A bonus for overlooking the upload of Chapter 97.
Chapter 103: The Cost of Tutoring
Nearly twenty minutes later, Hachiman and the other two stepped out of the elevator.
"Is it settled?" Akishin Chishima asked. He immediately noted the unusual look on Yui's face and followed up, "Did you guys get into an argument or something?"
"We were trying to talk some sense into Kawasaki, but then she suddenly brought up Yukinon's father—"
"Yuigahama-san..."
Yukino's voice cut Yui off sharply. She shot her a look of mild irritation. "That has absolutely nothing to do with the request at hand."
"...Sorry, Yukinon." Yui shrunk back, realizing she'd overstepped.
"Hmm~" Akishin glanced at Yukino before turning his gaze toward Hachiman. "Hikigaya, give me the full play-by-play. Also, hurry up and sit down. The food's already been served."
Eight different dishes sat spread across the table. Fine cutlery, exquisite presentation, and generous portions—everything from shrimp and fish to delicate pastries.
A plate of Sakura Mizu Shingen Mochi shaped like tiny rabbits particularly caught Yui and Totsuka's eyes; they were almost too cute to eat. There was also a fragrant seafood soup steaming nearby. Combined with the upscale ambiance, the whole scene felt incredibly luxurious.
The three of them took their seats in order.
Hachiman gathered his thoughts and spoke slowly. "Kawasaki was up there, all right. Just like Sensei suspected, she was lying about her age to work. We talked for a bit, but it didn't end on a great note. However, before we left, I told her about Sensei's plan to hire staff. I also asked her to meet us tomorrow morning at 5:00 AM at the McDonald's down the street, using Taishi as the excuse. We decided it's best to clear everything up in front of Taishi tomorrow."
"Good call. Well handled."
Akishin offered a word of praise before inviting everyone to eat.
"Thanks for the food!" the group chorused, clapping their hands together before picking up their chopsticks.
Only Yukino seemed out of sorts, her expression looking a bit forced.
The next day, 4:30 AM.
A phone call from Hachiman jolted Akishin awake.
"Sensei, it's almost time. You need to head out too. Are you awake?"
"..."
"Hello? Hello? Sensei, can you hear me?"
"I'm currently contemplating how to train you today," Akishin muttered into the receiver. "How about we start by having you take off that body armor?"
"!"
Setting the phone aside, Akishin sat on the edge of his bed. After a moment of groggy confusion, he tossed back the covers, stood up, and slid into his slippers.
He summoned the translucent blue screen, checking his stats: **[Charisma: 15 (Pending Increase)]**. The value had recovered by two points; only one more to go before he was back at full strength.
Spending the entire day playing around with the students yesterday had apparently paid off. It seemed he should spend more time with them in the future... No, better yet, he should take Shizuka-chan along. That sounded much better.
He washed his face, got dressed, swapped his slippers for shoes, and stepped out of Chishimaya.
The sky was still dark, with only a faint sliver of white peeking over the eastern horizon. The streets were barely visible, blurred in that hazy line between shadow and light. Konishi Street, usually bustling during the day, was now a ghost town of shuttered doors and silence. A morning breeze swept through, nipping at his skin with a gentle chill.
However, the pancake shop across the street already had its lights on, the glow bleeding through the cracks in the window. Old man Daiki was already up, kneading dough that had been fermenting since the night before.
In the dark bushes lining the road, crickets and other insects were performing their summer symphony. Occasionally, the wind rustled the leaves with a soft, dry whisper.
There was still an hour before their alarms would normally go off.
Akishin stood still, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. He felt as though his soul were being rinsed clean. How long had it been since he'd truly listened to the sounds of nature like this?
He couldn't remember.
Perhaps it only existed in childhood memories so blurry he couldn't even recall his own face. There had been a vacant lot outside the orphanage, if he remembered correctly...
When he opened his eyes again, Charisma 15 had ticked up to 16. The "Pending Increase" text vanished, and his aura was once again completely suppressed.
