3
There lies the deadline they absolutely
cannot fail to make.
The clubroom seemed colder than normal.
Since we'd told Miss Hiratsuka about the clunking heater, we'd been
asked to refrain from using it until the repair technician came to fix
it.
The clubroom was unoccupied during the day, so this had minimal
effect on our lives, but it was a different story after school. We
needed to perform our duties as the sun was slowly setting, and the
temperature was dropping. This meant that despite being indoors, I
had my scarf tight around my neck. The only other heating device in
the room was the electric kettle.
Except that wasn't its intended use. As always, the electric kettle was
being used purely for boiling tea. But its humidifying effect helped;
little wisps of steam were better than nothing.
It's hard for humans to adjust to losing a comfortable lifestyle and go
into "starvation mode." Whenever Page | 106
floor, my hand would stop moving instead of turning a page in my
paperback.
The club hardly got any visitors anyway. If I was just going to be
killing time, I'd say my house was definitively more comfortable. I
could even go to Starbucks or something, even if I felt a little out of
place, and it might be better to read while surrounded by
pretentious types (lol). Anyway, why is it that those pretentious
types (lol) at Starbucks deliberately choose seats by the window to
type away on their MacBooks and show off their new books? Do they
want to be those bugs that stick to the window at night?
Well, it would be hard to read at the popular Starbucks. In that
sense, the sparsely populated clubroom was superior. I wasn't averse
to the quiet and cool atmosphere. But in the winter, the coolness
really revved up a lot.
My spot was right by the wall adjoining the hallway. This wall was so
thin, we could have been in a cheap hotel room. It would be more
accurate to call this a panel. So it was not much to rely on when it
came to keeping out the outside air, and drafts seeped in from the
cracks between the sliding doors, too.
"…Hey, can we call it a day? I'm cold," I said to the two sitting by the
window, shivering.
Once I became aware of it, I just couldn't take the cold anymore.
Yukinoshita looked up from her book and cocked her head. "Is it? …I
suppose it is. What do you suggest we do about it?" She put her
hand to her chin in a thinking pose.
"Really? I'm totally fine," Yuigahama responded.
Of course she wouldn't be cold.
As soon as Yuigahama had felt the slightest bit cold, she'd gleefully
moved her chair to squish right next to Yukinoshita. They shared a Page | 107
blanket hanging over both their laps. Normally, Yukinoshita would
complain about the heat or the annoyingness and move away, but
she was letting Yuigahama do as she pleased for this day only.
The both of them were looking downright cozy.
Part of it was because they were sitting in a sunny spot, but the
biggest factor was that they were sharing body heat.
You guys look so warm…
As I was gazing upon this happy pair, Yuigahama straightened up
from her position leaning on Yukinoshita. "H-Hikki, is it cold over
there?"
"…Yeah, well, it's cold, yeah." When she brought it to my attention, I
felt the cold air creeping up on me to make me shiver. I found myself
unconsciously rubbing my arms.
"Oh…" Yuigahama flipped up the blanket once, as if checking its size.
And then with a moment's pause, as if feeling hesitant, she let out a
little sigh.
She flicked a gaze over at me with questioning, puppy-dog eyes,
which made me fidget.
Yuigahama took in a deep breath like she was going to say
something, her full chest rising and falling with determination. Her
meek voice didn't match her grand gestures. "I—I see…"
As she was hemming and hawing under her breath, Yukinoshita took
over with a gentle smile. "Why not put on a jacket?"
I knew it. I grabbed my coat as she suggested and hung it casually
over my shoulders without putting my arms through, like a woman
suffering from the office air conditioner blasting in the summer.
Isn't it time to go home yet…? I wondered. I was having a staring
contest with the clock hanging on the wall when there came a Page | 108
knocking on the door. Agh, someone's here… Looks like I won't be
able to go home early.
"Come in," Yukinoshita called out, ignoring my dejected slumping.
After Yukinoshita gave the go-ahead, the door opened.
"Hello, everyone!" When our visitor bobbed her head in a bow, her
pale hair swayed. Large round eyes peeked out from under the gaps
in her flowing bangs, and her lips formed a faint smile.
Iroha Isshiki had come to our clubroom yet again. But her greeting
was rather more polite than usual, and it gave me the slightest hint
that something was off. I've kinda got a bad feeling about this…
"Ohhh, Iroha-chan. Yahallooo!" Yuigahama raised a hand and called
to her, and Isshiki waved back, the sleeves of her cardigan fluttering.
"Yeah, hellooo!" Returning her greeting, Isshiki strolled into the
clubroom, then stopped suddenly. "…Is anyone else cold in here?"
She gave Yukinoshita a questioning look.
Yukinoshita smiled, at a loss. "Yes, the heater is broken right now."
"Ohhh, really?" Isshiki said with disinterest, picking up a chair. She
headed over to Yukinoshita, sat herself right down, tugged over the
blanket, and joined their impromptu human kotatsu.
"H-hey…" Yukinoshita's tone was partly confused and partly
accusatory as Isshiki suddenly pasted herself against her. Isshiki
didn't seem to care. "Sooo waaarm! " she said to herself as she
snuggled in closer to the other girl.
"Ah, should we pack it in more?" Yuigahama suggested gently.
"Ohhh, thanks sooo much!" Isshiki sounded like a spoiled child. Now
Yukinoshita was being squeezed from both sides.
Stop it! Don't press Yukinon any more! She's already flat to begin
with! A wind blows over her Kanto Chest Plains! If you're going to press
her, at least push up! Page | 109
I never would have said that out loud. As I was worrying about
whether I should put a stop to the Isshiki/Yuigahama sandwich, the
squishing continued.
"…Agh." Yukinoshita sighed in resignation, then drew her chair back
slightly, opening up a space so that it was easier for Isshiki to get in.
Isshiki gleefully exclaimed, "Yaaay!" She moved her chair over in little
scooches, somehow getting even closer to Yukinoshita.
Yukinoshita gave Isshiki an annoyed look, but her hands did not say
the same, as she reached out to the quilted teapot cover and began
pouring tea into a paper cup. "…Would you like some tea?"
"Th-thank you very much." Isshiki accepted the steaming cup, and
holding it in both hands to keep them warm, she began to sip.
They look so warm…
But anyway, Yuigahama isn't the only one getting special
treatment. You've also gotten softer on Isshiki lately, too, hmm, Miss
Yukinoshita…?
Now that I was thinking about it, though, for Yukinoshita, they would
be her first real friend and real junior. It was kind of charming to see
her take on a bit of a caretaking role.
As I watched the three warm-looking girls from my chilly spot far
away, Isshiki, seeming quite comfy as she drank her hot tea, gave me
a little bow. "Oh, thanks for the other day."
"Hmm, yeah," I replied noncommittally.
Yukinoshita and Yuigahama looked over at me, wondering what we
were talking about.
Urk, it's kind of hard to explain…
The two of us had just gone to hang out together. That was all it was,
but if I went out of my way to tell Yukinoshita and Yuigahama, We Page | 110
just hung out; it was nothing, it would seem like more than just
"nothing."
But remaining silent brought about its own weird feeling of guilt.
Well, I guess I've already made it a big deal by feeling guilty in the first
place, huh…? Ewww, Hachiman is such a creep…
As a result, all I could do was let out a meaningless exhalation, a
combination of a sigh and a moan. This must have appeared
suspicious, as Yukinoshita's eyebrows came together, while
Yuigahama glanced between Isshiki and me.
Oh dear…
For a while, the clubroom fell into an awkward silence. Despite the
cold, I could feel the sweat glands on my head gradually opening up.
Isshiki cleared her throat softly, breaking the tension. "Sooo I've
kinda been thinking…maybe the student council should make a free
magazine," she announced, making a remark completely
unconnected to our earlier comments.
Yukinoshita gave her a questioning look. "Hmm? A free magazine?"
Nice one, Irohasu! I've been liberated from their scrutiny…
"A free magazine is, like, one of those, right?" asked Yuigahama.
"Yeah, one of those," Isshiki replied, completing a brief exchange in
which no information was communicated whatsoever.
The other day, when Zaimokuza came to the clubroom, I did recall
the discussion touching on free magazines, so it seemed even a few,
brief comments like that was enough to get it across.
What was not getting across was her goal.
"But why a free magazine?" Yukinoshita asked with a tilt of her head.
Isshiki drew one hand out from under the blanket and waved a finger
as she explained, "We report our accounts at the end of the fiscal Page | 111
year! So the vice president and the rest of student council have put
together the paperwork for that, but apparently this year, we
actually have some budget left over."
"Ohhh…," I said. The previous student council president had been
Meguri. Megu rin was so fluffy, I didn't really get the impression she
was very tightfisted when it came to money matters. It kinda made
sense to me that she'd leave leftover funds.
But Iroha Isshiki—Iro hasu—the current student council president,
was so shrewd that I was sure she'd be having an eye on the money…
As I was mulling over the matter, just as expected, Isshiki smacked
her hands in front of her chest and grinned brightly. "Since we've got
the money, wouldn't it be best to use it? It seems like a free
magazine would be just right."
"That doesn't mean you need to make us do extra work…"
That makes no sense. No matter how much money you have left
over, creating work for yourself is simply a mystery… This girl is
definitely plotting something…, I thought, giving her a suspicious look.
Isshiki just gave a cutesy "Aha!" to skirt the issue. Th-that's even more
suspicious…
"But then, Iroha-chan. If you have extra, wouldn't it be best to save it
up? Saving is important, you know?" Yuigahama chided. Sounds like
something a mom would say…
But if this were Isshiki's own money, she'd be right. The difference
here was the fact that this was the student council budget.
Yukinoshita, who had been listening to them talk, must also have
realized this, and she put her hand to her chin. "I'm sure they can't."
"Why not?" Yuigahama asked, leaning her head on Yukinoshita's
shoulder. Page | 112
"Since if they have budget left over, they might have their budget cut
next year. If I were in charge of determining their budget, that's what
I would do," Yukinoshita explained.
"Yes! That's exactly it! Sooo wouldn't it just be better to splurge
before the end of year, to keep my budget from getting cut next
year?" Isshiki inched in real close, then leaned up against Yukinoshita
cutely in an attempt to win her over.
"Too close…" The answer was feeble and filled with confusion.
Sandwiched from both sides, Yukinoshita was cramped like an
unfortunate passenger on the train at rush hour. Mm-hmm, such
good friends!
But, well, it's not like I didn't know where Isshiki was coming from.
Though it wasn't actually Isshiki's money. What the heck is she
saying, "my budget"…? It's the student council's. But if it would fit in
that budget, then the printing of a free magazine itself wouldn't
really be a problem.
"Seems fine to me. Though I dunno what kind you're making," I said
with little interest.
Moving away from Yukinoshita, Isshiki turned back to me. "About
thaaat, we've basically already decided. I was thinking it'd be nice if
we could feature, like, places to hang out, or good restaurants, or
cute cafés."
"Ohhh, that sounds nice! And it might be cool to add in clothing
stores, or those shops with the little household items, too!"
Yuigahama got all excited about Isshiki's idea, squishing even closer
to Yukinoshita.
Yukinoshita was really suffering now. "So you're imagining
something like a mini community bulletin, or a community magazine.
It seems like there would be a demand, content-wise…" Page | 113
But places to hang out, good food, and cute cafés, huh…? I feel like
that rang a few bells. What was it, "People are nice"? Places to hang
ooout and good fooood and cute cafés are waiting, right? The only
part that fits is the food, huh? Guess I'm wrong.
"If we're talking community magazines, then would it be kinda like
Chiba Walker?" Yuigahama asked, turning her body toward Isshiki.
"Yep, yep." Isshiki nodded, leaning forward enthusiastically. Finally
freed from the other girls, Yukinoshita let out a short sigh.
Isshiki continued her explanation. "If it spreads information, we can
just go out to have fun and call it research while we guzzle down the
bankroll."
With that cutesy cute smile of hers on, she was endorsing
something close to embezzlement. Guzzle down funds…? This isn't a
developer's comment about extorting microtransactions in a gacha
game…
Yukinoshita and I were both utterly disturbed, but Yuigahama was
tilting her head.
"Bankroll…"
I can just see her imagining cake… It's not a Swiss roll.
Isshiki must have seen from our faces—Yuigahama aside—that we
were completely put off, and she puffed up her cheeks in a pout.
"Ohhh, you told me before, didn't you? Like, if it's getting bankrolled
anyway, then use it how you like!" she said.
Yukinoshita shot me a cold look. "I see you've been teaching her
nothing good…"
"Wait, I didn't say that," I argued back.
Isshiki shook her head, giving me a sulking, grumpy look. "You did!
You definitely said it when we were planning the Christmas event." Page | 114
Did I say that back then…? Something about how it was a joint
event with another school, so not to worry about the money and use it
all up… I did, yeah. Give this girl an inch, and she'd take a mile. Except
she'd completely twisted what I said…
"People could take what you're trying to do as appropriating student
council funds for personal use…," Yukinoshita said, her manner
accusatory.
Isshiki replied, quite indifferently, "Buuut this could be a good
opportunity for everyone at school to learn about these things, and
we can enjoy ourselves, too, sooo isn't it win-win?"
My! That Tamanawa boy has been such a bad influence… Your
father won't let you spend time with a boy like that!
"When you put it like that, it doesn't feel like a bad thing…"
Yuigahama said thoughtfully.
It was hard to make a sweeping claim that this was wrong, if having
fun was to the benefit of everyone else. It was like commodifying
your hobby. Ideal, really.
I got that Isshiki's proposal was not unreasonable. What remained
was the issue of whether this was realistic.
Yukinoshita folded her arms, considering this for a moment. "But
then will your application for the funds actually go through?"
"Aw, Yukinoshita! Making sure it goes through is the treasurer's job!"
Isshiki answered, giggling like she found this absolutely hilarious.
She's a hot mess… Well, if anything happens, she's the one taking
responsibility, so it's fine, I guess.
If the treasurer was responsible for the expense report going
through, then it was the duty of the responsible party to get thrown
under the bus! Taking responsibility was their responsibility! Page | 115
Who knows if Isshiki was aware of this, but it seemed she had more
than enough enthusiasm to make up for any deficits. "Sooo then the
only issue is the free magazine… How should we make it?" she asked,
starting up this new topic like this was the reason she'd come.
Hmm, enthusiasm is the one thing she has in spades…
"I dunno… It's not like we've ever made a free magazine…," I said.
"Yes…it's fair to say we know nothing on the matter," Yukinoshita
agreed.
Listening from the side, Yuigahama clapped her hands as if
remembering something. "Oh, but before, we did that page in that
community magazine."
"Oh, now that you mention it, we did…" I think that was the thing
Miss Hiratsuka had brought to us. She'd been saddled with making
one to revitalize local businesses or something, so she'd gotten us to
do a spread on weddings aimed at the younger generation. It had
been a real struggle.
Thinking back on that, we were discussing it a bit when Isshiki
suddenly leaned forward. "That sounds like a great idea! I get the
feeling it'll work!"
"With that, we just needed to fill up one extra page. Creating
something from scratch is an entirely different situation. It's
impossible," Yukinoshita chided.
Isshiki dejectedly sat back down again, shoulders slumping as she
gazed up at Yukinoshita. "…Is it really?"
"It is really," Yukinoshita said coldly.
When Isshiki sniffled, looking resentful like a begging child, even
Yukinoshita was speechless, quietly glancing away.
Oh no! At this rate, Yukinoshita is definitely going to give in! Page | 116
Yukinoshita could be brutally objective when it came to logic and
words, but when pressured by emotions and gestures, she gave in
with surprising ease. Source: her usual exchanges with Yuigahama.
With Isshiki's innocent eyes on her, Yukinoshita twisted around
uncomfortably.
Yuigahama cut in. "Hey now, couldn't you just do a little research on
how to make one of these things? And ask people who might know
some stuff and get them to help… Then we'd be able to do it with
you!"
Isshiki grinned. "You're so nice, Yui!"
But if you really scrutinized her words, she was implying to "come
back when you're actually ready," disguised in a gentle way.
As expected of Yuigahama. She knew how to suck up to Yukinoshita,
which meant Isshiki's pleas were not effective on her.
"Well, Yuigahama's right," I said. "If you really want to do it, then you
should take some time to prepare."
With all three of us criticizing her, Isshiki's expression became
troubled, her eyebrows in an upside-down V. "I can't."
"Why not?" I asked.
She looked down before muttering solemnly, "…Because it's almost
time for the closing of accounts."
I got the feeling we'd just heard some very heavy words.
Oh yeah, it's right before the end of the fiscal year, huh? My parents
seem busier than usual, too. It seems that around this time of year, all
the corporate cogs out there had a lot to do.
According to the Internet, which is always right, the reason in
February and March you get merch like Blu-ray box sets or OVAs Page | 117
coming out all at the same time is because it's near the end of the
fiscal year.
Well, this isn't limited purely to anime-related things. It's common
enough to shove out product around this time of year to bump up
the annual sales and balance the accounts. Source: my mom and
dad. They were working frantically that day, like every day…
"I didn't really understand all the details myself, buuut it looks like if
we're gonna shove it into this fiscal year, we have to do it before the
expense report at the beginning of March, and we're already past
the beginning of February, so right now is our only opportunity!"
Isshiki said in a rush, waving her hands as she explained quite
earnestly. Her gestures were very cute, but hearing her say terms like
fiscal and expense report and shove was not…
Well, I understood there wasn't much time. They'd assemble all their
receipts and invoices within the month, then process them at the
beginning of the following month.
Which means we have to finish the job this month, huh…?
Though we weren't far into February, it was a short month. And even
if it was just a free magazine, starting up a whole magazine from
scratch was a monumentally difficult task.
"Totally impossible. Give it up," I said. Yukinoshita quietly nodded,
and Yuigahama got this awkward strained smile.
You can lean forward and look up at me with those wibbly eyes, but
it's no use. What's impossible is impossible. I slowly shook my head.
Isshiki quietly stood. "Hey…there's something I have to talk about…,"
she said in a lowered voice before softly walking over and stopping in
front of my seat. She kept her face turned away as if she felt
hesitant. Page | 118
"Talk about what…?" I asked, but Isshiki just wouldn't say it.
Yukinoshita and Yuigahama were both giving her questioning looks.
Isshiki ignored our confusion, and then for some reason, she undid
one button of her blazer, then another. Wait. What the heck is she
doing?
I wasn't the only one shocked—Yukinoshita's and Yuigahama's
mouths were hanging open, too. Hey, wait, seriously, what is she
doing?! Oh man, hey, um, you're not gonna strip, right?! Do you know
how much trouble that would cause for me?
As Isshiki twisted around to pull off her blazer, she gave a little grunt
of effort. Then she reached under her pink cardigan with one hand
and began rummaging around in the chest of her blouse.
"Um…" She sounded unsure as she fished around in there. With each
movement, her loosely open collar revealed flashes of her
collarbone. Feeling like I shouldn't be looking at point-blank range, I
averted my eyes, but that just made the sound of rustling clothes
and her breathing seem more suggestive.
"I don't know what you're doing, but do it far away from me. Go."
With my face turned down, I shooed her away with my hand, leaning
away as much as I could.
Isshiki let out a particularly big sigh. "Ah, here it is," she announced,
and with another rustle, she pulled out some paper. Her other hand
gently took mine, and then she pressed the paper into my palms.
The sudden touch of her hand, the feel of her thin, supple fingers,
and her mysteriously soft skin made me freeze up in surprise, and
she jerked her hand away. Left in my grip were the warm pieces of
paper.
When I realized that warmth was from her body heat, it just about
made my hand ooze with sweat. I timidly opened my clenched fist. Page | 119
There were a few of those pieces of paper. Skimming over them, I
saw rows of familiar characters. Printed at the top was Receipt, while
underneath was written the name of a bowling alley and a café.
There was even the food ticket for a ramen shop, too.
No way, these receipts…
With a gasp, I figured it out, and when I lifted my head, my eyes
locked with Isshiki's. She was grinning.
You looked? You saw them, right? Then you get it now, right? her
smile seemed to say, and with that before me, any explanation in
words was unnecessary.
Isshiki put her hand out, prompting me to return the receipts. When
I complied and handed them back, she took them carefully in both
hands, then tucked them away again in the chest pocket of her
blouse.
"Sooo about what I wanted to talk about…" She repeated what she'd
said before in a sweet, coaxing voice. It seemed she meant to imply
that I was complicit here.
But I didn't think I had anything to do with this. I'd paid for myself,
and it's not like I'd received any monetary benefit.
So then why do I feel so guilty…? It was fun, so then in the broadest
sense, I benefited from her bankroll? No, but…well…
Maybe it was just because Isshiki had brought out those receipts
with such confidence, but I became more and more worried that
maybe I had done something bad. I could kind of understand why a
victim might be pressured to confess to a false accusation…
I cleared my throat, then turned back to Isshiki. Time for a plea
bargain!
"…L-let's just hear more about it, for now."
"Has she blackmailed you?!" Yuigahama cried out in shock. "Agh…" Yukinoshita sighed in exasperation at the same time.