Unknowingly, several regular meetings of the School Festival Executive Committee had already been held.
Sagami Minami's reputation within the Executive Committee had shifted from the initial 'Can this person really do it?' to 'Chairman, stop being such a try-hard'.
The chairman was working too hard.
The executive committee members looked at the documents piled high in the conference room, then at Sagami Minami's face, which seemed to be ascending to heaven, and a feeling of admiration arose spontaneously.
By now, almost all students at Sobu High had more or less heard that the chairman of this executive committee was no ordinary person, perhaps not even human—she was too capable of grinding.
As the saying goes, a raging soldier makes a raging squad, a raging general makes a raging nest. (Meaning: A strong leader makes a strong team.)
With Sagami Minami working so hard as the chairman, the members of the Executive Committee also showed rare motivation. Even the slacker group, oh wait, the [Record and Miscellaneous] group members began to take their work seriously.
"Hey you, are the schedule and equipment list for the school festival day ready?" The leader of the Record and Miscellaneous Group asked rapidly.
Hachiman handed over the list with a lifeless expression and said, "Um... I have a name."
As a result, the third-year Record and Miscellaneous Group leader took the list and hurried towards the podium, not hearing what Hachiman said at all.
Why did it become like this?
Looking at the vibrant, thriving Executive Committee, Hachiman appeared a bit bewildered.
As early as the day he heard Sagami Minami became the Executive Committee Chairman, Hachiman felt that this year's Executive Committee was probably going to be doomed. But he didn't expect it to evolve into this scene.
Is this still the Executive Committee where everyone slacks off?
Where the heck am I?
Hachiman, getting a brief rest after finishing work, stretched lazily. Out of the corner of his eye, he looked at the dispirited Sagami Minami at the podium, then at Yukino beside her, who was radiant and handled various situations with ease. This contrast... was simply unbearable to watch.
Don't be fooled by everyone saying the chairman of this session is very hardworking; very few people say how excellent the chairman is. Interpreting it slightly, it actually means Sagami Minami only has hard work to show for herself.
In contrast, although Yukino didn't 'exert' herself as much as Sagami Minami, every member of the Executive Committee evaluated her with praise like 'excellent', 'amazing', and 'too capable'.
Even within the Student Council, some members recommended to Meguri that Yukino run for the next Student Council President.
This was enough to show how outstanding Yukino's ability and performance were.
Compared to her, Sagami Minami could only rely on the label of 'hard work' to barely maintain her prestige in the Executive Committee. Some busybodies felt she was more like a mascot set up by Yukino internally to urge them to work hard, rather than a chairman.
Sagami Minami naturally knew about these rumors, but she couldn't care less about them now. Her free time was completely occupied by the work arranged by Yukino.
She wanted to slack off, but the rising public opinion on campus held her high.
Sagami Minami was certain that if she started slacking off, the voices praising her before would immediately turn into criticism. Sagami Minami could even imagine what those people would say then, such as 'Sure enough, it was just for show', 'LOL, I knew she was faking it', 'Hardworking b*tch'...
At that time, even passersby who didn't care about this would join the ranks of condemnation, causing her reputation on campus to collapse massively, leading to betrayal and separation, and finally, complete social death on campus.
They don't care about creating a god, but if it's pulling a god off the altar, they will definitely participate.
No other reason, human nature is like this.
In a sense, Yukino, who had been giving her orders, had actually grasped the power of life and death over Sagami Minami.
If Yukino revealed to the outside world that Sagami Minami wasn't actually as hardworking as rumored, not much evidence would be needed to plunge Sagami Minami into a doomed situation.
At that time, even if Sagami Minami wanted to prove herself, she couldn't. After all, hard work is inherently difficult to measure, not to mention that the vast majority of people don't care how many bowls of jelly you ate; they just want excitement.
Therefore, after realizing this, Sagami Minami was obedient to Yukino's words. The initial intention of using the other party had been completely thrown to the clouds. She even developed a 'Yukino-phobia' more severe than Miura Yumiko's.
