Tsubaki Yuki's Illness

"She actually knows about the White Room?" Tsubaki Yuki was somewhat surprised. She had originally assumed that this term would never be heard again after Yuto graduated.

"Wait, Sakayanagi, she wouldn't happen to be the chairman's daughter, would she?"

"Yes, I asked her."

"I see. That makes sense then." Tsubaki Yuki rested her chin on her hand, thinking seriously. "And then? You went shopping with her, what else did you talk about?"

"She invited me to go look at clubs with her this afternoon and play chess together tonight."

"Hmm?" The word chess triggered Tsubaki Yuki's alertness. "Why chess?"

"Because it seems she happened to see me playing when she arrived that day. It was her introduction to chess... but let's not talk about that. How was your first day in Class D?"

"How should I put it? It was a mixed bag. I feel like I performed well enough, but the students in Class D are really hard to describe."

Yuto could roughly understand how she felt.

She was probably stunned by the various oddities on display in Class D.

"By the way, I saw a boy at Keyaki Mall buying a game console that looked quite expensive. I walked over to take a look, and the price tag was a full thirty thousand points."

The only person who would do something like that would likely be a student from Class D, which was why Yuto brought it up.

"Ah, I think I know who that is." A certain braggart who could participate in major league tournaments back in middle school flashed through Tsubaki Yuki's mind.

"It's getting late, let's go eat."

"Alright."

Arisu Sakayanagi returned to her room, took out her phone, and tapped in a string of numbers from memory.

The phone rang with a busy tone, and Arisu Sakayanagi waited patiently.

After a while, it was finally picked up.

A familiar voice came from the other end of the line. There was a hint of helplessness in that voice, but even more doting affection.

"Arisu, didn't we say this number was only for emergencies?" Narimori Sakayanagi lowered his voice on the other end, as if he were covering the receiver. "Why are you calling Daddy on your first day? Didn't you say you wanted to be like a normal student and not use any privileges?"

"Because I encountered some special circumstances. Daddy should know about him, right? Yuto-kun, who is in the same class as me."

"Ah, you mean Yuto. I really hadn't told you yet. I didn't know how to bring it up at first, and then I got busy and forgot. But to think you still remember him, Arisu."

"It's lunch break right now, could you tell me about him, Daddy?" Arisu Sakayanagi's tone was soft. She knew her father couldn't resist when she acted spoiled. Whenever she wanted something in the past, she would use this tone, and her father could never refuse.

"Eh, alright then. Let's consider this call compensation for Daddy forgetting, so it doesn't count as you calling me." Narimori Sakayanagi's voice revealed a sense of "there's really no helping you." After all, he was a total pushover for his daughter.

"Thank you, Daddy! You're the best~ I want to hear everything about what happened after that with Yuto—"

Yuto and Tsubaki Yuki arrived at the cafeteria, each ordering a standard set meal for 300 points.

"Yuki, look over there. They have a free wild vegetable set meal." Yuto pointed toward a certain spot to draw her attention.

It was indeed a free meal, but as for what was actually being served... it was hard to describe.

White rice, vegetable roots, leaves that looked like they had only been rinsed in plain water, and a soup so bland it was practically water.

"I feel like my cat eats better than this," Tsubaki Yuki pouted.

It was no wonder she felt that way; the free wild vegetable set meal truly looked unpalatable.

Besides the carbohydrates, did it even have any nutritional value?

However, since the convenience store provided free daily necessities and the cafeteria offered free meals, any smart student would realize that points could run out. The school provided these resources to ensure the students' basic survival.

If one looked closely, they could even spot students in the cafeteria eating those unappetizing free meals.

Most of them looked gloomy; they were likely upperclassmen who had already lost all hope of reaching Class A.

But from another perspective, Advanced Nurturing High School provided free electricity, water, and housing, along with free daily supplies, food, and water, as well as a library and learning resources. As long as they weren't expelled, a student could study here peacefully without spending a single point.

Even if they just spent three years grinding in the library, they could still apply to their dream university afterward, and it wouldn't necessarily be any worse than graduating from Class A.

Yuto and Tsubaki Yuki found a seat and began to eat.

"Have you made any friends in class?" Yuto asked her.

"Not really. Not to mention the boys, the girls all seem to be hovering around Karuizawa and Kushida," Tsubaki Yuki shook her head.

"Could it be that you're too outstanding, and everyone is too shy to approach you? Wouldn't it be good to take the initiative like Kushida? She even took the initiative to ask for my contact information. Or, you don't have to limit yourself; you could look for friends in other classes."

"As for other classes, I have Yuto, and that's enough!" Tsubaki Yuki's tone was a bit stubborn, like a headstrong child.

Yuto decided not to press the issue and changed the subject. "Are you going to the club recruitment fair this afternoon? I remember you liked dancing and drawing, right?"

"We'll see. It's just a centralized recruitment event, right? If I get interested later, I can just sign up then, can't I?"

"I suppose that's true..."

Yuki ignored him and kept her head down, focusing on her meal.

"Yuki."

"What is it?"

"Remember to pay attention in class."

"Are you an old man, Yuto? I'm not a child anymore."

The way Yuki buried her head in her meal didn't look like a good sign to Yuto.

Even when he had brought it up himself, and even when Kushida had taken the initiative to add him as a friend, Yuki hadn't asked a single question.

It was completely different from the first time she saw Horikita Suzune or when she interrogated him about his relationship with Sakayanagi.

It was enough to prove the turmoil in her heart.

Yuto knew that Yuki's depression had not been cured.

Depression is not a cold; it doesn't just get better on its own because you hide it away.

It is more like a tide. When the tide goes out, you think you are safe, stepping on the sand and enjoying the quiet intervals to your heart's content.

But the tide does not disappear. It simply retreats to a distance you cannot see, gathering strength for the next time it surges forward.

And the recovery Yuki had shown over this past year was nothing more than a bridge made of glass. Even though the sunlight hitting it refracted into beautiful light, there was nothing beneath the glass. Below the bridge was a bottomless abyss.

Yuki, after leaving the White Room, during the eight years I was gone, what exactly did you go through? What is the root cause of your depression?

Enrolling in Advanced Nurturing High School was something Yuki had proposed to Yuto, but prior to that, Yuto had already discussed her condition with Yuki's parents.

"I believe that Yuki's condition can only be cured through school life." Yuto's tone was serious as he assured Yuki's parents, "During these three years, I will protect Yuki and take on the responsibilities of both a guardian and a doctor. I will find the truth behind Yuki's depression during these three years."

"We trust you, Yuto. Ever since you returned, there has been light in Yuki's eyes again. We entrust this child to you. We will cooperate with you to let Yuki know about this school."

Even as the heads of the Tsubaki conglomerate, which stood on equal footing with the Amasawa family, they were merely worried parents when faced with their daughter's illness.

The color-printed paper Yuto handed to the two of them was none other than the recruitment poster for Advanced Nurturing High School!

At this time, it was three weeks before Yuki had proposed wanting to enroll in Advanced Nurturing High School.