In the evening, Asakura arrived at the Service Club activity room.
He planned to send Yanami away, then have the others go to the Clubroom. Besides introducing them to the way to the shop leading to Toyama Shopping District Plaza, he also intended to let the others try to see if they could adapt to the Mirror pendant.
In the activity room, he saw Yukinoshita Yukino with a hint of dark circles under her eyes.
It seemed, as Yanami said, that being defeated head-on by a junior one year younger than her yesterday had a considerable impact on the second young lady of the Yukinoshita family.
"Are you still going to confront her today?"
Asakura, who hadn't paid much attention to this matter, couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.
"Not today."
Yukinoshita Yukino looked unwell. She wasn't even reading her usual book, just closing her eyes to rest in the corner.
"That's why I said long ago, it's better to let Hiratsuka sensei handle this kind of thing directly."
Asakura spoke indifferently.
"I admit I was a little overconfident."
Yukinoshita Yukino couldn't nap anymore. She opened her eyes, first glaring fiercely at Asakura (Asakura showed an innocent expression), then stubbornly said, "But I don't completely agree with what that person said..."
"Chickened out?"
Asakura took her words out of context.
"That's not it. I'm just planning to adjust my strategy a bit..."
Yukinoshita Yukino frowned and corrected him.
"It seems you really chickened out."
Asakura confirmed.
"Someone who was completely absent can only stand on the side and give orders."
The girl crossed her arms and snorted coldly.
"Well said, but you were scared off by a junior one year younger."
Asakura said cheerfully.
"..."
The girl pursed her lips, staring at Asakura, her small fists clenched tightly and trembling.
"Alright, alright, Takkun, don't always take advantage of Yukino so much!"
Yuigahama Yui quickly stepped in to mediate.
Asakura pouted, not launching any additional attacks.
At this moment, Yukinoshita Yukino had also taken a deep breath, her mood calming down again.
She calmly said, "I didn't mean to give up so easily and leave everything to the teacher to solve, but just as an ancient saying from that country across the sea goes, 'Know yourself and your enemy, and you will never be defeated'... Before, I lacked sufficient understanding of her, so I couldn't refute many of her words. But as long as I know her situation, there will always be a more suitable way to persuade the other party to give up this kind of rule-breaking behavior."
"This should have been done before confronting them, shouldn't it?"
Asakura corrected.
"Asakura seems to have a lot of opinions about me admonishing a student who violates school rules by working part-time at night."
The girl met his gaze, speaking with dissatisfaction.
"Um, I think everyone can sit down and talk peacefully..."
Yanami Anna blinked. She completely couldn't understand why, in an instant she wasn't paying attention, the activity room suddenly filled with tension.
"Then I would like to ask Yukinoshita—" Asakura used a caramel to stick Yanami's mouth (actually her teeth) shut, then continued to ask: "Is that Togawa working at an entertainment venue like a bar, where she's easily attracted by various pleasures? Or is she working at a place like an internet cafe where she can enjoy playing computer games to her heart's content?"
"...She's working the night shift at a customer service company."
Yukinoshita Yukino hesitated for a moment but still answered honestly.
"In other words, she's not using 'working part-time' as an excuse to indulge in bad habits, right?"
Asakura pressed.
"That's right."
Yukino nodded.
If it weren't for that, no matter how strong the other party's presence, she wouldn't have given up her righteous argument so easily, nor would she have been overwhelmed by the other party's sharp voice.
"Then it's very strange. Is there really someone who would give up a life with normal sleep and rest, just to go and work a joyless night shift part-time?"
Asakura said, spreading his hands.
"Don't be so sarcastic. Just say what you want to say directly."
Yukino stared at Asakura.
"Perhaps what the other party said wasn't wrong—" Asakura said with a smile: "Yukino-san, you really only think about yourself."
The girl's expression visibly darkened.
"Ah wa wa..."
The somewhat timid Yuigahama Yui didn't know what to say.
Yanami Anna's mouth (actually her teeth) was still stuck with caramel, preventing her from speaking—she regretted not spitting it out earlier, the girl mumbled regretfully in her heart.
However, Yukinoshita Yukino, contrary to her usual self, did not refute Asakura's words. But because of this, their confrontation paused, leaving the entire activity room in a strange, uncomfortable low-pressure state.
Just then, the door of the activity room opened from the outside.
"Excuse me."
Asagumo Chihaya appeared before everyone with a joyful smile on her face.
"Chihaya!"
Yuigahama Yui's eyes lit up as if she had seen a savior.
Yanami Anna also excitedly waved her hands and said, "Mmm mmm mmm!"
"Asagumo-san..."
Yukinoshita Yukino took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down: "Is there something you need here?"
"It has nothing to do with Yukinoshita—" Asagumo Chihaya took out a piece of paper and said with a smile to Asakura: "The application form for officially joining the Magic Club, which we talked about before, I've brought it."
"Thank you for your hard work, Chihaya."
Asakura pulled out a stamp from somewhere, breathed on it, and pressed it onto the girl's application form: "Approved."
"Isn't this approval supposed to be stamped by the Student Council?"
Yuigahama Yui questioned softly.
"It's fine. I already discussed this with Amakusa at the Founders' Festival."
Asakura said indifferently: "She agreed at that time."
"No, no, I mean, where did you get this stamp from?"
Yuigahama Yui asked quietly.
"It's a spare from Amakusa, I'm keeping it for her. It's a spare specifically prepared to prevent her from being unable to issue announcements if the school high-ups confiscate her stamp when she makes some radical (or lewd) proposals—" Asakura said: "So, theoretically, you can call me 'Shadow Student Council President' right now, and it's perfectly fine."
"Why is it prepared on the premise that the president's stamp might be confiscated by the school's higher-ups?! What kind of outrageous things does that president intend to do, seriously?! Compared to a mere student violating rules by working part-time, I think this kind of thing is much more worth paying attention to!"
Yuigahama Yui complained loudly, somewhat losing her composure.