After breakfast, Umi and I warmed ourselves up properly at the living room kotatsu before heading out for school. I'd known the wind was blowing hard from the moment I woke up, so my winter gear was on point.
"Maki, can I borrow your pocket?"
"Yeah. It's especially cold today, after all."
"So, does that mean I can't if it's not cold?"
"…Well, it's not that you can't…"
"Hehe, you're such a big baby, Maki~"
"You're one to talk, Umi."
"Ehehe, guess I am."
Umi sidled up to me and slipped her hand into the pocket of my down jacket.
Inside the large pocket, our hands clasped tightly together.
Even in the dead of winter, as long as I had this—as long as I had her warmth—I felt like I could endure almost anything. Though, as always, going to school was still a pain.
"Oh, Maki, finals are coming up. How are you doing? Think you can rank higher than in the midterms?"
"I'm doing alright. I was in the twenties for midterms, so… my goal is to break into the top ten."
"Nice. Well, I have to work hard so I don't lose to you. My goal is… to aim high for second in the grade."
"Not first, huh… Still, second is amazing. You're up against that Nakamura-san, after all."
"Right? She's become more and more untouchable lately. She got a perfect score in every subject on the last test, you know? Isn't that insane?"
"Yeah. And she's supposed to be busy with student council activities, too."
I was sure Umi wasn't actually aiming for second place from the start, but to claim the top spot, she had to surpass Nakamura-san.
It had become something of a quiet rumor, but apparently, Nakamura-san was the first in our school's history to get a perfect score on every subject in a regular exam. She'd been boasting about it to everyone herself, so it was probably true. As a side note, she boasted so much that her classmates found her a little annoying… but that was a story for another time.
The point was, when it came to academics, Nakamura-san was on another level. On top of that, she was handling the student council president position she'd inherited from Tomoo-senpai without a hitch.
All of this was probably thanks to having Takizawa-kun by her side.
It was the same for me—being conscious of the person you love watching you really makes you feel like you have to give everything your all.
I want to show my reliable side to the person I love.
I want her to see how dependable I am so she'll fall for me even more.
In daily life. In school life. Even in my social life, like at my part-time job.
The reason I was able to work so hard right now, even in areas I wasn't good at, was all thanks to my girlfriend, Umi.
"Hey, Umi."
"Yeah?"
"Next year, I'm going to get into your class. Wait for me."
"Okay, but just waiting for you is boring, so I'll help you out, too. For starters, beginning today, let's do a thousand-question English vocabulary quiz—"
"…Could you be a little gentler?"
"Aww~"
"Don't 'aww' me."
As I walked and chatted with Umi, huddled close together, I completely forgot about the cold.
…And, incidentally, about the two girls who had (apparently) joined us along the way.
"—Uhm, excuse me, you two lovebirds over there. Mind finally noticing us?"
"Umi, Maki-kun. G-o-o-d m-o-r-n-i-n-g."
""Ah… Good morning…""
Fed up with the shameless couple endlessly flirting in their own little world, Amami-san and Nitta-san cut in between us.
Whenever, wherever, if we let our guard down, Umi and I would immediately get lost in our own little world. And these two 'friends' of ours were always there to playfully jab at us and tease us about it.
This had been our dynamic since last year. By the way, Nozomu was still as dedicated as ever to his morning baseball practice, so that hadn't changed either.
Things had been a bit awkward for a while, but a few weeks had passed since that, and the lingering tensions were finally starting to fade.
The relationship between Amami-san and Nitta-san, between Amami-san and Umi, and between me and Amami-san.
…Thinking back, I felt like I was really led around by Amami-san that autumn. Of course, I knew it was necessary for our future.
"Nice~ you two are as lovey-dovey as ever. …I wanna get in on that too~ glance."
"Yuu, did you know? You're not supposed to mix chlorine bleach with oxygen-based detergents, okay?"
"Warning: Do Not Mix! Waaah, Nina-chi~ Umi's being so cold to me~!"
"There, there. I'll give you attention, so just put up with it."
"Thanks~ Ehehe, Nina-chi, you're so sweet. I love you!"
"You're welcome. I don't dislike you either, Yuu-chin."
"Don't dislike? C'mon, that's where you're supposed to say 'I love you too'~"
"Nah, that's not really my vibe."
"Aww~"
"Don't 'aww' me. Man, this exchange sounds exactly like someone else we know…"
"Just like Maki-kun and Umi, right!"
"I went out of my way to be vague, don't just say it."
I had felt like nothing had changed, but there was one thing that was different.
It was the relationship between Amami-san and Nitta-san.
The recent incident had caused a temporary, but serious, rift between them. Even though they had made up, Amami-san's physical affection towards Nitta-san, and the way she just accepted it with a look that wasn't entirely displeased while brushing her off… there was an air between them that was more than 'just friends.' It was like the atmosphere Umi and Amami-san used to have.
That day, after I rejected Amami-san's confession at the amusement park, neither Umi nor I knew the full details of what happened between those two. And we didn't plan on asking.
The five of us were back to how we were, and Amami-san was slowly but surely trying to move on. Nitta-san was right there by her side, supporting her.
In that case, all Umi and I had to do was watch over them.
That was enough. Surely.
Umi, who was watching their affectionate exchange with a smile that was both warm and a little lonely, must have felt the same way.
