A Request to Speak 5

-USC Office-

3:20pm

Matsuri entered the room, his eyes kept forward as he closed the door behind him and stood in front of the door. His eyes looked forward at the president who stood there with her usual glare. Her hand folded on top of her legs that crossed on top of each other. She sat there with an elegant posture and added a look that would intimate anyone. 

Matsuri gulped in fear, but gripped his sleeves harder. He needed to do this.

"I-I'm here." Matsuri said with a bit of a tremble in his voice. 

Mari simply smirked. "I'm aware. Please sit." She gestured over to the unoccupied seat across from her. 

Matsuri walked over to the seat and rested upon the cushion. The boy tried his damn hardest to calm his nerves. He gripped the sleeves of his jacket with a tight grip, but he could still hear the beating of his heart pounding against his chest. His lips were quivering, cold sweat leaked against his cheeks. 

"I want to run…..I really do just want to..." His thoughts got to him as he violently shook his head. "No! Not this time! I have to do this!" 

His thoughts were interrupted when Mari offered a cup to the boy. The tea stood on the table that sat right in the middle between them. He blinked a couple of times before he looked at Mari who wore her usual glare, but it was softened. 

"I figured you were going to have another panic attack, so please….help yourself." Mari said, her early taunting tone completely absent. 

Matsuri wanted to question her strange behavior, but chose against it and grabbed the cup. He wasted no time as he brought the cup to his lip. Letting the liquid fill his throat and go down his pipe. Feeling slightly better, recovering from his previous panic. 

"Um….t-thank you Madam President." 

"You're welcome." Mari nodded. She allowed her back to rest against the back of the couch as she gave him a look. Her glare returned once more. "Now then, Hitoyoshi. I believe you wanted to negotiate about the boys free time. Correct?"

Matsuri took a breath before he set the bottle back on the table. His eyes looked at Mari's, a rare sight of a glare from the boy. "Y-Yes."

"Well then..." Mari looked straight at the boy with a glare. Her cold blue eyes looked right into Matsuri's. "Let us not dwell any longer. And get straight to the point."

"R-Right." Matsuri said as his stare intensified or at least attempted. But he was still looking straight at her.

"Now then…..why do you believe that the boys deserve free time on the weekends."

Matsuri pondered for a moment, he couldn't really tell her the real reason. Nor what the boys were going to do if they did not get their free time. 

"B-Because…..like I said before. The boys a-are performing well with their activity during their time in prison. They've been working hard on improving the school and have so far not done anything inappropriate- t-that would result in extension of their sentences."

Mari closed her eyes for a moment. Letting Matsuri's words sink in. "True….they have not. And they have been working for quite a while on improving the school grounds." She said as she looked up aimlessly. Not looking at anything in particular. It didn't take long before she returned back to her previous position. 

"However, I wouldn't say they have behaved themselves too well. There are several incidents that have happened," She said as she opened her eyes, looking at the boy. "For example, they have destroyed the shed that was once the refuse waste area. Then there was the incident in the computer room. I believe Kiyoshi pushed the computer off of the desk. Would you deem that appropriate?"

"O-Oh….those incidents...w-well no. But it's nothing too serious, maybe except for the computer. But as for the shed, they're working hard to rebuild it."

Mari looked at the boy with a raised brow. "Is that so? If they are working hard, then why does it not look anywhere near completed." She said with a rather frustrated tone. 

Matsuri flinched a little, but he remained strong. "I-It takes time. And besides, it is o-only two of them working on it. Something like that would require more people to work on it." He said. Trying to cover up why they are taking so long with the wooden shed. 

The president pondered once more. Her hand brought to her chin as she looked the other way before looking at Matsuri. "So you believe that their work could improve if they had more people helping them?"

"Ah….w-well...don't take my words for it. But that's my belief…..at least." He said as he shifted his gaze the other way. His fingers began to mess with the strands of his hair. 

"Well, I can't say I believe in your belief in work. It makes it sound like you want to go easier on the boys then punish them for their crime."

"I-I'm sorry…..true…..the boys have caused some trouble and during their first day no less," He said, slightly irritated at the boys. "But…..I'm not really the type to go far and punish them for their crime. I usually just leave that to their parents, but if not then I just leave it as it is."

Mari sat in her seat. Her arms crossed across her chest. Looking at Matsuri with a more softened glare, but that doesn't mean she will let her guard down. 

