Episode 20 – Project

Well, it’s finally after school. I really envy the students who don’t belong to any club activities and go straight home. I used to stand on their side.

(Well, it’s too late to complain now.)

I can’t help what I’ve become. In the public morals committee, I only focus on how I can skip school. At the very least, I don’t want to be in a position where I have to take responsibility.

I grabbed my luggage and headed to the classroom where we were supposed to meet. I generally don’t choose to leave my belongings in a classroom infested with untrustworthy people. I’ve gotten myself into a lot of trouble for it in the past.

I arrived exactly five minutes before the assembly time. When I entered the classroom, some students were already waiting inside. Inside were serious-looking students. They must have volunteered to join the public morals committee.

Following me, the students gathered one after another. Among them, there were a few students who were looking as uncomfortable as I was, and they were sitting on chairs in the classroom with a bothersome look on their faces. By the way, the seating order was the first one to get in. Naturally, I sat at the back end of the room and took my time looking around the entire classroom.

(Not many students seem to be available.)

At a quick glance, there are no students who seem to be easily influenced by the committee, and only a few who seem to have a sense of responsibility. I honestly feel that most of them are not up to the task.

When all the students had gathered, I saw a teacher coming through the front door of the classroom. But I suddenly felt something strange.

(Isn’t that the teacher who’s the advisor of the student council……?)

I think it was Takanashi sensei, the head of the first grade. If I remember correctly, he was in charge of the information class. He seems to be a strict teacher and is not very popular among the younger students, but he is very popular among students who are preparing for the entrance examinations because he gives them precise guidance.

At this school, you can’t hold multiple committees. And it’s not just the students, but the teachers as well. Therefore, it’s strange for that teacher to show up at this public morals committee meeting.

While not only me, but several other students were wondering, the answer came from the mouth of an unexpected person who entered the room afterwards.

“Is everyone here?”

(……It can’t be.)

I did a double check and almost blew up afterwards.Being in this place made me feel uncomfortable, and the students around me were obviously confused. But regardless of that, the two who just came in started to introduce themselves.

“I’ll introduce myself in a second. I am Takahashi Satoshi, the head of the first-year class. And I’m mainly in charge of the student council.”

“Greetings once again, everyone. I’m Shiina Haruka, the president of the student council. I apologize for interrupting you today without informing you in advance.”

(Nee san, what are you doing here?)

Of course, I wasn’t informed of anything. I was surprised by her sudden appearance, but she was oblivious to my surprise and started talking right away.

“Well, everyone, here we are. The reason we are here is that the student council and the staff council have decided to develop a new project in cooperation with the public morals committee and the student council.”

(A new project?)

What a disturbing word I heard. Come to think of it, when I told my step sister yesterday that I was going to join the Public Morals Committee, she gave me a bitter look. Could that be because of that project?

“Lately, there has been a problem of rowdiness, especially among the first-year students. The student council has recognized that this is an unusual situation, something that has not happened in previous years. There are about three possible causes, but before we get to the project, let’s get to those.”

Don’t bring first-year problems to the rest of us in other grades. Normally, that should be resolved among the first-year students.

(No, but, it’s my step sister.)

Even though it’s a matter of another grade, my step sister, who’s a member of the student council and has a greater sense of responsibility than anyone else, would have done something about it. But this is the result. Could it be that she couldn’t solve the problem even if she tried?

Then, my step sister begins to talk about the causes of the problem.

“The first is the admission of a female student who is involved in the entertainment industry. She is very popular, and boys are obsessed with her and try to seduce her. And because she keeps rejecting them, more and more boys are getting annoyed.”

When asked about a female student who is involved in entertainment activities, I can only think of one student. She’s that half-Japanese girl called Nanase Natsume. At last, I started to hear rumors about her in my class, so the rumors must have reached my step sister’s class as well.

The people around me were listening with serious faces, as if they had an idea of what she was talking about.

