Chapter 131It's Not About Logic
"—More or less it's like that, though. I don't think the progress of the Cultural Festival Executive Committee is very good."
"...That is..."
"..."
In the Student Council Office. Big Sis' mood suddenly changed when she found out that I only managed to bring back half of the documents she requested. No, this didn't happen suddenly... ...Is this like pouring oil into a smoldering fire? I can feel movement in my temples. I should buy Big Sis some steamy buns... ...Wouldn't that increase her blood sugar?
"—That's strange."
"...That's right, isn't it?"
"Strange...?"
Student Council President, Yuuki-senpai did not take my words at face value. Hanawa-senpai seemed to feel the same way. He and Yuuki-senpai were both thinking about it in the same way, the smiles that always appeared on their faces slowly fading away. What should we do now that there are only two good-looking and cool boys remaining? Do I have to think hard about this too?
"Even if that's the case, why didn't the Cultural Festival Executive Committee report it to the Student Council? If it's because of their work environment, that's the Student Council's business too."
"That means it's not that strict, right?"
"I'm sure that's not the case. If that were the case, they wouldn't have bothered to reveal their depravity to their kouhai-s, would they?"
"Huh...? ...That's very rude, by the way."
Kai-senpai also expressed his opinion, while Todoroki-senpai responded to Yuuki-senpai's rant with words that seemed to make fun of the situation. Although it wasn't exactly like that, there was a very "Student Council-ish" feel to this place. I felt as if I was witnessing a serious scene for the first time.
"—It's also a matter of competency, isn't it? That's the way it is."
"Big Sis."
"Wataru, you're fine for today. Go home. Let me check the rest later."
"Eh?"
Eh? Are you sure it's okay?
I was permitted to go home even though I felt like there was still a bit of a problem. This is indeed a white company. It's like I'm allowed to leave early when it's really busy, right? Really? That's crazy. Come to think of it, what's crazy is that I don't even work here. My skin color isn't white at all. Don't let outsiders do your work here.
"Wait, Kaede. How about we ask Wataru to help us too?"
"Huh? Why, this kid is an outsider, you know?"
"I think it's too late to say that, isn't it...? From what I heard, he has some acquaintances in the Cultural Festival Executive Committee, right? It would be good if we had some connections like that. We're too far away from the average student organization."
"I don't want to involve this kid in something that doesn't concern him."
"He's your little bro, isn't he? Is there any guarantee that "Sajou Kaede"’s little bro won't be involved in this mess for a long time?"
Hmm... ...Eh? What exactly is going on with this disturbing atmosphere...? ...What was Yuuki-senpai trying to say...? I have a bad feeling about this. Didn't he say that even if I distance myself from the Student Council for now, I can't continue to stay outside the Student Council? I'm getting scared, though.
"...Um, Kai-senpai? What does that mean?"
I asked Kai-senpai in a low tone. At times like this, it's good if I rely on the people closest to me as much as possible. Because he is one of the second-year senpai is also the biggest factor. At the same time, I also knew that he had no attachment to the Student Council itself, so it was easy for me to ask him.
"...Until last November, this high school was managed by students from the 'West' Side, where there are many families with a lot of money invested."
"Oh-...Hmm?"
"There were various kinds of conflicts that occurred. Among them, there was one person who led the rise of the 'East' Side actively, although it was by chance—"
"Takuto. You're noisy. Shut up!"
"Ugh... ...Yeah. I'm sorry."
"..."
No, no, even though Big Sis attacked him with too much sass. Kai-senpai is acting exactly like me at home. A waste of a good-looking boy with glasses. This boy probably enjoyed that she was being more stern and sadistic. I'm not the type of M who's enjoyed that kind of attitude.
...Yeah. What a waste of a good-looking boy with glasses.
...So that's the point, that's all. It's a matter of "East vs. West". The reason why Big Sis suddenly tried to keep me away from here was because she thought that I might get involved in this matter. The fact that this Kōetsu High School was only managed by the "West" Side until last November, means that the Cultural Festival Executive Committee is mostly run by students from the "West" Side.
The difference from last year—Does this lead to the problem of "East vs. West"?
"Kaede. Even so, that doesn't mean I'm going to let Wataru get further involved in this matter. You can trust me on that."
