The Fourth Period Is Modern Chinese (Continued)

"Mm, mm, then I'll be going..."

"See you!"

Before leaving, the two of them looked over at me, and I nodded in response. They nodded back, and the door slowly closed.

"Since they went out of their way to bring us something to eat, let's keep working while we eat."

Iroha came back and started handing out peach pies, while Komachi quickly got to work making coffee.

S-so that's how it was. We weren't taking a break first—we were continuing to work... Normally, someone would suggest taking a short break, right...? I looked to the side, where Iroha was humming as she flipped through documents.

"Next up is... the student assembly~"

The moment she opened the materials while eating her peach pie, the Student Council office door sounded again.

"Mmph—!"

With her mouth stuffed full of peach pie, Iroha answered in a muffled voice.

The door opened, and Yukino and Yuihama, who should have already left, poked their heads in from behind it.

"...Um, if you don't mind, shall we help too?"

Yukino politely offered, while Yuihama nodded furiously behind her.

Iroha hurriedly washed down the pie with tea, stood up, dashed over to the two of them, and bowed deeply in utter panic.

"No, no, no! How could I possibly let exam takers do this kind of thing?!"

That was strange. I was an exam taker too... Huh? Did she just call it "this kind of thing"?

I looked at Iroha suspiciously, only to find her pressing her hands together and worshipping those two.

"Rather, I'd like to ask you two when there's something harder to deal with, so we really don't need help today. I mean it—when we truly can't manage, I'll ask without holding back."

I didn't think that phrasing was much better either, but after some