The Gentleman’s Predicament

My name is Zhuge Yinglang. True to my name, I embody elegance, handsomeness, and a refined demeanor. These words perfectly capture my essence.

I am an exceptional student. Just as my name suggests, the brilliant strategies of Zhuge Liang himself could stand as my testament.

Though my exam scores have never surpassed seventy percent, I firmly believe in prioritizing moral education. This means cultivating individuals through virtue.

Only by establishing noble ideals and lofty aspirations, and by building a strong foundation of moral character from a young age, can life gain momentum, progress find direction, and success be assured.

This is my family motto: ‘Aspirations must be set high!’

To this end, I am determined to become a true gentleman.

With such lofty aspirations, I can approach even the most sordid things and base creations with a noble perspective.

Yet today, I faced the first crisis of my life.

I silently lowered my gaze to my pearl-white, high-end sneakers, bought just two days prior.

Upon them, a small, seemingly innocent leather shoe was ruthlessly grinding.

“…Really! We weren’t talking about anything! Disciplinary Committee Head!”

I quickly denied it. As a true gentleman, my ancestors—though I’m unsure if they were real or fabricated—did once utter this phrase:

[Do not contradict the majority with a singular view, nor lose trust by clinging to your abilities.]

Thus, it wasn’t that I wished to lie; rather, I simply didn’t want my limited understanding to cause everyone to misunderstand the adorable Disciplinary Committee Head before me as having poor taste. Such conscientiousness, I did not expect to be understood.

However, our newly appointed little Disciplinary Committee Head didn’t seem to be buying it.

‘Don’t ask me how I knew.’

The small leather shoe, initially applying pressure to my instep, shifted its focus to my toes the moment I finished speaking.

Its point of leverage had been the front of the shoe, but now it was the heel.

‘What excruciating pain, as if my toes were connected to my very heart!’

‘Only now, in this moment, could I truly comprehend the heroic spirit of our martyrs!’

“Is that true, Zhuge… Yinglang, fellow student?”

“W-waah…”

A stream of hot tears traced a path down my cheek.

“Oh? Zhuge, fellow student, why are you crying?”

“I-I never imagined that you, Committee Head—who shines like a star among the students and possesses the brilliant radiance of a sun—would remember my humble name!… I am truly… immeasurably moved!”

‘My toes are practically swelling from the overwhelming emotion!’

‘But a wise person can humble themselves, and the strong must also endure. As one aspiring to be a courteous gentleman, how could I let such a young woman disrupt my composure?’

“Oh, so that means, hehe… you two were just sitting here, exchanging completely meaningless verbal signals with each other, and you maintained this ‘interest’ for nearly five minutes?”

“…Uh, yes, that’s right.”

Though I hated to admit it, this seemed to be the only thing I could acknowledge at the moment.

“Oh, I see… In that case, I’ll tentatively believe you.”

‘If one wishes to preserve one’s life at the hands of a young woman, there is no need to delve into the true intentions of her heart.’

The adorable Disciplinary Committee Head, hands on her hips, slowly lifted the heel that had been pressed tightly against my toes.

Then, she twisted it twice.

With the pressure released, a sense of unbridled freedom immediately washed over me.

However… as the blood rushed back, the pain in my foot seemed to intensify even further.

But what was wrong with the Committee Head today? I gazed at the Disciplinary Committee Head before me, whose features were even more exquisite than a doll’s, but my attention was entirely fixed on… her upper body.

It wasn’t her chest. To be honest, the Disciplinary Committee Head’s chest was… how should I put it? It was so meager that even the word ‘barren’ would likely weep if applied to it.

‘Still, no matter how barren, there should at least be a small dune, right?’ Even though I didn’t want to discourage the Committee Head, I had to admit:

‘A mere sparrow can never comprehend the ambition of a great swan.’

At this moment, my gaze landed not on those insignificant sparrows, but on the slender neck of the Disciplinary Committee Head, a neck that could be grasped with a single hand.

My thoughts raced.

‘Could someone with such a proud personality, who seems to look down on everyone, actually enjoy such things?… Or perhaps?’

As the saying goes, one’s inner thoughts are reflected in the windows of the soul.

And at this moment, within those seemingly wise windows, a sharp glint flickered.

However, I hadn’t realized that some people… could actually… decipher my profound gaze, understanding my intentions as if reading the language of flowers.

And I was destined to repent for my foolish heart.

****

“Hehe… Since… you didn’t… talk about anything…”

Ye Qi smiled.

“Then there’s no problem, is there?”

Feeling the slightly scorching gaze, I smiled gently, as if a mere breeze could carry one upward along the far end of that smile.

I raised my hand, my voice a little strained.

“Then… may we leave now?”

The Disciplinary Committee Head’s bangs obscured her clear eyes, preventing me from discerning what lay hidden in the shadows.

****

“Then! We’re really leaving now!”

I tugged at my unremarkable, ‘proper’ male best friend behind me, then dashed towards the door leading out of the classroom.

‘Once outside, even being seven or eight minutes late wouldn’t matter!’

‘I never wanted to face this sinister young woman again!’

‘Not for my physical well-being, nor my mental state!’

****

The door to hope!

It was almost within reach!

The unknown terror was about to be lifted!

Three steps!

Two steps!

One…