“The second thing is that students with connections to the so-called yakuza…..an antisocial organization have enrolled in the school. By connections, I mean bloodlines, and the son of one of their leaders enrolled at this school this year.”

Muttered, muttered….

antisocial organization. Hearing those words, most of the students became defensive and started to get upset and rustle. But as if to calm them down, Takahashi sensei explained to all of them.

“That student is a student in my class. You may have a bad impression of him when you hear the word ‘anti-social,’ but it’s not that he has any problems of his own. He has some abusive language and a sharp look in his eye, but his behavior is that of a serious student.”

“There are several people who speak ill of hi, It may be unavoidable to have a bad image of him as the son of a yakuza, but on top of that, his classmates are afraid of him and he seems to be depressed, the other day, he talked to his homeroom teacher, Takahashi sensei, about it.”

(No, to consult his homeroom teacher.)

If you grew up in an organization full of yakuza, you should have a stronger mentality. Even I, who grew up in an ordinary family, worked rather hard in middle school, you know?

Well, this was the result of my hard work……

As I was dismayed at the student and my past self, my step sister breaks off the subject and starts talking again. Her eyes were the eyes of someone who really wanted to improve the school.

“Last but not least, this may be a continuation from previous years. There are surprisingly few students who are able to do the things that are taken for granted, such as manners inside and outside the school and greetings. The school will not change.”

My step sister showed a worried expression and told us so. I was a little surprised because it’s not often that I get a chance to see her face like that. The students around me were looking at her with serious faces.

“The student council alone couldn’t handle it, so we were thinking of outsourcing some of the work to the Public Morals Committee, but it was decided at a staff meeting that this wouldn’t be very effective.”

Takahashi sensei began to speak this time on behalf of my step sister. I’m sure this is where the first part of the conversation leads. What do you want us to do?

“The student council and the public morals committee will work together to patrol the school and call for greetings. Originally, Shichinomiya sensei was supposed to be the advisor to the Public Morals Committee, but I was given a special exception to serve in this capacity. I plan to have Shichinomiya sensei serve as my assistant. Therefore, from now on, the members of the Public Morals Committee will be asked to assist the Student Council in its duties and to carry out public morals improvement activities as they have done in previous years. This is the newly adopted joint project of the Student Council and the Public Morals Committee, the school’s public morals promotion campaign.”

(……Seriously?)

A collaboration between the Student Council and the Public Morals Committee. That would be the project that was first mentioned. But wouldn’t that just increase the burden on the Public Morals Committee?

As I was thinking that, Takahashi sensei started talking again.

“Of course, we do not intend to simply increase your workload. The student council will be responsible for a certain amount of work and will be represented by a person from the student council. I want you to listen to the instructions of that person and carry out your duties.”

(Person in charge?)

Could that possibly be my step sister?

That’s what I was thinking, but alas, I was wrong. Takahashi sensei looked outside the classroom, nodded to my step sister, and urged someone over.

“Now, your first assignment. Come into the classroom and introduce yourself.”

“Ah, yes !”

(This voice !?)

I froze for a moment, but I managed to regain my composure and look in that direction. And sure enough, there she is.

“I’m Shinkai Sakura, a second-year who has been assigned as the project leader for this project. I’ve only just joined the student council, but I’m looking forward to working with you.”

(So this is what it’s become ……)

As I was breaking out in a cold sweat, Takahashi sensei started talking about Sakura.

“She just joined the student council, but she is a very talented person. And she was vice-president of the Public Discipline Committee last year, so she is familiar with your duties. These are the reasons why I appointed her as leader.”

From my point of view of her background and…..the Sakura I’ve seen so far, it’s certain that she’s the right person for the job. There is no one more qualified for the job than her. 

“Let’s start discussing it right away.”

She stood on the platform, standing between Takahashi sensei and my step sister.

(……What should I do?)

This might be the first time. I’ve never been this impatient before.