Club Recruitment

Noon.

The Class A classroom had shed its morning bustle, leaving only a lazy quiet.

Uesugi Hara sat back in his chair, scrolling through videos.

He had already finished lunch.

A few students were scattered around the classroom.

Some had already returned after eating, while others were still enjoying bentos they'd made or bought.

But the clear, sweet voice that suddenly came through the speakers shattered the peaceful atmosphere.

"Starting at five this afternoon, a club information session will be held in the First Gymnasium. Students interested in joining a club, please gather at the First Gymnasium this afternoon. I'll repeat that. Starting today—"

It was obvious from the voice alone that the speaker was a cute girl.

Club activities, huh?

Uesugi Hara stopped scrolling and mused to himself. Come to think of it, he hadn't joined any clubs yet.

He hadn't paid much attention to that sort of thing before because he'd been working part-time, but now he could go take a look.

He turned and poked Kamuro Masumi, who was putting away her bento box. "Hey, Kamuro..."

"What?" Kamuro Masumi replied without looking up, her voice edged with impatience.

"Are you interested in club activities?"

"Not really."

"Oh." Uesugi Hara considered that "not really" probably meant she could take them or leave them. He pressed on, "Want to go check it out together?"

He didn't know much about clubs, so having Kamuro along would make things easier.

Kamuro Masumi paused, clearly tempted, but after a few seconds of hesitation, she shook her head. "Maybe not.

"Are you worried Sakayanagi might have something planned?" Uesugi Hara saw right through her hesitation. "We can invite her along. It'd be a good chance for her to relax, too."

"Th-then, okay." Kamuro Masumi thought it over, decided he had a point, and nodded.

After school, students began filing out of the classroom.

Uesugi Hara saw Morishita Ai packing up by herself, her lonely-looking figure bent over her things, and asked, "Want to go check out the club information session together, Morishita?"

"I refuse." Morishita Ai rejected him without mercy.

"Oh." Uesugi Hara didn't press her and started to leave.

When Morishita Ai saw he had nothing more to say, she stopped what she was doing and couldn't help asking, "Aren't you curious what I'm going to do?"

"Uh... what are you going to do, then?"

"I'm going to have an adventure around campus. That's all. See you." Morishita Ai grabbed her packed bag and jogged out of the classroom.

Uesugi Hara had been about to add, "Good luck," but she'd already run off. He could only shrug at the other two.

Kamuro Masumi, rubbing her forehead: I get it.

Sakayanagi Arisu, smiling: How interesting~

Inside the First Gymnasium.

The club information session hadn't officially started yet, but the gymnasium was already lively.

Uesugi Hara took the two girls around to see what was going on.

Hashimoto had originally insisted on coming along, even thumping his chest and promising to "protect Her Highness, the Princess." But Sakayanagi Arisu had simply said, "Having Uesugi is enough. You'd be more useful staying behind to organize this week's class schedule," and sent him off without a second thought.

As Uesugi Hara left, he caught Hashimoto's resentful gaze. He hadn't wanted to laugh, but he just couldn't help it. After all, Hashimoto had never been able to refuse Sakayanagi.

As they passed the Art Club booth, Uesugi Hara noticed Kamuro Masumi gazing at the canvases with a curiosity she hadn't shown toward the other clubs. There was even a hint that she might be tempted.

"Kamuro, are you interested in the Art Club?" he asked, nudging her arm with his elbow.

"Not really." Kamuro Masumi immediately looked away, stubbornly denying it.

"Really? I thought you'd be into more violent clubs, like the Taekwondo Club or the Karate Club. I didn't expect you to like art. Is this what they call a surprising contrast?"

"Mind your own business. Get lost!" Kamuro Masumi instantly bristled and shoved Uesugi Hara.

"Uesugi really does like teasing Kamuro," Sakayanagi Arisu remarked, leaning on her cane nearby as she watched Kamuro Masumi bristle, amusement in her eyes. "But if you're interested in the Art Club, Kamuro, why not give it a try? I don't mind~"

"I'll think about it..." Kamuro Masumi turned her face away, her tone dismissive. "I was just looking. It doesn't mean I'm actually going to join..." But her softened attitude made it clear that she'd taken Sakayanagi Arisu's words to heart.

