Shizuka Runs Away Whenever She Sees Shirou / A Ring Is Placed on Shizuka's Finger

"Dad... Mom..." Shizuka Hiratsuka looked at her parents with emotion.

In this world, we possess something incredibly precious, yet easily overlooked: those who are willing to stand by us through thick and thin.

Of course, those who are willing to share your hardships may not be able to share your joys, and you may even forget about them when you are successful. But they will stay by your side even when you are at your lowest point and most down.

Such friends may not be found by everyone, but most people do have them—their parents.

Hiratsuka's father said firmly, "Shizuka, don't worry about these things. He's just the third-in-command of the Education Bureau, how could he compare to a minister? I'll handle it! We've received so many benefits from the Hiratsuka family over the years, it's time for those old guys to put in some effort. But since you made the first move, this internship might be affected, so be prepared."

"Yes, I also bear some responsibility, and I will take it. It's just that Shirou's side will be affected." Shizuka Hiratsuka said softly.

The Hiratsuka family parents exchanged a glance, then shook their heads helplessly and sighed, "Sigh..."

They worried a lot about Shizuka Hiratsuka, but the more they worried about a child, the more they actually loved them. The Hiratsuka family couple didn't have high expectations for Shizuka, and for that reason, they just wanted her to be happy.

They hadn't even considered things like arranged marriages. Besides, with Shizuka Hiratsuka's volatile temper, weren't they afraid that if they forced her to marry into the family, she'd be abusive every day and even tear the house down?

Why don't the Dongguo family have any self-awareness?

"I understand. The condition for negotiating this matter is that Shirou will not be exposed," Hiratsuka family's father reluctantly agreed.

To be honest, the Hiratsuka family's businesses in Japan are mostly located in Chiba, and they have decades-long, even centuries-old, relationships with several powerful families, making them a local elite.

Although Chiba is part of the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, it is a large prefecture, larger than the entire city of Tokyo. It has its own factories and seaports, and apart from the fact that most of the most advanced research and development institutions are concentrated in Tokyo, it can be said to be self-sufficient.

So as long as Shizuka Hiratsuka doesn't beat up the son of a party leader or the prime minister's child, the Hiratsuka family isn't really afraid. At worst, they'll just cut off business ties with some small companies in Tokyo. They can't affect larger companies or an education department either.

The Hiratsuka family originally intended to capture the eldest daughter of the Dongguo family Hiratsuka family who had offended them and beat her to death. However... if they wanted to protect Shirou, they couldn't confront her head-on; they had no choice but to negotiate, with both sides paying a price.

"Shizuka... so what do you plan to do about your relationship with Shirou?" Hiratsuka family's mother asked worriedly, looking at her daughter. Even now, her daughter still had feelings for that boy and was devoted to him. Hiratsuka's mother had given up on breaking them up.

What worries me more is how the two of them will go through life together. Society, career, and other aspects will create huge obstacles between them.

"... I don't know either. I thought I could handle anything, but if Shirou were to be looked at like that, I don't know..." Shizuka Hiratsuka lowered her head, her heart filled with deep confusion.

Society and family are like a net, providing shelter during storms and downpours, but also binding you to it.

Chapter 596 Shizuka runs away as soon as she sees Shirou

The black-haired woman understood those grand principles, so when she saw Shirou, the more she became aware of her own feelings, the more she retreated. She probably couldn't even look the boy in the eye anymore.

After that, the Hiratsuka family immediately used their connections and networks to negotiate with the Dongguo family. They made it clear that if they wanted to cause trouble, they should be prepared for mutual destruction.

However, the Hiratsuka family is a business family, so at worst, Shizuka Hiratsuka could be assigned to teach at an international school in China, since they are happy to accept problem teachers anyway.

The other party was an official from the Ministry of Education. If his son, a teacher, were to have a tarnished reputation, the father could forget about getting promoted.

After some haggling, the matter was finally brought to a halt in exchange for Shizuka Hiratsuka voluntarily withdrawing from the training program and returning to her school in Chiba, and being barred from any involvement in Tokyo's education system in the future. Dongguo Xiaofu was also banned from any involvement in Chiba Prefecture.

Shizuka Hiratsuka had no objection to this. She fled Shirou's school as if she were escaping. Even though she didn't return to the school festival, she hid herself away and dared not meet Shirou alone. It would be fine if there was a third person, but as long as she was alone with Shirou, she would immediately run away.

