42 I'm sorry for causing you trouble, even though it's Sunday

I never tire of this view, no matter how many times I've seen it. The school buildings were painted in the gentle morning sunlight, giving them a warm and peaceful aura.

Because it's Sunday, the girls staying in the dorms can sleep in and don't have to wake up early like they usually do. This works well for me since I don't have to meet up with anyone. It's a convenient arrangement.

However...

"What's the deal with her taking forever?"

I've been waiting outside Meiko's door for over five minutes, but I haven't heard anything back. I was curious because Meiko, someone I knew, would always wake up early and begin her morning workout routine.

"Is she sick again?... what happened to her? Her behavior has been pretty weird lately."

I just wanted to double-check that I reached out and grabbed the door handle, giving it a twist. Noticing that the door was unlocked, I felt a bit unsure about going inside, so I decided to take a spontaneous look around.

"What on earth am I doing?" I sighed before deciding to enter Meiko's room. This wasn't my first time, after all.

Just like Meiko. Hana and I managed to snag a room in this dorm, even though I wasn't exactly thrilled about the preferential treatment we received by not having to share with roommates.

I hardly ever spend time in my room for another reason. As the chairman of the Underground Student Council, I have a ton of responsibilities on my plate. Most of my time is spent in the organization room, where I even catch some shut-eye after working late.

As soon as I stepped inside, I couldn't help but notice how dimly lit Meiko's room was. It immediately drew me in, adding an air of mystery and intrigue. I had just kicked off my shoes when my feet landed on the uniform that was strewn across the floor.

"I mean, there's no way Meiko could be this lazy and careless, right?"

Right then, my ears picked up on something peculiar. Something made my steps falter, but then I recognized the sound.

Before, I came across Meiko stumbling towards her room. At first, I assumed she was simply exhausted from keeping an eye on the prisoners all night. However, it turned out that she fell ill and was bedridden for several days.

During that period, she was also in a delirious state and making those peculiar sounds as if she had truly relapsed into illness.

I don't want to come across as overly concerned. Surprisingly, I found Meiko sitting on the bed, only partially dressed. She seemed taken aback when she saw me approaching.

"I've been knocking multiple times because there's something important I need to discuss with you, so I just let myself in... and also, remember to lock your door next time."

Despite my attempt to play it cool, Meiko's expression remained shocked. Based on what I observed, she seemed tired. She's drenched in sweat as if she's been pushing herself through intense workouts. It's no surprise she's feeling under the weather.

"You sure know how to make things difficult, don't you... I'll give Hana a call to lend me a hand with tidying up this messy room."

"Hey, hold on, Mari!... I can handle the cleaning on my own, so it would be great if we could keep it between us."

"No need to put up a front with me... throwing up when you're not feeling well is completely normal and nothing to be embarrassed about."

After I mentioned that with a sense of urgency, Meiko stopped objecting and appeared much more at ease, despite being unwell, she manages to stay quite active. She went as far as grabbing a mop and some cleaner to clean up her own vomit.

As I pulled back the curtains, it hit me just how much of a mess Meiko's room was. It was even messier than I had originally thought. When Hana arrived, she noticed that some of the room had already been tidied up, so she pitched in to help organize everything.

---***---

"I'm sorry for causing you trouble, even though it's Sunday."

"If you're genuinely sorry, it's important that you avoid repeating the same mistake. It would be quite inconvenient for me if you became ill again."

I'm not exactly sure what happened, but something seemed to change for Meiko. Before, she had a gloomy expression, but suddenly, she turned her gaze towards me excitedly. I thought I had made my intentions clear, as I had resolved to discipline her even more strictly.

'When she saw me like that, she resembled a pitiful dog.'

In moments like this, I can't help but appreciate having Hana around. With her talkative mouth, She's always got something to say, "It's true, as Mari-senpai said, But seriously, it's pretty weird that Meiko-senpai has gotten sick again.

"Taking care of the prisoners is tough. It's no surprise that Meiko-senpai is exhausted. I can't even imagine dealing with their constant nonsense," Hana added.

Now Meiko seemed to grow a bit shy, but I didn't pay it much mind and took a sip of the tea she had quickly prepared.

Now that I think about it, the way we're sitting reflects our current situation. Meiko is on the floor, looking like a defendant, while Hana is rolling around on the bed, almost like a relentless prosecutor who won't let her escape. I settled into the study chair, observing the scene with the keen eye of a judge.

"That's enough, Hana… I've got something important to talk to you two. So, listen up!"

As soon as Hana snapped awake and sat up, I carried on, "Even after taking Meiko's advice into consideration, I'm sticking to my decision."

Well, it's not only Meiko, you know. I was taken aback when Chiyo suddenly approached me with a furious expression. It was completely out of character for her, especially considering how passionately she had talked about male students and their holidays just moments before.

"Mari, come on, you must know what's going to happen if you let this go down, right?"

"I totally get it, and that's exactly why I'm eager to conduct an experiment..." I deliberately delayed my answer so I could witness Meiko and Hana's reactions.

Aside from Hana's sudden interest, what really caught my attention was Meiko's anxious expression.

"This is a great opportunity to get them out for good, but I still want to give them a chance."

So, I told them about this little test I had in mind for the prisoners. If they could resist the temptation to escape until tomorrow, I promised to give them the day off they so desperately craved.