The Student Council's Work Continues

"Tsk, why didn't I realize there were so many vendors in this school before?"

An Xiao bit down on his pen cap, holding a clipboard in his hand as he checked off items one by one according to the information recorded on the documents, occasionally using his pen to make a few marks.

"My face is starting to feel stiff from smiling."

An Xiao sighed, rubbing his slightly sore cheeks.

"That Kushida... how does she manage to keep up that fake smile all the time? Doesn't her face get sore?"

"Yo, kid, you're still at it!"

A middle-aged man, slightly older in years, walked out of the beverage shop next to An Xiao and said to him with a smile.

"Yeah, Uncle, still have to work."

As An Xiao spoke, he shook the clipboard in his hand at him.

"Tsk, what's with the 'Uncle'? Call me big brother; there's not that much of an age gap between us, is there?"

"Sure, Uncle Watanabe, you're only about ten or twenty years older than me."

"Honestly, you brat can be really unlikable sometimes." Watanabe clicked his tongue in annoyance, walked up to An Xiao, hooked his arm around his neck, and gave him a knuckle-rap on the head.

"You weren't like this when you first came to my shop."

"Haven't we gotten close since then?"

Watanabe Yuichi, the owner of the coffee shop next to An Xiao, was someone he had met when he first came to inspect the shop.

Although there was a significant age gap, the two of them hit it off unexpectedly well. Plus, since An Xiao had been coming to this area to inspect other vendors recently, he often stopped here to rest, and over time, they became familiar with each other; An Xiao even opened a tab at his place.

"Alright, I'll go get you a drink first. Look at the state of you. Still an iced latte, right? Go find a seat."

"Deduct the points from my card."

"Got it." Uncle Watanabe waved his hand and said.

"Seat, seat... huh?" As An Xiao walked into the shop and was about to find an empty spot to sit, he ran head-on into a familiar pink-haired girl.

"Sakura, what a coincidence."

"Um, hello, An Xiao."

"Say, why don't we find a seat? Blocking the doorway like this might not be great." An Xiao pointed to the glass door nearby and said.

The two of them found a nearby spot to sit, and the drinks were brought over shortly after.

"How is your class... doing now?"

Watching Sakura sitting there, holding her cup with both hands and sipping it in small mouthfuls, An Xiao asked with some curiosity.

"It's alright, I suppose..." Sakura's fingers tightened subconsciously when she heard An Xiao's words. "They found me earlier, wanting me to act as a witness to testify for Sudo..."

At this point, Sakura suddenly raised her head, her expression flustered as she said, "I didn't mention you."

"Alright, alright, no need for that. Am I really that scary?" An Xiao looked at the Sakura in front of him, feeling somewhat helpless. "And then?"

"And then..." Sakura recalled the situation at the time, her body trembling involuntarily.

"Later, Ayanokoji, Horikita, and Kushida came to talk to me several times, but, but..."

"I really didn't want to agree."

Recalling what the Class C homeroom teacher had said at the deliberation meeting, Sakura curled in on herself, her tone filled with obvious sobs.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

An Xiao's words didn't receive an immediate response. It took a while for Sakura to regain her composure; she shook her head and finished what she hadn't said earlier. "This has nothing to do with you, An Xiao."

"As for how this ended..." Sakura bit her lip, her expression complex as she said, "It seems our class submitted something else, which caused that very cold Student Council president to postpone the deliberation meeting by a day."

"..." An Xiao.

The development of the plot caught An Xiao off guard.

If they had something like that, why not bring it out sooner? Wouldn't that have saved people from suffering for nothing?

"Anyway, about that thing I mentioned to you before, have you thought about it?" An Xiao changed the subject.

"You mean that senior from the Photography Club?"

Mentioning something she was interested in, Sakura's previously low mood improved quite a bit.

"I've chatted with her on my phone. She's a very enthusiastic person and even taught me many photography techniques."

"I'm out today because my camera accidentally fell and needs repairs."

Watching the girl touch her bag, An Xiao smiled, stood up, and said to Sakura, "Then let's go."

"Huh?" Sakura was at a loss.

"I happen to know where the electronics store is around here."

"No, wouldn't that be too much trouble for you, An Xiao?"

"Not at all, I was going that way anyway," An Xiao said. "Besides, if it were just you, you'd probably wander around the entrance for half a day without daring to go in."

"Th-thank you." Sakura's face turned a bit red. She stood up and was about to bow to An Xiao, but before she could finish, An Xiao used the back of his hand to press against her forehead, stopping her.

"There's no need for this; just consider it my apology for my inappropriate remarks earlier."

Straightening Sakura up, An Xiao said this.

Led by An Xiao, the two of them soon arrived at an electronics store inside the shopping mall.

However...

"Well, it looks like this can't be repaired."

"Is that so? It seems to be a power supply issue. By the way, do you have the warranty card with you?"

The clerk inside the electronics store held Sakura's camera, turning it over in his hands.

According to him, the camera had suffered internal component damage due to an impact, causing the built-in power supply to malfunction, but fortunately, it could be repaired for free by using the inspection card.

"So, miss, could you take out the warranty card and show it to me?"

Looking at the clerk in front of her, Sakura suddenly felt a sense of physical discomfort for some reason, and she immediately hid behind An Xiao, handing the warranty card from her bag to the clerk from behind him.

"Mhm, the conditions are all met. Now, all that's left is to fill in some basic information."

"Name, address, and contact information."

Looking at the clerk in front of him, An Xiao's brow furrowed as well.

Not to mention Sakura, An Xiao himself felt a strange sense of revulsion in his heart right now.

He just felt that there was a disgusting, sleazy vibe coming from the clerk opposite them.

He grabbed Sakura's hand, which was trembling as she held the pen, and took the pen from her.

"I'll come by to pick it up myself when it's ready; I have to come here often these next few days anyway."

"Wait a moment, customer, that's a bit against the rules!"

The clerk said with a hint of urgency.

"What part of it is against the rules? How about I give the person beside me a call when I come to pick it up?"

An Xiao quickly filled out the form, handed it back to the clerk, and spoke.

"Do you think that works? Or is it that you insist on her coming back here?"

"It's not that, well... I suppose that's fine."