Chapter 317

Word on the street was that one non-athletic club was currently enjoying a surge in popularity surpassing even the Kendo Club.

It was the Clothing Design Club.

Why was this previously marginal club suddenly receiving such tremendous attention?

It was all thanks to Hiyori.

According to rumors, the moment Hiyori and Miho submitted their application forms to join the Clothing Design Club, a significant number of boys—not only from their Class 1-C but also from the adjacent Class B and Class D—followed suit with applications of their own.

Of course, several girls from the friend group Hiyori had formed on the first day also wanted to join.

They say worker bees naturally gather around a queen bee, but Hiyori's influence was genuinely staggering.

Not even Miyuki, Renka, or Chinami had ever commanded this level of popularity. Hiyori's bright personality and hyperactive, outgoing demeanor had to be the driving force behind it all.

Regardless, the Fashion Design Club was enjoying an unseasonal boom. However, since the vast majority were just thirsty guys trying to get close to Hiyori by any means necessary, it was safe to write them off as a passing flock of fair-weather members.

There was a limit to the number of members they could accept anyway, so once the application process ended, things would probably return to normal.

The President of the Fashion Design Club probably had quite the headache on their hands.

"Matsuda, I need you to make a quick run to the Faculty Office."

Goro approached and dropped that order on me while I was busy with my manager duties.

Having just finished oiling a shinai and placing it in storage, I looked at him in confusion.

"What for?"

"I ordered some A4 paper, but it got delivered over there."

"Is that so? Understood. Should I swipe some from the other clubs if they have any?"

Goro's lips instantly puckered at my words.

He had nearly burst out laughing.

It was funny seeing a guy with such a vicious face react like that, but it was also a little terrifying.

"Unless you want to be eating your own funeral offerings starting today, just bring ours."

"Got it."

After sharing a light joke with Goro, I grabbed my umbrella and left the Club Room.

Since I was wearing my Training Uniform, I stepped carefully to avoid splashing rainwater on the hem. Dodging puddles as I headed toward the Academy building, I folded my umbrella, feeling like the rain was about to get heavier.

As I strolled down the first-floor hallway lined with various department offices in search of the Faculty Office...

"Then... have a good day."

I spotted Miho closing the door to one of the offices after saying goodbye to someone in a sweet voice.

Was there any reason for Miho to come all the way over here?

It wasn't like she had caused any trouble... I was curious.

Turning to leave, Miho spotted me, paused, and offered a polite bow.

Approaching her with a bright smile, I spoke.

"Hey, Mitsushima."

"Hello, Matsuda sunbae-nim."

"What brings you here?"

"I came to run an errand for my homeroom teacher."

"You're in the same boat as me, then."

"Pardon?"

"I'm here on an errand too."

"Oh, really? What kind of errand?"

"The director told me to grab some A4 paper. What about you?"

"I'm submitting the list for our class's temporary representative and Vice Representative."

Unlike the hyperactive Hiyori, Miho's tone of voice was incredibly elegant and refined.

You could say she was exactly the kind of presence capable of reining in a slightly out-of-control Hiyori.

Miho definitely gave off that sort of vibe.

"By director, you mean the Kendo Club director, right?"

I nodded at her follow-up question and replied.

"Right. But did you just stop by the Faculty Office?"

"Yes."

"You submit lists at the Faculty Office? There's a separate Faculty Office in the First-Year Hallway."

"The newly appointed teachers are currently having a meeting with the existing staff over there."

"I see. Who is your class representative?"

"It's me."

"Really? You'll have a lot of annoying chores to deal with..."

"Honestly, it is exactly as annoying as you say, sunbae-nim, but being the temporary representative gives me a high chance of becoming the official one later on. It'll get me good points for my internal school records, so I actually prefer it."

"What a model student. Did you join a club?"

"I submitted an application to the Clothing Design Club."

"Together with Asahina?"

"That's right. But... since the kids in our class submitted applications in droves, it'll probably take a while for the results to come out."

I already knew that. It wasn't just your class; a ton of people from other classes had applied too.

I wondered how Miho would react if she knew this fact.

She had probably experienced things like this often in the past, so she'd likely just brush it off.

"So you decided not to do the Swimming Club or the Archery Club in the end?"

"Yes. I figured an athletic club would be too physically exhausting..."

Right. Hiyori and Miho already loved hanging out and playing around; they couldn't afford to drain all their stamina on club activities.

Anyway, the Clothing Design Club... it somehow felt like a perfect fit for Hiyori, yet simultaneously like it wasn't.

Maybe I could ask her to make some naughty cosplay outfits for Renka later on?

I entertained that hopeful thought for a moment.

"True, having to show up every day could definitely get a little tiring."

"Right? Setting aside everything else, the fact that you have to go every day felt like a bit of a burden to both Hiyori and me."

Finishing her sentence, Miho glanced down at the watch on her wrist.

Was it about time for her to go? She must have had plans to hang out with Hiyori and the rest of her friends.

Glancing at the sign reading 'Faculty Office' just a few steps away, I spoke.

"I can totally understand that. See you later. I've gotta go run my errand."

"Goodbye."

I waved, and Miho bowed at the waist in farewell.

The way her neatly trimmed brown hair slipped forward from gravity gave off a certain plain, understated charm. It suited her surprisingly well.

After parting ways with her, I stopped by the Faculty Office and grabbed the box of A4 paper.

I didn't know who had done it, but someone had fashioned a makeshift handle out of layered tape on the box.

They must have taken the rainy weather into consideration. That was some pretty impressive thoughtfulness.

Stepping outside the building, I stood under the entrance's eaves and gazed out at the completely empty athletic field.

Between the gloomy weather, the pouring rain, and the chilly wind, a dreary atmosphere blanketed the entire Academy.

