2-3
After drinking the perfectly prepared tea, I finally felt more relieved.
Around me, everyone had a look of satisfaction, and the club room returned to its usual calm atmosphere. It was silent as if nothing had happened, anyways, we were very idle, not much different from the usual.Me, Yukinoshita, Yuigahama, and Isshiki were all doing what we wanted to do, drinking tea, reading, and playing on the phone.
The only person panicking from the idleness was Komachi.
“… No one’s coming.”
She held her face with her hand, and lightly sighed.
“That’s just how it is. This silly club is basically idle all the time.”
You could say that being idle and not doing anything was what we did in the service club.
There’s only the occasional troublesome request, other times, the service club = passing time in the club room.
And so, I held up my novel, gesturing for Komachi to bring a book or phone to pass time here.
Just then, Yukinoshita, who was also reading, lifted her head, and amusingly said:
“Yeah, that’s why there’s one silly club member that treats this place like a library.”
“So you do now that you’re that silly club member.”
Yukinoshita pressed her temples as if she were in great pain, being left speechless, she sighed a breath. Just as she lowered her head to get back into her novel, she silently added:
“… It’s better than it was before, at least he knows he’s a club member now …”
The way she flipped the pages was very gentle, and the way she gazed into the distance, paired with the novel in her hand, made it look like she was holding an album of memories.
“Hm, huh, ok.”
A year ago, as I was dragged into this place, all I could think about was how I could get out of here. Remembering how I was in the past compared to now made me feel super embarrassed, and I wanted to kill the me in the past. In times like this you need to cough twice to cover up the shame!
Cough, cough.
After coughing a couple of times to perfectly cover my shame, I turned to Komachi like nothing happened and said:
“Whatever, isn’t it good that we have no work to do?”
Either way, we’re not getting paid for this. Such unfair labor, calling it evil is not enough to describe it. Say, why are we still relying on manpower in this day and age? Can’t we rely on AI?
Just as I was talking nonsense in my heart, Ms. Isshiki enthusiastically said:
“Yeah that’s right. That way, I can casually redistribute student council work to here.”
“In your dreams. Say, what are you even doing here …? You’re not even a club member, right?”
The second we let our guards down this girl appears here …
“Don’t you have work in the student council and soccer club …?”
I asked in concern, and Isshiki tilted her head with a finger on her chin.
“I’m not a club member, but as a client, shouldn’t I be entitled to being here?”
“Showa-era thinking?!”
This type of work-abuse attitude made Yuigahama exclaim in shock. Isshiki saw the unbelieving expression on Yuigahama’s face and seemed to realize she had said something bad, so, she cleared her throat and said:
“I mean, last year we really went overboard with our budget, so, I’ll need some help from you guys to make up for it.”
“Over 80 percent of that is your fault, isn’t it?”
Isn’t it because you keep planning those meaningless activities …? What was up with that free newspaper thing …? Of course the budget is not enough.
Hearing me speak such annoying logic, Isshiki adorably pouted at me.
“What about the joint prom from earlier …”
“Yes, you’re right, I’m so sorry.”
I really couldn’t refute that, so I just admitted that I was in the wrong, forcibly ending this conversation. Then, Isshiki exhaled dissatisfiedly.
“To say the truth, I’ve even thought of borrowing the cat’s paw”[6]
“Ah, then you can borrow the one we have at home, our cat is really cute!”
Noticing the commotion, Komachi suddenly interrupted and pulled out her phone from her pocket. She tapped a few times and showed the screen to Isshiki.
On the screen was an out of focus and blurry picture—a picture of our housecat Kamakura’s butt facing the camera.
Say, Komachi, couldn’t you have taken a better picture …? If you were to participate in a worst cat photos competition this would surely be the champion … anyone seeing this picture would just make a confused face, I think …
That’s what I thought, but there was one of us that showed a strong reaction.
“…”
Yukinoshita was peering over Komachi to look at the phone, it looked like she was jumping up and down on her seat. This person really loves cats like they love their Friskies … that’s so cute.
But other than Yukinoshita, no one was making any reaction. Isshiki was wearing a cold expression and waving her hand dismissively.
“No, I don’t need a real cat’s paw.”
“Oh really …?”
Isshiki’s coldness made Komachi droop her shoulders in disappointment, but she immediately lifted her head, as if she had thought of something.
“Ah, then Komachi can lend you my hand?”
As she suggested that, she made a gesture like a lucky cat. She really is a cat owner, the curve of her fingers, angle of her wrist, and cuteness of her action, even the lurking danger of hidden claws was shown in her glamorous display.
But her outstretched hand did not reach Isshiki.
Because before that could happen, another hand from beside had taken hers away. This made Komachi look back in surprise. Behind her, of course, was Yukinoshita Yukino-san. Yukinoshita made a serious expression and started to caress Komachi’s hand.
