The main downside of hasty decisions is the rethinking that comes after the emotions give way to reason. Often, what you previously considered correct and appropriate suddenly takes on negative shades, while doubt blooms in your mind, turning your nerves into tightly wound springs.
— Um, Chief? — I shifted my gaze to the group of guys standing a little ways off; their eyes held a mixture of confusion and expectation.
You have got to be kidding me. We haven't even properly introduced ourselves, and you already want something from me? I mean, the zeal is commendable, but...
Scratching my chin, I assessed their appearance. Exhausted, sweaty, and lost. Hardly surprising, remembering Sagami's attempts to appoint people to leadership positions. To say she dragged out the process would be an understatement. The meeting lasted a good hour and a half, most of which we spent listening to Minami's uncertain babbling; she was clearly not ready for public speaking. If not for Meguri's subtle help, I have a feeling we would have been sitting there until late evening. Toward the end, it seemed like even Hiratsuka's patience was running thin.
In short, they probably aren't capable of thinking clearly right now. Then again, I haven't gone far from them myself, so let's do the most logical thing:
— Go home, — pausing briefly, I looked at the other groups streaming toward the conference room exit like a river. Judging by the looks of it, the other leaders had come to the exact same decision. — We'll leave all the questions and introductions for tomorrow.
Three guys and two girls exchanged uncertain glances, then nodded in unison and hurried to join the crush at the doors. There was no point in rushing, so I decided to wait until the crowd thinned out. Propping my back against the wall, I turned my head to watch the clouds drifting across the sky.
Talk about getting myself into a mess.
Making impulsive choices really isn't my style. Well, better to say "partially impulsive," since I had isolated the pros and cons for myself beforehand. It didn't seem like a big deal, but a nasty feeling of looming trouble was growing with every second.
Additionally, one other thing was bothering me: no one had tried to challenge my leadership. For some reason, I thought there would be a couple of people eager to swap roles with me.
Or perhaps the initiative I showed acted as a winning bet, creating an external aura of confidence around me?..
— Hikigaya.
God, can't I get a little time to think? Just five minutes of relative peace.
The person standing opposite me clearly didn't care about my internal desires.
— Yes, Yukinoshita? — suppressing a flare of irritation at the root, I turned my head toward her.
Honestly, it was hard to tell: was Snowball annoyed, or was she still in a state of surprise? In any case, her gaze hinted at the existence of some as-yet-unknown grievances against me.
— What was that? You? A leader? — Yukino asked directly, avoiding any beating around the bush, which earned her a small plus in my book.
Too bad it didn't make things any easier.
Should I invent an interesting story that might preserve my "image," or give her a partial truth?
Weighing the pros and cons of each decision seemed like a foolish endeavor. What for?
Since I decided not to play by my own rules today, there was no real point in hiding anything.
Tapping my fingers on my elbow, I shrugged.
— I was inspired by Minami's actions and risked trying myself in an unusual role. After all, a student gaining new experience is one of the school's functions, — judging by the way she furrowed her brows, she thought I was trying to dodge the answer.
Her doubts are understandable; that is my favorite tactic.
— So you completely abandoned your antisocial persona and, without any pressure, took unnecessary difficulties upon your shoulders? — if you removed the undisguised irony and sarcasm from her tone, the sheer formulation voiced aloud was enough to understand how absurd the situation looked to someone who knew me even a little.
— Turns out that way, — I calmly met Yukinoshita's gaze.
After ten seconds of intense staring, Snowball shook her head, as if denying the very possibility that I was being sincere.
— I still don't understand. Nothing stopped you from doing the same thing while remaining in the shadows. Yet you chose to draw everyone's attention to yourself.
The essence of her complaint... is about the initiative I showed? Unexpected. Still, I need to clarify to avoid an awkward situation.
— And what exactly about that doesn't suit you?
The girl blinked a couple of times, then shifted her shoulders.