"I'm glad, Umi."
"Yeah. I feel a little lonely, like Yuu was stolen away by Nina… but I have you, Maki."
"…I can't exactly puff out my chest and say it yet, but I'll do my best so you can rely on me."
"Yeah, do your best. I'll get stronger too, so you won't have to worry about me."
"You getting any stronger might be a problem in its own way… Anyway, let's just agree to do our best together, right?"
"Hehe, exactly."
Clasping our hands together once more, Umi and I took a new step forward.
Since we had decided to spend the rest of our lives together, there would surely be more problems to come. In the near future, there was the matter of our career paths, and then the unavoidable topic of our daily lives together that I needed to consider for my future with Umi.
Our food preferences, hobbies like games, movies, and manga—Umi and I were on the same wavelength in so many ways, but that didn't mean we thought exactly alike about everything. I had realized that all too well during our recent fight, and it was possible that small things could cause misunderstandings in the future as well.
Improving my daily habits, communication skills, and academic performance—there were many things I needed to work on, and it was tough to keep at it.
…But I wanted to show my beloved girlfriend how cool I could be, so I had to keep trying anyway.
I would say it again and again.
I want Umi to see me in a new light.
I want her to love me more and more.
I was just a simple guy whenever it's about Umi.
"…Hey Nina-chi, I feel like we're losing. Should we be a little more lovey-dovey too?"
"Don't bother, Yuu-chin. Us low-level grunts can't beat that final boss."
With their teasing at our backs, we, the shameless couple, continued to walk hand-in-hand all the way to our classroom.
With finals and national mock university entrance exams, this was a crucial and unpleasant time for us second-year high school students. But at the same time, the winter of our second year also held exciting things to look forward to.
It had been a frequent topic of conversation, but first up was the Christmas party on the twenty-third of this month, which also served as a social gathering for local high schools. This year, it was hosted by Tachibana Girls' Academy, Umi and Amami-san's alma mater, so the number of participants was expected to be much larger than last year. It was a hot topic in our class (mostly among the guys).
By the way, just like last year, the five of us were scheduled to participate in the party as part of the student council's 'helpers' on the organizing staff.
Given what happened last year, I would have loved to just enjoy the catering and games as a carefree participant, but… when Nakamura-san came to us, crying, 'We don't have enough people! Help!', we couldn't just abandon her.
So, we were in the final stages of preparation for that, but right now, the main topic of conversation in class wasn't about the party…
"—Alright everyone, quiet down~ I'm going to talk about our fun, fun school trip now. I'll leave the detailed schedule and other info to the 'School Trip Guidebook' that will be handed out later… For now, I'll pass it over to the class representatives. Yamashita-san, Arae-san, if you please."
"Okay~ C'mon, Nagi-chan. Let's go to the front."
"…Yeah. And stop calling me Nagi-chan."
"Huh? When it's just the two of us, you respond normally with 'Yeah, what's up?', though?"
"…I-I do not."
At Yagisawa-sensei's call, Yamashita-san and Arae-san took her place at the teacher's desk.
It was quite surprising, but currently, the class representatives for our class, 2-10, were Yamashita-san and Arae-san.
Making the trip guidebook was basically their job, so… I was a little worried if Arae-san would do it properly. But with Yamashita-san there, it would probably work out. And with those two, Amami-san would likely help out in various ways too.
"Uhm~ as I'm sure you've all heard, this year's school trip will be a three-day, two-night ski trip, continuing from last year. Of course, it's domestic. Not overseas."
Yamashita-san's words were met with a chorus of "Aww~" from the classroom, but a sharp glare from Arae-san next to her quickly silenced them.
At times like this, having someone like Arae-san around was probably a blessing for those in charge, as she helped settle the room and tighten the atmosphere.
"For the schedule, please check the 'School Trip Guidebook' that will be distributed after the winter break. The first and second days are for ski training… and then there's free time on the third day. You'll be in groups during that time, so today we'd like to decide on those groups."
Here we go, I sighed inwardly.
Spring self-introductions, 'pairing up' in P.E., and now, deciding on groups for a group activity.
For someone like me, who had mostly been a loner, this was one of those events I'd rather avoid.
"Each group will have five members, and co-ed groups are perfectly fine. So once you've decided on your group members and a representative, please report to either me or Nagi-cha… Arae-san~"
With that, Yamashita-san and Arae-san returned to their seats, and the classroom was once again filled with clamor.
—The three of us are set, so what should we do about the other two?
—Yamashita-san, we've already decided over here~
—Who's gonna be the leader? You do it.
—Huh? No way, that's a pain.
—I hope I can be in the same group as Amami-san…
As various voices and hopeless wishes flew around the classroom, I sat at my desk, an outsider looking in.
I had been trying to communicate with my classmates as much as possible to avoid being completely isolated like last year. And in fact, there were people I could make small talk with when we crossed paths.
However, those people were naturally good at communicating, so of course, by the time I worked up the courage to look their way and try to talk to them, they had already formed their own cozy group of five.
"…I wish Umi and everyone else were here."
The usual four people came to mind.
Umi, Amami-san, Nitta-san, and Nozomu.
With me, that made exactly five, so if they were here, I wouldn't have had to feel so awkward. Now that we had made up, the school trip would surely have been fun.
