During the lunch break, I entered the meeting room designated by the executive committee members. I discovered that not all the committee members from the entire third-year class had gathered. There were only student council officers and a few sporadic students present.
It seems that for the third-year students, they could choose to participate either during noon or after school. But for some reason, there were more girls at noon. Was it just my illusion?
"Surely Ben is also in a difficult situation?"
While I was facing the table and silently writing on the paper with my pen to complete the assigned work, suddenly I heard a tiny voice. I lifted my eyesight to look at the source of the sound, and only saw a yellow head peeking out from the edge of the table.
"And who else is in a difficult situation?"
I was puzzled by this small question and shook my head. Then I saw a hand waving.
"Me, me!"
"Ah? It doesn't seem like it at all. If someone catches you, you would definitely run away immediately, right?"
"...You don't understand."
Seeing the way he pointed at himself and laughed, I couldn't help but give a wry smile. As a result, he pinched my mouth. But if it were the usual him, he would definitely escape quickly with light movements the moment he was caught.
"By the way, why are you hiding, Aaron?"
I poked the beautifully dyed and shiny yellow head that I could see from the edge of the table with my pen. That head jerked suddenly.
"Shh, don't wake up the sleeping lion!"
Aaron hurriedly put his index finger to his mouth. I couldn't help but tilt my head. Not quite understanding what he meant, I turned my face to the place where his eyes were directed. There was a table that had been moved to the corner of the room, and Paul was organizing documents just like me.
"Ah, the lion. Indeed."
With the sunlight streaming in through the window, Paul's light brown hair looked like a beautiful golden color. Moreover, the long bangs that usually hung down were pinned up with a hair clip, looking just like a lion's mane.
"Why on earth did Ben accept the job as an advisor when he clearly dislikes troublesome things?"
"Well, going with the flow."
After my simple reply, Aaron leaned forward, placed his arms on the table, and rested his chin on them.
"Ben is still so easily influenced by others."
"Is that so?"
I shrugged at Aaron and started writing slowly again. To say that I'm easily influenced by others is rather that I really have no choice. That's the truth. But I don't want to make excuses for adults, so I ignored Aaron's words.
"If you put it that way, aren't you also easily influenced by others? Do your work properly."
Usually mischievous Aaron seemed extremely reliable here and fulfilled the duties of the executive committee chairperson well. His easygoing personality made him popular among those around him. Perhaps this is just an added bonus.
"It's not like that at all. There are very, very deep reasons in this."
Aaron pouted, and I snorted in response. He frowned even more unhappily. Seeing his childish reaction, I somehow felt relieved.
"It's good that you are so childish like this."
"What? Is Ben making fun of me?"
The words I blurted out unintentionally made Aaron pout in dissatisfaction.
"I'm praising you."
Dealing with Blake and Paul, I have no idea what the standard of an ordinary college student is anymore. Those two are overly mature. If one isn't careful, they are much smarter than me and impossible to compete with. In contrast, Aaron is very simple and straightforward. This is the real vitality of a college student. It allows me to gain energy from it too.
"I don't feel like it's a praise at all."
Aaron frowned in a sulk. Looking at his face, I couldn't help but laugh out loud. Hearing my laughter, Aaron suddenly panicked and hid under the table.
"Aaron?"
"The lion woke up."
Aaron suddenly disappeared from my sight. I heard his faint voice.
"Hey, little chick. Don't get in the way, or I'll swallow you whole from the head."
"Er...So heavy!"
Suddenly a voice came by my ear, and immediately my back became heavy. I looked back and saw that Paul was lying on my back like carrying a child at some point.
"Paul, it's so heavy."
"Teacher, if you want to show concern, just show it to me."
"No, I don't understand what you mean."
I was speechless at Paul's words and couldn't help but shake my head. But he narrowed his eyes in great delight. I don't quite understand the extent of Paul's pranks.
"Ah, right, this. Isn't the expense a bit over budget?"
"Hmm? Which one."
I took the document placed at the edge of the table and held it in front of Paul. He stretched out his arms from over my shoulder and grabbed the document. Paul held the document and looked at it motionlessly for a while, muttering "hmm" softly. After reading it, he said it was okay.
"The food is fine. Originally this is the main thing. The school festival is mainly a festival for adults, so it's not a big deal like this."
"Is that so?"
I always felt that there was an extra digit in the number. Paul said it was okay. Maybe it really is okay, but it still makes one a bit worried about this amount.
"That's how it is. Anyway, those who come are all school-related people and some parents."
Paul gently put the document back on the table, put his hand on my shoulder which was still in doubt, and put his weight on my back.
"It's so heavy! I'm going to be crushed."
"Teacher is too thin. Look at this wrist. It's thinner than a girl's."
He tightly grasped someone's wrist, measured it with his own fingers, and made a circle with his thumb and index finger. The wrist fit right inside. I was quite shocked by this, but I already knew that I have thin bones due to my physical constitution. So I just glared at Paul. It's just that Paul's hand is too big.
"Before you think like that, think about your own size first!"
"Well, although thin, it feels quite good to hold."
I lightly patted Paul's head who was smiling with the back of my hand. But instead of leaving, he wrapped his arm around my neck.
"Ben, run!"
"When you say that, at least think of a way."
Aaron was still hiding under the table. He shook his head vigorously in response to my words and backed away.
"I told you there are deep reasons. Wait for Blake to come back."
"...By the way, where is Blake?"
I was puzzled by Aaron's words and looked up at Paul.
"In the staff office. He'll come back when he finishes his business."
"So that's it."
I haven't seen Blake since I came here. I've been quite concerned about it. But since he'll come back, it means he was here at the beginning.
"Rather than that, teacher, aren't you going to eat?"
"Ah, I forgot."
Paul pointed at the bento that had been pushed even further to the edge. I had completely forgotten about its existence and looked down at the cold bento.
"Aren't you hungry? You don't have to force yourself to eat. But some of the dishes used this time are from this."
"No, I just forgot."
"That's why you're so thin."
Paul murmured to himself softly, avoiding the documents in front of me, and pulled the bento in front of him.
"That's why you're so thin."
"It's so annoying. I'm not that thin."
I frowned. Paul chuckled softly and, without permission, used chopsticks to open the lid of the bento like feeding a child from behind. His actions made me narrow my eyes. Suddenly, the chopsticks were extended to my mouth.
"Teacher, ah—"
"It's not like this."
I patted the arm holding the chopsticks. Paul pouted slightly.
"You're really hard to understand."
"Is that so?"
Paul looked at me who was sighing and put a fried item into his own mouth with the chopsticks. Is he hard to understand because he acts without thinking? No, I don't think Paul is the kind of person who acts without thinking. Sure enough, Paul is a difficult man to understand.
"What are you doing?"
"Well, ah, you're back."
"Hmm?"
I followed Paul's line of sight. Blake was walking slowly towards this side. When I saw his figure, I could feel my cheeks relaxing on their own. But the moment I saw Blake come in, the restless atmosphere around made me frown.