A Request to Speak. 4

All of the boy's mouth gaped wide open in complete shock and disbelief. Tomorrow!? That's the day before Saturday! The day before Kiyoshi could go on his date with Chiyo and the date that Gakuto could get his figurine. And the boys free time in general. 

"B-But that's the day before Saturday! Surely you can't expect Matsuri-dono to accomplish that!" 

"I don't see why you're looking at me…..after all. Hitoyoshi was the one who agreed to it." She said as she glanced at Matsuri once more. 

"You didn't give me any other choices." He thought to himself. 

"In any case, your free time will be discussed tomorrow." She said as she turned around and walked over to Matsuri. The crowmaster set her hands on the boy's shoulders, making him flinch. "Don't disappoint the boys." She said with a grin. 

Matsuri bit his lips. He really did not appreciate how she was literally putting him on the spot like this. But he did dug his own grave, he's the one who agreed to this. And he will have to do this for the boys. And for himself.

"What is the meaning of this Matsuri-dono!?" Gakuto exclaimed as he looked right at Matsuri with furrowed eyes. 

"It's as she said Gakuto," Matsuri said as he looked the other way. "I'm gonna try to convince her about your guys free time for the weekend." 

"But still! You said that you would change President-dono's mind by this day. This was not part of the deal." Gakuto said with a rather frustrated tone. 

Matsuri knows that he is frustrated because his figurine is on the line here. But he had no other option left but to focus on getting their free time.

"I know Gakuto, but I…..I still want to continue with my plan."

"Right, your plan . But it's really a waste of time. There's nothing we can-"

"Gakuto," He was interrupted by Kiyoshi who remained silent for the longest. His eyes looked at Gakuto with fire in his eyes. "I think we should let Matsuri handle this."

"But Kiyoshi-dono-"

"It's fine Gakuto. Even with a small shred of hope, we still need to have faith in Matsuri." 

"Kiyoshi's right Spect-san! We need to have more faith in him! If Kiyoshi can believe he can do this, then so do I!" Etsuko said with her hands clenched into fists. 

Gakuto didn't say anything as he just sat there with a look. He wanted to continue with the breakout operation, but it looked like everything was already set in stone. In order for them to truly get their short freedom, is through a negotiation with the president herself. The teen pushed his glasses up from his nose. 

"You're right...I need more faith in you then...Matsuri-dono."

Matsuri blushed a little from their encouragement. But if he were to be honest, he felt a little overwhelmed by their words of encouragement. He feels grateful that they are relying on him to do this for them, but what if he failed. What if they don't get their free time? There were many possibilities that he thought in his mind. 

He shook his head, not wanting to think about the negative outcomes. He needed to do this for his so-called 'friends'. Or at least do this for Kiyoshi and Gakuto. 

He took a deep breath before looking at them. "I'll do this. I'll try to do this for you guys."

Kiyoshi and Gakuto nodded at him with a smile. Etsuko had a wide grin on her face as a blush luminated upon her cheeks. 

"NO SLACKING OFF OVER THERE!" Their conversation was interrupted when Meiko came walking towards the four. They all sprang their body straight up with their hands to the sides. 

As soon as she made it over towards them, she planted her hands on her hips looking straight at Kiyoshi and Gakuto. 

"YOU TWO! GET BACK TO WORK!" 

"YES MA'AM!" Kiyoshi and Gakuto scrambled over to their position to work on cleaning the waste disposal area. 

Meiko then looks over at Matsuri and Etsuko. "You two! No more conversing with the prisoners! You may converse with them only on their break. Understand!"

"Y-Yes ma'am!" The both of them said in synch. 

"Hitoyoshi." She looked at Matsuri who looked at her with a raised brow. "Mind telling me what was that between you and Madam President?" She said as she crossed her arms under her bosom. 

"Oh….w-well…..I thought about how the Madam President abolished their free time and well…..I just thought I could talk to her about maybe…..reinstating it back."

Meiko raised a brow at the boy. Musing herself at the boy with a thought. "He's willing to go far to go against Madam President's order. Impressive." 

"As bold as you make it sound, I must say it's rather pointless though." She said as she closed her eyes. "Madam President is not someone whom you can easily change their mind."

"But we won't know unless we try right." Etsuko said, both her fists raised together as she looked at Meiko. 

"I'm not saying it's not impossible. But don't get your hopes up." Meiko said as she opened her eyes at them both.

Matsuri took a moment to think about this. He has thought of the possible outcomes that could happen in the future. He really thought to himself that he would just let the boys go ahead and use the breakout operation. But he didn't want them to end up in trouble. 

He looked up at Meiko, a small fire lit in his eyes. "I have to try it, right? It was my fault for not stopping them from their peeping operation. The least I can do is be there for them."

