On the second day after the work was assigned, the Service Club welcomed an unexpected guest.
"Minami?"
Hearing the knock on the door, Yui looked up and found that the visitor was Sagami Minami. Behind her were two other girls, both of whom Yui knew but wasn't very familiar with.
"Excuse me." Sagami Minami walked into the clubroom, her gaze falling on the long table in the center of the room, scanning Yui, Yukino, Shinra, and... oops, can't remember the name.
Probably not from our class, right?
"Oh, Yui, and Yukinoshita-san and Mori-san are here too?" Sagami Minami also seemed not to have expected to meet acquaintances here.
After the meeting ended yesterday, she sought help from Shizuka-sensei. The teacher gave her a club name and told her there were people who could help her, so she appeared at the Service Club today.
"Why did you come here?"
As the only person here familiar with Sagami Minami, Yui took it upon herself to ask this question on behalf of the others.
"It's about the School Festival Executive Committee." Sagami Minami replied.
While speaking, she walked into the classroom and said in a surprised tone: "So the Service Club is your club."
"Executive Committee?" Yui looked back at Shinra and Yukino in confusion, as if asking if she came to find them.
Yukino put down the paperback book in her hand, looked at Sagami Minami with clear eyes, and said, "What can we do for you?"
Regarding the newly appointed School Festival Chairman, Yukino's attitude couldn't be called enthusiastic. Considering her usual attitude towards unfamiliar people, the Service Club members didn't find anything strange.
The only ones who might feel pressured should be Sagami Minami and her friends who didn't know Yukino.
Sagami Minami exchanged glances with her companions, then organized her words: "Sorry for disturbing you suddenly... Um, I came here actually because Shizuka-sensei recommended it. I have something to discuss with you..."
Rather than discussing, it was more like asking for help.
Shinra looked at Sagami Minami, who kept organizing her words and was so coy even when asking for help, and had absolutely no interest in her request which stayed only verbal.
As for why Shinra thought the other party's request only stayed verbal? Naturally, it was because Shinra didn't see any exclamation marks on her.
This meant that the other party's 'determination' wasn't enough, and the wish to 'become a qualified chairman' wasn't strong enough, so much so that even the lowest-level gray wish-power commission couldn't be generated.
Being so insincere made it difficult for him.
Although Shinra didn't plan to help her, he had to let her finish speaking.
"Um... Yukinoshita-san and Mori-san should have been present yesterday, so you know I became the Chairman of the School Festival Executive Committee..."
"Eh? Chairman? So amazing!" Yui exclaimed, giving her face.
Sagami Minami was interrupted by Yui's exclamation but wasn't annoyed at all. Instead, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly, seemingly satisfied with Yui's reaction.
Of course, among the four people here, only Yui reacted this way. The others weren't surprised at all.
Shinra and Yukino knew it during the meeting yesterday, while Hachiman completely didn't care who the chairman was. As long as they didn't trouble him, they were a good chairman.
Conversely, even if the other party did a good job, Hachiman would still grumble about them in private.
"Anyway, although I became the Chairman of the School Festival Executive Committee, I still don't have much confidence in myself, so I want to ask for your help." Sagami Minami said.
Shinra raised a question: "I remember Sagami-san said before that you wanted self-growth, right? If we help you, would it go against your original intention?"
Sagami Minami's expression froze, but she quickly reacted and said, "That's true, but compared to self-growth, I don't want to mess this up and cause trouble for everyone. Moreover, cooperating with others to complete the school festival activity is also a kind of growth in my opinion."
After a pause, she added, "Just as important as self-growth."
Hachiman looked at Sagami Minami, then at Shinra. Although he didn't know the situation, he more or less guessed some things through fragments of words.
Simply put, Sagami Minami took the chairman position at the executive committee meeting for the purpose of self-improvement, then found she couldn't handle the tedious work, so she wanted to find helpers.
Hmm, somehow getting a sense of déjà vu of an unscrupulous company boss taking on orders beyond the company's capabilities and then wanting to outsource.
But anyway, it has nothing to do with me. Hachiman yawned widely, changed to a less noticeable posture, and continued reading the literary novel in his hand.
Shinra didn't continue asking questions but looked at Yukino, obviously handing the decision-making power of whether to accept the commission to her.
Yukino glanced at Shinra. This seems to be the first time he handed the final decision-making power of accepting a commission to me.
"If it's just chairman matters, with Meguri-senpai and others around, it should be enough, right?" Yukino didn't rashly accept the commission. Being intelligent, she clearly sensed the loophole in the other party's words.
The responsibilities of the chairman were indeed heavy, but with an experienced senior like President Meguri around, even if she wouldn't put her main energy into this, with her help, even an ordinary person like Sagami Minami should be able to cope.
After all, although the school festival activity was big, the executive committee was only responsible for a few items. Many difficulties faced could actually find corresponding solutions from previous school festival activities.
This was obviously not the reason for Sagami Minami to ask for help.
At least, just not having enough pressure-bearing capacity couldn't convince Yukino.
"...Actually, besides the chairman's duties, I also plan to help the class."
Sagami Minami said, seemingly seeking approval, to Yui sitting in the middle: "As a member of the class, if I don't help from beginning to end, I would feel bad for them too, right?"
Hachiman, curled up aside and suppressing all his presence, felt he was being cued upon hearing this.
Obviously, Hachiman's plan was not to help the class from beginning to end. No, can't say that. By not helping, in a sense, isn't he also helping?
