Emiya Shirou's Official Pairing Shouldn't Be Screwdrivers and Other Repair Tools, Right? (Please Support the New Book!)

Listening to the two of them talk, Shinji finally remembered that, back when he had played the original game in his previous life, the two of them had started out in the Archery Club, discussing some strange topic while no one else was around.

The topic was roughly that they had once made a bet: whoever got a boyfriend before graduation would win, and the loser would have to do whatever the winner said for a day. They were now probing each other's progress.

"...Come to think of it, why are we talking about this?" Rin, sitting on a table beside the entrance, seemed to remember something. She set down her tea as she asked.

"What do you mean, why? Wasn't it you who brought it up first, Tohsaka?" Mitsuzuri, seated across from her, replied. "You complained about how you were a girl yet still didn't have a boyfriend, so didn't we make a bet over who'd get one first before our third year?"

Only then did Rin remember. "...Ah, right, right. We were bickering at the time and said that whoever was later would have to listen to the other for a day."

"But isn't limiting it to who gets a boyfriend first a little too restrictive?"

"Hm? Is it?"

Mitsuzuri instinctively replied, completely failing to realize that the previous line had not come from Rin.

As for Rin, her mouth was half-open, her lips twitching as an overly horrified expression appeared on her face.

"Mm-hm, exactly." Shinji had somehow approached them and was standing to one side, arms crossed and eyes closed as he continued in all seriousness. "Wouldn't it be better to change it to whoever finds a partner first? After all, partners aren't limited to boyfriends. In this day and age, a woman can be with another woman too, right? Why insist on gender? Don't you agree?"

At that moment, Mitsuzuri finally caught on. Her face darkened as she looked strangely at Shinji, who had somehow appeared beside them, and Sakura behind him.

"What's wrong?" Shinji casually looked at Rin, whose lips were twitching as she stared at him in disbelief. "Why do you look like someone unexpectedly woke up an hour early and then had an acquaintance overhear some secret?"

Upon hearing that, Rin looked even more horrified.

"As expected of a genius." Mitsuzuri finally let out a soft sigh. "You even figured that out. Yes, the alarm clock at the Tohsaka Residence does seem to be an hour fast."

"Seriously?" Shinji put on a shocked expression.

"Good morning, Captain, Senior Tohsaka." Sakura bowed in greeting, then looked somewhat apologetic and hesitant. "I tried to stop him, but Brother..."

"Ah, I completely understand this sort of thing." Gritting her teeth, Rin stood up with one hand on the table and began cracking her knuckles. "I just wonder whether Matou Shinji has prepared himself to face the consequences of eavesdropping on a private conversation between ladies."

"Indeed, Matou. Are you prepared?" Mitsuzuri also rose from the table. Though she was smiling, Shinji instinctively sensed a dangerous aura.

"Huh? Ladies?" Shinji looked puzzled and glanced around. "Where? How strange. Other than Sakura, I don't see any."

At those words, Rin and Mitsuzuri's expressions suddenly became identical. Both wore extraordinarily sweet smiles entirely devoid of warmth.

The farce ended after Shinji paid a small price—in pain.

"Listen carefully. If you dare spread this around, I'll kill you."

Rin was still making threats, but Shinji remained utterly unconcerned.

"Mitsuzuri, how about you and I try dating?" Shinji pointed at Rin as he looked at Mitsuzuri. "Wouldn't she have to listen to you for a day? My condition is simple: that day, she just has to end every sentence with 'meow.'"

"You bastard!!" Rin exploded like an angry cat with its fur standing on end.

"Hahaha, that actually sounds pretty interesting." Mitsuzuri laughed heartily.

"No, wait..." Sakura hurriedly spoke up weakly.

"But, you know, I don't think I could accept dating that has nothing to do with affection." Mitsuzuri continued. "Even if Matou's conditions really are excellent, I still couldn't accept it."

Only then did Sakura finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"Is that so? Then let me wish you victory in advance, Mitsuzuri."

"Why are you wishing Mitsuzuri victory?!"

Rin clenched her fists, trembling with rage.