She made up her mind that after this school festival ended, she would never deal with Yukino again in the future, staying as far away as possible.
At this moment, Sagami Minami finally understood why that guy Miura Yumiko didn't become an executive committee member.
Can't win, really can't win.
Of course you can't win, because you don't even know who your opponent is!
Hachiman saw the fear in Sagami Minami's eyes when looking at Yukino and couldn't help muttering in his heart.
He knew clearly that compared to the Ice Queen Yukino, Shinra beside her was even more terrifying.
In fact, regarding Sagami Minami falling into this situation, Hachiman dared to guarantee with his butt that it definitely had something to do with Shinra.
Whether it was putting extreme pressure on Sagami Minami or manipulating campus public opinion, it was obviously not something the upright Yukino could do.
If someone hadn't intervened, Sagami Minami's plan would likely have succeeded because a gentleman can be deceived by logic.
But unfortunately, there were no ifs. With Shinra present, Sagami Minami's plan would ultimately not be realized unless Shinra and Yukino were no longer friends.
Hachiman turned to look at Shinra, who was playing on his phone in the corner, and felt that if one day the other party and Yukino were no longer friends, it would most likely not be a broken relationship, but an upgrade to a more intimate one.
Today's regular meeting was coming to an end.
"So, Chairman Sagami..."
Yukino looked at Sagami Minami, signaling her to announce the end of the meeting.
"Okay, then today's meeting ends here. Please continue to take care of me in the future. Everyone... thank you for your hard work."
"Not at all, not at all. Chairman, you are the one who worked hard."
"Yeah, yeah... take care to rest."
Seeing Sagami Minami say this, the group leaders present echoed one after another. They weren't being obsequious but genuinely felt so.
After all, anyone seeing the dark circles on Sagami Minami's face that couldn't be hidden even by heavy makeup would say so.
Precisely because of this, after Sagami Minami announced the adjournment, the executive committee members present got up from their seats and left the conference room quickly.
Afraid that if they walked a step slower, the chairman would drop dead in front of them.
And the two followers who had been following Sagami Minami since the establishment of the School Festival Executive Committee no longer waited for her in the conference room. Instead, they consciously walked out of the conference room and waited at the nearest staircase for her to finish receiving tasks from Yukino before doing other things together.
Honestly, saying 'doing other things' was actually handling executive committee work... Because of their good relationship with Sagami Minami, they were also assigned many tasks.
Collateral damage, so to speak.
As for why they still stayed by Sagami Minami's side...
Of course, because they couldn't leave!
Just as Sagami Minami worried about Yukino launching a public opinion offensive, they also worried about Sagami Minami launching a public opinion offensive.
After all, the current public opinion trend about Sagami Minami on campus was quite positive. Whether it was for show or forced, after this experience, the improvement of Sagami Minami's prestige on campus was real.
In some aspects, Sagami Minami's ecological niche on campus had effectively surpassed the two followers. coupled with the fact that the two had previously built a good relationship with Sagami Minami, if they deliberately distanced themselves, it would be hard not to make people suspect it was due to too much work.
If Sagami Minami said something like, "Are you distancing yourselves from me because you don't want to contribute to the school?", wouldn't they be doomed?
Deterrence Era, anyone?
Walking out of the conference room, the two followers looked at each other and saw regret and helplessness in each other's eyes.
You say they are walking on thin ice; can they reach the other shore?
Sagami Minami didn't know if she could reach the other shore. She knew that if she didn't do something, with the current work intensity, she might really go see her great-grandma.
"Chairman Sagami, is there anything else?" After packing her things, Yukino looked at Sagami Minami, who was still waiting aside, and asked in confusion.
"...Is there no work arranged today?"
Yukino glanced calmly at the back corner of the conference room, thinking, Shinra didn't say anything.
