50 Hehehe, I think I found your weakness, sis

"I'm not going to accept it."

Despite Mari's harsh words, her smile remained unwavering, creating a stark contrast. She was still sitting on her chair, seemingly relishing the sight of her little sister grappling with the challenge.

"I bet I'm not the only one thinking this, am I?"

"Yeah, Meiko and Hana have brought this up a few times, but I can't just bail on my responsibilities as President of the Underground Student Council."

Following their heartfelt chat, Chiyo appeared visibly at ease, freely sharing her thoughts without hesitation.

So, she began talking about her real reason for being here. Obviously, she wouldn't admit that Kiyoshi told her to do this. She genuinely agreed with his words but was still struggling to grasp his intentions.

"You really never have a day off, even if it's Sunday, right? Come on, it's only one day."

Chiyo refused to back down, fully aware of the immense responsibilities her older sister carried as president of the Underground Student Council.

"I'm good without taking the day off. Just sleeping in a bit longer than usual feels like a break to me. Anything more would just feel like a waste."

"Imagine the mountain of work that would accumulate if I dared to take a single day off," Mari added.

Despite the frustration it caused her, Mari found this discussion to be different from her conversations with Meiko and Hana.

"Well, in that case, you'll have to do it for someone else."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Hehehe, I think I found your weakness, sis. You turned out to be bad at things like this."

Chiyo's mischievous grin just added to Mari's already growing confusion. It looks like she may have granted her little sister a bit too much freedom.

"I may be your older sister, but I'm also the President of the Underground Student Council. Giving you extra time will just get in the way of my work."

Mari quickly grew tired of her childish behavior, and her expression turned serious. This caused Chiyo to instinctively straighten her back right away.

"Meiko-senpai and Hana-senpai… don't they deserve a day off?"

"Even if they become part of the Underground Student Council, they still have the same holidays as everyone else, is what you're trying to say, right?" Chiyo continues.

Mari confessed that she had been putting in extra hours lately but never asked them to assist her or work overtime, so she was unsure what the issue was.

"Because they admire you, so they don't want to appear weak in front of you. It'sn't that obvious… They work too hard, and that will only be counterproductive."

When Mari heard that, she was dumbfounded. She vividly recalled how Meiko, who always took care of her health, got sick not once but twice within a short period of time. She also noticed that Hana, typically cheerful, seemed to be in a worse mood more frequently than usual.

Ever since the five male students arrived, I totally spaced on how much our responsibilities as the Underground Student Council have evolved.

"What's your take on this? Any suggestions?"

Now, it was Chiyo's turn to be surprised; she just said exactly what Kiyoshi had ordered, so she didn't expect to see her older sister convinced so quickly.

"You can do what a friend would normally do."

"Friend, huh? Can you be more specific?"

Mari initially thought she wasn't that close to Meiko and Hana, but she decided to go along and hear her out.

"Why not ask them to grab lunch together first and then find a nice spot? Hanging out together like that is one way to relieve stress."

Chiyo suddenly recalled something important and quickly mentioned, "For an extra special touch, try taking them one by one."

If she listens to Chiyo, she'll need to dedicate 2 days to tasks that need to be finished in one day. Mari's brows furrowed even more as she envisioned the challenging tasks ahead.

So, they ended up taking more time than planned because Mari tried to get advice from her little sister. She still wasn't willing to spend her precious time on something she wasn't familiar with.

---

Since my quick meeting with Chiyo at the Underground Student Council doors, I had a feeling that something unusual was going on.

My closeness to Mari was enough for me to have the qualifications to know that the girl was her younger sister. Even the identity of the chairman, who is Mari's father, I'm confident that only a few in this school are aware of it.

"Meiko, don't hold back in front of me. You can take whatever you want."

When I spotted Mari waiting in line at the cafeteria, I couldn't help but wonder if it was real or if I was just imagining things.

"I have a little patience to spare for you, but I can't let other people suffer because of it... how much longer are you going to make everyone wait?"

Mari's annoyed expression was too real, even in my imagination. Slowly, my senses began to return, starting with my ears catching the hustle and bustle of the cafeteria. Then, the middle-aged woman guarding the food stall slammed a spoon against an iron tray.

"Sorry, Auntie, just like always, please."

It was my first experience feeling my mouth so dry, but it made me truly believe that everything happening was indeed real. It was quite a surprise when Mari asked me to grab a meal together out of the blue.

I have eaten with her before, but Mari is always busy. She usually asks me to grab her food from the cafeteria before we head to the Underground Student Council room to eat together. Every now and then, Hana will also pop in and join the group.

That's been our routine for the last three years.

After Mari grabbed her food, it was my turn to get mine. I was puzzled by the food box that resembled a bento, so I just asked her:

"So, are we not planning on grabbing a bite to eat here?"

"This spot is packed. It's going to be a challenge to snag a table."

"I can chat with them. I bet they'd be thrilled to offer us a complimentary spot."

I always made sure to take care of everything for Mari, even if it meant sacrificing my own image. However, she cut me off abruptly, making it clear that there was no room for argument.

"If you go ahead with that, I might need some time before I'm ready to talk to you again. But for now, just stick with me. I have a great spot in mind that we can check out."