Chapter 339: Work Obstructed
"How annoying! Why do we have to…"
Fujiwara Chika held a net, standing at the edge of the pond scooping up trash.
"Why do we have to do this kind of work?" Sakurai Saki stood on the opposite side of the pond, also holding a net.
"Yeah, is this kind of thing really within the scope of the student council's work?"
"Fujiwara the secretary, if there's no dedicated organization in charge, then it falls to the student council." Shirogane Miyuki stood on the bridge, picking up some cans.
"Damn it." Chika mumbled under her breath.
She finally realized that the student council wasn't some noble organization. On the contrary — it was like "the lowest tier," having to step into everything, which meant everything was connected to them and they had to help with everything.
"Every time after the morning assembly, it's also us who clean up and do these things, right?" Shinomiya Kaguya's voice came from the storage room beside them.
"Wasn't it the basketball and volleyball clubs who cleaned up?"
"That's because Fujiwara-senpai is always in charge of leading the national anthem, so we felt bad and didn't let you do extra work." Ishigami Yuu, sitting on the boat, replied.
"Eh? So I'm actually being spoiled by the student council?"
The student council's mascot? Chika absolutely didn't want that title.
"Miko-chan being the student council mascot would actually match her character setting more, right?"
"Reng reng——~"
The phone suddenly rang.
Sakurai Saki put down the net: "Sorry, I'll take this call."
"It's fine."
Shirogane Miyuki replied.
Sakurai nodded, then walked a bit farther away and pressed the answer button.
It was a call from Nakano Maruo.
"Nakano-san? What's the matter?"
This really was a rare guest — in one year, he had spoken to the man on the phone no more than five times.
Nakano Maruo's voice came through, cold and indifferent: "Sakurai-kun, it's about the tutoring."
"Itsuki already told me."
Sakurai frowned. For the other party to call first, something must be off.
And sure enough.
The very next second—
Nakano Maruo spoke in a slightly regretful tone: "I'm sorry, Sakurai-kun, but I can't let you continue tutoring the girls anymore."
Sakurai didn't ask why. He just remained silent for a few seconds.
Seeing he didn't respond, Maruo continued: "Their mother once married a teacher and was deceived, in the end meeting a tragic fate. I can't let my daughters repeat the same mistake and let that tragedy happen again. I hope you understand."
"Yes." Sakurai replied softly.
He only knew part of the story — he didn't expect there was such a hidden past.
A teacher–student relationship turning into romance, and then the mother of the five sisters was deceived by that teacher?
No wonder Nakano Maruo, as their stepfather, was so cautious.
"Your teaching level is very good. I truly appreciate your efforts over this past year for the girls." Nakano Maruo rarely said words of gratitude.
Normally he was extremely strict and seldom showed emotion.
"But Itsuki having feelings for you is something I truly didn't expect." Nakano Maruo sighed lightly.
"?" A giant question mark popped up in Sakurai Saki's head.
Wait, wait a minute— Nakano-san, are you misunderstanding something here?
If it were Yotsuba liking me, that would make more sense than Itsuki!
"Knowing that you would continue teaching, she even took the initiative to tell me she wanted to hire you again, and in her tone there was clear joy. As someone who's experienced, I can understand that feeling — that's not the kind of feeling a student should have for her teacher."
As if! She's probably just happy because Nino returned to the family!
Also… what does "experienced" mean here?
Don't tell me the mother of the five sisters was your teacher!? If that's the case, I'm seriously speechless.
"I—"
"Let's leave it at that, Sakurai-san. You don't need to explain anymore."
A few seconds later—
"Beep——"
The long dial tone rang in the phone. Sakurai Saki muttered, "But the one I'm dating is Nino though…"
Forget it. For Nakano-san's blood pressure, it's better not to say that.
Otherwise, tomorrow he might come to school with a knife.
After hanging up, Sakurai opened LINE, wondering whether to message the five sisters about this…
If he told them, maybe they'd feel distant from their father? But that was only "maybe." Sakurai didn't think he had that much influence in their hearts.
'What should I do?'
Putting his phone away, Sakurai returned to the pond.
"Saki-kun, what's wrong?"
"I was just thinking… if there's no pay, should I still keep working."
"Saki-kun, even good people need to have limits, otherwise they're just idiots." Fujiwara Chika advised.
"Shirogane, Chika's calling you an idiot." Sakurai said with a laugh.
Shirogane Miyuki had no idea why he was suddenly dragged into this.
"My personality might be a bit soft, but I'm not the type who helps others endlessly without getting anything in return."
If you keep helping unconditionally, people will take it for granted — it's basically degrading yourself. Absolutely not!
Shirogane had his own principles.
'…And yet just now I actually thought "even without pay it's fine"?' Sakurai mocked himself.
He really had changed a lot.
If it were a year ago, he definitely would never have thought that way.
...
At the same time—
Inside a house belonging to the Shijo family in Tokyo.
Shijo Maki held a manga in her hand, looking at the boy in front of her as she asked: "What exactly are you seriously doing?"
He was reading the student handbook!
Everyone knew the school's student handbook wasn't something anyone actually read.
Usually, the more prestigious the school, the less strict the management.
If they could secure good grades, people would focus on grades; if not, then they'd turn to managing conduct.
Not to mention at Shuchiin, it was full of rich kids, so teachers and staff didn't dare to enforce strict discipline.
"I just want to leave a good impression in front of Hime-sama." Shijo Mikado said seriously.
"Hime-sama?" Shijo Maki tilted her head: "You already have someone you like?"
Really… that's hilarious.
"…I don't want to hear that from you, nee-san." Shijo Mikado complained.
She was the one who became so brokenhearted she threw herself into studying like a lunatic, yet she had the nerve to tease him?
The Shijo family seemed cursed in a strange way — none of their children had good luck in love.
Even though Shijo Mikado had good looks and excellent ability, he still didn't have a girlfriend.
In other words — he was still a virgin.
"Ohya~ spill it now~" Shijo Maki stood up, went over to her younger brother, and locked him in a chokehold.
"Gekk~ I'm dying~" Shijo Mikado felt like heaven was calling him.
"Let… let go! It's someone you know too!"
Escaping from Maki's clutches, Mikado panted heavily and said: "It's Shinomiya Kaguya."
"...?"
Shijo Maki plopped down onto the chair, her face full of "loss of faith in life."
"Hey! Isn't your reaction a bit much?"
"I just didn't expect my little brother to fall for the Shijo family's arch-nemesis." Maki trembled as she pulled out her phone, intending to share this shocking news with Sakurai Saki.
"What arch-nemesis? The business war isn't to the death anymore."
Even if people had forgotten, in the background the Shijo family and the Shinomiya family were still in opposition.
"Come on~ I'm just joking. Anyway, adult matters have nothing to do with us." Maki shrugged, her tone indifferent.
But really? Her little brother liked Shinomiya Kaguya?
This brat must be a masochist.
"Hime-sama is still single, right?"
"Umu, why?" Maki opened her phone screen and showed it to him. She introduced: "I even have her LINE account. Want me to send it to you? But I'll say this first, Kaguya is a real pain to deal with."
"It's fine!" Shijo Mikado answered enthusiastically.
And then, a few minutes later—
He was lying flat on the floor, mumbling: "Rejected already..."
The love story ended before it even began!