I successfully made it through the summer cold I suffered from, and was allowed to be reunited with Natsukawa, but I still had to catch up with everything I missed from the classes, so my suffering wasnât done just yet. Math is seriously badâŚ
While my snow white soul was about to leave my body from exhaustion, noon arrived, and I felt a sharp impact at my behind. It seems like Ashida kicked the bottom of my chair. Donât just go laughing like that, you wench. Instead, how about you lend me your notes toâHey, why are you pulling on them!? Are you that against lending me your notes!?
As one of the baseball brats complained about us being loud, I realized that I had forgotten to buy food for lunch. Hence, I left behind Ashida who desperately clung to her notes, and stood up. Right when I stepped out of the classroom, the other girls in class, with their super miniature lunch boxes, had already formed groups, eating lunch. The biggest group out of these revolved around Natsukawa, filled by all the normies. Iâm starting to see this as more of a cult.
I told Ashida âIâll just get something randomâ, and headed to the school cafeteria. After fighting for and winning some sweet bread at the school store, I looked for a place to eat at. Iâd rather not eat outside when itâs this warm after all.
âAh, there he is!â
âEh?â
As a result of that, I wanted to evacuate into the corner of the school cafeteriaâonly to encounter the Inatomi Appreciation Group (Provisional). Encounter basically referred to them spotting me. I didnât even realize that we basically ended up sitting next to each other. Not like I mind though, I really enjoy the scent tickling my nose. But, you know, the gazes of everybody around usâŚ
âUmâŚyou pulled me here for a reason, right? If not, then I donât exactly see us being this closeâŚâ
âEhh, you think so?â
I was seated at the four-seat table, next to the wall, with Mita-senpai on the other side of me, not allowing me any possible escape. Sitting across from me was Inatomi-senpai, clearly enjoying herself. Despite us having barely met, and not even talked that much, sheâs now sparkling this much, giving me a gracious gazeâŚ
âHow did you raise her impression of you like this? Did you use some pay-to-win item?â
âNot fair, Sajou.â
âI doubt you even understood what I was saying.â
Inatomi-senpaiâs childhood friend, Mita-senpai, narrowed her eyes as she gave me a jealous gaze. Shinomiya-senpai threw in a complaint herself, but clearly seemed confused as to what Mita-senpai was even talking about. Even if you could buy that in real life, imagine how expensive that must be. Iâll get one no matter what.
âI heard from Rin-san. Is your fever better now?â
âYeah, Iâm feeling much better now.â
I took off almost two days in order to properly recover after all. Thanks to that, I could play all sorts of games, hehehe. However, seeing how happy that small Senpai of mine was, I couldnât shake off this vague feeling that something was off. Seeing her red ribbon shake left and right is super duper cute, but what am I supposed to do here? Prostrate myself before her? These two other people next to me are giving off some crazy pressure. I do treasure my life, so could you not show me that scary smile?
âAnyway, thereâs a reason I pulled you all the way over here. I wanted to talk about this a bit earlier, but you happened to collapse, so it couldnât be helped.â
âOkayâŚ?â
It seemed like Shinomiya-senpai got into a serious mode, because she gave off the air whenever sheâs acting as the public morals committee president. This feels like Iâm in a job interview right nowâŚI donât want the job anymore, can I just leave?
âLet me get straight to the pointâWonât you join the public morals committee?â
âWhaâŚ?â I accidentally let out a dumbfounded voice.
Met with this unexpected request, I looked at the other two. Mita-senpai was just staring at Inatomi-senpai like always, whereas Inatomi-senpai just looked over in my direction with a smile. Excuse me, but theyâre not interested at all. Can I just leave then?
âI do not require such a title.â
âMy duties will end in the coming fall, but I have yet to find a male junior that would fit the public morals committee. There were many applicants who came over to check it out, but I always got the feeling they were just there to play around.â
âYeah, I can see them having ulterior movies. They were probably there for the status only.â Mita-senpai commented.
âŚThey both ignored my initial comment, huh. Wonât you at least throw in a retort? Also, Mita-senpai suddenly participating in the conversation isnât fair at all, especially at that timingâŚMinimum-senpai, please say something and donât just stare at me like that. Are they dead set on having me join?
Itâs only been three months since I started attending this school, so it didnât really set in yet, but thereâs way too many events in the second term, such as the culture festival, followed by the sports festival, but the public morals committee is always busy even outside these events. TL;DR, being in the public morals committee is too much hard work.