“Oh, oh? What’s up …? Ah, Yukino-san’s hands are so warm …”
At first, Komachi was surprised, but after that she snuggled onto her like a cat. Yukinoshita also took the chance to obtain the phone from Komachi’s hand, enjoying the cat photo while patting Cat-machi (cat-form Komachi). This can be considered VR, right? That’s way too advanced.
Yuigahama and I looked at this warm scene leisurely, but Isshiki didn’t look happy at all.
She pouted at Komachi, and as if she had thought of something, she turned around to face me, then she squeamishly pulled at my uniform jacket and said:
“Senpaiii … can’t you think of something?”
“There’s no use talking to me …”
She tried convincing me with her squeamish voice, gleaming eyes, and soft pull on my jacket uniform. I gently pried her hand way. Don’t think that would work on me every time! I looked towards Yukinoshita and Komachi, then gestured to Isshiki to ask someone else.
“Go ask the club president.”
Hearing the term “club president”, Isshiki and Yuigahama looked towards the same direction.
At the other end was a playful Komachi, making purring noises as if she were in a dream, on the other hand, Yukinoshita stroke her chin while holding Komachi’s phone, it was like she was a villain of some sorts.
Noticing our attention being focused on her, Yukinoshita nodded her head, and calmly expressed her opinion in a clear voice.
“Yeah, borrowing a cat is a good idea. Rather, we should just get a cat.”
With that said, she revealed a smile of wisdom, but her actions were totally the opposite of smart. Yukinoshita … she’s gotten cat-deficiency syndrome …
“You aren’t even listening to what we’re saying? This can’t go on! Komachi, wake up! Come back! House! House!”[7]
Yuigahama shrieked, trying to get Komachi to wake up, as a result, Komachi sprang up abruptly.
“Woah! Whew, that was close … I almost fell asleep …”
This person really is scary—she had such a loving expression for Yukinoshita, but I think the intimate Komachi is really deadly … it can’t be …! Are you Beast Ⅱ ?![8] —That’s what I had thought, but Yukinoshita drooped her shoulders and looked distraught after Komachi left. Yukinoshita-san, you’re pretty scary too!
After getting some vitamin c (cat), Yukinoshita returned to her usual calm self, and sipped at her tea as if nothing had happened.
“Anyways, this is something the club president has to decide.”
“Yeah.”
Saying that, Komachi continued to leisurely sip at her tea, but then she realized everyone had a “No, um…” look and were silently staring at her. Noticing that, she suddenly raised her head.
“Eh, ah, eh?! Komachi?! Komachi should make a decision?!”
Komachi tilted her head, and continuously pointed at herself. Towards this, all of us frantically nodded. The club president of the service club had now become Komachi. No, to be exact, it only began this spring, as the first president for the reformed service club was registered as Hikigaya Komachi.
Also, Yukinoshita’s service club had never even been officially recognized. Hiratsuka-sensei must have done some funny business to get the club running.
But since we are now an official club, we need Komachi to be the leader for it. Considering we’re only third years, it would be best for Komachi to start being the club president from now on.
It seemed that Yukinoshita and Yuigahama had a similar idea as me.
Yuigahama lightly patted Komachi’s shoulder, and cheered her on:
“Yeah, since the club president is Komachi.”
“Eh, ehhh …?”
Komachi’s worries and confusions were all over her face, so to help her relieve those feelings, Yuigahama gave a smile and said:
“It’s ok, we’ll help out as well.”
“Yui-san!”
Komachi lunged forward to hug Yuigahama, and it was now Yuigahama’s turn to playfully ruffle Komachi’s hair.
“What’re you going to do about it?”
Isshiki glanced at Yuigahama and Komachi, then whispered towards me.
“… She’ll get used to it after some time, I think.”
I said as I grabbed my teacup and drunk some tea.
No matter it being the role of the club president, or some other things, it’ll all work out after you get used to it. A year ago, this club also felt very wrong, but as time passed, everything began to fall into place.
To be honest, even now, regarding this club, this relationship, or its current situation, something still feels out of place.
Sometimes, I feel as if there’s a thorn in my heart that I can’t pull out, leaving me with pangs of pain.
But even with all these scars, from the bottom of my heart, I really think that this is a place that I belong to.
It’s a good thing this club continued on.
Because of Isshiki and Komachi, this place that would not have continued existing was preserved. Although they didn’t tell me exactly what was happening, this kind of thing, I’d still understand.
Not too long later, I’ll have to leave this club behind, in the limited time that we have left here, I want to repay for this kindness.
The biggest problem at hand is probably Komachi’s transition to the club president, which would ensure that the club could continue on. Oh, and of course, the student council would have more lackeys to order around.
