Kiyono Rin."
The gazes of two untouchable beauties clashed—
A scene so intimidating even Watanabe Tetsu felt the urge to surrender.
He glanced at the troubled Koizumi Aona and said,
"Koizumi-sensei, you should head back for now. I'll update you on the… situation later."
Koizumi hesitated. She knew she wasn't helpful in a confrontation like this.
She nodded, gave Tetsu a "I'm leaving this to you" look, and exited the activity room.
After watching her leave, Tetsu noticed the two girls were still staring each other down.
He carefully chose his words.
"Kiyono-san, maybe… Yūki-san is only joining the club because of the school rules. She's probably also here so she can leave early. Letting her join would just give us another ghost member like me."
"No," Kiyono said instantly. "I will not break my bottom line."
Yūki clasped her hands behind her slim waist—cute yet intimidating.
"Either let me join today, or we dissolve the club according to school policy."
Tetsu glanced at Kiyono again.
"I feel like… Yūki-san is also worth observing."
Kiyono shot him a sharp glare.
"I decide what's worth observing. If you have nothing to do, you can leave."
Tetsu obediently prepared to leave.
"Close the window," Yūki ordered casually, glancing around the cluttered room. "The wind ensemble outside is noisy."
"…"
Tetsu took a deep breath and moved to close it.
"Try it," Kiyono warned coldly, arms crossed, eyes iced over.
Then…
"Ladies," Tetsu muttered in defeat, "please spare me. I'm just a poor student from a countryside town where the bus comes once every two hours. All I want is to study in peace."
Kiyono frowned slightly. "You can go."
But Yūki turned around, her expression curling into a devilish smile.
"No."