Before long, Mimori with whom I felt my affection progress was steadily advancing and the two who had chased after Street Mouryo gang but returned empty-handed, Kaede and Shizuko, all gathered beside Tsubaki, who served as a sort of landmark simply by standing there.
Shizuko rushed over and grabbed my arm in a panic. "Sensei! Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"
"Thanks for worrying. I'm completely fine."
And just as I finished speaking, Tsubaki let out a soft groan, her eyes fluttering open as she woke from her nap.
"Ah! Tsubaki-senpai, you're awake!"
Kaede, who had been about to shake her awake, greeted her, then immediately slumped in discouragement as she complained indignantly:
"Ugh. They got away again… I'm so frustrated! They said we'd settle it with a duel, but even after losing, they still refused to admit that Sensei is better than that so-called master of theirs! That's cheating!"
Shizuko muttered, "That isn't the main point, right?"
"Fumyawn… Sensei? Good morning."
The short-haired, bear-eared sleepyhead Tsubaki yawned and greeted me in her characteristically soft, syrupy voice.
"When I was patrolling the streets earlier, I thought I saw someone who looked a lot like you, Sensei… so I kept wondering if you'd come to the Cherry Blossom Festival today. The more I thought about it, the sleepier I got."
Personally, I feel the times when Tsubaki isn't sleepy are the rare ones.
"It's not morning anymore!" Shizuko quickly caught the important words. "And also, patrolling?"
Kaede put her hands proudly on her hips. "Yep! Recently we've been battling Street Mouryo gang while also patrolling the streets!"
Tsubaki added from the side, "Protecting the streets is also part of our training… it's one of the purposes of our club."
Kaede then struck a pose she probably copied from some TV show and declared loudly, "We must protect the Cherry Blossom Festival from those guys!"
Mimori nodded. Her tone was gentle, yet firm. "Everyone having fun is what makes the festival whole. But Street Mouryo gang suddenly started causing trouble everywhere. It's been a real problem for everyone."
Hearing that, Shizuko finally understood. "So that's why you went to consult the Yin-Yang Club… I had no idea the Inner Discipline Club was doing anything like this. I thought you were all just… well, a bunch of weirdos doing strange things…"
I almost lost my composure. Normally, you don't say that right in front of people.
Fortunately, the members of the Inner Discipline Club whether innocent, gentle, or broad-minded weren't the type to worry about such trivial jabs.
If they cared too much about how others saw them, they wouldn't survive as members of the Inner Discipline Club. Or perhaps it's the other way around.
I cleared my throat, giving Shizuko a subtle reminder. "Shizuko, don't forget the main issue."
"Ah... r-right, anyway!" After a moment of flustered scrambling, the poster-girl regained her composure. "So Street Mouryo gang really did appear out of nowhere to cause trouble. And if you think about it carefully… why would they do that!?"
"Hm… now that you mention it, there's a rumor."
Tsubaki recalled something. "It seems Street Mouryo gang, who used to act in total chaos, now has a commander, an employer, giving them orders. The ones we met earlier mentioned it too. That 'master' of theirs."
"An employer… as in someone paying those problem children? But why would anyone do that?"
Shizuko furrowed her brows in thought. "And judging from the reverent tone they used, it doesn't sound like it's just a simple business relationship."
Kaede raised her hand, filled with righteous fury. "I get it now! He's definitely a bad guy! Probably can't stand seeing people having fun, so he's come to ruin things! Yes! That must be it! An absolute villain! Practically the savior of evildoers! No wonder the delinquents worship him so much!"
"I'm not sure I understand Kaede's way of putting it," Mimori said, uncharacteristically showing a hint of anger, "but it really does seem someone intends to sabotage the festival."
I knew well how gentle Mimori was.
And precisely because she was so gentle, she absolutely couldn't tolerate anything that hurt everyone's enjoyment.
Mimori continued. "We don't know that person's objective yet… but instead of continuing to clash with Street Mouryo gang like this, finding the mastermind directly would be far more effective."
Everyone immediately agreed.
After all, while Street Mouryo gang's combat power was questionable, their numbers weren't. If we only defended passively without eliminating the source, we'd eventually be run ragged.
Which left only one major question.
Tsubaki posed it. "But… how do we find this 'master'?"
"The mastermind… the mastermind, huh…" Shizuko murmured, a sweet smile appearing on her face. "If it's for the sake of catching the one sabotaging the Cherry Blossom Festival… well, it breaks my heart, but we have no choice!"
The poster girl of Hyakkiyako's Hundred Nights Café clenched her small fists, eyes burning with determination.
"Let's use the simplest method. Kidnap a member of Street Mouryo gang, then torture her until she gives us the identity of that 'master'!"
Such a brutal method was surely effective.
But realistically, students usually can't go that far.
Tsubaki let out a soft gasp. "Wow. Cold-blooded."
Kaede's eyes sparkled as she praised her. "As expected of the Festival Operations Department Pres! For store profits, for festival success, she'll stop at nothing! I've heard rumors like this before. I didn't think they were true!"
…In a strange way, Kaede and Shizuko seemed to be getting along.
Mimori, the most sensible member of the club, hurried to correct her. "Kaede, that's… not really a compliment."
Shizuko, who had just completely destroyed her perfect poster-girl image in front of people she barely knew, immediately panicked and tried to explain.
"N-no, no, it's not like I'd really do that, um!"
Then she raised her voice into that practiced cutesy tone again, wearing a flawless customer-service smile. "Aww, come on∼ Shizuko is a kind-hearted poster girl∼!"
But bringing up her image now… might've been a little late.
Naturally, she also realized that, judging from the heavy awkwardness in the air and everyone's strange stares.
"…Ahhh, seriously!" Having abandoned her idol façade entirely, the poster girl threw up her hands. "Anyway! Let's go find the mastermind!"
Everyone exchanged looks, then nodded.
And so, after that, Shizuko and I led the Inner Discipline Club girls back to the Momoyo Hall to begin our strategy meeting, our goal: uncovering the true identity of that mysterious "master."