"Sorry….but punishing people, in my eyes it makes me uncomfortable." He said his gaze looked the other way. 

"...I see. Interesting."

"Hmm?"

"Nothing. Just a thought. I can understand that you're rather uncomfortable with how we are treating the boys. But let me remind you, Hitoyoshi. Those scums have still committed a crime that would of course be looked over by any other authorities." She said as she scrunched her eyes at the boy. "Boys such as those in the prison would just go out of their way and cause more trouble if we fail at correcting their behaviors. The whole point of them being in that prison is to correct them and change their ways. If that does not work, then what is the point of giving them free time to begin with or lighten on their punishments in general." 

Mari did not realize that her hand was clenching the armrest of the couch. Her eyes were twitching at the moment when she was ranting about the boys in the prison. It was not hard to miss as she did show signs of frustration or anger when she was just talking for a moment. 

Matsuri noticed her behavior as well as she was ranting about the boys. It scared him, but for the most part, he did feel sympathy for the girl. Her complete distrust in males really held strong and he could take a good guess where it came from. 

"M-Madam President…..I know how you feel and all but-"

"Do you?" She said, her cold tone reverted back. Interrupting him in his sentence. "Then why are you here now, wanting to give the boys their free time?" 

"I….I mean….i-it's against the rules, right?"

Mari exhaled some air from her nose. Calming down just a bit. "Yes. It is the rules, however those scums do not deserve such free time."

"W-What do you mean?"

"I only give free time to model prisoners." She said as she crossed her arms under her chest once more. "Those scums that are serving time in the prison are not qualified enough to be model prisoners." 

"M-Model prisoners...what the hell even is that?" Matsuri thought to himself. 

The boy didn't feel like he was going anywhere with the president, but he needed to change her mind on the boys and hopefully lift the ban on their free time. He steeled himself, ready for any worst possible outcomes. 

"Um…..i-if I may ask Madam President," He asked, grabbing her attention. "Why…..why did you abolish their free time…."

Mari raised a brow at the boy. "What do you mean? I believe I have already answered your question on that. I only give free time to model prisoners. Those who lack in work progression are qualified as model prisoners. Those scums in the prison are a perfect example." She said with a confident tone as she went back to drinking her tea. 

"....that…..sounds more like an excuse." 

Mari stopped drinking her tea and gave Matsuri a glare. The boy bit his lip a little, but remained strong, he was not about to let her get to him.

"I beg your pardon?" Mari asked as if she was offended.

".....um…..it's just that..."

"Are you accusing me ,Hitoyoshi," She said as she narrowed her eyes on the boy. "Let me remind you the position you're in isn't any better." She warned. 

Matsuri shook his head. "Please let me explain. I'm not trying to say I disagree with your term on model prisoners and all. But it's just that...I find your method and reasoning on abolishing their free time...unfair."

Mari growled under her breath. She set the tea down and looked straight at Matsuri with an intense fire in her eyes. "The boy's have caused a crime that was overlooked. I throw them in prison to punish them. And then there's you . You believe that my method is unfair ." 

"I..." Matsuri's hand clenched into a fist. He needed to keep fighting. "Y-Yes…..it is unfair."

"Then please elaborate. Just how is my method of punishment considered….. unfair ?" Mari said as she folded her hands together and rested her chin on top of them. 

"It's just that...I find it hard to believe that you abolish their free time at such quick notice and completely unannounced. All because they are lagging behind on improving the school? I'm sorry President…..but I find it hard to believe that." The fire in Matsuri's eyes burned brighter.

Mari scrunched her eyes at the boy. "What are you trying to say, Hitoyoshi?" Her tone got dangerously low. 

"I'm saying it feels like you're just venting your anger out on the boys." 

He hits a nerve.

"And just what do you mean I'm venting my anger out on the boys!?" Mari burst out loud as her hand was on the table. Standing from her seat, her eyes shooting dagger at the boy. "I say that's an accusation!"

"I'm just saying th-that it all just feels off putting. I remembered t-that you would allow up to three hours if they were on their best b-behavior. But then I heard that you suddenly abolished it without a second thought." Matsuri said, looking at the raven-hair president. 

Deep down he was trembling, but he remained strong. He can't run away from this. He refused to back down now. 

Mari however, was boiling at this point. She was literally being questioned by a boy of all things! It made her frustrated. 

