Chapter 194: Yukino Joins the Inner Circle; Tuanzi's Absolute Victory
The sudden question from Yuigahama Yui left Hiratsuka Shizuka completely paralyzed.
Yukinoshita Yukino also caught on, her eyes sharpening with suspicion. Setting aside the question of why their homeroom teacher was at this hotel at all, Yoru's room was deep in the hallway, past two corners. Because these were large suites, the rooms weren't exactly bunched together.
Did she just get lost?
Impossible. If Shizuka had simply taken a wrong turn, her first reaction upon seeing Yukino wouldn't have been "guilty shock"—it would have been "confusion" as to why her student was wandering the halls.
The moment Shizuka opened her mouth to accuse Yoru, she proved she knew exactly whose room this was.
Yukino saw through it all.
Noticing Yukino's piercing gaze, Shizuka knew she couldn't wiggle out of this. Yukino didn't have Haruno's playful personality, but her deductive reasoning and sharp mind were definitely family traits.
"Um... ahem." Shizuka coughed twice, trying to steady her racing heart. She forced a professional mask. "I'm heading back to Kyoto tomorrow. Before I left, I wanted to find Yoru and suggest a group dinner for the whole club. After all, including Sakurajima-san from the second year, you're all my students."
Yukino's eyes flickered. She gave a short, two-word assessment:
"Pathetic. Shoddy."
Dinner? It was 8:00 PM. Unless there was a hidden motive, that's something you discuss over the phone, not by lurking at a student's door.
"Shizuka-sensei," Yukino said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "You are lying."
Yui stood by, completely floored.
Whoa... Yukino-chan, you're so bold!
Yui could tell it was a lame excuse too, but she would never have the guts to call out a teacher so bluntly without any regard for their "face." Usually, Yui would have helped the teacher save face by laughing it off.
But Yukino was the "Goddess of Ice" for a reason—she was brutally honest.
Furthermore, Yui realized something else: If Sensei was lying... then what was her real reason for being at Yoru's door? It had to be something embarrassing if she was trying this hard to hide it.
Thinking of this, Yui's grip on Yoru's hand tightened.
Shizuka and Yukino both noticed the hand-holding. Their reactions were polar opposites. Shizuka looked like she'd been struck by lightning, her mouth hanging open. Yukino's brow furrowed, her eyes reflecting a mix of confusion and a faint sense of being lost. Finally, Yukino looked away, focusing on Yoru.
"Do you have a moment?" Yukino asked softly. "I want to talk."
Yui's lip trembled slightly. she lowered her head and remained silent, but her hand gripped Yoru even harder, as if terrified he would pull away.
Yoru didn't answer immediately. Instead, he squeezed Yui's hand back before looking at Yukino with a smile.
"Yukinoshita-san, I have something much more important to do right now. I don't have time."
Hearing this, Yui felt a wave of relief wash over her. She looked up, her smile returning. "It's okay, Yoru! You can talk to Yukino-chan first. I can wait until you're finished."
That was Yui—gentle to a fault. She would always prioritize others, especially someone she considered a dear friend like Yukino. But even though she said it, if Yoru had actually ditched her right then, she would have been heartbroken.
What she wanted wasn't the result; it was the attitude.
"No need," Yoru said, glancing at Yukino's bare feet and her breathless state. "Whatever it is, Yukinoshita-san, put it on the back burner. We'll talk when I'm free."
Then, Yoru turned to Shizuka. "Shizuka-chan, you still here?"
Feeling the heavy atmosphere, Shizuka finally understood what Yoru meant. There are battlefields much more dangerous than a haunted hotel. And she had accidentally wandered into the middle of a nuclear Shuraba.
"Uh... nothing! Let's just talk on the phone tomorrow!" Shizuka squeaked, turned on her heel, and fled.
Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying. Shizuka was mentally screaming. What level of monsters are in this Shuraba?!