"First-years, thank you for waiting. We'll now begin today's club introduction session, with representatives from each club."

A girl with her hair tied in a bun stood onstage, looking sweet and charming. She bowed slightly, her voice clear. "I'm Tachibana Akane, the Student Council secretary, and I'll be hosting this session. I look forward to working with you all!"

After a brief opening, the club representatives lined up onstage and introduced their clubs one by one—from sports clubs like the Judo Club and Kyudo Club, to ball-game clubs like the Basketball Club and Tennis Club, and then to cultural and lifestyle clubs like the Art Club, Tea Ceremony Club, and Cooking Club. There was so much to see that it was dazzling.

The upperclassmen onstage had begun introducing their clubs.

"Is there no club you're interested in, Uesugi?" Sakayanagi Arisu asked casually as she watched Uesugi Hara look around.

"Are there any clubs with a lot of money?" Uesugi Hara asked curiously.

"Hmm... the Student Council has plenty of money," Sakayanagi Arisu replied after thinking it over.

"I see." Uesugi Hara nodded, then turned to her. "Is there a club you're interested in, Sakayanagi?"

"I was interested in the school's Chess Club, but after beating everyone there, I lost interest." Sakayanagi Arisu sounded a little regretful.

"Uh... so you went there to beat up on the weak?" Uesugi Hara thought it over, then suddenly realized something. "Is that where you earned your Points, too?"

"Maybe." Sakayanagi Arisu smiled mysteriously.

"Then next time you have some Points, come play chess with me~ I like beating up on the weak, too," Uesugi Hara proposed, completely serious.

Sakayanagi Arisu's expression darkened instantly. Am I that weak?

She maintained her polite smile, raised her cane, and tapped Uesugi Hara on the shin. "Uesugi, you really are rude."

Uesugi Hara didn't feel much from the tap, so he simply pretended it hadn't happened and turned back to watch the upperclassmen introducing their clubs.

Sakayanagi Arisu: Getting angry.

Before long, the club representatives left the stage, leaving only one person behind—Horikita Manabu.

He stood in front of the microphone with his back straight, but didn't speak for a long time. Uesugi Hara watched him for a few seconds, wondering, Horikita Manabu? Why isn't he saying anything? Is the microphone broken?

Only when he noticed the surrounding upperclassmen stop talking and turn serious did he finally realize what was going on: the guy was waiting for the whole gymnasium to quiet down. Uesugi Hara secretly rolled his eyes. This guy sure knows how to put on a show.

"What's he doing?" Kamuro Masumi whispered, baffled by the atmosphere.

Uesugi Hara gestured for her to be quiet. "Shh~ You'll see in a moment."

After a few lighthearted exchanges, the gymnasium finally fell silent.

Horikita Manabu finally spoke, his steady, powerful voice carrying through the microphone and across the gymnasium. "I am Horikita Manabu, the Student Council President... We only welcome those who can understand this." (Omitted content is in the comments section.)

After delivering a smooth speech that brimmed with pressure, he didn't linger. He turned and strode offstage, leaving the gymnasium full of silent students.

Right afterward, Tachibana Akane's familiar, sweet voice rang out again, breaking the tense silence. "Thank you for your effort, everyone. The information session is now over. We'll begin accepting club applications. Also, since applications will be accepted until the end of June, anyone who decides to apply later should bring their application form directly to the club they wish to join."

Thanks to the unflappable, charming host, the tense atmosphere gradually faded away.

After that, the upperclassmen introducing the clubs all began accepting applications.

The atmosphere gradually grew lively again.

"The Student Council's pretty overbearing," Uesugi Hara remarked after Horikita Manabu left.

"Indeed." Sakayanagi Arisu nodded slightly, her tone calm. "But doesn't that also show the Student Council's standing?"

Kamuro Masumi chimed in from beside them. "I was practically holding my breath just now. He was so intimidating..."

Uesugi Hara raised an eyebrow. "I didn't find him intimidating. Maybe you're just too sensitive."

"Couldn't you just be too insensitive?"