Whispers in the Winter Wind

Once Xinyi disappeared from view and hearing, Yasushi exhaled quietly through his nose, his gaze fixated on a specific point in the surroundings. "You can reveal yourself now," he murmured, but there was no immediate response. Another sigh escaped him as he approached the designated spot, turning the corner to find Jingliu there, her back pressed against the wall.

"Did you really leave just to return and watch that all happen?" Yasushi queried, stealing a glance at her while mirroring her posture against the wall.

Jingliu remained silent, her eyes fixed on the ground. After a prolonged moment, she finally broke her silence. "Her personality hasn't shifted much. She tends to exploit vulnerabilities when fighting someone. In the past, she liked striking between the legs when fighting guys," she disclosed, a faint chuckle escaping her lips.

Yasushi exhaled wearily and remarked, "That's strategic thinking. A real fight knows no rules. It's a world without regulations, save for the threat of incarceration if one crosses certain lines — that's my perspective, at least…"

Jingliu's astonishment was palpable as she fixed her gaze on him. "What exactly do you mean?" she asked, still taken aback by his words.

His tone turned colder as he replied, "In the real world, there are no rules in combat. It's survival of the fittest. Only the fear of punishment and unspoken agreements prevent us from unleashing our full potential. Without those, people would resort to any means necessary to emerge victorious… that's the way it should be."

Jingliu remained silent, grappling with how to respond, but Yasushi shook his head and added, "My apologies, forget what I said. Let's return; lunchtime is drawing to a close."

Without awaiting her reply, Yasushi strode away, his figure gradually diminishing in Jingliu's sight. She grappled with conflicting thoughts, uncertain about how to interpret his words. She knew he likely had a complex history, but the specifics eluded her.

"Did he have a violent past? Perhaps Furuya knows him well, given their long relationship. I should speak to him when the opportunity arises," Jingliu mused to herself before abandoning her spot and hastening to catch up with Yasushi.

The remainder of lunch went on smoothly, devoid of any disturbances. Neither of the three seniors reported the incident to any authorities, much to the relief of both Yasushi and Xinyi.

+-+

As school drew to a close, Jingliu seized Furuya by the shoulder and whisked him away, leaving their classmates in astonishment. Both Xinyi and Yasushi exchanged a puzzled glance, mirroring the confusion of their peers.

In a secluded corner, Jingliu confronted Furuya, her tone serious. "Did Yasushi have a violent past?" she inquired pointedly.

Furuya blinked, taken aback by the sudden interrogation. His confusion was tinged with a hint of fear, unsure of what repercussions awaited him. "What do you mean?" he replied cautiously, sensing the gravity of the conversation.

"I'm asking about Yasushi. Given your close friendship, I assume you've been friends since childhood or at least middle school. Did he frequently engage in fights or find himself in trouble during those years?" Jingliu pressed, her tone growing even more resolute.

Furuya regarded her with curiosity. "Firstly, are you and Yasushi friends?"

Jingliu exhaled heavily, fixing him with a stern gaze. "Our acquaintance developed due to the incident involving Jishiha. Now, please, continue."

Recognizing the urgency and his impending baseball practice, Furuya relented. "We became friends in middle school, so we're not childhood friends, but to answer your question… no, Yasushi has always been responsible and kind of boring, but…"

"But?" Jingliu prodded for elaboration.

Furuya sighed once more. "During our second year in middle school, I faced harassment from some members of the baseball team, both verbal and physical. One of them nearly fractured my arm. By that time, Yasushi and I were already close friends. Upon learning what happened and confronting me, his expression changed in a way I had never seen before."

Furuya slightly shivered. "It looked like he'd kill someone, literally. Anyway, he said nothing else and we hung out that day, but the next day…those bullies in the team didn't show up or for a week. By the time they did, both their arms were broken and they had black eyes and bruises everywhere on their body."

"But... the day after, Yasushi returned with slightly bruised knuckles and a noticeably calm demeanor. It seemed like he had taken care of things for me because those two bullies would either steer clear of him or avert their eyes whenever they crossed paths with him. That side of Yasushi, it's unnervingly violent. I can't fathom where it stems from," Furuya recounted, then paused.

