The next morning began with a problem.
A very serious problem.
Itsuki did not want to get out of bed.
His alarm rang.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Itsuki opened one eye.
He stared at the ceiling.
Then he closed it again.
"Five more minutes…"
The alarm continued.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Itsuki reached toward the phone.
His hand missed.
He tried again.
Missed again.
Finally, he grabbed the phone and turned the alarm off.
Silence.
Itsuki smiled.
"Peace…"
Then he remembered something.
"Wait…"
He opened his eyes.
"What time is it?"
He checked the phone.
His expression froze.
"…I'm late."
He jumped out of bed.
Or at least—
He tried to.
His body moved approximately three centimeters.
Then stopped.
"Why am I so tired?"
He dragged himself toward the bathroom.
His hair was completely messy.
His eyes were half-closed.
He brushed his teeth while practically falling asleep.
His aunt walked past the bathroom.
She stopped.
She looked at him.
Then looked again.
"Itsuki."
"Mmm?"
"Are you brushing your teeth…"
"Yes."
"Or are you sleeping while standing?"
"I can do both."
His aunt stared at him.
"You've entered lazy mode."
"I think my body has resigned."
She laughed.
"Eat something before you leave."
"I'll eat at school."
"No."
"I'll eat later."
"No."
"I'll eat…"
His aunt placed breakfast in front of him.
Itsuki stared at it.
His eyes slowly closed.
His aunt tapped the table.
"Eat."
"I am eating."
"You haven't moved."
"I'm mentally eating."
His aunt sighed.
"Get ready."
Itsuki slowly lifted his spoon.
One bite.
Then another.
Then he nearly fell asleep again.
His aunt shook her head.
"What happened to you?"
"I don't know."
"You've been spending too much time with that new blind girl."
Itsuki opened one eye.
"What does Aoi have to do with my sleep?"
"Nothing."
"Then why did you mention her?"
His aunt smiled.
"I just wanted to see your reaction."
Itsuki stared at her.
"You're evil."
"Eat your breakfast."
"Yes, ma'am."
Eventually, Itsuki somehow managed to leave the house.
He cycled toward school with his eyes half-open.
The morning streets of Kathmandu were already busy.
People were preparing for another day.
Shops were opening.
Students were heading toward school.
And Itsuki—
Was barely functioning.
His bicycle slowly moved down the road.
He yawned.
Then another yawn.
Then—
BONK.
His bicycle bumped into a roadside barrier.
Itsuki stopped.
He stared at it.
"…Good morning."
The barrier obviously didn't answer.
Itsuki continued.
A few minutes later—
BONK.
He nearly walked into a signpost.
He stopped just before hitting it.
"Why are there so many obstacles today?"
A passerby looked at him.
"The obstacle isn't moving."
Itsuki nodded seriously.
"That's the problem."
He continued walking.
By the time he reached school, his eyes were so sleepy that even his friends immediately noticed.
Yuna looked at him.
"What happened to you?"
Itsuki dropped his bag beside his desk.
"Nothing."
"You look dead tired."
"I'm alive."
Ren came closer.
"Are you sure?"
"No."
Haruto laughed.
"Did you sleep?"
"Yes."
"How long?"
Itsuki thought.
"…I don't remember."
Yuna stared.
"That isn't a good answer."
Itsuki put his head on the desk.
"I've activated Lazy Mode."
Ren nodded.
"Maximum level?"
"Maximum."
Haruto leaned over.
"Can you move?"
Itsuki lifted one hand.
Barely.
"No."
Yuna laughed.
"This is pathetic."
Itsuki slowly raised his head.
"Please respect my condition."
"What condition?"
"Laziness."
Ren laughed.
"That isn't a medical condition."
"It is now."
Just then—
Aoi entered the classroom.
She tapped her white cane lightly against the floor.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
She recognized the familiar voices.
"Itsuki?"
Itsuki lifted his head.
"Aoi…"
"You sound tired."
"I am tired."
Aoi walked toward his desk.
"Where are you?"
Itsuki pointed.
Then remembered.
