Chapter 110: A Forced Kiss in the Classroom

"Excellent! Seiryo-san, I feel you are ready to graduate!"

Watching Seiryo Meilong solve the math problem, Haruno Haruhi did not hesitate to offer his praise. The young lady seemed quite pleased, even rewarding Haruhi with a small token of her appreciation—a gift from the lady herself.

The afternoon classes were dull and tedious. The students in the class were certainly studying diligently; at times like these, aside from a few slackers, everyone hoped to improve their standing. Even Miss Seiryo pulled out paper and pen to take notes earnestly, as if she refused to lose.

As for Seiryo Yukino, the beautiful girl who had just skipped a grade, she not only kept up with the high school curriculum but occasionally even chimed in with answers before others could. It was enough to make one sigh that geniuses are simply different. Haruno Haruhi curled his lip, his gaze drifting toward the window; he preferred his own "clumsy" one—she was much easier to deceive.

After two more classes, the school dismissal bell echoed through the campus. Watching the students, their faces beaming with smiles as they packed their bags to head to club activities, Haruno Haruhi felt a bit dazed—this was what youth was all about.

Having only four classes a day; if this were his previous life, they would likely only be a third of the way through the afternoon sessions at this hour. Shaking his head and seeing that most of his classmates had left, he stood up to retrieve the mop. It was his turn to be on duty today.

"Haruno-kun."

As Haruno Haruhi was vigorously scrubbing the floor tiles with his mop, Ogata Yuriko suddenly approached.

"Hm? What is it?" Haruno Haruhi straightened up, rubbing his slightly aching lower back. He had been overdoing it lately, and even with a body maintained by daily exercise, it was beginning to take its toll.

"Could you walk me home today?" Ogata Yuriko asked timidly, her voice soft and sweet.

Having missed the opportunity yesterday, the little girl had been filled with regret that night. During her bath, she had checked and confirmed it was indeed missing. This left her very confused—could she have truly forgotten to put it on? After triple-checking that she was wearing it today, Ogata Yuriko had worked up the courage to ask Haruno Haruhi again.

"Hmm, I'm afraid not today. Seiryo-san went to the archery club, and I need to find her once I'm done cleaning." Haruno Haruhi thought for a moment before shaking his head in refusal.

"I see..."

Ogata Yuriko was visibly disappointed, but she forced a smile and said, "It's okay! Then hurry up and mop, Haruhi, let's finish cleaning quickly!" Even in this situation, the little girl didn't show her true feelings, choosing instead to think of Haruno Haruhi's needs.

"Yeah, let's do our best together." Haruno Haruhi nodded. He did indeed need to find Seiryo-san, otherwise, walking Ogata Yuriko home would have been quite an interesting endeavor.

As the duty neared its end, Ogata Yuriko was called away by members of her club, citing an urgent matter.

"Go ahead. Duty is almost over anyway, I can handle the rest myself," Haruno Haruhi said nonchalantly. Indeed, the cleaning was in its final stages, and there wasn't much left to do.

"I'm very sorry, Haruno-kun..." Ogata Yuriko felt terribly embarrassed. In truth, she had intended to stay until he finished cleaning before leaving. However, the handsome youth waved her off, indicating he could manage alone and telling her not to worry. In the end, Ogata Yuriko left the classroom with great reluctance.

Listening to the sound of her footsteps fading away, it wasn't long before the school building was almost entirely silent. Haruno Haruhi shrugged and performed the final cleanup. The sky remained clear, much like the underside of a girl's pleated skirt, evoking a sense of infinite longing.

Just as Haruno Haruhi folded the rag and put it back in the cabinet, footsteps sounded at the door. He turned to look; the beautiful girl stood at the classroom entrance, her silver shoulder-length hair shimmering under the sunlight.

Haruno Haruhi ignored her and continued with his work, his slight perfectionism demanding that the rag be placed exactly where he had picked it up.

"How can you not even greet a classmate when you see one?" Seiryo Yukino walked over, looking down at Haruno Haruhi as he searched for the right angle.