In short, she never gave Shirou a chance to talk to her about matters of the heart. Even when Shirou and Bazett visited Hiratsuka family, she would eat with them and then retreat to her room.

"Quiet..." Shirou stared at the tightly closed room door.

"Shirou, why don't I break down the door and talk to her?" Bazett couldn't help but say.

Shirou took the red-haired woman's hand, shook his head, and said, "No, let's wait a little longer. If Shizuka changes her mind, she'll definitely come out on her own."

However, this time, the seemingly indestructible Shizuka Hiratsuka failed to recover. This state lasted for two years. Shizuka Hiratsuka officially graduated from school and specially found a high school far away from Shirou's school to take on her calling People's Teacher.

For example, Haruno Yukinoshita, a high school girl, has passed her entrance exams and will soon become a university student.

As soon as she reached the age to take the driving test, Haruno took the test and got her Driver's License during her vacation after graduation. Then she drove her family's luxury car around showing it off. On this day, she drove the car to the school where Shizuka Hiratsuka was studying.

The students are now on holiday, and apart from some sports club activities outside, there are hardly any people to be seen. The teachers are on duty in shifts, working in the school. Today it just so happens to be Shizuka Hiratsuka's turn.

"What brings you here? Do you want me to show off your car?" Shizuka Hiratsuka, now wearing her white lab coat, asked Haruno Yukinoshita.

"How cold~! Can't you talk to Shizuka-chan if there's nothing wrong?" Haruno drawled out.

"I'm on work hours now, work, do you understand?" Shizuka Hiratsuka said, enunciating each word clearly.

"What does it matter? It's just in the office anyway. I can just submit another report," Haruno said nonchalantly.

"Alright, if you have nothing else, I'll head back to my office," Shizuka Hiratsuka said, turning to leave.

"Wait, Shizuka-chan, there's something else I want to ask you. Why are you avoiding Shirou like this? Don't you remember how popular Shirou was in middle school? What will happen in high school? What will you do if he accepts a girl's confession?"

"Ugh... What can I do... Anyway, I'll wait for him. If Shirou finds someone he likes in the meantime, then I'll wish him well." Shizuka Hiratsuka hesitated for a moment, then turned her head away and said something that clearly didn't mean what she said.

"Hmph... Aren't you going to consider the method I told you before, and make it a fait accompli?" Haruno said, pouting at the woman.

"How could I do that! That's it! Just leave me alone," Shizuka Hiratsuka said.

"Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!" Haruno Yukinoshita shouted at her three times as she left!

"What... If only it could be like this..." Shizuka Hiratsuka watched Haruno drive away, clearly annoyed.

"So... Shirou, what are you going to do with that idiot?" Haruno asked the red-haired youth in the passenger seat.

"Ah, although I know she did this for my own good, I'm still a little annoyed to be left behind like this," Shirou said quietly.

After some time, the red-haired youth quietly enrolled in the high school where Shizuka Hiratsuka was studying and came before his teacher, Shizuka Hiratsuka.

Shizuka Hiratsuka was startled and said somewhat incoherently, "Huh? Why? Shirou, you clearly said you wanted to apply to Sobu High School!"

"Ah, it's really not easy to avoid being noticed by you, Jing. You have to pay attention to your grades and not stand out in other areas to attract the attention of any teacher, because it's so difficult. So in the end, I had no choice but to use the power of the world to cheat."

Shizuka Hiratsuka felt a little panicked; perhaps she should have taught at the girls' school in the first place.

Shizuka Hiratsuka walked dejectedly down the street and accidentally bumped into a passerby.

"I'm sorry." Shizuka Hiratsuka stumbled, but steadied herself. Thanks to her regular training, her legs were strong enough to maintain her balance. Fortunately, the person opposite her was not injured. The woman bowed her head and apologized.

"It's alright, it's alright. They were just busy taking pictures and didn't even notice anyone was there."

That familiar, unintuitive way of speaking... Shizuka Hiratsuka looked up and, sure enough, it was... the familiar gal girl. She had grown up quite a bit and now looked like a sexy and cute JK gyaru.

She was surrounded by a group of girls dressed similarly, and it seemed that she had found many like-minded friends in high school.

"They don't go there anymore because they don't earn enough. Now they're doing this!" the gal girl said, pulling out her phone.

"Is this a guide to fashionable dating for 'gyaru'?" Shizuka Hiratsuka looked at her phone screen, which featured color schemes that matched the style of gyaru, and the homepage was filled with various articles.

