I'm Trying Hard Too, You Know

Kitagawa Ryo twirled the red pen in his hand, and the shadow it cast on the wall began to sway.

"It just so happens that your school is also having a Cultural Festival next month, and you'll be serving as the class's executive committee member."

"Why?"

Horikita Suzune subconsciously retorted.

"Because Horikita Manabu is now the Leader in their class who oversees all aspects of the Cultural Festival."

"..."

Horikita Suzune could only remain silent. This must have been a very difficult decision for her, because until now, she had not tried to communicate with anyone else.

Let alone becoming an executive member of the class for the Cultural Festival.

Teamwork is troublesome and unnecessary.

"Go do it."

Kitagawa Ryo's voice suddenly turned cold, and Horikita Suzune retorted through gritted teeth:

"I'm not good at that. You saw it when I got home from school today, right? I don't have any friends I can talk to."

"I should have said it from the beginning. I'm only helping you Suzune I believe you have the ability to surpass Horikita Manabu. I won't do anything pointless. If you refuse here, then I can only conclude that there's no benefit for me to stay here any longer; it will only be a waste of my energy and time."

Kitagawa Ryo shook his head and said, while Horikita Suzune looked at him defiantly:

"Benefits...? So you're acting entirely based on self-interest."

"Is that not allowed? Humans are creatures who can calculate their own interests. As long as you sell goods, you get money; as long as you do someone a favor, you get something in return. Otherwise, why would I bother coming all this way to tutor you?"

"But everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, and many people in the class are just a burden to me. I simply can't lead them as an executive committee member."

"If that's really what you think, then I can only consider you a burden."

What makes you think I'm a burden?

"Isn't it obvious? You're all alone, and you can't compare to Horikita Manabu, who's a Student Council member and class Leader. That's proof that you're a burden."

Kitagawa Ryo and Horikita Suzune faced off as he picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip of tea.

"If you don't get this executive committee position, I'll leave immediately."

"Because I've determined that you'll never surpass my academic achievements in this lifetime."

Horikita Suzune took a deep breath and chose to skip the topic:

Which piece of music will we learn today?

It's time to practice the piano.

Kitagawa Ryo paused, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke:

"To Für Elise."

Chapter Twenty-One: I Was Also Trying

Meeting room.

The executive committee members selected by each class were making a racket here. In the short time before the meeting started, people who knew each other naturally gathered together, but almost every group was discussing the same topic.

Why is Horikita Suzune here?

However, they didn't have much time to deduce a conclusion. As the start time of the meeting approached, the Student Council, who was sitting at the head of the table, began to call out names.

"Class 2-1, Executive Committee Member Kushida Kikyo."

"Arrive."

"Class 2-2, Executive Committee Member, Horikita Suzune."

"... arrive."

"Okay. Next, Class 2-3..."

The process of becoming an executive committee member went even more smoothly than Horikita Suzune had imagined. Even the girls in her class who usually treated her coldly readily voted for her. The homeroom teacher also seemed to have great trust in Horikita Suzune's abilities. It wasn't until she sat in the chair in the meeting room that Horikita Suzune belatedly felt at ease.

"Now that everyone is here, our first meeting will begin. Class executive committee members, please take notes."

After tapping on the table, the Student Council began assigning and explaining tasks according to the notices distributed by the school.

Horikita Suzune quickly focused her attention. The first task of the executive committee member was to convey the specific information about the Cultural Festival to the class. In fact, it was quite difficult to organize and convey the contents of a meeting that lasted for several hours to each classmate. At the very least, one had to have a certain ability to extract key points and summarize.

But.

This is too much...

Her legs felt weak as she stood up from her seat. Looking at the notebook that was almost completely filled with notes, even Horikita Suzune, who had undergone special training in the past few weeks, couldn't help but feel physically and mentally exhausted.

She now roughly understands why some of her classmates are not competing with her for the executive committee position.

Although the current Student Council was impeccable as the executive chairman of the entire Cultural Festival, with concise language and instructions, the total meeting time still inevitably reached two hours.

In other words, the truth is --

"Why is a simple junior high school Cultural Festival so complicated? Why are there so many tasks...?"

The executive committee member from the other class next door had already started wailing.

"It's probably because the Cultural Festival is open to the public, and elementary school graduates will come to visit and decide whether to apply, so of course the school will care."

Another student also comforted her.

Horikita Suzune glanced at her; she seemed to be a girl from the next class, and her name should be Kushida Kikyo.

Noticing Horikita Suzune's gaze, Kushida Kikyo smiled and waved, then stepped forward to strike up a conversation:

"You must be Horikita. It's a pleasure to serve as an executive committee member alongside you."

If the other person had immediately asked, "Why are you here, Horikita- san?", Horikita Suzune probably wouldn't have bothered to answer and would have just turned and left. But since you can't hit a smiling face, she could only reluctantly agree:

Yes, that's right.

Similar to Horikita Suzune, Kushida Kikyo also meticulously took a notebook full of meeting notes. She seemed to have fully immersed herself in the role, holding a pencil to her nose as she stared at the contents of the notebook and began to speak:

"This time, our second grade planned as a whole, so should we further break down the responsibilities?"

Before Horikita Suzune could react, the executive committee members from the other classes had already agreed. This girl named Kushida Kikyo seemed to be even more prestigious among her classmates than Horikita Suzune had imagined.

Thinking about it carefully, this is actually my first time attending a group meeting of this kind.

