I understand.

"Sigh… Isit just me, or isshe starting to become more demanding?" muttered Masachika

to himself after school while he read the message Yuki had sent him. The student council

apparently needed to go buy some supplies, but she wouldn't be able to do it because she had

something urgent to take care of. Therefore, she asked Masachika to go in her place.

> Pretty please? You're my favorite brother in the whole wide

world ♡♡♡

"…"

He was annoyed by how obvious she was being while trying to flatter him, but he felt

too mentally drained to fight.

"Yeah, I'll go. I'll go, but…," mumbled Masachika as he simply replied, Okay.

> Hooray! You're the best! I love you sooo much ♡

"Yeah, yeah."

Masachika smirked at the barrage of heart emoji she thereupon sent him, then stuffed his

phone into his pocket and headed to the student council room. When all was said and done,

he was very softhearted when it came to his sister and couldn't say no to her. Some people

in society might even say he had a sister complex.

"Anyone here?"

After knocking on the door, Masachika stepped inside to find two people already waiting

there.

"Oh, hey. Thanks for coming to help us again."

"Don't thank me. I'm just trying to fill in for Yuki, since she asked me to."

One of the two people was Touya Kenzaki, and the other was…

"Oh my. So you're Kuze? I'm Maria Mikhailovna Kujou, Alya's older sister and the

secretary of the student council. Nice to meet you," Maria cheerfully greeted as she smiled

gently.

"Hey. Nice to finally get to meet you, too."

She was the polar opposite of her sister, thought Masachika while he gave her a small

bow.

"I was told I'd be going out to buy some supplies with you, but…?"

"Call me Masha. A friend of Alya's is a friend of mine, after all."

"Oh… Okay…"

As Maria gleefully approached him, Masachika recoiled slightly. Sh-she's so outgoing

and nice, he thought.

"You could even call me Ms. Masha if you want."

"Oh… I think I'll just call you Masha."

Masachika bashfully averted his gaze until Maria stopped right in front of him, cupped

his right hand with her hands, and gently shook his hand.

"Sounds good to me…"

Her smile and handshake could bewitch any man in the world, but when she looked at

Masachika and saw him close-up, her cheerful expression instantly disappeared. She opened

her usually heavy-lidded, almond-shaped eyes wide as she assumed a completely serious

expression.

"I-is everything okay?"

Masachika instinctively stepped back when he noticed her sudden transformation, but

he couldn't take another step away because she was tightly holding his right hand.

"Kuze… What's your first name?"

"Huh? Masachika…"

"Masa…chika…"

Her expression was so serious that it was almost frightening. Maria was staring at him so

hard that it was as if she could burn a hole through his face. A beautiful, older woman who he

had essentially just met was holding his hand while staring into his eyes. Masachika's heart

was racing with excitement, but that excitement soon turned into anxiety.

"What's wrong, Maria? You see a ghost possessing him or something?"

"Wouldn't be the first time someone has ghosted me."

"Ha-ha. Good one."

Touya gave Masachika the thumbs-up after his quick, smooth pun, and the sudden joke

caused Maria to slowly blink a few times before her usual sweet smile curled her lips once

more.

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking, 'So this is Alya's friend I keep hearing about,' and I

started daydreaming a little."

After letting go of Masachika, Maria placed a hand on her cheek while apologetically

tilting her head to the side. Then, as if to pull herself together, she clapped her hands together

and said:

"<Ready to go?>"

Masachika blinked at the sudden Russian. Of course, he understood what she'd said, but

he had been pretending to not understand Russian in front of Maria's little sister, Alisa, so

he had no choice but to play dumb.

"I'm sorry. What wasthat?" he asked, feigning a look of innocence. Maria's eyes opened

wide for a brief second, but her smile almost immediately returned.

"My apologies. I was just asking if you were ready to go."

"Oh, sure. Let's go."

"Anyway, President, we'll be back soon."

"Thanks a lot, Maria."

"My pleasure."

"I'm counting on you, too."

"I won't let you down."

They briefly bowed to Touya and left the room.

