Bab 130Doubt Leaking Out
"Hey. We don't have that important budget estimate worksheet yet. We can't get permission without it."
"Um, hmm..."
After Big Sis' statement, the Student Council Office was in an uproar. Todoroki-senpai, who seemed indifferent, woke up from his seat. Hanawa-senpai searched around him and peeked into his computer, but he couldn't seem to find the budget estimate worksheet.
"Hmm... ...I guess it hasn't reached us yet. Isn't it still in the hands of the Cultural Festival Executive Committee?"
"Come to think of it, unlike last year, they didn't come here much to report, did they?"
"That's strange... ...Though I don't think this is the kind of task that can be put off."
"...Huh?"
This discussion centered on Yūki-senpai, the Student Council President, and Hanawa-senpai, the Student Council Secretary. Big Sis, who was listening to that beside me, sighed as if to say that it was troublesome. The fact that I showed such a hardworking attitude made me seem like an adult.
"Wataru. Here, take it!"
"Me?"
What the heck is this? Did Big Sis just throw a bone at me? I couldn't help but look in the direction she pointed with my chin. Do you want me to put it in my mouth and pick it up? I'm not a dog, you know! What are you doing this for? Are you crazy now? Perhaps your brain is being controlled by meat buns?
"Why do you look like a startled chicken? I asked you to come to the Cultural Festival Executive Committee Room and ask for the data that they haven't handed over to us yet. Especially the one I just mentioned."
"Oh, yeah."
"Here, an armband for you. Although you went in there to represent us, without it, you might be mistaken for a suspicious person."
"No, I'm not a suspicious person. I am a student at this high school."
Rough treatment was a common thing that happened to me every day. There was nothing I could complain about the tasks that Big Sis gave me during other serious tasks. On the contrary, when I found out that Big Sis, who was usually lazy at home, was so busy that she couldn't do any activities at home like this, I felt like a tsundere. "Hmm, why don't you just go and get it?!". Even if I complained like that, I would be intimidated and forced to do that.
I wonder if I've been subconsciously brainwashed by her, hmm.
♦
I put on my Student Council armband and headed to the Cultural Festival Executive Committee Headquarters. There was a good chance that they would ask me, "Is there a boy like him in the Student Council?", but, hmm, maybe I would be fine if I just told them that I was just the Vice President's errand boy.
But, look... ...Natsukawa and Sasaki are also on the Cultural Festival Executive Committee. I don't want to go there. It's like I'm on the debt collector's side or the debtor's side, right? Hmm, I don't think the story will be that dramatic, anyway...
"Phew...—Excuse me, sorry for the intrusion."
"Culture Festival Executive Committee". I knocked on the door of the classroom with the sign on display and opened the door. Fortunately, it was a sliding glass door, so it wouldn't be too noisy. But still, it could attract a lot of attention.
"Eh... ...W-Wataru?"
"Sajou...?"
A few seconds after I entered, my name was immediately called. It was the voices of Natsukawa and Sasaki. They both looked at me as if curious as to why I was there. ...Hmm, oh...? Why are they piling up files and documents that many? How come they have so much work to do when they are only in the first year? It doesn't feel right... ...I didn't feel like they were like that when I caught a glimpse of them during summer vacation...
Even though it's after school, the members of the Cultural Festival Executive Committee are still actively working on their assignments today, with no empty seats. It's nice to know that there are other people out there working as hard as me. But I'm getting paid for it anyway! I'm sorry, guys! Hahaha!
"Um... ...Excuse me?"
"Yeah, hello. I'm Sajou and I'm here representing the Student Council. Are you Hasegawa-senpai, the President of the Cultural Festival Executive Committee?"
"E-Eh? I'm the President of the Cultural Festival Executive Committee, though... ..."Sajou" huh, could it be you are—?"
"Oh, yeah. The Vice President of the Student Council, Sajou Kaede, is indeed my big sis."
"Hmm... ...I see. So, is there any need for you to come here?"
"Um... —Can you come with me out to the corridor for a moment?"
In short, what the Student Council wanted to tell them was, "Since you work so slowly and never come to report to us, we came here to collect your report." Hasegawa-senpai also seemed to have guessed what was going on, and she suddenly became wary when I mentioned Big Sis' name. I didn't want to bother saying this in front of the entire Cultural Festival Executive Committee. Natsukawa would probably hate me. But it might be too late. Eh, Sasaki? I never heard of him!?
While we walked towards the corridor, I felt the curious gazes of Natsukawa and Sasaki on me. Walking a little further away, I looked over at Hasegawa-senpai one more time.
She had black bangs combed to the side, and a large bundle of braids hanging down her back. Her glasses were silver-rimmed and shiny. It was indeed a serious and stylish hairstyle of hers. I've never seen Big Sis wear braids before... ...but I think it's better not to, it might not suit her.
"What I want to talk about is the data that you must submit to the Student Council Office. I'm sorry if those are the bullet points, but there are some things we want you to do as soon as possible... ...Without this data from you, it seems that the Student Council's tasks will be delayed and will not be completed. Don't you think that's not good?"
"..."
I handed her the memo written by Yuuki-senpai. Hasegawa-senpai silently looked at the memo and furrowed her eyebrows. Oh... ...I have a bad feeling about this.
