"Sajou-kun, thanks for everything today!"
"No problem. You were as adorable as ever today, Inatomi-senpai."
"Ehehe, oh, you... Stop teasing me!"
"You. If you try to seduce Yuyu, I'll kill you."
"If you want to take me down, Mita-senpai, you'll have to go through my Nee-chan first."
"Guh... That’s playing dirty!"
Is it really...?
While being promptly dismissed by Mita-senpai, I packed up my belongings. This was supposed to be the end of my quota for the day, but Shinomiya-senpai—perhaps due to her position—was still buried in post-event paperwork and hadn't returned yet. I chatted with the seniors for a bit while waiting, but honestly, there was nothing left for me to do. Maybe I should just head home?
".........Eh."
You've got to be kidding me.
I thought Mita-senpai and the others were finished as well, but I was in for a shock. To my utter astonishment, the Disciplinary Committee members—the third-years in particular—started spreading out documents across the tables. I felt a slight sense of awe at their bottomless work ethic.
"Um... you guys are still going?"
"Yes. Now we have to tally the visitor numbers, go through the surveys, and write the report. Once we've compiled it all for submission, then we're done."
Uwah, I definitely never want to join the Disciplinary Committee...
My thoughts must have leaked onto my face, because Mita-senpai poked me right in the collarbone. It hurt like hell, but I suppose I deserved it for the look I was giving them.
Still, the work they were doing didn't look particularly difficult. They had computers available; surely even I could manage some of it.
"...If there’s a spare laptop, I can help out."
"E-Eh...? No, it's fine. You've already done so much for us today."
"Do you happen to have last year’s template? I can at least handle turning these tallies into a file."
"If he’s going that far, we might as well let him, Yuyu."
"U-Um, okay..."
Even though many committee members were manually compiling documents, several computers were sitting idle. I guess that meant only a few people knew how to operate them properly. To think the experience from the part-time job I’d secretly held in middle school would actually come in handy here.
"Is this the data?"
"Eh, yeah... but are you really going to do it?"
"It’ll be over faster that way, won't it?"
"W-Well, that’s true..."
I took a laptop and sat down next to a second-year senior who was sorting through handwritten tally sheets from various middle schools. I opened a folder on the desktop, found a similar data file from the past, and took a quick glance at the organization. Then, I began tapping away at the keyboard to match the format. Man, this feeling took me back... It had been ages since I’d touched a computer for anything this business-like.
"Hoh... wait, thirteen schools attended? Are there even that many middle schools in this area?"
"This is a college prep school for this region, you know. Back when I was in middle school, the cram school I went to always ranked it second or third in the deviation score charts. The fact that it’s not number one is its own kind of charm, I guess... Ehehe."
When I voiced my surprise at the number of schools, the second-year senior replied brightly. Man, she was so approachable. I liked people like her; that slightly innocent vibe was cute.
I kept working while we chatted. The volume was higher than I’d expected, but compared to what I’d handled at my old job, this was an instant kill. I organized the numbers into a table as discussed, generated graphs following the previous format, and pasted them into a separate sheet. If I hadn't trained myself back then to increase my hourly wage, I wouldn't have even known about these features. I really had gone through hell during those days. I wanted to give my past self a pat on the back for not quitting.
It took about an hour and a half. I worked steadily, interjecting into conversations every now and then, and we finally finished after a mutual check of the completed file. Despite their initial "it’s fine, it’s fine" bravado, everyone was now slumped over their desks. They were likely savoring the sweet release of finishing their tasks.
"It’s finally over... I want something sweet..."
"Ichinose-kun..."
"Wa—that, um, Yuri-chan...?"
The desperate desires leaking from their mouths sounded genuinely pathetic. Meanwhile, there was a scene in the corner of my eye that was quite toxic to my single soul... Could you two please stop that? It’s just causing collateral damage to everyone else. It makes me want to steal a bike and ride off into the night.
"...In the end, Shinomiya-senpai didn't make it back, did she?"
"It’s even tougher for her. She’s in a meeting with teachers from all the visiting schools, and the principal is there too."
"I hope Senpai doesn't go bald from the stress."
"She’s not going to go bald."
Hearing that made me feel like finishing my work by just tapping on a keyboard was a huge blessing. Having to talk to nothing but bigwigs sounds like a nightmare... I’ll have to think very carefully about my future career.
"Is there anything else...?"
"Nothing. We’ve finished our weekday quota too. All that’s left is to dismiss. I’m sure even Rin-san will be back soon."
"Then I should give her a Nutrient Jelly as a reward."
"Are you still carrying that...? It’s way past lukewarm by now. Absolutely do not give her that."
I’d just witnessed a scene that made me lose my appetite for anything extra anyway. I wouldn't feel like drinking it unless I chilled it in a fridge first. I’ll just take it home.