Akishin walked out of Konishi Street, and after about five minutes, he managed to hail a taxi. By the time he reached the designated McDonald's, there were still three minutes left until five o'clock.
Inside the spacious fast-food joint, only one table was occupied.
Hachiman, Yukino, and Yui had already arrived. Joining them were Hachiman's younger sister, Komachi, and Kawasaki Taishi, whom Akishin had met once before.
"I'm not late, am I?"
Akishin took the seat next to Hachiman, looking left and right. Kawasaki Saki hadn't arrived yet.
"You're fine, it's still early... By the way, is it just me, or did Chishima-sensei change again?"
"Didn't I tell you it wasn't a problem? It'll be back to normal in a few days."
Hachiman dutifully handed Akishin a cup of hot coffee. He didn't breathe a word about their earlier phone conversation, quietly observing Akishin instead. That dangerous, overwhelming sensation from before had vanished.
Komachi looked at her brother, then at her brother's teacher, and gave a sly little smile. She'd overheard her brother's voice on the phone earlier.
"Is she here...?"
Akishin took a sip of the coffee—mixed with plenty of sugar and milk—and glanced toward the entrance. The automatic doors hissed open. Kawasaki Saki walked in, her face a mask of exhaustion as she dragged her weary feet across the floor.
Seeing Taishi, Saki's brow furrowed slightly. "Taishi? What are you doing out at this hour?" Then her gaze shifted to Hachiman and the others, her expression turning impatient. "You guys again!"
Finally, she spotted Akishin and greeted him politely. "Chishima-sensei."
Akishin nodded with a smile, gesturing for her to take a seat.
Unable to meet his sister's angry eyes, Taishi looked away and barked back, "I should be asking you that, Sis! What exactly have you been doing that keeps you out until now?"
"That's none of your business..."
"How can it not be my business? We're family!"
"...Didn't I tell you before? You don't need to know."
Saki cut the conversation short, turning as if to leave.
That was when Hachiman spoke up. "Kawasaki, do you remember what I told you after school yesterday?"
Saki looked hesitant. "What did you say to me?"
"..."
Hachiman felt a wave of awkwardness wash over him. Apparently, she hadn't even heard him properly. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Doesn't matter if you didn't hear me. I'll say it again. Kawasaki, why are you working? Why do you need the money?"
Saki glared at Hachiman, while Yukino and Yui watched with interest. They already knew the real answer.
Saki's refusal to explain her part-time job was a clue in itself if you looked closely enough. Taishi had mentioned that his sister only turned into a "delinquent" after starting her second year of high school. From Taishi's perspective, that was true—but from Saki's, it was a different story.
For Saki, the timing of her job coincided exactly with her younger brother starting his third year of middle school. Therefore, the answer lay within Taishi's timeline.
Hachiman looked at Taishi. "Taishi, after you entered your third year of middle school, what changed?"
Taishi thought for a moment, then said uncertainly, "Maybe... when I started attending cram school?"
Hearing that, Saki bit her lip.
Hachiman turned back to Saki. "Kawasaki, you want to go to university, don't you?"
The realization hit Taishi like a ton of bricks. He stared at his sister in shock. "Sis... were you doing all this for my tuition?"
"Wrong."
Saki cut him off, sighing as she looked at him with a complicated expression. "Your tuition is already covered by the family. I'm doing this for my *own* cram school fees..."
At Sobu High, many students began preparing for university entrance exams in their second year, often considering expensive summer intensive courses. From the prep stages to the actual enrollment, it required a staggering amount of money.
Hachiman explained the reality of the situation at Sobu High to Taishi, then looked at Saki again. "Kawasaki, Taishi said you've always been diligent and kind to him. That's why you decided to do this, right?"
With her lie exposed, Saki's shoulders slumped.
"Sis, this is all because of me... my cram school..."
"...That's why I said you didn't need to know!" Saki barked, though she reached out to pat her brother's head as he stood there drowning in self-reproach.
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