February's already drawing to a close... Time flies, doesn't it...
The Birth of a New Disciplinary Committee Member
Stepping into the Disciplinary Committee headquarters for the first time in ages, Tatsuya couldn't help but notice the unusual buzz. His gaze shifted to Mari, who stood against the wall.
"No meeting scheduled that I heard about?"
"Nope. Can't say I remember passing along any notice."
"Not even for the new term's opening ceremony?"
"We only do those at the start of the fiscal year."
"So this isn't a committee gathering, then?"
"Nah."
With that confirmation, Tatsuya grabbed his CAD and headed out for patrol. But after a few steps, he glanced back—and there was Mari, keeping pace at the same distance. She'd followed him, just as he had started moving.
"Something up?"
"You really ought to pay more attention to the world around you."
"I keep up with the major news."
"Not that—something closer to home. There's actually a new disciplinary member joining us."
"A welcome party?"
"Come on, Tatsuya-kun. You know better than anyone that 'unity' doesn't fit this crew."
Tatsuya did understand; the committee thrived more on divisions and rivalries than solidarity. But as the lowest-ranking member, he wasn't in a position to comment, so he replied with silence...
"That's why everyone's here—to gawk at the rare female addition. Predictable bunch, aren't they?"
"So the chairman's arrival must've stirred things up back then, too?"
"...Anyway, leaving that aside... I'd like you to look after the new arrival, Tatsuya-kun."
"...Me?"
"You."
Mari stated it flatly, leaving no room for argument. Tatsuya let out a quiet sigh.
"I have a feeling I know who it is... But as a first-year, this doesn't seem like my place to handle."
"Your guess is spot on. That's exactly why I'm asking you."
She made no effort to hide her expectations, so Tatsuya sighed again.
After giving Chiyoda Kanon, the new disciplinary member, a general rundown, Mari instructed her to tag along with Tatsuya.
"Ehh? Mari-san's not coming with us?"
Inwardly, Tatsuya rooted for Kanon. Maybe if she asked, Mari would listen. But that hope crumbled just as quickly.
"I wouldn't be much help. Anyone with shady intentions bolts the second they see my face. You, on the other hand, Tatsuya-kun—you've got the highest incident encounter rate in the committee. And the highest arrest rate to boot."
"I see."
Tatsuya was tempted to ask if the "and" was an afterthought, but he opted for silence to avoid stirring up trouble. If even Kanon's plea hadn't swayed her, his words wouldn't either. Resigned, he set off on patrol with Kanon in tow.
"There are no fixed routes for patrols."
"Oh, really?"
"I don't know what paths others take, but it seems a lot of people stick to certain ones."
"You're pretty adaptable, Shibuya-kun. I've heard about your exploits right after enrollment."
"That... well, setting it aside, disciplinary members don't usually get escorts. So, Chiyoda-senpai, that means you're highly trusted."
"Hey, don't we patrol the grounds?"
"That's mainly under the club federation's jurisdiction. We step in if issues arise, though."
"I see. But just looking around shouldn't be a problem, right?"
Perhaps because she was in the track club herself, Kanon seemed eager for the grounds. Tatsuya wondered if she was itching for trouble, but with no evidence, he reluctantly agreed to go along. At the second gymnasium, the kendo club was in practice, and they arrived just as a break hit.
"Shiba-nii, every time I see you, you've got a different girl in tow."
"Don't say weird stuff like that."
"Exactly, Kirihara-kun. Chiyoda-san's with Ikaruga-kun, you know."
"Well, yeah..."
At Sayaka's remark, Kanon flushed with genuine embarrassment, but Tatsuya was more puzzled by why the kendo club's Sayaka was here at all. He chose not to pry into Kanon's reaction.
"The chairman ordered me to accompany her."
"Huh. So that rumor checks out."
"Rumor?"
Tatsuya showed no surprise at Misato's sudden entry into the conversation. He'd sensed her presence, and with Kirihara and Sayaka there, her involvement made sense—he'd grasped their trio's dynamic by now.
"Yeah, totally. Chairman Watanabe wants Chiyoda-san to succeed her."
"That's why she's doing all the groundwork. That woman's not just flashy on the outside; she's all Takarazuka inside too."
"Hmm, Kirihara-kun. Calling me yuri is one thing, but dragging Mari-san into it? Bold move."
Kirihara hadn't meant it that way; "Takarazuka inside" was his backhanded compliment. But Kanon didn't see it like that.
"Hold up! I didn't say anything about yuri!"
"No arguments!"
Faced with Kanon—whose raw strength had top-earned whispers in her year—Kirihara panicked for real. But her magic fizzled out without activating.
"Kyaa!"
"...More effective than expected. I always thought the 'pleasure point' was just folklore."
The inherited Hashiba pressure-point technique. Tatsuya stared intently at the finger he'd jabbed into Kanon's back.
"What the hell?!"
"Chiyoda-senpai, please don't start trouble yourself as a disciplinary member."
"But!"
"No buts. If it's harassment, report it to the punitive committee later. A disciplinary member's testimony counts as evidence on its own."
"Oi?!"
Kirihara yelped as his own position suddenly turned precarious, but Tatsuya ignored him and kept lecturing Kanon.
"Is. That. Clear? Try not to go off like a powder keg in the future."
"...Fine."
Whether it was Tatsuya's scolding that got to her, Kanon deflated. As a result, Misato's mutter—"Wasn't what Shibuya-kun just did harassment too?"—went unheard by her.
"So, Chiyoda-senpai, are you filing against Kirihara-senpai?"
"Nah, I kinda lost it too this time, so I'll let it slide. Besides, I don't wanna get yelled at by Shibuya-kun again."
"What kind of reason is that...?"
Hurt by the rebuke, Kanon seemed inclined to settle it amicably. But the glint in her eyes—moisture from something beyond fear—escaped notice from Tatsuya and the other three.
Yeah... I wish this had gotten an anime adaptation...
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