Thursday after school me and Miura met up at the student council room to get some items before taking them to the clubs. She picked up the sports items like the air pump for the basketball team and a racket for the tennis team, "I will run the sports equipment over to the sports clubs, if you can get the rest?" Miura was the kind of person who just takes the initiative I guess, "yeah that works for me." She left as fast as we got here. I figured I would go from bottom to top while I still had energy to go down and up the stairs. I gathered up the candles, fabric, and strange items the witchcraft club asked for and started the long journey.
I stopped in front of the napping club's door and knocked, of course no one answered so I just walked in after a few seconds. I looked around the room for Neru but she wasn't there. To my surprise there was only one person in the room, and he was putting something up on the shelf at the far right of the room with earbuds in. He was probably the person under the blankets last time I was here. I walked over and tapped on his shoulder lightly, and I heard the sound of a bubble popping. As he slowly turned towards me with eye bags under his eyes, he looked me up and down and saw the candles in my hands, his eyes opened up a bit, they were bright blue and he had long flat black hair that covered the top of his face, he was in a black tracksuit. After we both were done looking at each other in silence, he reached and grabbed the candles from my hands, there were 3 in total. He nodded at me, then fell to the floor. "Are you ok?" I said worried, the floor was still covered in blankets, and I heard light snoring. I breathed a sigh of relief before leaving the room. Heading over to the knitting club next door I saw Neru wearing our school uniform, a pink scarf that matched her hair, and a pocky box in her hand.
"Heyyy there Kyo, what's up?" This was her awake form I thought.
"I was just dropping off the candles you asked for, the guy in there took them and quickly fell asleep."
"Oh, you met Zuko, I wanted to be there for that." She said pouting
"Well we didn't really meet, I didn't even get his name and I don't think he knows mine."
"Haha, well next time then. Where are you off to now?"
"Knitting club, you?"
"I'm going to pass out. I have been awake for far too long."
"I won't keep you then, have a goodnight."
"Yup, gooood night," she said, walking past me into the room. I then entered the knitting club room, and walked to the desk in the back. "Here are the materials you asked for." I said handing them over to Amimono. "Thank you!" She stood up from the desk and walked over to put the items away, then opened the door waving me to follow, similarly to last time. As I walked out of the room she tossed a scarf around my neck, "It's done! Well actually it's been done for a few days now but I had no way of informing you." The scarf around my neck was an ocean blue color, made from silk, and it was a perfect fit around me. "It's so soft and warm, this is amazing."
"Really, I'm glad you like it! I kind of rushed to get it done quickly. If there is anything you want changed on it let me know."
"No, this is amazing, once winter rolls around I will be using this a lot."
"Yay! I will be watching out for that."
"Thank you again." I said bowing, "you're welcome, if you need any other stuff like a blanket or something let me know." Amimono said heading back into her club room. I then took a deep breath before walking into the witchcraft club.
None of the lights were on and it was hard to see. "Umm, Kuroshi are you in here?" A moment passed with still no movement, "oh, I mean. Goddess of the dark, are you here?" I then heard breathing down my neck before a quiet whisper next to my ear spoke, "I am everywhere yet nowhere, I can't be seen nor felt, but I am on you. What am I?" I quickly turned my neck to see who it was, but no one was there. After a few seconds the voice spoke loudly "Answer me minion!" I heard from above. I took a second to think her riddle over, "God," I answered.
"Wrong! There is no God. There is nothing." She said getting closer and closer to me, "I am nothing." She said right in front of me before the lights turned on. Standing in front of me was the black and white gothic Lolita dressed third year Kuroshi. This time however, both of her eyes were black (lost her contact lens), and I realized her and I were not the only ones in the room as people dressed in black and white cloaks with pointed hoods covering their faces were looking down on us from above. I was a little scared, and the fact that I didn't move from when she first started talking was proof of that.
"HAHAHA!! You tried your best to answer even in the face of death, I commend you Child of the darkened rooms." She still used that as my title in this club. "What is it you bring as an offering?" I handed her the materials she asked for, "yes my goddess of the dark, I bring you the teeth of the sea (sea salt), some Mystic Sages Genesis (baking powder), and a wound healing health position ( rubbing alcohol)." I said this in character, but the knots in my stomach from last time had come back. "Great work my servant! Now leave for your own safety. Your mind isn't ready to witness our next creation."
"One day I would like to witness my goddesses' great work first hand, but I agree that I am far too weak as I am now." As I left the room, even while I was walking back up to the first floor, all I heard was "HAHAHA! Now my minions, let us summon greatness." And passionate chanting by the others in the club followed suit. I went back up to the fourth floor and grabbed the art and theater materials before heading back down to the first floor. I went to the art club first, it was as busy and chaotic as ever. This time they had made something really cool, as I walked into the room the ground had a red line of paint that reminded me of a tongue. After I made it into the club I turned around to see a face with bleeding rolled back eyes made of paper mache, and the floor was painted like a mouth to watch the creepiness. "Wow," is all I could manage to say. "Right, it looks pretty good, don't cha think?" Emi Bijutsu appeared behind me. "This is for the theater club's haunted house, it's not done yet, but it's coming along nicely." I nodded in agreement, this school seemed to go all out during events.