"You really think you stand a chance, Tohsaka?" Shinji looked mildly surprised. "Honestly, even Mitsuzuri, who gets all sweaty from practicing in the Archery Club every day, definitely wouldn't lose to you in my eyes. Seriously, are you an idiot? Why make this sort of bet with an opponent you can't possibly beat?"

"Hahaha, sorry for getting all sweaty every day." Mitsuzuri laughed, then looked at Sakura beside her. "By the way, your brother is incredibly good at insulting people. Even when he praises someone, it turns into an insult."

"Uh... hehehe..." Sakura could only laugh awkwardly as she secretly wondered, ...Sweaty? Do I smell like sweat too? Should I buy some perfume or something?

"Ma, tou, Shin, ji!!"

"What is it, Tohsaka?"

"Seaweed head!"

"Expired twin tails."

"Scumbag!"

"Demon."

"Beanpole!"

"Mouse pad."

"Uh... honor student!"

"Hmph! You too!"

Watching the two trade thoughtless insults one after another, Mitsuzuri asked Sakura beside her, "Um, is 'honor student' an insult to those two?"

"Uh, well..." Sakura could only smile bitterly.

After the two had spent five minutes turning their exchange of insults into a furious word chain, Mitsuzuri finally couldn't stand it anymore. With a sigh, she said, "Could you two take your mandatory course that starts every time you meet somewhere else? The club members will be here soon."

"Hmph!" Rin turned away with her arms crossed.

"Tch." Shinji shoved his hands into his pockets and turned away with a click of his tongue.

Before leaving, Shinji put his hands in his pockets, cleared his throat, and gave Sakura a meaningful look.

Receiving Shinji's signal, Sakura immediately grew flustered and hurriedly shook her head.

"Cough, cough!" Shinji gave her an encouraging look and secretly raised a thumbs-up.

Only then did Sakura, face flushed, hesitantly speak to Rin standing at the door. "Th-then... good work, Boss Lady Tohsaka!"

"Ah, Sakura, you work hard too... Huh?"

Pfft!

Shinji could not hold back his laughter. Before Rin could recover from her daze, he opened the door and hurried out, not forgetting to leave behind, "Mitsuzuri, Sakura, I'll leave you two alone. See you."

"Pfft, hahaha, Boss Lady..." Mitsuzuri could not hold back her laughter either.

At the same time, Rin finally came back to herself and asked Sakura with a smile, "Sakura, Shinji was the one who taught you that, wasn't he?"

"Um..."

"Anyway, Sakura, do your best here. I'll have a nice talk with Shinji over there." With that said and a smile, Rin waved and stepped outside.

In the student council room at the stairwell corner on the third floor of the school building.

Standing outside with his arms crossed, Isshin quickly reached out and grabbed Shinji by the back of his collar as he rushed past after tossing out a hurried greeting.

"Matou, how many times have you violated the rule against running in the hallway?"

"Isshin, this time is different! There's a demon behind me!"

"A demon? You mean..."

Before Isshin could finish, Rin leisurely climbed the stairs and approached with a smile.

"You've been a tremendous help, Student Council President."

Rin smiled as she casually grabbed Shinji by the back of his collar.

"I see. It truly is a demon." Isshin pushed up his glasses.

Ignoring Isshin's words, Rin turned and dragged Shinji toward the stairs without looking back.

"Come with me."

"Isshin..." Shinji gave him a pleading look.

"Matou, you must face your own karma." Isshin closed his eyes and muttered a Buddhist chant, which in practice meant there was nothing he could do.

"Isshin, it's fixed."

Carrying a freshly repaired space heater, Shirou emerged from the student council room and set it on the ground.

Isshin hurried forward two steps and apologized. "I'm sorry. I was the one who asked for your help, but I ended up making Emiya do everything alone. I truly apologize."

"Where's the next one? There isn't much time left." Shirou asked, but then caught sight of two figures about to disappear down the stairwell from the corner of his eye. "Was that Shinji and Tohsaka?"

"That is Matou's own karma. Others can do nothing to help."

"Hehehe..."

"The next one is..."