The quiet hallway.
A boy wearing the uniform of Soubu High School stood gazing at the cherry blossom tree outside the window.
A month had passed.
And yet, Yukinoshita Yukino's favorability toward him remained at a pitiful 10%.
At this level, it was merely the equivalent of knowing someone's name as a classmate—and favorability could even drop further.
He had been a member of the Service Club for a month now.
When the favorability system first activated, he had confidently walked into the clubroom because the first heroine whose favorability appeared was Yukinoshita Yukino.
Last month, Su Yu could only see her favorability rating.
At the end of each month, rewards were distributed based on the favorability level. Reaching over 30% would grant an A-rank reward.
Below 30%? That was just a B-rank consolation prize.
Yukinoshita Yukino was the heroine Su Yu was most familiar with—she was even his favorite at one point.
Now? He couldn't say he still liked her. It was more like admiration.
As the "Untouchable Flower" of Soubu High, being in the same clubroom with her meant a rather quiet atmosphere, but Su Yu didn't mind that kind of silence.
Occasionally, when he lifted his head and looked at her, he felt a certain contentment.
It was just that, when she noticed, things got a little awkward.
Her signature icy gaze was as chilling as an ice mage's spell, enough to send a shiver through one's heart.
Because of that, he hadn't even found an opportunity to strike up a conversation.
"Nice shot!" A cheer rang out from the soccer field.
Su Yu snapped out of his thoughts and glanced toward the field. As expected, Hayama Hayato had taken the stage again.
From casual observation, he had noticed that whenever Hayama played, the number of girls around the field increased significantly.
Especially Miura Yumiko—everyone assumed she and Hayama were a couple.
"As long as I don't get stuck with Miura Yumiko, I should be able to get an A-rank reward, right?" Su Yu muttered as he received his end-of-month B-rank reward.
"Congratulations, Host, for obtaining the Memory Enhancement ability," a voice suddenly rang in his mind.
He was momentarily stunned. That actually seemed like a useful skill?
Then, he turned his gaze to the virtual screen before him.
The page for Yukinoshita Yukino flipped over, and a new page slowly emerged.
When Su Yu saw the name, his whole mood plummeted.
Miura Yumiko!
On the way to the Service Club.
Su Yu wore an expression of sheer disappointment.
Even if it had been Ebina Hina, at least he would have been able to get to know her.
But Miura Yumiko? Seriously?
Was this system forcing him to engage with the normie group?
Miura Yumiko had an absolutely terrible attitude toward any guy who wasn't Hayama Hayato.
Even though Su Yu was confident in his looks, as a transfer student, it was nearly impossible for him to integrate into that group.
More importantly, as a former otaku, the last thing he wanted was to interact with the normie crowd.
"Sigh." Su Yu let out a long sigh.
"Is something troubling you, Su Yu-kun?"
A cool, composed voice suddenly reached him.
He stopped in his tracks and looked at the black-haired girl before him.
Yukinoshita Yukino—the "Untouchable Flower" of Soubu High, the first heroine assigned by the favorability system.
Her face was flawless, untouched by makeup, yet still outshining most girls.
Her long, black hair was sleek and smooth. Even when the wind lifted it, not a strand was disturbed—instead, it added an ethereal elegance to her presence.
Her figure was somewhat lacking in certain areas, but the absolute territory between her over-the-knee socks and her skirt…
That glimpse of fair skin—it was almost too tempting to resist.
"Su Yu-kun, while I am indeed beautiful, staring at me like that is rather impolite," Yukinoshita said flatly.
"Sorry, Yukinoshita-san." Su Yu quickly averted his gaze.
"Now, tell me what's troubling you." Yukinoshita tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked at him expectantly.
"Can I sit down and explain slowly?" Su Yu didn't think the hallway was the right place for this conversation, and honestly, he wasn't sure what to say yet.
Yukinoshita didn't reply but simply turned and opened the door to the Service Club.
Su Yu hesitated for a few seconds before stepping inside.
Yukinoshita sat by the window, quietly watching him.
Su Yu knew that she was probably just looking for something to do—or maybe, she truly was hoping someone would come to her with a request.
He slowly took a seat.
His spot was directly across from Yukinoshita, with a long table separating them.
"I like a girl in my class. She's part of the normie group. How should I go about getting closer to her?" Su Yu finally spoke after some thought.
"What kind of person is she?" Yukinoshita asked.
"Her name is Miura Yumiko," Su Yu paused before answering.
"I see. I understand now. However, the person she likes is Hayama Hayato. If you want her to like you, it's nearly impossible—unless you surpass Hayama in every way. If that happens, then perhaps she might start noticing you." Yukinoshita gave her analysis.
"Is there any other way?" Su Yu didn't think he could surpass Hayama in a short amount of time.
"There is." Yukinoshita hesitated briefly.
"Hm?" Su Yu blinked in surprise. There really was another way?
"If… Hayama Hayato doesn't like her," Yukinoshita said slowly.
Su Yu was silent for a few seconds before abruptly standing up.
That's right—he had almost forgotten. In the anime, Hayama once implied that the person he liked wasn't Miura Yumiko!
According to various analyses, it seemed like that person was… Yukinoshita Haruno?
At that thought, Su Yu turned to Yukinoshita Yukino.
Could it be that she knew Hayama actually liked Yukinoshita Haruno?
Thinking about it carefully, it made perfect sense.
Yukinoshita Haruno was flawless—mature, possessing a unique charm that ordinary girls lacked.
Compared to her, Miura Yumiko…
As Su Yu continued his train of thought, he slowly sat back down.
How did Hayama Hayato really see Miura Yumiko?
The answer was obvious—because of her presence, he was shielded from unwanted attention from other girls. By maintaining a relationship with Miura Yumiko, he could avoid a lot of unnecessary trouble.
In other words, Miura Yumiko was merely Hayama Hayato's shield!
"Thank you, Yukinoshita-san," Su Yu said after realizing this truth.
"Do you really like Miura Yumiko?" Yukinoshita looked at him.
"Does one need a reason to like someone?" Su Yu countered.
"You joined the Service Club with the intention of pursuing me. Yet, after observing you for a month, I noticed you haven't made a single move," Yukinoshita said confidently.
"I simply admire you. Sometimes, I may have some stray thoughts, but for the most part, I see you as an extraordinary presence—not just in appearance, but in character as well," Su Yu said after a moment of silence.
"Su Yu-kun, I quite like your assessment of me. That's also why I allowed you to stay in the Service Club. Your gaze isn't repulsive. And besides, people who enjoy reading… are usually good people," Yukinoshita said with a gentle smile.