Chapter 121 – What’s Our Relationship?
“So you want to ask me and Mr. Lin Qi to go with you and investigate Komachi’s school?”
Snow之下 Snow乃 briefly summarized Hachiman’s personal commission to Yui Yuigahama.
The latter sat in the client’s seat while Lin Qi moved to the window seat next to Snow之下 Snow乃.
“Ah, just like that.”
Hachiman scratched his head awkwardly. “I’m worried I lack the strength and could get into trouble.”
“I don’t have much of a problem, but for Mr. Lin Qi, it’s up to him,” Snow之下 Snow乃 said, turning to look at Lin Qi.
“Me? Sure, I’m bored anyway.” Lin Qi shrugged, agreeing without hesitation.
Even if he weren’t so idle, he would still agree. After all, not reciprocating Hachiman’s straightforwardness would be unjust.
Lin Qi hadn’t seen such natural and smooth beseeching in a long time.
With Hachiman successfully securing Lin Qi as support, Hachiman breathed out heavily, finally putting down the weight on his heart.
“By the way, Section Leader, where did you go after taking leave these days? Was it to exorcise cursed spirits again?”
Having settled the matter of investigating Komachi’s school, Hachiman relaxed, casually opening a topic for a chat.
“Hmm, it involved a cursed spirit called Mahito, a Special Grade one,” Snow之下 Snow乃 explained.
“What? Special Grade!?”
His dead fish eyes widened immediately. Had Snow之下 Snow乃’s current strength already reached a level to participate in a Special Grade battle?
Before he could regain his composure, the black-haired girl brought forth another heavy piece of news. “He’s the person who modified Ookawa.”
Hachiman’s words stuck in his throat, his mouth opened and closed as if a stranded fish gasping for air on the beach.
After a long moment of silence, he finally let out a heavy breath, laughing bitterly. “This could also be considered avenging Ookawa.”
“Yes,” the girl softly nodded.
The atmosphere within the Service Club grew heavy. Until outside, the corridor sounded with urgent and hurried footsteps.
“Sorry, sorry, I’m late!”
Before the classroom door was even open, a lively voice had come from outside the door.
“Yoo-hoo!”
Yuigahama Yuiko opened the classroom door, greeting everyone as usual, yet paused in shock upon seeing an unfamiliar figure sitting beside Snow之下 Snow乃.
“Hey? New client? Hold on, no school uniform, is he from another school?” Yuigahama Yuiko asked in confusion, her gaze darting between Snow之下 Snow乃 and the unfamiliar black-haired youth.
“Shiromine, do you know this guy?” She took her seat, quietly inquiring.
Though Dango-top girl tried to lower her voice, Lin Qi clearly caught every word.
He found it amusing and asked before Snow之下 Snow乃 could answer, “Hey, Shiromine, what exactly is our relationship?”
Snow之下 Snow乃 felt overwhelmed.
In that instant, she felt she saw a glimpse of her elder sister, Yaoyorozu, on Lin Qi’s face.
This guy must be drinking with her sister a lot!
The girl gave him a reproachful look, but her heart turned restless when her gaze met his joyful red eyes.
Snow之下 Snow乃 looked away, stammering, “W-well…”
Being the top student in the grade in national language, she suddenly couldn’t find proper words to describe her relation to Lin Qi.
Friends? Master and apprentice? Or simply a parasitic relationship?
These labels seemed inadequate to fully depict their relationship in her eyes.
From fear and repulsion to growing accustomed to a noisy presence in her mind; from trembling at the sight of cursed spirits to now facing them head-on with composure; through these changes, her progress owed much to Lin Qi’s encouragement and support.
Moreover, he had watched her precious memories in VR movies, treating them as complete films. Clearly excessive.
In a sense, Lin Qi knew her better than herself.
Could such an existence and relationship truly be encapsulated by a single term?
The more she thought about it, the deeper confused she felt.
Like getting lost in a maze among flowers.
Dango-top girl looked at Snow之下 Snow乃, who trailed off mid-sentence, gradually narrowing her eyes.
Looking at the black-haired girl and the handsome black-haired man.
Hmm, they’re perfect for each other!
“Could it be… They’re boyfriend and girlfriend!?” Yuigo thought she’d found the answer, blurting out loud while gazing at the blushing Snow之下 Snow乃.
Hachiman’s eyelids twitched, sensing the situation had taken a bizarre turn.
Lin Qi burst out laughing, unable to hold back.
“What?”
Snow之下 Snow乃 suddenly returned to her senses, blushing, “Of course not! Why would Yuigahama draw that conclusion?”
“How can it not be!?” Yuigahama Yuiko looked surprised, sure that Shiromine must be dating this handsome senior.
“Alright, alright,” Lin Qi laughed, intervening, “I am Shiromine’s friend, named Lin Qi, glad to meet you.”
“Oh oh, I am Yuigahama Yuiko, also Shiromine’s friend!” Yuigahama Yuiko, blushing, realized she had made a mistake.
Snow之下 Snow乃 next to her sighed in relief; fortunately, no weird misunderstanding had been formed with Yuigahama.
All because of this Lin Qi, saying ambiguous lines!
She glared at Lin Qi, who returned a smile.
“Alright, I’ll go first, enjoy yourselves,” Lin Qi greeted, not planning to continue chatting with the three, then left the Service Club.
After his departure, Yuigahama Yuiko immediately interrogated Snow之下 Snow乃 about Lin Qi. Reluctantly, she could only evade her curiosity by stating they met due to family connections.
Only when she had finally dispelled Dango-top girl’s curiosity did the Service Club gain some peace.
As the club activity period neared its end, Hachiman’s phone rang.
“Komachi?”
Glancing at the caller’s name, he answered, “Hello? Komachi, what happened?”
“Ah, Brother, I won’t be eating dinner tonight, just grab something fast yourself!”
“Ah? Why?”
“Well, remember that campus ghost story I mentioned earlier, a friend invited me to search for that piano sound after school.”
“Oh?”
“See you later!”
The line went dead. In that moment, Hachiman suddenly snapped back to reality, his heart thudding.
…
After school, and Become a Jujutsu Sorcerer.
