100. Then, with firm resolve, the cultural festival. (4)

Although it was clearly the weekend, the club building was bustling with activity. Many classrooms were decorated—colorful paper pasted on windows, ornaments hanging on door signs—imbuing the place with a festive atmosphere that immediately brought to mind the upcoming cultural festival.

Approaching the drama club’s activity room, from the outside it looked just as usual, unchanged from before.

Tsukasa Jingūji was about to reach out and knock when the classroom door suddenly swung open. The girl who appeared seemed startled, and Tsukasa clearly heard her gasp.

She was evidently in a bad mood, about to lose her temper, but upon looking up and seeing Tsukasa’s exceptionally handsome face, the curse about to escape her lips was instantly swallowed back down. She stammered for a moment, then wordlessly fled.

Entering the drama club room, Tsukasa immediately saw Kudō and Yōhmiya Yō. Besides them, a few first-year drama club members were present. The room was unusually quiet, the air palpably heavy.

Under normal circumstances, Tsukasa would have quietly slipped out, pretending he had never been there.

But today, he was here to resolve the issue. Though reluctant, he braced himself and stepped forward.

“Yōhmiya.”

The usually lively girl, standing nearby like a small animal, wore a rare expression of silence as she slowly walked over to Tsukasa.

“Senpai…”

“Could you explain the situation to me first?”

Tsukasa sat down inside the drama club room, and Kudō began recounting the entire story.

The matter itself was not complicated—it revolved around a conflict between the drama club and the brass band club, specifically about the order of their performances in the cultural festival.

According to the custom at Kamizakura High School, clubs performing on stage during the festival must submit their performance details and durations one month in advance.

The student council reviews these submissions, then organizes a meeting with all clubs to discuss and finalize the performance order.

This negotiation was always handled by Yōhmiya Yō, the student council secretary. Since joining the council, she had been responsible for liaising with all clubs and had never encountered any issues—until now.

The problem began at a meeting held a week ago.

At that time, all clubs, including the brass band and drama club, had confirmed the performance order, and Yōhmiya had submitted the finalized list.

However, during today’s club meeting, the brass band and drama clubs clashed over the order again. Though it didn’t escalate to violence, heated arguments were unavoidable.

Yōhmiya tried her best to mediate, but once emotions ran high among sixteen- or seventeen-year-olds, they paid no heed to a first-year like her. She was even pushed over by a brass band girl during the meeting, rumor had it.

After Kudō finished, Tsukasa glanced at the small figure sitting silently. He had never seen Yōhmiya so dejected. Instinctively, he reached out and gently patted her head.

“Are you alright?”

She softly responded with a quiet “Mm.”

Because Tsukasa’s gesture was unusually gentle, even in front of the other drama club members, Yōhmiya didn’t pull away.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

She shook her head.

“Did the person who pushed you apologize?”

Yōhmiya kept her head down, saying nothing.

“I see.” Tsukasa’s expression remained calm as he gently stroked her head.

“…Senpai, we really messed up.”

Her once lively, proud voice now sounded subdued, like a trembling kitten cowering in a dark alley after being bullied.

“It’s not your fault,” the boy reassured her.

Turning to Kudō, Tsukasa asked, “Was the girl who just left a member of the brass band?”

Kudō nodded.

Tsukasa pondered briefly, then inquired, “Can you tell me which floor the brass band is on?”

“Eh? Senpai, are you going to the brass band club?” Kudō asked in surprise.

“As vice president of the student council, I can’t just ignore problems when they arise. The president’s been swamped lately. At a crucial time like this, I have to share the burden.”

“…Sorry,” Yōhmiya apologized again upon hearing Tsukasa’s words.

“I’m not blaming you. You didn’t cause this. No need to shoulder the responsibility so hastily.”

“Because… I didn’t do my job well.”

Seeing the usually confident little animal become so timid and withdrawn struck Tsukasa as both surprising and oddly frustrating.

“In any case, I’m here representing the student council. The first thing I must do is remain impartial.

“I can’t just take your word and condemn the brass band’s behavior outright. I need to understand their side as well. I hope you understand that.”

“I understand. I didn’t mean to make things difficult for you, Senpai.”

“Thank you, Kudō.”

After learning the brass band’s location from Kudō and gently patting Yōhmiya’s head once more, Tsukasa left the drama club alone.

Not long after stepping outside, someone called his name. Turning around, he saw Yōhmiya jogging up to him.

He stood still, waiting silently for her to reach him, then asked, “Why did you come?”

“I want to go with you to the brass band room. This is part of my job, after all.”

Her voice sounded somewhat more spirited than before, though her expression carried a hint of nervousness, as if trying to bolster her own courage.

Tsukasa suddenly recalled something she had said long ago.

It seemed that even Yōhmiya harbored a past she preferred not to confront.

Everyone he’d met so far, including himself, shared this trait.

“If you agree to hide behind me, then come along.”

“Ugh… that sounds a bit cowardly, but this time I’ll obey you, Senpai.”

Without another word, Tsukasa walked ahead toward the brass band’s floor.

Yōhmiya quickened her pace to catch up, cautiously studying his profile as if observing something new.

Suddenly, she looked up at him as if she had discovered a cosmic truth.

“Um… Senpai, can I ask a silly question?”

“Go ahead.”

Yōhmiya scratched her cheek, then tucked her hands into her sleeves, fingers entwined.

“Senpai, are you… angry?”

Tsukasa’s expression didn’t change. “Am I not allowed to be angry?”

Yōhmiya shook her adorable little head. “No, it’s just that I’ve never seen you angry seriously before. I thought you didn’t care about anything.”

“There’s no such person in the world,” Tsukasa denied.

“Well… how to put it… I am a little annoyed, but I’m well aware of my position and quite good at controlling my emotions.

“I’m not looking to argue; I want to solve the problem.”

“Why?” Yōhmiya pressed.

“Why? Because we’re the student council, of course.”

Yōhmiya pouted in slight dissatisfaction. “No, I meant why are you angry.”

Tsukasa said nothing, expressionless as he reached out to ruffle her hair, eliciting a cute “Uwu” sound from the little animal.

“You talk too much. Let’s go.”

End of chapter.