"You're standing about three steps to my left."
Aoi turned slightly.
"Here?"
"A little more."
She moved.
"Now?"
"Yes."
Aoi smiled.
"You're unusually quiet today."
"I'm saving energy."
"For what?"
"Existing."
Aoi laughed.
"You're strange."
"Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"I'll take it anyway."
Aoi sat down.
Then she opened her bag.
"Itsuki."
"Hm?"
"Can you tell me what the teacher wrote on the board?"
Itsuki slowly lifted his head.
He looked at the board.
He sighed.
"Homework."
"What homework?"
"Math."
Aoi waited.
"And?"
"History."
"And?"
"Science."
Aoi smiled.
"Anything else?"
Itsuki looked again.
"There's a note about an upcoming meeting."
"What does it say?"
"I can't read it from here."
Aoi laughed.
"So the Human GPS is malfunctioning?"
Itsuki put his head back down.
"Battery at two percent."
Aoi laughed again.
Unfortunately, someone else had heard that conversation.
Hotaru.
She was standing near the classroom entrance.
Her eyes immediately went toward Itsuki.
Then Aoi.
Again.
That strange feeling.
Again.
Hotaru frowned.
She didn't like how often Aoi was beside him.
She didn't like how comfortable they seemed.
And most importantly—
She didn't understand why she cared.
Hotaru walked toward her desk.
As she passed Itsuki, she stopped.
She looked at him.
Then said through her robotic voice device,
"Lazy."
Itsuki slowly lifted his head.
"…What?"
Hotaru continued walking.
Itsuki stared after her.
"What did I do?"
Yuna looked at him.
"You exist."
"That can't be the reason."
Ren nodded.
"It might be."
Itsuki sighed.
"She hasn't talked to me properly in ages."
Yuna smiled.
"And yet she keeps talking to you."
"That's what confuses me."
The teacher entered.
Everyone sat down.
The first lesson began.
Itsuki tried to concentrate.
He really did.
But five minutes later—
His head dropped.
Thunk.
His forehead hit the desk.
Aoi turned toward him.
"Itsuki?"
"Mmm…"
"Are you sleeping?"
"No."
"You're asleep."
"No…"
Aoi smiled.
The teacher looked toward them.
"Itsuki."
His head lifted immediately.
"Yes, Sensei!"
"Please stay awake."
"Yes, Sensei."
His head dropped again.
A few students laughed.
The teacher sighed.
"Aoi, can you wake him if he falls asleep again?"
Aoi smiled.
"I'll try."
Hotaru looked toward them.
Her eyebrows tightened.
Why does everyone keep putting them together?
The lesson continued.
At one point, Aoi needed help finding a particular page.
She whispered,
"Itsuki."
Itsuki opened one eye.
"Page?"
"Yes."
"Fifty-six."
Aoi flipped the pages.
"Is this fifty-six?"
"Fifty-five."
She turned one more.
"This?"
"Yeah."
"Thank you."
Hotaru glanced toward them.
Again.
Her expression became slightly more irritated.
When the teacher asked everyone to form pairs for an activity, Aoi naturally turned toward Itsuki.
"Itsuki, can we—"
Hotaru suddenly raised her hand.
"Itsuki."
Everyone looked at her.
Itsuki looked confused.
"Yes?"
"Come here."
He blinked.
"Why?"
"Now."
Itsuki slowly stood.
He walked toward her.
Hotaru handed him a stack of papers.
"Take these to the student council room."
Itsuki stared at the papers.
"…Why me?"
Hotaru answered immediately.
"Because you're available."
"I was working."
"You were sleeping."
"…Fair."
He took the papers.
As he walked past Aoi, he said,
"I'll be back."
Aoi nodded.
"Okay."
Hotaru watched him leave.
Then she looked away.
She didn't know why she had suddenly called him.
She simply didn't want him sitting beside Aoi.
That thought made her uncomfortable.
Why did I do that?
She touched her forehead.
What's wrong with me?
Meanwhile, Itsuki walked down the corridor with the papers.
He yawned.