— I don't know, but for some unclear reason, I feel anxiety and irritation, — okay, now that is a passage I definitely didn't expect.
Humming thoughtfully, I scratched the corner of my mouth.
Something is making her angry, but what exactly remains a mystery covered in darkness to her.
In principle, I have one suitable option that could explain her state, but it seems crazy and... smug, causing any desire to voice the guess aloud to vanish instantly.
In short: she considers me a friend who did something so far out of character that she simply doesn't know how to react. "What if he's hiding something? Then why is he silent? Does he not consider her a friend? or does he have problems he can't share?"
On one hand, you can really work yourself up with that.
On the other, there is nothing reprehensible in Snowball's interest; on the contrary, in a way, it's pleasant. Just a tiny bit.
...Or, she's furious because she wanted to be the Head of the Publicity Department herself.
— Why are you looking at me so strangely? — Yukino narrowed her eyes.
— Didn't expect us to be at the stage of our relationship where you worry about me, — I prepared myself for a sharp retort in advance.
Instead, Yukinoshita looked embarrassed and looked away.
Turns out, they weren't lying when they said the truth is the best weapon.
— Don't get ahead of yourself, — she grumbled. — And anyway, I'm more worried about your future subordinates.
— Doubting my leadership qualities? — I raised an eyebrow.
— Stop dodging the question: why are you doing this? — she lifted her head, re-engaging me in eye contact.
I massaged the bridge of my nose.
Right, looks like I'll have to switch to the secret weapon and lay my remaining cards on the table after all.
— I wanted to surprise and please Komachi.
— Oh! — the girl blinked slowly, then drawled: — Now everything makes sense.
— What makes sense? — I clarified, just in case.
Yukino smirked and stamped her verdict:
— Siscon! — and, satisfied with her deduction, she headed toward the classroom exit.
Leaving me alone with the desire to raise my hands to the ceiling and scream everything I thought about this situation at the top of my lungs.
During the time I spent talking to Snowball, the conference room had managed to almost completely empty out.
Only a few people remained in the room: Hiratsuka, Sagami, and Meguri, with all three holding some conversation in the corner. More accurately, Sensei and Shiromeguri were gently explaining something to Minami, who had completely lost her initial enthusiasm. Maybe they were trying to cheer her up or giving instructions for the future; the girl clearly needed something like that right now.
Whatever the case, it didn't concern me in the slightest, so I leisurely headed for the exit, pretending not to notice the enigmatic look from Shizuka.
Don't even think about it.
I have enough worries of my own to drown in.
***
However, self-deception is a fine thing, but tragically incapable of saving one from harsh reality.
— I wonder why Sensei asked us to gather today? — Yuigahama drawled, examining a slightly faded promotional pamphlet from the stack I had brought with me to the club. — And where did you get these, Hachiman? There are samples from five years ago here!
As an argument, she shook the sheet in the air.
— I asked Hiratsuka, — sighing, I set aside another victim of restless teenage fantasy. — Gotta be aware of how they attracted guests in the past.
— Cool... — Yui drawled.
Smiling with the corner of my mouth at her reaction, I threw my hands behind my head, deciding to take a break from studying the information needed for the festival work. The deadlines and scope of work would be defined at the next meeting anyway, and the knowledge I already had was enough not to sit there with my mouth open during the briefing.
I'd already killed the whole evening crawling through various forums instead of enjoying blissful procrastination.
— By the way, — Yukinoshita, who had been busy reading until now, lowered her book, looking at me with a strange expression in her eyes. — How did Komachi react to the news?
Would you look at that, Snowball wants to tease poor, miserable Hachiman. What a surprise!
— Within reasonable limits, — if you thought you could embarrass or unsettle me with that, I am sorely disappointed.
— Really? Then why does your tie look tied completely differently?
Hearing that, I slowly raised an eyebrow.
— First of all, such frank attention to my person is a little frightening, — no exaggeration here, if I didn't have extensive practice, I surely would have started coughing. — Secondly, I don't see anything wrong with it. My younger sister wanted to help her brother, so she helped.