"By the way, Yuki said we needed to go buy some supplies, but she didn't exactly tell

me what."

"Mainly stuff we need to use in the student council room."

"Oh… It sounds like the situation's a little different in high school. We used to just order

everything from the manufacturers back in middle school."

"We still do that for the basic necessities, but these are things we're going to be using

every day, so ideally, we would actually enjoy them. Take tea, for instance. You would

probably want to smell it before actually buying it."

"Oh, that makes sense…which makes it even stranger that someone like me is helping,

since I'm not even in the student council."

"Then why not join the student council? Problem solved."

"I'm not interested."

"Really? That's too bad."

Maria shrugged as if she really was disappointed, causing Masachika to smirk.

"I'm good at holding bags, though, so don't be shy."

"I'm counting on you."

Being an outsider, it would probably be better to keep quiet and just carry whatever

Maria picked out instead, thought Masachika, but it wasn't that simple.

"This incense smells sooo good. Let's try them all out and see—"

"I don't think using incense in the student council room is a good idea. You should

probably stick to just using it at home."

"Oh my gosh! Look at this cat plushie. It looks just like Alya! Oh, I know! How about

we get a plushie that resembles each member of the student council and then decorate the

room with them?"

"It'd look like a gift shop! There's no way the president's going to feel comfortable in

a room like that!"

"This lion wearing glasses right here looks just like him."

"Were you even listening to me? I said— What the…?! That does look just like him!"

"Looks like we're going with the lion, then."

"Wait! Yes, it looks like him, but you can't decorate the student council room with

stuffed animals!"

"What?! Come on! ♪"

"No, you 'come on'!"

"Mmm… Fine. But I'm still going to buy the cat plushie for myself, since it's so cute."

"You can't buy it together with the rest of this! The receipts have to be separate! Alya's

the accountant. Remember? She'd be pissed!"

Masachika knew it was going to be bad the moment they stepped into a variety store, but

it was even worse than he thought it would be. She wasfar more free-spirited and spontaneous

than he could have ever imagined. Maria was darting her eyes all around the shop while

selecting things inappropriate for the student council room, and she wasn't joking around.

Masachika was too busy correcting her and guiding her in the right direction to even worry

about his original plan of keeping quiet and carrying whatever they bought.

It's hopeless. Is she always this way? Because I don't see how Alya deals with this every

day.

They somehow managed to only purchase the bare necessities, but by the time they

started heading to their final destination, the tea shop, Masachika was already exhausted. He

fulfilled his role of holding the bags and glanced down at Maria, who was holding on to the

cat plushie as she walked. Even a grade schooler would have a difficult time getting away

with walking around town while holding a stuffed animal, but it didn't seem that strange

when Maria did it, for some reason.

I'm sure most people passing by are probably thinking, I wish I were that cat, so I guess

that's part of the reason why.

Masachika thought that as he gazed at the two melons crushing the plushie's head from

behind…when he suddenly imagined Alisa glaring at him as if he were garbage, and he

flinched.

Come on. Give me a break. What kind of guy wouldn't stare at ones as incredible as

these? We can't help it. That's the sad nature of man.

He apologized to Alisa in his head.

"Kuze, we're here."

"Oh! Sorry!"

"…? Is everything okay?"

"No— I mean—yes! It's nothing."

Although Maria curiously tilted her head, she didn't pry and instead promptly walked

inside the tea shop.

"Hey, Masha? Maybe I should hold that for you."

"Oh, thanks. I'm counting on you to take good care of Mewlisa for me, okay?"

"M-Mewlisa…"

His cheek twitched at the incredible name given to the plushie while he gently took it

out of her arms.

Great… Now I look like a creep!

People might nervously laugh if they saw a high school girl holding a stuffed animal,

but a high school boy? They would intentionally try to avoid eye contact while keeping a

straight face. And yet…

"Oh my! You look so cute!"

"You need to get your eyes checked."

Maria mirthfully smiled as if something had tugged at her heartstrings, and she swiftly

pulled out her smartphone to take a picture.

"Say cheese."

"I'm not letting you take a picture."

