CH#117

Summer has begun.

 It’s July, and the campus of Sakurano-oka Academy is somewhat in a state of excitement.

 

　It wasn’t because of the new school term or the fresh atmosphere.

　Needless to say, I already knew the answer.

 

　It was because the summer vacation and the summer festival, the biggest event in the school, were just around the corner.

　The biggest event of the year is approaching, and that’s why the students are so excited.

 

　There were no exceptions around me, and no matter where I went, the topic of conversation was the same.

　Plans for summer vacation trips, promises to go to summer festivals with their girlfriends.

 

　Students who had not yet found a girlfriend were clenching their fists and rubbing shoulders with similar friends, eager to make one by this time.

 

　I’m sorry, but even if you are determined to do so, you can’t do something impossible….

　I’m sure that after summer vacation, winter vacation, school trips, Valentine’s Day, cultural festivals, and other big events, people will say similar things.

 

　They say things and don’t act on them.

　I feel like this is a typical pattern of modern students.

　Be it at class, at home, and in the student council.

　One particular day, when I was starting to get tired of the topics, I was assigned a task for the after-school student council activities.

 

“We’re going to have a pool cleanup this weekend.”

 

　As soon as the meeting started, the president told the board members.

　I opened my mouth wide and almost let out a sigh.

 

　The moment I heard the president’s words, I had a hard time understanding what she was talking about because all I could think of was a question mark.

　Why would the student council be cleaning the pool on a holiday?

 

　Why would the student council be cleaning the pool on a holiday when there was already an indoor pool used by the swimming club?

　In addition, the boys have nothing to do with it… This may be a bit of a misrepresentation, but the boys don’t have swimming classes.

 

　Only female students have swimming as an elective in their physical education classes.

　That’s why I thought it had nothing to do with me, so I didn’t understand the meaning of President’s words.

 

It is natural that there is a pool cleaning as a preparation for class at this time of the summer.

　I thought that the cleaning would be done by a contractor, so I ignored it.

 

　I had no idea that it was a job for the student council…

　It was only when the president gave me a cold stare that I realized that all the other board members knew about it.

 

“I’m sure you’re not going to say that you didn’t hear what I said last week… are you, Shinra?”

“…”

 

　The silence meant exactly what President said.

　That’s strange.

 

　In my memory, I thought that last week’s student council activity was only about the summer events.

　…Or, perhaps it was because it was the day after I was forcibly taken to the hot springs by Kirasaka and I was in a daze.

 

　In other words, it was my lack of concentration and my fault.

 

“It cannot be helped, I’ll explain it again.”

 

“Please do.”

 

　I honestly said a few words of apology and listened to the explanation.

　The other board members knew what was going on, but they were listening attentively.

 

 

 

“Every year, our school holds a swimming class for female students. If it was a normal year, there wouldn’t have been any problems, but this year the pool is undergoing renovation, as you know.”

 

“The contractor was in the school this afternoon, wasn’t he?”

 

　Koizumi said, probably checking the record of the contractor’s entry into the school.

　It’s true that we’ve been passing people in work clothes for the past few days.

 

 

 

So we decided to use the outdoor pool this year, and the student council will take over the cleaning.

 

“…what a troublesome role.”

 

　Why on earth would this job be given to us?

　President will not refuse to do so if asked, but she already has a lot of work to do on a regular basis.

 

　This job may have been part of it, but if it was a sudden request, I would like to complain to the teacher who asked her to do it.

 

 

 

“The more people you have, the better. It would be great if you could ask your friends to help out.”

 

That’s true… The outdoor pool is big, so we’ll need more people.

 

　When Miura takes out a diagram of the outdoor pool, she paints the order in which the pool needs to be cleaned in detail in different colors.

Even if you make a rough estimate, five or six people other than the student organization are unlikely to end it in a day without help.

 

　Each member of the board would probably have to call out to their friends to get people to help.

　Unfortunately, don’t expect me to do it.

 

　After all, the number of people I have to talk to is exceptionally small.

　And since some of them would definitely refuse, it would be worse to get their hopes up.

 

　President turned to me and told me what she was thinking.

 

“Shinra should also invite Kanzaki and Rei.”

 

“…Who’s going to control those rampaging horses?”

 

　President laughed at the names of two of the few people I could talk to.

　It is true that I can invite both Shizuku and Kirasaka.

 

　I’m sure that Shizuku will be able to help us.

　However, the story will be completely different when it comes to including Kirasaka.

 

　I can’t imagine that it will end up without any problems.

　If someone doesn’t act as a mediator, the whole place will be surrounded in a tense atmosphere.

 

　President answered my question as if it were obvious.

 

“It is, of course, within the scope of Shinra’s work.”

 

　…It is… isn’t it?

　The moment President mentioned the two names, I had a somewhat troublesome feeling.

 

　But whom President spoke of next was a person I didn’t think of, at least not yet.

 

“And if it’s okay, isn’t it an option to invite your sister as well?”

 

“Kaede?”

 

　I think Kaede had said she would be free this Saturday.

　Normally, I would ask Kaede here, and if she agrees, she can join us as one of the helpers…

 

　I think that’s too much of a problem.

　There is a junior in front of me who worships Kaede as a goddess.

 

　As you look at him, his eyes are shining and he is nodding his head in approval, and he looks at me expectantly.

 

　To be honest, I’m against letting Kaede meet this guy.

　Sure, it was only a photo, but you never know what he’s up to.

 

　There is a possibility that he will say or do something even more troublesome than Kirasaka.

　When I couldn’t agree with President’s proposal, she proceeded with the meeting.

 

“If there are any students who are willing to help, please let me know by the Friday before. We’ll dismiss early today.”

 

　There was no meeting at all.

　There was no meeting, only a brief reminder, but today’s student council meeting was over.

 

　In the end, the president of the student council left the room after saying, “Please try talking to your sister,” leaving only me and Hino-kun in the room.

 

“Please, big brother!”

 

“Who’s your brother?”

 

　I’m not going to marry off my sister.

　I’ve had a selfish plan since elementary school to have her take care of me at least until I can stand on my own.

Tl/N - I’m still not re-reading the whole novel since I was busy playing Genshin I had exams and other stuffs to do, here was the chapter anyway.