After all, the atmosphere with him around is never good. In that case, he might as well be self-aware and stay alone without causing trouble for the class.
Mm, that's right, that's it.
And he wasn't doing nothing. Didn't he say before? He would help Shinra handle the things the executive committee member had to do.
Looking at it this way, he contributed not only to the class but even to the school!
I'm simply too great, Hachiman thought.
Yui instinctively felt that Sagami Minami's real purpose wasn't this, but couldn't find what was wrong for a moment, so she responded very reluctantly.
"...Mm, yes."
"Right? And I myself prefer to cooperate with everyone..."
Since that's the case, then why take on the chairman's duties?
Yui wanted to question like this, but with her gentle personality, she really couldn't say such things to others. She could only remain silent while her face became increasingly ugly.
She obviously realized that rather than Sagami Minami looking for partners, it was more like asking the Service Club to clean up the mess made by her whim.
Ultimately, what Sagami Minami really wanted was never empty words like self-growth, but the title of 'School Festival Executive Committee Chairman', and using this title to have more authority and talking points in her small group.
If Yui could understand this, there was no reason Yukino couldn't.
Therefore, even the gentle Yui felt that refusing this commission was a better choice, whether for themselves or for Sagami Minami.
"Yukino-chan..." Yui opened her mouth, but the words wouldn't come out no matter what.
Because she knew that if she said it directly, she would inevitably offend Sagami Minami.
Even if she didn't interact with Sagami Minami much now, they were still classmates who saw each other often, and even friends.
Therefore, for Yui, who was used to conforming to others' ideas, offending the other party was something that required considerable courage.
Sagami Minami also noticed that Yukino hadn't spoken since just now. Her attitude was somewhat subtly concerning, so she couldn't help but secretly observe her expression.
Yukino also noticed Yui's abnormality and knew that everyone present, including Shinra, was waiting for her reply. She subconsciously glanced at Shinra, seemingly wanting to read something from his face, but unfortunately, Shinra didn't give her any hint this time.
It seemed he really intended to be a hands-off boss.
This situation gave Yukino an unsettled feeling of hanging in the air.
The girl adjusted her emotions slightly, excluding strange emotions as much as possible to ensure her judgment was accurate.
She looked at Yui's somewhat ugly face. After a little thought, Yukino asked Sagami Minami: "...You mean, I only need to provide assistance from the side, right?"
Yukino used 'I' here instead of 'we', obviously not intending to include other members of the Service Club.
The other three members noticed this. Yui looked worried, Hachiman observed Shinra's expression, while Shinra was completely unreadable.
"Mm, yes!" Hearing Yukino say this, Sagami Minami understood that the other party had actually agreed, so she nodded quite happily.
"Is that so... Then, I don't object. After all, I am also an executive committee member myself. If it's within the scope of duties, I can provide help."
She actually agreed?
Yui looked at Yukino somewhat incredulously, seemingly not expecting her to agree at all.
Then she immediately looked at Shinra and conveyed the message 'What exactly is going on' through her eyes.
Yui didn't believe that Yukino couldn't see what she could see.
Given this, why agree to Sagami Minami's commission?
Yui didn't understand.
After Sagami Minami and her friends left the classroom happily, Yui immediately leaned close to Yukino, her small face showing an expression of wanting to speak but stopping.
Yukino noticed the movement on Yui's side and gave an explanation that wasn't really an explanation.
"Actually, I plan to pause the Service Club's activities during the school festival. Originally, I planned to explain it to everyone before the club activities ended today. Calculating the time now, it seems about right."
"Since that's the case, then why..."
Yukino answered first: "That's why I used 'I' just now, instead of 'we'."
"B-But..."
Seeing Yui stumbling over her words, Yukino sighed as if helpless and switched to an irrelevant topic.
"Are you and Sagami-san friends?"
"S-Sort of? ...How should I say it... I'm actually not very good at getting along with Minami..."
"Can you become friends even if you can't get along?" Hachiman interjected.
"Mm... the situation is complicated. Oh, Hikki, don't interrupt!" Yui glared at Hachiman dissatisfiedly, then continued: "Anyway, I think Minami did very poorly this time. And us doing this isn't helping her, but harming her... At least I think so."
Although Yui's words were a bit stumbling, the core meaning was actually easy to understand. She believed Sagami Minami was wrong. If they helped her at this time, it would be encouraging her to make more mistakes.
It went against the original intention of the Service Club.
Of course, besides this, Yui felt that Sagami Minami's move had the suspicion of using Yukino, which made her feel very disgusted and uncomfortable, hence such a big reaction.
"Since you are friends, it's better not to get involved," Yukino said.
"Eh?" Hearing Yukino say this, Yui gradually figured out the flavor.
Yukino doesn't seem to plan to help Sagami Minami as she thought, but... has other arrangements?
Yui was a bit confused. She opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to say something more.
Shinra suddenly spoke up: "Yuigahama-san, there are some things better left unknown."
"Eh?" Hearing Shinra say this, Yui was completely confused.
She asked cautiously: "Yukino, you... you guys aren't planning to do something bad to Minami, are you?"
"I wonder where the 'guys' in 'you guys' comes from?" Yukino answered coolly.
Yui didn't answer, just glanced at Shinra. She said nothing, yet seemed to have said everything.
Wait, speaking of which, Yukino didn't deny doing bad things to Minami just now, did she?