"Don't you go accusing me of such things! Those scums do not deserve such light rewards."

"But-"

"Let me ask you a question Hitoyoshi," Mari stopped his sentence right there. "If I were to give them free time, would they cause trouble again?" 

".....w-well…..of course they would still try to make glance and peeks every now and then, but they won't-"

"So you agree."

"Hold on!" Matsuri stopped her there. Surprising her a bit. Matsuri exhaled through his breath, calming down a bit. "I say they will try to get a couple of peeks and glances. But I doubt they would do something such as peeping again. Their dumb, but not that dumb."

Mari pondered for a moment. That is true. Even they can't be that dumb, but her worries still linger. 

"And besides, not all of them are bad. If they were, why would Kiyoshi save a baby crow that fell from its nest." 

That caught her attention. There it was again. She remembered Chiyo saying the same thing, that Kiyoshi had rescued a baby crow that fell from its nest. 

"So…..they both saw it...." She thought to herself. 

Matsuri sighed to himself. "I…..I didn't mean to accuse you of anything, but I want you to just look into this more. The boys...they're not bad people. They're idiots, but they're not bad."

Mari looked at the boy, her glare softened somewhat. Her body fell back on her seat, exhaling steam from her mouth. She looks back at the boy who has calmed down a bit. Matsuri certainly is different from the other boys. 

"Why are you doing this?" Mari spoke, catching his attention. "Why are you truly doing this for the boys? If I recall it doesn't seem like you hold the boys highly in your favor either." 

"...I don't really." He said with a blunt tone. It is true. He doesn't hold them with such high praise. "They're just delusional idiots honestly...but….I do feel responsible for not stopping them from their operation. And it's the right thing to do...at least that's what I believe." He said with a hint of sympathy. 

Mari stared at him with a soft gaze. The fire within her has died down a bit, her worries of the boys causing trouble still lingered. But she felt somewhat…..relieved for the most part. 

Mari took a deep sigh. Regretting what she is about to say. "I don't know if I can fully trust your words, Hitoyoshi...but....I feel that you are being genuine about it."

Matsuri looked at her. His eyes wide as dinner plates. Has he truly done it? Did he really get through her? 

Mari took notice of his expression and made a small chuckle. "Yes Hitoyoshi...I will grant the boys their free time." 

"R-Really!?" 

"3 hours though. If none of them are back within those 3 hours, it will count as a breakout." She said with a warning tone. 

Matsuri lips started to tremble, but instead of sadness, it was cracking into a wide smile. Tears filled in his eyes. Threatening to break through the barrier, but he remained strong. He set both of his hands on top of the table and bowed his head, smacking his forehead against the table on accident. 

"Thank you! Thank you soo much Madam President!" He said, almost on the verge of tears. 

Mari was rather shocked by this display of expression, from a boy no less. Shaking her head with a small smile. "Please don't cry, Hitoyoshi." 

"I'm sorry." He said as he picked himself up and wiped the tears from his eyes. 

Mari got up from her seat, straightening out her skirt and pushing her hair aside. "Well then….that concludes our negation then. I shall inform the Vice President of this...you may go back to your dorm for the moment."

"Y-You sure you don't want me to come?"

Mari shook her head. "It's fine. You are excused for the day. However, with the track meet tomorrow, I would like for you to help out the Vice President, since the prisoners will be having their 3 hour day off. I would like for you to help."

Matsuri nodded in confirmation. Getting up from his seat he bowed to the President. "Thank you again, Madam President."

He said once more as he headed for the door. But before he could leave. 

"Hitoyoshi…." She spoke out, getting his attention. "Do not make me regret this." She said with a warning glare. 

Matsuri pondered for a moment before giving her an answer. "Again…..their idiots….but they're not bad." He says before he leaves through the door. Leaving Mari to her own. 

She exhaled from her nose, letting out some steam once more from her body. This negation has certainly been an experience. Her worries however still lingers, with the boys having their free time and are going to be released next week. She worries what trouble they will bring.

She walks over to the window, looking at the dozen crows that flew above the courtyard. "Those scums are bound to cause more trouble….." She said, her eyes caught one of the crows flying amongst them. 

Her thoughts go back to what Chiyo claimed. Kiyoshi saved a baby crow, even Matsuri has seen him do it as well. 

"Anyone who loves crows can't be all bad, huh?"