Akiyama Mio reminded her, just in case Ritsu tried to slack off again.
"Okay, okay, I got it."
Bai Qiu had only just learned that they hadn't received any funding.
"Wait, don't tell me you forgot something?"
Bai Qiu suddenly thought of something and asked.
Everyone looked at him in confusion.
Ritsu: "Forgot what?"
"Like the club application form, or maybe a funding application?"
Bai Qiu wasn't sure whether a funding application was even a thing, since he'd never started a club before.
But he remembered that in the original story, Captain Ritsu had forgotten to submit the club application.
If the club hadn't even been established, then funding was out of the question!
"Ah! Th-this..."
Tainaka Ritsu suddenly lowered her relaxed hands and grew inexplicably tense.
"How could that be!"
Ritsu felt a cold sweat breaking out.
Bai Qiu and Akiyama Mio exchanged a glance.
It looked like they understood what had happened.
Yui Hirasawa and Kotobuki Tsumugi were still completely bewildered, looking puzzled.
Akiyama Mio suddenly stood up and walked over to one of the extra desks in the classroom.
"Wait, Mio, what are you doing?!"
Tainaka Ritsu clung to Akiyama Mio's lower leg at astonishing speed.
"I'm checking the desk drawer."
"Ritsu, you idiot! Let go of me!"
Akiyama Mio struggled. Being grabbed like that out of nowhere, with so many people around, made her feel embarrassed.
"No, there's nothing worth looking at!"
Ritsu only clung to her more tightly.
She absolutely couldn't let everyone see. Where would that leave her pride?!
Once everyone had left, she'd sneakily turn it in and pretend nothing had happened!
Kotobuki Tsumugi's eyes lit up. Girls being close with other girls was so wonderful!
"B-Bai Qiu-kun, please help me."
Akiyama Mio pointed at the desk and asked Bai Qiu for help, since he was the closest.
"N-No!!"
Tainaka Ritsu let go of Akiyama Mio and rushed forward to stop Bai Qiu.
But this time, Akiyama Mio grabbed her and held her back.
In the blink of an eye, Bai Qiu declared loudly,
"Give up already!"
"Little Ritsu."
Bai Qiu had already pulled several sheets of A4 paper out of the desk drawer.
One of them had even been torn in half.
He'd even demoted me from Captain Ritsu to Little Ritsu.
Tainaka Ritsu let her hands drop, looking utterly despairing as she gave up resisting.
Back at the tea table,
several sheets of A4 paper lay on the tabletop.
There was the Light Music Club application, along with everyone's individual club application forms.
And... Akiyama Mio's Literature Club application, which had been torn in half.
That was Ritsu's handiwork from when she'd tried to stop Mio from joining the Literature Club.
Everyone looked at the pristine application forms, then turned as one to Tainaka Ritsu.
"Ahahaha! I can't believe I really forgot to turn them in... Ahahaha..."
Tainaka Ritsu scratched the back of her head and laughed awkwardly.
"You're so unreliable, you idiot Ritsu!"
Akiyama Mio said irritably, then reminded her,
"Remember to turn them in after school today!"
"I know, I know. Leave it to me!"
Tainaka Ritsu thumped her chest in promise. Seeing how confident she looked only made Bai Qiu and Akiyama Mio more worried.
Bai Qiu picked up the club application and looked it over. The corner of his mouth twitched. Just as he'd thought...
"Wait, we're still missing a faculty advisor."
Bai Qiu pointed to an empty field on the form.
"We need a teacher too?"
Tainaka Ritsu asked in confusion. Weren't clubs supposed to be places where students could happily hang out?
Everyone froze, then turned their scrutinizing gazes on Ritsu again.
"I was wrong! Waaaah!"
Tainaka Ritsu wailed.
After some discussion—mostly with Bai Qiu guiding them—
everyone finally decided to ask their year's music teacher, Yamanaka Sawako, to advise the Light Music Club. She was beautiful, had a sweet voice, and was very gentle.
At first, Tainaka Ritsu had planned to ask Hiratsuka Shizuka to be their advisor.
Her reason was that with Hiratsuka Shizuka around, the Light Music Club wouldn't get bullied by other clubs.
Fortunately, Bai Qiu argued that nobody would bully the Light Music Club.
So they rejected the idea.
Seeing that everyone had nearly finished their food,
Akiyama Mio hesitated for a moment, then reminded them a little awkwardly,
"Everyone, practice..."
"Aw, Mio, there's no rush to practice."
Tainaka Ritsu had returned to her lazy demeanor.
"It's rare for Aki-kun to visit. Wouldn't it be nice to have tea and chat? Right?"
Ritsu winked at Bai Qiu.
Akiyama Mio looked at Bai Qiu helplessly, too.
"Maybe we could practice for a little while?"
Bai Qiu said hesitantly. He was actually looking forward to seeing the girls perform.
And Yui had just gotten her guitar, so she probably wanted to play it.
No, wait—at this point, Yui probably couldn't play guitar yet!
But the words had already left his mouth.
"Thank you, Bai Qiu-kun!"
Akiyama Mio looked delighted.
She suddenly felt that getting Bai Qiu to join the Light Music Club might have been the most sensible decision Ritsu had ever made!
Tainaka Ritsu's expression changed. She'd actually been betrayed!
Everyone got up to take out their instruments.
Ritsu suddenly noticed something, and a knowing smile spread across her face.
"What is it now, you idiot Ritsu?!"
"I was just thinking, Mio, didn't you just call him Bai Qiu-kun?"
Akiyama Mio tilted her head, puzzled.
Then a sense of foreboding crept into her heart. Don't tell me...
"And Aki-kun, you've been calling her Akiyama-san this whole time, haven't you?"
"You two..."
"You keep calling each other by your surnames and adding '-san.'"
"So formal, like an old married couple who treat each other with such politeness."
"We're all good friends in the same club. Wouldn't it be better to call each other by our first names?"
Tainaka Ritsu shouted, looking amused.
"Don't you agree? Yui, Tsumugi."
Yui and Kotsumugi thought she had a point, too.
An old married couple?!
Those three words nearly knocked Akiyama Mio out cold.
"R-Ritsu... R-R-Ritsu! W-What are you talking about..."
Akiyama Mio glanced at Bai Qiu. Their eyes met, and her face instantly turned bright red. Her eyes spiraled like mosquito coils, and she could barely get the words out.
"If Mio's too embarrassed, Aki-kun can go first."
"Just like us, you can call her Mio."
Captain Ritsu turned sideways and nudged Bai Qiu.
"Uh..."
Bai Qiu cleared his throat and looked at Akiyama Mio.
Akiyama Mio looked like she was barely conscious.
Though he thought Captain Ritsu had set him up with a pretty good assist, Mio wasn't going to faint on the spot, was she?!
If she fainted, they'd have a problem.
Everyone nearby was already looking at him expectantly.
"Hurry up!"
"Mm-hm!" ×2
"Mio."
Bai Qiu spoke softly.
Steam practically rose from the top of Akiyama Mio's head. Her cheeks had turned red all the way to her ears.
Tainaka Ritsu looked at Akiyama Mio with a teasing grin.
"Your turn, Mio-chan~"
Before you continue