Meiko smirked a little at the boy. "Look like you're owning up to your mistakes. Even if you fail at this…..you've tried your best." Meiko said. 

Matsuri makes a small gasp when he takes notice of something about Meiko before she turns around to walk back to her position.

The boy was too busy looking at the back of the Vice President, he swore he saw her smile. It was small, but he believed he saw one. 

"Did she...did she just smile….."

The boy slowly turned to his left and noticed a small smirk on the small female freshman. She was giving him a knowing smirk with a blush sticker planted on her cheeks. 

"W-What is it?"

"Nothing~."

"I know what you're thinking, it's nothing like that." He said with a hint of annoyance in his tone.

"Oh poor sweet naive Matsuri~," Etsuko said as she set her hand on Matsuri's shoulders, her smirk continuing to grace her lip. "You're obviously in denial."

Matsuri just pouted at his friend's implication. True, he did find her attractive, but he didn't want to see her just for her body. There was more to her than just her physical appearance. Her strong determined nature definitely goes without notice. Not only that she was incredibly hardworking as well when it comes to her duties. 

"If I'm really being honest…..I wish I knew more about her honestly."

-Woman Showers-

7:45pm

The bathroom was empty at this hour, good enough for Mari to sit alone in the shower. The raven hair teenager was washing herself in the shower. Scrubbing the sponge against her arm. 

The girl's mind was on the boy who requested to have a negotiation with her regarding the boy's free time. She wonders to herself, why was the boy to focus on giving them their free time to begin with. 

"If I recall, Hitoyoshi did come to me last month about that as well. While I said I was considering giving the boys their free time. I still doubt they will stay out of trouble." She thought a hint of venom in her tone. "It just goes to show that all men are trash...."

She stopped for a moment. Her hand stopped moving against her skin as she just sat there. The soap slid against her skin as it dropped to the floor near her foot. Her eyes narrowed forward, looking at her own reflection. Water dripped against her skin. 

"Men are all trash..." She repeated in her thought, her glare softened once more. 

Her thoughts transition to the messy brown hair boy. For a moment, her time with the boy has shown her several things about him. While he does carry some traits, more particularly his gaze at the female bodies. Whenever he is caught off-guard, he would take a glance. At least according to Meiko's report.

And her alone time with him, she can confirm one thing about Matsuri. He is incredibly reserved when it comes to being with girls. That time when she and Matsuri went shopping, she had several times to catch him in the act. Especially when they were in the changing room together. That didn't work, he just gently chastised her for her actions. 

Mari bit her lip at that memory. She felt embarrassed for what she did. If anyone caught her in that display, she would most likely not hear the end of it at school. 

Then the one memory that occurred to her. That moment when she interrogated him about his past life at his old school. His relationship with Yoshimiya. 

The girl remained in her thoughts. The fact that she killed herself over the leak of photos of her naked did not sit well with her. And the only one who knew and lived through that moment of time…..was Matsuri.

"Hitoyoshi...just what in the world are you hiding?" She thought to herself. 

"Madam President…." A familiar voice from the side of her spoke up. 

Mari eyes glanced to the left and spotted the gray-haired vice president. The young teen had her arms crossed in front of her large buxom, squeezing her arms against her sides. 

"Would you like for me to wash your back?" She asked.

Mari nodded as she turned around on her seat. Her hand now planted on her knees as she felt Meiko scrubbing her back. 

"Madam President…..are you sure about this?"

"Do you mean about the negotiation?" Mari assumed. "It is fine. Hitoyoshi can try all he wants. My mind will remain the same anyways." She said with a matter of fact tone. 

"Hmm...M-Madam President," Meiko said to grab her attention. "Don't you think…..that maybe we should just…g-give the boys their free time?"

Mari raised a brow at her statement. Was she hearing this right? Meiko actually suggested giving them a free time.

"Where did this come from?" Mari said as she looked over her shoulders at Meiko. The amazon beauty flinched under her stare. "Are you suggesting I should go along with my father's orders and give them their free time."

Meiko started to sweat on the spot. Her hand retreated back to her body, squeezing against her large breast. 

"N-No ma'am! I-I'm just saying….w…we should possibly avoid any unnecessary possibilities! That's a-all!" 

"What do you mean?"

"W-Well. Perhaps what if the boys p-performs a breakout. I-If we did not go along with the c-chairman orders. I-It is a possibility."

Mari took a moment to think about that. The idea doesn't strive too far away. The possibility of the boys making a breakout does pose a problem. Not just for the boys, but for the school.

"I see. So you believe that the boys will do something idiotic. Such as a breakout?"

"Y-Yes ma'am!" Meiko said with urgency in her tone. 

The gray-haired vice president trembled on the spot. Her face looked down towards the floor beneath her. Her sweat still soaking against her skin. 