Even if I made a fool of myself during the ski training, it would have been fun with everyone, and the scenery would have become even more memorable.
Reality was harsh.
"That said, I can't stay by myself forever. I need to squeeze in somewhere…"
Our class had a total of thirty students. Five people per group, making six groups. It would be fine to just join the leftover group in the end, but I personally wanted to avoid a situation where my presence soured the mood for the entire group.
So, I needed to find a group that would accept me early on.
Courage. I needed courage.
I scanned the classroom and approached a group of two or three guys who hadn't decided yet.
"…Um, do you have a minute?"
"Hm, Maehara? Still haven't decided on a group?"
"Well, something like that. It looked like you guys still had room, so I was wondering if you'd let me join. If it's alright, I can be the representative too."
"That'd be great. We still need two more people, so we'd be happy to have you, but…"
"? But what?"
"Maehara, look behind you."
"Behind me?"
I turned to where my classmate was pointing, and there I saw a girl with teary eyes staring at me… No, at Amami-san.
"Maki-kun~…"
"Maehara-kun, we still have room over here too~"
"...Sigh."
Next to the emotional Amami-san stood Yamashita-san, smiling wryly and beckoning me over, along with Arae-san, looking as unsociable as ever.
Their group surprisingly only had three members and was looking for two more.
As Yamashita-san had said earlier, co-ed groups were fine, so it wouldn't be unnatural for me to join them.
"Don't worry about us, just join them."
"…Sorry, I'll do that."
With such a welcoming atmosphere (Arae-san's feelings were unclear), it was hard for me to refuse, so I obediently headed over to Amami-san's group.
"Ehehe, welcome, Maki-kun. I'm the leader, Amami!"
"Well, thanks for the polite introduction… To the other two, sorry for the trouble."
"Don't worry about it. We don't have to be weirdly considerate with you, Maehara-kun. Right, Nagi-chan?"
"I don't mind who it is."
"My partner here says she's relieved you've joined us."
"I did not. And since when did I become your partner?"
"Huh? We're class reps, aren't we? We're partners in that sense. Broadly speaking."
"......"
Wow, I thought, impressed. I never imagined at the beginning of the school year that there would be someone who could render the infamous Arae-san speechless.
They had a height difference, different looks, and probably different hobbies and personalities, but… including their relationship with Amami-san, the bond between these three would surely last.
I, too, shouldn't just cherish my existing relationships, but also work on building a community in my own environment, even if it was little by little.
"Alright, with Maehara-kun, Team Amami is now four people… but what should we do about the last person? Should we add another guy to balance the gender ratio, or should we just welcome someone who got left out? What do you think, leader?"
"Let's see~… What do you think, Maki-kun?"
"I don't really have a preference… Arae-san?"
"......"
In response to my question, Arae-san looked around as if deep in thought.
She had properly turned her gaze in my direction, so I'd like to think I wasn't completely ignored.
"Nagi-chan, you got something in mind?"
"Wait. I'm thinking."
"Oh, so motivated all of a sudden."
"I just want to go home early. It's a drag if this takes forever."
"I see, the usual tsundere routine, huh?"
"I'm seriously going to beat you up one of these days."
As names were steadily written on the group list, Arae-san checked the members and then spoke up again.
"…How about him for the last spot?"
"""…Eh?"""
"Hey, you, glasses. Come here."
While we were taken aback by Arae-san moving things along on her own, she called out to a male student sitting all alone at his desk in the corner of the classroom, not interacting with anyone.
"…Are you talking to me?"
"You're the only one alone in the classroom right now. …Ooyama, just hurry up and come here."
"So you do remember his name."
And so, Arae-san's conclusion was to welcome Ooyama-kun—surprisingly enough.
Regarding the incident at the sports festival, it was officially left unresolved, with the perpetrator who spread baseless rumors remaining unknown. However, Amami-san's threat (?) of '—Not next time, okay?—' must have been very effective, because he hadn't spoken to anyone in class since then and had become even more isolated than me.
Ooyama-kun obviously needed to join a group, but… I never expected Arae-san, who knew the situation, to deliberately pull him into a group with me and Amami-san.
"It's been a while since we've talked like this, …Maehara-kun."
"…Yeah."
"And you too, Amami-san."
"Yeah. Are you doing what I told you?"
"…You're as scary as ever. Don't worry, I don't want to be completely finished yet either."
"Uhm… what is this… what?"
Yamashita-san, who didn't understand the situation well, was tugging at the hem of Arae-san's uniform, but the person who had called him over and quickly written his name on the group list had a nonchalant look on her face.
Arae-san probably had her reasons, but she completely failed to explain them to us beforehand.
Given Arae-san's personality, it was unlikely she was thinking about making amends or supporting him. She wasn't a bad person at heart, but she wasn't the meddlesome type.
However, thanks to Ooyama-kun's name being added to Team Amami, the thirty members were divided into six groups of five without any trouble.
There were two all-boy groups, two all-girl groups, and two co-ed groups. The group of three guys I initially approached seemed to have ended up with two girls, and they didn't look displeased.
"That settles it…"
"Ah, wait, Nagisa-chan."
Amami-san stopped Arae-san, who was about to hand the list to the teacher and leave.
"Huh? What is it, Amami? You got a problem?"