"Oh, here are the materials you asked for." As I tried to hand them over she had a smug look on her face. "Well student council member, I would like your opinion on some of our club's structures so please follow me." I walked with her and saw all kinds of amazing things. They were working on a dragon's head to not make the painted floor go to waste. People were building a paper mache well also for the haunted house. Others were working on their own art pieces. We made it all the way to the back of the club room where I could set down the stuff. "So, what did you think of the tour?"
"You weren't the best guide I've had, but the stuff here is all really well made."
"Haha, well at least you're honest. Thank you for carrying the stuff over, you're free to go."
"I knew it. You were just using me to take the stuff over here."
"Well … kind of yeah. There is way too much stuff to carry, but to make it up to you, you can leave the theater supplies here." I was shocked by her offer, "umm, ok, are you sure."
"Yeah, as it is we are working with the theater club and they come by often, so it saves you a trip."
"In that case, thank you." I walked away only having to make one trip to the first floor, she waved me off. On my way out I saw Kimori who was hard at work helping with the well, so I didn't say anything. I went back up to the fourth floor to get the next set of items.
I reached down to grab the gaming club's new game, only to spot that Miura had forgotten to get the targets for the archery club. I grabbed those instead and took them to the archery club. They were practicing in the back of the building like usual, I was still nervous to interrupt them but I didn't want the guy from last time to get the wrong idea again. I saw Yumi Yajirushi sitting close to the door, "Excuse me, Yajirushi, can I borrow you for a second?" She walked out of the room. "Here are the targets you asked for."
"Oh, thank you Kyo." I was not expecting her to call me by my nickname. It was a little weird. "Yeah no problem, till next time." She nodded, heading back into the room. Again I was the only one who thought the situation was strange, I guess this was the routine with the archery club and myself. Heading out of the building I saw Miura, "Wait Miura, are you heading back to the council room?" She nodded, waiting for me. "Why are you out here? I told you I would get the sports clubs." She said, "oh well you missed one item, so I was taking it to them to save time is all." That sounded meaner than I intended it to sound, "we missed an item, I meant we missed an item!" Miura looked a little confused, "don't worry I knew you weren't singling me out. But I would have taken it to them." I was relieved, I wasn't sure how to talk to Miura yet. "No it's fine really, I don't mind, besides this was my redemption to the archery club." Miura looked worried, "whatever, thank you for doing more than needed Kyo." I just smiled as we walked back to the council room.
"Do you need me to take anything else before I head home?" Miura asked.
"Nope, there are only a handful of clubs left so I was going to hit those tomorrow anyway."
"I see, later then."
"Thank you for the help today." I said before she walked out of the room. I looked at the remaining items. There was the new game for the gaming club, some new cups and plates for the host club, and a new blender for the home ec club. These were the last remaining items I had to deliver. I wrote a note saying, "I will run these to the clubs tomorrow - Kyo."
Friday after school I went back up to the fourth floor and grabbed the cups, plates, and the blender then left the council room. Both of the clubs I was going to were located on the third floor. I originally wanted to go to the gaming club but I figured they would take up most of my time. First up was the home ec club, the president of this club was Yori
Kōya, the only thing extraordinary about her was her love for food. This club was simple, all they ask for is ingredients and some new equipment that breaks every so often. I handed over the blender to one of the club members then left. Next to the knitting club this was runner-up for most normal. Afterwards I went to the host club, but to avoid a number of issues I just set the plates and cups down at a nearby table and left as quickly as possible.
Going back up to the fourth floor I saw Ryuji heading the same way. "Hey there Ryuji, what are you up to?" He looked at me a little irked. "My girlfriend is asking if we ordered her regular items. My sister forgot to, so I am trying to find a solution, damn it all." I had two thoughts in my head at that moment. This kid, who is somehow a third year in high school, has a girlfriend? The second was why is his sister the one who is ordering items? That is when I was reminded that Miura and Ryuji have the same last name, "Wait, are you and Miura siblings?" I was confused, they look nothing alike so it was hard to know for sure. "Huh? Are you stupid Kyo? Nora isn't exactly a common name you know." He said like I was adding fuel to the fire. "Well you and Miura don't look alike so I just assumed it was a coincidence." He sighed, "yeah we get that a lot, but yes we are brother and sister." I still couldn't piece it together, but at least that answered that question. I slowly realized what had happened then.
