Yukinoshita's Correction Method

"Yes," Dong Yunshan said without changing her expression, "She's staring at you right now."

Snow Baby started glaring at him.

"Any other guy would be starting to fall for me by now." Iroha Isshiki sighed dejectedly. "I chose the wrong person to demonstrate this to. Yukino- senpai is so pretty, of course this kind of trick won't work on you."

Yukino Yukinoshita nodded. "Simply put, it's about weakening your self-protective instincts to create emotional debt and provide a stage for value."

Iroha Isshiki's expression froze. "Now that you mention it, I don't even know what I'm doing anymore..."

"I understand what you mean." Dong Yunshan tapped her temples lightly with two fingers together. "However, this situation is normal now."

"This kind of concentrated confession situation..." Saki Kawasaki looked over in confusion, "Is it normal?"

"That's right." Yui Yuigahama had the clearest thinking in this regard. "Even if classmates from different classes find out that a confession has been rejected, it won't be awkward for long."

Komachi Hikigaya clapped her hands. "If we're lucky, we might end up in the same class as someone in the third year of high school, and that could trigger a fateful encounter!"

"Isn't this quite dangerous?" Iroha Isshiki's gaze sharpened. "So... I want to know how to shake off the other opponents!"

Dong Yunshan: "Ah, this..."

"If we just change our perspective, it's not hard to see that the current situation is a golden opportunity," Iroha Isshiki said eloquently. "Generally speaking, people give up after a failed confession, so for Hayato Hayama- senpai, who's been troubled by being confessed to, I'm his safe haven! So I was thinking..."

She paused, gazing out the window towards the Soccer Club, her gaze distant. "I'm thinking... should I ask him out to change my mood?"

Chapter 739 Just kidding

Ah, the little thoughts of a young girl...

Dong Yunshan's gaze softened.

Even someone as Iroha Isshiki, who can openly discuss all sorts of little tricks, has moments when she can't directly express her feelings.

Or rather... she studies those little tricks because she can't directly express her own thoughts.

When I spoke with Hayama Hayato before, Dong Yunshan noticed that he was in a bad mood.

It seems that Iroha Isshiki has also noticed this and is worried.

"Indeed." Dong Yunshan smiled. "I also feel that he needs to go somewhere outside of school to change his mood."

"That's right!" Iroha Isshiki's eyes lit up. "So... does anyone have any recommendations?"

Everyone's attention immediately turned to Yukino Yukinoshita and Dong Yunshan.

Yukino Yukinoshita tilted her head. "We usually go straight home."

Iroha Isshiki slumped her shoulders. "Yeah, that's true... wait, before we started dating?"

Yukino Yukinoshita recalled for a moment, "They would also come to my apartment."

Iroha Isshiki: "... Wasn't I asking about before we started dating?"

Saki Kawasaki: "They were newlyweds before they started dating."

Iroha Isshiki: "...?"

"Let's put them aside for now," Komachi Hikigaya, somewhat puzzled, "Don't you know a lot about going out to play?"

"I've thought about it..." Iroha Isshiki muttered softly, "But none of them feel right."

Yui Yuigahama crossed her arms, looked up at the sky, and pondered for a while before suddenly raising her index finger, "How about starting with Hayato Hayama's preferences?"

"Reading, movies, soccer, guitar, water sports..." Iroha Isshiki, "I've thought about all of them."

"So he likes these things?" Yui Yuigahama's face showed surprise. "This is the first time I've known. After all, he seems to enjoy everything he does and goes wherever he wants."

"Oh no!" Iroha Isshiki belatedly covered her mouth, realizing what had happened. "The information has been leaked!"

"I don't have any thoughts like that," Yui Yuigahama. "There's no need to be so nervous..."

"We should address the root cause," Saki Kawasaki advised. "Didn't you want to change your mood?"

Yukino Yukinoshita looked at Dong Yunshan: "What are some common ways boys change their mood?"

"From what I understand..." Dong Yunshan recalled, "Mostly by being alone."

