"You're asking for trouble, Hikigaya-san."
"I... just... don't... believe it!" Hikigaya Hachiman grunted, using the last of his strength to complete one final sit-up before collapsing back onto the floor, breathing heavily.
Yukinoshita Yukino released her hands from his ankles and looked down at him with a mixture of amusement and heartache. Today's physical fitness test had included a one-minute sit-up segment. After learning that Yukino's result was almost double his, Hachiman's pride had taken a hit. He had insisted on a rematch after returning home, but naturally, he was defeated again.
"Your abdomen will definitely be very sore tomorrow," Yukino said, gently stroking his stomach as if to help relieve some of the pain. "If you feel too uncomfortable, you can skip our morning run for a day. Don't force yourself."
"Ah, don't look down on me... Everything will proceed as scheduled tomorrow," he said stubbornly.
"Tsk. I'm really worried about your health, Hikigaya-kun. You must understand that too much is as bad as too little."
"I'm not trying to be brave. I know my own body very well..." He paused, then gave up. "Please help me up, Yukinoshita. I can't get up." He stretched out his hands like a helpless child.
Fortunately for him, it rained early the next morning, and the morning run had to be canceled.
"In short, this is the process for the Student General Assembly," Shizuka Hiratsuka announced during the class meeting on Monday morning. "We will vote to decide on the class representative and the agenda during our class meeting three days from now, on Friday. Until then, the class committee members will be responsible for mobilization and collecting agenda items."
The so-called Student General Assembly was a meeting attended by the heads of the student union's various departments and student representatives from each class. It was an activity meant to promote student autonomy, where student union members reported on their progress and future plans, and class representatives raised questions and presented proposals collected from their classmates.
However, in a public high school with a strict academic system like Sobu High, the student union had little real power, meaning it couldn't solve many practical problems. Still, the event was a key point in the school's assessment by its superiors, so Sobu High seriously prepared for this largely useless assembly every year.
At three o'clock that afternoon, Hachiman didn't leave the classroom immediately for the Service Club. Instead, he stayed behind to explain exercises to some of his classmates as part of the class's mutual help efforts. As the top scorer on the entrance exam for his class, he had been asked by the class committee to tutor his peers. Although he felt it was a waste of time, he didn't refuse. After all, if not for Ms. Hiratsuka's protection, he would have been a class committee member himself.
After finishing the tutoring session, Hachiman left the classroom amidst a chorus of grateful voices.
"By the way," one of the female students who had just been tutored said after confirming he was gone, "although Hikigaya-san seems a little taciturn on weekdays, he's still a very reliable person."
"Don't you know? He and Yukinoshita-san from the International Liberal Arts Class seem to have a very good relationship. They walk to school together every day."
"Yukinoshita-san? You mean Yukinoshita Yukino? Wasn't she the student representative for our grade at the start of the year?"
"Is that true? No wonder Hikigaya-san is so quiet all the time; it turns out he's already in a relationship. And since they walk to school together every day, it sounds like they aren't trying to hide it at all."
"Hey, you guys," a female class committee member interjected, deciding to fulfill her duties. "You just finished getting help from Hikigaya-san, and now you're turning around and gossiping about him. Isn't that a bad idea?"
"What's the big deal? We didn't say anything bad about him, and his relationship with Yukinoshita isn't a secret."
"Regardless, your behavior is impolite. Please leave the classroom quickly. Don't you have club activities to attend?"
Hearing the class committee member's words, the remaining girls knew they were in the wrong and left the classroom, planning to continue their gossip elsewhere.
Before opening the door to the Service Club, Hachiman heard some noise from inside. This wasn't normal. Usually, only Yukino would be there, waiting quietly for him. Why were there other voices?
With a sense of doubt, he opened the door. The noise in the room stopped instantly. Three pairs of eyes turned to look at him. Two of them were very familiar: Yukino and Hayato Hayama. As for the last one...
"Ah, hello! You must be Hikigaya-san, right? I'm Yuigahama Yui from Class 1-D. Hayama-san brought me here."
Hachiman thought that the girl in front of him, Yuigahama, was probably the type who lived to sing the praises of youth. Her plump thighs were exposed under her shortened skirt, two buttons of her shirt were undone, and a shining necklace hung around her neck. In short, it was an outfit that would make the student union's discipline department capitulate on the spot.
"This is my classmate, Yuigahama. She's been in some trouble recently, so she came to me," Hayama explained. "I heard she hasn't joined a club yet, so I brought her here. You guys are still one member short of becoming an official club, right?" He was absolutely correct; the Service Club had not yet been officially recognized by Hiratsuka and needed a student who genuinely wanted to join.
"But before you arrived, Yuigahama talked a lot without ever mentioning what problem she needs solved," Yukino said, looking a little tired as she rubbed her temples. She had been happy that a student had finally come to the Service Club for a consultation, but she hadn't expected Yuigahama to chat happily for over forty minutes without getting to the point. Her innate affability had made Yukino too embarrassed to interrupt, so she had just endured it silently until Hachiman arrived.
"I'm sorry, Yukinoshita-san, I accidentally said so much..." Yuigahama scratched her cheek, a little embarrassed.
Is she just an idiot? Hachiman wondered. A personality like that was bound to get into trouble at school.
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