Horikita Suzune was slightly stunned. By the time she came to her senses, Kushida Kikyo was already smilingly assigning tasks to her, or rather, to the class behind her.

"Horikita will be in charge of the grade's publicity work, which will mainly involve making promotional posters, websites, banners, and so on."

They were completely suppressed.

This was the first time Horikita Suzune had felt the pressure of public opinion. When Kushida Kikyo spoke, all the representatives from the other classes around her turned their gazes to her.

"If Horikita feels uncomfortable, he can choose other jobs, but then everyone's responsibilities will have to change."

Kushida Kikyo is skillfully manipulating the atmosphere here.

If it were the old Horikita Suzune, she probably would have directly confronted her, then been attacked by the crowd, and ultimately lost her position as an executive committee member under public pressure.

So Horikita Suzune simply nodded and agreed.

Horikita Suzune remembered what Kitagawa Ryo had told her last night: she wouldn't lose to Horikita Manabu, at least not in such a humiliating way.

"Then, I'll leave the rest to you all."

Kushida Kikyo clapped her hands and chuckled, while Horikita Suzune watched her every move.

She didn't like this personality, nor did she want to become this kind of person, but just like Kitagawa Ryo said.

Horikita Suzune at least needs to learn to understand, whether for absorption or for resistance.

Kitagawa Ryo said that all of this was necessary preparation in order to surpass Horikita Manabu.

So let's give it a try.

However, Horikita Suzune's mental breakdown came faster than expected.

"So, here's the situation. Students who have ideas about the class's posters, banners, and slogans can anonymously send them to my email address or contact me directly. Those interested in volunteering can also sign up here. According to the arrangements, we're responsible for the area to the right of the main teaching building; we also need to pay attention to its cleanliness. Please assign more students to be on duty during this period..."

"At the same time, students in the class with a foundation in drawing or writing will also need to put in extra effort for this Cultural Festival."

"Above."

Based on the meeting minutes she had compiled, Horikita Suzune spoke while writing on the blackboard, taking a full half hour to finish explaining all the arrangements.

But the students in the class suddenly fell silent, not one of them responding. They were like spectators who had just finished watching a one-man show, with a faint, cold glint in their eyes.

"Everyone needs to cooperate well with the executive committee members."

The homeroom teacher, who was standing nearby, seemed to feel that the atmosphere was too stiff and awkward, so she stepped in and interjected.

He seemed to want to say more, but Horikita Suzune stepped down from the podium first, choking the homeroom teacher's words in his throat.

The homeroom teacher could only sigh helplessly.

Horikita Suzune's first task was to collect poster designs from each class in her grade.

So, for the first time after school, she didn't go home immediately. Instead, she went to the classroom of Class 3 next door. Class 1, where Kushida Kikyo was, had already handed in their things. Although Horikita Suzune knew that this was one of Kushida Kikyo's methods, she did feel much better.

Horikita Suzune began to understand why the other person had such a vast network of connections.

Regardless of what Kushida Kikyo's thoughts and intentions were, it must be admitted that communicating with her was a pleasant experience; this girl seemed to know exactly where everyone's sore spots were.

Perhaps this is also a kind of talent.

While thinking, Horikita Suzune saw the executive committee member who was already waiting at the entrance of Class 3. The executive committee member walked up to her and asked:

"You're asking for suggestions on promotional poster design, right?"

Horikita Suzune nodded, and the classmate then flipped open three or four small slips of paper and began to read them aloud one by one:

"First and foremost, it has to be able to project a handsome image."

"Handsome."

With a cold expression, Horikita Suzune wrote those two words down in her notebook.

"Then, the lines need to be softer, and the lighting should also be warm-toned. Pay attention to that."

"..."

Horikita Suzune paused for a moment. Although she felt that this might conflict with the previous requirement, she still obediently wrote it down first.

"Yes, and one more thing, it would be best to subtly integrate the words 'Class 2, Grade 2' into the poster. It shouldn't be too jarring, but it also shouldn't be too hidden. Ideally, people should be able to spot the words at a glance, and it shouldn't be abstract."

Is there anything else?

Horikita Suzune almost crushed the pencil tip on the paper.

"That's all, please. I'm leaving now."

After reading the contents of the note, the man turned and left without hesitation.

Horikita Suzune suppressed her anger and walked towards the next class.

"Hmm... there's nothing in particular I want, just do whatever you think is best."

The representative of Class 4, Grade 2 was a girl. She was picking her nails and didn't seem to care much about such things.

"Just follow along? There needs to be a theme, right?"

Horikita Suzune experienced the diversity of human races.

"Hmm? The theme... let me think... how about something fun and happy?"

"You shouldn't be consulting me about this kind of thing."

"Oh, whatever, whatever's fine. You decide. I'm in a hurry to get home. Bye!"

Watching the girl disappear from sight as she ran off, Horikita Suzune twitched the corners of her mouth.

Interacting with people is indeed a very troublesome thing.

"The poster design, right? Our class already discussed it – a big one, yes, yes, a really big one."

"Next, this is the stage play project our class submitted. Below are photos of the Actor. You need to design a cartoon character for them, one that's recognizable, not chibi, not two-headed, just normal proportions. Line them up in a row, and write 'Class 2-5' in big letters above them. Use standard font, bold and black! Remember that? Then use a vibrant background, and remember to add an outer glow. You know what an outer glow is, it's that effect with a halo around the character..."

"If the idea is so mature, why don't you guys do it yourselves?"