Then—
BONK.
He walked directly into a classroom door.
The papers flew everywhere.
"Ow…"
A student passing by stopped.
"Itsuki?"
He sat on the floor.
"I blame the door."
"The door was open."
"I blame myself, then."
He gathered the papers.
By the time he reached the student council room, he looked like someone who had fought a battle against sleep and lost.
He opened the door.
Several council members looked at him.
"Oh, Itsuki."
"Why are you here?"
He held out the papers.
"President sent these."
One of the vice-presidents took them.
"Thank you."
Itsuki turned around.
Then Hotaru's voice came from behind him.
"Itsuki."
He stopped.
"Yes?"
"Wait."
He turned around.
Hotaru looked at him.
Then at the other council members.
Then back at him.
"You're joining the student council."
Silence.
Itsuki blinked.
"…What?"
"You heard me."
"I heard you. I just don't understand you."
"You're joining."
"Why?"
"You're reliable."
Every council member stared at her.
Itsuki stared too.
"Reliable?"
One member coughed.
Another looked away.
A third whispered,
"He walked into a door five minutes ago."
Itsuki turned.
"I heard that."
Hotaru remained completely serious.
"You'll be vice-president."
The room went silent.
Itsuki's brain stopped working.
"…Excuse me?"
"You're the new vice-president."
"You can't just decide that!"
"I just did."
"That's not how student council works!"
"It is today."
One of the council members slowly raised his hand.
"President…"
Hotaru looked at him.
"Yes?"
"Is there a reason?"
Hotaru paused.
Then she answered.
"He's useful."
Itsuki pointed at himself.
"Useful?!"
The council member looked at Hotaru.
Then at Itsuki.
Then back at Hotaru.
Another member leaned toward him and whispered,
"Do you think…"
"What?"
"Our president…"
He glanced at Itsuki.
"…likes him?"
The other member's eyes widened.
"You think so?"
"Look at what's happening."
Another council member joined the whispering.
"She's never randomly appointed someone before."
"Exactly."
"She keeps calling him."
"She gets irritated when he's with Aoi."
"And now she's making him vice-president."
Itsuki heard them.
His eyes widened.
"Stop whispering!"
Everyone immediately became quiet.
Hotaru's face remained calm.
But there was a slight pause.
She had heard them too.
One council member carefully asked,
"President… are you sure about this?"
"Yes."
Itsuki sighed.
"Fine."
He turned toward Hotaru.
"But I don't understand why you're so angry at me lately."
Hotaru stared at him.
"I am not angry."
"You've insulted me three times today."
"I have not."
"You called me lazy."
"You are lazy."
"You told me to carry papers."
"You were free."
"You just made me vice-president!"
"Yes."
"That's exactly my point!"
Hotaru looked away.
"I don't have time to explain."
Then she walked past him.
Itsuki stood there.
Completely confused.
"What did I do?"
No one answered.
One council member slowly whispered,
"Congratulations, Vice-President."
Itsuki sighed.
"This is going to be a long year."
Later that afternoon, Itsuki met his friends at the badminton court.
Yuna looked at him.
"Why do you look traumatized?"
"I've been promoted."
Ren blinked.
"To what?"
"Student Council Vice-President."
Silence.
Haruto nearly dropped his racket.
"What?"
Yuna stared at him.
"Why?"
"I don't know!"
Ren started laughing.
"Who promoted you?"
Itsuki looked toward the school building.
"Hotaru."
Yuna's expression changed.
"Hotaru?"
"Yes."
Ren looked at Yuna.
Yuna looked at Ren.
Haruto looked at both of them.
Then all three said at the same time—
"Interesting."
Itsuki frowned.
"What?"
Yuna smiled.
"Nothing."
"Tell me."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because you won't believe us."
"Believe what?"
Yuna leaned closer.
"I think someone is jealous."
Itsuki blinked.
"Who?"
Yuna pointed toward the school building.
Itsuki looked.
"Hotaru?"
"Maybe."
Itsuki shook his head.
"No way."
Ren laughed.