"A problem… not really, but…"
Amami-san glanced over at Ooyama-kun, who had also started packing up to leave.
Why did you let him join?
Of course, just like Amami-san, Yamashita-san and I wanted to ask Arae-san the same question.
Seeing our expressions, Arae-san clicked her tongue softly and turned back to us, looking annoyed.
"…He looked like he was going to be left over, no matter how you looked at it. So I let him join."
"That's true, but… Nagisa-chan, you were with us back then, weren't you?"
In the end, things had worked out, and the bond between the five of us had become stronger than ever since that incident. But that didn't mean what Ooyama-kun did should be praised, and neither I nor Amami-san had completely forgiven him yet.
It wasn't right to exclude anyone—both I and Amami-san understood that.
However, we also wanted her to understand our feelings, as we were the ones who had to deal with the unnecessary trouble.
Even though she didn't show it much at the time, Arae-san must have been quite angry with him as well.
"…Well, I don't particularly like that glasses… Ooyama, either. In fact, I find him more annoying and dislike him more than Maehara."
"You don't have to bring me into this… Anyway, then why did you still ask Ooyama-kun to…"
"It's more convenient to have him around, isn't it? He still has some use, I guess."
""…?""
Use?
Amami-san and I exchanged glances and tilted our heads at almost the same time.
Arae-san really was a person of few words.
I would have personally appreciated a more detailed explanation, but… both Amami-san and I had other things to do soon, so that would have to wait for another day.
"If you're done, I'm leaving. Hey Yama, you come too."
"Eh? Ah, yeah, okay. …Well, see you later then, you two. You're helping the student council after this, right? Good luck."
I wondered if she'd explain the situation to Yamashita-san, who had little to no grasp of the history. Arae-san took her along and quickly left the classroom.
At some point, Ooyama-kun had also left, leaving only me and Amami-san, who were scheduled to go to the student council room, and a few other classmates preparing for their club activities.
"…Maki-kun, should we head to the student council room for now?"
"Let's do that. …Well, the school trip is still more than two months away."
I felt like the start of winter had been a bit chaotic, but there was no point in worrying about the future now.
Right now, the priority was the last school event of the year at the end of the month, the Christmas party.
After finishing our homeroom a little later than the other classes, Amami-san and I quickly packed our bags and headed to the student council room, where the student council president and the usual members were waiting.
As we entered the room, Umi, who had been sitting nearby, greeted us.
"Welcome, Maki, and you too, Yuu. …You're a little late. Did it take that long to decide on the school trip groups?"
"A lot happened. You could say that Arae-san's solo plays were unusually prominent …"
"Hmm… So, Yuu, did you end up in the same group as Maki?"
"Yup! It's definitely more fun with a 'friend,' right?"
"…I see. Well, that makes sense."
At Amami-san's reply, Umi gave a small, relieved smile.
Amami-san and I were just 'friends.' Our bond as friends would deepen, and that relationship would continue, but it would probably never develop into anything more.
Seeing Amami-san answer so casually, as always, I was glad that Umi seemed to be a little relieved.
"Yo, Yuu-chin. You think you'll have fun on the school trip?"
"Yeah, I'm good. But I really wanted to go around with Nina-chi the most. That definitely would have been so much more fun."
"I think so too. But from what the teacher said, it seems like we're not allowed to have free time with students from other classes. Well, there's a limit to how much they can watch us, so if we're clever, we could probably get away with it… You two lovebirds understand that, right?"
""…W-we get it!""
Since it was a school trip, I naturally wanted to enjoy the sights with just Umi, but since it was a group activity, I couldn't be too selfish.
It seemed I would need to work out a strategy for that with Umi later.
This was the last and biggest school event we would have together in high school—of course, I hadn't given up on spending time together as a couple.
"By the way, Nakamura-san, it's about time for our meeting, but the student council members from our… I mean, from Tachibana Girls', aren't here yet."
"Now that you mention it, you're right. Souji, did they send anything in the group chat?"
"An hour ago, there was a message saying, 'We're on our way,' so they should have arrived by now… Ah, they just sent us a message."
"Speak of the devil… what is it?"
"Uhm… 'Help us. We're in the gym right now.'"
"Eh? What does that mean?"
"I'd like to know too… Ah, their treasurer Nitori-san sent that message."
Umi and Amami-san were the first to react to Takizawa-kun's words.
Nitori-san from Tachibana Girls'—when we heard that, only one person came to mind.
It was a rather rare surname, so the possibility of it being someone else was low.
"Sanae?"
"Sana-chan?"
"Huh? You two know Nitori-san? A friend from middle school?"
"Yeah. Or rather, a childhood friend of mine and Yuu's… which means, Manaka… Houjou-san is also a member of their student council?"
"Ah, yes. Houjou Manaka-san, right? She's the secretary, I believe."
So, it seemed it was the Nitori-san and Houjou-san we knew.
We had been caught up in our own troubles since summer break, so we hadn't heard much about what they had been up to. I never expected them to be active as student council officers.
However, if those two were the treasurer and secretary, then there must be someone above them, leading them.
The student council president of Tachibana Girls' who was causing trouble for Nitori-san (and probably Houjou-san too).
…From this series of exchanges, I could easily imagine she was a very troubl—no, a very unique individual.
"Anyway, they're in the gym now, right? In that case, I'll go get them."