"Oh, come on. Please?"

Masachika held one of their shopping bags in front of the camera's lens. He was no

longer hesitating to treat her as an equal and tell her exactly what was on his mind.

"Didn't we come here to look at tea?"

"Oh yeah! …Hey, it's the owner! Long time no see!"

After managing to avoid having his picture taken, Masachika waited in the corner of

the room as he watched her. Maria seemed to be a regular here. She talked with the elderly

owner while smelling various types of tea.

"What do you think I should get?"

"I don't really know anything about tea. Plus, it's not like I'm going to be drinking any."

Maria asked for feedback, perhaps worried that he was bored, but Masachika politely

declined.

I'm sure Yuki would have been able to help, though.

A young gentlewoman of the Suou household would surely be knowledgeable about tea

brands. While thinking that, a female clerk suddenly came walking out from the back of the

shop with paper cups of tea on a tray. It appeared it was time to taste the tea that Maria was

curious about.

"Mm-hmm! This is delicious. Kuze, you have to try this."

She affectionately smiled with a paper cup touching her lips while waving Masachika

over. There was only one thing that came to his mind, though.

A-am I about to have an indirect kissing scene?!

These were the types of events in games where an oblivious girl casually handed the

protagonist a water bottle or cup she was drinking from, but most rom-com protagonists'

embarrassment would be rewarded with this fleeting moment of happiness!

I'm not like them, though.

Acting embarrassed meant defeat. Thinking too hard about it meant defeat. Masachika

was well aware of that. He had to be cool about it. He had to look like a badass!

"All right…"

After placing the bags on the floor, he suavely walked (in his mind) over to Maria, and—

"And here's a cup for you, sir."

"Thanks."

—the female clerk handed him his own cup, which he accepted with a smile. They'd

apparently prepared enough tea for both of them. What a thoughtful, generous tea shop…but

unfortunately, Masachika wasn't exactly thrilled.

Gaaaaaaaaah! How embarrassing! I'm such a loser! Ahhh!

While he may have been wearing a smile while taking a sip of his tea, he was internally

screaming in agony.

"It tastes good, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, this is seriously good."

"Right?"

"Yep."

He may have been acting like nothing was wrong, but he was still inwardly writhing

with despair. It was a prime example of a nerd who couldn't tell 2D and real life apart. A

sad reality for some.

"Oh, you're back. I really appreciate— Whoa. That's a lot of stuff."

Touya, who was doing paperwork in the student council room, saw Maria holding a

stuffed animal and smirked.

"Isn't it adorable?"

"Yeah, it's cute, but you're not going to decorate the room with it, right?"

"Can I?"

"Please don't."

"Hey, where should I put all this stuff?" asked Masachika, holding the shopping bags

into the air. Touya stood from his chair and took a look inside them.

"So let's see what you bought… Yep, plain ol' supplies. Good work, Kuze. I don't even

want to imagine what would've happened if I let Maria go shopping all by herself…"

"The student council room would have looked like some sort of theme-park gift shop.

"…Thank you. I really appreciate what you did."

Touya solemnly patted Masachika on the shoulder after seeing Maria hugging the cat

plushie, as if he had a good idea what would have happened.

"So? What do you say, Kuze? Change your mind about joining the student council?"

"No, but…I don't mind helping every once in a while."

"Then why not register at the very least? It could be in name only. We're not going to

force you, but what do you have to lose?"

"Oh, you agree, Maria?"

"I couldn't become a member in name only. By the way, I get why Yuki wants me to

join, but what would the president want with me?" Masachika asked skeptically, but Touya

simply rubbed his chin as if he was the confused one.

"Hmm… I'm actually curious as to why you don't want to join. I find it hard to believe

the taxing work is the only thing keeping you from it."

"…Because I don't deserve to be a member."

Masachika had neither a strong desire for the position nor the drive to take on the

responsibility that came along with it, so he believed he didn't deserve it. A shadow clouded

Masachika's forced smile, but Touya simply raised a curious eyebrow and tilted his head.

