Aoyama Osamu couldn't help speeding up—like a car out of gas spotting a station 100 meters away.
Behind him, the clubroom door slammed open.
"No running!" A short-haired girl charged like a dagger.
—System, guide 'Speed'!
Facing combat, Aoyama Osamu chose [Flee].
[Body in recovery. 'Speed' guidance unavailable.]
—Skill, parkour!
[Body in recovery. Athletic skills unavailable.]
Useless system!
'It's not over—I can rely on myself!'
Dragging his dead legs, Aoyama Osamu struggled forward—then was yanked back by his collar and tackled.
Followed by a professional lock hold.
"Pervert caught!" the short-haired girl shouted.
Good thing this was the third floor, all music clubs. Elsewhere, he'd be dead.
"Wait! I have something to say!" Aoyama Osamu pleaded.
"Yume!" Another girl caught up.
"What's going on? Zip me up!"
"Sakuko, hold on—pervert alert!"
After the chaos, Aoyama Osamu was marched into the clubroom, tied to a chair with random rope.
"Turn him over to the school!" the short-haired girl said.
"Wait!"
"The costumes arrived today; we decided to try them on last minute. There's a 20% chance it's a misunderstanding," a long-haired girl mused.
"Twenty percent?!" Aoyama Osamu yelped.
"Even if it's a misunderstanding, three of us were practically seen naked—this can't end lightly!" a medium-haired girl said sternly.
"My vision's F! I didn't see anything!" Aoyama Osamu protested.
"F…" The last girl's face reddened—not shy, but volcanic.
"You say you saw nothing but know Rino's chest size!" the short-haired girl, Yume, raged. "Forget school—call the police!"
She grabbed her phone.
"Misunderstanding!" Aoyama Osamu cursed Miu Ai for her "F" nonsense.
Otherwise, he'd have said E!
He glanced at Rino.
Huh? Doesn't look big. Isn't F supposed to be jaw-dropping?
Despite having sisters, Aoyama Osamu knew nothing about band sizes or cups.
"Don't be rash!" The long-haired girl snatched Yume's phone.
"Yeah, don't be rash!" Aoyama Osamu echoed.
"If it's that one-in-ten accident…" the long-haired girl started.
"Wasn't it twenty percent?" Aoyama Osamu interjected.
"…calling the police won't help. We need an undeniable accident to send him to jail!" she declared.
"Hey!"
"How?" Yume asked.
The long-haired girl glanced at Aoyama Osamu, whispering to the others.
"Mhm."
"Great idea!"
"Isn't that too cruel?"
"He saw us!"
"No choice!"
The four girls surrounded Aoyama Osamu.
"It's really a misunderstanding!" he pleaded. "I was just visiting clubs to join—tons of people can vouch!"
"Do it!" the long-haired girl ordered.
All four reached for him.
"Someone's—" The clubroom door opened again.
Five heads turned. Miu Ai.
"Sorry to intrude." She closed the door.
"Don't leave! Save me!"
"Grab her!"
Soon, Miu Ai was tied beside Aoyama Osamu.
Worthy of an A-grade beauty—she looked like a painting, even bound.
"Now what?" F-Rino asked worriedly.
"No turning back—either drop it or go all in!" the long-haired girl said.
"I say all in!" Yume declared.
"What'd you do? Kneel and apologize," Miu Ai frowned at Aoyama Osamu.
"I did the same as you—think I should kneel?" Aoyama Osamu said innocently.
"Then call the police," Miu Ai said coldly.
"He spied on us changing," Sakuko said.
"Your biggest problem isn't deaf ears or crippled legs—it's a filthy heart," Miu Ai said.
"You believe it's a misunderstanding?" Aoyama Osamu sought an ally.
"F-man!" Miu Ai snapped.
No allies—only enemies!
"Really keep going?" F-Rino asked cautiously.
"Keep going!" the long-haired girl insisted.
The four reached for Aoyama Osamu again.
"What're you doing?!" he struggled. "No random touching! Not there!"
Someone reached into his pants… pocket.
"The costumes—" The door opened again. "What's going on?"
Two minutes later, Aoyama Osamu and Miu Ai, still tied, sat beside the long-haired girl, Yume, Sakuko, and F-Rino—all kneeling in dogeza.
The club advisor, Aoyama Osamu's homeroom teacher, Akita Shio, stood arms crossed.
"You four went too far!" she scolded.
"Sorry," the four muttered, heads down.
"Sensei, I'm at fault too," Aoyama Osamu said.
"I'm completely innocent," Miu Ai stated.
Akita Shio sighed, looking pained.
"Miu Ai-san," she said, "can we pretend this didn't happen?"
"If you grant me one request, I'll consider it," Miu Ai negotiated fearlessly.
"What request?" Akita Shio asked.
"It's the third week of term, and I haven't found an interesting club to join. I want to start one and need you as advisor."
"I might not have time…"
"Perfect," Miu Ai cut in.
A club wanting an absent advisor wasn't bad but was suspicious.
Akita Shio hesitated.
"Fine," she nodded. "With your background, Miu-san, I trust you won't break school rules."
Miu Ai neither confirmed nor denied.
"Aoyama," Akita Shio turned to him, "I hope you'll forget this too."
"Sensei, he saw us!" Yume protested.
"I didn't!" Aoyama Osamu and Sakuko said simultaneously.
"You said you didn't but knew Rino was F!" Yume's eyes blazed.
Akita Shio paused, then eyed Aoyama Osamu suspiciously.
"Sensei, I have a witness!" Aoyama Osamu exhaled. "I said, 'My vision's only F,' because of my chat with Miu Ai-san."
He explained the context.
"Is that true, Miu-san?" Akita Shio asked.
Miu Ai looked at Aoyama Osamu, a jade-like smile on her face. "Is bluntness right?"
This woman.
"…Yes."
[High School Romance Novel: 55%]
"What grade's the choir club?" Akita Shio asked.
"…Barely failing," Miu Ai replied.
[High School Romance Novel: 56%]
"Grant me one request too," Miu Ai said to Aoyama Osamu.
"I answered two of yours already!" he said, incredulous.
"Your choice."
"…What is it?"
"Join my club. Kaimei supports clubs—two people can form one. If a disabled person's included, we get extra funds. Not that we need it, but better to have it."
"I'm not disabled!"
Miu Ai looked at his legs, shocked.
She really thought he was disabled and planned to scam funds?
"Enough!" Akita Shio clapped. "Aoyama-kun, join Miu Ai-san's club."
Akita-sensei seemed wary of Miu Ai.
Kaimei had plenty of powerful students, after all.
"Fine," Aoyama Osamu nodded.
Campus Mystery, Main Ability: Appearance was at 90%, now with Miu Ai as the detective.
Sticking with her would yield material.
Better than visiting clubs or joining a useless one for his writing.
With Miu Ai's testimony, Aoyama Osamu was cleared.
But Yume's glare said this wasn't over.
Either way, in his heart, Aoyama Osamu told them:
"Thanks for the treat."