Miura was the one who ordered the items I listed down. I was pretty sure I visited all of the clubs and wrote down what they wanted. I paused, "Ryuji, who is your girlfriend?" He looked confused as well. "Yōsei, you met her already, the president of the gardening club up on the school's roof." I checked all over the school seeing the different clubs, but I never checked the roof. I was nervous, "Ryuji please forgive me, I didn't know there was a club on the roof." He realized it too, why the items she needed weren't ordered. "Yuuki gave you a list of clubs to visit, right Kyo?" I nodded. We then went up to the student council room and found that list. Sure enough there was no gardening club listed on it. "Freak! I will give her a mouthful later, for now I will try and find a temporary solution." He patted me on the shoulder as he left the room, "this isn't your fault, next time you do checks for the clubs though, please remember to check with her, thank you." He ran off. "Best of luck Ryuji!" I said. I grabbed the game I picked out for the gaming club and headed off to the second floor.
I knocked on the door to the gaming club, as usual the same man as last time opened the door in a quick fashion, "ready my man! I won't lose this time! Rock! Paper! Scissors! Shoot!" I threw out a paper, and he threw up rock. "Just you watch! No one beats Gentetsu three times in a row." As I walked in I was greeted with a smile from Asobu Shosha (the president of the gaming club). "Hey there, what did you bring me?" I handed him the board game "Once Upon a Time." A game where the players create a story together, using cards that show typical elements from fairy tales. One player is the Storyteller and creates a story using the ingredients on their cards. They try to guide the plot towards their own ending. The other players try to use cards to interrupt the storyteller and become the new storyteller. The winner is the first player to play out all their cards and end with their happy ever after card. "Hopefully you don't already own this game." I said. "We don't own it, but most of us have played it before, so we'll add it to the collection and play it some other time. Thank you."
There was a moment of silence, I honestly thought that he would pull me into another game and this would take longer. "Arianagi, can we get your opinion on something?" I probably had a puzzled look on my face, "yeah what is it?"
"We are trying to hold two games during the festival, live person chess, and a fun maze. We can't think of a way to do both with only eleven people." I thought about it for a second. "Why not have two people help with the chess, and six people help with the maze. 3 people can be on break at a time alternating at set intervals." He thought it over, "we need seven people for the maze, but your plan could work." He tapped his head, "yeah we will go with that. Thanks Arianagi."
"No problem, if you need any more help please let me know." I left and headed back up to the student council for the last time today. I then saw Ryuji yelling at Yuuki, with Shino sitting on the couch. "Seriously, how did you forget to tell him about the gardening club?" Ryuji was visibly frustrated and sounded just as mad. "I understand, and it was an honest mistake, I will tell Yōsei I'm sorry personally, but it's honestly not the end of the world Ryuji." Shino looked at Yuuki, "he's only mad since it's his girlfriend, not that Yōsei would really care herself."
"Oh yeah? What would you know Shino?" Ryuji retorted.
"Don't forget I am smarter than you are little boy."
"I'm older than you!!" Ryuji was sensitive towards his looks after all. His bickering continued for a few minutes before Miura walked in. She walked to the back where they were arguing, grabbed Ryuji by the collar of the uniform, and dragged him out of the room, "Hey! Wait Miura, I am not done!" As much as he tried to fight it she won. Shino walked past me and closed the door, then sat back down. The two people with the highest positions both signed heavily.
"How did taking the items go?" Yuuki asked me. "Good, for the most part."
"Yuuki tell me we are done for the day." Shino said more exhausted and tired than the rest of us. "For now, yes, next week will be even busier so get a good amount of rest." Shino rested her head on the couch and stretched her legs. Yuuki, despite her words, kept working on some paperwork, "everything ok Kyo?" Shino asked.
"Yeah, everything's fine, I just realized this is the real student council isn't it?"
"Haha, yes, your honeymoon phase has ended, it only gets harder from here, hopefully you don't mind us showing our true colors."
"Honestly I'm happy, I was worried you would always be formal with me."
"If you wanted me to stop being so formal with you, then you joined me on the couch during meetings. Don't worry I don't bite." She said with a wink. I blushed a little bit. "hehe you're embarrassed."
"The left couch is more comfortable anyway." She looked down and smiled, "if you're sure, but I think I'm more comfortable than a couch is." She was doing this to get a reaction out of me, so I just turned my head, and looked up at Yuuki. She was too engaged in her work to care what was happening around her. "R-right, anyway, good work today, Shino, Yuuki, see you both on Monday."
"Bye bye" Shino waved me off.
"Have fun Kyo, see you Monday." Yuuki said, still looking down at the papers before her.
I then left the room, after I got home, I felt the exhaustion hit me like a wave. A full week of endlessly running around and learning new things, finally got to me. I collapsed onto my bed. I woke up from the buzz of my phone going off, it was a message from Yuuki. "Good work today!" With a smile on my face I got up and grabbed dinner. "I will work harder." I said to myself.