"I don't think that at all. If anything, you proved you could do it when you were the vice

president in middle school."

"I know I'm not right for the job because of my experience. Besides, the only reason I

became vice president in the first place was because Yuki asked me to… It wasn't like I took

on the responsibility because there was something I wanted to do."

"And? What's wrong with that?"

"Huh?"

Masachika lifted his head, taken aback by the tone of Touya's voice. Touya then grinned,

puffed out his chest, and continued:

"I only became the president of the student council because I wanted a girl to like me.

If you think you joined for all the wrong reasons, then I've got you beat! Ha-ha-ha!"

"W-wait. Seriously?"

He was caught off guard by how Touya could say something like that with such

confidence, and his eyes opened wide. Touya tapped his smartphone a couple of times, then

showed him a picture he had saved.

"Check it out."

"…? Uh… Is this your little brother?"

"That's me during my third year of middle school."

"What?!"

The boy in the picture could not look any more different from Touya. To be blunt, he

was a very plump, nerdy-looking kid. His hair was a mess, his glasses were far from stylish,

and his face was covered in acne. It didn't help that he was as tall as he was wide and was

sheepishly hunching over. There was the slightest trace of this boy in the Touya whom

Masachika knew.

"As you can see, I was your stereotypical loser two years ago. My grades weren't good,

and I wasn't athletic, either. To be honest, I didn't even like school itself that much, but I

ended up falling in love with a girl way out of my league: one of the two beauties of Seiren

Academy."

"Wait. Do you mean…?"

"Yep, the vice president, Chisaki Sarashina."

Basically, everyone at school knew that the president and vice president were dating.

Even Masachika, who had absolutely no interest in gossip, had a rough idea. But he always

thought it was simply two elite students at the top of the school caste dating. Never did he

imagine that an underdog at the bottom of the school caste managed to pull off an upset win.

"After that, I worked my ass off to become someone good enough for her. Becoming

president was nothing more than the first step to achieve that goal. I did it all for myself. Still

think your motive was impure?"

"Ha-ha-ha… I see what you mean."

Masachika could only laugh at how proudly Touya admitted that. He had no idea what

to say.

"So who cares what your reason for joining is? Even Maria here only joined because

Chisaki asked her to."

"Really?"

"Yep. I had been interested in it before, though," admitted Maria with an attractive smile.

Her expression became slightly more serious as she gently added:

"I don't think that motives matter as long as you produce results. Whether you join for

love or friendship is up to you. All you need to do is work hard for your fellow students."

"Really…?"

"Of course. If it were any other way, that'd mean that politicians had to be saints to run

for their positions, and, well…"

"Ha-ha-ha. You've got a point." Masachika laughed awkwardly.

"She's right. It doesn't matter why you joined. You and Yuki achieved outstanding

results, and there's absolutely no reason why you should feel embarrassed or guilty about

that," chimed in Touya. Those words strongly resonated with Masachika. He had always felt

guilty deep down inside. No matter what he achieved, he alwaysfelt there wassomeone better

for the job, and that thought haunted him. The guilt of stealing that position from someone

had cast a shadow over his heart. People could praise someone for every little thing they

did, but it would be meaningless if they never acknowledged it themselves. Glory would feel

empty without self-respect. But Masachika was finally able to give his past self some credit

thanks to Touya and Maria.

"Maybe you only want to join the student council to help someone else become

president? Do it. Chisaki, Maria, and I welcome you with open arms, and I'm not going to

let anyone stop you," vowed Touya as he proudly, fearlessly smirked, and Masachika almost

wanted to cry. Was it the happiness of feeling like he had been forgiven for his past? Or was

he simply being drawn toward Touya's radiant glow?

"…I'll think about it."

"Great. Take your time. Think about it long and hard. That's a privilege of being young."

"You're still young, too, President. ♪ You honestly don't look like you're still in high

school, though."

"Ha-ha-ha! I get that a lot! Someone even mistook me for a college student the other

day!"

Masachika couldn't help but crack a small smile as he watched his kindhearted

schoolmates laugh cheerfully.