"She gets annoyed whenever you're with Aoi."
"That doesn't mean jealousy."
Haruto nodded.
"She also made you vice-president."
"That makes even less sense."
Yuna crossed her arms.
"Exactly."
Itsuki sighed.
"I don't understand girls."
Ren patted his shoulder.
"Neither do we."
Haruto nodded.
"Never will."
Aoi approached them.
"I heard my name."
Itsuki turned.
"Aoi."
"What were you talking about?"
"Nothing."
Aoi smiled.
"You're lying."
"I am not."
"Your voice changed."
Yuna laughed.
"She can detect lies too!"
Aoi smiled.
"Maybe."
Itsuki shook his head.
"My life is getting complicated."
Aoi held her cane.
"Can you help me find the club storage room?"
Itsuki sighed dramatically.
"Of course."
Yuna pointed at him.
"Human GPS."
Itsuki looked at the ceiling.
"Why did I ever introduce myself?"
The group laughed.
As they walked toward the storage room, Itsuki guided Aoi through the corridor using simple directions.
"Three steps forward."
Aoi moved.
"Now slightly left."
She turned.
"Door?"
"Yes."
She reached out and touched the handle.
"Found it."
Itsuki smiled.
"See? You didn't need me."
"I needed your directions."
"Fair enough."
Aoi smiled.
"Thank you."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the corridor, Hotaru saw them.
Again.
Aoi beside Itsuki.
Itsuki helping her.
That strange feeling returned.
Hotaru clenched her hand slightly.
She didn't understand it.
She didn't even know why she was watching.
But this time, she quietly whispered through her device,
"…Annoying."
Then she walked away.
The next few weeks were approaching quickly.
The school atmosphere had already started changing.
The teachers were talking more seriously about examinations.
Students were discussing study plans.
And everyone knew what was coming after the exams.
The festival season.
Dashain was approaching.
For the students, that meant something even more important—
A long break.
That evening, Itsuki sat with Yuna, Ren, Haruto, and Aoi.
Ren looked exhausted.
"Exams are coming."
Itsuki sighed.
"Don't remind me."
Yuna laughed.
"At least we're in a public school."
Haruto nodded.
"If we were in boarding school…"
Everyone became quiet.
Itsuki slowly raised his hand.
"We'd be finished."
Ren laughed.
"Monthly exams."
"Surprise tests."
"Homework every day."
"Teachers checking everything."
Itsuki put his head on the table.
"Thank goodness we're not there."
Yuna smiled.
"And after the exams?"
Itsuki lifted his head.
"Festival."
Ren grinned.
"Dashain."
Haruto smiled.
"Holiday."
Aoi tilted her head.
"How long?"
Itsuki thought.
"If everything goes normally…"
He smiled.
"Hopefully, we'll get a proper long break."
Ren raised both hands.
"Please!"
Yuna laughed.
"Imagine getting three months."
Itsuki smiled.
"That would be paradise."
Haruto shook his head.
"Don't get your hopes too high."
Itsuki ignored him.
"No exams."
"No teachers."
"No surprise tests."
"No waking up early."
"No student council."
He suddenly stopped.
"…Wait."
Yuna looked at him.
"What?"
"I'm a vice-president now."
Everyone laughed.
Itsuki dropped his head onto the table.
"I forgot."
Aoi laughed softly.
"Human GPS has become Vice-President."
Itsuki groaned.
"Please don't combine the two."
Ren smiled.
"Too late."
Yuna raised her drink.
"To Vice-President Human GPS."
Haruto raised his.
"To the upcoming exams."
Itsuki raised his drink reluctantly.
"To surviving until Dashain."
Aoi smiled.
"To all of us."
They laughed together.
And for Itsuki, the future suddenly didn't feel like something he had to run from.
There were exams coming.
A festival was coming.
His friends were beside him.
Aoi was slowly becoming part of their group.
And, somehow—
He had accidentally become a student council vice-president.
He still had no idea why Hotaru had chosen him.
But he had a feeling that whatever was happening inside the student council…
Was only the beginning.