There are also hot girls of different types, including black hot girls, white hot girls, and girls with tan skin, who share their experiences and questions in this online magazine.

"Other people's boyfriends always have to poop after sex, I can't stand it! Can we really be happy like this?"

'Make him go to the hospital for a checkup right away, and break up with him! When you're doubting the future, it means you no longer love her!'

This magazine has already received over 300,000 clicks.

"Yeah, I co-founded an online magazine with two friends to share various experiences with girls who like the 'gyaru' (gal) style. Now our team has seven people, and our advertising revenue alone has reached 5 million yen. With the addition of the new 'computer gyaru' who created the online shopping mall, we're going to earn even more in the future!" the gal girl boasted.

"Wow, amazing." Shizuka Hiratsuka looked at the gal girl in surprise. Although she had always thought that this girl was quite strong in some aspects, she didn't expect her to succeed so quickly. Perhaps this girl, like her surname, was born with the ability to attract people to gather there.

"Yeah, ever since Shirou blessed me, it seems like everything I want to do comes true. It's been so smooth! By the way, Shizuka, why do you look so downcast? Did Shirou dump you?" the gal girl exclaimed excitedly. Was she going to keep having good luck and realize her dream of marrying the person she loved and having two boys and a girl?

"No way!" Shizuka Hiratsuka shouted angrily. That's not how you talk!

Chapter 597: A Ring Was Put on Shizuka

Because of Shizuka Hiratsuka's loud shout.

"Sister Touma?" The hot girls beside her all stared nervously in their direction and asked in confusion.

"It's okay, this is my former intern teacher, now she's a friend or relative. Although I like her man. Why don't you guys go back first, she'll come find you after she finishes chatting with her." Nao Toukan explained with a smile and a wave of her hand, but judging from her appearance, she seemed to be the leader among all the hot girls.

"Yes, then we'll head back first." The group of hot girls took their leave upon hearing this.

The gal girl turned to the female teacher and said, "So, Shizu-chan, what exactly happened? Tell me, maybe I can help you..."

After that, Shizuka Hiratsuka told the gyaru about her inner conflict and her attitude towards Shirou.

"... That's all there is to it."

The hot girl tilted her head, thought for a moment, and said, "Hmm, if I fall in love with a teacher, I'll definitely date him no matter what. Shizu-chan, this is your happiness, and if you don't take the initiative, no one can help you."

"While I can't help you with that, I can certainly help you accept Shirou's hand in marriage," the gal girl said, flashing a V-sign and smiling at the woman.

"Don't even think about it!" Shizuka Hiratsuka said with a laugh and a scolding tone.

After saying goodbye to the gal girl, the passionate female teacher seemed to have gained even more courage. Although she was still somewhat confused, she now decided to face her feelings for Shirou instead of constantly running away from them.

But all of this seems to have happened a little too fast.

"Good evening, Jing~ Teacher~! You ran away, leaving everything behind at school. So I guessed you'd definitely come back." The red-haired boy said as he sat in the office.

"Huh?! Shirou, why are you still here?" Shizuka Hiratsuka said in surprise.

"It's all the teacher's fault! You ran away when you saw me. Am I really that scary? I'm a little shocked." Shirou said, pulling Shizuka Hiratsuka's hand as they walked towards the infirmary.

"Wait..." Shizuka Hiratsuka, who was being pulled along, felt that the boy's hand was very hot, yet very strong, making it impossible for her to muster the courage to break free.

"Teacher, I'm a high school student now, so I can get married. But my fiancée ran away when she saw me. Can you help me answer this question?" Shirou pulled Shizuka Hiratsuka into the infirmary, placed one hand on the wall to Shizuka Hiratsuka her way, leaned forward, and brought his face close to the woman's as he spoke.

"Wait, Shirou, this is a school..." Shizuka Hiratsuka was stopped there, her face flushed, and she said anxiously.

"If it weren't for the school, would you be willing to talk to me?" Shirou asked, his eyes fixed on the woman.

"That's not how it is, anyway, move aside first." Shizuka Hiratsuka turned her head away, trying to push Shirou aside, and said.

"Why are you unwilling? If it's because of the teacher-student relationship, I've already told you that I like Shizuka, and that's enough. Your aunt and uncle have already agreed. Why are you backing down now, Shizuka?" Shirou grabbed the woman's hand.