— Indeed, — a slight smirk played on Yukino's lips.
I looked at her questioningly.
— Don't worry, — she lifted her book, opening it to the right page. — It's just that you've been walking around with the same knot for almost half a year, and suddenly it's completely different. It turns out quite funny, don't you agree?
And, awarding me a victorious glance for the finale, the girl returned to her interrupted activity with a sense of accomplished duty.
All I could do was mentally roll my eyes. Theoretically, nothing stopped me from developing the dialogue, playing with arguments, and shaking Snowball's confidence in her own righteousness, but instead, I chose to avoid wasting extra energy. Let her enjoy her small, but victory...
Especially since, in a certain sense, Yukinoshita's guesses turned out to be correct. At least, I hadn't seen my little sister in such an excited state for a long time. Not that it was annoying or caused discomfort; on the contrary, seeing her face shining with pride made me want to puff out my chest.
However, the feeling of a certain wrongness in what was happening, which had settled in my heart since yesterday, refused to disappear.
Rationally, I am perfectly aware of where it stems from. It was foolish to hope that a sharp departure from my habits of many years would pass without any consequences.
Sigh, it's a pity there's no way to completely cut off all these worries at the root or shove them down deeper where they stop affecting my thoughts.
In any case, the decision has already been made and voiced; retreating now would only make things worse, and specifically for me.
If I run at the first signs of approaching difficulties, it would be easier not to leave my room at all.
A knock on the door made me freeze for a moment.
Time has come, hasn't it?
— You may come in, — sighing, Yukinoshita snapped her tome shut and placed it on the table next to her. Yuigahama, shaking her head, neatly stacked the promotional pamphlets into a pile and slid them back to me, and I, in turn, carefully tossed them into my bag.
— Excuse me, — it was at that moment that a girl familiar to us all entered the room.
Waiting a couple of seconds, I mentally huffed, realizing she had come in proud solitude, without her usual company, the members of which, by the way, changed quite often.
— Umm... Hello everyone... — the guest waved her hand listlessly, avoiding looking directly at any of us.
— Do you need something, Sagami? — Yukinoshita inquired in a rather cool tone, folding her hands on her lap.
At such an address, the new Committee Chairwoman flinched barely noticeably and clenched her fists behind her back, then laughed awkwardly, rocking from heel to toe.
— Well, Hiratsuka said I might find help with my problems here, — she paused, continuing to look anywhere but at us. — And, if necessary... receive consultation.
Yukino and I exchanged a brief glance.
Judging by everything, she had also guessed this outcome.
Not that it required incredible deduction.
— And what exactly do you need help with, Sagamin? — Yuigahama stood up from her seat and walked over to her classmate. Leaning in, she whispered something in her ear, then indicated with a nod toward a chair standing nearby, which was mostly used by visitors to the club.
Minami hunched over slightly, but noticing the encouraging smile from Yui, she sighed quietly and took the offered seat, copying Yukinoshita's pose almost exactly, with the exception of her lowered head.
Does the lack of a support group behind her back really affect her that much? Then again, nothing surprising. for some, a "shell" against rolling nervousness is a stone mask and ostentatious indifferent behavior; for others, it's the presence of acquaintances or comrades nearby.
Although, perhaps the reason for such behavior lies in accumulated tension and stress.
— I was recently elected Chairperson of the Festival Committee, — the girl began quietly, gathering her strength and interlacing her fingers. — Despite the fact that it was my wish...
She paused, licking her lips nervously.
We sat silently, not interfering.
— More accurately... Well, everyone was sitting, waiting for something, and something just clicked in me... — blinking slowly, Sagami shook her head and flared up: — Simply put, I have absolutely no idea how to handle the role I received with dignity, so I came here!
Yukino hummed thoughtfully, crossing her arms under her chest and closing her eyes.