This kind of atmosphere... I personally really liked it, but wasn't a romantic comedy supposed to be bright and cheery?

Did God get angry because I was harboring negative thoughts?

Entertaining such a ridiculous idea, I let out an absurd chuckle and opened my umbrella.

The next day.

Unlike yesterday, the weather was bright and sunny.

A cool breeze was blowing, lifting my spirits, so I left the classroom as soon as break time rolled around.

I was heading to the School Store while repeating the list of snacks Miyuki had asked me to buy, when something small and firm tapped my shoulder.

Wondering what it was, I turned around to find Hiyori watching me with wide, round eyes.

Now I was running into her every single day, everywhere I went.

Not that I was sick of it, of course. Anyone who could look at a face like that and think such a thing was either impotent, or an enlightened soul who had entered Buddhist priesthood, cast off all worldly desires, and achieved nirvana.

"What is it?"

"You were walking right in front of me, so I figured I'd say hi. Hello there."

That was the exact same greeting I used on Renka all the time.

Being on the receiving end made me feel a bit strange.

"Are you heading to the School Store?"

"Yeah."

"Me too. Shall we go together?"

"Sure."

Stepping right up beside me, Hiyori asked with a bright expression.

"You bumped into Miho during club activities yesterday, right?"

"Right. Now that you mention it, Mitsushima isn't with you. Where did she go?"

"She went to the Faculty Office to talk with our homeroom teacher about temporary representative stuff."

"What about your other friends?"

"They talk too much, so I sneaked away. I wanted to enjoy some peace and quiet today."

"Is that right? But aren't you the one who talks too much?"

At those words, Hiyori stopped dead in her tracks.

Her face was a picture of immense shock and deep heartbreak.

Stopping right alongside her, I continued in a dry tone.

"Quit acting."

Instantly, Hiyori flashed a cheeky grin as if she hadn't just been feigning sorrow a second ago.

"Was my acting bad~?"

Her acting was excellent. It just didn't work because I knew perfectly well that Hiyori wasn't the type to get hurt over a comment like that.

If anyone else had been on the receiving end of that expression, they probably wouldn't have known what to do with themselves.

"Whatever. If you keep playing pranks every waking moment, you'll turn into the boy who cried wolf."

"Don't you mean the girl?"

"... Forget it. What's that in your hand?"

"Jelly. Want some?"

"It's not Suichu today?"

"You get sick of it if you eat the same thing every day."

"Hand it over."

"Hand it over, he says... I'm hurt by your harsh words."

"Is that the face of someone who's hurt? Looks more like you're actively enjoying it."

"I just have a naturally smiley face, you see~..."

We would see if she could keep that up on our first night together.

Her karma was steadily piling up.

Or so I thought, but what good was imagining it every time? I needed to start thinking about actually advancing our relationship.

With that in mind, I watched Hiyori place a single piece of jelly onto my outstretched palm and lift it away again over and over, and resolved to give her a little surprise of my own today.

Tap.

She dropped the jelly onto my palm.

Timing it perfectly, I quickly and forcefully curled my fingers inward.

Hiyori's already slender and tiny hand was entirely swallowed up in my grasp.

"Oh?"

At the same time, she let out a short gasp, her eyes flying wide open.

Her expression was brimming with intrigue.

Inwardly flustered by a reaction that had completely defied my expectations, I tried my best to act calm as I snatched her jelly and tossed it into my mouth.

"The jelly's warm."

"That's because I was squeezing it tight."

"Is that right?"

"Yep... Just like you did right now, sunbae-nim."

Was that suddenly shy face of hers an act, or was it genuine?

Given the exclamation and the expression she'd shown when her hand was first grabbed, there was over a ninety-percent chance she was just messing with me right now, but that wasn't the important part.

Back at the cafe, hadn't Hiyori roughly figured out the nature of my relationship with Renka after seeing how we acted around each other?

In a situation like that, if a guy pulled some "accidental" physical contact like this, wouldn't it be normal for a girl to get flustered and try to distance herself—unless she harbored some ulterior motives of her own?

And yet, her eyes had only sparkled with interest... I started to wonder if my previous assumption had been completely off the mark.

Regardless, Hiyori certainly had a knack for throwing people off balance.

"Seems like you enjoy this sort of thing."

Unlike yesterday, I didn't back down and instead matched Hiyori's teasing. At that, she flashed her pearly white teeth in a wide grin.

"You think so?"

"Looks like it to me."

"Not at all, though?"

"Whatever you say."

I just shrugged dismissively, and Hiyori pulled out another piece of jelly.

"Want another one?"

Judging by her nonchalant reaction, it seemed she was planning to brush off what had just happened as a simple, harmless incident... But the Hiyori I'd seen so far was entirely unpredictable, so I shouldn't jump to conclusions.

"Give it here."

"Ten yen."

"Never mind, I won't eat it."

I waved my hand as if shooing away a bothersome fly, and Hiyori immediately closed the distance between us, looking indignant.

"We agreed to go to the School Store together, so how can you just shoo me away?"

"I didn't shoo you away. I was simply expressing my refusal."

"Alright. Shall we go?"

"We're already going."

"Why are you getting annoyed?"

"When did I ever..."

"No talking back."

"..."

"I'm kidding. We shouldn't let the line get too long, so let's hurry."

Swinging her arms back and forth in high spirits, Hiyori quickened her pace.

Struck dumb by Hiyori's utterly absurd and out-of-nowhere remark, I snapped back to reality and hurried after her.

Just talking to Hiyori felt like all my energy was being sucked dry. At this rate, wasn't it entirely possible she'd be the one devouring me on our first night?

No, I'd probably be completely drained from conversation before we even made it to the main event.