Joining in order to help someone become the next president…

He ruminated on Touya's words until someone naturally came to mind. He was

surprised, though, because that person wasn't Yuki…

"By the way, where's Alya?" asked Masachika, looking around the room. Although it

was a rather sudden change of topic, Touya didn't seem to be bothered as he replied:

"Oh, she's acting as an arbitrator for a bit of trouble between two of the sports clubs…

She's taking a lot longer than I thought she would, though."

"'Trouble'? Do you mean…?"

"Don't worry. There wasn't a fight. A physical one, at least."

Apparently, the soccer club and the baseball club were having an argument about who

had the right to use the schoolyard, since they both went there for practice. Around this

time every year, the baseball club would be practicing in the schoolyard frequently for their

upcoming games. However, the soccer club spoke out this year. They had matches to prepare

for as well, so they asked the baseball club to hand over their schoolyard rights.

"The baseball club argued that this was how things have been every year, while the

soccer club argued that it didn't make sense for them to get special treatment, since their

performance hasn't been particularly strong. The soccer club has, in fact, been very successful

this past year. Meanwhile, the baseball team has been losing members and shrinking these

past few years. So I can see where they're coming from. It's going to be hard to find common

ground."

"So Alya went to see if she could help them work things out?"

"Yeah. Usually, when there's trouble between two clubs, Chisaki's the one who handles

things, but she had something important to take care of at the kendo club today, so she

couldn't make it. I figured this would be good experience for Alisa, but it looks like she's

having a hard time."

Touya looked at the clock, then outside the window at the clubhouse.

"Should we be worried?"

"Hmm? Well, I'm sure things will get pretty heated, but it's not going to turn into an allout brawl or anything." Touya shrugged. Maria was showing no signs of worrying, either,

as she organized the supplies they had just bought. However, Masachika couldn't help but

think back to when Alisa got into an argument with that intoxicated businessman, making

him feel uneasy.

"Anyway, I should get going."

"All right. Take care."

"Thanks a lot for helping me shop today. I promise I'll make it up to you."

"I'm looking forward to it."

Although distracted, Masachika said his good-byes and left the student council room.

"I should go make sure it hasn't gotten physical," he muttered to himself before setting

out not for the school entrance, but for the clubhouse.

"Yeah, bro! I get that you do this every year, but they're just local, friendly matches,

right? We're practicing for this year's tournament! It's very important!"

"These matches are important to us because they're friendly! We're building

relationships with other schools. You guys are being unreasonable!"

The soccer team's clubroom was on the verge of exploding as they argued with around

a dozen older students from the baseball team. Neither group was planning on backing down

as they glared daggers at each other.

"Let's all calm down. Criticizing each other isn't going to get us anywhere."

Alisa tried to mediate for the umpteenth time, but it didn't seem to be working. She

had prepared a new practice spot, a riverbed near school, to use in the negotiation, but now

they were arguing about who would use the schoolyard and who would use the riverbed.

They were talking in circles at this point, and now half the conversation was essentially them

hurling insults at each other. Alisa tried her best to find a point of compromise, but the two

groups were far too heated up to even listen.

"Listen, the soccer team has way more members! It would be easier for you guys to take

the riverbed!"

"You get a bigger budget because of that, though! And now you're trying to bully us so

you can steal the only thing we have left? The place where we practice?"

"Okay, okay! Relax!"

Alisa was trying to calm them down, but she was getting close to her breaking point. No

matter how tough she was, being surrounded by a bunch of older, athletic guys wasterrifying.

It didn't help that they were ignoring her proposals and insulting each other. And if they

started hurling those insults at her? Even Alisa would mentally break. She managed to hold

it together because of her strong sense of responsibility and stubbornness, but even then, she

was reaching her limit.

Nobody's listening to me. I guess I really can't…

She couldn't reach them emotionally. Alisa always had a faint feeling that she didn't

have what it took. She'd always look down on others, thinking they wouldn't be able to keep

up with her, and she refused to try to understand or compromise with them.

And these were the consequences. Who would listen to someone like that? How would

someone who only arrogantly forced their reasoning on others without considering how they

felt ever be able to connect with others?