"W-What am I saying!? I'm literally speaking against the president's authority! No doubt she will find me under suspicion of siding with those trashs!" 

"I see your concern." Mari spoke as she rose from her seat. Standing tall, her eyes looking over her shoulder towards Meiko who was still on the ground. "However, the prison is inescapable. There is no need to worry about those boys attempting an escape. And if they were to escape, I promise you a swift punishment will be necessary." 

"Y-Yes ma'am." Meiko said as she sprung up, her eyes meeting the president's. 

Mari's eyes looked forward once more. She walks over to the tub filled with water. Taking a few steps at a time. She dips her toe in first, then submerged her whole body in the water. Laying her back against the edge of the tub. Her hair free itself, hanging off to the side away from the water. Meiko joined her. 

"By the way, Madam President…..what are we going to do about Hitoyoshi?" She asked. "With the boys being released next week, his time here at the council will soon be relieved."

Mari grew a small smirk. "Not to worry…..I have been carefully considering what to do with Hitoyoshi."

"Ma'am…..pardon for my rudeness but," Meiko bit her lip before she continued. "We must be careful around Hitoyoshi. It is shown that he is rather sensitive about anything that would relate to his past life at his old school. I-I'm sure you wouldn't want to see him break down again…."

Mari looked at Meiko. "I'm aware…..that was a mistake. Which is why I've been making a consideration on this plan...I'll give the details another time."

"Yes ma'am."

Mari resumed to enjoy herself, sinking further into the water with her nose and eyes the only parts out of the water. 

"I will find out just what happened to Yoshimiya...and Hitoyoshi is the only one with the true answer." She thought to herself with a glare. "If he is lying about everything…..then I will gladly punish him... personally ."

-Prison Block-

May 6th (1 Day until Operation Breakout)

12:45pm

None of the boys had the energy or focus to play or do anything. All they just did was just sat in a circle. Each of them wore a nervous expression, almost as if they were about to break. Shingo, Andre, and Jo were thinking to themselves with serious pondering looks. 

"I really hope we get our free time." Andre said with a hopeful thought. 

"But do you really think that he will change the President's mind about our free time." Jo asked with a weak cough. 

"I doubt it," Shingo spoke out. "Come on, you've seen how he is. The dude's a wimp. I bet ya that he'll just be chewed out by the minute he gets in the office." Shingo said as he scratched the back of his head. 

"Yeah but, he did offer to do this for us." Andre said with a counter argument. "Don't you think we should at least have some faith in him."

"I don't know…..if it was one of us I wouldn't mind, but I don't, Matsuri is just a wimp."

As the three boys were talking, Kiyoshi and Gakuto were sitting near the building, their backs against the wall, sitting with their knees against their chest. Their expressions were similar to the boys as they were just sitting with a serious pondering look on their faces. 

Kiyoshi couldn't help but overhear Shingo, Andre, and Jo conversation. For some part, he felt sympathy for Matsuri, the boy was not here to hear the nonsense that was coming out of their mouth. 

"Just leave them be, Kiyoshi-dono." Gakuto spoke as he grabbed the boy's attention. "There's nothing we can do…..but to have faith in Matsuri-dono." He said as his eyes looked ahead. 

Kiyoshi noticed the tone in his voice, he looked at his hands that were curled in a fist. Trembling on the spot. The boy could take a wild guess of what was worrying the boy. He sighed to himself.

"Come on man, have some faith in Matsuri…..I'm sure he'll accomplish the goal. And we'll get our reward."

"..." Gakuto didn't say anything as he just faced forward. His expression was unreadable, all he just did was look forward.

Kiyoshi sighed to himself as his eyes looked at one of the windows that led inside the school. His thoughts went to the boy who promised that he will get their freedom unbanned, talking with the President to hope and change her mind. 

"Hope you know what you're doing, Matsuri."

-Entrance of the USC Office-

3:15pm

Matsuri stood at the front of the door that led straight into the office of the Underground Student Council. His body trembled in fear, gripping the sleeves of his jacket. Beads of sweat leaked against his face as he just looked onward at the door. Unaware of the ongoing passing by of students who were whispering to each other while looking at him with worried or skeptical look.

Matsuri could hear what they were saying as he was too busy being terrified of what awaits him near the door. But he can still hear what they were saying.

"What is he doing in front of the door of USC?"

"Hope he got in trouble? Maybe he'll be thrown in Prison?"

"Why does it look like he's scared?"

He paid no mind to them as he tried to focus on what he had to do. Matsuri had one goal and one goal only. That was to accomplish his negation with the underground president and get their free time without the need of breaking out. 

"I have to do this…..I can't let them down…..I need to do this for them, Yoshimiya…..and for myself."

He reached for the doorknob and pulled it open.