Regular Chapter

-Next Day, Lunch-

I immediately stand up as I have been summoned once again to the SDC.

"Hikki!" Yuigahama immediately shouts.

I look at her as she runs toward me with her assets following the appropriate reaction.

"What?" I asked.

She breathes for a moment then look at me then whispers. "You know Sagamin right?"

I shake my head.

"A-ah, well." She sneakily points at the bitch who's laughing with her fake friends.

"Oh, her. What's on her?" I asked.

"She requests some help to the Service Club."

"Okay?" What's the connection of the club with me? Do you want me to do multiple tasks? if yes then I'll gladly say NO.

"Um, you see, Yukinon accepts it but she wants to do it alone…" She looks down. "…I think it's because she doesn't want us to be distracted by the request during the Cultural Festival."

"Are you Yuigahama?"

"Of course, I am!" She proudly answered.

How come she understand the reason easily?

"A-ah…" She points her finger at me. "…you're badmouthing me, aren't you?"

"It's more on praising you."

"Really?" I nod to affirm on her doubt.

"T-thanks then." She bows her head as being embarrassed which I don't know if it's from her wrong assumption or receiving a once in lifetime praise from me.

"So? What do you need from me?" I asked.

She looks at the Red Bitch. "Please help Yukinon if she needs help."

I also look at the Red Bitch. "Do you know her?"

"We're classmate last year."

"Ah, I'll do my best if there's an opportunity." I decided to do my best so it's no big deal to share a part for Yukinoshita.

Her cheerful attitude came back after hearing my answer. "I'll believe in you Hikki!"

I nod and left her together with Kawasaki and Ebina.

…

…

I finally understand why this new prison of mine is called a Committee. It's because the workload is unbearable, and we are independent of the Cultural Festival Planning Committee (CFPC).

I'm looking at the board that had been written which are too many even though the writer said it's already summarized and there are the quoted words that I don't want to see on the upper part of the board: "Not Finalized"

"Since CFPC started yesterday which is a week earlier compared to the previous Cultural Festival, the planning for each class will be held next week so we must grab this opportunity to lessen our workload." Mari announced.

Everyone nods even I am included. It's kind of refreshing for me to not reject and it's not because I'm changing but because I'm trying to do my best to lessen my upcoming workload as I'm not quite confident with my Kouhais except in programming or gaming.

Why my Kouhai? It's because Zaimokuza announced that he is the plot maker in his class while Ebina and Kawasaki had given a job as well which I just learned earlier before Sensei started the class. It's not like I care about the two girls as they'll more or less accompany Mari more than me.

Now back to the main topic, the plan for me and my team is to assist those volunteers while assuring the security and routes that will be used by our students, Kaihin Sogou and the so-called VIP in each school.

Heh, the more I learned about the problems, the more I want to slap my face on how I agreed to accept this position and what did I eat when I said that I'll do my best this time. I can just say it when there is no collaboration, right?

I peek at the hand-out plans for our team and it consists of different plans and standards that need to be met.

"As you can see, that is an initial plan that had been decided by both Student Council and had been agreed by the Kaihin Sogou's SDC Chairman and me." Mari explained.

The ignorant which us boys scanned the paper and learned the truth that this 10-pages plan is simply a summarized version.

Hohoho, I want to run. I wonder if having a sick leave will be accepted by the higher-ups.

Noticing my unwanted reaction, Mari announced some good news. "That's the plan that had been combined for both schools so if we followed the initial plan to distribute it with you boys handling the internal and us girls handling the external. I can say that around 20-30% of the full plan will be your job."

After saying those words, Mari bestows me her smile.

An ENLIGHTENMENT, the ANGEL once more falls down to give me her blessings. I need to punish this brain of mine for cursing the blessing in disguise decision of mine.

With that, our meeting is done, and everyone decided to eat here and I'm simply following the routine. Eating my home-made lunch with the combination of different varieties of meals with a minimum amount each that had been prepared by Mari.

Since it's the routine, the boys are stealing some of the foods that had been given to me. Tch, what a downgrade of my self-confidence. If this goes on, then Mari will beat me in housework.

Well, I can't blame them as she really knows how to cook. While automatically using my chopstick and grabbing another food.

*CLANK*

Why did I hear a stainless? I move my chopstick and roll around the container, but what I found is none.

I look at the container and ALAS, the food is gone.

This made me glare at the perpetrators and it's not only the boys but also the girls are eating it.

"This is good Hikitani-kun." Ebina smiles at me while eating the portion she stole.

Kawasaki nods in agreement and continues eating.

"Um, Se-Senpai, c-can we…" Yoshimi drops her chopsticks and starts fiddling her fingers while stealing a gaze at me.

"…e-eat together to-tomorrow?" She asked bashfully.

If I didn't know your circumstances, then I'll say you're hitting on me, but should I be proud that you're fighting your problem when the real reason is that you only want to satisfy your greed and gluttony?

"NO! and it's meant to everyone." I answered immediately which earned a pout and rebellion from them.

"BOO! Senpai is hogging all the good stuff." Hatano and Sagami said.

"I'm disappointed in your attitude Hachiman! You should know that trust and sharing is necessary to become a warrior." Zaimokuza said.

"Don't be like that Hikitani-kun…" Ebina said then smile in an instant. "…I think that's a good attitude if it's meant for Hayato."

"I-I see." Yoshimi pouts and shows her depressed expression which awakened my Onii-chan instinct.