"Ah..." Komachi Hikigaya nodded in deep agreement, "That seems to be the case."

Saki Kawasaki paused for a moment. "Yeah, it seems like boys rarely confide their troubles."

"Wait, wait..." Yui Yuigahama was quite surprised, "Isn't there an option to chat with friends?"

"There should be..." Dong Yunshan shrugged, "Although I've never seen it."

Iroha Isshiki said dejectedly, "Then there's no other way, is there?"

"You can't say that. Isn't your goal to help him change his mood?" Dong Yunshan made a hand-flipping gesture. "Wouldn't it be faster to just solve his problems directly?"

"Oh!" Iroha Isshiki asked hopefully, "How can we solve this?"

Dong Yunshan's lips curled up. "Let him find a girlfriend, then no one will bother him anymore, right?"

"What kind of solution is this!" Iroha Isshiki exclaimed angrily. "I can't accept this!"

Dong Yunshan: "Then find a boyfriend?"

Iroha Isshiki stomped her foot. "That's not even as good as a girlfriend!"

Yui Yuigahama, "Please, whatever you do, don't let Hina Ebina hear that."

"Just kidding." Dong Yunshan tapped his temples lightly with two fingers together. "Since you think his mood is caused by a bunch of female classmates confessing to him, then just give him some time alone, and he'll be able to adjust on his own."

Iroha Isshiki murmured softly, "Give him... time alone?"

"Senior, can I come to the rooftop during lunch break? I have something important to tell you." Dong Yunshan imitated Iroha Isshiki's tone from before, "Then I'll send him a message during lunch break, saying, 'The midday sun is really nice, senior. I hope you're happy every day—something like that?'"

"Huh?" Iroha Isshiki seemed quite intrigued. "It seems... really feasible?"

Yukino Yukinoshita sighed softly, "Pay attention to the premise he mentioned."

Iroha Isshiki: "Huh?"

"If Hayato Hayama's low mood is truly due to someone's confession, this method might work," Yui Yuigahama said, looking conflicted. "But if it's not related to the confession, then this method... might have limited effectiveness."

"Pretending to confess, but actually giving him some time alone, the contrast will make him feel comforted," Iroha Isshiki murmured. "But if it were for other reasons, the impact of this contrast might not be so strong."

Dong Yunshan nodded. "That's the idea."

"It's not because of the confession..." Komachi Hikigaya pondered seriously, "What else could it be? Group assignments?"

"It's also possible..." Iroha Isshiki guessed, "For example, even though the group assignments have been decided, they haven't yet determined whether their choice was correct. At that time, they need a cute junior to give them affirmation and encouragement, and incidentally..."

Dong Yunshan raised one eyebrow. "What if it's because of a confession, and not because of group assignments?"

"Ah..." Iroha Isshiki's expression froze for a moment, "Is there a way to have the best of both worlds?"

"This is a bit too difficult..." Dong Yunshan pondered seriously.

The activity room quieted down as everyone pondered.

Knock knock knock.

Someone knocked on the activity room door a few times.

Dong Yunshan looked up, his unfinished thoughts slowing his response slightly.

However, the person outside didn't wait for a response and simply opened the door.

"Are you free now?"

Yumiko Miura stood at the doorway, her sharp gaze sweeping across the interior of the event room. Her slightly curly blonde hair swayed unhappily, and her voice carried a hint of annoyance.

"Yumiko?" Yui Yuigahama greeted her in surprise, "What are you doing here...?"

Yumiko Miura turned her head to the side. "... There's something I need to talk about."

"I see..." Yui Yuigahama gestured, "Anyway, please come in."

"Ah, I've been here long enough too." Iroha Isshiki bounced up as if she'd been burned. "I still have work to do at the Student Council."

Like a hamster being watched by a snake, Iroha Isshiki swiftly flew away. "See you next time~"

After watching Iroha Isshiki leave, Yumiko Miura sat down opposite everyone.