"I'm sorry... Shirou, please give me some more time," Shizuka Hiratsuka said.

"How much longer do I have to wait? I clearly told you how I felt three years ago, when I was in middle school. How long are you going to treat me like a child?"

"It was an impulsive act at the time, and..." Shizuka Hiratsuka said as she retreated inside.

"And what?" Shirou caught up and asked.

"Besides! Don't you have lots of lovely people your age with you now? Why do you want to come back to me?!" Shizuka Hiratsuka said.

"If you don't want to, I can keep my distance from them, but why are you the one who distanced yourself from me?" Shirou asked.

"I don't know why it turned out this way! Shirou, why did I have to meet you? If it weren't for this, I wouldn't be feeling this pain." Shizuka Hiratsuka's face was very close to the boy's; she hadn't had such intimate contact in a very long time. Although she often dreamed of such opportunities, in real life, she was drifting further and further away from the boy. Thinking of this, the woman suddenly became very vulnerable, so vulnerable that she might burst into tears at any moment.

"Then accept me. As long as Shizuka agrees to date me, I won't let any other girls get close to her," Shirou said, staring intently into the woman's eyes.

Shizuka Hiratsuka: "I hate being judged and looked at differently by others, but I hate it even more if Shirou gets hurt because of being with me. What I hate most is not having the courage to accept Shirou's feelings, but also not being able to bear seeing Shirou with other girls!"

"But I love this kind of quiet the most!"

"They're clearly not a good match at all!"

"I like quiet!"

"Even if you're with me, you won't be happy!"

"All I want is to be happy with Jing."

"Waaah... Even if Shirou... says that..." The black-haired girl sobbed, still unable to let go. She loved the boy, but she lacked the confidence to find happiness even in the face of an uncertain future.

Shirou reached out and finally touched the woman this time. Gazing into her tear-blurred eyes, he said softly, "No... if Shizuka isn't with me, I won't be happy. So this time... I've caught you, and I won't let you escape again."

The boy leaned forward, pressing the woman down onto the white bed, his long, flowing black hair cascading down as he said, "Jing, is this alright?"

In the woman's mind, angels and demons were dancing wildly together. There was no turning back; once this barrier was broken, everything would be irreversible. But... death was inevitable. The woman closed her eyes.

"Mmm..." The woman's eyes were filled with tears, and her face was flushed with excitement, looking completely at ease.

On that day, the boy and girl were covered in a layer of transparent gray, which was swept away by a gust of fresh wind, and there was no longer any distance between them; they merged closely together.

If Jing lacks confidence, then I will prove it to you.

The boy... no, he has now grown into a remarkable man, his body forged in countless trials, as strong as a tiger.

When Shizuka Hiratsuka's hand touched Shirou's back, she felt that the blood inside was burning molten lava, the tendons inside were like straps supporting thousands of tons, and the bones inside were like the steel frame supporting a hundred-story building.

So he took her lips in his mouth, injected scorching magma into her body, reconnecting her to those tendons, letting her lean against those bones.

That afternoon, only the long blue curtain in the infirmary, which was constantly swaying, revealed what had happened inside.

Five years later...

This is in the courtyard near the parking lot of a landmark university in Tokyo. A red-haired young man who looks like a college student is discussing something with a group of professors and associate professors wearing white coats. He is not just a listener, but frequently expresses his own opinions on some issues, which makes the surrounding professors' eyes light up and nod repeatedly.

After entering high school, Shirou began his extraordinary life. He completed all the courses of three years of high school in one year, and then skipped a grade to enter the famous and top-tier university in England, 'The Clock Tower', hoping to use its power as a springboard to enter an ordinary university.

To achieve all this, Shirou took Bazett directly into the Clock Tower and had a serious talk with the Magecraft factions who had planned to assassinate him years ago. With the help of these deeply rooted European Magecraft families, he successfully entered the country's top university and completed his studies there. He finished his credits in just two years and then successfully applied for a doctorate.

Shirou is in his second year of doctoral studies and has already published several brilliant papers on the top forums for Magecraft, causing a sensation. He travels between Tokyo and England every day, continuing to work hard as always.

If there's any difference, it's that Shirou is now wearing a ring on the ring finger of his left hand.

On the other side, Shizuka Hiratsuka drove to the university in Tokyo to pick up Shirou as he returned home. She was also wearing a ring on her left hand, which was gripping the steering wheel.