I'm all alone…

That fact chilled her heart like poison.

It wasn't anything she wasn't prepared for, though. Alisa was the one who chose this

way of life. It was because she only viewed others as rivals and lived her life as if it was a

competition that she couldn't lose. These were the consequences of her decisions.

I know that… I know that, but…!

But…!

"<Help… >"

But no one here would be able to understand her feeble cry in Russian. She couldn't

throw away her pride and run away. She couldn't cry. She couldn't even ask for help. That's

why you're always going to be alone, she thought. And while she truly believed that, she

strained her trembling voice and said:

"<Somebody…please help me…>"

That weak, pathetic murmur was an SOS—a desperate cry for help that took everything

she had to make. They were the words of a lonely girl who knew they would simply be

drowned out by the angry insults being hurled around the room…or so she thought.

Rattle!

Everyone looked over as the door suddenly slid open. Standing at the entrance was your

ordinary male student. The color of his tie made it clear he was a first-year, and he had

an average build, making him the skinniest guy there. Yet everyone caught their breath the

instant he glared at them. They were swallowed by his aura. Even the older students from

the soccer club fell silent before his gaze. The male student boldly stepped into the room…

then gently smiled and said:

"Hey, the student council sent me to help. I'm Masachika Kuze. I'm in charge of general

affairs."

After arriving in front of the soccer team's clubroom, Masachika overheard Alisa's

solitary struggle from outside.

Alya, you're not going to solve this today.

Masachika came to this decision while hearing Alisa run out of thingsto say. Both groups

were too worked up. They needed to make a fresh start and talk at a later date after cooling

off. Someone as smart as Alisa surely understood this, but she seemed to be so anxious to

solve the task she was given that she didn't know when to call it quits.

I feel bad, but I guess this will be a good learning experience for her.

They were not going to reach an agreement at this rate. If anything, it was going to end

without a resolution, but they could discuss things again at a later date after cooling off. At

any rate, nobody wanted to hear what an outsider would have to say. Plus, saying anything

would also hurt Alisa's pride.

"You can do it, Alya."

After that brief whisper, Masachika turned on his heel when…

"<Help… >"

…he heard Alisa's faint SOS signal and froze. It was a feeble, desperate voice. It was

something he had never heard before: Alisa asking for help. Masachika's chest tightened,

and he pulled at his hair.

Dammit! Why did you have to say that?!

He should've left a few moments ago. Then he wouldn't have had to hear her say that.

What kind of sad excuse of an SOS was that? She should have just asked the president or

her sister for help if she really wanted it. But she couldn't. That's why she was always alone.

That was why…

"<Somebody…please help me… Nobody understands that I…>"

This is why I can't just abandon her. He softly muttered:

I understand

"Японял."

Masachika understood that she needed help. He understood everything, so he combed

his hair back before turning toward the door.

While most students were bewildered by this intruder's sudden appearance, a few of

them, including the club leader of the baseball team, uttered his name in surprise.

"Kuze…"

They were the ones who knew him from middle school when he had been in the student

council.

"Kuze…"

Alisa called his name. Her voice was brimming with astonishment and wonder but was

also imploring. After patting her on the back, Masachika stood in front of her as if to protect

her.

"The president gave me a brief rundown of what was going on. You're arguing about

who's going to practice in the schoolyard and who's going to use the riverbed. Is that the

gist of it?"

"That about sums it up."

"Great."

It was the captain of the baseball team, having remained silent this entire time for some

reason as the others had hurled insults, who answered Masachika's question. He turned a

gaze, half-hopeful and half-trusting, toward Masachika, who then looked at each individual

student.

"Then how about this? Considering how many members are in each club, the baseball

team should move to the riverside for practice. In return, the soccer team should send some

members to help them move," he suggested. The soccer captain was bewildered while the

baseball captain became irate.

"What?! Why do we have to get the short end of the stick?"

"Why do we have to be the ones who practice at the riverside?!"

It was only natural that they argued, but all their complaints came to a sudden end when

a certain member of the soccer club spoke up.