— Sounds a bit complicated, — Yuigahama laughed tensely, looking away. Apparently, there are certain limits to displayed friendliness. Usually, Doggy rushes into battle in the front lines.
Sagami's gaze fell on me. It didn't read as open pleading or hope, rather something resembling hidden fear and despair. It felt like that, anyway.
Is it just me, or was the final decision left to me?
Have you no shame? I've already exceeded my quota for collecting unnecessary responsibility.
God, what for?
Sighing, I propped my head up with my hand.
If she had just assessed her strengths soberly, this situation wouldn't have arisen. In essence, we are in approximately the same boat, but with a significant difference.
I had an idea, albeit in general terms, of what I was signing up for and what to do.
— That is, of course, wonderful that you realize the need for help, — or Hiratsuka, who put Minami up to coming to us, — but still, try to formulate the request more precisely. What exactly do you want to get?
After all, everyone who knows the subject is already helping her—including Student Council President Shiromeguri Meguri. How else can our club help?
The girl thought for a couple of seconds.
— Support?
— What kind? Where? In what? — I asked wearily.
— Umm... — Sagami froze, lowering her eyes to the floor.
Restraining myself from sighing again, I slanted a glance at Yukinoshita. She was looking thoughtfully at the Chairperson, tapping her index finger on her knee.
— Hachiman, are we definitely going to help her? — leaning toward my ear, Yui whispered quietly, causing a slight ripple of surprise with her question.
Doggy, I don't recognize you.
— It's not for me to decide, — I shrugged.
No, of course, I could step forward, pounding my chest and shouting that I would solve all problems—after which I would smash my face against the wall at night—however, a group of people is already hanging on my shoulders. I don't really want to load myself down even more.
Crossing my arms, I leaned back in my chair.
Be that as it may, even though I veiledly said the final verdict depends on Yukino, we won't be able to ditch Sagami.
First, the indirect request from Hiratsuka, who might not say anything, but will make a mental note.
Second, casting aside all emotional components, without a Chairperson confident in her abilities, we risk landing in a puddle.
Third...
— I can help you handle your duties, — Yukinoshita's voice sounded unnaturally loud.
...Snowball, no matter how cold and indifferent she might seem, will refuse to abandon a person in a difficult situation.
— Really? — in Minami's gaze directed at the club president, one could read shock mixed with gratitude.
— Yes, — Yukino nodded, rising from her chair and gathering her things into her bag. — It only remains to announce this to the supervisors. Considering there are less than forty minutes until the meeting starts, we need to hurry.
— Eh? Where? Why? — Sagami caught herself, jumping to her feet as the girl briskly walked past her.
— I think they should be aware, — Yukinoshita froze in the doorway, turning her head, — that you have a deputy.
The Committee Chairperson, standing in a stupor for a moment, unfroze and, breaking into a wide smile, rushed to catch up with the club president.
Didn't even say goodbye.
— Thank you, Yukinoshita! — hearing the echo of her voice in the corridor, I, still digesting the events that had occurred, slowly turned to Yuigahama.
— Hachiman? — the expression on her face spoke for itself. — Did you understand anything?
I cleared my throat and scratched my chin, shifting my gaze to the book left by Snowball.
— Honestly?..
Absolutely nothing...
Fourth, Snowball is unlikely to refuse to help at all, even if help isn't required.
***
I only managed to catch Yukinoshita at the doors of the conference room and, understandably, didn't get to discuss what happened properly, only exchanged glances.
— Come in, come in, — Hiratsuka's commanding shout made everyone hurry to take their seats.
Only, unlike the first day, their arrangement had changed quite significantly in accordance with the chosen position.
My position turned out to be exactly in the middle of the group, at the table with the "Publicity Department" sign. Greeting my subordinates with a nod, I collapsed onto the chair, immediately leaning down and pulling the promotional pamphlets I got from Shizuka out of my bag.
