"I do have one condition though."
That caught me off guard.
Kinoshita as well as I was surprised. That's why I felt something was off. How could Fuwa-senpai agree to such low ambition about joining this club?
There must have been a catch.
Kinoshita stared at her, then politely asked about the condition. For a guy who was hanging with the two of the most notorious student in this school, he had manners.
It was strange for me to say that he hung with notorious students since one of them is actually my brother.
"May I ask what is the condition?"
"Absolutely. I was a little bit disappointed in your reason to join, you had a point about the club being saved from disbandment."
Matsuoka-senpai clicked his tongue as he listened to the brutal fact Fuwa-senpai just put forward.
"But still, you are a member of the literature club. Moreover, I can see that you like reading. So, let's not make you a complete ghost member."
I, more or less, got a grasp of what Fuwa-senpai wanted to say.
Fuwa-senpai held out 3 fingers, showing the confused Kinoshita.
"The club activity lasts for about 3 hours here."
She folded two of her standing fingers.
"If you can assist us for at least 1 hour, then I will consider that you are part of the Literature Club. I'm not asking much from you, just 1 hour."
That was a reasonable offer.
Considering that his initial objective was not entirely consisted of the Literature Club, it can be a win-win situation.
"What do you say?"
He contemplated.
Kinoshita hovered his gaze to the entire member of this club, still thinking about Fuwa-senpai's proposal.
So, what is it going to be Kinoshita?
".....I can cope with that at least."
Fuwa-senpai had a subtle grin and gladly accepted Kinoshita with open arms.
"We have a new member. Welcome to the Literature Club, Kinoshita."
Kinoshita bowed and shyly thanked her.
"T-Thank you,...Fuwa-senpai. Please take good care of me."
He aimed it at Matsuoka-senpai, Oshiro-senpai and me.
Matsuoka-senpai clicked his tongue yet again, clearly not content with the addition of a new member, considering who the new member is.
Oshiro-senpai did not know how to react to this. Whether to be happy or afraid or worried, her indecisiveness overwhelmed her mind.
Not really a welcoming atmosphere here, so to speak. But, Kinoshita himself caused it to be that way.
"Um, if it's possible..."
Kinoshita had something more to say.
"Yes?" Fuwa-senpai enquired.
".....Can I start coming the day after tomorrow?"
"That's.....alright...I will bring you the club's entry form application tomorrow. What class were you in again?"
"I-It's class 1-4."
"Okay. Expect me to come over."
Kinoshita agreed to her terms as he nodded to her words.
"...T-Then, I'll excuse myself."
He bowed again as he exited the room with quick footsteps. Before any of us could reply to him, he was already out.
We all looked at each other.
Oshiro-senpai hesitantly put forward her doubts to the three of us.
"W-Was it a good.....decision to let him in our...club?"
"Of course it wasn't." Matsuoka-senpai quickly answered to Oshiro-senpai's subjective question.
Both Fuwa-senpai and Matsuoka-senpai had a little fiery stare contest before Fuwa-senpai broke eye contact.
"At least the club is not getting dissolved." She replied vaguely to Oshiro-senpai.
This was a fact, Kinoshita saved them from a big problem, no matter how you look at it.
"Well, we will just wait and see how we will collaborate with him."
"Yeah right. Collaborate. Like hell." Scornful words spat out of the angry boy's mouth.
Such animosity, how are they going to be with each other in the same room.
"Matsuoka. Instead of antagonising him, why don't you try and be friends with him? After all, he is the same as you, he likes reading." Fuwa-senpai tiredly requested.
"Why are you lumping him together with me?"
"Because I want you two to be in good terms. It's in your advantage. He has the same interest as you."
Not only Matsuoka-senpai's, but I'm sure that he has all of our interest that can be shared. He could be the link that everyone can connect to easily.
"Oh please. Let's just forget about that guy and continue with what we were doing."
"I would like to but I have to talk to Ms Nakano about our new member."
Fuwa-senpai left the club room with us three only here.
Matsuoka-senpai kept quiet after hearing her reasons. He silently went back to reading an English novel but clearly, he was not that happy about the whole event that happened recently.
Me and Oshiro-senpai stared at each other, not knowing what to do with Matsuoka's behaviour.
The club was silent as I reminisced about that boy Kinoshita. I hope Matsuoka-senpai and him will get along, probably...
....
Just after Kinoshita left the club room, he was met with Aki, who was quietly sipping apple juice by the opened window.
The corridor was almost empty since it is in the afternoon and only students who are in a club are likely in their respective club room. She stopped drinking and inquired.
"What took you so long? Was there some kind of formality that you needed to do?"
They walked through the corridor as they conversate.
"...Kind of. I'll officially be part of the club tomorrow but there was one condition that I had to follow through."
"What's that."
"I have to attend for at least 1 hour."
"....."
Aki was confused as she stared at Kinoshita.
"Weren't you supposed to be a ghost member?"
"Yeah but, I'm now a half-ghost member. I had to agree otherwise they wouldn't have accepted me."
"Still.....Are you okay with it?"
"...Maybe."
