"Those who possess much showing compassion to those who lack; that is the essence of a volunteer. Providing assistance to those in need is the mission of this 'Service Club'."
Yukino stepped closer to Izuru and Saika. Cutting off Izuru's explanation with her trademark icy tone, she summarized his ramblings into her own refined vocabulary.
However, since Yukino was essentially a local celebrity, her bold intervention naturally drew the eyes of the entire student body. At the same time, Itsuki, Yotsuba, and Yui—each harboring their own hidden agendas—watched with glinting eyes, their thoughts unreadable.
Saika, hearing Yukino's high-brow definition, blinked and tilted his head innocently, not quite grasping the flow. This display caused the "Cuteness Battalion" in the vicinity to suffer another wave of heart palpitations. Izuru simply shrugged and provided a translation into his own brand of "brief and blunt."
"In short, the 'Service Club' is like a social work group. Zero unhealthy content, zero adult themes. It's pure as snow, so Totsuka-kun, don't go getting any weird ideas!"
"I see! So it's that kind of club. The President's explanation is so easy to understand!" Saika didn't give his admirers a chance to breathe, beaming another dangerously sweet smile.
This caused Izuru—a man of "mettle" who guarded his own purity—to take a decisive step back. On the other hand, Yukino's expression grew even frostier. Displeased with Izuru's crude summary, she huffed: "If you hadn't added that last sentence, your summarizing skills might actually be worth praising. Why must you 'draw a snake and add feet'?"
Izuru, however, responded with a cryptic grin.
"Hirano, don't you know that some ancient snakes actually had feet? While that bit of trivia won't be on your college entrance exams and you can choose to ignore it, you can't deny the hard-won scientific conclusions of great paleontologists. Oh, and by the way, it's said those ancient snakes used their short, weak legs to embrace each other while mating... hehehe..."
The look Yukino shot Izuru was one of pure, unadulterated disgust. Deciding he wasn't worth the breath, she turned her attention back to Saika.
"While the Student Council President has a duty to serve the students, he is only one man and cannot assist everyone. Therefore, the 'Service Club' exists to lighten the President's heavy burden and to actively resolve the difficulties and grievances of the student body. If you require aid, please come directly to the club and submit a formal request..."
Her voice was perfectly pitched—not too loud, yet clear enough for every eavesdropping student to catch. It planted the seed of the "Service Club" in the minds of the onlookers, letting them know such a volunteer group existed.
{Not bad, Yukinon. Impressive—with just one sentence, you've managed to boost your favorability with the President again. It seems all those time-loops have really leveled up your 'President-handling' skills!}
Yui mused internally, her beautiful face wearing a friendly, innocent smile. She stepped toward Saika and chimed in.
"That's right, Saika-chan! The President is actually very tired, you know? He has to deal with mountains of complicated paperwork every day and barely gets any rest. If you have a problem, it's much better to go to the Service Club and ask Yukinon. Of course, if you don't mind, I'd be happy to help too!"
{Actually, as President, I'm mostly just a figurehead. Kaguya does basically all the paperwork for me. Plus, I'm a member of the 'Going Home Club,' so I'm no busier than the average student...}
Despite feeling touched by Yukino and Yui's protective words, Izuru's reflex to ruin the mood with a sharp comment was nearly overwhelming.
Fortunately, Yotsuba chose that moment to hop forward. With a bright smile that rivaled Yui's, she added: "Exactly, Totsuka-kun! We're classmates, so if you need anything, don't be shy. I'm actually quite athletic, so I'm sure I can help you out!"
Itsuki stood dazed for a second. {Why are you all moving so fast? I haven't even had a chance to react!}
Refusing to be left in the dust, Itsuki gritted her teeth in annoyance that the other three had beaten her to the punch. She forced a smile and stepped up: "Count me in as well. Even if I'm not the best at sports, I'm willing to help!"
Faced with four girls who were all displaying an unnaturally high level of enthusiasm, Izuru scratched the back of his head with mixed feelings, unsure of what to say. Saika, meanwhile, looked genuinely moved, nearly teetering on the edge of happy tears.
"Everyone... thank you so much!"
What the pure and innocent Saika didn't realize was that out of the four girls offering help, not a single one was purely motivated by altruism. Their desire to help was a tiny fraction of the equation; the real reason was using the request as a "shield" to achieve secret goals that would be terrifying if spoken aloud!
Of course, beyond these four schemers, the world still held some warmth. For example...
"Eh? I want to help too, Saika! Don't forget about me!"
This didn't come from Izuru—who was far too lazy and disinterested in a boy who looked like a girl—but from Okita. Okita hadn't yet grasped the reality of Saika's "manliness" and was still hopelessly smitten.
He had been watching from the sidelines, but seeing so many girls swarm in triggered a crisis of presence. He spoke up quickly, desperate not to be forgotten.
Saika gave Okita a shy, sweet smile that sent the poor boy reeling once more. Then came the finishing blow: "Of course, Okita-kun!"
As for Izuru, he had initially planned to stay out of this messy affair. However, a few minutes later, he reversed that decision. In fact, he transformed into a "hunter in the brush," literally crawling across the surface of the tennis court.