— Familiarize yourselves, samples from previous years, I expect proposals after the meeting, — ensuring the brochures were evenly distributed among everyone, I switched my attention to Shizuka, who clapped her hands a few times.
Making sure the gathered crowd was ready to heed her words, the woman cleared her throat into her fist and declaimed:
— In connection with a personal request from the Committee Chairperson, approved by the Student Council President, Yukinoshita Yukino has been selected for the role of Vice-Chairperson this year. Does anyone have objections? — the news she voiced immediately caused a heated discussion among those present, however, no one expressed overt negativity or rejection.
No wonder, considering how Sagami screwed up on the first day. Plus, Snowball's reputation allows her to get a line of credit from those around her.
— I take it everyone agrees? In that case—raise your hand if you support this decision.
Shizuka carefully looked around the room. It was worth noting that almost all students expressed agreement, with the exception of a few people.
Sensei's gaze stopped on me. I raised an eyebrow, continuing to prop my chin on my fist, twirling a pencil in my other hand.
Did Snowball's hasty decision seem strange to me? Definitely. Can I judge her for it? I doubt I still retain that right.
And anyway, what if everything goes smoothly this time?
Hiratsuka shook her head and turned to Yukino standing by the board.
— Congratulations. You are now officially the Vice-Chairperson of the Festival Committee, — oh, has this farce finally come to an end? At last.
Waiting for the applause to die down, Snowball dignifiedly took the seat next to Sagami.
For now, I'll stick strictly to observation. I've had enough of impulsive actions for this week.
— Now let's start our second meeting, — whether it was Yukino's presence nearby or the general mood that influenced her, Sagami spoke with greater confidence in her voice than yesterday. — Let's start with, perhaps...
She swept her gaze over the participants.
— The Publicity Department, — meeting her eyes, I let out a noisy breath.
And what am I supposed to say? Goals aren't set, tasks aren't designated, deadlines aren't specified. Introduce myself again? Dance on the table?
— I think, first of all, we should draw up a plan of upcoming work for the coming week, — Yukinoshita intervened, clicking her pen.
Minami, flinching, smiled and, clearing her throat, was about to open her mouth but froze...
Don't tell me you didn't even think about that.
Judging by the prolonged silence, I hit the nail right on the head.
— Let's determine the most important aspects at the current moment, — Yukino paused, quickly writing something in her notebook. — First and foremost, the Publicity Department. I believe that over the next two weeks you must develop promotional pamphlets, conduct an initial distribution on social networks, and begin work on the site's news feed. It is desirable to simultaneously put up posters around the school grounds—the sooner you finish with this, the faster we will move on to...
As the items were listed, sweat gradually appeared on the listeners' faces. What did you think, you landed in a fairy tale?
Personally, I wasn't surprised. Someone never learned to lower the bar of expectations, continuing to orient solely on herself.
Hmm? Finished? Hooray.
— Yes-yes, of course, — the girl measured me with a suspicious look, however, I maintained a calm expression.
— Excellent, don't forget to coordinate expenses with accounting. Next in line will be...
— Um, Chief, — as soon as I returned to my seat, the guy sitting next to me—Tanaka Atsuko, the only person whose name I managed to remember—asked in a whisper. — Will we really manage such a volume in the specified timeframe?
I snorted.
— Of course not.
— But you agreed.
I slanted a mocking glance at him.
— Do you know what "insurmountable circumstances" are? — Atsuko froze for a second, then understanding flashed in his eyes, and a barely noticeable smile appeared on his lips.
Seems he's quick on the uptake. Appoint him deputy?
— So we do what we manage to do without tearing a muscle? — Tanaka clarified.
Definitely deputy, we think alike.
— Spot on.
— And if they make complaints?
— Don't worry, I'll deal with it.
I'll have to put him in charge of the other students and distribute all instructions through him. I'll immediately create a sort of vertical of power. Less trouble for me, and easier for the group—they are all more or less acquainted with each other.
In any case, communication will be limited strictly to the festival. I already have enough current "social sources" to drown in.