"Even if you don't want, you don't have a choice as we are mandatory to attend a meeting during lunchtime." Kawasaki's explanation made others happy.

"She is right Hachiman…" Mari answered while bringing out another container and it's smaller compared to the one she gave earlier.

"…here, it's for you."

I grab the container and what enters in my vision is the same food in a lesser amount.

Her action puts a smile on my face thus it's my time to continue my meal.

This time no one disturbs my lunch since they already steal a lot earlier. I should at least appreciate their action if it isn't for the fact that the two boys are trying to control Zaimokuza's drool.

…

We still have around ten minutes before our break ends.

Everyone except me and Mari had left to help their respective classes.

Since Yours Truly is an exceptional man, I'm already invisible in most of my classmates' vision, so with or without me helping them, the treatment will be the same which is none.

I'm currently sipping the Mari's owned version of Max Coffee while looking at the letters she writes at the board.

"Why are you not helping your class?" I asked.

"It's nonsense as they are thinking of a Maid Café and a Fashion Show."

With the majority of them are girls, that's the best concept they can offer.

"Using force?"

"I'm not, and they announced that I already have a dress prepared, Yukinoshita-san is also not exempted."

"Hmmm, that will earn a lot of points from the boys, add those from Kaihin Sogou."

If they were easily pulled-it then 2-J will likely get the award this year.

"That's the main point in the first place…" She stops writing and turns around to look at me.

"…if you visit then I'll be your personal maid." I should be glad on how she smiles but her eyes are drilling right into my mind saying that if I won't show up, don't expect a peaceful life for a couple of days.

"I'll surely visit." I think my voice is being coaxed right now.

She chuckles. "Of course, and don't worry as I'll serve you a special meal that I'm practicing."

"You should say that earlier."

If she only said those words instead of her service then I won't hesitate to go and meet her, heck I'll even visit for two days.

While pondering for a moment, I heard footsteps and saw Mari smiling while walking near me. What did I do this time?

"Ara, it looks like you're saying that food is more interesting than me."

"Ha…ha…ha…" I immediately use the cells in my brain and try to find a valid reason.

"…I'm only saying that your cooking is good that it motivates me to see you more and if you ask any other boys about your appeal, they will say that it's superb!"

She continues walking and stops right in front of me. She lowered her face to meet the same level as mine. "I'm quite thankful that you love my cooking, but you only praise in my capabilities as you didn't say anything about my appeal."

"I think I said something about…"

"I'm not interested in other boys comment or praise." She said while touching my side with her fingers.

I really need to cut her fingernails.

"Of course, your looks are topnotch as well." It's not like I'm lying in the first place.

She chuckles at my praise. "Thank you, and you should learn that girls love praise from the boys they like."

"Sorry for being ignorant then."

"Don't be as I already know it, if not then my fingers would drill instantly." She took a seat on the armrest of my sofa and peeks at the paper I'm reading.

"Yukinoshita-san will be the vice-chairman of the CFPC." She said.

"Hmmm." I hummed.

"You're not surprised."

"Yuigahama told me that she accepts a request from Sagami and the most efficient way is to be by her side."

She nods at my explanation. "That would lessen the burden yesterday."

"It's not like it will lessen things for you."

And it's partly my fault as I'm the one who elected Isshiki, at least she is working hard since I gave her the reason for her to comply in accepting the position and this past few days, I felt that she is starting to like her work. Good for her.

Mari drops her body to me which forced me to fully rest on the backrest of the chair with her resting using my body.

"We won't see each other for a while except lunch break." She said.

"That's a possibility." With me doing things internally while she is doing it after school in Kaihin Sogou or here. Even if we meet, it's more on Committee work.

"But as you said yesterday, if you really work hard then it will help me a lot."

"Erk…"

She chuckles at my grimace. "By the way, there's a chance that you'll meet the beautiful woman you met when you saw the Kaihin Sogou's SDC."

"The model?" I asked.

She nods in affirmation. "She said you're interesting and wants to talk to you."

"You can handle her; I'm already being occupied by the work here."

She caresses my cheek and pinches it. "Should I be glad by your loyalty or by your laziness?"

Luckily, she is in a good mood as her pinch are meant as her habit and it's not painful at all.

"How about being positive and think of it as my loyalty." I suggest.

"Alright…" She stands up and offers her hand for me to stand. "…who'll attend the meeting later?"

"I told the Kouhais to do it as I will prepare everything here." Those two are good at listening and summarizing things since they are a programmer of games and plots are their own version of summarizing.

"Then we'll have a meeting in Kaihin Sogou later together with Sagami-san and Isshiki-san."

"I'll leave everything in your care." I said as I don't have any slight inch of faith from the Chairman.

Instead of nodding like usual, she hugs me instead. "At least compensate me from taking energy from you."

"Is hugging me helping you relax? If it's me, I'll prefer to have your food instead of hugging you."

Food is a source of energy in the first place and it's not a mere theory since it's been proven since early ages.

"Arck!" I immediately felt pain as she pinched my back.

"You didn't even learn an inch of what I taught you earlier." She said while burying her face in my chest.

"I'm being practical here-Arck!"

"Wrong." She stops pinching me, but the threat is still there.

"Is this really working?" I also hug her which is the right answer as the threat of her fingers are gone.

I nod in affirmation. "Yep, it's not-ARCK!"

"Idiot."