"Oh, if you're going, Umi, I'll go too! It's been a while since I've seen Sana-chan and Mana-chan, so I want to chat a bit."
"If Yuu-chin's going, I'll go too. What about you, Class Rep? You're coming, right?"
"There's no point in me staying here alone… so I'll tag along."
And so, leaving Nakamura-san, Takizawa-kun, and the other student council members behind, we headed to the gym, following Nitori-san's SOS (?).
As we approached the gym entrance, a female student in a white blazer who noticed us walked over.
It was Nitori-san, the person who sent the message.
"Sana-chan!"
"Yuu-chan. And Umi-chan too. …Are you here to help?"
"Well, we're a part of the staff. You sent a message to Takizawa-kun saying 'help us.' Is there some kind of trouble?"
"Yeah. …Well, it's our student council president."
When Nitori-san pointed, we saw two female students competing in something on the basketball court. A one-on-one, I supposed.
And serving as the ball handler(and probably the referee too) was Houjou-san, standing in the middle of the court with a troubled expression.
"Tch, this little runt, flitting around everywhere…!"
"Haha, so slow, so slow. You'll never catch me unless you shed that uselessly large chest and extra fat to sharpen up your body~"
One of the people at the center of the commotion was Arae-san, who was supposed to have gone home with Yamashita-san.
And the other was a petite girl who was easily dribbling past Arae-san and scoring one shot after another. Unlike Arae-san, who had taken off her blazer, this girl was still wearing her white Tachibana Girls' blazer, showing off her agile movements and dribbling skills without breaking a sweat.
According to what Takizawa-kun told us just before we left the student council room, three representatives were coming from the Tachibana Girls' Academy student council.
The treasurer, Nitori-san, the secretary, Houjou-san, and the student council president, Hachiga Midori-san, for a total of three.
Which meant the person over there was the culprit behind this commotion.
"We arrived here early but we ran into Arae-san, who was on her way home—"
According to Nitori-san, she had randomly met Arae-san, who helps her with personal practice once or twice a month, so they were chatting, with Houjou-san joining in, to catch up.
Of course, in the flow of conversation, they introduced Arae-san to Hachiga-san as her practice partner, but of all things, Hachiga-san took one look at Arae-san and,
"'You talk big, but you don't look like much.'"
Her saying that to her face led to a one-on-one basketball match on the spot.
By the way, Arae-san's reaction at that time was,
"'…Huh?'"
Apparently.
…Well, although she had a relatively short fuse, I couldn't blame Arae-san for getting angry this time. That's how rude that comment was to someone she just met. Of course, I hadn't heard the full context, so I couldn't judge if she was 100% at fault.
"Oh, so that's Hachiga-san? I've only heard her name since middle school, but she's a small, cute girl, huh? Right, Umi?"
"She has a very cheeky look on her face, though. …I see, so she's the captain of Sanae and Manaka's team… and the student council president."
"She's extremely competent at her job, you know. Her basketball skills and sense are top-notch. …But sometimes she has a habit of speaking her mind…"
Seeing Nitori-san sigh, I felt a deep sense of sympathy, realizing that they must have had their own struggles with her on a daily basis.
As Amami-san said, she was small and lovely, and her playstyle was flashy. Even students from other clubs who were watching were captivated. But contrary to her appearance, she made comments that got on Arae-san's nerves.
My personal impression was that she had an aura like a mix of Amami-san and Nakamura-san.
But a hybrid of Amami-san and Nakamura-san… she must have been a natural enemy for Arae-san.
"Sanae, we're supposed to be in a meeting right now. We should probably stop them."
"Y-yeah, you're right. …Cap—I mean, President! I know you're having fun, but we're already late. Super late! Please come back now. Manaka, grab her!"
"Roger~ C'mon, Captain, you've had your fun. Time to get back to work~"
"Hey, don't, Houjou… Oh, fine."
Forcibly put in a full nelson, Hachiga-san seemed to have finally given up, her legs dangling in the air as she finally quieted down.
The ball bounced and rolled away, and at the end of its path was Arae-san, panting and glaring at Hachiga-san.
"I said you weren't much earlier, but you've got some guts. …That was pretty fun. Arae Nagisa-kun."
"…You bastard, I won't forget this."
"I've already forgotten… is what I'd like to say, but unfortunately, I pride myself on having a better memory than others~ Well, I'll crush you again if you feel like it."
"Huh? That's my line, you piece of shit."
"Piece of shit, huh~ Hehe, I like that spirit. Alright Houjou, take me to the student council room."
"Please walk on your own~"
Smiling cheerfully, Hachiga-san was carried away to the student council room like a child in Houjou-san's arms.
"Sanae, we're going on ahead~"
"Ah, okay. …I'm sorry, everyone. She's usually a bit more sensible… I think. But we rarely get the chance to visit other schools like this. I think she was just tense."
"Ah, I think I get that feeling! Visiting another school is kind of exciting, right? Right, Umi?"
"The atmosphere and everything is completely different from where we usually are. …I felt kind of floaty when I took the entrance exam here too."
"So you two felt that way too. …Actually, I'm pretty nervous too. Probably Manaka as well."
