Multiversal Chat Group: The Cultivator

Yukino Yukinoshita's emotions were in turmoil.

She could already picture it—Ren Asakura was going to slam a book onto her head.

She had heard rumors about him. Some said he was related to the principal, that he skipped class all the time, played games during lessons, and even ate snacks in class without ever getting into trouble.

If that were true, then even if he bullied a fellow student, he'd probably get away with it.

Instinctively, Yukino closed her eyes.

Meanwhile, Ren pulled something out of his bag.

It was a beautifully packaged cake.

The pain she had expected never came.

When she opened her eyes, she saw the cake sitting in her lap.

"…What are you doing?"

Ren smiled.

"Obviously, I'm buying you off."

Then, he pulled out his handheld gaming console.

"I'm gonna play for a bit in the clubroom. You don't mind, right? If she finds out, she's just going to get mad again."

Yukino glanced at the console in his hands, then at the delicate cake sitting in her lap.

Ren continued,

"I got this from that dessert shop on the corner. The line was insanely long, but I waited it out. I don't think any girl could resist their cakes—they're that good. I was planning to take it home and enjoy it myself, but now it's a bribe for you. If you don't refuse, that means you accept it."

Before Yukino could react, Ren turned to Hachiman.

"Hachiman, the president's been bought. Get online already."

Yukino looked at the two boys setting up their game.

They both had carefree smiles on their faces.

Then she looked back down at the cake in her lap.

It was unopened. Perfectly intact.

"…This isn't so bad."

Yukino had gone the entire school year without making a single friend.

Now, her club suddenly had two new members.

And somehow, it felt a little livelier.

---

A new day.

As usual, Ren arrived at school just in time.

His deskmate, Megumi Kato, had already been there for a while.

"Thanks for last time, Kato."

Megumi nodded blankly.

A new day had begun.

And just like that, classes flew by.

As expected, school was boring.

"Time for the club."

Ren yawned and stretched.

Megumi gave him a surprised look.

From what she knew, Ren was the type to go straight home after school to play games.

"…Ren, you joined a club?"

Megumi Kato packed up her things as she spoke.

Ren Asakura nodded.

"Well, I keep giving Shizuka headaches, so she had to figure out a way to deal with me. She made me join a club called the Service Club. You interested? Come hang out with us."

Megumi thought for a moment before replying in her usual calm tone.

"The name sounds interesting."

Ren sighed.

"No choice, I got targeted. But our club's main activity is solving people's problems—for free! Got anything you need help with, Kato?"

Megumi shook her head.

As a background character, her life was as ordinary as it could be.

She didn't really have any difficult problems.

"That's a shame. Wanna drop by and check it out? Our president's a real beauty."

Megumi seemed to seriously consider the offer.

While the school didn't require students to join a club, it did encourage them to participate in club activities to enrich their school life.

After a brief pause, she nodded.

"Alright."

And so, the two of them headed to the Service Club.

---

At that moment, the clubroom atmosphere was painfully awkward.

Hachiman Hikigaya was, by nature, a gloomy introvert. Socially anxious. Terrible at conversations.

And not the type to start one, either.

Yukino Yukinoshita wasn't much better.

So, the small clubroom was drowning in awkward silence.

Right now, Hachiman was silently praying for that person to show up—the one person capable of breaking through any awkward atmosphere with sheer social recklessness.

Meanwhile, Yukino sat by the window, reading, completely unfazed by the tension in the air.

"…Hello."

She was the first to speak.

Hachiman was a little surprised but still returned the greeting.

"Hey."

"I thought he would be the first one here," Yukino said flatly.

Hachiman immediately knew she meant Ren.

Then, looking at his own gloomy self, he muttered,

"…Sorry to disappoint."

"That's not what I meant. I just figured you wouldn't actually show up for club activities."

There it was. The sharp tongue again.

Hachiman sighed. He really couldn't get along with this girl.

"You're always like this… Do you even have any friends?"

Yukino Yukinoshita flinched slightly, as if someone had struck a nerve.

"…Is that so? Then we need to define what exactly qualifies as a 'friend.'"

A shadow passed over her face.

Unpleasant memories surfaced—finding things stuffed into her shoes, or worse, discovering them missing entirely.

Her flute being taken away.

Upon hearing her response, Hachiman Hikigaya immediately understood.

Yukino had zero friends.

He knew that feeling all too well—because he had been there himself.

Then, he thought about Ren Asakura.

At least Ren was doing better than Yukino. He had one friend.

"You look like someone who should be popular. Why don't you have any friends?"

Yukino closed her book.

It seemed like she was about to counterattack with her usual sharp tongue.

But just then, the clubroom door suddenly swung open.

Ren Asakura stood at the entrance—with a girl beside him.

"I'm here!"

Their conversation was abruptly cut off as both turned toward the door.

Seeing Ren walk in with a cute girl, they each had their own reactions.

Yukino spoke first.

"Ren, please don't bring random strangers to the club. This is not your personal dating spot."

Hachiman, meanwhile, could only think: Damn normie.

Ren, however, wasn't fazed by Yukino's sharp words.

"This is my desk mate and good friend, Megumi Kato. She might not stand out much, but she's a really great person. She hasn't joined any clubs yet, so she's here to check us out. President, you can't afford to let such a valuable recruit slip away."

Megumi gave a polite bow.

"Nice to meet you."

What a gentle girl.

Yukino blinked.

This girl didn't react to her sharp tongue at all.

If anything, it made Yukino feel petty for bringing it up.

Megumi's saint-like composure was beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Yukino's usual snide remarks? Completely ineffective.

Not even a ripple in Megumi's expression.

Ren continued with his introductions.

"This is our club president, Yukino Yukinoshita. Total beauty. And a good person—her sharp tongue is just a defense mechanism."

"And that gloomy-looking otaku over there? He's actually a decent guy, too. Full of twisted logic and weird philosophies, but his name's Hachiman Hikigaya."