There was Mai Sakurajima, the Final Boss who could dismantle a psyche with one sentence. Then Yukino, who could sniff out a lie like a bloodhound. And even Yui... Shizuka realized Yui was the one who had asked the "killer question" that started the whole mess.
The Super-Quant Club... is a den of demons!
Once Shizuka was gone, Yui watched Yoru open the door, seemingly ready to shut Yukino out. She tugged his sleeve and whispered, "Hey... just talk to her for a bit? For me?"
"If it's a request from my Tuanzi, then fine," Yoru sighed. He looked at Yukino. "Since Yui asked so nicely, come in."
Yukino's brow twitched. She felt a surge of annoyance. He sounds so impatient...
Normally, her pride would have made her walk away. But tonight, she was done waiting.
"Thank you, Yui," Yukino whispered, her tone sounding incredibly awkward.
Yui patted the back of Yukino's hand with a sweet smile. "Don't mention it! We're friends, right?"
"Friends..." Yukino didn't deny it this time. She simply nodded. "Yes. We are friends."
Inside the room, Yukino sat on the sofa. She glanced at Yui, who was sitting next to her with a dazed, innocent expression. She hesitated.
Yoru noticed and waved a hand dismissively. "Just say it. There are no secrets here."
"Fine." Yukino straightened her skirt, smoothed her long black hair, and locked eyes with Yoru. She spoke each word with clinical precision:
"You... are 'The Mask'."
She watched him like a hawk, waiting for even the slightest twitch or crack in his expression. To her shock, he just nodded casually.
"Yeah. And?"
"Eh?" Yukino blinked, stunned by his bluntness. "You... you're just admitting it?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
Seeing Yoru act like he'd just admitted to liking a specific brand of soda, Yukino's gaze drifted to Yui. She noticed that her best friend didn't look shocked at all.
"I see. You already knew," Yukino murmured.
"Ehehe... sorry about that, Yukino-chan," Yui smiled sheepishly, trying to "moe" her way out of the guilt.
"Sigh..." Yukino let out a long breath. "I suppose it makes sense. You've been in the club since the start and you're always at the internal meetings."
She turned back to Yoru. "So, the 'Inner Members' are simply the people who know your identity. If I had to guess, the other three unidentified people who appeared on the news during the 'Teru Teru Bozu' incident... based on their heights and posture, were Rio-san, Miko-san, and Mai-senpai."
Yoru clapped slowly. "As expected of Yukinoshita. Your observation skills are top-tier."
Yukino's specialty was environmental perception. Shizuka thought Yukino was just a genius like Haruno, but that was a shallow take. Haruno excelled at reading people—negotiating and manipulating. Yukino excelled at being an observer.
She had realized it while watching the news. Despite the voice changer and the mask, the "vibe" and the way The Mask spoke were identical to Yoru. The others were easy to slot into place once she had the lead.
Of course, she didn't feel like a master detective. Yoru had left her more than enough breadcrumbs. Solving a puzzle is easy when the answer is already written on the back.
"So..." Yukino went quiet for a long time. "What now?"
Yoru stood up and extended his hand to her, a smirk playing on his lips. "Welcome to my Harem—I mean, welcome to the Inner Circle of the Super-Quant Club."
Yukino's brow furrowed. "You definitely said Harem."
"I did no such thing. Don't go slandering your Brother-in-law, Little Yukino."
"Hmph. You aren't my Brother-in-law. Stop acting like you've won."
Despite her sharp tongue, her body was honest. She stood up and lightly shook his hand. "In that case, I'll take my leave."
Yukino gave Yui a complicated look before exiting the room.
She understood her strengths, but she knew her weakness: interpersonal relationships. She couldn't wrap her head around the dynamic between Yoru, the Inner Members, and her sister.
How could he call himself her "Brother-in-law" right in front of Yui? And why did Yui seem totally fine with it?
Is this... the 'Genuine Article' I've been looking for?
No. That's absurd. That would mean to reach 'The Genuine,' I would have to...
Impossible. Absolutely not. Yukino vowed to herself. I will never join a 'Harem.' If I do, I'll change my name to Yukinoshita 'Bug'-ino.
