Horikita Manabu

Watanabe Hayabara slowly turned his head and looked toward the source of the voice, even though he had already recognized who it belonged to.

The corners of his mouth lifted into a faint smile. "What's up, Shiina?"

Shiina Hiyori stood there with a smile of her own, looking a little shy. "Oh, it's nothing. I just saw you here, so I came over to say hello."

Watanabe Hayabara nodded in understanding. Just then, Kushida Kikyo, who was sitting nearby, suddenly spoke up. "Who's this?"

Shiina Hiyori turned to Kushida Kikyo and replied with a polite smile, "I'm Shiina Hiyori from Class 1-C. It's nice to meet you."

Kushida Kikyo returned her smile warmly. "Hello, I'm Kushida Kikyo, Watanabe's classmate. It's nice to meet you, Shiina."

"Shiina, just tell me what you want. No need to be so shy." Watanabe Hayabara spoke in a relaxed tone, a smile on his lips.

Shiina Hiyori's cheeks turned a little red. "Um... Watanabe, could I trouble you to come with me this afternoon and take a look at the clubs?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Kushida Kikyo looked puzzled and cut in. "What clubs?"

Shiina Hiyori seemed a little surprised by Kushida Kikyo's question. She blinked and explained, "You didn't hear? They just announced it over the PA. 'The club orientation will be held in the First Gymnasium at five o'clock this afternoon. Students interested in joining a club should gather there.' It was a really cute woman's voice."

As she said the last sentence, Shiina Hiyori glanced at Watanabe Hayabara, seemingly on purpose, as if she were saying it specifically for him.

"Of course. But don't you have any close friends in Class C?"

Shiina Hiyori gently shook her head, a helpless smile on her lips. "I don't really get along with the others in Class C. Watanabe, please do me this favor." As she spoke, she rested her chin in her hand and put on a pitiful expression.

"I'd never turn down a beautiful girl's request."

Kushida Kikyo, sitting nearby, chimed in, "You should be eager to help, Watanabe!" Her voice was clear and sweet, and listening to it made her feel especially approachable. Then Kushida Kikyo turned to Shiina Hiyori with a smile. "If there's anything you need help with, Shiina, you can always come to me too."

"Then I'll be counting on you too, Kushida." Watanabe Hayabara smiled, his eyes showing a hint of gratitude.

Kushida Kikyo smiled back. "You're welcome. It's the least I can do." Her voice was clear and sweet, making her seem very friendly.

"Please help me make friends with everyone, Shiina. My dream is to become friends with everyone." Watanabe Hayabara looked at Shiina Hiyori expectantly, his eyes shining with sincerity.

Shiina Hiyori nodded and said gently, "Sure. I'll do my best to help." Her tone was firm yet warm, making her seem reliable.

"Then I'll see you at the gymnasium at five this afternoon, Shiina! Bye!" Watanabe Hayabara and Kushida Kikyo said in unison, then waved goodbye to Shiina Hiyori.

After saying goodbye, Watanabe Hayabara and Kushida Kikyo continued enjoying their lunch, chatting and sharing little details about their lives. Once they had finished eating, they went their separate ways.

The afternoon classes proceeded as usual.

~~~~~~~~~~

Watanabe Hayabara arrived at the gymnasium on time. First, everyone lined up to collect a booklet introducing the clubs, with detailed information about each one. Then he avoided the crowd and found a place to stand.

"First-years, thank you for waiting. The club representatives will now begin their presentations. I'm Tachibana, the student council secretary, and I'll be hosting today's orientation. It's a pleasure to meet you."

After Host Tachibana finished welcoming everyone, the club representatives lined up on the gymnasium stage.

The club representatives were a diverse bunch. There were seniors who looked strong in their judo uniforms, as well as girls wearing beautiful kimonos.

Watanabe Hayabara rubbed his chin as he listened to the chatter around him and looked through the booklet in his hands.

The selection was comprehensive, with chicken and duck on display, though it was all just to get funding for the clubs.

Watanabe Hayabara made a point of listening to the kimono-clad girl's presentation.

"My name is Hashigaki, and I'm the captain of the kyudo club. I think many students see kyudo as old-fashioned and plain. But it's very interesting, and it's a sport well worth taking up. We welcome beginners, so please consider joining our club."

What a clichéd introduction. Nothing stands out.

One senior after another took turns introducing their clubs from the center of the stage.

Each presentation sparked lively discussion among the first-years, who exchanged thoughts and opinions. The gymnasium was bustling.

Neither the teachers overseeing the event nor the club representatives seemed annoyed by the noisy first-years. They continued explaining the clubs. After finishing, the seniors filed off the stage and headed to the makeshift recruitment area, where several tables had been set up.

One person left the stage, then another. Finally, only one person remained. Everyone's attention turned toward him.

Watanabe Hayabara looked over. Through his sharply styled glasses, he could make out the man's intelligent eyes.

But the man said nothing. He stood perfectly still, scanning the first-years below.

"What's that guy doing?" the students below began to murmur.

The man onstage remained unmoved. He simply stood there in silence.

Then the first-years' lighthearted mood slowly shifted in an unexpected direction.

An oppressive atmosphere of disbelief and silence spread throughout the gymnasium.

The silence was so unnerving that everyone felt they shouldn't speak, even though no one had told them to keep quiet.

By now, not a single person dared to say a word. After the silence had lasted for about thirty seconds... the senior onstage finally slowly surveyed the students and began to speak.

"I am Horikita Manabu, the Student Council President."

The whole hall grew even quieter.

"With the graduation of the upperclassmen, the student council will once again recruit candidates from among the first-years. There are no special requirements for candidates, but anyone considering running for the student council should avoid joining other clubs. As a rule, those who wish to join both the student council and another club will not be accepted."

The entire hall fell silent. Even the constant whispers stopped.

"Next... our student council does not want candidates who run with naive ideas. People like that would not only fail to get elected, but would surely bring shame upon the school. Our school's student council has been entrusted by the school with the authority and responsibility to change its regulations, and is expected to live up to that responsibility. We welcome only those who understand this."

After delivering his speech fluently, Student Council President Horikita Manabu went straight off the stage and left the gymnasium.

"Thank you all for your effort. This concludes the orientation. Applications to join the clubs will now be accepted. Since applications will remain open until the end of April, anyone who decides to apply later should bring their application form directly to the club they wish to join." The host's closing remarks helped ease the tension.