According to Nitori-san, Tachibana Girls' was known as a prestigious girls' school in this area, but they had very little interaction with schools other than their affiliated sister schools in other prefectures. Of course, they had no interaction with co-ed schools, so since last year's Christmas party, there had been more opinions within the school like, 'I want to get to know people from other schools more' and 'I want a chance to interact more widely.'
They were a girls' school with an integrated education system from elementary to high school (and apparently even a kindergarten), which at first glance gave an image of being unapproachable. But if you talked to them individually, you'd find that they could be surprisingly fun and very curious about people from other schools.
They must be very prim and proper—so they'd probably turn us away at the door—but without such preconceptions, Tomoo-senpai had been the one who took the initiative and brought the proposal to them in the first place.
Communication was always important.
After some small talk, we quickly returned to the student council room. We were about twenty minutes late, and the sight of Nitori-san, the president's aide, bowing her head repeatedly to Nakamura-san, and Hachiga-san standing next to her with a look of remorse, was very memorable.
After the apologies were over and everyone was present, the meeting about the Christmas party plans, the main topic of the day, began.
"Souji, please lead the meeting."
"Yes. …Well then, I, Takizawa, will be moderating today's meeting. …First, regarding the venue preparation, catering arrangements, and the division of roles for the day of the party. Those were tentatively decided at the last meeting, and there are no changes for now. Please refer to the documents distributed previously for that… What remains is the recreation for the day."
Various ideas had come up at the last meeting that Umi and I attended. The bingo tournament's prizes had been selected and it was ready to go, but the other activities hadn't been finalized yet.
The Christmas party was scheduled for December 23rd, from 6 PM to 9 PM, for a total of three hours.
The main purpose was for everyone to enjoy the light meals and drinks provided and to interact with people from other schools. However, if we just gathered everyone in the venue, there was a good chance that students would stick with their own schools, which would defeat the purpose of the event.
Even if we left the enjoyment of the party to each individual's discretion, as the organizers, we wanted to create opportunities for as many participants as possible to make new connections.
To that end, we wanted to do everything we could.
"At the last meeting, we decided to gather opinions from each school and discuss the plans again… President Hachiga, what do you think?"
"Yes. We've gathered some ideas that we think the students can handle on their own. …You two, get the documents from my bag."
""Roger.""
A complete change from her playful demeanor earlier, Hachiga-san now exuded the serious aura of the Tachibana Girls' Academy student council president.
She might be a bit too playful at times, but when necessary, she fulfilled her role perfectly and was highly capable.
That was why Nitori-san and Houjou-san followed her so devotedly.
"Here's the results of the student survey. Also, even if the numbers are small, some ideas might be interesting depending on how they're executed, so I've also brought the responses from all the students who answered the survey, as well as opinions from the teachers. If you're interested, please take a look."
The compiled survey results and a large, thick file containing the responses from almost the entire Tachibana Girls' Academy High School student body were placed on the long table.
"Wow, this is quite a volume."
"We're the hosts this year, so participation is mandatory in principle for all high school students. …Well, many of them will probably prioritize family matters, so the final attendance will likely be around half."
Even so, Tachibana Girls' Academy had about a hundred students per grade (according to Umi and Amami-san), so half of that, fifty students times three grades, would be a hundred and fifty people, which was quite a large scale.
If that many students from a girls' school with few opportunities for interaction were participating… naturally, the number of applicants from our school and other participating schools would also increase.
"A matching event for those interested on the day, a mini-game tournament between schools… a rock-paper-scissors tournament for everyone with deluxe prizes… these are some of the ideas that came up at Joto too. They're classics, I guess. …Souji, did anything catch your eye over there?"
"Hmm… well, there are a few things, but some require a lot of preparation time or are just too expensive… Maehara-senpai, what do you think?"
"It's like… a lot of them are very unique. 'Charter a boat for a Christmas night cruise,' or 'Solve various incidents that occur during the party with everyone's deductions,' or 'A treasure hunt game that includes the venue grounds (note: with a chaser, of course)'… Compared to us, they think on a much grander scale."
"Just as Maki says, they're too large-scale for party entertainment. …And some of them even have notes like 'We'll cooperate with funding and connections if necessary!' …Is this how the rich play?"
"Ahaha… We have students from families even wealthier than Sana-chan's or Mana-chan's. But it would be really fun if we could actually do that. Right, Nina-chi?"
"I get it, but I wonder how much that would cost. But if we could, I'd personally want to invite an idol group to perform live or something~ And then, using my staff privileges, I'd somehow get close to one of the handsome members…"
"…Nitta-senpai, I hear they're pretty strict about that sort of thing these days."
Well, it was too grand a plan for high school students, but I thought the ideas were very helpful. A treasure hunt or other mandatory events, with a bit of student-like ingenuity, could greatly expand the chances of getting to know students from other schools.
…Well, there was no time left before the event this year, so if we were to do it, it would have to be next year or later.
"In that case, I guess it would be best to do the matching event that was popular in all the schools. While having a mini-game that's fun to watch, the participants can also try their luck with the young ladies of Tachibana Girls'… Hey Souji, if we're short on numbers, why don't you participate? It'll definitely liven things up~?"
"If I participate, it would be a setup… Well then, we'll recruit participants from each school in advance, including last-minute entries on the day."
With the details of the number of participants, the content of the mini-games, and the implementation method to be finalized next week, we moved on to reporting minor contact items, and today's meeting was adjourned.