But even without all this talk about repaying kindness, all of these problems have to be solved in due time.
After all, the service club is one hell of a fishy club …
Up until now we had Hiratsuka-sensei to rely on, so even if the meaning for this club was ambiguous, we could still continue on through her dubious methods. But now, it was only because of Isshiki’s role in the student council that allowed for the preservation of this club.
The problem is what will happen after Isshiki steps down.
If we want the service club to continue existing, we’ll need to set a clear basis for our activities.
A proclamation of independence without any backdoors involved.
Ah, feels like that’s not possible at all … the future sure is looking grim …
I lightly sighed, and finished the rest of the tea in my cup.
After I put the lightened teacup on the table, Yukinoshita silently stood up, and naturally poured a new cup for me.
Thank you.
I lightly nodded to express my thanks, then I sipped my perfectly warm tea. I was thinking of getting some snacks to go along with the tea, but as I raised my head, Yuigahama’s eyes met mine from across the table.
However, she said nothing, and immediately averted her gaze, continuing to play with the phone in her hands.
That was all, nothing had happened, but just thinking that our silent exchange may had been noticed made me feel a bit uneasy. This type of thing used to happen a lot, but now it felt quite awkward … I feel like I’m starting to sweat … anyways, let’s drink some tea and have some snacks to calm down!
To get away from my feelings of unease, I reached out for the snacks on the table.
But just as I touched the plate, it suddenly moved towards the side, and my hand grabbed at air. I reached out my hand another time, but the plate escaped once again.
“…”
What? —I stared in protest at the culprit behind the moving plate.
With her flowing black hair, snowy white skin, and clear blue eyes, she looked elegant even when she was standing and drinking tea.
The culprit behind the moving plate, Yukinoshita Yukino, directed her gaze at me, and her long eyelashes drooped as she cautiously shook her head.
Eh …? What …? What’s wrong?
Are you telling me I don’t have the rights to snack? Having snacks when we don’t have any bread is pretty fine in itself, but not even letting me have the snacks? Is she telling me to starve? You’re even more harsh than Marie Antoinette![9]
But I’m the rebellious type, how could I just give up then and there? My stomach demanded snacks now!
I reached at the snack again, but once again, the plate moved away from me. Eh? Is this a flying saucer? A UFO …?
“… Hey, trying to bully me?”
Because of the illogical treatment I was being given, I couldn’t help but say that. But then, Yukinoshita glared at me from the side.
“Have you forgotten our plans for later?”
Hearing her say that, my shoulders immediately drooped down.
“… I really want to forget.”
For the whole day, the thought of tonight’s plans had been in my mind, failing to dissipate.
After thinking about it again, I deeply sighed.
It may have been that I looked too down, as Isshiki tilted her head and asked:
“Is there anything happening later?”
“Um, yeah I guess …”
It wasn’t anything worth talking about. I answered as ambiguously as I could, as there was the saying that there are always ears on the wall, people can’t keep secrets.
Komachi made a knowing look and murmured, then she clapped, and energetically said:
“Say, I think I’ve heard something about that.”
“You know something, rice girl?”
Isshiki said in a serious voice, urging for her to continue on. The two sandwiched Yuigahama, and started to whisper to each other.
“Um, according to Haruno-san’s intel …”
Hearing that name, a wave of despair came over me.
“Why would that person go out of her way to tell Komachi? The intel has leaked in full already, this is way too unbearable …”
That explains Hayama’s attitude today. Of course, Haruno had already told him … Ahhh! The person I wanted least to know was him!
Hey! Say, what is up with that sister of yours? —I shot a protesting glance at Yukinoshita, but she too was shaking in anger.
“That person has told Komachi …”
The hatred in her voice made her speech feel colder and colder, but then, her voice started to weaken, until I almost couldn’t hear it, then she said:
“I already said it was embarrassing, I told her not to do that …”
Her face was red, and her eyes were brimming with tears as she put her face down and shivered.
… Hm, that was different from what I thought, but being able to see something so rare, not bad.
The root of all evil was that good-for-nothing big sister.
Younger sisters aren’t in the wrong, younger sisters are justice!
That’s what I thought, but my sister continued leaking the intel like it was nothing.
“I heard that Onii-chan is dining with Yukinoshita-san’s mother tonight …”
Ahh, she really said it! Actually, after the joint prom ended, Yukinoshita’s mom had invited us out for dinner.
I already resolved myself for it to be revealed, but I was beaten to the punch, and it was answered before I could say anything, thus, the awkward situation now.
“Ah … so that’s how it is.”Yuigahama tugged at her hair buns, revealing a troubled look. Beside her, Isshiki was eating snacks, and uninterestedly replied:
“Oh, so that’s it.”
Isshiki’s dull tone shocked Komachi. Then, Isshiki looked at me while chewing her snacks with a teacup in hand.