Aki had some doubts. She leaned closer and glared intensely at him.
"What? Is there something bothering you, or someone?"
She caught on to his worries. Nevertheless, he, not exactly concealed but, fended off her question.
"Nothing or no one is bothering me. It's just that I have to adapt. That's all."
"Okay then. That's easy for you, I can tell."
"Really...? I'm not sure about that"
Kinoshita felt embarrassed but he was also quite proud about what Aki blurted out.
"Well. I'll work it out eventually."
He gave a carefree grin to Aki, who then relaxed her gaze and proceeded to finish the apple juice she had bought from the vending machine.
"Where did Tenma go?" Kinoshita was curious about Tenma's whereabouts.
Aki replied nonchalantly, "He went home early. He was eager to go because of some new game he wanted to play or some crap like that."
"Heee~ Shall we go too?"
"Yea why not."
They stroll through the corridor and exited the school building while chatting frivolously.
...
(Kaburagi Temma's POV)
"Tell me more about that guy...Uhhhh.... What was his name again?."
"...Eguchi Yasuo."
"Yes. Tell me."
"Why are you suddenly interested?"
I was at a small alleyway where me and Miyamoto were both leaning against the wall.
Miyamoto was holding a cigarette between his two fingers as a little smoke rose from the end of it.
"I just want to confirm my doubts. That's all."
"You...Don't tell me you were involved with that guy's problem?"
"I can't say that I might be or might not be."
"What!?"
"Tell me, pretty please?"
He smoked out of annoyance and puffed out a large gust of smoke towards my face. Well, I got irritated by his action so I scornfully glared at him.
He ignored me.
"Were you feigning ignorance when I first brought that guy's name on the rooftop?"
"Not really. My memory is not that retentive. I mean, why should I care for strangers?"
"True, but still. The guy is not really a stranger to you if you wanted to get to know something about him."
"Can you just tell me?" Unrestlessly pressing for what I asked, Miyamoto resigned from probing more.
"Fffuu.....Fine. Eguchi Yasuo. Second-year. I'm again telling you that he goes to our school. Has no siblings. Got a girlfriend at the end of his first year."
"....His girlfriend's name?"
"What? Are you planning to snatch her from Eguchi?"
"The heck!? Hell no! What do I look like? A fucking playboy?"
"No. Playboys are supposed to be handsome."
"...Y-Yeah...Fuck you!"
I felt insulted by the way he talked with me on this subject. Moreover, I hesitantly but subconsciously agreed with him!
Does that mean that my mind can't deny that?!!
For god's sake, I'm such a self-loathing bastard!
"Funabashi Masaki. Chiba High School."
Oh for god's sake again!! What the flying fuck is this?! Am I at the centre of a whirlpool of poor luck?
"She received the most punishment. You know why? Because she was doing all the violent acts."
"Poor her."
Miyamoto puffed another smoke onto my face.
"Can you seriously just stop doing it in my face?"
"This is a small alleyway."
That was his justification for his annoying action. Regardless, I still think I could avoid getting some smoke engulfing my view.
"Do you want to know more?"
"Actually yes. What kind of punishment did those two received?"
"Haaa.....Eguchi was only homeschooled for a while whereas the girl got interrogated by the local police and eventually got into jail. Well don't worry about the girl, she was released on probation."
I crossed my arms as I started thinking. Hoping that no revenge sensation would sprout in that girl's mind, I scoffed inside.
'She is definitely going to come for me.'
One thing for sure, Eguchi won't go against me, as I have got Aki backing me up. I'm sure he won't forget the massacre at the start of the first term.
The only problem is Funabashi Masaki.
Well, I was thinking about the approach that she would take, but I don't know about her that much. Her personality is something that could help me determine what would be her next move.
The puff of cigarette smoke clouded my face again but this time, I calmly stared at Miyamoto.
More specifically, I was concentrating on his cigarette.
"Hey, can I have a smoke?"
".....Yea sure."
He lent me the cigarette. I held it with my 2 fingers and proceeded to put in on my lips. Then, I drew the smoke in, as if I was slurping a soft drink from a straw.
"Hey!! For how long are planning to smoke!?! Leave some for me!!"
I let go of the cigarette butt. I felt a burning sensation inside and I exhaled as I was having difficulty to breathe.
*Coughs**Coughs*
The smoke flew out of my mouth as I coughed simultaneously.
"*Coughs*....I don't under-*Coughs* ....understand why people smoke this crap."
Miyamoto sighed as he looked over me like I am some novice.
"First time? Then why the heck you tried to go all in?"
I gave him his cigarette, which was not yet fully used.
"Sorry..... I was a little frustrated. But I don't intend to make that my habit."
"Wow, looky here. We have a nice boy."
I coughed one last time to just get that stinky smoke out of my system
"Well, it's time for me to go home. Later."
"Later."
"Don't go too far with your subjects, dear king."
"...."
I walked out of the alleyway and went to the direction of my home.
The stinky smoke from a cigarette hasn't been erased from me but, who will actually if I smoked or not.
I wanted to do something about it but why bother. I walked as the smell wafted my little surrounding.