Hachiga-san, who had been in serious mode throughout the meeting, returned to her playful expression the moment the moderator, Takizawa-kun, said, "Thank you for today."
Apparently, this was her natural self.
"It's over~ Well, I expected this to be the conclusion, but it's hard to do edgy projects when the scale gets this big~"
"Our job as organizers is to make it as enjoyable as possible for everyone."
"Trying to make things equally enjoyable for everyone would just mean that everyone's equally faintly bored. In the end, whether you have fun or not is up to the participant."
Hachiga-san's words were blunt, but there were parts I could agree with.
In a large-scale event like this, there would inevitably be people who got the short end of the stick.
"I participated but didn't make any friends"—"I just ate the catering and wasted my time"—and so on. In some cases, people might even regret paying the participation fee.
However, if we did a too-edgy project and it failed spectacularly and ended up being unpopular, the future of the event could be in jeopardy.
I didn't want our generation to ruin the seeds that Tomoo-senpai planted for us last year.
"I personally wanted to try 'that'~ hey Houjou, whose idea was 'that'? The survey we got from Joto High's student council."
"Don't say 'that,' tell me what the plan was~ Sanae, there was one that the president was strangely interested in, right? What was 'that' again?"
"Now you're saying 'that' too, Manaka… Uhm, I think it was in the file… Ah, here it is. The idea was 'Holy Night Shark B-Movie Watch Party,' right?"
"Yeah, that's the one! The one that would probably make almost everyone in the venue go 'huh?' Shark movies are fine, but do you really need to watch them at Christmas? That's what I thought. Well, it does sound hilarious though."
"Only you would find it funny, President… Please consider the feelings of the large number of participants who would be left speechless by the sudden appearance of a shark's gaping maw."
The moment the three from Tachibana Girls' mentioned 'that,' my body froze.
I had put forth that idea after some serious consideration, but I guessed that's the reaction it got.
"Do that with your own friends"—that's what the people who attended the meeting told me later.
…They had a point.
"Hey, President Nakamura. Who came up with that idea? The Joto High's ideas in the survey came from the people in this room, right?"
"Eh? Well, the person is here, but… it's also my responsibility for telling them to just submit anything. Right, Souji?"
"Indeed. Personally, I thought it was a very good idea, but…"
Perhaps out of consideration for me, Nakamura-san and Takizawa-kun were trying their best to deflect, but Hachiga-san didn't miss the fleeting glances they sent my way.
With a swift turn, Hachiga-san's face immediately locked onto me.
"Hello. I'm Hachiga Midori, a second-year, class A student from Tachibana Girls' Academy High School, captain of the basketball club and student council president."
"Such a polite introduction all of a sudden… Uhm, I'm Maehara Maki, from class 2-10, just a helper."
"Nice to meet you, Maehara-kun. Here, a handshake."
"Eh? Ah, yes. Nice to meet you too."
When I responded to her outstretched hand, Hachiga-san's hands gripped mine with surprising strength, as if to say, "Gotcha."
Nitori-san and Houjou-san seemed to have an idea of what was happening, as they had an "Oh no" expression on their faces. Behind Hachiga-san, who had leaned forward towards me, they pressed their hands together as if to apologize.
…I had caught the interest of another troublesome person. I had absolutely no recollection of being born under such a star, though.
"! P-President, you're bothering Maehara-san…"
"Eh? It's just an introduction and a handshake. It's normal, right? Right, Maehara-kun?"
"I'd appreciate it if you'd let go now…"
I had been gently trying to pull my hand away, but every time I did, Hachiga-san tightened her grip, trying to pull me closer.
She might be small, but she was quite strong.
She was on par with Umi when she was in a bad mood, or Amami-san when she was full of energy.
And above all, her assertiveness was undeniable. She was far superior to them in that regard.
"As I said earlier, I honestly looked down on your idea at first. I'm sorry. But it left a strange impression on me, so I randomly picked a title before bed as a sleep aid… and before I knew it, it was morning."
"Eh? Uhm, does that mean… you got hooked?"
It was a genre that didn't appeal to everyone, but I thought the great thing about these works was that they hit the mark perfectly for those who get it.
My and Umi's introduction to it wasn't much different from Hachiga-san's.
To think a new comrade would appear in such an unexpected place.
"Yes! I've only ever watched well-behaved movies, so it was a shock in many ways. By the way, what was the first one I saw… oh right, I think it was 'Kung Fu Shark 2'."
"Starting with 2… Oh well, the first one's stopped being streamed online due to some mysterious rights issue, so I guess it can't be helped."
"Ah, really? I see, so I have to get the DVD from an online auction or something. It's got a strangely premium price right now, and it's a bit much for my allowance~… My family has money, but they'd never forgive me for wasting it."
"Oh, you can rent it at a nearby store."
"Eh, seriously!?"
The moment Hachiga-san's eyes began to sparkle even more, I realized I had said something I shouldn't have, but it was too late.
Her excitement building, Hachiga-san moved even closer to me.
"Maehara-kun, where is it? Tell me, I'm going right after this! Or how about we go together?"
"W-wait, President! It's one thing after school, but you can't just make a detour during an off-campus activity!"
"President, or rather, Captain, don't bring weird stuff into the clubroom~"
"W-weird stuff!? It's not, it's a wonderful piece of cinema! …in a way."