"Hmph!"

After much effort, the handsome youth finally set the rag in place. Had it not been for the lingering dampness, one might have thought it had never been touched.

"I'm talking to you!"

Haruno Haruhi's attitude was highly displeasing to Seiryo Yukino; the etiquette and upbringing she had been taught seemed to vanish entirely in this person's presence. Especially after what he had said at noon, which had angered her so much that she had aggressively eaten two large papayas for lunch.

"No, I was just busy with something more important," Haruno Haruhi said calmly.

"Since when is placing a rag a matter of importance?" Seiryo Yukino was speechless.

"Don't underestimate such actions. Many profound truths are reflected in the smallest of details. For instance, just now, seemingly..."

Watching Haruno Haruhi hold forth with his eloquence, Seiryo Yukino finally lost her patience. Her long-standing, refined upbringing dictated that one should not interrupt when others are speaking, nor should one urge them while they are occupied. This was why she had waited for him to finish before speaking. But now, she truly couldn't take it anymore; if she let him continue, her worldview would surely be overhauled.

"Alright, alright, I know what you're going to say. Can you just shut up now?" Seiryo Yukino interrupted directly.

"Of course!" Haruno Haruhi smiled. "That's why I like you. If it were your sister, she would have punched me by now, or at the very least kicked me. Yes, as expected, the younger sister is much more sensible than the older one."

Suddenly, Seiryo Yukino felt the urge to punch him as well. She wanted to give this guy a good thrashing, but realizing she probably—no, certainly—couldn't beat this scoundrel, she took a deep breath and held back.

"I came to see you today for something else," Seiryo Yukino said coldly, her eyes fixed on the boy before her. She had to admit, her sister's taste was actually quite good. At the very least, when it came to his appearance, one couldn't find a single flaw in Haruno Haruhi. His features were handsome and chiseled, his frame tall and sturdy, and his eyes were like whirlpools, drawing one in. He radiated an aura that seemed capable of blending into any environment or atmosphere—no, rather, every environment and atmosphere seemed to highlight this handsome youth.

"If you have something to say, just say it. Although I know I'm very handsome, there's no need to stare at my face and daydream." Haruno Haruhi smiled and waved a hand in front of Seiryo Yukino. "You're just like your sister in that regard, often staring at me blankly. Sigh, there's nothing to be done; the charm of a beautiful youth is simply unstoppable."

It was a narcissistic statement, yet it was the truth. One sentence was all it took for Haruno Haruhi's reputation in Seiryo Yukino's heart to plummet.

What a truly wretched person!

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her inner turmoil, before stating her purpose.

"I don't know what you said to my father to make him accept you." Seiryo Yukino paused, clearly surprised by the news that Seiryo Fuhai had approved of him. "But I still hope you will delete those photos in your phone's gallery. It's for your own good, and for everyone else's."

So she was here for the photos. Haruno Haruhi wore a meaningful smile and began to play dumb. "Photos? What photos? My phone is completely clean."

"I am talking to you very seriously." Recalling her encounter in the restroom that day, Seiryo Yukino couldn't help but blush; it was the first time she had been treated that way by a boy.

"Knowing that you're in my hands, you still dare to come and see me alone?" Haruno Haruhi took a step forward, closing the distance. The scent of the girl's natural fragrance filled the air.

Facing the handsome youth's sudden advance, the porcelain-doll-like face of Seiryo Yukino instantly flushed, and a trace of retreat flickered in her eyes. But it was only for an instant.

"You!" Seiryo Yukino gritted her teeth, wanting to say something but unable to find the words. It was her first time experiencing such a profound sense of powerlessness.

Haruno Haruhi smiled, took his phone from his pocket, tapped the gallery, and swiped a few times before holding a photo up to Seiryo Yukino. The background appeared to be a restroom; the girl, dressed in a modest kimono, was slumped on the floor, her clothes partially undone, her fair shoulders exposed. Her small hands were trying to protect