Part 2
This is the club room of the art research club. I am a member of this club, so I visit this room on weekdays. I have heard that a club is such an easy-going place, and since this is one of the most relaxed places in the club, it is just the right place for me to relax. However, it may not be suitable for those who want to study painting properly here.
But there have been some disturbing developments in this circle here recently.
No, disturbing might be a bit misleading. It's more like black clouds are covering the area and it looks like it's going to start raining heavily...
Because the disturbing feeling that now covers this circle is such a sweet one, as if candy, not rain, is falling from the pink clouds.
"Well then! I would like to finally make a decision about this year's school festival program!"
The head of the club, Kiryu-san, who was the one who created the disturbance, declared in high spirits in front of all the members of the club.
"What I want to propose is a maid ca..."
"We are absolutely against it! Even though Saikawa-chan has joined us, there is no way we are going to revert back to a circle where we don't know what we're doing!"
"Against freedom of speech! Hiyama-chan, why do you oppose everything I say!"
"That! The reason is! Ever since I met you! I've been saying it all the time!"
Kiryu-san is out of control and Hiyama-san is trying to physically restrain him. Everyone around them was behaving freely, doing activities, reading manga, etc. At first I thought it was an unusual scene, but after a while I realized that this was the daily life of this circle.
What Kiryu-san was desperately struggling with and insisting on was to have a maid café at the school festival. Last year, Aki-san, Nanako-san, and a senior help that was brought in from somewhere else were dressed as maids, and the event was a great success. The story goes that while Kiryu-san was very happy, Hiyama-san looked deeply disgusted.
"Because! We can make enough money to cover the club's expenses for a year just by running that store! We have no choice but to do it! Even Takenaka Heizo would say so!"
(Note: is a Japanese economist, retired politician, and political activist last serving as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications and Minister of State for Privatization of the Postal Services in the cabinet of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. As of July 2007, he is a professor at Keio University and an advisor for other academic institutions and companies. Wiki)
"He won't say it! After what happened to Saikawa-chan, and even last year, Shinoaki-chan had a close call! What do you think about that!"
Kiryu-san glanced at me and said,
"Well, because, Saikawa-chan would probably give you a hard slap on the cheek if you did that."
"Don't make the assumption that I will! Yeah, well, I probably will..."
"Saikawa-chan, you can't! If you let your guard down even a little bit, this old man will take advantage of you right away, so you have to absolutely refuse him!"
"Look, Saikawa-chan said it's okay."
“When! Did she! Say it! I'm gonna twist your ears up!"
While the president and vice president continued to fight, the senior male duo of Sugimoto-san and Kakihara-san looked uninterested.
"Um... Do you two have anything to say?"
"Do you think there is?"
"Rather, I've seen too many of the same scenes, and it's time for a new development."
A new development. Well, if you've been watching them two or three years longer than I have, maybe that's how you feel about them.
"But that's it. Without Hashiba-kun and Shinoaki-chan, it feels like the balance is off."
Sugimoto-san mumbles.
"That's right. Hashiba-san is really absent, but Aki-san is..."
She is at home. She is there, but she is not coming out.
The reason is that the work on the video production is reaching its peak. I don't know the details of the work, but the amount of time she spent in the room was a sure sign of it.
Sometimes, when Kawasegawa-senpai worries and goes to check on her, she seems to be eating food as if she's noticed, so I'm relieved, though.
"Hey, Saikawa-chan! Can you tell this idiot again? Said this maid cafe thing is insane, and don't be ridiculous!"
"Oi! That's unfair, Hiyama-chan! But being coldly abused by Saikawa-chan would be nice too ow ow ow ow!"
The two continued to wrestle, and finally intervened in earnest, a third country trying to do something about the stalemate in the battle.
(Maid cafe, huh...)
I felt sorry for Hiyama-san if I agreed with this plan, and I also thought that it would be dangerous for things to proceed as Kiryu-san wanted them to.
But inwardly, I was thinking that I might as well do it. Since I had already settled the matter of the part-time job and hadn't attended any events since then, I was actually itching to get out of the cosplay craving that had been building up.
(Something that can replace it...)
"Ah"
The words just slipped out of my mouth.
"Eh, is there anything you want to say?"
"Hih, abusing, abusing me is coming? Then you might as well just stomp me ow ow ow!"
In front of Hiyama-san and the choked Kiryu-san, I,
"Um... I think maid cafes are not a good idea."
When I said it, Hiyama-san tightened the chokehold even more with a big smile on her face.
"Look! Saikawa-chan doesn't like it after all!"
"Guh... Geeee"
As the two men seemed to have decided the match, I continued.
"But if it's a cosplay cafe...wouldn't it be nice?"
For a moment, the club room fell silent. All the club members looked at me with stunned expressions on their faces.
"U-Um, Saikawa-chan, what did you say...?"
Hiyama-san asks me with a look of disbelief.
"Eh, um, cosplay cafe, I said..."
"Cosplay is that thing where you dress up as characters from anime, video games, movies, etc."
