As It Turns Out, Sagami Minami Gives Her All (End)

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Despite Sagami's sincerity and her willingness to work harder than the rest of them, or I should say, as expected, the volunteers were half-assing. I didn't understand well what their problem was. At first, I thought they were discouraged by Sagami's not-so-well reputation. However, they had seen how willing she was to help them. Although she could do better, she was not slacking. It should have been enough to convince them. It wasn't.

Whenever a meeting came up, they would find ways not to attend it. Suddenly, they either became devoted to their clubs or the most unfortunate people on earth. The excuses ranged from being busy with their club activities to an unexpected problem at home. Some of them might be true, but we could tell they were lying about it most of the time. Alas, we could do nothing as they were mere volunteers.

The saving grace was that most of the committee members were working hard. They would complain to Yukino and me that Sagami didn't have the knack for it but still listened to her orders. Unfortunately, their number was not enough to make the event run properly. We needed to whip the volunteers so they had to work harder. Therefore, the agenda of today's meeting was finding out the perfect way to whip them.

"If we let the situation remain this way, the event will never be realized. Even if we somehow manage to pull it off, we will be too tired to enjoy the event. We might as well not participate at all, but I believe no one wants it. We need more hands." Yukino announced.

"I suggest we cancel one of the events. Everyone already has enough on their plates. There is no need to add more to it."

"I have to agree with that. As long as we reduce their workload, I believe everyone will be more active in the activity."

"Anyway, why do we have to insist on having two special events? I am sure one is already enough given the variety of events that everyone has to participate in."

Somehow, the discussion turned into why it was just to cancel one of the events. Most of the committee members didn't support that at all, but those who did were backed up by the volunteers. Sagami didn't seem to intend to bend to their will but was still bothered. She had a frown marring her face and it was getting worse the more they spoke.

I wasn't sure what she was more upset with. It might be the fact she still couldn't reign her subordinates or that her friends, Haruka and Yukko, were not siding with her. They led the committee members who didn't agree with having two special events. They rarely spoke much but always became the ones to start the heated debate.

I couldn't understand well. They worked just as hard as the others did but didn't support Sagami's decision. Their actions and their words contradicted each other. I surmised that they wanted the voices of the people who didn't want to hold two special events to be heard. They might be trying to keep the volunteers from leaving, but if that was indeed the case, they were doing it wrong. They were just making it hard for Sagami by catering to those people.

"This case is very similar to what happened in the cultural festival and Hikigaya-san handled it splendidly," Sagami said, silencing everyone. "Therefore, I will only repeat what he said back then. I understand all of you have club activities and other things to mind, but to think that it only applies to you is arrogant. I have club activities too and so do the others. But we're still here, aren't we?"

The volunteers looked uncomfortable. On the other hand, Haruka and Yukko looked at Sagami in shock.

"We know that some of you are not even important to your clubs. Even if you quit, the dynamic of the club won't be disturbed. Why do you feel so important? I mean, you can skip your club activities once in a while for our event preparation and your club president will understand it. We are working hard so everyone can have fun, aren't we? Talking about your importance, you are more needed here than you ever are in your clubs!"

Sagami was shouting by the end of her speech. The room descended into pin-drop silence as everyone was busy gawking at her. Hiratsuka-sensei, the student council, and the committee members who had been part of the Cultural Festival Committee were the first ones to recover. They seemed to agree with her but still looked at her apprehensively. They dreaded what would happen and I understood them.

"You are asking for our help and now you are insulting us!?"

"Ungrateful!

"We didn't volunteer to get insulted! If you think you are capable, do it yourself, then!"

"Yeah, why did you sound so haughty anyway? Do you think we haven't done anything!?"

"Man, I am going to quit!"

Before the situation escalated into something we didn't want, Hiratsuka-sensei stood and shouted, "Enough! Go back to your seats." Turning to Sagami she softly said, "Sagami, while I do get your frustration, you shouldn't say those things. We need everyone's help."

"Let them be, Sensei. We don't need freeloaders," Sagami coldly replied, causing Hiratsuka-sensei to wince.

"You know what? I quit! Good luck with your special events!"

"He is right. There is no reason for us to volunteer anymore."

One by one, the volunteers were leaving. Sagami was just silently watching them. The committee members who didn't support Sagami's decision remained quiet. They would look anywhere but Sagami's direction. None of them left. They would probably have if their names weren't directly mandated by the principal to take care of the event.

At the end of the fiasco, were left with only two volunteers. They were previously like Yukko and Haruka—in disagreement with Sagami but still worked diligently—but had seemed to realize their mistakes after what Sagami had said. They might be the only people who didn't attend the meeting for real reasons. It was quite admirable that they stayed.

"Well, the meeting won't be carried out with these many people, so might as well call it a day," Hiratsuka-sensei said tiredly. "Sagami, you can…"

Bam!

The door was slid open and Sagami burst out of the room tearing. Hiratsuka-sensei massaged her forehead with a wry smile, ruining her youthful look. What a bunch of kids. Damn, I sound like an old man. I sighed before standing up and picking up my bag. Hiratsuka-sensei quirked an eyebrow, prompting me to shrug. A look of realization appeared on her face not long after, causing her to nod.

I bid farewell to Yukino and Yui and left the room. I sneakily sniffed the air, catching the familiar scent I wanted to find. It led me to the rooftop. Upon opening the door to the rooftop, I heard a girl's ugly sobbing. The girl would cough and sniff, telling me she had a lot of snot covering her face. When I was right in front of the crouching girl, she looked up and glared at me. Even in her pathetic state, she still looked defiant.

"Do you want to sneer and laugh at me now? Yes, I was trying to copy you and failed miserably. Yes, I lost your challenge. Yes, I admit I am incompetent. Yes, it was my fault that the Cultural Festival Committee almost failed! What more do you want to hear from me!?"

Sagami shouted every sentence she said. Her bottled frustration and indignation had finally broken out of her mouth. I watched silently as she spoke. My face remained neutral as I didn't find what she said funny. I did want to teach her a lesson but had never planned to humiliate her. She had learned her lesson, so there was no need to gloat about it.

"Do you need a handkerchief?" I offered.

"Fuck you!"

You took it, though. At least, say thank you.

"I like your decisiveness, but you are too reckless. The reason why I did it last time was that I had a reason for them to stay," I said as I let Sagami wipe her face. "You didn't give them a reason, so what you did only backfired. Cutting off freeloaders is also a good decision, but you first need to find their replacement. You have none, so it's a problem. Still, it doesn't mean that we can't do anything."

Sagami stood up and looked at me firmly. "I will step down as the chairwoman."

"That's not the solution, stupid," I retorted, slightly perplexed.

"I think no one will go against you if you are the chairman."

"Am I a tyrant? What are you insinuating here?"

"I am not doing a good job, so it's better to step down. The event won't proceed if we keep it this way."

"You have done well enough," I said firmly. "You committed a mistake, but that shouldn't be enough reason for you to step down. I let you run away last time because I didn't want to see Yukino suffer, but it is different now. I am not going to step up and none of my friends will suffer. You can either run away and be a coward or prove everyone wrong. Those are the only choices you have."

Sagami looked at me silently for more than a minute and then just left. I didn't bother to hear her answer and went straight home. The next morning, she led the meeting as if nothing had happened the day before. She said that we needed more volunteers and if we couldn't get any, she would pick up the job everyone couldn't finish. Nobody voiced out their discontent.

Surprisingly, no one took advantage of her sincerity.

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Honorary Mention:

Venerable Immortal Bowzr

Venerable Immortal Keksimus Rex