"Okay... ...I see. This kid will not get involved in that matter. This kid is just a first-year student who doesn't know anything so he will only help us. If anything happens to him, Hayato, I will never forgive you."
"...Oh. Well then, that's fine."
...Hey? The story has gone too far, what do you want me to do? Yeah, well, I'll gladly accept it if it's just a little help, though. But I don't want to get involved in any trouble, okay?
"—You two. For now, let's resolve the situation first. At least the difference from last year is our problem, right?"
"Yeah, I agree. Let's listen to Kaede's wants regarding this matter. Wataru, you've had enough for today. I will contact you again when we need your help with other tasks. I will also prepare a reward."
"E-Eh? Oh, yeah. —Um, yeah."
Does that mean I'm a contracted agent?
I couldn't keep up with this rather serious atmosphere. It felt like I was watching a small scene from a movie. Taking that atmosphere into account, I couldn't help but nod. I've never lived in such a stressful formal world. Yeah, so—As long as it's only small tasks and I can eat the lunchbox from him, I'll gladly do it.
♦
Boom, I felt like I was thrown hard. Honestly, I don't know what happened anymore. For now, I understand that Big Sis and Yuuki-senpai have kept me out of this. I wasn't in a position where I had to help them in the first place, and I also couldn't deny that they were drawing a line between them and me, even though there was a part of me that thought they were just trying to be considerate. In this high school... ...a lot has happened up until last year.
I don't know if I'll even get a chance to discuss the management of the Cultural Festival Executive Committee in the future, but if there's one thing that worries me, it's the fact that Natsukawa is involved in the Cultural Festival Executive Committee... I hope that Natsukawa won't be too affected by the current progress of the Cultural Festival Executive Committee.
Let's just see for a moment how things develop...?
"-...Oh?"
As I turned the corner of the corridor, I noticed something strange. There were two girls—and, a boy exiting the Cultural Festival Executive Committee classroom. It was Sasaki, known as that annoyingly good-looking boy, being carried by one of the girls with her arm around his shoulder. What the heck is that...?
"Huh? We can't do those works. I don't know why she often takes it so seriously."
"Um... ...Yeah."
"If our bosses don't take it seriously, then that means we don't have to either, right?"
I checked the time on my smartphone. There was still time before the last hour of school time, so the Cultural Festival Executive Committee was probably still working on their work. However, the three of them grabbed their bags and left the classroom.
"—That's right."
I got the prediction hard to believe. But still, I also had a bad feeling about it, so I couldn't help but peek into the classroom through the window. There were piles of files and documents that were even still there from my previous visit. That's how they were.
At the back of the classroom, in the corner of the second-year students' section, there were two empty seats. Next to them, in the corner of the first-year students' section, the seat Sasaki used to sit on was also empty. On their desks were stacks of analog crystals.
It looked as if— As if they were forcing everything on Natsukawa, who was sitting next to them.
"Pardon for intrusion."
All the faces in the room immediately turned to me to look. "Why?", I thought. I didn't mean to open this sliding door. I didn't mean to attract this much attention. At the front of the classroom, Hasegawa-senpai, a third-year student with a rather pale face, came to look at me as if she was scared.
"...Um, is there something you need again?"
"—I'm here representing Class 1-C. I'm replacing the boy who came out of this classroom. The Student Council has nothing to do with me this time, so don't be too wary of me."
"Eh...?"
Without needing to ask permission, I took the seat that Sasaki should have sitting on. Natsukawa, who was sitting next to me, spoke in a confused tone of voice. You're probably wondering why I'm here. Don't worry, I thought so myself. No, don't worry about it, it's nothing!
"W-Wataru...?"
"Natsukawa. Can you quickly tell me where to fill out this paper?"
"Um...! It's not like Sasaki-kun slacked off, you know...!"
"Oh, yeah. That's good. I kind of understand it."
From the looks of it, the girl who put her arm around Sasaki's shoulder was a second-year senpai. Even though the other party was the opposite gender, I still think it's a bad idea. I knew that he was a serious boy, so I knew that it wasn't his intention to leave in the middle of his duties.
I understood logically not to deny it. However, I couldn't feel any sympathy for him.
"Um, Wataru...?"
"..."
D*mn you, you said that you liked Natsukawa, right?
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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