"...Wait a moment."
Hasegawa-senpai returned to the classroom. I could hear her calling out to all the members in a louder voice and went inside. I think she was trying to find something.
It stayed like that for about 10 minutes. I guess I had to wait long enough, so I greeted Senpai who had just come out.
"I'm sorry... ...but this is all we have for now..."
"Huh...? ...Eh?"
As I watched the pile of documents being handed to me carefully, I couldn't help but scream. There were sticky notes attached to it so that I could clearly distinguish which documents were which. No, but that's not the point...
"Um... ...Eh? Are these all handwritten?"
"..."
Hasegawa-senpai looked away awkwardly. I repeat, she does seem like a serious person and seems to have a sense of responsibility. She didn't seem like someone who couldn't perform her duties well.
However, when I looked at the document she handed me, it was entirely handwritten. There was nothing in it that wasn't handwritten, everything, even the outline of the thing to be written, was in the form of a printout of what was written using a pen.
Suddenly, the bad feeling I had earlier resurfaced in my mind. Several files and documents were piled up beside Natsukawa and Sasaki. Without exception besides all the other members of the Cultural Festival Executive Committee. The only sound heard was the sound of a pen being used. I guess only a few senpai-s in the back were working on the computer. No, wait a moment.
"Um, Senpai...? I have to ask something, but do you feel that you guys should do all the paperwork by handwriting?"
I had some doubts. I already had experience in helping out in both the Student Council and the Disciplinary Committee, but most of the time, there were only a few documents that were handwritten, while most of the rest were organized as data using computers. As for the Cultural Festival Executive Committee... ...I'm sure that the documents related to external support are handwritten. Is it that difficult?
"..."
"Oh..."
Hasegawa-senpai remained silent. I think she wants to tell me the answer... Eh, what's wrong? Are there no students who can use computers? Or maybe you have a shortage of computers? No, but doesn't this school have the money to buy some computers? Then that means there's something else, right...? Eh...?
...Hmm. Never mind, I'm just an errand boy here after all.
"Anyway, I just came here to bring back the documents you handed over to me, okay?"
"Oh, w-wait!"
"Yeah!?"
My arm was grabbed tightly. It was too strong, and I got scared. I almost dropped the documents I received.
"...You're going to report me to them, aren't you?"
"Yeah, of course... ...I must report you to them. To be honest, we're very late."
"...I see..."
I'm sorry, but I need to be firm about it. When I said this to her, Hasegawa-senpai let go of her hand in frustration. I don't know why she made that face either. I wish she'd stop doing that because it makes me feel like a debt collector accompanied by a foreclosure officer. I never thought the atmosphere would turn out like this...
"..."
...Just to make sure, I wanted to peek into this large classroom once more.
"I think something is wrong." That's what I felt on my skin directly. If this was a problem, I needed to find out what exactly happened before I brought the documents back to the Student Council Office, or else Big Sis might punish me for buying her meat buns. What do I mean by the punishment of "buying her meat buns"?
I told Hasegawa-senpai about the situation and visited the classroom. While looking around me, I quietly talked to the two people I recognized. A female senpai did look at me with an annoyed look, but I didn't mind it.
"Hey, Sasaki, Natsukawa!"
"Sajou, you're here, huh? Since when did you join the Student Council?"
"You know, that gorilla is the Vice President of the Student Council at this school, right? She took advantage of me."
"G-Gorilla?"
"What he meant is his big sis, Sasaki-kun... ...Do you always refer to your big sis like that in other places?"
"Oh, no... ...Yeah, my big sis. I'm helping Big Sis."
"O-Oh..."
The moment I called Big Sis a "gorilla", Natsukawa's mood instantly changed. There was no awkwardness from her about yesterday's incident like this morning at all this time, and she just looked at me with an accusing gaze. Although she did like the story in which I was involved with Big Sis...—She didn't like it when I made bad comments about Big Sis unilaterally. Big Sis, I don't believe that Natsukawa would be on your side...
"Look, can you show me those documents?"
"No, I can't show this to outsiders..."
"I told you that I'm here to represent the Student Council. I am related to them, this has something to do with them."
"Oh..."
I received the documents handled by the two of them. One of them has a "Class Topics List" written on it. It seemed that they had compiled a list of performance topics collected from the entire class. The other was a summary of this year's external party list. It was obvious that each document was handwritten.
"...Was there never any direction to work on these documents using a computer?"
"A computer? I always thought that this kind of thing could be done by handwriting."
"..."
A voice that immediately came out. If Sasaki said this, does it mean that the entire document was done by handwriting from the beginning...? But why bother to do it by handwriting? The third-year senpai-s who are their advisors seem to be able to use computers, so I don't think the whole thing should be done by handwriting just because someone can't use it. If this was a middle school, it might be normal, though... ...But this is Kōetsu High School, you know, this is the preparatory high school that the elite kids go to, right?
"...Wataru...?"
"...No, it's nothing."
For now, I think it would be best if I brought these documents back to the Student Council Office as soon as possible.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
Support Us: https://ko-fi.com/ninjacross
Donations are very much appreciated.
Read in other languages: