"Eh, climb Mount Fuji this weekend?"
Yamada Elf's eyes quickly brightened. She put her hands on her hips:
"I want to go play!"
"I've only ever seen Mount Fuji on TV, I haven't actually been there to play yet."
"I'm going to climb to the summit in one breath!"
Hearing this, Izumi Sora looked over, expressionless:
"There's something I don't know if I should say..."
Yamada Elf put her hands on her hips: "Then don't say it."
Izumi Sora complained:
"Mount Fuji is over 3,700 meters above sea level. With your stamina, you wouldn't even be able to climb 700 meters, you'll be exhausted and collapse very quickly."
Poke—
Yamada Elf extended her right hand, her finger gently poking Izumi Sora's waist:
"Idiot Sora, I told you to shut up!"
Izumi Sora parried Elf's small hand, continuing:
"Moreover, after climbing the mountain, your whole body will ache, and it will take several days to recover. Your legs might even cramp... Is Elf sure you want to climb the mountain?"
"L-Leg cramp?"
Hearing these words, Yamada Elf's small face turned slightly pale.
Half a month ago, when they went fishing at the beach right after the Sports Festival, plus playing around with surfing for half a day, she ended up getting a leg cramp at the hotel. That feeling of almost dying was still fresh in Yamada Elf's memory.
Scary.
Such a terrifying feeling, she absolutely didn't want to experience it a second time.
Seeing the hesitant expression on Elf's face, Yanami Anna hurriedly spoke up:
"Elf, don't be afraid. Mount Fuji has long been shaped by humans."
Izumi Sora: "..."
What do you mean, 'shaped by humans'?
That sounds super terrible, alright!
Yanami Anna extended a slender jade finger, offering Elf reassurance:
"There are cable cars all over Mount Fuji. If Elf can't climb anymore, you can just take the cable car straight to the summit. Moreover, the scenery at the summit of Mount Fuji is super beautiful. Since we live in Tokyo, it would be a great regret in life if we didn't climb Mount Fuji once and look at the scenery of Tokyo from the summit."
"...That makes sense."
After hearing Yanami's words, Yamada Elf's eyes brightened again. She put her hands on her hips:
"I was almost tricked by Sora. If I can't climb anymore, I can just take the cable car. I don't have to worry about leg cramps at all."
Izumi Sora looked over speechlessly:
"Speaking of which, I didn't agree to go play, did I?"
"Come with us, Sora." Yanami Anna clasped her hands to her chest, leaned in, and whispered in his ear, her pretty face slightly flushed, "Please, please I'm begging you, I'm begging you"
Izumi Sora's heartbeat accelerated slightly. Faced with 'Inmate Eight's' coquettishness, he naturally couldn't hold out:
"Let's be clear first, if it's windy or raining, we're not going."
"Don't worry." A bright smile instantly blossomed on Yanami Anna's pretty face. The girl's sweet smile could completely rival the sunlight outside, quietly brightening the entire classroom. "I've already checked the weather forecast, the next half month will be great weather."
Mission accomplished!
As expected, acting coquettish is the most useful magic weapon!
Yanami Anna hummed smugly in her heart.
Wanting to go mountain climbing over the weekend was actually her little scheme.
Last Saturday, Izumi Sora and Mahiru participated in the Tokyo Marathon together and ended up on a live broadcast. Although Yanami Anna didn't say anything, she was definitely jealous.
So she super wanted to go on a date no matter what, and it couldn't be just simple shopping; it had to be a memorable date.
After much thought, Yanami Anna came up with the idea of climbing Mount Fuji—
Mahiru's foot was currently injured, so she definitely wouldn't be able to climb the mountain and could only rest at home.
Sagiri is a shut-in and won't go out.
At most, there would only be Elf and Kuroneko joining them.
A mere Elf, laughable, truly laughable.
A tiny Kuroneko, not worth mentioning.
Even if we go mountain climbing together, with Elf and Kuroneko's stamina, they definitely won't last until the end and will have to take the cable car. Then I can have a private mountain climbing date with Sora... Just as planned!
After chatting for a while longer, the class bell rang on time.
Yanami Anna reluctantly returned to her seat. Not being able to gossip was agonizing.
Thump thump thump.
The sound of high heels clicking on the floor quickly became distinct. The petite, elementary-schooler-like homeroom teacher who was desperate to get married walked in. Today, she didn't engage in self-pity and quickly got to the main topic:
"Before class starts, I have two things to announce."
"First, we have officially entered summer. In other words, summer vacation is coming soon. If you don't want to come to school for makeup exams during summer vacation, then properly prepare for the final exams."
"Summer vacation, huh..."
Hearing this, Izumi Sora turned his head, silently looking out the window, his thoughts drifting far away.
The loud chirping of cicadas could already be heard outside; summer vacation indeed wasn't far away.
The long summer vacation is probably the happiest part of one's school days. Unfortunately, one only realizes and misses it after it's gone.
"Second, we need to start preparing for the School Festival. After class, vote on your class project and submit it to the student council for approval. If you want to set up your own stall, the process is exactly the same." After saying that, the female teacher opened her textbook. "Now, let's begin class..."
The class passed in a flash.
After class, the class rep went up to the podium and had everyone vote to decide on the class project.
Izumi Sora didn't have much interest in the School Festival; he just wanted to be an anonymous voter.
After some commotion, the haunted house project won with the highest number of votes.
In the blink of an eye, it was time for dismissal.
Izumi Sora, Mahiru, and Elf went to the library together for tutoring as usual.
Yanami, being a top-tier normie, had already joined the School Festival Committee, ready to shine and contribute to the festival.
After studying in the library for half an hour, Yamada Elf lay weakly on the desk:
"Strange, why didn't Tiara come over today?"
Izumi Sora glanced at the empty seat beside him and said casually:
"The teachers are only responsible for approving the School Festival projects. The specific coordination and execution are up to the student council. As the vice president of the student council, Tiara must be incredibly busy right now, with her feet barely touching the ground. She won't have time to come study with us for a while."
Buzz buzz.
His phone suddenly vibrated.
Izumi Sora picked it up and saw it was actually a message from Angel-sama.
"Sora-kun~ look to your left."
"Hmm?"
Izumi Sora was slightly taken aback. Following Mahiru's suggested direction, a petite girl with short red hair quietly entered his vision.
Their eyes met.
The red-haired girl shivered as if a little rabbit had encountered a big bad wolf, and hurriedly hid behind the bookshelf.
Shiina Mahiru sent a message:
"That girl has been here for five minutes, constantly stealing glances at Sora-kun... Does she need you for something?"
Izumi Sora replied to Mahiru:
"I joined the Literature Club before, and she's a club member. If she's looking for me, it should be related to club activities... I'll go ask."
Ever since the accidental fall into the river that day, even if they occasionally met at the academy, Komari Chika would immediately turn into a mouse meeting a cat, fleeing in a panic.
So, other than club-related matters, Izumi Sora completely couldn't imagine what she would need him for.
And that was exactly the case.
Izumi Sora got up and walked around the bookshelf, only to see Komari Chika holding her chest, taking deep breaths, as if the eye contact just now had given her a massive fright.
"Komari-san?"
Izumi Sora called out.
"Uuu~ wa wa wa wa!"
Turning her head and seeing the boy suddenly appear beside her, Komari Chika was startled and trembled, like a cat touching a live wire, her whole body vibrating in waves.
"Keep it down." Izumi Sora reminded her. "This is the library, someone will come kick us out soon."
"..."
Hearing this, Komari Chika hurriedly raised her hands, frantically covering her mouth.
Izumi Sora put his hands in his pockets:
"Does Komari need me for something?"
"Umm... well..."
Komari Chika looked down at her toes, stammering as she tried to speak. Unfortunately, when the words reached her lips, her voice was so small even she couldn't hear it clearly.
There was no other way.
As a girl with social anxiety, speaking to a 'normie' like Izumi Sora was simply too much pressure.
"Here." Izumi Sora was prepared before coming over, handing her a pen and a notepad. "If you have something to say, just write it down."
"Thank you."
Komari Chika expressed her gratitude, quickly taking the pen and notepad, and then, with her head down, began writing furiously.
Scribble scribble scribble.
After finishing, Komari Chika held up the notepad with both hands, placing it on top of her head, her movements cautious and cute.
[I'm sorry to trouble you, Izumi-kun... The student council notified us that for this School Festival, the Literature Club must hold a club activity, otherwise the club will be abolished.]
Looking at the text on the notepad, Izumi Sora roughly understood why Komari had come to find him, and nodded gently:
"Continue."
Scribble scribble scribble.
Komari Chika, like a maid hearing her master's command, nodded hurriedly, picked up the pen, and continued writing. After finishing, she once again held the notepad above her head:
[The president and Tsukinoki-senpai aren't at school. They have excellent grades and went out of town to participate in a national competition. They won't be back for a while. I can't organize a club activity by myself, so I had no choice but to come bother you, Izumi-kun.]
"P-Please..."
Komari Chika took a deep breath and bowed ninety degrees towards Izumi Sora. Her voice trembled slightly, but she had clearly mustered all her courage, pleading softly:
"N-No matter what, we must protect the Literature Club!"
"But I definitely can't do it alone..."
"A-As long as Izumi-kun is willing to participate in the activity, you can make me do anything!"
Izumi Sora: "..."
A small club on the verge of abolition, a timid and cowardly girl with social anxiety, mustering up the courage to protect the club, finding the former ghost member, and setting the flag 'As long as we can protect the Literature Club, I will do anything'...
If this were a galgame (dating sim), your future could no longer be described as merely tragic.
You'd have to write the word 'tragic' eighteen times in one breath!
Fortunately, Izumi Sora wasn't a galgame protagonist, nor did he have any despicable intentions of taking advantage of someone's precarious position. Faced with the red-haired girl who was willing to sacrifice everything to protect the club on a desperate gamble, Izumi Sora nodded gently and said calmly:
"Komari-san, you should go back for now."
"..."
Hearing this sentence, Komari Chika's shoulders trembled slightly, and her whole person turned ashen.
(I-I got rejected?)
(Makes sense... When Izumi-kun joined, he said he was just a ghost member. I shouldn't have come to trouble him...)
Although she had anticipated this possibility, Komari Chika still felt a suffocating sadness, her vision rapidly blurring.
Fortunately, in the next second, Izumi Sora's voice entered her ears again:
"Tutoring will end in half an hour. At that time, Elf, Yanami, and I will go over together to discuss the content of the club activity."
"...Eh?"
Hearing this, Komari Chika stared blankly, tilting up her small face.
The girl's eyes were misty, and tears were already swirling at the edge of her sockets, as if they were going to roll down in the next second.
Izumi Sora was quite speechless. Fortunately, he said the next sentence in time, otherwise the girl in front of him really would have cried.
"I-Izumi-kun, you mean...?"
Komari Chika's heartbeat quietly accelerated. She hurriedly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, afraid that hope would turn into despair again.
"I said I agree to help." Izumi Sora solemnly made a promise. "You go to the club room first. In half an hour, Elf, Yanami, and I will head over."
"...T-Thank you, Izumi-kun!"
Receiving an affirmative answer, Komari Chika instantly became excited, teary-eyed as she bowed ninety degrees once more.
"That's settled then." Seeing that some people were already secretly looking over, Izumi Sora waved his hand. "Komari, go to the club room and wait for us."
"I-I understand..."
Komari Chika took three steps and turned back once, leaving hesitantly. Her expression was super easy to read, clearly worried that Izumi Sora was just playing around, or even standing her up.
Speaking of which, if I really stood her up and didn't go, Komari Chika would definitely cry very sadly, right?
Izumi Sora withdrew his gaze, turned, and returned to sit at the long table.
"Sora, Sora, what were you talking about?"
Yamada Elf immediately sidled over. Her palm-sized, snow-white face was full of gossip and curiosity:
"I just saw Komari-san crying. Did Idiot Sora secretly play with Komari-san's feelings behind our backs?"
Hearing this, Angel-sama tilted her head and looked over.
Although she was very sure Izumi Sora wasn't that kind of person, she was indeed very curious as to why that girl was crying.
"It's about the club..."
Izumi Sora had a clear conscience and wasn't the least bit guilty, quickly explaining the situation.
"I see." Yamada Elf's gaze shifted. "Then let's go to the club room right now, shall we?"
"No." Izumi Sora glanced over, seeing right through Elf's little scheme. "First, you need to learn linear equations with two variables."
"Ehhh..."
Elf instantly wilted.
"What can be done today, should be done today." Angel-sama's voice was gentle. "The final exams are approaching, Elf wouldn't want to fail, right?"
Yamada Elf looked up, unable to resist complaining softly:
"That sentence is so familiar... Mahiru has indeed been molded into Idiot Sora's shape."
Shiina Mahiru's pretty face flushed slightly, pretending not to hear:
"Elf, sit properly. After you finish studying, you can go to the club room."
"..."
Half an hour later.
Tutoring ended.
Izumi Sora and Elf headed to the club room. Mahiru hadn't joined the Literature Club, so she chose to go home first to prepare dinner.
Just after walking out of the academic building, they saw a blue-haired girl standing by the flowerbed, looking out eagerly.
"Sora~ I'm over here."
It was exactly Yanami.
After meeting up with 'Inmate Eight', the three headed to the club room together.
"Komari, we're here."
Yanami stepped forward and knocked on the door. She quickly noticed the club room door was open a crack, so she conveniently pulled it open.
"Ehhhhh?"
After seeing clearly the situation inside, Yanami was startled.
"What's going on?"
Izumi Sora looked inside curiously and was instantly speechless.
He saw Komari Chika kneeling on the floor in a dogeza (prostration) posture, her voice trembling slightly:
"Everyone really came... I'm deeply grateful!"