"Yes, it is"
Hiyama-san's mouth, still open, slammed shut, and she pushed Kiryu-san out of the way and approached me rapidly at once.
"W-W-W-W-W-W-W-What are you talking about, Saikawa-chan! Has this idiot's poison gotten to you a little bit? Come to your senses quickly!!"
"I-I'm fine, Hiyama-san! I'm perfectly normal...!"
"B-B-Because, you said a cosplay cafe, a cosplay cafe! If he had said it, it would be a little better, but you, of all people, with common sense, would not have said it, no way."
I put my hand on Hiyama-san's shoulder and gently lowered my eyes.
"I'm sorry. But I did say it. It is the fact."
"No waay..."
In place of Hiyama-san, who had fallen down on the spot, the president, the old man of desire stood up gallantly, saying, "My time has come."
"Yes! That's right, Saikawa-chan! I knew you knew exactly what I meant, this old man's dreams and romance!"
"No, to put it bluntly, I think it's just a collection of men's desires."
The president said, "Guha!" and fell down.
"Saikawa, you've got something on your mind, don't you? Let's hear it."
As the president and vice president both fall, a piercing voice echoes through the club room.
It was the words of Kawasegawa-senpai, who had attended the meeting in place of Hashiba-san and others.
I nodded and began to explain.
“Last year's Maid Café was indeed an interesting event, and thanks to the attractive maids of our seniors, it was a great success.”
"Right right right! That's why I said let's do it again this year."
Kiryu-san, who should have fallen down, got up again and tried to get back on track.
"But there were a lot of problems, so I think it's better not to do it twice."
"Guhaa!"
Raising the exact same voice as before, Kiryu-san sank to the floor.
"Besides, if we want this to be a successful event, there is no point in doing a repeat of last year's event. Even for those enthusiasts who missed it the first event, they will be more discerning and demanding on the second occasion. Then I thought it would be easier if we just reopened... How do you think?"
I said so and looked at the president and vice president, but one of them was crumpled on the floor and the other was holding her head in shock at the unexpected turn of events, making it impossible for me to ask them to make a decision.
(The only person I can count on is this person.)
I looked at Kawasegawa-senpai again,
"...For these reasons, I was wondering if it would be a good idea to have a cosplay cafe?"
Kawasegawa-senpai stood up without saying a word,
"It makes sense. I think the intent seems to be clear, so what do you guys think?"
When I looked around, I saw that the vice president was plopped down at the desk, the president was quietly raising his hand, and the male seniors were also quietly raising their hands.
"We have a majority in favor. Let's start preparing for this year's school festival event, the Cosplay Café."
Kawasegawa-senpai, who acted like a new leader stood in the middle of the wreckage while the president & vice president collapsed. As it was, we began to get into the specifics of the plan.
"First of all, costumes. Let's talk to the Manga and Science Fiction Research Clubs. If we can't rent them, we'll have to make them."
“Ueh, Y-Yes! I can handle it all in one way or another."
"Then we'll discuss it when we decide what we're going to do. Next, the cost of materials―"
Kawasegawa-senpai is proceeding with the preparations in a quick and efficient manner. I wonder if there has ever been such a dependable person to carry out a certain task. Well, Hashiba-san could be relied on to do the same. This is the real appearance of senpai, always waiting behind Hashiba-san, and it seems that that was just a temporary appearance, the first appearance of the last boss.
"Um, I'm sorry, Senpai. I said something reckless."
I said, with a hint of fear,
"Why are you apologizing? I thought your idea was a good one, so I went ahead with it as a plan. I wasn't trying to be nice."
What a senior-like word, I thought.
"Well, also..."
"Also?"
Senpai quickly looked away and,
"That guy would do the same thing if he were here, so I am just a substitute."
"He~e..."
I immediately knew that "that guy" was referring to Hashiba-san. I guess she really trusts him. I think the bond between them is so strong that it comes out even in such a casual way.
(But still...)
Why does Kawasegawa-senpai leave the leadership to Hashiba-senpai, while she herself is in a supporting role? Hashiba-san's production ability is amazing even from my point of view, but compared to Kawasegawa-senpai's strength, he doesn't seem to be able to surpass her...
"Really, you're so handful, Hashiba."
Senpai said so and sighed.
"Ah..."
Seeing the look of amazement and warmth on her face, I was struck by a possibility.
(... C-Could it be...!)
No, it certainly makes sense when you think about it. Whenever they decided or talked about something, Kawasegawa-senpai would always follow up with Hashiba-san.
The opinions and plans that Hashiba-san comes up with are indeed innovative and surprising in many ways, but they are also easily cause for opposition. However, the fact that Kawasegawa-senpai follow up on his ideas increases everyone's sense of security and works to their advantage as a basis for making decisions.
Kawasegawa-senpai is strict with herself and others, so there is no doubt that she is doing so out of recognition of Hashiba-san's abilities. There is no doubt, but...
(Maybe she likes him... about Hashiba-san)
When I think about it, the stern senpai in front of me seems so adorable and makes me want to hug her. It would take a lot of courage to do it, though.
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