"Is it really a wonderful piece of cinema…? Anyway, please get away from Maehara-san already. Look, Maehara-san is really troubled."
"…Maehara-kuun."
Hachiga-san looked up at me with pleading eyes, but unfortunately for her, that trick didn't work on me.
…Unless it was Umi, of course.
"…Excuse me, but you're just being a nuisance."
"Ugh… You're a tough one, aren't you?"
Perhaps realizing that her pleading attack had no effect on me, she surprisingly let go of me easily. It seemed she had regained her composure.
"This girl, honestly… I sincerely apologize to the members of the Joto High School student council, and to all the staff for the trouble our idiot has caused today. We will make sure this does not happen again by tying her up securely with a rope."
"See you later, Maehara-kun~! Oh, I'll find the rental store on my own, so don't worry! It's around here somewhere, right?"
"No detours, you hear me? Manaka, we have club activities after this, so let's get going."
"Okay~ Umi-chan, Yuu-chan, see you next time at the party venue~"
As we saw off the members of the Tachibana Girls' Academy student council (mainly Hachiga-san), who had arrived like a storm and left just as quickly, Nakamura-san, Takizawa-kun, and the other student council members looked relieved.
Of course, so did Amami-san, Nitta-san, and Umi, who had been watching the whole thing with anxious expressions right next to me.
"Umi, about that…"
"It's okay. Hachiga-san was an interesting person. I'd only heard her name, but I never thought she'd be so energetic."
"Well, she was someone who betrayed expectations in many ways."
I thought she might be in a bad mood because of how forward Hachiga-san was with me, but she surprisingly had a cool expression on her face.
"She's Tachibana Girls' student council president, so I had this image of her being more serious and ladylike… But well, Yuu-chin was there until middle school, so it's not surprising there are people like Hachiga-san."
"Hmph~ Nina-chi, what's that supposed to mean~?"
That said, most of the students there were probably more like Nitori-san and Houjou-san, so she was likely a rare type even within the school.
However, from the brief conversation I had with her, I got the feeling that we wouldn't personally get along.
Meeting someone like Hachiga-san who shared a niche hobby was probably valuable… but I should be especially careful about my distance with her from now on.
Making more friends and acquaintances wasn't a bad thing for my future relationships. But that didn't mean I wanted to neglect the relationships I had now.
I wasn't as good at socializing as Umi, Amami-san, and Nitta-san.
But because I knew I was clumsy, I should be able to focus on deepening my relationships with specific people.
"Umi."
"Yeah?"
"Amami-san."
"Hm?"
"Nitta-san."
"Yep~?"
And then there was Nozomu, who should be at the grounds, working hard at his club activities.
"Uhm… shall we go home for now?"
"Yeah. Let's go."
"Yup! Together!"
"Mhm. Hey, wanna stop by our usual place on the way back? It's cold, so let's get something warm to drink."
"That's a great idea! Let's do it, let's do it! That's okay with you, right, Umi, Maki-kun?"
"I don't mind…"
"Same as Maki."
Deciding to save our long talk for later, the four of us left the student council room.
Amami-san and Nitta-san walked down the hallway together, and as Umi and I followed behind, she quietly sidled up to me.
"? What's wrong, Umi?"
"…Hey, Maki."
"Yeah."
"Did I look natural? …Was I able to keep a cool face?"
I had a feeling, but it seemed Umi had been holding back a little.
Tightly gripping my sleeve, her face had completely switched to her usual pampered mode.
"…It's okay, you did a great job. It was so different from usual that I was honestly a little confused."
"I see, well that's good. …Well, you're not the type to get all flirty with a girl like Hachiga-san, are you, Maki?"
"Not just Hachiga-san, I wouldn't get flirty with any other girl."
"Not even Yuu or Nina? Or Nakamura-san, or… Sanae and Manaka?"
"I don't think so… I have you, Umi."
As for the natural desires of a high school boy, Umi satisfied me completely, so there was no need for that.
It had almost been a year since we started dating.
Our lovey-dovey moments were still going strong, to the point where it exasperated those around us.
"…Hey, Umi."
"Lewd."
"You're jumping to conclusions. …Well, I was going to ask if you wanted to hang out at my place after we leave the family restaurant."
"…Just hang out?"
"Well, I'd like to be a little lovey-dovey, yes."
"A little?"
"…No, a lot."
"Hehe, you really are a lewd one, Maki. Well, I like that cute side of you too."
That was how Umi always was, gentle and pampering towards me. That was why I never wanted to do anything that would make her expression cloud over.
Umi had become an indispensable part of my daily life.
"Hey, Maki."
"…Yeah."
"I'm looking forward to Christmas."
"Is that… about the party? Or the day after…"
"You know what I mean."
"————"
So that no one but me could hear, and stealing a glance to make sure Amami-san and Nitta-san weren't looking, Umi whispered in my ear.
"Maki."
"Yes."
"Just to be clear, I'm really looking forward to it, okay?"
"…Yeah. I'll do my best so we can both enjoy it."
"Mhm, I'm counting on you, you know? …Just kidding, ehehe."
I looked at my cute girlfriend, her face slightly flushed as she smiled shyly, and thought.
Christmas was still a little while away, but now I was more motivated than ever.