Based on the principle that if it wasn't said, it didn't exist, Yukino didn't intend to make things difficult for Sagami Minami.
After all, she was really having a hard time.
If it got any harder, Yukino was afraid something might happen.
So she said, "The progress of recent projects has exceeded expectations, so there is no need for overtime for the time being. Sagami-san can take a break."
"Break!"
Who understands the sense of salvation brought to Sagami Minami when this word was spoken by Yukino?!
Heaven pity her, Sagami Minami hadn't had her own leisure time for a full week. Every day was either checking data or following up on projects.
Corporate slave life, early access.
Sagami Minami truly experienced her father's daily life.
By the way, Yukino's family runs a company, right? Sure enough, she's a born evil capitalist lady. Her methods of using people are one set after another. Can't win, absolutely can't win!
"Appropriate rest can better welcome life and work. Besides, didn't Sagami-san say before that you wanted to help the class prepare for the school festival performance? Now there happens to be time..."
"No!" Hearing Yukino say this, Sagami Minami subconsciously refused.
Are you kidding? How could she waste her hard-earned leisure time helping the class prepare for the school festival performance!
Probably because she was too idle before, she didn't feel how precious rest time was. After a period of corporate slave life recently, Sagami Minami deeply realized the preciousness of time.
An inch of time is truly worth an inch of gold!
How can golden time be wasted on boring performances!
She must drag her sisters to karaoke, eat, and go shopping right now!
But Sagami Minami immediately realized the inappropriateness of her words just now. Even if she wanted to refuse, she couldn't refuse so bluntly.
After all, from the beginning, she asked Yukino for help because she wanted to prepare for the school festival with the class. Now saying she wouldn't go... What? Are you mocking her, Yukinoshita?
If Yukino thought so, wouldn't she be in danger?
"No, I won't trouble them. After all, I'm the chairman now. If I go to help them now, people will inevitably gossip about me meddling too much..." The reason Sagami Minami gave was as far-fetched as ever.
Fortunately, Yukino didn't intend to dwell on this issue too much. She just said it casually... okay, not that casually.
Regarding Sagami Minami's previous irresponsible behavior, although Yukino didn't say it explicitly, she more or less harbored some negative emotions.
Given Yukino's level of venomous tongue, what she just mentioned was already very restrained.
Of course, more importantly, Yukino felt that Sagami Minami had already tasted the bitter fruit she brewed herself, and she had vented enough anger, so she didn't chase after her to kill.
In addition, one point had to be admitted: dealing with people like Sagami Minami, Shinra was indeed handier than her.
Watching Sagami Minami's retreating back as she left happily, Yukino thought silently.
"Thank you for your hard work~" Shinra also walked slowly to Yukino's side at this time.
Unlike Yukino, who carried a school bag and a laptop bag, Shinra was traveling light. Don't be fooled by the school bag on his back; there wasn't a single book inside.
Pure decoration.
"Compared to you, I indeed worked hard." Yukino opened her mouth like an old master of sarcasm, her words thorny, her verbal ability as outstanding as her appearance.
However, her words weren't groundless. Shinra really didn't do much in the Executive Committee; Hachiman did everything.
Every day Shinra came over, apart from playing on his phone and reading novels, he did nothing else!
In contrast to Yukino, don't be fooled by Sagami Minami working so hard; in reality, Yukino was doing more work. Some things couldn't be made up for by short-term effort alone.
"Then I have to reward you properly. I'll pay tonight, buy more groceries, and eat something good!" Shinra had always been thick-skinned. An attack of Yukino's level was no different from acting coquettishly.
Hearing this, Yukino couldn't help but glance sideways at him. Are you rewarding yourself or me?
Buying more groceries makes it sound like you're cooking for me!
In the end, isn't it me cooking?
However, Yukino didn't refuse. Anyway, cooking for one was cooking; cooking for two was cooking. Plus, although Shinra didn't do much executive committee work these days, he helped her with ideas quite a bit. She still acknowledged this credit.