The Heroines All Regretted It

Yoru and Yumiko weren't exactly close—in fact, there'd been a small misunderstanding that left things sour between them.

So, he felt a little awkward about asking her anything.

Besides, whether or not Yumiko would even acknowledge him was still a big question.

But...

"Maybe I can ask Yuigahama. She's easy to talk to and would probably help me out."

Yoru turned his head and looked at Yuigahama's distinctive dumpling-shaped hair bun.

If all else failed, there was always Megumi.

Since everyone was focused on studying for finals, he decided not to disturb them for now.

Yoru went to the restroom. Eriri's seat was still empty, and there was no sign of her bag.

When he returned, the bell for the first class had already rung.

It was Classic Literature with Hiratsuka-sensei.

By this point in the semester, they'd finished all the lessons. It was all review now—lots of review.

"What kind of gift should I get to thank Hiratsuka-sensei?"

Yoru spent the whole class worrying over that until the bell rang again.

He watched the sultry, mature beauty of a teacher walk out before a lightbulb went off in his head.

Hiratsuka smokes.

Maybe a couple of cartons of cigarettes?

He shot that idea down almost immediately.

No way that'd be appropriate.

Next class was world history with Kirisu Mafuyu.

The golden treasure chest above her head hadn't moved at all.

The last two golden chests had given him some incredible rewards—ones that had practically changed his life.

"How do I unlock it?"

Yoru was both excited and frustrated.

At lunch, he went out as usual and came back with a bottle of black coffee.

Even black coffee was selling out during finals week.

After school, Yoru headed straight to the Service Club as always.

He bumped into Yukino downstairs, so they went up together.

He opened the door.

Afternoon sunlight streamed into the clubroom.

"Let's take a short break, then we'll start. The finals are coming up. Let's see how your grades are doing."

Yukino was as cold as ever. Even with Yuigahama around, she didn't act any more familiar.

Yoru nodded slightly and looked at the cold beauty in front of him, once again wondering what kind of gift would be suitable to thank her for all her help.

Even though Yukino claimed she was only helping because Hiratsuka asked her to, and said she didn't need any thanks...

Yoru still felt he needed to show some appreciation.

At least a small gift to express his feelings.

A thank-you gift...

"Where's Yuigahama-san today?"

After a moment, Yoru curiously glanced outside.

Even Yumiko had been studying hard today. Surely she wouldn't drag Yuigahama out to hang after school?

"She had something to do at home and went to help out," Yukino answered flatly, picking up piece of chalk and giving him a questioning glance.

"I wanted to ask her something..."

Yoru scratched his head awkwardly as he replied.

"Aren't you two in the same class? You had plenty of chances today. Why didn't you ask her then?"

Yukino seemed genuinely puzzled.

"There are too many people in class. Everyone's watching. I couldn't find a chance to talk to her alone."

"I'm already known as that disgusting fat creep. If I suddenly walked up to her with everyone watching, I could brush it off..."

"But what if it made Yuigahama-san uncomfortable? That's why I didn't ask."

Yoru let out a quiet sigh.

Yukino fell silent for a moment, then suddenly covered her mouth and let out a soft laugh, revealing a row of clean, white teeth.

"I didn't expect the peeping creep to be so considerate. You're pretty thoughtful."

Then she followed up with her usual sarcastic tone.

"Let's start the lesson. Isn't this all so you can give her a gift?"

Yoru only said the first half aloud. He kept the rest to himself.

The lesson began as usual.

Yukino was teaching Japanese. Yoru focused intently. Even though he was alone with the school's famously cold beauty, he didn't let his mind wander.

Thanks to his ten-times-effort boost, his learning speed and retention were shockingly high—so much so that even Yukino was a little surprised.

It was almost unbelievable.

After thirty minutes of one-on-one tutoring, it was over.

Yukino took a sip of water and stared at Yoru. "Did something finally click for you? Your efficiency's gone way up."

"Maybe my brain got rebooted after that hospital stay."

Yoru gave a vague answer and tapped his head.

"Hmm..."

"Well, you should keep it up and keep working hard."

Yukino was quietly amazed. Was this kind of learning speed even possible?

Reciting a long passage once and then repeating it word for word without error?

Still, she didn't dwell on it.

With a little club time left, she let Yoru review on his own while she caught up on her own work.

At 4:30, give or take, club activities ended.

Yoru was the first to leave the Service Club and walked out of Shuchiin alone.

"Why is he coming to school again...?"

At the gate, Kanda Sorata, walking with the soccer club, looked dejected.

He'd just been rejected by Aoyama Nanami—called gross, hated, told to get lost.

He was told he wasn't even as good as that disgusting fat guy.

