While I was organizing my notebooks for the next lesson, Yagami Hiro came to speak to me.
“Sorry, Yumizuki, I want to ask you a favour…”
He readjusted his glasses and said.
“There’s the club recruitment thing today right?”
“Right.”
“I want to ask you for help on one thing…”
Before I agreed, I spent time remembering some information in my head.
“You are currently in the literature club, right?”
“Yeah.”
Yagami quickly guessed what I wanted to say, so he explained.
“From the beginning, the club never had a lot of members. Half of them were 3rd years who were about to graduate, the rest were mostly ghost members. So, there wouldn’t be many people coming to the recruitment day today…”
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“Understood. So instead of relying on those other members, you want to actively look for help first.”
Someone as careful as Yagami would always prepare for the worst beforehands.
“It’s tiring isn’t it. Long story short, the fate of the entire Literature club now lies on the back of Sir Yagami” (In case you haven’t noticed it yet, I’m desperately avoiding using honorifics. I want to try out a new style of translation that removes all Japanese nuances for a clean English experience. Raws is Yagami-Sensei)
“Don’t say it like that”
The reason why I called Yagami “Sir”, was because he’s working as an author. That is exaggerating a little, his stories were only published short-term on a literature magazine. Though I said that, I thought it is something to be proud of.
However, Yagami didn’t want to announce his penname, so only a select few knew of this.
“That’s why I want your help…”
“Okay, if Yagami asks then I’m more than willing to comply. But, what can I help you with?”
“No worries, no worries. I’m not planning to invite too many people into this club.”
For some reason, Yagami said that to me.
I could understand why. It’s not because of Yagami’s personality, but it’s more a problem with literature clubs. It’s useless to invite people who don’t care about literature. Contrarily, the ones who like it would find the club out on their own. So Yagami just needed to wait for other students to come to them.
“Understood. But is it fine if I was the only one assisting?”
“Ah, erm, no problem, you just need to sit still in a place.”
Yagami flashed a wry smile.
Unfortunately, Yagami’s personality is the cause leading up to this problem (of not having anyone to help him). He wasn’t very sociable, so if we wanted to find another volunteer, there would only be Takizawa and Suzume. Regrettably, both of those were voted into the class committee with the class rep (Suzume) and the vice (Takizawa). Since this event involved a lot of work, both people in the committee had lots to do.
“So I just need to drop by the literature club by this afternoon?”
“That’s right. Sorry, Yumizuki, and thanks again for the help.”
Yagami repeatedly bowed his head to thank me.
‘Ah, thinking back…’
After Yagami left, I suddenly remembered.
Horyu must also be a member of the literature club. But when I knew her, she most likely had already become a ghost member.
I turned to look at Horyu Miyuki. She was talking with her friend as if this afternoon’s event had nothing to do with her.
After the end of the fourth period, I quickly finished the school canteen’s lunch, then went to the literature club room.
The preparation was simple. I just needed to bring the magazines the club has published last year to display at the assigned stall. Visitors are more than welcome to read it, and it’s completely free. If there were any questions about the club, Yagami would answer it.
It seemed that the sport clubs were performing on the school’s field. There were only academic clubs around us, along with some musical instrument ones for students to play those instruments. The broken sounds occasionally coming from the music room is pretty funny in its own right.
The atmosphere around the school is lively. For students, this was nothing different than strolling past different stalls in a festival.
My only job was to sit next to Yagami, since his motto is ‘wait’. Very relaxing.
Takizawa dropped by previously. He held the “organizer” badge on his hand.
“How’s it going?”
“Passable. How is it at your end, Takizawa?”
“My job is basically to guide the new students, or stop the overly excited recruiters, however, there’s still no issue up to this moment. This year is great.”
He gave a self-deprecating smile, implying that he had nothing to do.
“So you dropped by to kill time?”
“Haizz, it can be considered as such.”
Takizawa didn’t deny it, and left a vague answer.
And…
“… Look, Yumizuki.”