“Well, I’m not all that interested … but, hearing you say that, Senpai’s face does looks a bit awful now huh.”
“Really? It doesn’t look all that different from usual though.”
Isshiki’s words made Yukinoshita stare intently at me in wonder. And so, I did my best to put on a lifeless expression. My dead fish eyes were world renowned, and by relaxing my facial muscles to make a lifeless expression, I could really make the anguish at the bottom of my heart surface.
Just then, Yukinoshita giggled.
“See, I told you he looks the same as usual.”
“How have you been looking at me?”
Can I ask how you have been looking at me? Yukinoshita-san, have you really seen Hikigaya-san’s expression? Although I don’t want to admit it myself, I’m basically no different from a zombie now. Being able to express the rottenness of a zombie without any makeup, even the zombie film makers all around the world are interested in me. Say, do you think that is the expression that I have all the time?
Just as I was about to launch into an emphatic speech, Isshiki used an overpowering voice to say:
“I can understand how Senpai is feeling, having to go out for dinner with that old hag must be pretty exhausting.”
“Old … you …”
Yukinoshita was speechless.
Isshiki, how could you say that? That’s not the case at all! —Was what I wanted to say, but what she said really resonated with me, so I couldn’t refute her. Ah, no, I don’t think Yukinoshita’s mom is an old hag, I think that she’s a pretty, young, elegant, and scary woman, and sometimes I can even see her humorous side, which is quite lovable.
It’s just that, out of all the good the scary part really stands out, in conclusion, going out for dinner with her is pretty exhausting.
As I nodded, on the other side, Komachi and Isshiki were deep in conversation, appearing to be pretty entertained.
“Woah, Iroha-senpai, you’re bad mouthing really is excellent, ☆ I definitely don’t want to call you my sister! ♪”
“I didn’t ask for it, and I don’t want to be called that either.”
“Komachi, what even is your standard for calling someone your sister?”[10]
Yukinoshita also added in to their conversation. What are you even asking about …?
Because Yukinoshita’s attention was now diverted, it was the perfect chance for me reach for the snacks I wasn’t able to get to earlier.
Don’t look down on the appetite of a healthy teen. Eating some snacks is nothing for me, and considering the hardships later, filling up my belly now is important.
This time I was definitely going to get my hands on some snacks.
Just as I thought that, my hands grasped at air yet again.
“Huh?”
Eh? Why? Wasn’t Yukinoshita with Komachi? I lifted my head in confusion, seeing that Yuigahama had the plate in her hands.
“Aren’t you having dinner later? I’ll be taking this.”
With that said, she held the plate in a protective manner, and started eating away at the snacks.
“No, why are you the one eating then …?”
“Because, it would be wasteful if no one ate it.”
As she said that she turned to look at the clock, and so did I, it was nearing evening, outside the window in the direction of west, the sky had already been dyed a thin layer of red.
“Yukinon, shouldn’t it be time for you guys to leave? We’ll clean up here.”
Hearing that, Yukinoshita also looked towards the clock. Although I didn’t know the exact time they had arranged, now was probably the time to leave. Yukinoshita thought for a while, then nodded and responded:
“You’re right … then I’ll let you take care of it …thanks.”
Yukinoshita showed a smile and thanked her, in response to that, Yuigahama shook her head as if to say it was no big deal.
“Then let’s go.”
“… Yes.”
Yukinoshita picked up her schoolbag and urged me to leave, and I also started keeping my things in preparation for leaving. There was nothing much in my bag, but it felt particularly heavy now.
Yukinoshita had already packed all her things earlier, and was waiting for me by the door.
Nothing else I can do but resolve myself and go … I sighed one last sigh, stood up, and slung my bag behind my shoulder.
“Then we’ll go first, see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”
Yuigahama and Komachi waved their hands at me, and Isshiki added in a “Good luck.”, but didn’t turn to face me. Under their supervision, we opened the door and entered the hallway. Wait, one person wasn’t paying attention to us at all.
Just then—
“Ah, Yukino-san, you forgot this.”
Komachi called for Yukinoshita, and ran towards us, holding a small paper bag in her hands.
She firmly placed the paper bag in Yukinoshita’s hands, Yukinoshita looked down at the bag and tilted her head in confusion, but she carefully opened the bag and peeked at its contents, then abruptly smiled.
“Thanks, this will help a lot.”
“Don’t mind it!”
Komachi elegantly bowed while standing by the door, and waved her hand while saying:
“Be careful on your way!”
Inside the club room, Yuigahama waved us goodbye, while Isshiki continued playing with her phone.
This time under everyone’s gaze, we left for real.
Wait, there was one person that didn’t look at us. Whatever, it’s easier on me like this, it makes no difference, really!
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login