"Also," he continued, "the first time we changed for P.E., we noticed his body covered in scars, and he was incredibly fit... like something straight out of an anime or TV show, complete with a six-pack. He brushed it off, claiming they were from numerous falls, but none of us bought that excuse. So, when I had the opportunity to visit his home and meet his parents, I asked about it, and they confirmed the truth. I'm at a loss as to what to believe."

He chuckled nervously, remarking, "He's almost like a covert operative or one of those strangely overpowered characters from anime, right? A-anyway, I have to get going. That's the extent of my knowledge — oh, but I'll add this last tidbit… Yasushi isn't quick to make friends, but once you earn his loyalty and truly become his friend, he's incredibly loyal. Well then, until next time, Jingliu."

With that, Furuya hurried away, hurrying to his baseball practice and leaving Jingliu to ponder the revelations she had just heard. She was uncertain what to make of it all, as she had never perceived Yasushi in that light until today — the combination of his words and the way he intervened when the third-year student threatened Xinyi.

The need to understand him better gnawed at her, yet she was determined to pursue the truth in an honorable manner, without resorting to illegal means. With a resolute shake of her head, Jingliu retraced her steps back to their classroom.

+-+

"Welcome back," Xinyi greeted as Jingliu reentered their classroom, noting that only Xinyi and Yasushi awaited her.

"Let's go, we've got a few spots to hit. They're mostly clubs," Yasushi declared, slinging his bag over his shoulder and handing Jingliu's bag back to her.

Jingliu scrutinized their expressions for a moment before nodding in agreement. The trio departed the classroom, making their way to the eastern wing of the school building.

"Where are we headed?" Xinyi inquired.

"Based on what you've just shared, I'm taking you to the Literature club," Yasushi explained. "You can gather what it's about from the name, but essentially, it's a place where you can read anything that isn't explicit. That includes regular books, manga, light novels, poetry, and even fan fiction if that's your cup of tea."

They arrived quickly at the room, and Yasushi slid the door open. Upon spotting the figures inside, the club members erupted in excitement.

"Master Yasushi!" three of the four club members exclaimed enthusiastically — three young men and a girl, who also served as their club president.

Yasushi let out a quiet sigh through his nose. "Please, stop calling me that. I've brought these two to visit the club, so let's try to keep it calm and be normal."

A tall young man with rounded glasses and short black hair chuckled, scratching his head. "But this is our version of normal, you know!"

Shaking his head, Yasushi motioned for Jingliu and Xinyi to enter. Xinyi, being naturally outgoing, immediately approached the boys, asking about their reading material. They eagerly shared their selections — a fan fiction full of action, a romance novel, and someone engrossed in One Piece.

Surprising to both Yasushi and Jingliu, Xinyi knew of all the titles and had read them at one point or another. She finally made her way to the president and introduced herself while asking what she was reading.

"I'm the President, Reina Hanabira. Pleasure to meet you both," Reina introduced herself. "As for my current read, it's 'The Tale of Genji.' It's renowned for its Japanese poetry and is often hailed as one of the world's earliest novels, penned by Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century. The narrative follows the life and romantic escapades of Hikaru Genji, a nobleman and courtier, set during the Heian period in Japan."

"I've heard of it! Though I haven't read it yet. Would you recommend it?" Xinyi inquired, the two of them engaging in a lively conversation.

Meanwhile, Jingliu stood beside Yasushi, observing the lively interaction. Sensing her contemplation, Yasushi queried, "Is something wrong? They have a wide array of books here. Feel free to grab one and read it. They also offer tablets for accessing specific reading sites, if that's more your style."

Jingliu continued to fix her gaze on Yasushi before shaking her head and heading to a shelf, retrieving a book to read silently. Meanwhile, Yasushi approached the group of guys who were engaged in quiet, secretive discussions. One of them reached out and pulled Yasushi toward them.

"Sir Yasushi, do you think they might want to join our club?" one of them inquired eagerly.

"I'm not sure. I'm just showing them around. Why do you ask?" Yasushi responded.

"We've been hoping for new members. It could also boost our club's budget if they join," another chimed in, nodding to himself in agreement.

"As I said, I don't know. You should ask them," Yasushi reiterated, pulling away from their grasp. He sighed and returned to the entrance, leaning against the door. From there, he observed and awaited their decision from a distance.