His only consolation was thinking, "There's no way Aoyama would ever fall for someone like Kitakami."

Yoru didn't walk fast. He wondered whether Gabriel had come to school today or just overslept again.

Or maybe she didn't show up at all.

Lost in thought, he arrived at the shopping street and passed a shoe store.

Yoru turned his head and slowly backed up.

The giant floor-to-ceiling window revealed everything inside clearly.

"If Miura's here, then Yuigahama's probably here too."

Through the glass, Yoru spotted Yumiko sitting and trying on shoes, her back turned toward him.

With a graceful flick of her slim finger, she removed her small leather shoe and sat down.

Her feet, clad in black cotton socks, and her flawless, beautiful legs slid smoothly into a pair of off-white leather knee-high boots.

She zipped them up.

"So those boots do have zippers... I always thought girls just shoved their feet in," Yoru muttered, continuing to scan for Yuigahama.

"Yui, how do they look?"

Yumiko's figure was already tall and her legs perfectly shaped. The boots made her look even more striking and three-dimensional.

"Huh? They're really cute. They suit you, Yumiko."

Yuigahama peeked halfway out and then disappeared again.

Yoru lit up inside. He wanted to go in and talk to Yuigahama, but as he lifted his foot, he hesitated.

"Should I really go in...?"

Still wavering, Yoru sniffled.

Then someone suddenly tapped him on the shoulder from behind.

"Yahallo~ What are you doing here, Kitakami-kun?"

Ebina had come back from buying drinks and found Yoru lurking outside, staring at Yumiko through the window.

He hadn't even noticed her standing behind him.

Yoru was clearly startled—no doubt about it.

He turned around and saw Ebina, who was close friends with Yumiko and Yuigahama.

She held a bag of drinks and was looking at him with curiosity and a hint of amusement.

"Ahaha, sorry, did I scare you?"

"You were staring at Yumiko, weren't you?"

Ebina smiled.

"N-No, I was looking for Yuigahama-san."

Yoru quickly waved his hands.

"What's going on out here?"

"Huh? Hina and... him?!"

Yumiko was a bit surprised to see Yoru outside—and even more surprised to see her best friend Hina chatting with him.

"You're here for Yui, right? You're in the same club, aren't you?"

Ebina adjusted her old-fashioned red-framed glasses. Even though she was a bright and beautiful girl, the glasses gave her a surprisingly plain look.

Quite the contrast.

"Something like that."

Yoru didn't go into details about the tutoring sessions.

A club that helps others, huh?

Yuigahama didn't come today.

Ebina noted this in her mind and gestured for Yoru to come into the shop with her.

"Huh? What's going on?"

Yumiko called out as she saw Ebina bring Yoru into the store.

The main business on this shopping street relied heavily on Shuchiin Academy students.

Right now, everyone was busy studying for finals. Once exams were over and summer break began, foot traffic would drop significantly.

Shops usually started running promotions during this time.

Yumiko was in a good mood—there were fewer people, so trying on shoes was easier and more relaxed.

Naturally, the commotion drew Yuigahama's attention.

"Yui, someone's here for you."

Ebina walked into the store and called out.

"Don't be so loud," Yoru muttered, glancing uneasily at his desk mate Yumiko.

"Who is it?"

"Huh? It's Kitakami-kun. Did something happen?"

Yuigahama emerged wearing a black short-sleeved shirt, her face a little smudged with dirt.

"Oh, no, nothing serious. I just..."

"I had something I wanted to ask you. Needed your advice on something..."

Yoru forced a shy smile.

He was too nervous to notice that both Yumiko and Ebina were wearing their Shuchiin uniforms.

Yuigahama had even swapped her shoes out for sneakers.

"Go ahead, ask away."

Yuigahama patted her own cheeks.

Yoru didn't answer right away. He glanced at the three beautiful girls in the store watching him, which made him stiffen up even more.

"Well… if I wanted to give a gift to a girl around my age… what kind of gift would be good?"

The store went silent.

After a short pause, Yoru finally spoke again under Yuigahama's expectant gaze.

Silence...

Still silence...

"Ahaha, wait—are you trying to go after a girl?" Yumiko burst out laughing, breaking the tension. She held her stomach, laughing uncontrollably.

Someone liking Yoru?

No way, right?

You'd have to be blind to fall for this disgusting fat creep.

Although he did seem a little thinner than at the beginning of the semester. Maybe he was trying to lose weight?

Even if he lost some, it still wouldn't be possible, right?

Hahaha—

Yoru shot her a look and said, "It's not like that. It's just to show my thanks."

"Oh, sorry, sorry, I'm the kind of person who just blurts out whatever comes to mind~"

Yumiko quickly reined in her laughter, then exchanged a glance with her two close friends, Yui and Hina.