Once Yukino left, Yui let out a massive sigh of relief. She looked at Yoru and pouted. "Hey, why are you so mean to Yukino-chan? She's our friend. You know how to be nice when you want to."
Yoru replied with "Abstract" logic: "If I'm gentle to everyone, then my gentleness means nothing to anyone. It loses all value, doesn't it?"
"Uh..." Yui thought about it. Wait, that actually makes sense.
If Yoru was always a "Nice Guy," his words to her on the street tonight wouldn't have carried so much weight. Kindness to everyone is kindness to no one...
"Wait!" Yui snapped out of it, glaring at him like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Are you throwing shade at me?!"
"I'm glad you caught the hint."
"Hmph... but..." Yui blushed, mumbling, "It's not like I'm 'gentle' with other guys..."
She shook off the embarrassment and straightened up. "Anyway, back to business. That 'High-Speed Leveling' method... what is it?"
"It's time to get to the bottom of things," Yoru said, his voice laced with a double meaning Yui didn't catch yet. He turned serious. "Before I explain, there are some disclaimers."
"Disclaimers?" Yui sat up straight, her curiosity peaking. What kind of brutal training required a legal warning?
"First: this method wasn't just my idea. It's backed by Futaba Rio's scientific theories. It is a 'Gourmet Conclusion' derived from high-level data."
"I would like to thank the brave volunteers who sacrificed themselves for this great experiment: Yotsuya Miko, Futaba Rio, Sakurajima Mai, Hachishaku..."
"Stop, stop, stop!" Yui cut him off, exasperated. "Quit stalling! Just tell me!"
"Alright. Here's the deal..."
Five minutes later.
The light died in Yui's eyes.
"You're... you're joking, right?"
In that moment, Yui finally understood why Mai and the others acted so shy and fidgety whenever the topic of "training" came up. And why they insisted she talk to Yoru privately.
Yui thought Yoru was just helping with the training. She didn't realize that HE WAS THE TRAINING.
"I... I..."
Faced with this world-shaking revelation, the "Scaredy-Cat Lizard" inside Yui took over. Her old habit of hesitation kicked in.
"I... need to use the restroom!"
Slam!
"Ow... that hurt." Yui stumbled into the bathroom. She turned on the tap, splashing ice-cold water on her face. But the heat radiating from her skin didn't fade at all.
"Hesitating again?"
Yui looked up. Kiyohime was standing right behind her in the mirror.
"You... why are you out again?"
"Do you really need to ask a question you already know the answer to?" Kiyohime sighed.
"When a Medium's heart is in conflict, they hear the voice of their Soul Body—the voice of their true desires. Do you really not understand why I've appeared twice in one day?"
"I..."
"Just go." Kiyohime picked up a towel, dipped it in warm water, and gently wiped away Yui's light makeup. She smiled. "Go give him your most 'Genuine' answer."
Once Kiyohime vanished, Yui stared at herself in the mirror. She took a deep breath, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. She walked out of the bathroom.
"You're back. Have you decided—"
Yui didn't let him finish. She walked straight up to him and placed a soft finger against his lips. Then, she stood on her tiptoes, closing the gap.
Their lips met. Yui's were trembling, but she pressed them against his with a newfound iron resolve.
After a long moment, she pulled back just an inch.
"I..." She looked him in the eye. Her face was flushed, but her gaze was steady. "I want to do it."
"But... not for the power level."
"I want to do it because it's you."
Yoru nodded softly. "I know."
As they moved to the bed, the sound of fabric rustling and Yui's soft, shaky breathing filled the room. When they reached the final step, her brow furrowed, and an involuntary cry of pain escaped her lips.
"It... it hurts a little..."
Yui wrapped her arms around Yoru's neck, her face a deep crimson. A single tear—a mix of joy and emotion—overflowed and tracked down her cheek. She whispered into his ear:
"But it's okay. Now that we've done this... you have to take responsibility for me forever, okay?"