My gaze involuntarily fell on Yukinoshita, who continued to distribute instructions right and left, while Sagami gloomily picked at a notebook page next to her, having completely lost her initial enthusiasm.
Snowball, are you sure this is exactly the help Minami wanted?
Hiratsuka, standing behind the girls' backs, closed her eyes, frowning barely noticeably.
Apparently, she also came to a conclusion similar to mine.
Although, perhaps Yukino is simply demonstrating an example for the Chairperson, like: watch and adopt?..
***
Two days later I was forced to admit: Yukinoshita didn't want to teach Sagami anything at all. She just bluntly seized the reins of control, completely hogging all the attention.
I slowly drew a line across the sheet of paper, dividing it into two parts, abstracting myself from the now-familiar noise of the conference room.
At first glance, we got a relatively competent manager who roughly understood what needed to be done for a successful festival.
In contrast, Minami, who was the official Chairperson of the whole affair, was left with nothing, fulfilling the function of a dreary cardboard cutout and colorless background. Toward the end, she refused to attach any importance to the committee meetings at all, spending half the session on her phone or drawing something in a notebook.
Did I pity the girl? Both yes and no.
Yes, because my classmate lacks the spirit to object to Snowball.
No—because she accepted the situation far too submissively and, instead of finding something to do or somehow, I don't know, participating in what was happening, decided to step aside completely.
Was I satisfied with such an arrangement?
...Possibly.
With a sigh, I leaned back in my chair, watching the flurry of students running from table to table.
I think I should talk to Yukinoshita. My personal attitude toward what's happening is a secondary factor. A different point matters: objectively, Snowball has screwed up once again, repeating her past mistakes.
After all, exactly the same situation arose with the request from Yuigahama, Totsuka, Cap, Kawasaki... Stop. Did she do anything at the camp?
Hard to remember the events of those days. Aside from her swimsuit against the background of other ample forms...
I involuntarily cast a glance at Hiratsuka, who was chatting about something with the PE teacher. Yes, there was still something positive about that trip.
Ahem.
Returning to the topic, I really thought Yukino had realized her shortcomings and didn't intend to repeat them anymore.
Unfortunately, I overestimated her.
Consequently, the following dilemma arises: should I intervene now or wait until the end of the festival?
The simplest and safest option for me personally is the second one.
The stressful one promising extra difficulties is the first.
The rational part of my consciousness hints at following the path of least resistance.
The emotional part, which has started to manifest itself more often lately, hints that the easy path isn't necessarily the right one...
— Chief, we've finished compiling the samples, — surfacing from my thoughts, I shifted my gaze to Atsuko, who was holding out several sheets of paper to me.
— Did you familiarize yourself with the articles I sent? — I inquired, looking through examples of future promotional pamphlets.
Whatever my outlook might be, it is still limited, so instead of wasting extra time reinventing the wheel, I chose a proven method: scouring the internet for necessary information, after which, compiling the data received, I sent it to the guy, who, in turn, shared it with his comrades in misfortune.
— Yes. Although we aren't entirely sure we picked the right font, — hearing his words, I looked closely at the inscriptions.
The venue is noticeable, the date too, the main points are highlighted. There is no excessive pile-up of images; it's done in a minimalist style.
— Looks quite tolerable, — nodding at my own thoughts, I stood up from my seat. — I'll go load up the supply guys regarding paper and a free color printer. Think about posters in the same style. Nothing too grand, we still have to paste them up. Well, additionally, if possible, work on a strong slogan, one of those that gets stuck in your head. Something simple and rhyming, definitely mentioning our school.
Tanaka, writing down my words, nodded.
A quick-witted and diligent guy, doesn't talk too much, doesn't interfere over trifles. Only he doesn't show any initiative; however, that's more of a plus than a minus.
Hmm... I forgot to say something.
Ah, right.
— Tanaka, — calling out to the guy who hadn't managed to get far, I smiled with the corner of my mouth. — Good job, keep it up.