âAnd, then I ran into you. As Kaedeâs younger brother, I can put my trust in you, and when you helped us with our problems, you were more reliable than any other junior in your year.â
âBut, youâll retire in the second term, right?â
âThatâs correct. Thatâs why I want you as quickly as possible. The public morals committee needs you.â
Urk, what a passionate confessionâŚ! Was I ever this wanted by anybody before!? I can feel the love deep inside my chest, making me want to say âIf youâre that adamant on itâŚâ, and accept their requestâŚPerhapsâŚ
âEhehe! Looking forward to working with you, Sajou-kuââ
âWaheah!?â
âKyaâŚ!â
I was about to lose against my conflicted feelings, when Inatomi-senpai suddenly pushed her body forward, grabbing my hand. In shock, I let out a shriek, and pulled back my hand. Right after that, Inatomi-senpai showed a wry smile, giving me a saddened gaze.
âSajouâŚYou bastard.â
âHeyâŚâ
âEek, awawa!?â
âFueh!? Sajou-kunâŚ!?â
In a secondâs time, the two Senpais started glaring at me. In a panic, I grabbed Inatomi-senpaiâs hand again. I wrapped it inside my two hands, which had me feel her soft skin, and my sweat started pouring out of every pore.
âAh, no, this isâŚ!â
âS-Sajou-kunâŚy-youâre being so forcefulâŚâ
âSajouuuuuâŚâ
âGrrrrrâŚâ
I heard Shinomiya-senpaiâs loathful voice, together with Mita-senpai letting out a groan that sounded like a curse. The atmosphere started to grow tense. Eh? Can I even do this when Iâm a member of the public morals committee?
âU-Um, Iâm still feeling a bit dizzy, soââ
I would have never imagined to end up in a deadlock caused by two female Senpais like this.
*
âYour mouthâs open.â
ââŚItâs a Badger game.â
âWhere did that come from!?â
I felt a bit of pain around my neck, together with a lingering soft sensation at the back of my head. Especially the second one didnât vanish even after I made it to the classroom. Mita-senpaiâŚI definitely wonât forget about this. That softness is completely overwriting any pain.
As I was reminiscing about the incident from a few minutes ago, Natsukawa passed by in front of me. Since I was still spacing out a bit, I must have said something weird. When Natsukawa gave me a bewildered expression, I was about to fall for her. Oh right, I already did.
âW-What do you mean by that?!â Natsukawa seemed quite angry.
Oh yeah, I definitely ran my mouth there. Even so, maybe because I just got over my cold, she seemed quite considerate despite that. I didnât see that big of a problem, because it was just a cold, but since I collapsed in front of her eyes, I guess I donât have much right to argue here. Also, when weâre cleaning the classroom, please donât say âIâll hold that for youâ towards a boy like me. Yamazaki was grinning at me after all.
âY-You knowâŚI was just saying how much of a beauty1 you are?â
âW-What are you on aboutâŚâ Natsukawa put one hand on her hip, avoiding her gaze.
Ahh, I canât get enough of this âCanât be helpedâ gesture sheâs showing me. Now that I get a good look at her summer uniform, I can see her long white arms reaching out from her sleeves. My heart wonât stop beatingâŚAm I sick? Is this a summer coldâŚ?
âYouâŚâ
Right when I was agonizing to myself, Natsukawa gave an annoyed comment, and approached me.
âW-WhatâŚ?â
âYour hairâŚWhy is half of your head so ruffled up?â
âOhâŚâ
That must have happened when Mita-senpai had me in a headlockâŚMita-senpaiâŚâŚSoft sensationâŚâŚAh, I canât hold back a grin. I shouldnât show this to Natsukawa, so I need to hide itâ
âSit still for a second.â
âEhâŚ?â
As I was trying to fix my own hair, Natsukawa grabbed my head with both of her hands. She rubbed it here and there, presumably trying to fix my curls that stood off. After a bit of time passed, she freed me with a âThere we goâ.
âHere, weâre done.â
âAhâŚYeah, umâŚâ
âWhat?â
Eh, why is she acting like this was something totally normal? Does she not think of that as special? Weâre boy and girl, right? Arenât we at the age where this kind of skinship would have our hearts racing? Or, can I just ask for this every day? Yeah no, that canât be the case right, Natsukawa. Youâre not the type of person to easily sell herself like that, are you. I wouldnât want you to have your guard down like that.
âSo, is 50.000 yen enough?â
âI donât need that!â
I got that for freeâŚ? Ah, did she just do it subconsciously? This is why girls are so troublesome! This must be Ashidaâs negative influence! Alright, Iâm never washing my hair ever again, just cleaning it with wax!
1Â Badger game is written with the kanji for beauty