"Just a heads-up, I won't be able to go with you to 'Take advantage of' that junior named Togawa today either."
Asakura raised his hand and said.
"It's not bullying at all! Even Takuma-kun shouldn't say such nasty things!"
Yuigahama Yui protested, slapping the table.
"It's fine, I didn't count Asakura as part of the combat strength from the start."
Yukinoshita Yukino glanced at him, reached up to smooth her long hair over her shoulder, and said haughtily.
"The day before yesterday, he had a stomach ache, yesterday he was showing a transfer student around the school—" Yanami Anna counted on her fingers, "Does Asakura have something else to do today that prevents him from participating in club activities?"
"Brewing soup."
Asakura made a stirring motion with a cauldron. Yuigahama Yui and Yukinoshita Yukino, who had been to the Clubroom and knew what Asakura had been doing recently, immediately showed expressions of understanding. Asakura then, before Yanami could ask when the soup would be ready, righteously changed the subject: "Although you might have forgotten, Yanami, you and I are both members of the Magic Club, and Hiratsuka-sensei's request was given to the Service Club, so theoretically, that can't be considered our club activity."
"That's true…"
Yanami Anna also showed a look of realization: "Because Yui seemed quite enthusiastic, without realizing it, I just…"
"That's because Yui, to accommodate someone's feelings, recently went to Hiratsuka-sensei and submitted another application to join the Service Club. So now she's both a member of the Magic Club and the Service Club; she's already a mature double agent."
Asakura joked, "If she joins a camping club or something, she'll be a perfect triple-club member."
"Um… Although my Japanese isn't very good, Asakura, are you sure you didn't get the word wrong?"
Yanami Anna asked suspiciously.
"What word?"
"The triple-club one…"
"No mistake."
Asakura asserted, "It's a term used to describe Lu Bu, Lu Fengxian."
"Is, is that so? It seems I was overthinking it."
Yanami Anna finally nodded.
"Don't be fooled so easily! It's clearly wrong!"
Yuigahama Yui's face turned red as she loudly retorted, "Takuma-kun, don't you have anything you want to say to me?!"
Asakura crossed his arms, thought for a few seconds, then said uncertainly.
"Meow-hello~"
"That's not it! Why are you greeting me like that here?!"
"Ciallo~ (∠ ? ω ) ⌒ ☆"
"So, it's not the time for greetings… By the way, how do you even manage to include emoticons in your speech?!"
"Then what should I say?"
Asakura asked curiously.
"First, apologize to me for being given a strange title."
"Very sorry."
Asakura made a Yukuri-like sound.
"This is the first time I've heard such an insincere apology…"
Yanami Anna said from the side.
"I forgive you."
But Yuigahama Yui nodded contentedly.
"You can forgive even that?! Yui, aren't you a bit too easygoing?!"
Yanami Anna was utterly shocked.
"He already apologized anyway… But why is it limited to the camping club?"
Amidst her awkward laughter, Yuigahama Yui still couldn't help but ask curiously.
"Have you met Nadeshiko… I mean, Rin Shima, Ms. Kagamihara's friend from before?"
Asakura replied, "Her voice is very similar to yours."
"That place is a bit far, I haven't been there yet…"
Yuigahama Yui replied, but then her gaze sharpened again: "Takuma-kun, did you specifically go there to play with her?"
"I met her while experimenting with convenient modes of transportation (referring to riding a bonfire)."
Asakura answered casually.
"That's nice, if I have time later, I'd like to go visit Ms. Kagamihara too."
Yuigahama Yui said with a sigh of relief.
"Who are you two talking about?"
Yanami Anna asked curiously.
Yukinoshita Yukino, who had probably found their previous conversation too silly, had been pretending to read a book and hadn't joined in, but at this moment, she unconsciously perked up her ears.
It was then that Yuigahama Yui realized that one of them was a Muggle and the other was also a Muggle, so they naturally wouldn't know what had happened on Mount Kumotori back then. She couldn't help but feel awkward again, and could only cast a pleading glance at Asakura.
"She's a friend I made when I went camping before."
After enjoying the girl's embarrassed expression for a moment, Asakura finally stepped in to help her out, "When I brought her to Soubu High School to play a while ago, I happened to run into Yui, so everyone got to know each other."
"It's not good to just bring outsiders into the school to play, is it?"
Yukinoshita Yukino closed her book and reprimanded him.
Although Asakura and Yuigahama Yui hadn't explicitly said it, judging by their attitudes, the girl pretty much guessed that Ms. Kagamihara was probably connected to some supernatural events.
Therefore, she couldn't help but object to Asakura's behavior of bringing an uncertainly safe supernatural-related entity into the school.
"You're right. Then next time we go to Nadeshiko's school to play, we won't bring you, Yukino."
Asakura said with a smile.
"Hmph…"
The girl had a 'I don't care at all' tsundere expression.
"Huh, why do I feel like I'm the only one out of the loop…"
Yanami Anna looked at Asakura and Yukinoshita Yukino's interaction with some confusion, muttering with a heart full of doubts, "Isn't anyone going to ask if I want to go play?"
Asakura and Yuigahama Yui, with a tacit understanding, both turned their heads away, avoiding Yanami Anna's gaze.
And so, the girl, who inexplicably felt excluded, became a bit dejected…
"Do you want some Fizzing Whizbees? Also, if you're confident about your teeth, I have some fudge here."
Asakura pulled out a handful of various candies from his deflated pocket and scattered them on the table, asking Yanami Anna.
"Yes, please!"
The girl's expression immediately brightened. She unwrapped a candy and popped it into her mouth, her eyes closing in enjoyment, looking quite cute.
A moment later, the girl opened her eyes again and asked Asakura indistinctly, "Speaking of which, Asakura, many of your snacks… I haven't seen the same kind sold in supermarkets. They're so delicious…"
"Because these are all handmade."
Asakura replied with a smile, "Naturally, they wouldn't be sold on the market. If you want some, I can pack some for you to take home."
Yanami Anna did not reply.
It wasn't that she had fainted from happiness, but rather that her teeth were simply stuck together by the fudge. Considering that this stuff could even stick a giant dog's mouth shut, it seemed Miss Yanami wouldn't be able to speak for a while.