Sato followed Isshiki Iroha out of the classroom, heading toward the student council meeting room.
The girl walking ahead not only moved with light steps, but also hummed a cheerful tune under her breath.
"You seem pretty happy?"
Seeing this, Sato asked curiously.
"Huh? You can tell, Nohara-kun?" Isshiki Iroha looked at him with a surprised expression.
Sato replied helplessly, "My eyes aren't blind, of course I can tell. Want to share why you're so happy?"
"Eh? That's a girl's secret."
Isshiki Iroha put on a serious face, raising her slender, fair index finger to her lips in a shushing gesture, though her eyes were full of laughter.
Sato shrugged. "If you won't say, then let's just keep walking."
"Wow, you're giving up just like that? Aren't you even a little curious?"
"You're the one who said not to ask, and now you want me to ask. Girls really are complicated. Better to save myself the trouble."
"Ah, I think I know why you don't have a girlfriend now!"
"Why?"
"Figure it out yourself."
Sato: "..."
...
Meeting room.
In Japan, the student council holds considerable authority. Aside from teaching and school operations, which are handled by the school itself, the student council is responsible for organizing various activities, as well as managing discipline, clubs, and more.
Naturally, the school festival is also under the student council's responsibility.
The meeting room was filled with executive committee members selected from each class, from first-years to third-years. Long tables on both sides were neatly lined with rows of students, while those seated at the head were members of the student council.
Among them sat Manabe Nodoka, a friend of Yui (K-On), acting as the secretary.
Their eyes met briefly, and they nodded in greeting.
After taking a seat in the first-year section, Isshiki Iroha asked curiously, "Nohara, you know someone from the student council?"
"Just acquaintances, I guess. I've met her a few times because of club friends. Anyway, she seems like a very mature and serious person."
"You've only met a few times, yet you know that much?"
Isshiki Iroha looked at him suspiciously, practically saying outright that he had ulterior motives.
Sato casually explained, "You can tell just from how someone looks and acts."
Then his gaze swept across the meeting room, and soon his expression turned strange.
Hikigaya Hachiman. Why is this guy here too?
Before long, Hikigaya Hachiman, who was sitting in the second row across from him, also noticed him. The two began communicating with their eyes.
[Why are you here?]
[That's my line, you damn normie!]
Sato suddenly stood up and said to Isshiki Iroha beside him, "I saw someone I know. I'll go say hi."
Isshiki Iroha looked at him suspiciously. "Another girl?"
"A guy!"
"What, you actually have male friends?"
"Don't just ignore Kirigaya and Saiki."
Sato flicked her forehead in exasperation. As she held her head and muttered "ow, ow, ow," he walked toward the opposite side.
...
Hikigaya Hachiman looked at Sato approaching him with full vigilance.
What is this guy doing coming over all of a sudden?
He's not coming to beat me up out of embarrassment, is he?
Seeing his wary expression, Sato felt a bit speechless and said, "Why are you looking at me like that? I'm not going to steal your imouto."
Hikigaya Hachiman's eyes widened instantly. His dead-fish eyes stared at Sato in disbelief.
You haven't even met my sister, and you're already thinking that?
Clearly, he completely ignored Sato's tone and treated anyone who mentioned his imouto as an enemy.
"Don't stare so hard, it's scary. Hikigaya, why are you even here? This doesn't seem like something you'd do."
Hikigaya Hachiman replied gloomily, "I don't know either. I just took a nap, and when I woke up, it was me."
"What about you?"
He looked up and asked.
Sato's expression turned complicated. "I went to the restroom, came back, and suddenly it was me."
The two looked at each other and sighed at the same time.
They realized that only when sharing the same misfortune did they actually have something in common to talk about.
"That student over there, the meeting is about to begin."
Suddenly, a gentle voice from the head seat reminded them.
Sato glanced around and saw that almost everyone had arrived. After saying a quick apology, he returned to his seat.
As soon as he sat down, Isshiki Iroha poked him with her finger.
"Hm?"
Sato looked at her in confusion.
Isshiki Iroha rolled her eyes and subtly pointed to a figure sitting diagonally in front of him.
The figure sat upright, elegant in posture, with a cold and snow-like aura. Her slender frame and long black hair flowed down her back like a waterfall.
Yukinoshita?
Why is she here too? There really are a lot of strange things happening today.
Sato thought to himself.
But since the student council president had already begun speaking, he didn't go over to greet Yukinoshita Yukino.
"Since everyone is here, we will now begin the Cultural Festival Executive Committee meeting."
"I am the student council president, Shiromeguri Meguri."
The one who stood up at the head was the girl who had just reminded Sato. She looked very pretty, with a sweet voice, but being student council president, she was clearly no ordinary person.
"First, we'll select the head of the executive committee. Is there anyone who would like to volunteer?"
As soon as she finished speaking, the room fell silent. Everyone looked around, pretending they hadn't heard.
The head of the executive committee was a thankless job. During a time when everyone just wanted to relax and enjoy the festival, no one was willing to take it.
Once you became the head, you had to handle coordination, assignments, finances, and more. It was an overwhelming workload. If things went well, the credit went to the whole school. If something went wrong, the responsibility fell entirely on the head. Everyone wanted to have fun during these few days, not stay stuck in meetings the whole time.
"Oh my, this is…"
Shiromeguri Meguri showed a helpless smile.
Well… this situation was pretty much what she had expected.