“Hmm?”
I looked at the direction he pointed, and saw the line of students checking out the clubs’ booths.
And in that line, I saw.
Two girls. One with a youthful and active style. The other was a beauty with the signature brown curly hair, that’s Saeki.
These two – mainly Saeki – would get invited by a club with their every two steps. She was a popular beauty with a great academic achievement and also represented the new students to give a speech in the opening ceremony. However, it seemed Saeki had calmly rejected all invites.
“Takizawa…”
“Huh? What?”
Takizawa answered hazily at my criticism.
It seemed Takizawa had suspected my and the rumoured student’s relationship because of the canteen event two days ago. And, since Saeki seemed to be heading here, he was quickly coming to see me.
No matter. As longa s Saeki isn’t coming to our booth, there’s no problem.
However….
After recognizing me, she flashed a blooming smile and beelined straight here.
“…”
My head hurts.
I said time and time again to “not approach me”, but…
“Erm, is this the literature club?”
“Yes. This is our magazine, if you like, have a sample.”
Yagami quickly stood up and replied to her.
Luckily, after reaching the booth, Saeki didn’t look at me once. It seemed she was still following my rules I’d set before. Feeling assured, I watched Yagami’s discussion with the two girls.
“Wow, so you are also writing a novel?”
Saeki was surprised looking through the magazine.
“Uhm. But this isn’t required.”
“Is this the newest mag? Are there any other samples?”
“Yes. We’ll publish one every three months, so one every quarter… Sorry, can you help me bring the older ones here?”
Yagami’s later half of the sentence was directed at me. I took the original magazines out from the box.
It’s surprising to see Saeki being interested in these, or is she just being sociable?
Weellll, whatever – I thought.
The Saeki Kirika at school was an elegant, respectable lady, with both beauty and modesty, and was also an excellent student. She had no problems with speaking to her upperclassmen. Her “rumoured beauty” nickname wasn’t just for show.
I felt impressed, and a bit of respect.
“Is Mr. Committee member is also a member of the literature club?”
The voice came from the girl coming with Saeki. It must be that there’s a handsome guy here attracting her attention.
“Nah, I’m just using my position as the committee to check the booths out.”
“That so”
She looked disappointed. If Takizawa was a member, she would definitely and immediately sign up. However, that wasn’t fine either.
Right then, Saeki suddenly dropped a bomb.
“Is Yumizuki also a member of the literature club?”
“!!!!”
Getting attacked from the blue like that, I almost fell from my seat, but managed to stay firm. It took a lot of my willpower to swallow the words coming straight from “that idiot’s” mouth.
Saeki’s words made everyone silent.
And, missing a beat, she exclaimed “Ah” and used her hands to cover her mouth.
“I heard him call you like that, so I thought it’s your name… Or am I wrong?”
…No
If I’m not mistaken, Yagami never called my name once ever since you two showed up.
“…”
However, humans’ memories are vague, and no one could confirm or deny Saeki’s words. One look was all it took to know Yagami was questioning himself if he had called my name or not.
To me, even if she called my name on purpose or by accident, I would just answer out of obligation.
“…That is my name.”
“Thank god~~ I thought I got it wrong somewhere.”
“…”
I couldn’t hear the lies in Saeki’s word, as if my ears were equipped with a lie detector. However, there’s a 99% possibility that she’s faking it, just to spite me.
“Thanks and goodbye, we’re going to check out the other booths.”
“Sorry for bothering you guys~~!”
The two said their goodbyes and left the literature club’s booth.
During their leave, Saeki secretly saved her hand at me with a naughty smile. She even stuck her tongue out to make fun of me.
Of course, after seeing that, I was confident that everything up to now was orchestrated by her.
“Yumizuki.”
After a while, Takizawa said.
“I’m asking you one more time, you two really don’t know each other, do you?”
“…no clue.”
Now, I didn’t know how much of Takizawa’s suspicion my words could sweep away anymore. This is tiring.