The days following Ryo's agreement to help the student council passed in a blur. Despite his reluctance, he found himself being roped into small tasks here and there by Takashi. True to his word, Takashi kept Ryo's involvement low-profile, but it still wasn't as behind-the-scenes as Ryo had hoped. He found himself running errands, organizing materials, and occasionally being asked for his opinion during council meetings.
Ryo tried to keep a low profile, but as always, his friends made that difficult. Hana and Saki were constantly teasing him about his "new responsibilities," while Mei offered her quiet support whenever he looked overwhelmed. Alice, too, had become a more prominent figure in their group, and it didn't take long for her to settle into her role as one of the gang.
One afternoon, as the school day ended, Ryo found himself surrounded by his friends as they discussed their weekend plans. The week had been relatively calm, and Ryo was looking forward to some downtime.
"We should do something fun this weekend!" Hana declared enthusiastically as they walked out of the school gates. "We've been so busy with school stuff. We need to relax!"
Saki smirked, nudging Ryo. "Yeah, Ryo, you've been working so hard. Maybe you should take a break from your new student council duties."
Ryo groaned, shaking his head. "It's not like I'm part of the council. I'm just helping out a little."
"You're still involved," Mei pointed out, her quiet voice cutting through the conversation. "But Saki's right—you should take a break."
Alice, who was walking beside Ryo, nodded in agreement. "We could go somewhere nice. Maybe explore the city?"
Ryo glanced around at the group. "I guess I could use a break…"
"Great! Then it's decided," Hana said, clapping her hands together. "We'll spend the weekend exploring the city. There's so much to see, and we've barely scratched the surface."
As the group chatted excitedly about their upcoming plans, Ryo couldn't help but smile. It was strange how easily he had fallen into this routine. A few months ago, he had been content with his quiet, uneventful life, but now he found himself looking forward to these moments with his friends.
Saturday morning arrived quickly, and Ryo found himself standing outside the train station, waiting for the others to arrive. He checked his phone, noting that he had arrived a bit earlier than planned. As he stood there, he spotted Alice approaching from the other side of the street.
"Hey," she greeted him with a small smile. "Am I too early?"
Ryo shook his head. "No, I just got here too. We're both early."
Alice laughed softly. "That's a first."
As they waited for the others, Ryo couldn't help but notice how comfortable things had become between them. Alice had been shy and reserved when she first joined the group, but over time, she had opened up more and more. She still wasn't as outgoing as Hana or as teasing as Saki, but her quiet presence was always appreciated.
"So, what are we doing today?" Alice asked, glancing around as if trying to guess what the group had in mind.
"Hana mentioned something about exploring the shopping district," Ryo said. "I'm not sure what she has planned beyond that."
Alice smiled. "It sounds like fun."
A few minutes later, Hana, Saki, and Mei arrived, each of them chatting excitedly about the day's plans. Hana, as usual, was the most energetic, while Saki wore her trademark smirk. Mei, though quiet, had a contented expression as she listened to the others.
"Alright!" Hana said once they were all gathered. "Let's go explore! I found this really cool café that we can visit later, but first, let's hit the shops!"
The group set off, wandering through the bustling streets of the city. They visited various stores, checking out everything from clothes to gadgets, and even stopped at a small bookstore that caught Mei's eye. Ryo found himself being dragged from shop to shop, not that he minded too much. It was nice to see his friends having fun.
As the afternoon wore on, they finally made their way to the café Hana had been raving about. It was a quaint little place tucked away in a side street, with a cozy atmosphere and the smell of freshly brewed coffee filling the air.
"This place is amazing!" Hana said as they sat down at a table near the window. "I told you it would be worth it."
Ryo nodded in agreement. The café was quiet, with only a few other patrons scattered throughout. It was a nice change of pace from the busy streets outside.
As they settled into their seats, the conversation shifted to lighter topics—school, recent events, and the upcoming cultural festival. Ryo listened quietly as the others talked, content to let them carry the conversation.
Saki, ever the teasing one, leaned over to Ryo. "So, how's your new role as the student council's errand boy?"
Ryo groaned. "Can we not talk about that?"
Hana laughed. "Come on, Ryo! It's not that bad, is it?"
"It's just a lot of work," Ryo muttered, taking a sip of his drink. "And more attention than I'd like."
"You'll survive," Saki said with a grin. "Besides, it's not like you're alone. We've got your back."
Ryo glanced around at his friends, feeling a warmth in his chest that he hadn't expected. He might not have chosen this path for himself, but he couldn't deny that having friends like these made the journey a lot more enjoyable.
The following week, Ryo found himself back in his usual routine—classes, hanging out with his friends, and helping out the student council when needed. But one thing had changed: he was starting to feel more comfortable with his new role, even if it wasn't something he had initially wanted.
One afternoon, as Ryo was heading to the student council room to drop off some paperwork, he bumped into Takashi in the hallway.
"Ryo!" Takashi greeted him with a grin. "Just the person I was looking for."
Ryo sighed. "What do you need this time?"
Takashi chuckled. "Relax, it's nothing big. I just wanted to introduce you to some of the other council members. You've been helping us out for a while now, but you haven't really met the whole team."
Ryo raised an eyebrow. "I thought I was just helping out behind the scenes."
"You are," Takashi said. "But it wouldn't hurt to at least know who you're working with."
Ryo shrugged, not seeing much harm in it. "Alright, fine."
Takashi led him to the student council room, where a few other students were gathered. Ryo recognized some of them from around school but hadn't interacted with them much.
"Everyone, this is Ryo," Takashi said, introducing him to the group. "He's been helping out with some of the council's tasks recently."
One of the council members, a tall girl with glasses, smiled at him. "Nice to meet you, Ryo. I'm Akari, the secretary."
A boy with spiky hair waved. "I'm Kenji, the treasurer. Thanks for helping out, man."
Ryo nodded in acknowledgment, feeling a little out of place. He wasn't used to being formally introduced to people, especially in a setting like this.
"Don't worry," Takashi said, sensing Ryo's discomfort. "We're a pretty laid-back group. You'll fit right in."
As they chatted for a bit longer, Ryo couldn't help but feel a little more at ease. Maybe helping out with the student council wasn't so bad after all. At least, for now, it seemed manageable.
But deep down, Ryo knew that his quiet life was becoming more and more complicated. With his growing group of friends, his involvement in the student council, and the ever-present chaos that seemed to follow him, one thing was certain—his high school life was far from ordinary.
And somehow, despite his reluctance, he was starting to enjoy it.