"Haha, it's alright! My essay should be decent, I guess!"

"Yuan-kun's essays have been published in magazines—no need to be modest!"

What? Published? My memory fragments don't include this! Not even my diary recorded it. Must be trivial, not worth remembering. Sigh, stay low-key. My bad. Never expected such a small thing to stick.

"This is fine! Probably just matched the editor's taste. Getting published is luck plus fitting their preference. It's okay, really."

This should work... but isn't it a bit showy?

"Since Yuan-kun's essays are so good, you can agree to this, right?"

"Outright agreement is impossible. But I might consider it."

Flattering me first to trick me into joining? Don't they know that's my usual tactic? I won't agree that fast!

Xia Chuan Yuan paused, took a breath, and continued:

"First, tell me what it is. I'll think it over."

Meixi Cheng and Yamei Guan exchanged a glance, silently communicating.

Then Yamei Guan, whom I knew better, stated their request:

"Well, we want senpai to join our Cultural Club! Rumor says your essays are amazing. Plus, today we saw your good looks can anchor the club. We just started and need a guy. Since senpai has that BL aesthetic, we feel safe. That's why we came!"

Not bad! Good looks anchoring—nice. But BL aesthetic?!

"No, no. I've joined the Going Home Club. I'm loyal and won't betray it. Sorry!"

Saying I have a BL look? So you think I'm into guys! BL! That's why you're comfortable? I was considering it—now I refuse!

"Tch, I told you, Yamei, your approach fails! Let me handle it!"

Meixi Cheng stepped forward confidently.

Xia Chuan Yuan didn't care. His mind was set. He just watched her calmly.

"Classmate Xia Chuan Yuan, join our club. We have leverage on you."

Leverage? Heh, tricking me? We're strangers—how? Xia Chuan Yuan thought coldly.

"Then show it, Classmate Meixi Cheng. I'm curious about my 'leverage'."

Meixi Cheng glanced at him. Her eyes held amusement. He felt slightly unsettled.

"Fine. I must show your leverage now."

She set down her backpack, turned, opened it, and pulled out a notebook. To Xia Chuan Yuan, it looked like a diary.

Surely... not that!

He thought he was overreacting. It couldn't be that bad.

But reality shattered his hope.

Meixi Cheng held his diary.

"Classmate Xia Chuan Yuan, know what this is?"

Before he could answer, she plowed on, cutting him off.

"Don't know? It's a diary! Whose do you think?"

He wanted to say it looked like his, but she spoke again, silencing him a second time.

"It's yours. Your diary's in my hands. It holds many secrets."

"How do you have my diary?!"

This time, she let him speak.

"Hehe! Guess!"

"Uh... I don't know. My diary shouldn't be elsewhere!"

Xia Chuan Yuan couldn't figure it out. His memories were fragmented. Gaps existed. Even home diary entries weren't complete. He didn't know how it leaked.

"Let me see it. I must confirm it's mine. What if you're lying?"

He stood, rushed over, and reached for the diary.

Meixi Cheng dodged, slapped his hand away, and stepped back, keeping distance.

"No way! If I give it, you might deny everything after!"

"Haha, you overthink. I wouldn't!"

His thoughts were seen through. He laughed awkwardly.

"Stay there. Don't move. Yamei, restrain him!"

"Okay!"

Yamei Guan jogged over and grabbed his hands, thinking she'd controlled him.

Xia Chuan Yuan didn't resist. He could handle ten people. But she was a cute girl—he'd be a gentleman.

"Classmate Xia Chuan Yuan, listen!"

"Today is the Great Ulthar Demon King's awakening! My dear kin, see what this world did to us! She gave only suffering, sorrow, death. She's utterly fallen. Join my knightly order! Rally under my banner, all who seek to reform the world!"

"After watching the Magical Girl Emperor, my Kirin Arm feels ready to burst. My time-piercing eyes see truth's essence. Nothing escapes my gaze!"

"The Demon King-empowered hero and I—our power awakens. I can shatter the world with thought alone! A hero, restrain me! Stop me from burning so easily, from turning perverted so fast!"

"Burning perversion, discipline's might—don't you fear me yet? Become my slave! Submit. Tremble. Crawl through life! My folly and ruin!"

...

Meixi Cheng read several cringey lines. Xia Chuan Yuan didn't react. He thought it fake—his memories held no such edgy words.

She stopped, looked at him, and asked:

"Well? Do these chuunibyou lines feel familiar?"

"Huh? What? No feeling at all!"

"You forgot! Anyone would seal away such embarrassing lines!"

Xia Chuan Yuan suddenly realized: he hadn't written them. But the old Xia Chuan Yuan might have.