Behind Mita-senpai, Inatomi-senpai was sprawled across the desk in front of a computer. She tilted her head up slightly and let out a groan—a "uuu~"—with a weary, crumpled expression. It was a very... yes, a very vulnerable-sounding voice.
"........."
"You just thought, 'I want her to sit on my lap,' didn't you?"
"! N-No? W-What are you talking about? There’s no way I’d think that! Honestly...!"
"You're flustered way too easily."
H-How did she know...? It’s not like I’d actually do it, and it’s fine just to think it! Don't look at me with such accusing eyes! Wait, ahh...!? This senior just put the other one on her own lap! Dammit! What a glorious sight!
"Hey, listen. I... I underestimated you, Sajou."
"Eh?"
While I was agonizing over my stimulated fetishes, Mita-senpai suddenly spoke up in a low murmur. Wait, what was today? A parting gift from God? She was clearly about to say something embarrassing, wasn't she?
"I mean, since Rin-san likes you so much, I was a little jealous as a fellow junior. I figured you were being favored just because you were Kaede-san's brother. But I was wrong."
"Uh... I-Is that so?"
"Yeah. How do I put it... you’re just interesting. Like, if you’re there, people just end up wanting to talk to you. And your work today was completely different from what I expected. I’m convinced."
"I-Is that right? You too, Senpai... the way you took command of the site at the end was really cool."
"Fufu, as a compliment to a girl, I'm not sure how to take that."
"Ah, no... well, you see..."
Um, I can't concentrate on the conversation, so could you please stop resting your chest on Inatomi-senpai's shoulder?
In the end, I never did cross paths with Shinomiya-senpai, and the group was dismissed by the vice-chairperson. Mita-senpai and the others left school early, as they apparently had plans with other girls from the committee. I, on the other hand, was just heading home alone, sluggishly carrying my bag. Normally, I’d feel lonely, but today had been... intense. Too much stimulation. The muggy, sweltering hallway actually felt relaxing by comparison. It felt like my normal life was finally returning.
On my way to the entrance, I passed the conference room for the Cultural Festival Executive Committee, which was adjacent to the Disciplinary Committee room. The back door happened to be open, allowing a clear view inside.
The students there were working in absolute silence, focused intently on their tasks. Seeing that they were even more serious than I’d imagined, my eyes widened. My gaze naturally drifted toward the people I knew.
"........."
The two of them were sitting side by side, exchanging silent signals as they worked. In the quiet classroom, they occasionally whispered to each other, looking perfectly in sync.
—Ah... man, they look incredible together.
Rather than jealousy, I felt a sense of genuine admiration at a scene that looked like it belonged on a magazine cover. That feeling in my chest, like my heart was being hollowed out... I suppose I was lucky I could identify that emotion immediately. I managed to sweep it away with self-restraint and let it melt into the summer heat. Look at that, I can actually handle this when I try.
"...That would be greedy."
The words escaped my lips as I reflected on my recent life. Even though it was summer vacation, a time when it’s normally hard to meet people, my days had been quite fulfilling. Not just my seniors, but even a college-aged woman was doting on me—by any objective measure, I was a lucky guy. That’s why it wasn't right to prioritize my own desires beyond reason. Looking at this any longer would just be toxic for my eyes.
My "today" was over. I would act like everything until I went to sleep never happened. It would surely lead to better dreams that way.
Once the Second-Year Syndrome struck, I lost the energy to go home, paralyzed by self-loathing and the lingering fatigue of heavy labor. I sat on a bench in the shade of the Central Courtyard, staring blankly into space. The South Wind was hot, but it felt cool and pleasant where the breeze hit the spots I’d wiped with a body sheet. I felt like I could fall asleep right there. No, no, that wouldn't do.
Looking around, I saw middle schoolers wandering about in groups, noisily observing the club activities. It was a bit embarrassing to be seen sitting here alone, so I figured it was finally time to head home.
"Ah~, my butt’s all sweaty—huh?"
As I stood up with a "heave-ho" and checked my damp rear, my mood plummeted. In that moment when I was more defenseless than I’d been in a long time, a strange sight appeared as I raised my head.
A transcendent beauty came running out from the school entrance. Her slightly wavy, reddish-brown hair swayed as she stepped out, looking around restlessly. She was alone. Normally, I’d be charging in with both hands raised to greet her. And yet, for some reason, the part of me that "didn't want to see her" stood frozen on the spot, as if holding its breath without even trying to hide.
Naturally, her wandering gaze eventually landed on me.
"Eh—?"
Wait, hang on, she’s coming this way. She has a really serious look on her face. Man, she looks cool... I might fall for her. Oh, wait, I’ve been in love with her for a long time.
I must have looked like a complete idiot. She walked up with purposeful strides, stopped a short distance away, and spoke to me with an exasperated sigh.
"—What are you doing?"
"...S-Stretching my back?"
In the summer of my first year of high school, as I lived through the peak of my youth, the very first words I uttered in my agitation were those of a total old man.