And, without waiting for his reaction, I headed toward the girls responsible for distributing available resources.
I hope we have enough of everything, or I'll have to make a request for additional funds from the budget, which promises long conversations with the head of the festival's finance department. I don't know where they found that weirdo, but even Yukinoshita is afraid to touch him unnecessarily, which speaks for itself.
Although everything can be solved through the deputy. A girl with a softer and more pliable character, so it's easier to act: dole out a few smiles, a couple of veiled compliments, and presto—my "request" quietly moves to the top of the stack and is considered among the first.
...God, who am I turning into?
After all, I dumped all the dirty work on my subordinates myself, so all the remaining aspects are on me. Find, obtain, find out, coordinate, approve, and based on that, distribute the load.
It seemed to me that bosses are more prone to spitting at the ceiling and waving their hands importantly, like, I want everything done this way, but how exactly it will be executed—doesn't concern them anymore.
My mistake, it happens to everyone.
Fortunately, my fears turned out to be in vain, and everything managed to be pulled off without delays, so, having ensured the correctness of the filled forms, I headed toward the final authority.
— Do you need something, Hikigaya? — not tearing herself away from the laptop screen, Yukinoshita inquired.
— Need the deputy's signature and the Chairperson's seal, — I responded dryly, watching Sagami out of the corner of my eye as she indifferently tossed an eraser in the air.
— Let me see, — I placed the documents in her outstretched hand, calmly awaiting the verdict. — Everything is fine. Chairperson, will you certify?
The girl sitting next to her lost concentration and dropped the rubber eraser. Clicking her tongue in annoyance, she snatched the papers from Yukino's hand and slapped the seal in the necessary places.
— Maybe I should just give it to you? — Minami smirked bitterly, throwing an indifferent glance in my direction.
Yeah, only a few days have passed, and of the classmate bursting with energy and malice, only an empty shell remains.
— Why not? — Snowball shrugged indifferently, apparently completely misunderstanding the context of the unfolding events.
I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose with my fingers.
One is a stubborn idiot incapable of evaluating what's happening through the prism of an ordinary person; the other is a wimp, overly dependent on others' opinions and incapable of fighting back against aggressive pressure.
And the one who has to solve this situation is an antisocial type with a bunch of complexes and budding psychological deviations.
Best arrangement in the universe, you can't say otherwise.
Where is Doggy when she's needed so much?
— Anything else, Hikigaya? — Yukinoshita finally tore herself away from work, raising her head.
Meeting her gaze, I, convinced of my own degradation for the last time, drawled:
— We need to talk. Will you have time after the committee? — the girl thought, looked at her watch, and nodded.
— Chairperson, — Sagami, who had returned to juggling the eraser, clicked her tongue irritably.
— What?! Do I need to stay too? — I feel like if we weren't in front of witnesses, I would have been told to take a hike to a galaxy far, far away, with no restraint in expressions.
— Preferably.
Rolling her eyes, she hissed:
— I hope you don't plan to deprive me of the opportunity to hang out with friends over some trifle.
Refraining from a caustic reply, I limited myself to a weary sigh.
— Don't worry. The reason is substantial.
Taking the approved documents, I turned around and walked quickly back to the group.
And why am I getting involved in all this?
Catching a thoughtful look from Hiratsuka on myself, I closed my eyes for a second.
It's nice, probably, to watch everything from the sidelines. I understand it's foolish and childish, but sometimes I really wonder: are we just guinea pigs in a social experiment?
— Chief... — Atsuko rose to his feet at my approach, only to freeze halfway, staring into my eyes.
— Yes? — I tried to speak calmly, barely controlling the irritation bubbling in my soul.
— N-no, nothing, — the guy returned to his seat, lowering his head like the other group members.
— Then let's continue working, — sitting in my place, I tossed the papers into a separate folder and propped my head up with my hand.
For some unknown reason, my mood was incredibly lousy.