Chapter 440: Haruno's Scheme
"Alright, now that everyone is here, we can start the meeting," Meguri said as everyone took their seats, with Haruno casually sitting in a corner next to Hachiman.
Whether intentional or not, she ended up next to Hachiman.
As the meeting began, Minami, as the chairperson, spoke first. After Yukino's demonstration earlier, she had some idea of what to ask.
"Could each group please report on their progress so far?"
"As for the Promotion Team..."
As various groups reported their progress, Haruno, seated beside Hachiman, spoke up.
"Hikigaya-kun, what do you think?"
"What do you mean by 'what do you think,' Miss Haruno?" Hachiman asked casually.
Haruno smiled faintly. "I mean, what do you think about Yukino becoming the executive committee member?"
"Oh, that. Well, I don't think it's necessarily surprising, considering you previously served as the chairperson," Hachiman shrugged.
"For Yukino, who has always been pursuing you, becoming the executive committee member is quite natural."
Haruno was surprised by how well Hachiman seemed to understand their situation.
"Hmm, Hikigaya-kun seems to know quite a bit about us sisters. I wonder what else you know," Haruno said.
"Well, who knows? I might know some things I shouldn't," Hachiman smirked mysteriously.
Hearing this, Haruno squinted her eyes.
Normally, she could read people quite well, but now she couldn't seem to see through Hachiman.
This added a hint of wariness to Haruno's thoughts, but one thing she was certain of was that her sister definitely had a deep connection with Hachiman.
By this point, each group had almost finished reporting their progress.
"Great job, everyone. Keep up the good work," Minami encouraged with a smile.
Just then, Haruno, who had been silent until now, spoke up suddenly.
"Hey, I have a suggestion. Can I share it?"
"What's your suggestion, Haruno-senpai?" Meguri, being the fan she was, immediately supported.
"I think the cultural festival should be enjoyed to the fullest. Although we're part of the executive committee, we shouldn't lose touch with our classmates. I still remember how much fun I had with my classmates back then," Haruno spoke up, seemingly out of the blue.
Although her words were addressed to everyone, her gaze rested on Minami, who was seated at the main position.
Because Haruno knew that as long as Minami, the chairperson, agreed, her plan would be halfway successful.
If everyone involved in the executive committee enjoyed themselves at the festival, Haruno's hardworking sister would undoubtedly take on all the remaining tasks to ensure that the work progressed smoothly.
Faced with such a huge workload, Yukino might hold out for a while, but eventually, she would seek help from others.
Whether she sought help from herself or from Hachiman, once Yukino asked for assistance, her plan would succeed.
After all, Haruno was somewhat of a sister-con, so how could Yukino's tendencies be lost on her?
In her eyes, Yukino was perfect in every way, except for being too stubborn.
And in order to surpass herself, Yukino had always relied solely on her own efforts, never seeking help from others.
But one person's abilities were ultimately limited. If one tried to handle everything alone, they would eventually face hardship.
So, in order to teach Yukino to ask for help, Haruno had tried various methods, but in the end, she could only prove that Yukino was indeed very capable and could handle many things on her own.
However, when Haruno saw that Minami was the chairperson today, she immediately thought of this tactic.
For Haruno, Minami was too easy to control. With just a bit of verbal persuasion, she could easily get Minami to follow her own ideas.
Sure enough, after hearing Haruno's words, Minami's eyes showed signs of wavering, and it wasn't just her; others seemed to be affected as well.
After all, no one enjoys tedious work.
If it were before, Minami would have definitely agreed without hesitation. However, recalling Hachiman's earlier words, she hesitated for a moment.
"Although that's true, it's also worth considering past experiences, but..."
At that moment, Yukino, seated in the vice-chairperson position, spoke up.
"Sagami-san, that's a misguided notion. We need to accelerate our preparation pace to ensure we have buffer time in case of any unforeseen circumstances."
"So, please don't mislead everyone, Onee-san."
"Huh? Yukino, don't be so rigid. I worked hard with my classmates back then too," Haruno interjected with a smile.
But then, Hachiman's voice echoed in the meeting room.
"I also disagree with this proposal!"
"While I agree with the sentiment of enjoying the cultural festival, we're still members of the executive committee. We need to fulfill our responsibilities and ensure the smooth execution of the festival."
Though his voice wasn't particularly loud, it resonated clearly with everyone present. Moreover, at the same time, an invisible aura seemed to emanate from Hachiman, weighing on everyone's hearts.
"Y-yes... we need to ensure the smooth running of the cultural festival," Minami hastily nodded, as if finding her backbone.
"So, sorry about this, but we can't adopt your proposal, Haruno-senpai."
Seeing this scene, Haruno squinted slightly.
As expected, Minami was easily influenced, but now she was under Hachiman's influence, not hers.
Since Minami was now under Hachiman's control, it wouldn't be appropriate for her to intervene.
It seemed she would have to come up with another plan.
With a hint of regret on her face, Haruno realized she would have to find another way.
"Oh? Well, that's a shame," Haruno responded.
Whether her regret stemmed from the failure of her plan or the rejection of her proposal, that remained unknown.
But then, Meguri once again stepped in to lighten the mood.
"Well, well, let's not get discouraged, everyone. As long as we can finish preparing for the cultural festival as quickly as possible, we'll have plenty of time to enjoy ourselves."
It must be said that Meguri's voice was quite pleasant, like a refreshing spring, soothing everyone's hearts. This must be the "Meguri Energy" that Hachiman praised in the original work.
Upon hearing this, everyone's faces brightened considerably.
Yes, as long as they completed their work ahead of schedule, they would have time to enjoy themselves.
With renewed vigor, the members of the executive committee once again busied themselves enthusiastically in the meeting room.
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