"Yumiko..." Yui Yuigahama some concern, "Is it because of the email from before?"

Yumiko Miura hesitated for a long time, then sighed heavily, "Yes, I received your reply, but what I want to know... is not an answer like group suggestions."

"Huh? Isn't that right?" Dong Yunshan raised one eyebrow. "Then what do you want to know?"

"I want to know—" Yumiko Miura paused mid-sentence, lowered her head, and bit her lip, "His...his choice..."

"He means..." Yui Yuigahama kindly said for her, "Hayato Hayama -kun?"

Yumiko Miura's voice was weaker than ever before. "... Mmm."

Saki Kawasaki bluntly stated, "Why don't we just ask the person involved directly?"

"Of course I'd ask directly about something like that! But..." Yumiko Miura pouted slightly and muttered softly, "It's not just that..."

Komachi Hikigaya asked curiously, "What does 'not just' mean?"

"If it were just about the group assignments, he wouldn't be so troubled." Yumiko Miura explained in a muffled voice, looking embarrassed. She touched her hair, then turned to look out the window, sullenly. "He won't talk about his choice, only the result... What I want to know is the reason, the reason he's unwilling to say."

"You want to judge his thoughts based on his group assignments," Dong Yunshan's eyes flickered slightly, "Or rather, you want to understand his feelings more truly."

Such an intention cannot be achieved through direct inquiry.

If you notice a friend is unhappy and directly ask them what's wrong, they'll usually reply with something like...

nothing.

If Yumiko Miura were to ask Hayama Hayato directly, regardless of whether she gets an answer, she would be wasting an opportunity to explore his true thoughts.

On the contrary.

If Yumiko Miura knew the answer and used it as a basis to communicate with Hayama Hayato, perhaps they could bridge the gap between them through empathetic experiences.

Yumiko Miura looked up in surprise, then nodded gently. "I... I just... how should I put it..."

She fidgeted with the ends of her hair nervously, her voice trailing off. "There aren't many more times like this that we can all spend together... so even a little more would be nice. But..."

Staring blankly into the corner of the activity room, Yumiko Miura's gaze was almost unfocused, her voice so soft it seemed it might disappear at any moment. "But lately, I feel... a distance between Hayato Hayama and me. It feels like he might... just leave me like this."

"Yumiko ..." Yui Yuigahama immediately understood how Yumiko Miura felt.

Yui Yuigahama didn't seem too bothered by the group assignments and the reassignment of classes.

Because although she and Yukino Yukinoshita are in different classes, they are still good friends.

We usually have heart-to-heart talks, go out together on holidays, celebrate birthdays together, and work together on Cloud Snow Tea.

Even after leaving school, the two will not lose touch.

She naturally assumed that she was the same as everyone else.

Saki Kawasaki, Komachi Hikigaya, Dong Yunshan...

Even if we're not in the same class anymore, and even if we go to different schools after graduation, we'll still keep in touch.

The same applies to Yumiko Miura and Hina Ebina.

Perhaps Yumiko Miura originally thought the same thing.

However, with Hayama Hayato concealing his group selection and his mood clearly off, Yumiko Miura's unease... intensified.

Being in the same class means we can chat and hang out together.

Now that Hayama Hayato is suddenly acting like this, Yumiko Miura is naturally worried.

But as the class assignments approached, Hayama Hayato began to conceal the truth.

If we really do get separated into different classes...

"I... I know it's strange..." Yumiko Miura's voice trailed off, "But... I don't know either..."

Yui Yuigahama got up and walked to her side, squatted down, and gently took her hand. "No, it's not surprising at all. It's only natural that you want to be together."

Yumiko Miura took a deep breath and lowered her head to hold Yui Yuigahama.

Her voice, which had been steady just moments before, turned into a slight sob after receiving comfort from Yui Yuigahama.

"That's not what I wanted to see..." Dong Yunshan's smile faded with some distress.

He wanted to see her blush and say something embarrassing.

Instead of expressing it in such a pitiful way.