The Strongest Sorcerer, Chapter 52: Yukino Yukinoshita Before the Formation of the Service Club

Afternoon.

The sky, once clear and sunny, suddenly shifted as torrential rain began pouring down. Thunder rumbled, and flashes of lightning illuminated the darkened clouds.

For members of the "Going Home Club"—students with no extracurricular activities—this was a disaster. Few had brought umbrellas, and now they faced the daunting prospect of walking home in the rain.

Taking a cab? That was out of the question. For high school students, the cost was far too high.

On the other hand, students involved in club activities had no such concerns. They could wait out the storm while attending their clubs.

Teacher's Office.

Gojo Satoru lounged at his desk, sipping coffee and scrolling through short videos on his phone.

If he wanted to go home, he could teleport instantly.

As for his little sister, Umaru, she had already left with Nana Ebina. The latter's mother had sent two umbrellas, allowing the girls to stay dry on their way home.

“Do you want a ride home, Satoru?”

Shizuka Hiratsuka asked as she packed up her desk.

“No need. I’ll stick around for a bit longer. You go on ahead.”

Without lifting his eyes from his phone, Gojo responded casually.

Nodding, Shizuka finished tidying up and left the office. Before leaving, she reminded him, “Don’t forget to lock up.”

Now, the large office was quiet, save for the sound of short videos playing on Gojo’s phone.

About thirty minutes passed.

Suddenly, the door to the office opened.

A female voice accompanied the sound.

“Hiratsuka-sensei, I have something—”

The owner of the voice stepped in but stopped mid-sentence upon realizing that the room wasn’t empty.

“Oh? Are you looking for Shizuka?”

Gojo spun his chair around to face the girl standing at the door.

As he got a good look at her, he raised an eyebrow.

Well, well—someone familiar.

The girl was clad in the Sobu High uniform. She had long, jet-black hair that flowed past her shoulders and a face so delicate and beautiful it seemed almost unfair.

From Chiba City, a member of the prestigious Yukinoshita family—this was none other than Yukino Yukinoshita.

“Yes, I am. And you are?”

Yukino asked, her tone polite but curious. She couldn’t recall ever seeing this white-haired teacher before.

“Oh, I’m Shizuka’s husband.”

Gojo’s lips curled into a playful smile as he spoke.

Technically, there was nothing wrong with that statement. If you rounded up their relationship status, calling himself her husband wasn’t entirely inaccurate, right?

“...Huh?”

Yukino froze in place.

It was impossible for her to imagine that the violent Hiratsuka-sensei could find someone to marry her—let alone this handsome man.

“Haha, just kidding. I’m the new teacher here—Gojo Satoru.”

“Nice to meet you, Gojo-sensei.”

Yukino’s expression shifted to one of mild exasperation. Clearly, this new teacher had a bit of an annoying personality.

“I’m Yukino Yukinoshita, a student in Hiratsuka-sensei’s Class J. Since she’s not here, I’ll take my leave now.”

(AN: Yes she's part of Shizuka's class here.)

With that, she turned and gracefully exited, her slender hand carefully closing the door behind her.

As he watched the door shut, Gojo rubbed his smooth chin thoughtfully.

“Coming to see Shizuka, huh? Could it be about starting the Service Club?”

He didn’t dwell on the thought for too long and returned to scrolling through short videos on his phone.

An hour passed.

The rain outside showed no sign of stopping; in fact, it seemed to intensify.

Stretching lazily, Gojo decided it was time to leave.

However, instead of teleporting straight home, he planned to stop by the supermarket to pick up ingredients for dinner.

Grabbing an emergency umbrella provided for teachers, he left the office, making sure to lock the door behind him.

On the way to the supermarket.

Gojo strolled down a quiet street, contemplating whether to call Subaru Mitejima and ask what she wanted for dinner.

But then he remembered she’d probably say, “Whatever Satoru makes, I’ll eat.” With a chuckle, he dismissed the idea.

“Hm? Isn’t that Yukinoshita over there?”

Ahead, he spotted a familiar figure crouched by a patch of grass.

Sure enough, it was Yukino Yukinoshita.

What puzzled him, though, was the sight of her umbrella propped against the grass while she sat in the pouring rain, trembling from the cold.

Curiosity piqued, Gojo approached.

As he got closer, he could hear Yukino’s soft voice murmuring comforting words, accompanied by the faint sound of a kitten meowing.

“It’s okay now. Don’t be scared. You won’t get wet anymore,” Yukino said gently.

Her attention was so focused on the kitten that she didn’t notice Gojo standing behind her.

Gojo extended his umbrella slightly to shield her from the rain, then spoke with a playful tone.

“Well, well, Yukinoshita-san. You’re surprisingly compassionate—giving your umbrella to a kitten while letting yourself get soaked.”

“Ah!”

Startled by the sudden voice, Yukino whipped her head around, her rain-soaked face revealing a mixture of surprise and irritation.

It was that slightly annoying teacher from earlier.

“Sensei, scaring someone like that is very impolite,” she said, her tone carrying a hint of displeasure.

The kitten in the grass, frightened by Gojo’s voice, began meowing loudly again.

“"My bad, my bad,” Gojo apologized half-heartedly as he crouched beside her. He adjusted the umbrella to ensure it covered both Yukino and the kitten.

Although his apology lacked sincerity, the small act of kindness didn’t go unnoticed. Yukino huffed but didn’t say anything more.

She turned her attention back to the kitten, her expression softening into a gentle smile.

“It’s okay now. You’re safe,” she whispered, her voice tender and soothing.

The kitten gradually calmed down, its tiny body relaxing under Yukino’s care.

“Are you planning to adopt it?”

Gojo asked, glancing at the kitten.

Yukino hesitated. She wanted to, but the rules of her residence didn’t allow pets.

“I…”

“If you can’t, you could always take it to a shelter for stray cats,” Gojo suggested, cutting her off before she could finish.