"Is the person also from our school?"

Yuigahama asked.

Yoru nodded.

Gift-giving was an art.

Especially for someone like Yoru—just his identity as a known otaku could easily lead to misunderstandings.

Not to mention the identity of the person receiving the gift.

People who attended Shuchiin came from elite backgrounds.

"Well..."

Yuigahama started thinking. Yukino popped into her head.

Was Yoru trying to thank Yukinon?

It wouldn't be right to ask directly.

"How about food?"

"Everyone eats, right?"

Ebina pointed her index finger upward in front of her chest, then appeared at Yoru's side and made the suggestion.

"Food?"

Yoru frowned slightly and began to think.

"Food is a no-go. This is meant to show appreciation, right? It doesn't fit~"

Yumiko chimed in with interest, waving her hand as she rejected Ebina's suggestion outright.

Yoru was a bit surprised at her response—she was actually helping him brainstorm?

Still, her rejection made a lot of sense, so he nodded.

Giving food to Yukino...

Or to Hiratsuka-sensei, or Fujiwara Chika...

Gift sets of snacks? Fancy chocolates?

None of it felt right.

No matter what kind of food, it just didn't seem suitable.

"What about accessories? Like a necklace? A bracelet?"

Yuigahama chimed in, though she wasn't exactly an expert.

"That's probably not a good idea."

"Giving accessories like necklaces or bracelets usually implies romance. Either that or you're pursuing them. It doesn't convey gratitude—unless it's something they already really like and you just happen to pick the right one."

Yumiko cut in before Yoru could say it himself.

There was another problem: Fujiwara Chika, Hiratsuka Shizuka, Yukinoshita Yukino—these were all people from wealthy families.

Far richer than Yoru's family.

Would they be unable to afford their own accessories?

And Yoru didn't have much money. Would he buy something cheap?

That wouldn't do at all.

Realizing that Yuigahama and Ebina weren't helping much, Yoru turned his attention to Yumiko.

She didn't reject him. Instead, she pressed a finger to her chin and began pacing, thinking it over seriously.

Yoru wasn't in a rush.

"Just give them something they like," Ebina interjected again.

Yoru glanced at her and gave a small shake of his head.

"What about a set of high-end skincare products?"

"Essence, toner, cream—just don't go with lipstick."

Yumiko suddenly spoke, turning to Yoru.

"Think about it. Every girl loves to look good. Giving skincare products is totally fine—they'll definitely use them."

"It might not be the absolute best option, but it's never a bad one. It's a safe, universally accepted choice."

"Unless it's a little kid or an elderly lady, it'll work."

"Just make sure it's a full set. One single product feels cheap. And it has to be from a luxury or premium brand."

"La Mer, Guerlain Orchidée Impériale, Helena Rubinstein's Replasty... those kinds."

The beautiful blonde gal counted them off one by one, naming the brands with practiced familiarity.

After listing them, she sat down and let out a sigh.

"That's a great idea. Thank you, Miura-san."

Yoru expressed his gratitude, feeling that it really made sense.

Except...

Those kinds of skincare products would destroy his wallet. He couldn't afford them at all.

He never accepted the 10 million yen from Eriri. Yoru still relied on the allowance his parents gave him for daily expenses.

A single jar of La Mer cream cost 40,000 yen even at duty-free prices.

Three jars—that's 120,000 yen!

A full set, with serum and toner included, would cost at least 200,000 yen.

Two hundred thousand yen—that's equivalent to the post-tax monthly salary of a newly graduated college student.

Yoru knew the prices because his mom, Kitakami Megumi, used La Mer herself.

He'd also heard of Guerlain's Orchidée Impériale and Helena Rubinstein's Replasty.

Tiny jars holding just a few dozen milliliters, priced at over 200,000 yen.

While Yoru was stressing over the money...

Yumiko, feeling that her boots were too hot, casually took them off, along with her black cotton socks. Her pair of pale, perfect feet rested directly on the cool floor, breathing in the fresh air.

"Thanks."

Yoru didn't look too closely. He gave a quick thanks and left.

Leaving the shopping street, Yoru quickened his pace toward the station.

On the train home, he looked up prices for high-end skincare products on his phone—and practically turned pale.

They were way too expensive. There was no way he could afford them.

And it wasn't like he could ask his family for money just to buy a gift.

Was the gift supposed to be extravagant?

Not really—at least not from the standpoint of Yoru's family, or even Fujiwara Chika's.

Her family was among the elite that practically ruled Japan.

"But I just can't think of anything else to give."

Gratitude could be expressed any time—but Yoru wanted to do it before finals ended and summer break started.

After wrestling with the dilemma for a while, he finally decided to set it aside for now.