"If the baseball club is okay with that, then we managers would be more than willing

to help."

It was one of the female captains in the soccer club who spoke up. She was the chief

manager and extremely popular among the male club members due to her cute appearance

and dedication to the athletes.

"If she'd help, then…"

Membersin the baseball club began to warm up to the idea after her unexpected proposal,

but now the soccer club began to show reluctance.

"If they're going to let us use the schoolyard, then this is the least we can do in return."

Her words alone were enough to shut them up.

"We're fine with those conditions. How about you?" asked the leader of the baseball

club,since he could tell his club was okay with it. The leader of the soccer club subtly frowned

but nodded in response.

"It's settled, then. Just stop by the student council tomorrow to apply for permission,"

instructed Masachika, wrapping up the meeting after the problem surprisingly resolved itself.

Masachika and Alisa were making their way down the hall in the clubhouse en route

to the main building. They quietly walked without exchanging a word or even glancing in

each other's direction.

"Hey… Sorry about that," eventually said Masachika as if he couldn't bear the silence

any longer, but Alisa shot him a quizzical glance. "I guess I kind of stole your thunder by

barging in and doing all that."

"…It's fine," Alisa replied dryly before facing forward once more. Then, still gazing

straight ahead, she said, "Hey. Why did you make a proposal like that?"

"Hmm?"

"Under normal circumstances, the baseball club would have immediately shot down an

idea like that. But it looked like you almost knew that the manager would offer to help."

"Wow… I'm impressed you noticed."

"Of course I did. You were staring at her the entire time the baseball club was protesting."

She really is observant, he thought.

"What I'm about to tell you is just between you and me, okay?" exclaimed Masachika

as if he was going to disclose a secret.

"…? Sure."

"That manager…is actually going out with the leader of the baseball club."

"What?!"

Shocked, Alisa turned to look at Masachika.

"You remember how the leader of the baseball club didn't say a word the entire time

they were arguing? It's because he didn't want to say anything harsh, since his girlfriend was

in the other group. They say you can't mix business with personal affairs, and now we see

why. That's life, though."

"I had no idea…"

"Plus,she knew they were asking for way too much,so it must have been really awkward

for her. That's why I knew she'd jump in and offer to help."

"…Oh."

"The guys in the baseball club are happy that some cute girls are going to help them

practice, and the soccer club is happy since they get the schoolyard all to themselves. And

those two lovebirds are happy because they get to spend time together during practice, despite

being members of different clubs. What a perfect ending to all this!" claimed Masachika.

"I feel like the guys in the baseball club who have no idea what just happened kind of

got the short end of the stick, though," he added with a laugh, causing Alisa to crack a slight

smile as well.

"…!"

But Masachika's smirk twitched slightly when he saw a male student standing at the end

of the hallway connected to the main building.

"Were you able to work something out?"

"President…"

It was Touya, smiling and unfazed by the fact that Masachika and Alisa were together,

as if he had known this was going to happen.

"The baseball club agreed to give up the schoolyard and use the riverbed in return for the

soccer club's managers helping them with practice… Kuze was the one who worked things

out with them," explained Alisa in a detached tone.

"Really? Good work, Alisa."

But Touya didn't say any more than that. Masachika, however, glared at him with a

scornful, rebellious gaze.

"This was all part of your plan, huh?"

"Hmm? Not exactly."

"The fact that you didn't deny it and say 'What are you talking about?' shows that you

were at least somewhat expecting this to happen, though."

"Heh… You got me."

Touya raised his hands in surrender, killing Masachika's enthusiasm and causing him

to sigh.

"So? Have you made a decision?"

"…"

He knew all along that this would happen, thought Masachika as he raised a white flag.

"Well… Although I'm unworthy of the honor, I suppose I wouldn't mind taking a seat

at the student council."

"I'm glad to have you." Touya smiled while Masachika grinned bitterly, knowing he

was no match for the president's cunning. Alisa stood back and watched with a complicated

look on her face as they firmly shook hands with their contrasting smiles.